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June 9 - When Courage Counts · 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, June 9th, when
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  courage counts. There's always a moment, maybe
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  in the hallway, at school, online or in a group chat, where
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  you see something wrong happening.
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  Someone is being bullied, someone is being lied about,
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  someone needs someone to speak up.
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  And in that moment you have a choice.
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  Stay quiet because it's safer or speak up because it's right.
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  Most of us have stayed quiet at some point, and we know what
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  that feels like afterward. First Samuel Chapter 11 verse 6
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  says something remarkable. And the Spirit of God rushed
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  upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly
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  kindled. The people of Jabish were being
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  threatened and humiliated by their enemies.
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  And when Saul heard about it, God's Spirit moved in him
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  powerfully. He didn't rationalize it.
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  He didn't wait for someone else to act.
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  He responded because the Spirit of God stirred him toward
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  courage and action. Now, Saul isn't always a model
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  character in the Bible. His story gets complicated
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  later. But in this moment, he shows us
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  something important. Courage that's God breathed
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  looks different from human bravado.
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  It's not reckless. It's not about proving yourself
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  or showing off. It's about being so moved by
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  what moves God that you act even when it's uncomfortable.
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  Proverbs chapter 17, verses 15 and 16 warn about the opposite,
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  justifying what's wrong, condemning what's right, and
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  having the tools for wisdom but refusing to use them.
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  That's a person who knows better but keeps choosing the path of
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  least resistance. And God calls that an
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  abomination. Strong word, but it shows how
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  seriously he takes justice and integrity for young people
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  today. This is real.
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  It's easy to laugh along at a cruel joke so you don't become
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  the target. It's easy to scroll past
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  injustice because engaging might cost you something.
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  It's easy to say it's not my problem.
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  But when the Spirit of God is in you, you are equipped for more
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  than that. Courage doesn't always look like
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  a dramatic stand in front of a crowd.
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  Sometimes it looks like sending a kind message to someone being
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  mocked. Sometimes it looks like speaking
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  truth in a conversation that's going sideways.
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  Sometimes it looks like simply saying that's not right, when it
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  would have been easier to say nothing.
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  And here's the best news. You don't have to do it in your
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  own strength. Like Saul.
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  In this moment, the Spirit of God can rush upon you too.
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  You just have to be willing. Let's pray.
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  Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us courage through your
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  spirit. When we see injustice, when
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  we're tempted to stay silent, when doing right feels risky,
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  fill us with your boldness. Help us to act with wisdom, to
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  speak with love, and to trust that you go before us when we
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  stand up for what is right. We can't do this in our own
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  strength, but with You we can. In Jesus name, Amen.
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  When a loved one's marriage is under strain, you may not know
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  what to say, but you can still know how to pray.
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  The Marriage Intercessor series gives tender, faith filled
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  language for standing before God when misunderstanding, distance,
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  conflict, and wounded hearts threaten a covenant.
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  These prayer scripts help you intercede with mercy, wisdom,
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  and hope, asking God to soften what is hardened, heal what has
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  been bruised, and restore peace where tension has taken root.
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  From broken communication to division to emotional repair,
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  reconciliation and renewed strength, this series is for
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  every prayerful heart carrying another couple before the Lord.
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  Pray with clarity, stand with compassion.
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  Believe for restoration under the hand of God.
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  Order now on Amazon or visit prayerscripts.org.
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  Now I invite you to spend time with God in today's three-year
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  Bible reading plan. Proverbs chapter 17 verses 15 to
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  16 World English Bible He who justifies the wicked and he who
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  condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to
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  Yahweh. Why is there money in the hand
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  of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
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  First Samuel Chapter 11 World English Bible Then Nahash the
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  Ammonite came up and encamped against Jay Bush.
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  Gilead and all the men of Jay Bush said to Nahash, make a
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  covenant with us and we will serve you.
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  Nahash the Ammonite said to them, on this condition, I will
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  make it with you that all your right eyes be gouged out.
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  I will make this dishonor all Israel.
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  The elders of Jay Bush said to him, Give us seven days that we
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  may send messengers to all the borders of Israel, and then if
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  there is no one to save us, we will come out to you.
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  Then the messengers came to Jiber of Saul and spoke these
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  words in the ears of the people. Then all the people lifted up
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  their voice and wept. Behold, Saul came following the
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  oxen out of the field, and Saul said, What ails the people, that
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  they weep. They told him the words of the
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  men of Jabish. God's.
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  Spirit came mightily on Saul when he heard those words, and
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  his anger burned hot. He took a yoke of oxen and cut
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  them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of
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  Israel by the hand of messengers, saying, Whoever
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  doesn't come out after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be
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  done to his oxen. The dread of Yahweh fell on the
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  people, and they came out as one man.
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  He counted them in Bezeq, and the children of Israel were
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  300,000 and the men of Judah 30,000.
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  They said to the messengers who came, Tell the men of Jabish
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  Gilead tomorrow by the time the sun is hot, you will be rescued.
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  The messengers came and told the men of Jabish, and they were
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  glad. Therefore the men of Jabish
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  said, tomorrow we will come out to you, and you shall do with us
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  all that seems good to you. On the next day Saul put the
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  people in three companies, and they came into the middle of the
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  camp in the morning watch and struck the Ammonites until the
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  heat of the day. Those who remained were
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  scattered so that no two of them were left together.
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  The people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign
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  over us? Bring those men, that we may put
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  them to death. Saul said, No man shall be put
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  to death today, for today Yahweh has rescued Israel.
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  Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let's go to Gilgal and
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  renew the Kingdom there. All the people went to Gilgal,
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  and there they made Saul king before Yahweh, and Gilgal there
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  they offered sacrifices of peace, offerings before Yahweh,
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  and there's Saul, and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
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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.