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February 9 - The Unexpected Reach of God's Mercy · Bible Chat Devotional

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  Welcome to Bible Chat, where we have devotional conversations
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  rooted in Scripture and relevant for today, February 9th.
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  From blindness to boldness. Have you ever been so sure you
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  were right, only to realize later that you completely missed
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  the truth? Those moments can be
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  uncomfortable, even painful, but they can also become turning
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  points. Sometimes the greatest growth in
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  our lives begins when God interrupts us and shows us that
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  we don't see as clearly as we thought.
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  Proverbs chapter 10, verses 13 to 14 tells us that wisdom is
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  found on the lips of those who have understanding and that the
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  wise store up knowledge while careless words bring trouble
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  close. Wisdom isn't just about being
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  confident or loud, It's about being teachable.
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  It's about knowing when to stop talking, slow down, and let God
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  correct your direction. That lesson comes alive in Acts
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  Chapter 9 through the story of Saul.
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  Saul was passionate, driven, and completely convinced he was
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  doing the right thing. He believed he was defending God
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  by hunting down Christians. But on the road to Damascus,
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  everything changed. Acts Chapter 9, verses 4 to 5
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  tell us that Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying,
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  Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
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  When Saul asked who was speaking, the answer shook him
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  to his core. I am Jesus, whom you are
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  persecuting. In an instant, Saul realized
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  that his confidence had been misplaced.
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  The light from heaven left him physically blind, and for three
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  days he sat in darkness. No plans, no control, just
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  silence, waiting, and reflection.
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  That blindness wasn't punishment, it was preparation.
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  God was stripping away Saul's old way of seeing so he could
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  give him a new one. Then comes one of the most
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  powerful moments of grace in the story.
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  In Acts Chapter 9 verse 17, Ananias obeys God and goes to
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  Saul. He lays his hands on him and
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  calls him brother Saul, telling him that the Lord Jesus has sent
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  him so Saul can regain his sight and be filled with the Holy
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  Spirit. In that moment, Saul didn't just
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  see again, he was changed from the inside out.
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  The man who once caused fear became the man who would boldly
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  proclaim Jesus to the world. This story reminds us that God
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  isn't afraid of our mistakes. He's not limited by our past.
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  Sometimes He allows us to be humbled so we can finally hear
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  Him clearly. Wisdom often begins where pride
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  ends. When we let God open our eyes,
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  He doesn't just correct us, He commissions us.
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  Your story, even the parts you wish you could erase, can become
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  part of how God reveals His grace to others.
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  Blindness can turn into boldness.
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  Failure can turn into purpose, and when God changes your heart,
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  He can use your life in ways you never imagined.
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  Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you that
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  you are patient with me even when I don't see clearly.
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  Thank you for loving me enough to correct me and lead me into
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  truth. Teach me to seek wisdom, to
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  listen more than I speak, and to stay humble before you.
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  Open my eyes where I've been blind, heal my heart where I've
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  been stubborn, and use my story for your glory in Jesus name,
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  Amen. What if the way you pray changed
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  because you truly knew who God is?
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  The Supreme God Part 1 is an 8 book devotional and prayer
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  journey that unveils the power, presence and glory of God
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  through His biblical names. In Elohim you encounter God, the
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  Mighty Creator who forms and sustains all things.
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  Yahweh draws you into relationship with the eternal I
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  AM who is present and faithful. Adonai calls you to surrender to
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  the Lord and Master who leads and directs your steps.
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  El Elian reveals the God Most High, exalted above every power
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  and authority. El Shaddai introduces the all
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  sufficient God who nourishes and strengthens you.
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  El Olam anchors your faith in the everlasting God whose
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  purposes never fail. Elroy assures you that you are
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  seen, known and cared for by a compassionate father.
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  And El Gibor awakens confidence in the mighty God who defends,
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  delivers, and prevails through Scripture, devotional insight,
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  and prophetic prayer scripts. This series teaches you to pray
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  from revelation, worship with understanding, and walk boldly
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  in God's character. If you're ready to elevate your
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  prayer life and rediscover the God you serve or to the supreme
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  God Part One on Amazon today or visit prayerscripts.org to begin
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  your. Journey Now I invite you to
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  spend time with God in today's three-year Bible reading plan.
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  Proverbs chapter 10, verses 13 to 14 World English Bible Wisdom
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  is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is
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  for the back of him who is void of understanding.
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  Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near
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  ruin. Acts Chapter 9 World English
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  Bible But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against
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  the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked for
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  letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if
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  he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, he
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  might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
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  As he traveled he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light
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  from the sky shone around him. He fell on the earth and heard a
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  voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
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  He said, Who are you, Lord? The Lord said, I am Jesus, whom
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  you are persecuting. But rise up and enter into the
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  city, then you will be told what you must do.
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  The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the
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  sound, but seeing no one. Saul arose from the ground, and
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  when his eyes were opened he saw no one.
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  They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
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  He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
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  Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias.
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  The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias.
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  He said, Behold, it's me, Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise and
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  go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the
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  House of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus.
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  For behold, he is praying, and in a vision he has seen a man
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  named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he
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  might receive his sight. But Ananias answered, Lord, I
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  have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to
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  your Saints at Jerusalem. Here he has authority from the
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  chief priests to bind all who call on your name.
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  But the Lord said to him, Go your way, for he is my chosen
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  vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings and the
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  children of Israel, for I will show him how many things he must
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  suffer for my name's sake. Ananias departed and entered
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  into the house. Laying his hands on him, he
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  said, Brother Saul, the Lord who appeared to you on the road by
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  which you came has sent me, that you may receive your sight and
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  be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately something like
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  scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight.
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  He arose and was baptized. He took food and was
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  strengthened. Saul stayed several days with
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  the disciples who were at Damascus.
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  Immediately in the synagogue's he proclaimed the Christ, that
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  He is the Son of God. All who heard him were amazed,
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  and said, Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those
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  who called on this name? And he had come here intending
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  to bring them bound before the chief priests.
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  But Saul increased more in strength and confounded the Jews
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  who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
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  When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to
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  kill him, but their plot became known to Saul.
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  They watched the gates both day and night, that they might kill
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  him, But his disciples took him by night and let him down
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  through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
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  When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the
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  disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing
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  that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and
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  brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen
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  the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at
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  Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
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  He was with them, entering into Jerusalem, preaching boldly in
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  the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against
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  the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.
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  When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and
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  sent him off to Tarsus. So the assemblies throughout all
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  Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up.
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  They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the
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  comfort of the Holy Spirit. As Peter went throughout all
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  those parts, he came down also to the Saints who lived at Lita.
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  There he found a certain man named Aeneas who had been
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  bedridden for eight years because he was paralyzed.
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  Peter said to him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you, get up and
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  make your bed. Immediately he arose.
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  All who lived at Lita and in Sharon saw him, and they turned
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  to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a certain
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  disciple named Tabitha, which, when translated, means dorkas.
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  This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy, which
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  she did in those days. She became sick and died.
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  When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
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  As little was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter
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  was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in
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  coming to them. Peter got up and went with them.
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  When he had come they brought him into the upper room.
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  All the widows stood by him weeping and showing the tunics
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  and other garments which Dorcas had made.
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  While she was with them. Peter sent them all out and
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  knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body he said,
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  Tabitha, get up. She opened her eyes and when she
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  saw Peter she sat up. He gave her his hand and raised
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  her up. Calling the Saints and widows.
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  He presented her alive. This became known throughout all
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  Joppa and many believed in the Lord.
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  He stayed many days in Joppa with a Tanner named Simon.
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  Thanks for joining us on Bible Chat, where Scripture meets
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  everyday life. If today's devotional encouraged
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  you, share it with a friend and be sure to follow the podcast so
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  you won't miss the next conversation.
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  Until next time, stay rooted in truth, anchored in hope, and
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  walking daily with Jesus.