JANUARY 28 – Wisdom for Real Life
3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 9:1–12; Psalm 12; Matthew 25
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“Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” — Proverbs 9:6
“The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” — Psalm 12:6
“For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” — Matthew 25:29
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Have you ever noticed how many voices are fighting for your attention every day? From TikTok trends to YouTube influencers to group chats, everyone seems to have advice on how you should live your life. But not all voices lead you in the right direction. Proverbs reminds us to “walk in the way of insight” (Proverbs 9:6), which means choosing wisdom over quick thrills or shortcuts. Psalm 12 tells us that while people’s words can be fake or manipulative, God’s words are pure and trustworthy (Psalm 12:6). And in Matthew 25, Jesus explains that what you do with what God gives you—your time, talents, and opportunities—actually matters (Matthew 25:29). In a world filled with noise, God’s wisdom helps you build a life that lasts.
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THINK ABOUT IT
1. Choose Wisdom: What’s one area of your life right now where you need to stop following the crowd and instead listen for God’s wisdom?
2. Trust God’s Word: People’s words may let you down, but God’s promises never fail. How can you remind yourself daily that His words are pure and unchanging?
3. Use What You’ve Got: Jesus teaches that when you faithfully use the gifts and opportunities He’s given you, He multiplies them. What’s one small step of faith you can take this week with what God has already placed in your hands?
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BOTTOM LINE
God’s wisdom, God’s Word, and God’s gifts are the foundation for living with purpose in a noisy world.
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PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for offering me wisdom when the world tries to confuse me. Help me to trust Your Word as pure and true, and give me the courage to use what You’ve placed in my life for Your glory. Teach me to live with focus and faith, not wasting the opportunities You’ve given me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Welcome to Bible Chat, where we
have devotional conversations
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rooted in Scripture and relevant
for today, January 28th.
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Wisdom for real life.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed
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by how many voices are competing
for your attention?
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Every scroll, every
notification, every opinion
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seems to tell you who you should
be, what you should want, and
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how you should live.
It’s noisy out there, and if
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you’re not careful, you can end
up drifting, following trends,
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chasing quick thrills, or making
choices that feel good in the
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moment but leave you empty
later.
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That’s why Proverbs Chapter 9,
verse 6 is such a clear
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invitation.
It says leave your simple ways
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and live and walk in the way of
insight.
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God isn’t insulting anyone by
calling them simple.
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He’s calling us higher.
He’s saying there’s more to life
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than reacting, copying, or
coasting.
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Wisdom is an intentional choice.
It’s deciding to grow up
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spiritually, to think deeper,
and to walk a path that actually
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leads somewhere good.
Psalm 12 reminds us why that
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matters so much.
Verse 6 says the words of the
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Lord are pure words, like silver
refined in a furnace on the
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ground, purified 7 times.
People’s words can be
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unreliable.
Promises get broken, advice
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changes, influencers contradict
themselves.
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But God’s word is different.
It’s tested, refined, and
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trustworthy.
When everything else feels
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shaky, God’s word stays solid.
It doesn’t manipulate.
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It doesn’t exaggerate.
It tells the truth even when the
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truth is uncomfortable because
it’s meant to lead you to life.
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Then Jesus brings it home.
In Matthew chapter 25, He
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explains that what you do with
what God has given you actually
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matters.
He says for to everyone who has
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will more be given, and he will
have an abundance, but from the
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one who has, not even what He
has will be taken away.
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That’s not about favoritism,
it’s about stewardship.
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God gives each of us time,
gifts, opportunities, and
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influence.
When we use them wisely, even in
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small ways, He grows them.
But when we ignore them, waste
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them, or bury them out of fear
or distraction, we miss out on
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what could have been.
Wisdom for real life isn’t about
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having all the answers.
It’s about choosing the right
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voice.
It’s about trusting God’s Word
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over the noise, choosing growth
over comfort, and using what you
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already have instead of waiting
for something bigger or easier.
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A wise life isn’t built
overnight.
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It’s built through daily
decisions to listen, to trust,
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and to act in faith.
You don’t have to be the
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loudest, the fastest, or the
trendiest to live well.
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You just have to be willing to
walk an insight, trust God’s
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Word and be faithful with what’s
in front of you In a noisy
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world.
Wisdom leads you to a life that
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lasts.
Let’s pray.
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Heavenly Father, thank you for
offering me wisdom in the middle
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of so much noise.
Help me leave behind shallow
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ways of thinking and walk and
insight that leads to life.
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Teach me to trust Your word as
pure and unchanging and give me
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the courage to use what You’ve
already placed in my hands.
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I want to live with purpose,
faith and focus, honoring You in
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every choice I make in Jesus
name, Amen.
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What if the ache you feel for
more is actually God calling you
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deeper?
Thirst for God is a powerful
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Seven Book prayer scripts series
inspired by Psalm 63, created
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for believers who refuse to live
on spiritual leftovers.
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This is a journey from longing
to encounter, from dryness to
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delight.
Seek teaches you how to pursue
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God with passion and
intentionality.
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Savor trains your heart to
recognize and enjoy His presence
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in every season.
C opens your spiritual eyes to
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God’s power, glory, and beauty
at work in your life.
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Satisfy leads your soul into
fullness, strength, and deep
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contentment in Him alone.
Sing ignites joy, gratitude, and
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worship that rises naturally
from intimacy with God.
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Stay anchors your heart in
steadfast devotion when
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distractions try to pull you
away, and Stand equips you to
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remain firm in God’s justice,
protection, and victory.
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With over 210 prophetic
scripture anchored prayers, this
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series helps you cultivate daily
communion, personal revival, and
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a lifestyle of holy pursuit.
If you’re spiritually hungry,
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weary, or simply longing for
more of God, this is your
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invitation to drink deeply.
Order Thirst for God on Amazon
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today or visit prayerscripts.org
and begin your journey into
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deeper intimacy with the God who
satisfies.
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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 9, verses 1 to
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12 World English Bible Wisdom
has built her house.
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She has carved out her seven
pillars.
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She has prepared her meat.
She has mixed her wine.
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She has also set her table.
She has sent out her maidens.
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She cries from the highest
places of the city.
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Whoever is simple, let him turn
in here.
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As for him who is void of
understanding, she says to him,
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come eat some of my bread, drink
some of the wine which I have
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mixed.
Leave your simple ways and live.
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Walk in the way of
understanding.
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One who corrects A mocker
invites insult.
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One who reproves a wicked man
invites abuse.
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Don’t reprove A scoffer, lest he
hate you.
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Reprove a wise person and he
will love you.
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Instruct a wise person and he
will be still wiser.
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Teach a righteous person and he
will increase in learning.
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The fear of Yahweh is the
beginning of wisdom.
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The knowledge of the Holy One is
understanding.
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For by me your days will be
multiplied, the years of your
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life will be increased.
If you are wise, you are wise
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for yourself.
If you mock, you alone will bear
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it.
Psalm Chapter 12 World English
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Bible for the chief musician
upon an 8 stringed lyre a Psalm
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of David.
Help Yahweh for the godly man
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ceases, for the faithful fail
from among the children of men.
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Everyone lies to his neighbor.
They speak with flattering lips
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and with a double heart.
May Yahweh cut off all
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flattering lips and the tongue
that boasts.
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Who have said with our tongue we
will prevail.
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Our lips are our own.
Who is Lord over us because of
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the oppression of the weak and
because of the groaning of the
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needy?
I will now arise, says Yahweh.
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I will set Him in safety from
those who malign him.
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Yahweh’s words are flawless
words as silver refined in a
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clay furnace, purified 7 times.
You will keep them, Yahweh, You
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will preserve them from this
generation forever.
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The wicked walk on every side
when what is vile is exalted
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among the sons of men.
Matthew Chapter 25 World English
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Bible Then the Kingdom of heaven
will be like 10 virgins who took
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their lamps and went out to meet
the bridegroom. 5 of them were
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foolish and five were wise.
Those who were foolish when they
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took their lamps took no oil
with them, but the wise took oil
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in their vessels with their
lamps.
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Now while the bridegroom
delayed, they all slumbered and
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slept.
But at midnight there was a cry.
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Behold, the bridegroom is
coming, come out to meet him.
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Then all those virgins arose and
trim their lamps.
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The foolish said to the wise,
Give us some of your oil, for
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our lamps are going out.
But the wise answered, saying,
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What if there isn’t enough for
us?
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And you, you go rather to those
who sell and buy for yourselves,
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while they went away to buy.
The bridegroom came, and those
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who were ready went in with him
to the wedding feast, and the
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door was shut.
Afterward the other virgins also
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came, saying, Lord, Lord, open
to us.
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But he answered most certainly.
I tell you, I don’t know you.
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Watch therefore, for you don’t
know the day nor the hour in
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which the Son of Man is coming.
For it is like a man going into
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another country who called his
own servants and entrusted his
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goods to them.
To 1 he gave 5 talents, to
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another, two, to another one, to
each according to his own
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ability.
Then he went on his journey.
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Immediately.
He who received the five talents
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went and traded with them and
made another 5 talents.
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In the same way, he also who got
the two gained another 2.
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But he who received the one
talent went away and dug in the
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earth and hid his Lord’s money.
Now after a long time, the Lord
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of those servants came and
settled accounts with them.
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He who received the five talents
came and brought another 5
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talents, saying, Lord, you
delivered to me 5 talents.
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Behold, I have gained another 5
talents in addition to them.
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His Lord said to him, Well done,
good and faithful servant, you
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have been faithful over a few
things.
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I will set you over many things,
enter into the joy of your Lord.
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He also who got the two talents
came and said, Lord, you
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delivered to me two talents.
Behold, I have gained another
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two talents in addition to them.
His Lord said to him, Well done,
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good and faithful servant, you
have been faithful over a few
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things.
I will set you over many things,
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enter into the joy of your Lord.
He also, who had received the
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one talent, came and said, Lord,
I knew you, that you are a hard
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man, reaping where you didn’t
sow, and gathering where you
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didn’t scatter.
I was afraid and went away and
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hid your talent in the earth.
Behold, you have what is yours.
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But as Lord answered him, you
wicked and slothful servant, you
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knew that I reap where I didn’t
sow, and gather where I didn’t
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scatter.
You ought therefore to have
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deposited my money with the
bankers, and at my coming I
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should have received back my own
with interest.
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Take away, therefore, the talent
from him, and give it to Him who
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has the 10 talents.
For to everyone who has will be
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given, and He will have
abundance, but from him who
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doesn’t have even that which He
has will be taken away.
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Throw out the unprofitable
servant into the outer darkness,
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where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
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But when the Son of Man comes in
His glory, and all the holy
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angels with him, then He will
sit on the throne of His glory.
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Before Him all the nations will
be gathered, and He will
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separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the
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sheep from the goats.
He will set the sheep on His
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right hand, but the goats on the
left.
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Then the king will tell those on
his right hand, Come, blessed of
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my father, inherit the Kingdom
prepared for you from the
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foundation of the world.
For I was hungry, and you gave
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me food to eat.
I was thirsty and you gave me
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drink.
I was a stranger and you took me
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in.
I was naked and you clothed me.
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I was sick and you visited me.
I was in prison and you came to
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me.
Then the righteous will answer
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him, saying, Lord, when did we
see you hungry and feed you, or
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thirsty and give you a drink?
When did we see you as a
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stranger, and take you in, or
naked and clothe you?
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When did we see you sick or in
prison and come to you?
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The king will answer them most
certainly, I tell you, because
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you did it to one of the least
of these, my brothers, You did
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it to me.
Then he will say also to those
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on the left hand, Depart from
me.
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You cursed into the eternal
fire, which is prepared for the
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devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you didn’t
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00:10:35,160 –> 00:10:38,120
give me food to eat.
I was thirsty and you gave me no
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00:10:38,120 –> 00:10:40,400
drink.
I was a stranger and you didn’t
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00:10:40,400 –> 00:10:44,600
take me in naked, and you didn’t
clothe me sick and in prison,
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and you didn’t visit me.
Then they will also answer
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00:10:47,400 –> 00:10:50,720
saying, Lord, when did we see
you hungry or thirsty or a
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00:10:50,720 –> 00:10:53,920
stranger or naked or sick or in
prison and didn’t help you?
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00:10:54,560 –> 00:10:57,720
Then He will answer them saying
most certainly I tell you,
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because you didn’t do it to one
of the least of these, You
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didn’t do it to me.
These will go away into eternal
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00:11:03,760 –> 00:11:06,600
punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life.
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Thanks for joining us on Bible
Chat, where scripture meets
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00:11:11,840 –> 00:11:15,040
everyday life.
If today’s devotional encouraged
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00:11:15,040 –> 00:11:18,680
you, share it with a friend and
be sure to follow the podcast so
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00:11:18,680 –> 00:11:20,480
you won’t miss the next
conversation.
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00:11:20,840 –> 00:11:24,320
Until next time, stay rooted in
truth, anchored in hope, and
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00:11:24,320 –> 00:11:25,840
walking daily with Jesus.

