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 16:4-9:

"After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, 'Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.' So Delilah said to Samson, 'Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.' Samson said to her, 'If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.' Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known." — Judges 16:4-9

Samson fell in love with Delilah. On the outside, it probably looked harmless—even romantic. But underneath, the Philistine rulers were using her to unravel him. Notice their strategy: not an ambush, not an outright attack, but seduction. Quiet. Subtle. Patient.

That's how sin usually works. Rarely does the enemy come at you with flashing lights and a sword in hand. More often, he whispers through slow compromise, through small concessions that seem harmless—until you realize you've been tied up.

And here's the irony: Samson kept playing along. He knew she was setting him up, but he continued to entertain the idea. He tolerated the danger, thinking he could handle it. That's exactly how sin works in us. What we entertain today eventually enslaves us tomorrow.

This is still happening now. Just look around. Our culture seduces us with subtle compromises—porn normalized as entertainment, propaganda hidden in schools, news outlets, and governments selling the lie that we can trade truth for comfort and cultural ideologies. Like Israel tolerating Gaza for generations, many believers today tolerate little footholds of sin, thinking they won't matter. But they do. Small compromises left unchecked lead to devastating collapse.

Sin doesn't usually take you out all at once. It wears you down until you give away what you never meant to lose.

ASK THIS:

1. Where are you tolerating small compromises in your life right now?
2. Why do you think subtle temptations feel safer than obvious ones?
3. How can you recognize when sin is "wearing you down" before it's too late?
4. What cultural lies are you tempted to tolerate instead of resisting?

DO THIS:

• Identify: One "small" compromise you've been tolerating.
• Confess: Ask God to help you shut the door before it grows.
• Pay attention: Is culture shaping your convictions—or is God's Word?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, open my eyes to the subtle compromises that wear me down. Give me the courage to resist what seems small, and the wisdom to guard what You've set apart in me. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lord, I Need You."

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 16:1-3

"Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitute, and he went in to her. The Gazites were told, 'Samson has come here.' And they surrounded the place and set an ambush for him all night at the gate of the city. They kept quiet all night, saying, 'Let us wait till the light of the morning; then we will kill him.' But Samson lay till midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two posts, and pulled them up, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron." — Judges 16:1-3

Samson walked straight into Gaza—the heart of Philistine territory—to spend the night with a prostitute. On the surface, he got away with it. At midnight, he ripped the city gates from their foundations, carried them on his shoulders, and walked away like a man untouchable.

But Gaza wasn't just any city. Then and now, Gaza has been a hotspot of conflict—a place where compromise, corruption, and resistance to God's people have festered for generations. What Israel tolerated in Gaza back then still plagues them today. It's a sobering reminder that sins left unchecked don't just fade with time—they multiply.

Samson thought he was strong enough to dip into enemy territory and walk away. In reality, Gaza became another crack in his armor, another step toward downfall.

That's how temptation works. It whispers, "You're strong enough. You can manage this. You'll be fine." But every compromise weakens us. Every trip into enemy territory costs more than we realize.

You can't flirt with sin and expect to walk away unscathed. The little compromises we excuse today often grow into the strongholds that enslave us tomorrow. God calls us not to manage temptation, but to flee from it.

ASK THIS:

1. Where are you tempted to flirt with sin, thinking you can handle it?
2. How has "getting away with it" in the past made you careless toward temptation?
3. What compromises have you tolerated that now feel like strongholds?
4. What escape route do you need to take before the fire burns you?

DO THIS:

• Identify: One temptation you've been "managing" instead of fleeing.
• Confess: That one temptation, honestly to God today.
• Action: Take one concrete step to remove access to that temptation (delete, block, avoid, or confess).

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I admit I've played too close to the fire. Forgive me for flirting with sin. Give me the wisdom to run from temptation and the strength to rely on You instead of myself. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"God, Turn It Around."

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 15:18-20

"And he was very thirsty, and he called upon the Lord and said, 'You have granted this great salvation by the hand of your servant, and shall I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?' And God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came out from it. And when he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore the name of it was called En-hakkore; it is at Lehi to this day. And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years." — Judges 15:18-20

Think about the irony here. Yesterday, Samson had boasted in his own strength: "With the jawbone of a donkey, I struck down a thousand men." He took credit for God's win.

But today, he's gasping for breath, parched with thirst, and he cries out: "God, You gave me this victory—are You going to let me die now?" In other words, when things went well, it was all Samson. When things went wrong, it was all God's fault. Pride when it suits him. Blame when it doesn't.

Sound familiar? We do the same. We take credit for the promotion, the healed relationship, the successful project. Then the moment we hit a wall, we turn on God:

"Why are You letting this happen? Where are You now?"

Here's the stunning part of the story: even with Samson's pride and finger-pointing, God still provides. He cracks open rock. Water flows. Samson is revived. Grace pours out where it's least deserved.

That's the heart of our God. He provides not because we always get it right, but because He is always faithful. And Samson's thirst points us forward to Jesus, who said, "Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again" (John 4:14).

Victories won't quench your soul. Pride won't satisfy your thirst. Blame won't fix your emptiness. Only grace can. And grace flows even when you don't deserve it.

ASK THIS:

1. When have you taken credit for God's work in your life?
2. Where are you quick to blame God when life gets hard?
3. How does it change you to know He still provides, even when your attitude is wrong?
4. What "thirst" do you need to bring honestly before Him today?

DO THIS:

• Reflect: Where have you recently taken credit for God's work—or blamed Him for your struggles?
• Confess: Both honestly in prayer.
• Ask: God to meet your deepest thirst with His grace.

PRAY THIS:

Father, I confess my pride in taking credit when things go well and my blame when things fall apart. Yet you still provide. Thank you for pouring out grace even when I don't deserve it. Satisfy my thirst in you alone. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Living Water."

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 15:16-17

"And Samson said,
'With the jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps,
with the jawbone of a donkey
have I struck down a thousand men.'
As soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place was called Ramath-lehi." — Judges 15:16-17

Samson had just experienced one of the most incredible victories in his life. Bound by ropes, surrounded by enemies, he was suddenly filled with the Spirit of God. With nothing but a donkey's jawbone, he struck down a thousand Philistines.

But listen to what he says afterward. Listen carefully.

"With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, have I struck down a thousand men."

No mention of God. No credit to the Spirit. Just Samson boasting about Samson.

Sound familiar?

Victory often tempts us to shift the spotlight. We crush a project at work and secretly think, "Look what I did." A relationship improves, and we say, "I finally figured it out." Even in ministry, we can pat ourselves on the back after a win instead of lifting our eyes to heaven.

Pride in victory steals glory from God and puts us on shaky ground.

The truth is, Samson didn't kill a thousand men because he was clever with a jawbone. He didn't snap ropes because of sheer strength. The Spirit did that. The Spirit rushed in, gave him power, and made the impossible possible. The same is true for us. Any success we enjoy—big or small—is by God's hand.

Pride takes what God did and rebrands it as our accomplishment. And the moment we start stealing God's glory, we set ourselves up for a fall. But humility reverses the script.

Humility says, "God did this. I'm just holding the jawbone."

ASK THIS:

1. Where in your life are you tempted to take credit instead of giving God glory?
2. Why does success so often make us forget God's role in the victory?
3. What would it look like to redirect praise to God in your current season?
4. How can humility actually deepen your joy in the victories He gives?

DO THIS:

• Identify one recent "victory" in your life.
• Out loud, thank God for it specifically: "Lord, You did this."

PRAY THIS:

Father, I confess I love to take credit for what only You could have done. Keep me humble in victory. Teach me to give glory back to You in every success. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Nothing Else."

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 15:14-15

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. — Judges 15:14-15

Samson walked into Lehi tied up. Not by the Philistines, but by his own people. That had to sting. Three thousand of his brothers bound him with ropes and handed him over. To everyone watching, it looked like the end. The Philistines saw a man restrained, contained, and defeated before the fight even started. They shouted in victory before they'd even lifted a sword.

Maybe you've been there. Bound not just by circumstances, but by betrayal, disappointment, or shame. You walk into a situation feeling powerless. People write you off. The enemy shouts too soon. You hear voices in your head: You'll never break free. You'll never change. You'll never win.

But then—God's Spirit shows up.

The text says the Spirit of the Lord "rushed upon him." Instantly, what looked impossible changed. The ropes fell away like burnt thread. The bonds melted as if they were nothing. Samson reached for the only thing nearby—a donkey's jawbone—and God turned it into a weapon of victory.

You may be bound, but you are not broken.

The ropes on your life are real. Addiction is real. Fear is real. Regret is real. Wounds from betrayal are real. But they are not final. The Spirit of God can snap what holds you. The Spirit can melt what seems permanent. The Spirit can turn even the most ordinary thing into a tool for victory.

Your ropes don't define you. God's Spirit does.

So if you're feeling tied down today—by sin, by failure, by the weight of life—you need to know: the same Spirit who rushed on Samson lives in you. And the same Spirit can set you free.

ASK THIS:

1. Where do you feel most bound in your life right now?
2. How have you seen God's Spirit break through in the past?
3. What would it look like to stop relying on willpower and invite the Spirit into this battle?
4. Who in your life needs to hear that they may be bound but not broken?

DO THIS:

• Write down the "rope" that feels like it has you tied up. Name it specifically.
• Share your struggle with a trusted friend and invite them to pray with you.
• Watch for God to use something small or unexpected (like a jawbone) as part of your freedom story.

PRAY THIS:

Holy Spirit, I feel bound, but I believe I'm not broken. Rush into my weakness, snap the ropes I can't break, and give me strength to walk free in Your power. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Break Every Chain."

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 15:9-13

"Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and made a raid on Lehi. And the men of Judah said, 'Why have you come up against us?' They said, 'We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.' Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, 'Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?' And he said to them, 'As they did to me, so have I done to them.' And they said to him, 'We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.' And Samson said to them, 'Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.' They said to him, 'No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you.' So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock." — Judges 15:9-13

The Philistines were furious with Samson. But instead of standing with their fellow Israelites, the men of Judah bowed to the pressure. Three thousand of his own brothers came to Samson—not to fight for him, but to tie him up and hand him over.

That betrayal cuts deep. It wasn't just enemies after Samson—it was his own people. Sometimes the hardest hits don't come from outsiders, but insiders.

People you trust will eventually disappoint you, but God never will. Never!

Maybe you've felt that sting. A spouse who didn't stand up for you. Friends who vanished when you needed them most. A church that didn't support you. The pain is real. But Samson's story shows us something—being bound by people doesn't mean being abandoned by God.

Even when those closest to you give in to fear or pressure, God's purpose is still unfolding. You might feel tied up, let down, or betrayed, but the Spirit of God is never bound. His plan doesn't stop when people fail you.

ASK THIS:

1. When have you felt most let down by someone close to you?
2. How did that disappointment shape your faith?
3. Where are you tempted to let betrayal define your trust in others—or in God?
4. How does God's unbreakable faithfulness give you hope in those moments?

DO THIS:

• Think of one disappointment still weighing on you.
• Take it to God in prayer, naming it honestly.

PRAY THIS:

Father, You know the pain of being let down by those closest to me. Thank You that when people fail, You remain faithful. Help me rest in Your unshakable presence. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"You Never Let Go."

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 15:6-8

"Then the Philistines said, 'Who has done this?' And they said, 'Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken his wife and given her to his companion.' And the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire. And Samson said to them, 'If this is what you do, I swear I will be avenged on you, and after that I will quit.' And he struck them hip and thigh with a great blow, and he went down and stayed in the cleft of the rock of Etam." — Judges 15:6-8

Look at the spiral.
Samson burns fields.The
Philistines burn his wife and father-in-law.
Samson slaughters them back.

It's eye for eye, burn for burn, blow for blow. And the body count keeps rising.

This is how anger works. It rarely stays small. It grows teeth. It multiplies. It escalates until everyone loses.

Payback feels powerful—but it always makes situations worse.

You know this cycle. A word said in anger leads to another. A jab at the family gathering explodes into a feud. A cold shoulder stretches into years of silence. Nobody remembers how it started, but everyone's still bleeding.

The way of Christ is different. He broke the cycle. Instead of retaliation, He chose surrender. Instead of lashing back, He absorbed the cost. At the cross, He stopped the spiral so peace could start.

And that's the invitation to us: don't add fuel to the fire. Be stronger. Be resolved. Be the one who ends the cycle.

ASK THIS:

1. Where are you stuck in a back-and-forth cycle of conflict right now?
2. How has anger made things bigger than they ever needed to be?
3. What would it cost you to stop escalating and choose peace?
4. How can Jesus' example shape your response?

DO THIS:

• Identify one conflict that's escalating.
• Decide today: "I will not add fuel."
• Take a humble step to break the cycle—apologize, soften your tone, or listen first.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I don't want to live in the spiral of payback. Help me stop adding fuel. Give me the humility and courage to be a peacemaker like You. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Peace Be Still."

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

Today's shout-out goes to Steve Winton from Lakeland, 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 15:3-5

"And Samson said to them, 'This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm.' So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails. And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards." — Judges 15:3-5

Samson is furious. His wife's father gave her away to another man, and now humiliation burns inside him. So he cooks up a plan—literally. He ties torches between the tails of 300 foxes and lets them loose in Philistine fields, torching grain and olive orchards.

For Samson, it felt like justice. For the Philistines, it was destruction. And shortly, the retaliation would escalate.

That's the way revenge works—it feels satisfying for a moment, but it never ends there. It multiplies the misery.

Revenge never heals your hurt; it multiplies it.

When you've been betrayed or wronged, the urge to "get even" screams loud. We daydream about comebacks, plots, or even just the perfect cutting words. And for a moment, it feels powerful. But it never brings peace—it only fans the flames of bitterness.

Samson's fire scorched the Philistines, but it also scorched his future. His revenge didn't settle the score; it made the fight bigger.

God calls us to a better way. Romans 12:19 says, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" God can handle justice better than you ever could. Revenge chains you to anger; forgiveness frees you to live.

ASK THIS:

1. Where are you tempted to "get even" right now?
2. How have you seen revenge backfire in your life before?
3. Why is it so hard to trust God with justice?
4. What might forgiveness free you from today?

DO THIS:

• Write down the name of the person you want revenge on.
• Pray: "God, vengeance belongs to You. I give this into Your hands."

PRAY THIS:

Lord, You see the hurt in my heart. I want revenge, but I choose to release it to You. Free me from bitterness, and help me trust You with justice. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Battle Belongs."