Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Our shout-out today goes to Scott Kacos and family. Thank you so much for partnering with us on Project23. We cannot do this without you. This is for you today.

Our text today is Judges 18:7-10.

Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. And when they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, "What do you report?" They said, "Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go, to enter in and possess the land. As soon as you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is spacious, for God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth."— Judges 18:7-10

The Danite scouts find Laish—a city that looks perfect. Peaceful. Prosperous. Secure. Everything their own land was not. And they instantly assume, "God has given it into our hands."

But notice—there's no record of prayer, no word from the Lord, and no evidence of obedience in the moments leading up to this. They mistake opportunity for confirmation. They see abundance and assume it's God's blessing. But it's fake faith—faith built on feelings, not on truth.

This is how counterfeit obedience works. It looks spiritual, it sounds hopeful, but it's driven by convenience and comfort, not conviction. Remember, the Danites didn't want to fight the Amorites for the land God gave them in Joshua 19. They wanted the easy win, and this was it. Easy victories frequently lead to empty lives.

We do the same when we chase the "Laish" in front of us:

The job that pays more but pulls us from church.
The relationship that feels good but bends God's truth.|
The comfort that whispers, "This has to be right, it's working."

But not everything that looks right is righteous. Sometimes what looks like God's favor is just avoidance in disguise.

When our faith loses its fight, it starts settling for false flags. And the Danites here traded commands for the convenient conquest—and then called it compliance. Real faith does not do this. It never chases comfort; it counts on God even when the command is challenging.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have you confused convenience with God's calling?
2. What's your "Laish"—the easy path that tempts you to compromise?
3. Have you been mistaking peace for permission?
4. How can you return to the ground God actually called you to claim?

DO THIS:

• Identify one area where comfort has replaced conviction.
• Choose faithfulness over feelings this week—even if it costs you ease.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for chasing comfort and calling it faith. Teach me to obey You when the way is hard and to trust You when the road isn't easy. Give me real faith—not imitation peace. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Trust In God."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is Judges 18:2-6.

So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. And they said to them, "Go and explore the land." And they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there. When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. And they turned aside and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?" And he said to them, "This is how Micah dealt with me: he has hired me, and I have become his priest." And they said to him, "Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed." And the priest said to them, "Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord." — Judges 18:2-6

The Danite scouts stop by Micah's house, meet his Levite-for-hire, and ask three questions that sound curious but expose their compromise:

1. "Who brought you here?"
2. "What are you doing in this place?"
3. "Why are you here?"

Not one of those questions mentions God. They're interested in Micah, not in God. It's a spiritual conversation with no Spirit in it.

If this Levite had been faithful, he would have responded very differently:

1. You would go where God sends, not where you choose.
2. You wouldn't stay in a house filled with idols.
3. You would claim the land God already gave you, not shop for easy pickings.

But instead, the Levite answers, "Micah has done these things for me."
Not "God brought me." Not "I serve the Lord." Just "Micah." His allegiance—and his paycheck—come from the same source.

The Danites and the Levite both prove the same point: they're using spiritual language to hide spiritual rebellion. The Levite blesses their mission; they leave feeling "confirmed." But it's all self-validation dressed up in spiritual garb.

We do the same when we call it "discernment," but it's really rationalization. When we pray, not to surrender, but to get reassurance. When we say, "God's got this," but never ask if God is sending us.

Faith without conviction always drifts toward convenience. And convenience disguised as faith is still disobedience.

ASK THIS:

1. Are you seeking God's will—or His approval of your will?
2. Have you ever asked God to bless what He never called you to do?
3. Where have you replaced obedience with rationalization?
4. Who in your life tells you truth instead of what you want to hear?

DO THIS:

• Pause before your next big decision—ask, "Is this obedience or convenience?"
• Read Proverbs 3:5–6 and invite God to redirect you.
• Seek counsel from someone who tells you truth, not comfort.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for blessing my own plans in Your name. Teach me to ask Your questions, listen for Your answers, and follow where You lead. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"What I Needed."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is Judges 18:1.

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them. — Judges 18:1

The story of the tribe of Dan is one of lost conviction.

Dan had already been given land by God—its boundaries clearly marked in Joshua 19:40–48. But Judges 1:34–36 tells us why they never possessed it: they were driven back by the Amorites. Instead of standing firm in faith, they retreated to the hills. They settled for survival rather than fighting for obedience.

Now, in Judges 18, decades later, they're still wandering—looking for "an inheritance" that was already theirs. It wasn't that God failed to provide. It was that they failed to believe, obey, and act with conviction.

This is the ripple effect of cowardly leadership. When men and women stop living with conviction, they begin living by convenience. What should've been conquered through faith now becomes a lifetime of compromise.

That's the Danite story—and sadly, it's ours too.

We do the same when we abandon the ground God has already called us to stand on. We know what's right, but we don't want the conflict that comes with it. We back off, blend in, or look for easier paths. And every time we do, we lose spiritual territory that God already gave us to possess.

The Danites didn't need new land—they needed renewed faith. They didn't need to search for an easier inheritance—they needed to fight for the one God already promised.

This is what happens when conviction dies. Faith becomes flexible. Truth becomes negotiable. The mission becomes manageable. And before long, we're not following God anymore—we're following comfort.

Sound familiar?
We see it in families that won't confront sin, churches that bend to culture, and believers who settle for peace over purity. Every compromise we tolerate today becomes the conflict we inherit tomorrow.

The Danites' failure to lead with conviction didn't just cost them land—it cost them legacy.

When God gives a calling, the only right response is courageous obedience. Anything less invites compromise.

ASK THIS:

1. Where in your life have you chosen convenience over conviction?
2. What "land" or area of obedience has God already called you to claim?
3. How does fear of conflict keep you from living with conviction?
4. What would courageous faith look like in that area today?

DO THIS:

• Identify one area of your life where you've retreated instead of standing firm.
• Read Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
• Reclaim that ground in prayer and obedience today—don't keep wandering where God already gave you victory.
• Commit this week to act from conviction, not convenience.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for backing away from battles You've already called me to win. Give me courage to stand, conviction to obey, and faith to take hold of the promises You've already given. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Battle Belongs."