December 22 – Mystery, Fire, and the Messenger

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Welcome to Bible Chat, where we
have devotional conversations

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rooted in Scripture and relevant
for today, December 22nd,

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Mystery, Fire, and the
Messenger.

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There are moments in life that
feel like a mystery.

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Things you can’t explain, can’t
predict, and can’t fully

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control.
Proverbs chapter 30 verses 18 to

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19 says 3 things are too
wonderful for me for I do not

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understand, and it lists the
wonder of an eagle in the sky, a

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ship on the sea, and even the
way of a man with a virgin.

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It’s like scripture is saying
some things are bigger than your

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understanding.
And that’s exactly where the

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Christmas story begins.
God doing something beyond human

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explanation.
Isaiah chapter 40 verse 3 says a

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voice cries in the wilderness,
prepare the way of the Lord,

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make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.

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That’s not just poetic, that’s a
call to get ready, to make room

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to clear the clutter.
Then Malachi chapter 3 verse one

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says, behold, I send my
messenger and he will prepare

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the way before me.
God wasn’t silent, He was

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setting the stage.
He was sending a messenger

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before he sent the Messiah.
And in Matthew Chapter 11, Jesus

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explains that John the Baptist
is that messenger.

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He even says among those born of
women, there has arisen no one

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greater than John the Baptist.
John wasn’t polished.

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He wasn’t trying to be popular.
He was bold, intense, and

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completely focused on one thing,
pointing people to Jesus.

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That’s what preparing the way
looks like.

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It’s not just knowing facts
about God.

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It’s letting him rearrange your
life.

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It’s choosing honesty over
pretending, repentance over

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excuses, obedience over comfort.
And here’s the crazy part.

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God still uses messengers.
Sometimes it’s a parent, a

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friend, a pastor, a random
conversation, or even a moment

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where God convicts you quietly
in your own heart.

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The question isn’t whether God
is speaking.

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The question is whether you’re
willing to listen, and whether

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you’ll live in a way that points
others to Jesus, too.

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Let’s pray, Heavenly Father,
help me recognize your voice and

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respond when you’re calling me
to prepare the way for you in my

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life.
Remove what’s distracting me,

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soften what’s hardened in me,
and straighten what’s crooked in

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me.
Make me brave like John, someone

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who points people to Jesus with
my words and my life, even when

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I don’t understand everything.
Help me trust that you are

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moving in Jesus name, Amen.
Imagine stepping into a new year

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with clarity in your spirit,
strength in your soul, and the

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supernatural backing of heaven
behind every step you take.

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That’s what the Foundations for
a Flourishing Year series

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unlocks.
This seven book prayer and

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devotional journey covers every
dimension of a powerful God

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aligned year.
Faith for the Year helps you

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strengthen your trust and
confidence in God’s promises.

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Focus for the Year brings
clarity, direction, and divine

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purpose to every decision.
Favor for the Year activate

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supernatural opportunities and
blessings you couldn’t

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manufacture on your own.
Fortitude for the Year equips

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you with courage, resilience,
and strength for every battle.

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Fruitfulness for the Year
empowers you to produce results,

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prosper and multiply in every
assignment.

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Freedom for the Year breaks
limitations, delays, and

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spiritual resistance.
And Fortress for the Year covers

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your life with unshakable divine
protection, 210 Scriptures, 210

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prophetic prayer scripts, and
daily declarations.

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You’ll build spiritual momentum
aligned with God’s voice and

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step boldly into purpose,
provision, breakthrough, and

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victory.
Start the year prepared.

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Start the year position.
Start the year flourishing.

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Pre-order your copies today on
Amazon or visit

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prayerscripts.org.
Now I invite you to spend time

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with God in today’s three-year
Bible Reading plan, Proverbs

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3018 to 20.
World English Bible.

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There are three things which are
too amazing for me, 4 which I

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don’t understand.
The way of an eagle in the air,

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the way of a serpent on a rock,
the way of a ship in the middle

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of the sea, and the way of a man
with a maiden.

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So is the way of an adulterous
woman.

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She eats and wipes her mouth and
says, I have done nothing wrong.

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Isaiah 41 to 8.
World English Bible.

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Comfort, comfort my people, says
your God.

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Speak comfortably to Jerusalem,
and call out to her that her

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warfare is accomplished, that
her iniquity is pardoned, that

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she has received of Yahweh’s
hand double for all her sins.

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The voice of one who calls out.
Prepare the way of Yahweh in the

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wilderness.
Make a level highway in the

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desert for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted,

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and every mountain and hill
shall be made low.

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The uneven shall be made level,
and the rough place is a plain.

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Yahweh’s glory shall be
revealed, and all flesh shall

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see it together.
For the mouth of Yahweh has

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spoken it.
The voice of one saying, Cry

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out.
One said, What shall I cry?

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All flesh is like grass, and all
its glory is like the flower of

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the field.
The grass Withers, the flower

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fades because Yahweh’s breath
blows on it.

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Surely the people are like
grass.

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The grass Withers, the flower
fades, but the word of our God

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stands forever.
Malachi, 3125.

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World English Bible.
Behold, I send my messenger, and

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he will prepare the way before
me.

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The Lord whom you seek will
suddenly come to his temple.

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Behold, the messenger of the
covenant whom you desire is

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coming, says Yahweh of armies.
But who can endure the day of

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his coming?
And who will stand when he

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appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire

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and like launderer’s soap, and
he will sit as a refiner and

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purifier of silver, and he will
purify the sons of Levi and

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refine them as gold and silver,
and they shall offer to Yahweh

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offerings in righteousness.
Then the offering of Judah and

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Jerusalem will be pleasant to
Yahweh as in the days of old and

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as in ancient years.
I will come near to you to

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judgement.
I will be a swift witness

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against the sorcerers, against
the adulterers, against the

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perjurers, and against those who
oppress the hireling in his

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wages, the widow and the
fatherless, and who deprive the

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foreigner of justice.
And don’t fear me, says Yahweh

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of armies, Malachi 4.
World English Bible.

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For behold, the day comes
burning like a furnace, when all

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the proud and all who work
wickedness will be stubble.

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The day that comes will burn
them up, says Yahweh of armies,

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so that it will leave them
neither root nor branch.

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But to you who fear my name
shall the Sun of Righteousness

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arise with healing in its wings.
You will go out and leap like

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calves of the stall.
You shall tread down the wicked,

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for they will be ashes under the
soles of your feet.

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In the day that I make, says
Yahweh of armies, remember the

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law of Moses my servant, which I
commanded to him in Horeb for

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all Israel, even statutes and
ordinances.

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Behold, I will send you Elijah
the prophet, before the great

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and terrible day of Yahweh
comes.

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He will turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the

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hearts of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and strike

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the earth with a curse.
Matthew 11, Seven to 15 World.

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English Bible.
As these went their way, Jesus

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began to say to the multitudes
concerning John, What did you go

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out into the wilderness to see?
A Reed shaken by the wind?

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But what did you go out to see?
A man in soft clothing?

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Behold, those who wear soft
clothing are in King’s houses.

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But why did you go out to see a
prophet?

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Yes, I tell you, and much more
than a prophet, for this is he

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of whom it is written.
Behold, I send my messenger

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before your face, who will
prepare your way before you.

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Most certainly I tell you, among
those who are born of women

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there has not arisen anyone
greater than John the Baptizer.

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Yet he who is least in the
Kingdom of heaven is greater

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than he.
From the days of John the

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Baptizer until now, the Kingdom
of heaven suffers violence and

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the violent take it by force for
all the prophets in the law

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prophesied until John.
If you’re willing to receive it,

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This is Elijah who is to come.
He who has ears to hear, let him

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hear.
Thanks for joining us on Bible

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Chat, where Scripture meets
everyday life.

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If today’s devotional encouraged
you, share it with a friend and

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conversation.
Until next time, stay rooted in

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truth, anchored in hope, and
walking daily with Jesus.