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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 4:6-10:

She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand’?” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh, and 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. — Judges 4:6-10

What blessings slip through our fingers when we hesitate instead of acting in faith?

God had already spoken: “Go, gather your men… I will give him into your hand.” The outcome was certain. Victory was promised. But Barak hesitated.

Instead of trusting God’s word, he leaned on Deborah: “If you go with me, I will go.” He wanted her presence more than God’s promise. Deborah agreed—but warned him: the glory of victory wouldn’t go to him. God would hand Sisera over to a woman instead.

Barak went to battle, but the lesson was clear: hesitation comes at a cost. God still wins—but when we pause at the edge of obedience, we may miss the full blessing of leading boldly.

This is where too many believers get stuck. God calls. The promise is sure. But instead of stepping out in full faith, we hesitate. We stall. We wait for more signs, more reassurance, more backup.

Barak still fought, but his hesitation meant he lost the honor of leading with decisive courage. Deborah had to fill the gap.

Here’s the challenge: don’t wait for someone else to carry the weight God put on your shoulders. God’s victory doesn’t depend on you—but your faithfulness does. Step up without hesitation. Don’t miss the blessing because you lingered when God said, "Go."

ASK THIS:

1. Where am I hesitating when God has already spoken clearly?
2. What fears keep me from taking the step God is calling me to take?
3. Who might be carrying weight right now because I’ve delayed obedience?
4. How can I step forward today in faith instead of waiting for more certainty?

DO THIS:

Pinpoint one area where you’ve been hesitating. Stop stalling—take one clear step of obedience today.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for hesitating when you’ve already spoken. Give me the courage to step forward in faith, trusting your promise more than my fear. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Made For More."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 4:4-5:

Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. — Judges 4:4-5

What happens when men shrink back from the leadership God has called them to?

In the middle of Israel’s chaos, God raises an unexpected leader: Deborah. She wasn’t a warrior swinging a sword or a king sitting on a throne. She was a prophetess who listened to God and spoke his truth.

Her “office” was a palm tree in the hill country. People came to her not for military strategy but for judgment rooted in God’s Word. Under that tree, she became a steady voice of wisdom in a time of compromise and fear.

Here’s what makes her story remarkable: Deborah is one of the only female civil leaders in the history of Israel. Why? Because no man stepped up. This wasn’t God’s usual design—it was a vacuum of male leadership. While Israel’s men hesitated, God used Deborah’s courage to call them forward.

Deborah’s leadership reminds us that spiritual authority isn’t about position—it’s about submission to God. But her story is also a warning: when men fail to lead, God will still accomplish his purposes—sometimes through those we least expect.

This should wake us up. God doesn’t call you to sit under the shade of someone else’s palm tree forever. He calls you to plant your own, to lead your home, your workplace, your friendships with courage rooted in his Word. Don’t wait for someone else to carry the spiritual weight God designed for you.

The world doesn’t need more men who abdicate leadership; it needs men who step up. Don’t miss your moment.

ASK THIS:

1. Where in my life am I waiting for someone else to lead when God has called me to step up?
2. Do I listen to God’s voice enough that others would trust me for spiritual guidance?
3. How has passivity hurt the people around me?
4. What step of leadership can I take this week under the “palm tree” of God’s Word?

DO THIS:

Choose one area where you’ve been passive—at home, at work, or in your friendships—and take the lead today by bringing God’s Word into that space.

PRAY THIS:

Father, forgive me for the times I’ve shrunken back from leadership. Give me Deborah’s courage and conviction to step up and lead under your Word. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lead Me."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 4:1-3:

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron, and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. — Judges 4:1-3

Why do we keep falling back into the same sins we swore we’d never touch again?

The story opens with a phrase we’ve heard before: “The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”

Notice the timing—after Ehud died. With their leader gone, Israel slipped right back into rebellion. Same song, second verse.

This time, God handed them over to Jabin, king of Canaan. And Sisera, his commander, rolled out 900 iron chariots—state-of-the-art war machines. For twenty years, Israel lived under cruel oppression.

And finally—they cried out. The cycle repeats: sin → slavery → suffering → supplication → salvation.

This is how sin works. Left unchecked, it always drags us back into bondage. Maybe your “Sisera” isn’t a general with iron chariots—it’s anger, lust, addiction, or pride. You beat it once, but without vigilance, it creeps back, stronger and more ruthless than before.

And here’s the dangerous part: we learn to live with it. We call it “normal.” We convince ourselves the chains aren’t that heavy. But eventually, sin always shows its true colors—it becomes cruel, it takes more than it gives, and it leaves you emptier than before.

Don’t wait twenty years to cry out to God. Don’t wait until the oppression becomes unbearable. Cry out today. The cycle doesn’t have to define you, because God’s mercy is greater than your failure, and his deliverance is stronger than the grip of your enemy.

ASK THIS:

1. What old sin cycle keeps trying to drag me back into bondage?
2. Do I wait until life gets unbearable before I cry out to God?
3. How does the absence of spiritual leadership in my life make me more vulnerable?
4. What’s one practical step I can take today to break the cycle?

DO THIS:

Name your “Sisera”—the sin that keeps coming back. Write it down. Pray over it. And share it with a trusted brother or sister in Christ for accountability.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I don’t want to repeat the same old sins. Help me cry out to you now, not later, and trust you to break the cycle. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lord, I Need You."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 3:24-20

When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber.” And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor. Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah. When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader. And he said to them, “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over. And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years. — Judges 3:24-30

What could God do through your faith-filled courage if you actually stepped out today?

Ehud’s daring act in the palace wasn’t the end—it was the beginning. Once the king fell, Ehud rallied Israel with a trumpet blast. Notice his words: “Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies into your hand.”

This wasn’t Ehud’s victory—it was God’s. But Ehud’s faith lit the spark. Israel seized the fords, cut off Moab’s retreat, and struck down 10,000 of their strongest soldiers. The result? Eighty years of peace.

One man’s courageous obedience unleashed a wave of victory for an entire nation.

Your obedience today could be the turning point for more people than you realize. Ehud didn’t just free himself—he freed his nation.

Don’t underestimate the ripple effect of your courage. When you lead your family in prayer, when you walk in integrity at work, when you take a stand for Christ, you create space for others to follow.

Courage multiplies. Obedience inspires. Faith spreads. And the peace that comes isn’t just for you—it blesses everyone around you.

ASK THIS:

1. Where do I need to blow the trumpet and step out in courage for God?
2. Who might follow my lead if I lived boldly in faith?
3. Do I believe my obedience can impact not just me, but generations?
4. How does Ehud’s story challenge my view of faith and courage?

DO THIS:

Take one bold step of faith today in an area you’ve been holding back. Trust God to use your obedience to influence more people than you can see.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, give me Ehud’s courage to step out in faith. Use my obedience to bring victory and peace not just to me, but to those you’ve placed in my life. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Do It Again."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 3:12-23

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms. And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.

Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes. And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute. But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” And he commanded, “Silence.” And all his attendants went out from his presence. And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them. — Judges 3:12-23

Why would God choose a left-handed man with a hidden dagger to deliver his people?

Israel fell again, this time under the heavy hand of King Eglon of Moab. Eighteen years of oppression. And then, once more, the cry for help.

God’s answer?

Ehud—a left-handed man. In a tribe where warriors were expected to be right-handed, Ehud was an outsider. But that “weakness” became his advantage. Guards didn’t suspect the dagger strapped to his right thigh. In the palace, standing before the bloated king, Ehud struck—and Israel’s deliverance began.

This story feels raw, almost shocking. But it’s here to remind us: God doesn’t save the way we expect. He uses unlikely people, in unlikely ways, to accomplish his purposes.

Maybe you feel like Ehud—overlooked, underestimated, maybe even carrying what others see as a weakness. But with God, that very thing can become your weapon for his glory.

God’s not looking for polished people with perfect resumes. He’s looking for willing hearts. He loves to flip weakness into strength, using the very things others count out to bring about victory.

Stop disqualifying yourself. If God can use Ehud’s left hand, he can use your story.

ASK THIS:

1. What’s one area of my life where I feel disqualified or overlooked?
2. How might God want to use that “weakness” as a strength?
3. Do I believe God can deliver in ways I don’t expect?
4. Where do I need to step out in bold, Ehud-like faith this week?

DO THIS:

Write down one personal “weakness” you usually hide. Then ask God how he might want to use it for his glory. Take one step to offer it back to him today.

PRAY THIS:

Father, use what I see as weakness to show your strength. Help me trust that you can work through the parts of me I least expect. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"God of the Impossible."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 3:9-11

But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died. — Judges 3:9-11

What happens when God’s Spirit fills an ordinary man?

Israel cried out. And God answered—not with an army, but with a man.

Othniel wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t famous. He was Caleb’s younger brother, living in the shadow of a great warrior. Yet when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, everything changed.

Notice the shift:

1. Israel cried.
2. God raised.
3. The Spirit empowered.
4. Victory came.
5. Peace followed.

This is God’s pattern. He takes an ordinary man, fills him with his Spirit, and uses him to deliver his people.

Never underestimate what God can do through you when his Spirit fills you. You don’t need the perfect résumé, the loudest voice, or the sharpest skills. What you need is surrender to God’s Spirit.

The battles you face aren’t won by sheer grit but by God’s Spirit working through you. Othniel’s story reminds us: victory doesn’t rest on the size of the man, but on the strength of the God in the man.

ASK THIS:

1. When was the last time I cried out to God for deliverance instead of trying to fix things myself?
2. Do I believe God’s Spirit can work powerfully through me right now?
3. What keeps me from full surrender to God’s Spirit?
4. Where in my life do I need to step forward in faith like Othniel?

DO THIS:

Today, pray specifically for the Spirit of the Lord to empower you in one area where you feel weak—and then take one step of faith into that battle.

PRAY THIS:

Holy Spirit, fill me today. Use me, like you used Othniel, to bring your victory and your peace where I cannot on my own. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Same God."

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

Support our mission to teach every verse of the Bible in Project23. Read more here: Project23

Our text today is Judges 3:7-8

And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. — Judges 3:7-8

What happens when God lets you have the life you chose without him?

Notice the sequence:

• They forgot the Lord.
• They served false gods.
• God’s anger burned.
• They were sold into slavery.

Israel’s biggest problem wasn’t its enemies. It was their memory. Forgetting God led them straight into idolatry, and idolatry led them straight into chains.

God’s judgment wasn’t random—it was righteous. When Israel abandoned him, he gave them exactly what they wanted: life under the rule of another master. But the freedom they thought they’d find in Baal worship became bondage under Cushan-rishathaim.

This is how sin still works. Forgetting God always opens the door to false gods. And false gods always enslave.

Maybe for you it’s not a wooden empty false-god like Baal—it’s other false-gods like money, success, approval, lust. But the pattern is the same: what you serve ends up ruling you.

Don’t miss this: forgetting God is the first step into slavery. The enemy doesn’t need you to deny God outright—just to forget him little by little, until you wake up chained.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I grown forgetful of God’s presence in my daily life?
2. What “false gods” am I tempted to serve in place of him?
3. Have I mistaken slavery to sin for freedom?
4. What daily habit can I build to keep remembering God?

DO THIS:

Set one daily reminder (alarm, sticky note, verse card) to pause and remember God today—before the world makes you forget him.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, don’t let me forget you. Keep me close, and protect me from the chains that come when I turn from you. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"No Longer Slaves."