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

Today's shout-out goes to Brad Cook from Florien, LA. Your commitment through Project23 helps deliver God's Word daily with clarity and conviction. This one's for you.

Our text today is Judges 14:1-3

"Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. Then he came up and told his father and mother, 'I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.' But his father and mother said to him, 'Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?' But Samson said to his father, 'Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.'" — Judges 14:1-3

Samson is supposed to be Israel's deliverer. God had set him apart from birth. Yet his story begins with three little words: "I saw her." That's desire talking. Not prayer. Not obedience. Just raw appetite. His parents tried to speak wisdom, reminding him of God's call and boundaries. But Samson steamrolls their counsel: "She is right in my eyes."

Sound familiar?

Our culture preaches this same sermon every day: "If it feels right, do it. If it looks good, grab it." But following every impulse never leads to freedom—it leads to chains. Samson thought he was chasing love, but really, he was surrendering his future to lust.

What you chase will control you. If you chase money, it'll run your life. If you chase approval, you'll be enslaved to other people's opinions. If you chase lust, it'll eat away at your soul.

Every man and woman wrestles here. Maybe it's the late-night scroll, the car you can't afford, or the relationship you know isn't wise. The pull feels so strong. But here's the warning—unchecked desire will drive you further than you ever planned to go and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay.

Instead, surrender your desires to the One who made you. Don't ask, "What feels right to me?" Ask, "What is right in God's eyes?"

ASK THIS:

1. What desires tend to hijack your decision-making?
2. Whose counsel do you usually ignore when you're set on something?
3. Where are you tempted to say, "It's right in my eyes," even when God says otherwise?
4. What's one area where you need to stop chasing and start surrendering?

DO THIS:

• Take a pause before making your next big decision.
• Ask: "Am I chasing this because it feels right in my eyes or because it's right in God's eyes?"
• Call one trusted friend and share one area where you feel your desires tugging.
• Ask them to pray for you this week.

PRAY THIS:

Father, you know the desires that pull at me. Teach me to want what You want, not what feels right to me. Keep me from trading Your will for my cravings. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Give Me Jesus + Closer."

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

Today's shout-out goes to Mike Herndon from Lumberton, TX. Your commitment through Project23 helps deliver God's Word daily with clarity and conviction. This one's for you.

Our text today is Judges 13:24-25

And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him. And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.— Judges 13:24-25

Samson's birth was miraculous. His calling was unique. But notice how his story actually begins: quietly. A baby grows up. God blesses him. Nothing spectacular—until the text drops this line: "The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him."

It wasn't fireworks. It wasn't dramatic. Just stirrings. Subtle, almost hidden. A restless tug here. An unexplainable drive there. The Spirit was preparing him for what would come later.

And that's usually how God works in us, too. He doesn't always announce His plans with thunder. Often, He stirs first. A conviction that lingers. A burden that won't go away. A restlessness that keeps you awake at night. Those aren't random feelings. They're the Spirit's fingerprints.

The danger is brushing them aside, waiting only for the dramatic. But ignoring the Spirit's nudge means missing the very preparation for God's greater work. Samson's strength didn't just "happen" one day. It was preceded by stirring.

Pay attention to the small whispers. Don't dismiss the tugging in your spirit. That may be God preparing you for something bigger than you can see right now.

ASK THIS:

1. Where do I sense God stirring me today?
2. Have I been dismissing a conviction or burden as "nothing"?
3. What small step of obedience could I take to respond to His stirring?

DO THIS:

Instead of waiting for a dramatic sign, pay attention to the quiet nudge. Write down one area where you sense God stirring and take a single step of obedience toward it.

PRAY THIS:

Holy Spirit, don't let me ignore Your stirrings. Teach me to recognize Your whispers and trust Your preparation, even when it feels small. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Oceans."

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

Today's shout-out goes to Dave Hassall from Palmetto, FL. Your commitment through Project23 helps deliver God's Word daily with clarity and conviction. This one's for you.

Our text today is Judges 13:21-23

The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God." But his wife said to him, "If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these." — Judges 13:21-23

When the angel of the Lord vanished in the flame, Manoah panicked. "We're going to die—we've seen God!" That was his gut reaction: fear. But his wife had a different perspective. She saw the signs of God's grace—He accepted their offering, revealed His plan, and promised them a son. She reasoned, "If God meant to kill us, He wouldn't have done any of that."

Two responses. One moment. Fear looked at the problem. Faith looked at the promises.

This is our daily battle. Fear exaggerates. Faith steadies. Fear says, "This is the end." Faith says, "God isn't done yet." Fear locks onto circumstances. Faith holds onto God's character.

We all have Manoah moments—panic at the unknown. A bad diagnosis. A financial setback. A broken relationship. Fear screams louder than faith. But like Manoah's wife, we need to pause and reflect on what we know to be true. God has already shown us His grace. He's already proven His faithfulness. He's already made His promises. Fear doesn't fit the facts.

Don't let fear have the loudest voice in your life. Drown it out with faith in God's promises. Fear may shake you, but faith will steady you.

ASK THIS:

1. What fear is gripping me right now?
2. What promises of God directly answer that fear?
3. How can I rehearse God's past faithfulness when panic rises?

DO THIS:

When fear shows up today, don't stay silent. Speak God's truth out loud. Write down one promise from Scripture and put it where you'll see it—your desk, dashboard, or phone lock screen. Let faith talk back to fear.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, fear often feels louder than faith. Quiet my panic with Your promises. Remind me of what You've done and give me faith to trust what You will do. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Promises."