December 25 – Growing Up with Purpose

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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 25th.

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Growing up with purpose, have
you ever felt stuck in the in

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between?
Like you’re waiting for your

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real life to start?
Waiting to be older, wiser, more

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confident, more ready?
The beautiful thing about Jesus

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is that He didn’t skip the slow
parts, He lived them.

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Matthew chapter 2 verse 11 says
the wise men came and saw the

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child with Mary his mother, and
they fell down and worshipped

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him.
Even as a child, Jesus was

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worthy of worship.
That means your value isn’t tied

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to how grown you feel God’s
purpose can be on your life,

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even while you’re still
developing.

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Luke chapter 2 verse 21 reminds
US Jesus was named on the 8th

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day.
Jesus the name given by the

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Angel.
Even when he was tiny, his

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identity was set.
And Luke chapter 2 verse 52 says

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Jesus increased in wisdom and in
stature and in favor with God

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and man.
That verse is so comforting

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because it shows growth is a
process.

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Wisdom takes time, character
takes repetition.

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Favor with God and people is
built through daily choices,

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obedience, humility,
faithfulness.

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Jesus had chores, He had
routines.

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He lived under authority.
He learned, He waited.

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And if even Jesus grew step by
step, you don’t have to rush

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your process.
God can use the ordinary days,

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school work, family
responsibilities, awkward

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moments, small decisions to
shape you into who you’re

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becoming.
So if you feel like nothing big

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is happening yet, don’t despise
the growing season.

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God is doing deep work.
He’s forming your heart,

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strengthening your faith, and
teaching you wisdom that will

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carry you into your future.
Growing up with purpose means

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trusting God in the slow moments
and letting Him build something

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strong in you.
Let’s pray.

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Heavenly Father, thank you for
showing me that even Jesus grew

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step by step.
Help me be patient with my

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process and faithful in the
ordinary parts of my life.

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Give me wisdom.
Help me make choices that honor

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You and grow me in favor with
you and with people.

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Teach me to trust that You are
shaping me for purpose, even

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when it feels slow.
In Jesus name, Amen.

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Imagine stepping into a new year
with clarity in your spirit,

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strength in your soul, and the
supernatural backing of heaven

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behind every step you take.
That’s what the Foundations for

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a Flourishing Year series
unlocks.

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This seven book prayer and
devotional journey covers every

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dimension of a powerful God
aligned year.

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Faith for the Year helps you
strengthen your trust and

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confidence in God’s promises.
Focus for the Year brings

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clarity, direction, and divine
purpose to every decision.

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Favor for the Year activates
supernatural opportunities and

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blessings you couldn’t
manufacture on your own.

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Fortitude for the Year equips
you with courage, resilience,

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and strength for every battle.
Fruitfulness for the Year

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empowers you to produce results,
prosper, and multiply in every

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assignment.
Freedom for the Year breaks

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limitations, delays, and
spiritual resistance.

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And Fortress for the Year covers
your life with unshakeable

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divine protection, 210
Scriptures, 210 prophetic prayer

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scripts, and daily declarations.
You’ll build spiritual momentum

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aligned with God’s voice and
step boldly into purpose,

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provision, breakthrough, and
victory.

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Start the year prepared.
Start the year position.

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Start the year flourishing.
Pre-order your copies today on

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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 Matthew 2
World English Bible.

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Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judea, in the days

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of King Herod, behold, wise men
from the East came to Jerusalem,

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saying, Where is he who is born
king of the Jews?

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For we saw his star in the east,
and have come to worship him.

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When King Herod heard it, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with

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him.
Gathering together all the chief

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priests and scribes of the
people, he asked them where the

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Christ would be born.
They said to him in Bethlehem of

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Judea.
For this is written through the

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prophet.
You, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

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are in no way least among the
Princess of Judah.

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For out of you shall come a
governor who shall shepherd my

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people Israel.
Then Herod secretly called the

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wise men, and learned from them
exactly what time the star

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appeared.
He sent them to Bethlehem and

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said, Go and search diligently
for the young child.

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When you have found him, bring
me word, so that I also may come

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and worship him.
They, having heard the king,

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went their way.
And behold, the star which they

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saw in the East went before them
until it came and stood over

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where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they

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rejoiced with exceedingly great
joy.

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They came into the house and saw
the young child with Mary his

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mother, and they fell down and
worshipped him.

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Opening their treasures, they
offered to him gifts, gold,

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frankincense, and myrrh.
Being warned in a dream not to

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return to Herod, they went back
to their own country another

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way.
Now when they had departed,

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behold, an Angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream,

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saying, Arise, and take the
young child and his mother, and

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flee into Egypt, and stay there
until I tell you, for Herod will

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seek the young child to destroy
him.

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He arose and took the young
child and his mother by night,

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and departed into Egypt, and was
there until the death of Herod,

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that it might be fulfilled.
Which was spoken by the Lord

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through the prophet saying, Out
of Egypt.

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I called my son.
Then Herod, when he saw that he

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was mocked by the wise men, was
exceedingly angry and sent out

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and killed all the male children
who were in Bethlehem and in all

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the surrounding countryside from
2 years old and under, according

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to the exact time which he had
learned from the wise men.

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Then that which was spoken by
Jeremiah the prophet was

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fulfilled, saying a voice was
heard in Rama, lamentation,

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weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeping for her children.

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She wouldn’t be comforted,
because they are no more.

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But when Herod was dead, behold,
an Angel of the Lord appeared in

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a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
saying, Arise, and take the

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young child and his mother, and
go into the land of Israel.

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For those who sought the young
child’s life are dead.

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He arose and took the young
child and his mother and came

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into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus

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was reigning over Judea in the
place of his father Herod, he

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was afraid to go there.
Being warned in a dream, he

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withdrew into the region of
Galilee and came and lived in a

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city called Nazareth, that it
might be fulfilled, which was

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spoken through the prophets,
that he will be called a

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Nazarene.
Luke 221 to 52 World English

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Bible.
When 8 days were fulfilled for

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the circumcision of the child,
his name was called Jesus, which

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was given by the Angel before he
was conceived in the womb.

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When the days of their
purification according to the

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Law of Moses were fulfilled,
they brought him up to Jerusalem

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to present him to the Lord.
As it is written in the Law of

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the Lord, Every male who opens
the womb shall be called holy to

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the Lord, and to offer a
sacrifice according to that

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which is said in the Law of the
Lord.

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A pair of turtle doves or two
young pigeons.

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Behold, there was a man in
Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

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This man was righteous and
devout, looking for the

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consolation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was on him.

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It had been revealed to him by
the Holy Spirit that he should

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not see death before he had seen
the Lord’s Christ.

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He came in the Spirit into the
temple when the parents brought

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in the child Jesus, that they
might do concerning him

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according to the custom of the
law.

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Then he received him into his
arms and blessed God, and said,

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Now you are releasing your
servant Master, according to

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your Word in peace.
For my eyes have seen your

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salvation, which you have
prepared before the face of all

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peoples, a light for revelation
to the nation’s, and the glory

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of your people.
Israel.

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Joseph and his mother were
marveling at the things which

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were spoken concerning him.
Simeon blessed them and said to

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Mary his mother, Behold, this
child is appointed for the

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falling and the rising of many
in Israel, and for a sign which

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is spoken against.
Yes, a sword will Pierce through

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your own soul, that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.

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There was 1 Anna, a prophetess,
the daughter of Fannell of the

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tribe of Asher.
She was of a great age, having

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lived with a husband seven years
from her virginity, and she had

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been a widow for about 84 years
who didn’t depart from the

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Temple, worshipping with
fastings and petitions night and

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day.
Coming up at that very hour.

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She gave thanks to the Lord and
spoke of Him to all those who

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were looking for redemption in
Jerusalem.

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When they had accomplished all
things that were according to

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the law of the Lord, they
returned into Galilee to their

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own city, Nazareth.
The child was growing and was

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becoming strong in spirit, being
filled with wisdom, and the

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grace of God was upon him.
His parents went every year to

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Jerusalem at the feast of the
Passover.

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When he was 12 years old, they
went up to Jerusalem according

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to the custom of the feast.
And when they had fulfilled the

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days as they were returning, the
boy Jesus stayed behind in

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Jerusalem.
Joseph and his mother didn’t

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know it, but supposing him to be
in the company, they went a

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day’s journey, and they looked
for him among their relatives

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and acquaintances.
When they didn’t find him, they

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returned to Jerusalem looking
for him.

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After three days they found him
in the temple, sitting in the

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middle of the teachers, both
listening to them and asking

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them questions.
All who heard him were amazed at

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his understanding and his
answers.

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When they saw him, they were
astonished.

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And his mother said to him, Son,
why have you treated us this

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way?
Behold, your father and I were

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anxiously looking for you.
He said to them, why were you

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looking for me?
Didn’t you know that I must be

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in my father’s house?
They didn’t understand the

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saying which he spoke to them.
And he went down with them and

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came to Nazareth.
He was subject to them.

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And his mother kept all these
sayings in her heart.

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And Jesus increased in wisdom
and stature and in favor with

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God and men.
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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be sure to follow the podcast so
you won’t miss the next

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00:09:56,240 –> 00:09:59,160
conversation.
Until next time, stay rooted in

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