January 12 – Choose Your Heroes Wisely

1
00:00:02,440 –> 00:00:05,800
Welcome to Bible Chat, where we
have devotional conversations

2
00:00:06,120 –> 00:00:10,880
rooted in Scripture and relevant
for today, January 12th.

3
00:00:11,360 –> 00:00:14,920
Choose your heroes wisely.
It’s surprisingly easy to admire

4
00:00:14,920 –> 00:00:17,960
the wrong people.
Sometimes it’s the loudest voice

5
00:00:17,960 –> 00:00:20,840
in the room, the person who
seems fearless or the one

6
00:00:20,840 –> 00:00:24,160
getting all the attention.
Other times it’s influencers,

7
00:00:24,240 –> 00:00:27,720
celebrities, or public figures
who look powerful, confident,

8
00:00:27,720 –> 00:00:30,040
and untouchable.
From the outside.

9
00:00:30,120 –> 00:00:31,360
It can feel like they’re
winning.

10
00:00:31,760 –> 00:00:35,080
But God invites us to slow down
and look deeper, not at

11
00:00:35,080 –> 00:00:39,840
appearances, but at character.
Proverbs chapter 3, verses 31 to

12
00:00:39,840 –> 00:00:43,840
33 gives a clear warning.
Do not envy a man of violence,

13
00:00:43,920 –> 00:00:47,440
and do not choose any of his
ways, For the devious person is

14
00:00:47,440 –> 00:00:50,560
an abomination to the Lord, but
the upright are in his

15
00:00:50,560 –> 00:00:53,080
confidence.
The Lord’s curse is on the House

16
00:00:53,080 –> 00:00:56,080
of the wicked, but he blesses
the dwelling of the righteous.

17
00:00:56,840 –> 00:00:59,880
That’s strong language, and it
reminds us that God doesn’t

18
00:00:59,880 –> 00:01:01,800
measure success the way the
world does.

19
00:01:02,120 –> 00:01:05,920
What looks impressive to others
may actually be empty, unstable,

20
00:01:05,920 –> 00:01:09,680
or headed toward destruction.
God isn’t impressed by force,

21
00:01:09,680 –> 00:01:13,200
manipulation, or shortcuts.
He’s drawn to integrity,

22
00:01:13,200 –> 00:01:16,920
humility, and righteousness.
Then Matthew Chapter 9 shows us

23
00:01:16,920 –> 00:01:18,560
a very different kind of
heroism.

24
00:01:19,080 –> 00:01:21,760
A group of friends bring a
paralyzed man to Jesus.

25
00:01:22,200 –> 00:01:24,640
They aren’t famous.
They aren’t powerful.

26
00:01:25,000 –> 00:01:27,600
They don’t make a speech or draw
attention to themselves.

27
00:01:27,920 –> 00:01:31,080
They simply believe that Jesus
can help their friend, and they

28
00:01:31,080 –> 00:01:34,360
act on that belief.
And when Jesus sees their faith,

29
00:01:34,560 –> 00:01:37,840
he does something unexpected.
He says, take heart, my son,

30
00:01:37,840 –> 00:01:41,280
your sins are forgiven.
Before healing the man’s body,

31
00:01:41,280 –> 00:01:42,960
Jesus addresses his deepest
need.

32
00:01:43,480 –> 00:01:46,840
Quiet faith motivated by love,
moves the heart of God.

33
00:01:47,120 –> 00:01:49,800
That moment challenges us to
rethink who we admire.

34
00:01:50,280 –> 00:01:53,400
Real heroes aren’t always the
boldest or the flashiest.

35
00:01:53,800 –> 00:01:57,160
Sometimes they’re the ones who
show up consistently, do what’s

36
00:01:57,160 –> 00:02:00,320
right when no one is watching,
and trust God even when there’s

37
00:02:00,320 –> 00:02:03,440
no applause.
The world may reward rebellion,

38
00:02:03,480 –> 00:02:07,440
pride, and ruthless ambition,
but God honors faith, obedience,

39
00:02:07,440 –> 00:02:10,360
and compassion.
Who you admire matters because

40
00:02:10,360 –> 00:02:13,440
influence shapes direction.
The people you look up to will

41
00:02:13,440 –> 00:02:17,000
slowly shape what you value, how
you respond, and the choices you

42
00:02:17,000 –> 00:02:19,560
make.
When you choose faith over fame

43
00:02:19,560 –> 00:02:22,080
and righteousness over
rebellion, you’re choosing a

44
00:02:22,080 –> 00:02:25,360
path that leads to God’s
blessing, peace, and confidence.

45
00:02:25,720 –> 00:02:28,200
Let’s pray.
Heavenly Father, help me see

46
00:02:28,200 –> 00:02:31,240
people the way you do.
Guard my heart from envying

47
00:02:31,240 –> 00:02:34,160
those who appear successful but
live outside your ways.

48
00:02:34,560 –> 00:02:37,480
Teach me to admire faith,
humility, and righteousness.

49
00:02:37,960 –> 00:02:40,960
Give me the courage to follow
You even when it’s not popular.

50
00:02:41,160 –> 00:02:43,840
And help me choose your blessing
over the approval of the world

51
00:02:44,320 –> 00:02:48,200
in Jesus name, Amen.
What if the ache you feel for

52
00:02:48,200 –> 00:02:50,560
more is actually God calling you
deeper?

53
00:02:51,320 –> 00:02:54,760
Thirst for God is a powerful
Seven book prayer scripts series

54
00:02:54,920 –> 00:02:59,000
inspired by Psalm 63, created
for believers who refuse to live

55
00:02:59,000 –> 00:03:02,520
on spiritual leftovers.
This is a journey from longing

56
00:03:02,520 –> 00:03:04,680
to encounter, from dryness to
delight.

57
00:03:04,960 –> 00:03:08,040
Seek teaches you how to pursue
God with passion and

58
00:03:08,040 –> 00:03:11,200
intentionality.
Savor trains your heart to

59
00:03:11,200 –> 00:03:13,680
recognize and enjoy His presence
in every season.

60
00:03:14,000 –> 00:03:18,200
See opens your spiritual eyes to
God’s power, glory and beauty at

61
00:03:18,200 –> 00:03:21,480
work in your life.
Satisfy leads your soul into

62
00:03:21,480 –> 00:03:24,600
fullness, strength and deep
contentment in Him alone.

63
00:03:25,000 –> 00:03:29,440
Sing ignites joy, gratitude, and
worship that rises naturally

64
00:03:29,440 –> 00:03:32,640
from intimacy with God.
Stay anchors your heart in

65
00:03:32,640 –> 00:03:35,120
steadfast devotion when
distractions try to pull you

66
00:03:35,120 –> 00:03:39,200
away, and Stand equips you to
remain firm in God’s justice,

67
00:03:39,400 –> 00:03:42,720
protection, and victory.
With over 210 prophetic

68
00:03:42,720 –> 00:03:45,280
Scripture anchored prayers, this
series helps you cultivate daily

69
00:03:45,280 –> 00:03:48,360
communion, personal revival, and
a lifestyle of holy pursuit.

70
00:03:48,840 –> 00:03:51,800
If you’re spiritually hungry,
weary, or simply longing for

71
00:03:51,800 –> 00:03:54,400
more of God, this is your
invitation to drink deeply.

72
00:03:55,080 –> 00:03:58,040
Order Thirst for God on Amazon
today or visit prayerscripts.org

73
00:03:58,320 –> 00:04:00,720
and begin your journey into
deeper intimacy with the God who

74
00:04:00,720 –> 00:04:09,770
satisfies.
Now I invite you to spend time

75
00:04:09,770 –> 00:04:12,290
with God in today’s three-year
Bible reading plan.

76
00:04:13,810 –> 00:04:19,279
Proverbs Chapter 3, verses 31 to
33 World English Bible Don’t

77
00:04:19,279 –> 00:04:22,960
envy the man of violence, Choose
none of his ways, for the

78
00:04:22,960 –> 00:04:26,080
perverse is an abomination to
Yahweh, but his friendship is

79
00:04:26,080 –> 00:04:28,640
with the upright.
Yahweh’s curse is in the House

80
00:04:28,640 –> 00:04:31,680
of the wicked, but he blesses
the habitation of the righteous.

81
00:04:32,240 –> 00:04:36,760
Matthew Chapter 9 World English
Bible He entered into a boat and

82
00:04:36,760 –> 00:04:39,000
crossed over and came into his
own city.

83
00:04:39,320 –> 00:04:42,560
Behold, they brought to him a
man who was paralyzed lying on a

84
00:04:42,560 –> 00:04:44,880
bed.
Jesus seeing their faith said to

85
00:04:44,880 –> 00:04:47,960
the paralytic, Son, cheer up,
your sins are forgiven you.

86
00:04:48,520 –> 00:04:51,400
Behold, some of the scribes said
to themselves, This man

87
00:04:51,400 –> 00:04:55,400
blasphemes Jesus, knowing their
thoughts said, why do you think

88
00:04:55,400 –> 00:04:58,560
evil in your hearts?
For which is easier to say your

89
00:04:58,560 –> 00:05:01,880
sins are forgiven, or to say,
get up and walk, but that you

90
00:05:01,880 –> 00:05:04,800
may know that the Son of man has
authority on earth to forgive

91
00:05:04,800 –> 00:05:07,240
sins.
Then he said to the paralytic,

92
00:05:07,480 –> 00:05:10,200
Get up and take up your mat and
go to your house.

93
00:05:10,680 –> 00:05:12,680
He arose and departed to his
house.

94
00:05:13,000 –> 00:05:16,000
But when the multitudes saw it,
they marvelled and glorified

95
00:05:16,000 –> 00:05:18,480
God, who had given such
authority to men.

96
00:05:19,160 –> 00:05:22,640
As Jesus passed by from there,
he saw a man called Matthew

97
00:05:22,640 –> 00:05:24,600
sitting at the tax collection
office.

98
00:05:24,920 –> 00:05:28,600
He said to him, Follow me.
He got up and followed him as he

99
00:05:28,600 –> 00:05:31,440
sat in the house.
Behold, many tax collectors and

100
00:05:31,440 –> 00:05:34,360
sinners came and sat down with
Jesus and his disciples.

101
00:05:34,880 –> 00:05:38,200
When the Pharisees saw it, they
said to his disciples, Why does

102
00:05:38,200 –> 00:05:40,600
your teacher eat with tax
collectors and sinners?

103
00:05:41,080 –> 00:05:44,320
When Jesus heard it, he said to
them, Those who are healthy have

104
00:05:44,320 –> 00:05:46,960
no need for a physician, but
those who are sick do.

105
00:05:47,280 –> 00:05:49,000
But you go and learn what this
means.

106
00:05:49,360 –> 00:05:52,640
I desire mercy and not
sacrifice, for I came not to

107
00:05:52,640 –> 00:05:54,920
call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance.

108
00:05:55,600 –> 00:05:59,160
Then John’s disciples came to
him, saying, Why do we and the

109
00:05:59,160 –> 00:06:02,040
Pharisees fast often, but your
disciples don’t fast?

110
00:06:02,440 –> 00:06:05,320
Jesus said to them, Can the
friends of the bridegroom mourn

111
00:06:05,320 –> 00:06:07,040
as long as the bridegroom is
with them?

112
00:06:07,440 –> 00:06:10,120
But the days will come when the
bridegroom will be taken away

113
00:06:10,120 –> 00:06:12,040
from them, and then they will
fast.

114
00:06:12,400 –> 00:06:16,080
No one puts a piece of unshrunk
cloth on an old garment, for the

115
00:06:16,080 –> 00:06:18,880
patch would tear away from the
garment, and a worse hole is

116
00:06:18,880 –> 00:06:21,520
made.
Neither do people put new wine

117
00:06:21,520 –> 00:06:25,160
into old wineskins, or else the
skins would burst and the wine

118
00:06:25,160 –> 00:06:29,040
be spilled and the skins ruined.
No, they put new wine into fresh

119
00:06:29,040 –> 00:06:30,840
wine skins, and both are
preserved.

120
00:06:31,440 –> 00:06:34,400
While he told these things to
them, behold, A ruler came and

121
00:06:34,400 –> 00:06:37,720
worshipped him, saying, My
daughter has just died, but come

122
00:06:37,720 –> 00:06:39,520
and lay your hand on her and she
will live.

123
00:06:40,280 –> 00:06:43,120
Jesus got up and followed him,
as did his disciples.

124
00:06:43,480 –> 00:06:46,360
Behold, a woman who had a
discharge of blood for 12 years

125
00:06:46,360 –> 00:06:49,040
came behind him and touched the
fringe of his garment.

126
00:06:49,320 –> 00:06:52,640
For she said within herself, if
I just touch his garment, I will

127
00:06:52,640 –> 00:06:55,680
be made well.
But Jesus turning around and

128
00:06:55,680 –> 00:06:59,040
seeing her said, daughter, cheer
up, your faith has made you

129
00:06:59,040 –> 00:07:01,240
well.
And the woman was made well from

130
00:07:01,240 –> 00:07:04,600
that hour when Jesus came into
the ruler’s house and saw the

131
00:07:04,600 –> 00:07:07,920
flute players and the crowd in
noisy disorder, He said to them,

132
00:07:08,240 –> 00:07:11,000
Make room because the girl isn’t
dead, but sleeping.

133
00:07:11,640 –> 00:07:14,480
They were ridiculing him.
But when the crowd was sent out,

134
00:07:14,600 –> 00:07:17,720
he entered in, took her by the
hand, and the girl arose.

135
00:07:18,200 –> 00:07:20,560
The report of this went out into
all that land.

136
00:07:20,920 –> 00:07:24,080
As Jesus passed by from there,
two blind men followed him,

137
00:07:24,200 –> 00:07:27,440
calling out and saying, Have
mercy on us, son of David.

138
00:07:28,000 –> 00:07:30,600
When he had come into the house,
the blind men came to him.

139
00:07:31,080 –> 00:07:33,400
Jesus said to them, Do you
believe that I am able to do

140
00:07:33,400 –> 00:07:35,600
this?
They told him, Yes, Lord.

141
00:07:36,000 –> 00:07:38,640
Then he touched their eyes,
saying, According to your faith,

142
00:07:38,640 –> 00:07:41,480
be it done to you.
Then their eyes were opened.

143
00:07:41,960 –> 00:07:45,320
Jesus strictly commanded them,
saying, See that no one knows

144
00:07:45,320 –> 00:07:47,840
about this.
But they went out and spread

145
00:07:47,840 –> 00:07:49,560
abroad his fame in all that
land.

146
00:07:50,040 –> 00:07:53,520
As they went out, behold, a mute
man who was demon possessed was

147
00:07:53,520 –> 00:07:56,120
brought to him.
When the demon was cast out, the

148
00:07:56,120 –> 00:07:59,080
mute man spoke.
The multitudes marvelled, saying

149
00:07:59,240 –> 00:08:01,640
nothing like this has ever been
seen in Israel.

150
00:08:02,200 –> 00:08:05,480
But the Pharisees said by the
Prince of the demons, he casts

151
00:08:05,480 –> 00:08:08,760
out demons.
Jesus went about all the cities

152
00:08:08,760 –> 00:08:11,560
and the villages, teaching in
their synagogues and preaching

153
00:08:11,560 –> 00:08:14,920
the good news of the Kingdom and
healing every disease and every

154
00:08:14,920 –> 00:08:17,960
sickness among the people.
But when he saw the multitudes,

155
00:08:18,240 –> 00:08:21,320
he was moved with compassion for
them because they were harassed

156
00:08:21,320 –> 00:08:23,800
and scattered like sheep without
a shepherd.

157
00:08:24,160 –> 00:08:27,880
Then he said to his disciples,
the harvest indeed is plentiful,

158
00:08:28,080 –> 00:08:31,440
but the laborers are few.
Pray, therefore, that the Lord

159
00:08:31,440 –> 00:08:34,159
of the harvest will send out
laborers into His harvest.

160
00:08:36,080 –> 00:08:39,320
Thanks for joining us on Bible
Chat, where Scripture meets

161
00:08:39,320 –> 00:08:42,559
everyday life.
If today’s devotional encouraged

162
00:08:42,559 –> 00:08:46,160
you, share it with a friend and
be sure to follow the podcast so

163
00:08:46,160 –> 00:08:48,000
you won’t miss the next
conversation.

164
00:08:48,320 –> 00:08:51,800
Until next time, stay rooted in
truth, anchored in hope, and

165
00:08:51,800 –> 00:08:53,320
walking daily with Jesus.