Resolute Podcast

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Clinton Cann from Kingston, ON. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Listen to our text today, Hosea 2:9-10 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness. Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of my hand.— Hosea 2:9-10 One word dominates this passage. My. "My grain." "My wine." "My wool." "My flax." Israel had begun to believe the blessings of life came from somewhere else—from Baal, from fertility rituals, from the surrounding cultures they had started to imitate. The harvest was good, the economy was strong, and the nation assumed their idols were responsible. But God interrupts that illusion. He reminds them that every blessing they enjoyed was never theirs in the first place. The crops came from him. The resources came from him. Even the clothing that covered them came from him. And now God says he will take it back. This is not petty anger. It is a necessary correction. Israel had not just forgotten God—they had reassigned credit. They took God's gifts and used them to serve other gods. Prosperity became the fuel for spiritual betrayal. So God removes the prosperity. Not because he delights in hardship. But because sometimes the only way to expose a false belief is to remove the thing that belief depends on. When the harvest disappears, the illusion disappears with it. This principle still plays. It is possible to enjoy God's gifts while slowly forgetting God himself. Success grows. Opportunities multiply. Comfort increases. And somewhere along the way, gratitude fades and independence rises. We begin to believe we built it. Or our "gods" have done it. But every breath we take… every ability we possess… every opportunity we steward… ultimately belongs to God. And sometimes the most merciful thing God can do is remind us of that. Because the moment we remember that everything comes from him… our hearts begin to return to him. DO THIS: Take one blessing in your life—your job, health, income, or influence—and thank God specifically for it today. ASK THIS: What blessing in your life is easiest to take credit for? Why do prosperity and comfort often cause people to forget God? How can gratitude protect your heart from drifting away from him? PRAY THIS: Father, everything I have ultimately comes from you. Guard my heart from pride and help me live with daily gratitude for your provision. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Jireh"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Clinton Cann from Kingston, ON. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Listen to our text today, Hosea 2:9-10 Therefore I will take back my grain in its time, and my wine in its season, and I will take away my wool and my flax, which were to cover her nakedness. Now I will uncover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and no one shall rescue her out of my hand.— Hosea 2:9-10 One word dominates this passage. My. "My grain." "My wine." "My wool." "My flax." Israel had begun to believe the blessings of life came from somewhere else—from Baal, from fertility rituals, from the surrounding cultures they had started to imitate. The harvest was good, the economy was strong, and the nation assumed their idols were responsible. But God interrupts that illusion. He reminds them that every blessing they enjoyed was never theirs in the first place. The crops came from him. The resources came from him. Even the clothing that covered them came from him. And now God says he will take it back. This is not petty anger. It is a necessary correction. Israel had not just forgotten God—they had reassigned credit. They took God's gifts and used them to serve other gods. Prosperity became the fuel for spiritual betrayal. So God removes the prosperity. Not because he delights in hardship. But because sometimes the only way to expose a false belief is to remove the thing that belief depends on. When the harvest disappears, the illusion disappears with it. This principle still plays. It is possible to enjoy God's gifts while slowly forgetting God himself. Success grows. Opportunities multiply. Comfort increases. And somewhere along the way, gratitude fades and independence rises. We begin to believe we built it. Or our "gods" have done it. But every breath we take… every ability we possess… every opportunity we steward… ultimately belongs to God. And sometimes the most merciful thing God can do is remind us of that. Because the moment we remember that everything comes from him… our hearts begin to return to him. DO THIS: Take one blessing in your life—your job, health, income, or influence—and thank God specifically for it today. ASK THIS: What blessing in your life is easiest to take credit for? Why do prosperity and comfort often cause people to forget God? How can gratitude protect your heart from drifting away from him? PRAY THIS: Father, everything I have ultimately comes from you. Guard my heart from pride and help me live with daily gratitude for your provision. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Jireh"

The real question isn't "Can a Christian drink?"—it's "What's controlling you?" Summary This message confronts the modern confusion surrounding alcohol, freedom, and spiritual maturity by shifting the focus from permission to mastery. Scripture does not condemn alcohol itself, but it consistently warns against drunkenness, addiction, loss of self-control, and being mastered by anything other than Christ. The deeper issue is dependence—whether believers are looking to substances for escape, peace, identity, or relief instead of the Holy Spirit. Mature Christianity stops asking, "What can I get away with?" and starts asking, "What best reflects Christ and builds others up?" Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think many Christians ask, "How much can I get away with?" instead of "What honors Christ?" 2. How does 1 Corinthians 6:12 help frame the issue of alcohol and personal freedom? 3. Why is the Bible's concern more about mastery and dependence than the substance itself? 4. What is the difference between freedom in Christ and freedom to sin? 5. How does modern intoxication culture differ from the biblical context of wine and celebration? 6. Why is self-control such an important fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)? 7. How can a believer unintentionally damage their witness or influence weaker believers through their choices? 8. What are some modern "escape mechanisms" people use besides alcohol? 9. Why is the "cool pastor" drinking culture potentially harmful to recovering addicts and struggling believers? 10. What would it look like practically to live "fully alive" without dependence on substances?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Jerry DeVries from Cleveland, GA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Have you ever chased something you were convinced would make life better—only to watch the door slam shut? Plans fall apart. Opportunities disappear. The road suddenly becomes hard. In Hosea 2:6-8, God explains why that sometimes happens. Listen to our text today. Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, 'I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.' And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal. — Hosea 2:6-8 Israel was chasing other "lovers"—the fertility gods of Baal. They believed these idols were the ones providing rain, crops, prosperity, and success. So they ran after them. But God steps in and blocks the road. Not because he hates them. Because he loves them. Sometimes God makes the wrong path difficult, so we will stop running down it. He frustrates the pursuit. He closes the doors. He removes the illusion that the idol can deliver what it promised. Eventually, the people begin to realize something: "It was better for me then than now." This is the moment of awakening. But verse 8 reveals the deeper tragedy. "She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil." Everything Israel thought Baal provided had actually come from God all along. Even worse, the silver and gold God gave them were being used to worship the very idols that replaced him. This is the madness of idolatry. We use the gifts of God to run from the God who gave them. Our abilities. Our money. Our influence. Our success. All of it can slowly become fuel for the very idols that pull our hearts away from him. That's why God sometimes blocks the road. Because the most loving thing God can do is interrupt a path that leads to destruction. And when that happens, it's not rejection. It's rescue. So if you're facing a closed door today, pause before assuming God is against you. He may be guiding you back to what matters most. DO THIS: Think about one closed door or frustration in your life recently and ask God if he might be redirecting you toward him. ASK THIS: Have you ever experienced a time when a closed door later proved to be God's protection? Why do we often give credit to other things for blessings that ultimately come from God? Is there anything in your life that might be slowly replacing your dependence on him? PRAY THIS: Father, help me recognize you as the source of every good gift in my life. Redirect my heart whenever I begin chasing things that cannot truly satisfy. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Gratitude + Great Are You Lord"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to EB Cologne from St. Augustine, FL. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Why do people turn to idols in the first place? Because they believe a lie. Listen to our text today, Hosea 2:4-5. Upon her children also I will have no mercy, because they are children of whoredom. For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, 'I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.' — Hosea 2:4-5 In these verses, God reveals the thinking behind Israel's spiritual adultery. The nation is chasing other "lovers"—the false gods of the surrounding cultures. But notice why. Israel believes those gods are the ones providing their prosperity. "My lovers give me my bread and my water… my wool and my flax… my oil and my drink." In other words, Israel has started crediting Baal and the fertility gods for the blessings God himself provided. This is the lie behind every idol. An idol is not just something people worship—it's something they believe will provide what only God can provide. Provision. Security. Identity. Satisfaction. In ancient Israel, Baal was believed to control rain, crops, and fertility. So when the harvest came, the people assumed Baal had delivered it. They forgot the God who had given them the land in the first place. But this problem is not ancient history. People still misplace credit today. When life is going well, many assume success comes from their intelligence, their hard work, their financial strategy, or the system they trust. Others believe prosperity flows from political power, cultural influence, or personal ambition. And slowly, without even realizing it, gratitude toward God disappears. That's how idolatry grows. It rarely begins with open rebellion. It begins with misplaced credit—believing that something other than God is the true source of life's blessings. The book of Hosea pulls the curtain back on that deception. Everything Israel believed their "lovers" were providing had actually been coming from God all along. The same is true for us. Every good thing we enjoy—breath, provision, relationships, opportunity—ultimately comes from the Lord. When we forget that, we risk placing our trust in things that cannot sustain us—misplaced credit. Today is a good day to practice gratitude. Recognize the true source of every blessing in your life. Then give thanks to the One who provided it. DO THIS: Take a moment today to thank God for three specific blessings in your life and consciously acknowledge him as their true source. ASK THIS: Why do you think people naturally credit success to themselves or other systems instead of to God? How does gratitude protect us from drifting into idolatry? What blessing in your life have you most recently taken for granted? PRAY THIS: Father, forgive me when I forget that every good thing comes from you. Help me recognize your provision and live with gratitude for your faithfulness. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Joel Allman from Pella, IA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. What does God do when the people he loves begin drifting away from him? He confronts them. Listen to our text today, Hosea 2:1-3. Say to your brothers, "You are my people," and to your sisters, "You have received mercy." "Plead with your mother, plead— for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband— that she put away her whoring from her face, and her adultery from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked and make her as in the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and make her like a parched land, and kill her with thirst. — Hosea 2:1-3 Hosea 2 opens with a powerful image. God speaks to the faithful within Israel—the "children"—and tells them to plead with their mother, a symbol of the nation itself. Israel has broken the covenant with God. The marriage relationship has been violated. God's words are direct: "She is not my wife, and I am not her husband." This language may sound shocking, but it reveals something deeply important about the way God relates to his people. Throughout the Bible, God describes his relationship with his people using the language of marriage. Israel was not simply a nation that God ruled. She was a bride God loved. That's why idolatry is not just disobedience—it is spiritual adultery. When Israel worshiped Baal and other false gods, they were not just breaking a rule. They were abandoning their covenant love. And the consequences were serious. God warns that if Israel continues in her unfaithfulness, the blessings that once covered the nation will be stripped away. The land will become like a wilderness—dry, barren, and lifeless. But notice something important here. Even in confrontation, God's goal is not destruction. It is restoration. The command to "plead" shows that God is still calling his people to repentance. The door is not closed. The covenant is not forgotten. God is confronting the sin because he still desires the relationship. This is how love works. Real love does not ignore betrayal. Real love calls it out so it can be healed. And the same principle applies to us today. When God confronts our idols, exposes our misplaced loves, or disciplines our hearts, it is not because he has rejected us. It is because he refuses to share our hearts with things that will ultimately destroy us. Today, take a moment to examine your own heart. Ask God to reveal any place where your love for him has grown cold—or where something else has taken his place. Then return to him. DO THIS: Take five quiet minutes today and honestly ask God to reveal anything that may be competing with your devotion to him. ASK THIS: Why do you think the Bible uses marriage to describe God's relationship with his people? What are some modern "idols" people turn to instead of trusting God? Is there anything in your life right now competing for the place God should hold in your heart? PRAY THIS: Father, search my heart and reveal anything that has taken your place in my life. Help me return to you with a renewed love and devotion. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Come Thou Fount"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Thomas Hughes from Clarksville, TN. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:10-11. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. — Hosea 1:10-11 What happens after judgment? Many people assume judgment is the end of the story. But in the Bible, God often does something surprising. Right after some of the strongest warnings, he gives one of the most beautiful promises. That's exactly what happens here. Just after declaring "You are not my people," God speaks a promise that echoes all the way back to Abraham. "The number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea." The same God who announced judgment also promises restoration. One day, the people who were called "Not My People" will be called "Children of the living God." This is the heartbeat of the book of Hosea. Israel's unfaithfulness is real. Their rebellion carries consequences. But God's covenant love runs deeper than their failure. Even when his people run away, God continues pursuing them. Hosea's story is not just about ancient Israel. The apostle Paul later quotes this very passage in Romans to show how God's mercy extends even further—to all who respond to him in faith. God takes those who were once far away and brings them near. And notice something else in this promise. God speaks of a future moment when Judah and Israel will be gathered together again under one head. The divided nation will one day be reunited. Throughout Scripture, that ultimate "head" points us forward to a greater king—Jesus Christ. Through him, God gathers people from every background and nation into one family. This is the surprising pattern of the gospel. Judgment exposes sin. Mercy offers restoration. Grace creates a new people. So if you ever wonder whether failure is the end of your story, Hosea reminds us that it is not. The God who warns also restores. The God who disciplines also redeems. Today, take a moment to thank God for the mercy that follows judgment—and the grace that makes restoration possible. DO THIS: Take a few minutes today to thank God for his mercy in your life and remind yourself that his grace always invites restoration. ASK THIS: Why do you think God often gives promises of restoration immediately after warnings of judgment? How does knowing God's mercy shape the way you respond to your own failures? What does it mean for you personally to be called a "child of the living God"? PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for the mercy that follows your warnings and the grace that restores your people. Help me live today in the confidence of being your child. Amen. PLAY THIS: "His Mercy Is More"

What if God told a prophet to marry a prostitute so an entire nation could see how badly it had betrayed him? Summary The book of Hosea opens with one of the most shocking commands in Scripture—God tells the prophet to marry an unfaithful woman so his broken marriage will become a living message to Israel. Beneath a season of prosperity during the reign of Jeroboam II, the nation had slowly drifted from the God who rescued them, blending worship of the Lord with the idols of their culture. Through Hosea's family and the prophetic names of his children, God exposes Israel's spiritual adultery and warns that judgment is coming. Yet even in the midst of confrontation, the chapter ends with hope, revealing the heart of a faithful God who continues to pursue and restore his people. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think God chose Hosea's marriage to illustrate Israel's relationship with him? 2. What does the story of Hosea and Gomer reveal about the seriousness of spiritual adultery? 3. How did prosperity during Jeroboam II's reign contribute to Israel's spiritual drift? 4. Why is mixing the worship of God with cultural idols so spiritually dangerous? 5. What message was God communicating through the names Jezreel, Lo-Ruhamah, and Lo-Ammi? 6. How can prosperity sometimes create the illusion that everything is spiritually healthy? 7. What are some modern idols that people look to for provision, identity, or security instead of God? 8. Why does Hosea describe idolatry as relational betrayal rather than simply breaking religious rules? 9. What does Hosea 1:10 reveal about God's heart even after announcing judgment? 10. Where in your life might God be calling you to turn away from competing loyalties and return fully to him?

A lot of people want Jesus to rescue them—but very few want him to rule them. Summary This message confronts one of the greatest misunderstandings in modern Christianity: wanting Jesus as Savior while resisting him as Lord. Many believers seek relief from pain, anxiety, addiction, or consequences while still trying to remain in control of their own lives. But the gospel is not self-improvement—it is surrender, crucifixion of the old self, and ongoing dependence on the Holy Spirit. Real Christianity is not occasional repentance during crisis moments; it is daily submission to Christ's lordship in every area of life. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions: 1. Why do many people desire Jesus as Savior but resist him as Lord? 2. How does Galatians 2:20 challenge the idea of "self-improvement Christianity"? 3. What are some ways modern culture encourages self-rule and autonomy instead of surrender to God? 4. Why is salvation more than forgiveness—it is also a transfer of ownership? 5. What areas of life do people most commonly struggle to surrender to Christ? 6. How can someone tell the difference between behavior management and true spiritual transformation? 7. Why does trying to live the Christian life through natural effort lead to exhaustion? 8. What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping believers walk under Christ's lordship? 9. How does "daily dependence" differ from occasional repentance during crisis moments? 10. What is one area of your life where Jesus may be calling you to stop resisting and fully surrender?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Jeffrey Mattson from Woodland Park, CO. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:7-9. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the Lord their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen." When she had weaned No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. And the Lord said, "Call his name Not My People, for you are not my people, and I am not your God." — Hosea 1:7-9 What happens when a people who belong to God stop living like they belong to him? That question sits at the center of today's passage. After the birth of Lo-ruhamah—"No Mercy"—another child is born. This time, God commands Hosea to give the boy a name that would have stunned the nation. Lo-ammi. The name means "Not My People." To understand how shocking this would have been, we have to remember the covenant language God used with Israel for centuries. When God rescued Israel from Egypt, he declared: "I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God." — Exodus 6:7 That phrase defined Israel's entire identity. They were the people of God. But now, because of persistent rebellion and idolatry, God declares something unthinkable. "You are not my people." The statement does not mean God stopped being sovereign over them. Instead, it reveals that the covenant relationship had been broken by their unfaithfulness. Israel had chosen other gods, other loyalties, and other sources of security. In effect, they had already walked away from the relationship. Yet tucked inside this warning is an important contrast. In verse 7, God says he will show mercy to Judah, the southern kingdom. And their deliverance will not come through military strength—no bow, sword, army, or horses. Their salvation will come from the Lord himself. This reminds us of a powerful truth: security never ultimately comes from power, politics, or military strength. It comes from God alone. Israel trusted alliances and armies. Judah would soon learn that their protection depended on God's intervention. And the same lesson still applies today. People often place their confidence in systems, leaders, wealth, or national strength. But God repeatedly reminds his people that real security does not come from human power. It comes from him. So today, take a moment to examine where your trust truly rests. Is it placed in things that feel strong and reliable—or in the God who holds history in his hands? Move your confidence back where it belongs. DO THIS: Identify one area where you tend to place your trust in human strength instead of God—and intentionally place that concern into God's hands today. ASK THIS: Why do people often trust systems, power, or security more than they trust God? What does it practically look like to place your confidence in God rather than in human solutions? Where in your life do you most need to trust God right now? PRAY THIS: Father, help me place my trust in you rather than in human strength or security. Remind me that my true confidence rests in you alone. Amen. PLAY THIS: "In Christ Alone"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Raymond Smith from Charlotte, NC. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:6. She conceived again and bore a daughter. And the Lord said to him, "Call her name No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel, to forgive them at all." — Hosea 1:6 How patient is God? The story of Israel shows us something remarkable—God's patience is long, but it is not endless. Hosea's wife, Gomer, gives birth again. This time, the child is a daughter. And once again, God gives the child a name that carries a message. Lo-ruhamah. In Hebrew, the name means "No Mercy" or "Not Pitied." The meaning would have stunned anyone who heard it. For generations, Israel had relied on the mercy of God. Even when they sinned and wandered, God repeatedly showed compassion and forgave them. But now the warning changes. "I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel." This does not mean God had suddenly become cruel or indifferent. It means the nation had reached a point where they repeatedly rejected the mercy that had already been offered. Over and over, God had sent prophets. Over and over, he called the people back to faithfulness. Over and over, he showed patience. But the nation continued to pursue idols, ignore God's word, and trust in their own strength. Eventually, mercy that is continually rejected turns into discipline. This is one of the most sobering truths in Scripture. God is incredibly patient with his people, but persistent rebellion eventually brings consequences. The warning in Hosea's day was meant to wake the nation up. And the same principle applies to us today. God's mercy is one of the greatest gifts we receive—but mercy is not meant to be ignored or abused. It is meant to lead us back to him. Paul later writes in Romans: "God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance." — Romans 2:4 So today, don't treat God's patience casually. If there is an area of your life where God has been calling you to change, respond while his mercy is still inviting you back. His warnings are not meant to push you away—they are meant to draw you closer. Take a moment today to thank God for his patience in your life, and respond to the places where he is calling you to return. DO THIS: Thank God today for his patience in your life, and respond to one area where he has been calling you to change. ASK THIS: Why do people sometimes mistake God's patience for approval? Where in your life have you experienced God's mercy even when you didn't deserve it? Is there an area where God has been patiently calling you back to him? PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for your mercy and patience in my life. Help me respond to your kindness with repentance and renewed faithfulness. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Lord Have Mercy (For What We Have Done)"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Doug Whiting from Alexandria, MN. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:4-5. And the Lord said to him, "Call his name Jezreel, for in just a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. And on that day I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel." — Hosea 1:4-5 Have you ever noticed how people assume that if enough time passes, God must have forgotten? That's the moment Israel had reached. Hosea's first son is born, and God tells him to name the child Jezreel. To modern readers, the name may not sound significant, but to the people of Israel, it would have immediately stirred memories. Jezreel was the place where King Jehu carried out a violent purge decades earlier. In a dramatic political revolution, Jehu wiped out the ruling house of Ahab and slaughtered many of his rivals. While God had used Jehu to judge wicked leadership, the violence that followed went far beyond what God intended. Blood had soaked the valley. Years passed. Kings rose and fell. The nation moved on. But God had not forgotten. Through Hosea's son, God announces that the bloodshed at Jezreel will finally be addressed. The dynasty of Jehu will fall, and the military strength of Israel will be broken. "I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel." The bow was the symbol of military power. Israel trusted in its armies, its victories, and its national strength. But God was warning them that their security would soon collapse. History confirmed this warning. Within a generation, Israel's political stability would crumble, its kings would be assassinated, and eventually the Assyrian Empire would conquer the nation. The lesson is clear: time does not erase sin. A nation may bury its history. Leaders may ignore their past. Cultures may try to move forward without accountability. But God sees what people try to hide. And yet, this warning is also an act of mercy. God was giving Israel a chance to see what they had ignored. He was speaking before judgment came. The name Jezreel was not just a reminder of past violence—it was a warning that there was still time to turn back. That same principle applies to our lives. Sometimes we assume that past choices no longer matter. But God's warnings are not meant to crush us—they are meant to wake us up. So today, take a moment to ask God to search your heart. If there are areas of hidden compromise, unresolved sin, or patterns you have ignored, bring them honestly before him. Confession is not the end of the story. It is often the beginning of restoration. DO THIS: Ask God to search your heart today and reveal any unresolved sin you may have ignored—and bring it honestly before him in confession. ASK THIS: Are there areas of your past you tend to minimize or ignore rather than bring before God? Why do people often assume that time erases the seriousness of sin? What would honest confession and repentance look like in your life today? PRAY THIS: Father, search my heart and reveal anything I have tried to hide or ignore. Give me the humility to bring it before you and walk in truth. Amen. PLAY THIS: "The Good Confession"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Jeffrey Nelson from Mooresville, NC. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:3. So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. — Hosea 1:3 Hosea doesn't argue. He doesn't delay. He doesn't negotiate the terms. He simply obeys. "So he went and took Gomer…" That short phrase reveals something powerful about Hosea's character. When God spoke, Hosea acted. Even though the assignment was painful. Even though it would affect his reputation. Even though the cost would follow him for years. Hosea marries Gomer, the woman God told him to take as his wife. And just like that, the prophet's life becomes the message. The marriage itself would be difficult, but God was revealing something deeper through it. Hosea's faithful love for an unfaithful wife would mirror God's covenant love for a people who continually turned away from him. Throughout the Bible, marriage often reflects the covenant relationship between God and his people. The prophets described Israel as God's bride. Later, the New Testament describes the church as the bride of Christ. Marriage is meant to reflect covenant faithfulness. That's why Israel's idolatry was so serious. It wasn't just disobedience—it was betrayal. The people who belonged to God were giving their hearts to other gods. Hosea's obedience allowed the nation to see this truth in a way they could not ignore. Sometimes God asks his people to obey in ways that stretch their comfort and challenge their understanding. Obedience may cost time, reputation, relationships, or personal plans. But faithful obedience always begins the same way. God speaks. And we respond. So today, consider this: is there an area where God has already made his will clear, but hesitation or fear has kept you from acting? Faith grows when obedience moves from intention to action. Take one step today toward doing what you already know God has called you to do. DO THIS: Identify one clear step of obedience God has already placed in front of you—and take that step today without delay. ASK THIS: Where in your life might God be asking for obedience right now? What fears or concerns sometimes keep you from acting on what God has already made clear? How might your obedience influence the people around you? PRAY THIS: Father, give me the courage to obey you even when obedience feels costly or uncomfortable. Help my life reflect faithfulness to you. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Trust and Obey"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Gonzalo Mora from Dunedin, FL. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:2. When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord." — Hosea 1:2 Have you ever wondered why God sometimes uses shocking illustrations to make a point? This verse is one of the most surprising commands in the entire Bible. God tells the prophet Hosea to marry a woman who will be unfaithful to him. At first glance, it seems confusing—even disturbing. Why would God ask one of his prophets to step into a marriage like this? The answer is found at the end of the verse. "For the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord." God is not simply giving Hosea a difficult personal assignment. He is creating a living illustration. Hosea's marriage will become a picture of Israel's relationship with God. Throughout Scripture, God describes his covenant with his people using the language of marriage. When God rescued Israel from Egypt and brought them into a covenant with him, he bound himself to them in a relationship of love and faithfulness. But Israel had been chasing other gods. Instead of trusting the Lord who delivered them, the nation pursued Baal and the false promises of surrounding cultures. They looked to idols for security, prosperity, and blessing. In God's eyes, that spiritual betrayal looked exactly like marital unfaithfulness. So God tells Hosea to live out the message. The prophet's life would become the sermon. And this is part of the unique role prophets often played. Sometimes they didn't just speak God's word—they acted it out. Their lives became visible illustrations of the truth God wanted his people to see. Hosea's marriage would reveal something painful about the human heart. People who belong to God can still run after other loves. But the story of Hosea will also reveal something even greater. God's covenant love is far more faithful than ours. Before moving on today, take a moment to consider your own heart. Idolatry rarely looks like ancient statues or carved images anymore. It often shows up in quieter forms—anything we trust, pursue, or depend on more than God. Ask the Lord to reveal if anything in your life has quietly taken the place that only he should hold. DO THIS: Take a moment today to identify one thing in your life that may be competing with God for your trust or attention—and surrender it to him. ASK THIS: What are the "modern idols" that people often pursue instead of trusting God? Is there something in your life you depend on more than you depend on God? What would it look like to place your full trust in him again? PRAY THIS: Father, reveal anything in my heart that has taken your rightful place. Help me trust you above every other love or pursuit. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Lord I Need You"

Hosea unfolds like a dramatic story—moving from shocking betrayal to devastating warning and finally to the hope of redemption. Summary The book of Hosea unfolds in four major movements that reveal the depth of Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness and the persistence of God's covenant love. It begins with Hosea's marriage to Gomer, a living illustration of Israel's betrayal of God. The prophet then exposes the nation's corruption and warns of the consequences that follow when a people abandon the knowledge of God. Yet the book ultimately ends with an invitation to return, showing that God's final word is restoration for those who repent. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why do you think God used Hosea's personal life as a prophetic message to Israel? What does the story of Hosea and Gomer reveal about the seriousness of spiritual unfaithfulness? In Hosea 4–7, how does the rejection of truth affect an entire culture and its leadership? Why does Hosea repeatedly emphasize the "knowledge of God" as the key issue in Israel's downfall? What does the phrase "they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" teach about the consequences of sin? How can small spiritual compromises eventually lead to larger personal or cultural collapse? Why is it important that Hosea shows both God's judgment and his compassion? What does Hosea 14 teach us about repentance and God's willingness to restore? How might the four movements of Hosea apply to the spiritual condition of nations today? Which movement of Hosea—betrayal, accusation, consequence, or restoration—do you see most clearly in your own spiritual journey right now?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to Charles Donahue from Keene, NH. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is Hosea 1:1. The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. — Hosea 1:1 How does a nation drift away from God? Not all at once. Not in one dramatic moment. It happens slowly. Quietly. Over time. One generation compromises. The next generation forgets. Eventually, a culture that once knew God barely remembers him at all. That's the moment Hosea steps into. This opening verse may read like a simple historical note, but it tells us something important. Hosea ministered during the reigns of several kings in Judah—Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah—and during the reign of Jeroboam II in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. By this time, the nation had already been divided for nearly two hundred years. The Northern Kingdom kept the name Israel, while the Southern Kingdom became Judah. Hosea's message was directed mainly toward Israel. And at first glance, things looked strong. Under Jeroboam II the nation experienced economic growth and military success. Borders expanded. Trade increased. Life appeared stable. But spiritually, the nation was collapsing. Idolatry filled the land. Baal worship spread through the culture. Religious activity still existed, but true devotion to God had largely disappeared. In that moment, God raised up a prophet. In the Old Testament, prophets were not primarily predictors of the future. They were messengers sent by God to speak truth to God's people—confronting sin, warning of consequences, and calling the nation back to covenant faithfulness. Hosea was that voice. And history shows a pattern: when a nation begins drifting from God, God sends a warning before judgment comes. He sends truth before consequences. He sends a voice before collapse. So pause today and examine your own life. Spiritual drift rarely feels dramatic while it's happening—but small compromises can quietly move our hearts further from God than we realize. Take a moment today to ask God where drift may be happening in your life, and take one small step back toward him. DO THIS: Take five quiet minutes today and ask God to reveal one area where you may be drifting spiritually—and make one intentional step toward him. ASK THIS: Where in your life might spiritual drift be happening without you noticing it? What small compromise today could slowly move your heart away from God? What is one simple step you could take today to move closer to him? PRAY THIS: Father, help me recognize the places where I may be drifting from you. Draw my heart back toward faithfulness and truth. Amen. PLAY THIS: "The King Is Coming"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study in 1 day. So get your Hosea Scripture Journal now. Also, if you have listened all the way through 1 Corinthians with me, write your first name, city, and state below. We would love to celebrate and pray with you today. Our shout-out today goes to Shane Powell from Bellevue, WA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:21-24. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. — 1 Corinthians 16:21-24 Paul takes the pen in his own hand and writes a few closing notes. "If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed." Sixteen chapters of correction come down to this: Do you love him? Not admire him. Not use him. Not align with him culturally. But truly love him. He is impling covenant love—all in allegiance of the heart. The dividing line in the church is not gifting, knowledge, or influence. It is devotion to and for Christ. You see, you can know doctrine. You can serve publicly. You can defend truth and still not love the Lord. Then he says, "Maranatha." Or "Our Lord, come." For those who love him, that is hope. For those who do not, it is exposure. So you can feel that Paul is still exposing them. And yet Paul ends with grace: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you." Grace that forgives. Grace that awakens love. Resurrection truth demands affection. Folks, doctrine must produce devotion. So the final question of 1 Corinthians is the same as the first. It is not, "Were you right?" It is, "Did you love the Lord?" DO THIS: Ask the Lord to expose coldness in your heart. Then take one concrete step this week to cultivate real affection for Christ—through prayer, worship, repentance, or obedience. ASK THIS: Would I welcome Christ's return today? Is my faith driven by love—or by habit? What is competing with my devotion to him? PRAY THIS: Lord Jesus, guard me from cold orthodoxy. Let my doctrine fuel devotion and my service flow from love. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

What happens when a nation blessed by God slowly drifts until it starts living like God no longer matters? Summary The book of Hosea reveals the heartbreaking story of a faithless people and a faithful God. Through the shocking command for the prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman, God illustrates Israel's spiritual adultery and exposes the deeper problem of divided loyalty. Hosea shows how a nation's moral collapse begins when it forgets the God who formed it, replacing true relationship with empty religion. Yet even in the midst of judgment, the book reveals God's relentless covenant love and his promise to redeem those who return to him. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think God chose Hosea's marriage as a living illustration of Israel's spiritual condition? 2. How does the Bible's description of idolatry as "adultery" change how we understand sin? 3. What are some modern idols people trust for security, identity, or success instead of God? 4. Hosea connects spiritual decline with national collapse. Why do you think the two are related? 5. What is the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God (Hosea 6:6)? 6. Why can religious activity continue even when a person's heart has drifted from God? 7. What does Hosea reveal about the tension between God's justice and his mercy? 8. Why is God's question in Hosea 11:8 such a powerful window into his heart? 9. How does Hosea and Gomer's story foreshadow God's plan of redemption through Christ? 10. In what area of your life do you need to return to God with renewed loyalty and trust?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study in 2 days. So get your Scripture Journal now. Our shout-out today goes to David Blount IV from Cary, NC. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:19-20. The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. — 1 Corinthians 16:19-20 Paul closes with what appear to be simple greetings. But this is not filler. There is some correction in here. Corinth had become spiritually myopic. They centered their religious experience around personalities. They divided the local church into factions. They treated their gathering like the epicenter of all Christianity. So Paul widens the lens by addressing some people. All the churches in Asia that know about the Corinthian church also pray for and support them. Then Aquila and Prisca (a.k.a. Priscilla)—who had been in Corinth before Paul arrived, worked alongside him in tentmaking, and grew so close that when he left for Syria, they traveled with him. And even brothers beyond your city. The point is: you are not the center. You are part of something far bigger. Modern Christians tend to shrink the church to a brand, a building, a livestream, a preferred preaching style. We talk about my church as if Christ belongs to us. But the church is not your bubble. It is Christ's body. Spanning nations. Crossing languages. Outlasting trends. The gospel does not create isolated spiritual consumers. It creates a global, visible people under one Lord. If your vision of the church fits neatly inside your comfort zone, it is too small. The risen Christ is gathering a people far beyond your preferences and far beyond your city. The resurrection is going to be different from what you think. DO THIS: Pray this week for two churches: one very different from yours, and one in another nation. Ask God to strengthen them and purify your love for his whole body. ASK THIS: Has my view of the church become narrow and tribal? Do I value Christ's global body—or just my local expression of it? Am I cultivating affection for believers outside my circle? PRAY THIS: Lord, forgive me for shrinking your church to my preferences. Enlarge my heart for your global body. Teach me to love what you are building across cities and nations. Amen. PLAY THIS: "The Church's One Foundation"

Hosea contains some of the most shocking lines in the entire Bible—verses that expose the seriousness of sin and the relentless love of God. Summary The book of Hosea confronts readers with some of the most startling language in the Old Testament. Through powerful imagery and prophetic declarations, these verses expose the depth of Israel's spiritual adultery and the devastating consequences of abandoning God. Yet alongside the warnings of judgment, Hosea also reveals the astonishing compassion of a God who refuses to give up on his people. These seven verses capture the tension at the heart of the book: human unfaithfulness and God's relentless covenant love. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why do you think God uses such shocking imagery in the book of Hosea? What does Hosea's marriage reveal about the seriousness of spiritual unfaithfulness? How do the names of Hosea's children communicate God's message to Israel? Why is idolatry described as relational betrayal rather than just theological error? What does Hosea 4:6 teach about the responsibility of leaders to teach truth? How does the phrase "they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" apply to personal and national choices today? Why is Hosea 11:8 such a powerful glimpse into the heart of God? How do these verses balance the themes of judgment and mercy? What modern forms of spiritual adultery can tempt believers today? What does Hosea teach us about God's willingness to restore those who return to him?  

If the resurrection is real, it should show up in how you give, serve, stand firm, and build the church. Summary After fifteen chapters of correction, Paul ends 1 Corinthians with something surprisingly practical. Instead of more theology, he shows what resurrection faith looks like in everyday life—generosity, partnership, courage, and faithfulness. The resurrection is not just a doctrine to defend; it is a reality that reshapes how believers handle money, relationships, leadership, and service. If Christ truly rose from the dead, then our lives should visibly reflect it. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why does Paul begin the final chapter by addressing money and generosity? How does believing in the resurrection change the way we view money and possessions? What does Paul's list of ministry partners reveal about how the early church actually advanced? Why is partnership more important than personality in building the church? How can modern church culture drift toward spectatorship instead of participation? What does Paul mean when he commands believers to "be watchful" and "stand firm in the faith" (v.13)? How does the resurrection give believers courage in a culture that pressures compromise? Why does Paul intentionally honor ordinary, faithful servants at the end of the letter? In what ways can we better recognize and encourage faithful servants in our churches today? If someone looked at your life this week, what evidence would they see that you believe the resurrection happened?

What if America's founders weren't trying to create freedom from religion—but freedom to live faithfully under God? Summary This interview with Andrew Linn digs into the historical and theological roots behind religious liberty, the separation of church and state, and America's Christian foundations through the lens of his documentary, Church and State: Roger Williams and the Founding of Freedom of Religion. The discussion explores how early colonies wrestled with religious authority, why Roger Williams championed freedom of conscience, and how modern culture has redefined freedom itself. Vince and Andrew confront current issues surrounding morality, secularism, cultural Marxism, and the growing silence of Christian voices in public life. Ultimately, the conversation challenges believers to recover courage, biblical conviction, and faithful engagement in both church and culture. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions 1. What is the difference between "freedom of religion" and "freedom from religion"? 2. Why did Roger Williams believe forced worship "rapes the soul of men"? 3. How did the early colonies misunderstand religious liberty? 4. Why is moral self-control necessary for true freedom to exist in a nation? 5. How does separating the church from government differ from silencing Christian influence in society? 6. In what ways has modern culture redefined freedom compared to the founders' understanding? 7. Why do you think many Christians hesitate to engage publicly with political and cultural issues today? 8. How can believers speak truth boldly without becoming harsh or self-righteous? 9. What role should pastors, teachers, and Christian leaders play in shaping the conscience of a nation? 10. What practical step can you take to become more courageous in living out your faith publicly?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study in 3 days. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea shows us that covenant faithfulness is proven over time, not declared in a moment. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you by mail. Our shout-out today goes to Rudolf De Jong from Hartford, MI. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:15-18. Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. — 1 Corinthians 16:15-18 Who do you naturally respect? Is it those who "have devoted themselves to the service of the saints?" It is interesting here that Paul picks out this quality at the end. He spent the whole letter giving no reference to platformed leaders, even admonishes them, and then here at the end mentions by name those they would have missed. The contrast is pointed and powerful. The word "devoted" implies deliberate commitment. They appointed themselves to "serve." Not to the platform. Not to prominence. But to service. And Paul tells the church to do something counterintuitive to their culture: "Be subject to such as these." This flips worldly instincts. It turns to those who have wholeheartedly given themselves to the Lord and to serving him from the right motivation for the benefit of others. Most, even today, naturally honor charisma, confidence, and visibility. Paul honors devotion, consistency, and quiet service. Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who were not in the spotlight. They earned trust through faithfulness. And Paul adds: "They have refreshed my spirit as well as yours." Faithful servants strengthen the weary. They stabilize churches. They encourage leaders. They refresh the saints. Resurrection faith does not just produce bold courage (yesterday's daily). It produces durable service. And mature churches know how to recognize it. So tell a faithful servant thank you this week, and appreciate the ordinary, faithful men and women like Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus. DO THIS: Identify one steady, faithful servant in your church who rarely receives attention. Thank them personally this week. ASK THIS: Do I value visibility more than faithfulness? Am I refreshing others—or draining them? Who has quietly strengthened my faith that I have never properly honored? PRAY THIS: Lord, give me eyes to see faithful service. Keep me from chasing applause and teach me to honor those who quietly labor for your name. Make me a source of refreshment to your people. Amen. PLAY THIS:

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study in 4 days. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea reveals what happens when strength is disconnected from covenant loyalty. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you by mail. Our shout-out today goes to Matthew Meester from Pullman, WA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14. Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. — 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Paul fires off five rapid commands. Four of them build toward one that is often misunderstood — and often misapplied. "Act like men." Corinth lived in a culture obsessed with status, rhetoric, and public displays of power. Weakness was despised. Honor was everything. But courage in Paul's mind is not posturing. It is perseverance in truth. To "act like men" meant this: hold the line when false teaching pressures you. Endure when culture mocks you. Refuse to bend when doctrine becomes costly. In our time, courage is often redefined as self-expression or ideological conformity. But biblical courage is different. It is steady allegiance to Christ when the cultural winds shift. It is clarity without cruelty. It is conviction without compromise. At the same time, Paul does not let courage drift into harshness. "Let all that you do be done in love." Courage divorced from love becomes theological brutality. Love divorced from courage becomes woke empathy. Christian maturity refuses both extremes. Therefore, to "act like men," in Paul's sense, is to embody resurrection-shaped bravery—rooted in truth, restrained by love. This is what resurrection-shaped courage looks like: Not loud. Not reactive. Not intimidated. Instead steady. Alert. Anchored in Christ. And governed by love. DO THIS: Identify one area where you have softened biblical conviction to avoid tension. Take one concrete step this week to speak or act with clarity and love. ASK THIS: Am I watchful—or drifting? Am I firm in the gospel—or flexible under pressure? Have I confused cultural approval with biblical courage? PRAY THIS: Lord, teach me real courage. Make me steady in truth and gentle in love. Keep me from cowardice on one side and harshness on the other. Shape my bravery after Christ. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Courage"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study in 5 days. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea exposes what happens when leadership fails, and hearts drift from covenant loyalty. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you by mail. Our shout-out today goes to Doug & Jena Martin from East Earl, PA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:10-12. When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers. Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity. — 1 Corinthians 16:10-12 Paul closes his letter with another reminder: "When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you… for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am." Timothy was much younger. More timid than Paul. Not flashy, as educated, smooth, and a master of debate like Paul. And this is critical to note because Corinth loved impressive leaders. Knowing this, Paul commands something that goes against the culture of Corinth: Do not despise him. For "seasoned" believers, spiritual maturity shows up in how you treat those coming behind you—especially young, aspiring leaders who are still finding their footing. They may not be as charismatic. They may not yet carry influence. They may not speak with polished confidence. But if they are faithful, they need older believers who will steady them, defend them, and invest in them. Timothy was one of those younger workers who was "doing the work of the Lord." Not much is ever said about his style or the strength of his personality. But he was known for being faithful. Then Paul mentions Apollos. Apollos was different. Eloquent. Strong. Capable. And Paul leaned on him differently: "I strongly urged him… but it was not at all his will to come now." Notice Paul's strong will and humility combined as the "seasoned" leader. There is no rivalry. No insecurity. No control. Just mutual respect in the work of Christ, with the strong encouragement for him to return to Corinth. The Corinthians had a history of dividing over leaders because of their immaturity. Remember, this is one of the first issues Paul addressed in this letter. "Some follow Paul." "Some follow Apollos." But Paul ends the letter by modeling something better. Honor faithful servants. Refuse personality cults. Reject leader worship. Here's why. The church does not need more celebrity. It already has a risen Lord. What it needs are older believers who will refuse cynicism, reject comparison, and actively champion the next generation of faithful workers. DO THIS: Identify one younger believer or leader in your church and intentionally encourage them this week. Speak specific words of affirmation and, if appropriate, offer your guidance and support. ASK THIS: Am I investing in the next generation—or merely critiquing it? Have I withheld encouragement because someone does not lead the way I would? Am I actively strengthening younger leaders who quietly labor in the Lord? PRAY THIS: Lord, guard my heart from cynicism and comparison. Teach me to champion younger leaders with wisdom and humility, strengthening those who are doing your work. Amen. PLAY THIS: "The Servant King"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study and move into the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea reveals what happens when a nation confuses comfort with covenant faithfulness. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to David Luna from Frisco, TX. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:5-9. I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. — 1 Corinthians 16:5-9 How do you know when God is opening a door? Paul says something about this that is pretty striking today: "A wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries." We often assume God opens the door to ease. Paul assumes the opposite— opposition. This means a "wide-open door" does not always mean comfort.  Wide-open opportunity in the kingdom often invites resistance. Notice the theology beneath this statement. The door has opened because God did it. But on the otherside the adversaries are real. Open doors, even wide open ones, do not remove enemies. They often reveal them. And Paul does not refuse the door because opposition appears. He walks through it because the opportunity is substantial. This is mature discernment. Providence is not measured by comfort. Faithfulness is not determined by the absence of difficulty. Sometimes the clearest sign you are in the will of God is that resistance increases. The Corinthians were tempted to chase two things: spectacle and status. Paul models two different things: endurance and obedience. He sees the mission clearly. He walks through the open door anyway. Because resurrection hope produces durable courage. If death is defeated, all adversaries are not ultimate. DO THIS: Identify one area where opposition has made you question obedience. Recommit to faithfulness there this week. ASK THIS: Do I interpret resistance as a sign to quit? Have I confused ease with God's will? Where might a "wide door" require stronger resolve? PRAY THIS: Lord, give me discernment to recognize open doors even when adversaries appear. Make me courageous, steady, and faithful in the work you have set before me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study and move into the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea confronts divided hearts and exposes what we truly love. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Edward Janowiak from Highland Ranch, CO. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. — 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 What does resurrection faith look like? After fifty-seven verses on resurrection glory in Chapter 15, Paul talks about money. And that is not accidental. Resurrection hope does not make Christians abstract in their practice. It should make us practical. The Corinthians were instructed to give regularly. Systematically. Proportionally. "Each one as he may prosper." This is not emotional manipulation. It is disciplined stewardship. Notice who this giving supports. The saints. The church. It's a gospel partnership across the region. Paul is organizing a relief offering for believers in Jerusalem. The Gentile church supports the Jewish church. Theology becomes generosity. Doctrine becomes dollars. Unity becomes action. Resurrection people should never be close-fisted with the generous life and blessings that God has afforded them. If Christ is risen and eternity is secure, then natural resources (i.e., money) loses its ultimate grip. Believers never hoard what they cannot keep. Believers invest in what will outlast them. Giving to God's work is not a side note in Christian maturity. It is further evidence that you believe the kingdom is real. And Paul adds accountability to his command. Trusted men will carry the gift. Paul may go with them. Resurrection faith produces transparent generosity. DO THIS: Set aside a specific, intentional gift this week for the work of the Lord. Don't wait for emotion. Plan it. Pray over it. Give it. ASK THIS: Does my spending reflect resurrection hope—or present fear? Am I giving proportionally to how God has prospered me? Do I see generosity as worship—or as loss? PRAY THIS: Lord, you gave your Son for me. Teach me to hold my resources loosely and invest in what advances your kingdom. Make my generosity a reflection of my hope in the risen Christ. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Take My Life and Let It Be"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving into the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea shows us a God who refuses to let his people go—even when they run from him. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Kevin O'Neil from Prior Lake, MN. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:54-58. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. — 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 Paul, still speaking about the critical nature of the resurrection, now narrows his focus to one unavoidable reality. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." This present body—weak, aging, perishable—cannot enter eternity as it is. Paul now brings the chapter to its triumphant close. "When the perishable puts on the imperishable... 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'" (This is from the book of Hosea, which is our next book of the Bible). This is prophetic fulfillment. Isaiah anticipated it. Hosea echoed it. Paul preached it. We need to remember it. In the resurrection of Jesus, our victory has already begun. Then Paul dares to taunt the grave: "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" Death may feel powerful. Funerals still bring emotional aches. Bodies still return to dust. But for those in Christ, stinger of the scorpion of sin is simply a reminder of the day the sting and death are gone. This is because sin incurs judgment defeated by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ bore the penalty for sin and its sting. He fulfilled the law. He rose in triumph. So death no longer holds final authority over those who belong to him. "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." And we are called to faithful obedience because of this hope. DO THIS: Choose one act of faithful obedience you have been postponing. Do it this week—not because you feel strong, but because Christ is risen. ASK THIS: Do I live like death still has the final word? Where has fear weakened my faithfulness? Am I abounding in the Lord's work—or retreating under pressure? PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you for victory through Jesus Christ. Make me steadfast when I grow weary. Fix my eyes on the risen Christ so I labor with courage, knowing my work in you is not in vain. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Before the Throne of God Above"

If Jesus didn't physically walk out of that tomb, Christianity isn't mistaken — it's meaningless. Summary In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul stakes everything on one historical claim: Jesus Christ bodily rose from the dead. If the resurrection is metaphor, preaching is empty, faith is futile, sin still reigns, and the church is a fraud. But if Christ is raised, then death is defeated, the body matters, sin is judged, and obedience carries eternal weight. The resurrection is not inspirational symbolism — it is the foundation that makes holiness, courage, unity, and endurance rational. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why does Paul ground the resurrection in eyewitness testimony rather than personal experience? What collapses in Christian theology if the resurrection is only symbolic? How does treating the resurrection as metaphor subtly reshape views on sin and judgment? Why does Paul say that without resurrection we are "still in our sins" (v.17)? How does the resurrection affirm the goodness and future of the physical body? In what ways does resurrection theology confront modern ideas about identity and embodiment? How does believing in bodily resurrection shape how you endure suffering? Why does Paul connect resurrection to steadfast obedience in verse 58? Where are you tempted toward a "coping Christianity" instead of resurrection certainty? If Christ is truly raised, what area of your life must become more immovable?  

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving into the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea confronts comfortable religion and exposes what spiritual betrayal really looks like. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Kevin Hayes from Alva, FL. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:50-53. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.— 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 Paul, still speaking about the critical nature of the resurrection, now narrows his focus to one unavoidable reality. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." This present body—weak, aging, perishable—cannot enter eternity as it is. What decomposes and decays cannot inherit eternity. But we are not discarded. There is something about us that will be changed. It's mysterious, but at the time of death, time will pass quickly, and we will be transformed. A twinkle then a trumpet. The mortal puts on immortality. Notice. Not replaced. Not erased. But clothed. This is covenant continuity fulfilled in glory. This means the mortality you feel is not permanent—it is preparatory. The resurrection of Jesus was not the abandonment of creation. It is the consummation of believers. The God who created all matter will redeem all matter. And he will do it suddenly, decisively, completely. Death and taxes are not the only guarantees of this life. According to God's Word, it's death, taxes, and the resurrection from this body into new bodies and a new kingdom. DO THIS: When you feel the limits of your body this week—fatigue, pain, weakness—remember: a twinkle, a trumpet, a new body. Let present weakness train your hope for promised transformation. ASK THIS: Do I treat my physical decline as final—or temporary? If I truly believed transformation is guaranteed, what fear would loosen its grip on me? Am I living as someone preparing for glory—or clinging to what is fading? PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you that this perishable body will be clothed with immortality. Anchor my hope in the coming transformation and steady my heart as I wait for that trumpet sound. Amen. PLAY THIS: "In Christ Alone"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea stretches our understanding of judgment and relentless covenant love. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Richard Byrd from Triangle, VA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:35-49. But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. — 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 Paul anticipates the question of the Corinthians: "How are the dead raised and with what kind of body?" His answer centers on one massive theological truth: God does not replace what he creates—he redeems and transforms it. He uses the image of a seed. Like a sown seed is perishable. What is raised is changed and transformed into something more. It must die to come to new life The seed and the plant are truly connected. There is continuity. But there is also glory. This is not a replacement. It is a transformation of divine proportions. Then Paul reaches back to first Adam and then Christ. "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven." Adam was a real man formed from dust, and in him we inherited corruption and death. Christ is the last Adam—the life-giving man—who, through his resurrection, inaugurates a transformation of man. You are either in Adam or in Christ. A dead man dying. Or a dying man living. Therefore, surrender to Christ is more than forgiveness for this time—it results in future bodily glory. And who does not want that? Christian hope is not disembodied eternity floating somewhere distant. It is embodied restoration under the reign of the risen Christ. The same sovereign God who formed Adam from dust will refashion those united to his Son into incorruptible life. So your body matters. Not one moment of suffering is wasted in your present body. Decay, aching backs, suffering joints, and fading sight are not the end of your story. You are not drifting toward abstraction. You are moving toward resurrection glory and an eternal family. So live like it, even though your present body is wearing down, your future and its body will not. DO THIS: Reflect on how you view your body. Do you treat it as disposable—or as something destined for resurrection? Let that future shape how you steward it today. ASK THIS: Do I secretly think of eternity as escape rather than renewal? How does believing in bodily resurrection change the way I view suffering, aging, or death? Am I living as someone who will bear the image of the man of heaven? PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you that my hope is not disembodied escape but resurrected life. Fix my eyes on the glory to come and teach me to live now in light of that future transformation. Amen. PLAY THIS: "There Is a Higher Throne"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea forces us to confront whether we love God—or just use him. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Tom Vigorito from Sun City West, AZ. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:29-34. Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. — 1 Corinthians 15:29-34 In this section, Paul demonstrates how theological error produces moral distortion. If there is no resurrection, why risk anything for the gospel? Why be baptized at all? Why face danger for preaching? Why endure persecution from opposing forces? (When Paul mentions people being "baptized on behalf of the dead," he is not endorsing the practice; he is exposing their inconsistency—why participate in a ritual that assumes life beyond death if no resurrection exists?) He also references his own suffering—"fighting with beasts at Ephesus"—whether literal combat or fierce opposition, the point stands: why endure deadly hostility if the grave is final? If the dead are not raised, the logic is straightforward: "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." That is not merely ancient philosophy. It is modern philosophy. If death is the end, pleasure becomes the highest good. False theology does not stay theoretical. It is absorbed into the mind and expressed through behavior. That is why Paul says: "Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning." Resurrection denial had numbed their thinking and dulled their obedience. Theology drift produced moral drift. If your behavior has been drifting, it may be time to sober your thinking about Jesus—his life, his death, and his bodily resurrection. The risen Lord is coming again, and eternity is not theoretical. DO THIS: Identify one area where your behavior does not reflect belief in a coming resurrection. Make a concrete adjustment this week that aligns your life with eternal reality. ASK THIS: If someone observed my lifestyle, would they conclude I believe in resurrection? Have I allowed cultural voices to dull my eternal perspective? Am I living for comfort—or for what lasts? PRAY THIS: Lord, wake me up where I have grown dull. Let the reality of the resurrection shape my choices, my discipline, and my courage. Help me live today in light of the life to come. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Our Hope in Life and Death"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea reveals the heartbreak of idolatry and the mercy that still pursues. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Ben Pangborn from St. Augustine, FL. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. — 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 What if the resurrection is not about an idea—but about a living man who conquered death and now rules history? Paul declares today, "But in fact." Christ is not symbolically alive. He is bodily raised. And he calls him the "firstfruits." This is covenant language rooted in real history. In Israel's history, the firstfruits were the beginning portion that guaranteed the full harvest to come. So Paul is saying the resurrection of Jesus is not an isolated miracle. It is the beginning of a guaranteed resurrection harvest. Then he says: "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead." Notice the emphasis. But in fact, by a man. Death did not enter through an idea or philosophy. It entered through a real representative—Adam or mankind. And resurrection does not come through an idea or philosophy either. It comes through another real man—Christ. Federal headship is not abstract theology. It is embodied representation. Two men. Two humanities. Two outcomes. Adam was a dying man who brought death to all he represented. Christ is the living man who conquered death and brings life to all who are united to him. We are not trusting an ethic. We are not trusting an idea. We are trusting a resurrected man. In Adam, all die. In Christ, all will be made alive. Death entered through one man under God's judgment. Life comes through one man under God's approval. And then Paul looks even further out at the future ramifications. Christ must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Resurrection is the triumph of the living Christ over every enemy. History is moving toward submission under his rule. And when every enemy is subdued, the Son hands the kingdom to the Father—so that God may be all in all. This is ordered glory flowing from the Father, through the Son, by divine design. Resurrection means history turns toward restored order under the rule of the living Christ. A real man rose. And because he lives, those united to him will live. Are you ready to live? Turn your old life over to the man, and live all in for Him because he live all in for you. If you need to make this decision today write "ALL IN" in the comments below. DO THIS: Identify which representative you are living under today. Are you operating from the old man shaped by sin—or from the new man secured in Christ? Then live all in for the right, eternal, and forgiving man. ASK THIS: Do I see the resurrection as cosmic victory—or just personal comfort? How does knowing Christ reigns now change the way I face suffering and death? Am I living as someone who belongs to the firstfruits harvest? PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you that a living Christ reigns as the firstfruits. Teach me to live as someone united to the reigning King. Fix my hope not on escape, but on the restoration you have promised. Amen. PLAY THIS: "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about our mission to teach every verse of the bible in what we call Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 8:8-10: Israel is swallowed up; already they are among the nations as a useless vessel. For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers. Though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them up. And the king and princes shall soon writhe because of the tribute. — Hosea 8:8-10 Some of the things people run to for safety are the very things quietly destroying them. Hosea says: "Israel is swallowed up… as a useless vessel." You see, Israel had gone to Assyria for security. They purchased alliances, trusted political power, and looked to human systems for protection. What they chose as their solution became their slavery. That is why God calls them a "useless vessel." They were relying on things that could not truly save them. They were a damaged container, filling their nation with substances they could not sustain. We have all done this. We look for peace in health care plans, insurance policies, retirement accounts, investment growth, and accumulated wealth. We look for relief in entertainment, gaming, endless scrolling, shopping, vacations, and dopamine hits from a glowing screen. We chase control through planning, productivity, image management, and constant information. None of those things is evil in itself. But they become dangerous when they become saviors, and we fill our lives with them—trusting only in them. Everything on this list makes a terrible god. Money can help, but it cannot heal your soul. Insurance may cover loss, but it cannot remove fear. Retirement may change your schedule, but it cannot give purpose. Entertainment may distract you, but it cannot restore you. Scrolling may numb you, but it cannot satisfy you. Success may impress others, but it cannot make you whole. If you build your life on them, they will eventually expose their limits. They will each make us a useless vessel. Too many people today are medicated, entertained, informed, insured, and connected—yet deeply anxious, spiritually empty, relationally distant, and internally exhausted. Why? Because we keep expecting temporary things to do eternal work. Maybe it is time to deal with the emptiness you feel in the vessel of your life. Consider these questions: What do you run to when you feel fear? What do you depend on when life feels unstable? What comforts you more quickly than God? Those answers will reveal your real refuge. And yes, use tools wisely. Be responsible. Plan well. Work hard. But do not turn over your life to unfulfilling things that were never meant to fill the vessel of your life. God is the only one who can fill the vessel of your soul. DO THIS: Notice what you instinctively reach for when stress rises today. Pause, pray first, and place that need before God before turning to any other solution. ASK THIS: What temporary thing have I treated like a savior? Where do I seek comfort faster than I seek God? Am I using good tools—or worshiping them? PRAY THIS: God, forgive me for trusting temporary solutions more than you. Help me use the things of this world wisely, but never worship what cannot save me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Is Mine Forevermore"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about our mission to teach every verse of the bible in what we call Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 8:11-13: Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning. Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt. — Hosea 8:11-13 How do churches lose their way? Just a little at a time. You see, Israel did not abandon religion. They multiplied it by adding in other gods. They built more altars, offered more sacrifices, and kept the appearance of worship alive. But those altars had become "altars for sinning." They had plenty of activity, but they had lost touch with the truth. God's truth. Then comes the diagnosis: "Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing." God's Word had become "strange" to people who still claimed His name. This is exactly how churches lose their way now. They retain the music, the programs, the branding, the crowds, and the language of faith—but Scripture gradually becomes secondary. Hard truths are softened. Clear commands are avoided. Topics culture has politicized—marriage, sexuality, abortion, gender, sin, repentance, and the exclusivity of Christ—are treated like hazards instead of truth to be proclaimed with grace and courage. The result is predictable. That is why Hosea says, "They shall return to Egypt." To get the punch line here, we have to remember who Egypt was to Israel. Egypt was the place of slavery that God had already delivered them from. In other words, their drift did not create the freedom they thought. It was preparing them for chains—again. When God's truth is neglected, people will be re-enslaved to fear, addiction, sexual confusion, bitterness, anxiety, false ideologies, and the approval of others. Are you letting culture disciple you more than Scripture? Have you gone quiet where God has spoken clearly? The answer is not more opinions from a lost word. It is deeper roots in God's Word. Open God's Word. Learn it. Love it. Live it. Stand on it when it costs you something because it's clear how churches have lost their way. They moved from God's truth. And the way back is by traveling the same road in the opposite direction. DO THIS: Identify one issue where culture has shaped your thinking more than Scripture. Read what God says about it today and choose obedience over opinion. ASK THIS: Where have I accepted culture's voice over God's Word? What truth have I avoided because it feels unpopular? Am I rooted deeply enough to stand in this generation? PRAY THIS: God, keep me from drifting with the crowd. Root me in your truth, give me courage to stand, and lead your church back to your Word. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Ancient Words"

Welcome to The Daily. Happy Independence Day to those reading in the U.S.A. Read more about our mission to teach every verse of the bible in what we call Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 8:14: For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; so I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour her strongholds. — Hosea 8:14 That first line is convicting on this date, is it not? "Israel has forgotten his Maker." We could say, "America has forgotten his Maker." That is the root issue. Before national collapse becomes economic, military, moral, or social, it is spiritual. A nation falls when it forgets the God who gave it life, restrained its evil, blessed its labor, and established its boundaries. Israel did not stop growing and building either. They built palaces. Judah, as well, multiplied fortified cities. Infrastructure expanded. Wealth increased. Security systems strengthened. Outwardly, the nation looked stable and successful. But within all this prosperity, there was hidden decay. They were constructing a future while abandoning the foundation that made any future possible. They trusted walls more than worship, economic systems more than surrender, and visible strength more than the unseen God who had sustained them. Then God says, "I will send a fire upon his cities." That is the warning. What man builds cannot stand the burning judgment of God. Everything we can build eventually becomes ashes when people persist in rebellion against the Almighty God. A nation can celebrate freedom while despising truth. It can defend rights while rejecting righteousness. It can grow wealthy while growing hollow. It can advance technologically while collapsing morally. A nation can speak of God in public ceremony while removing God from conscience, law, family, education, and public life. No military can defend a people from internal corruption. No economy can purchase moral renewal. No election can save a nation whose heart is turned from God. And we need the church to wake up and address these issues. The church is the institution called to call a people and nation out of internal corruption, toward moral renewal and repentance to God. The answer is truth, courage, and repentance. The church needs to start preaching the whole counsel of God again. Pastors must stop fearing headlines and start fearing God. Believers must stop blending in and start standing firm. Families must return to prayer. Fathers must lead spiritually. Christians must speak truth with conviction and grace. If judgment begins with the house of God, then renewal can start there, too. Today is Independence Day, and gratitude is right. Thank God for liberty, sacrifice, and mercy shown to this nation. But let this day also be a trumpet blast. If we forget our Maker, destruction is not distant—it is imminent. And if there is hope for the nation, it will begin when the people of God return to God first. DO THIS: Pray today for national repentance, courageous churches, bold pastors, and spiritual awakening in this generation. ASK THIS: Where do you see our nation forgetting God most clearly? How can the church recover courage in this moment? What role has God given you in spiritual renewal? PRAY THIS: God, have mercy on our nation. Wake your church, strengthen your people, and turn our hearts back to you before greater judgment comes. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Revive Us Again"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea exposes spiritual adultery in ways most churches avoid. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Jeremy Moritz from Trempealeau, WI. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. — 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 If the resurrection didn't happen, what exactly are you believing in? Paul, in this text, turns logical. Some in Corinth were saying there is no resurrection of the dead. So Paul follows the thread. If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, preaching is empty. Faith is empty. The apostles are liars. And here is the punch: you are still in your sins. Those who have died in Christ are lost. And Christians are to be pitied more than anyone. This is not a theological subtlety. Paul is not defending a side doctrine. He is protecting the structure of the faith. Remove bodily resurrection, and the cross loses its power. Sin remains. Death wins. Hope evaporates. The resurrection is not inspirational optimism. It's more than just a nice idea the church believes in on a Sunday, once a year. It is a hard reality. It is the verdict of God that sin was paid for, and death was defeated. If Christ is not raised, you have no Savior. But if he is raised? Then everything changes, including you. And your very life, the redeeming of your mind, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the change in your life are evidence of his resurrection. And you should live like it was a real historical event and others should see the visible evidence of this in your life. DO THIS: Finish this sentence in writing: If Christ is not raised, then ________. Then rewrite it: Because Christ is raised, therefore ________. ASK THIS: Do I see how central resurrection is to forgiveness? Would my faith survive if the resurrection were removed? Am I building my life on historical fact—or religious feeling? PRAY THIS: Lord, deepen my understanding of the resurrection. Guard me from treating it as secondary. Anchor my confidence in the risen Christ who defeated sin and death. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Living Hope"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Read more about our mission to teach every verse of the bible in what we call Project23. Grab your Hosea Scripture Journal. Our text today is Hosea 8:7: This is #6 of The 7 Most Shocking Verses in Hosea. If you missed the video, check it out. For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it. — Hosea 8:7 Some choices feel small when you make them. That is why this verse is so sobering. "They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." The Vince Miller Revised Version (VMRV) would read this way. "These fools chase after the breeze and get hit by a category 5 hurricane." Israel has gotten to the point where they treat sin like it is nothing. A little compromise. A little rebellion. A little idolatry. A little drift from God. It seemed light, manageable, and insignificant—like sowing the breeze. But a small breeze can be the first sign of a hurricane. Getting back to the analogy in the text—seeds grow. Patterns worsen. Habits harden. Desires develop. Consequences multiply. What was once minor becomes a force strong enough to blow down or uproot everything around you. That is the meaning of the whirlwind. They planted lightly but harvested violently. But Hosea adds another picture to the analogy. Their grain would produce nothing useful. No heads. No flour. No nourishment. And even if something did grow, strangers would consume it. In other words, all their effort would be in vain. This is one of the hardest truths about chasing the wind of sin: sin not only brings destruction later. It often steals produce now. It drains you of peace, clarity, joy, trust, stability, and usefulness long before visible collapse arrives. You see this truth all the time. A careless tongue becomes a broken relationship. Private lust becomes public damage. Financial greed becomes inner emptiness. Neglected prayer becomes spiritual weakness. Small dishonesty becomes a divided life. How many times do we have to see it and experience it to understand it? No one wants a whirlwind in their life. But they chase the breeze, ignorant of the whirlwind. And this principle also works in a more positive and spiritual direction. Small obedience has a wind and a whirlwind. A daily prayer. A quiet act of integrity. A hidden choice to resist temptation. A faithful return to Scripture. A humble apology. A consistent step toward God. Those winds blow, and those seeds grow. So what are you planting right now? Because today's choices are tomorrow's harvest. Do not be fooled by what seems small. Plant one small habit that honors God today. DO THIS: Choose one small habit you need to stop sowing and one small act of obedience you need to start planting today. ASK THIS: What am I planting in my life right now? Where have I treated sin like something small? What seed of obedience needs to be planted today? PRAY THIS: God, help me take small choices seriously. Keep me from sowing what destroys and teach me to plant what leads to life. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Take My Life and Let It Be"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea is the story of a faithful God pursuing an unfaithful people. This means it is time to get your next Scripture Journal from our website for this study. If you are a Project23 partner giving $35/month or more, we have already sent this to you in the mail. Our shout-out today goes to Christopher Long from Turbotville, PA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. — 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 What if the one doctrine you assume is safe is the one you've stopped defending? Paul begins by reminding them of the gospel they received, believed, and stand in. Then he defines it. Christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised on the third day. All according to the Scriptures. This is not vague spirituality. It is a historical resurrection. And Paul lists witnesses to this history. Names. Groups. Himself. This isn't poetic prose. It's testimony. Christianity is not built on mystical experience. It is anchored in a risen Savior who appeared in history. Then Paul says something personal: "By the grace of God I am what I am." — 1 Corinthians 15:10 The resurrection didn't just validate Jesus. It transformed Paul. It changed the very essence of who he was. And here's the implication we cannot miss: The resurrection of Jesus makes your resurrection possible. If Christ is raised, death is not final. If Christ is raised, sin is not ultimate. If Christ is raised, your future is secure. But if you quietly, in your mind, redefine the resurrection as symbolic… everything shifts. And so does your identity. Don't adjust the gospel in your mind. Today, consider how His resurrection guarantees your resurrection. And then write out, maybe in the comments below, how this affects you, your identity, and your future. It is this that we should be able to communicate to others, as Paul did to believers in Corinth. DO THIS: Consider how the resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection. Write down, in one sentence, why the resurrection matters for you personally. ASK THIS: Can I clearly explain why the resurrection is essential to the gospel? If someone asked me why Jesus had to rise bodily, would I know how to answer? Am I standing on the gospel Paul preached—or one softened by culture? PRAY THIS: Lord, strengthen my confidence in the resurrection of Jesus. Help me stand firmly in the gospel and speak it clearly to others. Let the risen Christ shape how I live today. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Is Risen"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Keith Larson from Tacoma, WA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:36-40. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order. — 1 Corinthians 14:36-40 Paul now drops the hammer. After regulating tongues. After regulating prophecy. After regulating the disorder. After addressing the controversial issue of silence. He confronts the deeper issue. Pride. "Or was it from you that the word of God came?" Translation: Did revelation originate with you? "Or are you the only ones it has reached?" Translation: Are you spiritually elite? Paul transitions from worship style to authority over worship. Paul exposes their spiritual arrogance that was causing the chaos. "If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord." This is a staggering declaration. Paul equates his written instruction with divine authority. To reject it is not merely to disagree with Paul. It is to resist the Lord. And then comes the sober warning: "If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized." In other words, refusal to submit to apostolic authority reveals something about your standing. This is the real dividing line and the real question we all have to ask ourselves: Do we submit to Scripture as the Lord's command? Submit to God's authority. Let the unchanging Scripture confront you, correct you, and reshape you. Do not presume to edit what was given to rule over you. DO THIS: Examine how you respond when Scripture confronts you. Do you reinterpret it—or do you submit to it? ASK THIS: Do I treat apostolic instruction as optional? When the Bible corrects my preferences, do I adjust—or argue? Am I truly under the authority of Christ's Word? PRAY THIS: Lord, keep me from spiritual pride. Guard me from assuming I know better than your Word. Teach me to recognize Scripture as your command and to submit to it with humility and joy. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Use Me Lord"

If your words don't build the body, they're not spiritual — they're self-promotional. Summary In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul confronts a church obsessed with expressive spirituality but careless about edification. The repeated emphasis is clear: speech in the church must build others, not platform the speaker. Tongues, prophecy, interpretation, even silence — all are measured by one standard: does it strengthen the body? Spiritual maturity is not proven by intensity, volume, or visibility, but by whether the church leaves stronger than it arrived. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why do you think modern Christianity often confuses emotional intensity with spiritual maturity? Paul emphasizes "building up" seven times — why is repetition important in this chapter? What is the difference between building yourself up and building the church? How can someone claim "the Spirit led me" and still be acting in self-interest? Where do you see platform-building creeping into church culture today? How should the command for clarity (v. 9, v. 19) shape preaching, teaching, and worship? When might silence be more spiritual than speaking? How can social media amplify self-promotion instead of edification? What practical test can you apply before speaking in a meeting, posting online, or correcting someone? In what area of your life do you need to shift from self-expression to body-strengthening?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Jim Kersey from Parrish, FL. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:33-35. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. — 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 This is one of the most debated texts in the New Testament, for all kinds of obvious reasons. But there are a couple of things to note here: First, he grounds this instruction in what is true "in all the churches of the saints." That language signals apostolic authority and consistency—not local preference. The gathered church belongs to Christ (Matt. 16:18), and its worship is ordered according to his revealed will, not cultural negotiation. That is sound ecclesiology. It's not your church, so you and I don't get to decide the rules. Second, we have to read this text in context. So let's go back to chapter 11 first. Paul has already affirmed that women pray and prophesy in gathered worship—under proper order. (1 Cor. 11:5) So this cannot mean absolute silence in every sense. Also, Paul has already mentioned two contexts in which certain people should remain silent in the church: those who speak in tongues without an interpreter, and those who prophesy out of order. So this present call to remain silent is not exclusively for women. Which is how many people read it. Context matters, people. The specific issue here is not female inferiority in the church. The specific issue concerns the wives of believing husbands, who are commanded in this context to address and resolve family differences at home, as clarified in the text: "let them ask their husbands at home." Paul's concern is not the participation of wives (married) or women (gender) in the church. Again, go back and read 1 Corinthians 11:5. It was how speaking was being handled in public worship. And I believe that, if we read this in context, it would make sense that the word translated as "to speak" (laleō), which was most recently used by Paul in reference to speaking in tongues and prophesying, was the main issue. Paul's bottom-line concern is preserving the structure of authority God established for gathered worship, and ensuring that all forms of speaking are handled in an orderly, not chaotic, fashion. This is not misogynistic oppression. It is a covenant structure for both his church and his covenant of marriage. Both were instituted by God, and not us, so we don't get to decide the rules regardless of culture. It flows from the same theological pattern we saw in chapter 11: Christ → man → woman — ordered environments under God's design. God's order is not a burden—it is a gift. When we submit to the structure he has revealed, we preserve both the church and the family from confusion and competition. We work in concert with his design. Faithfulness here means trusting that his design produces peace, clarity, and spiritual strength—even when culture and some opinions in the church disagree. God's church is not a democracy. DO THIS: When you encounter "the verse everyone wants to cancel," refuse to dismiss it. Slow down. Study it in context. Ask what kind of disorder it was correcting and what structure it was protecting. ASK THIS: Do I instinctively resist passages that confront modern cultural instincts? Am I tempted to edit Paul where he makes me uncomfortable? Do I really believe God's church is not a democracy? PRAY THIS: Lord, give me humility where your Word confronts my assumptions. Keep me from trimming hard texts to fit modern preferences. Teach me to trust your authority and your design for your church. Amen. PLAY THIS: "What A Beautiful Name"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Dean Jenard from Yorktown Heights, NY. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:26-33. What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. — 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 Paul now regulates the church. Everyone has something. A song. A word. A revelation. A tongue. So the problem isn't participation; it's the disorder being caused and the motivation behind it. Notice the key phrase that governs this whole paragraph: "Let all things be done for building up." — 1 Corinthians 14:26 That is the filter and the gauge for doing anything in church. Not: Did it feel powerful? Not: Was it emotional? But did it build up? Paul then regulates tongues: two or three at most. One at a time. With interpretation. If there is no interpreter, be silent. He regulates prophecy the same way: two or three. Others weigh what is said. Why? Because God is not a God of confusion but of peace. Disorder is not evidence of spiritual movement. Unrestrained emotional expression is not evidence of revival. If a gathering reflects confusion, competition, or emotional frenzy, it does not mirror the God of peace. Spirit-led worship is not uncontrollable; it does not erupt without restraint or wisdom. It is ordered, intelligible, and governed by love so that everyone can learn and be encouraged. If the Spirit is truly leading, the church should leave strengthened—not shaken. DO THIS: Evaluate the atmosphere of your church gatherings. Do people leave strengthened—or merely stirred up? Does the structure reflect the character of a God of peace? ASK THIS: Do I equate spontaneity with spirituality? Have I confused emotional intensity with the Spirit's presence? Does my church intentionally pursue order so that everyone can learn and be encouraged? PRAY THIS: Lord, shape our gatherings to reflect your character. Guard us from confusion, competition, and disorder. Let your Spirit produce peace, clarity, and edification so your people leave strengthened, not shaken. Amen. PLAY THIS: "What A Beautiful Name"

When God feels far away, the problem may not be his absence—but the fog around your heart. Summary  Many believers go through seasons where God feels distant, prayer feels flat, and Scripture seems lifeless. This message explains that emotional distance is not the same as spiritual reality and offers practical ways to respond when you feel stuck. Instead of chasing more religious tasks, we are invited into honesty with God, small steps of obedience, and truth that steadies the soul. The clouds may linger for a season, but God has not moved—and the light will break through again. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions 1. Why do believers often confuse emotional feelings with spiritual reality? 2. How does Hebrews 13:5 challenge the idea that God has abandoned you? 3. What are some life circumstances that can cloud your awareness of God's presence? 4. Why can doing more religious tasks sometimes increase exhaustion instead of intimacy with God? 5. What does Hosea 6:6 teach about what God truly wants from us? 6. How do the Psalms help give language to emotions like fear, confusion, and hopelessness? 7. Why are small acts of obedience often more powerful than waiting for a dramatic breakthrough? 8. What does Peter's restoration in John 21 teach about moving forward after failure? 9. How can you practically "preach truth to your own soul" this week? 10. What is one step you can take today if you currently feel spiritually stuck?

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Mike Hershberger from Dundee, OH. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:20-25. Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord." Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. — 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 Paul now names the real issue. It's immaturity. Not a lack of passion, they have that. Not a lack of experience, they have that too. But a lack of grown-up thinking around how they use their gifts. "Do not be children in your thinking." — 1 Corinthians 14:20 Consider how children behave for a minute. Children are easily mesmerized. They gravitate toward what is loud and dramatic. Thus Paul is saying the church in Corinth had done the same. They were mesmerized by tongues—drawn to the extraordinary—while neglecting what actually built up the church. Paul references the Law and Isaiah 28 to show that uninterpreted tongues served as a sign of judgment to unbelieving, resistant Israel. In other words, unintelligible speech was not a badge of spiritual superiority—it was historically associated with covenant warning by God. The opposite of what they thought it intended. Paul is trying to sober them up about the historical use of tongues. Then he contrasts tongues with prophecy. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? — 1 Corinthians 14:23 But if all prophesy, or if truth is spoken clearly, the outsider has an opportunity to be convicted, called, and changed. Notice the difference? Sensationalism produces confusion, but clarity produces conviction. One draws attention to oneself. The other exposes the heart. Spiritually mature believers do not chase sensationalism; they pursue what converts. It is to proclaim truth so clearly that sinners are undone. That's the miracle we are after. Not sensation but transformation. If unbelievers walk away thinking you are out of your minds, something is off. Aim for worship that is so clear, so truthful, and so Christ-centered that they leave saying, "God is really among you." DO THIS: Examine what you are most drawn to in worship. Is it what creates excitement—or what produces conviction? ASK THIS: Do I mistake unusual experiences for spiritual power? If an unbeliever walked into my church, would they leave thinking we are out of our minds—or that God is truly among us? Am I pursuing what impresses—or what transforms? PRAY THIS: Lord, mature my thinking. Keep me from chasing what dazzles but does not change hearts. Make your truth so clear among us that unbelievers fall on their faces and confess that you are truly present. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Homecoming"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Ken Gagnon from Fort Kent, ME. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:13-19. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say "Amen" to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. — 1 Corinthians 14:13-19 We now correct a dangerous assumption. That the less engaged the mind is, the more spiritual the moment must be. Paul rejects that outright. "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful." — 1 Corinthians 14:14 Mental fruitlessness. That is not prayer or praise at all, and it is not the goal of gathered worship. But Paul's solution is not less Spirit. It is more Spirit by linking the Spirit and mind together. "I will pray with my spirit… and with my mind also." — 1 Corinthians 14:15 The Spirit is not anti-intellectual or an empty intellectual. The Spirit who inspired Scripture does not sidestep understanding when he works. In fact, Paul presses this matter further. If others cannot understand your thanksgiving in the Spirit, how can they say "Amen"? Corporate worship is not a private experience performed publicly. It is a shared experience with shared understanding. If your Spirit-given gift and the expression of it cannot be affirmed by the gathered church, it may not be serving you, and it is definitely not serving the church. And note who is saying this—Paul. Paul, who declares that he speaks in tongues more than all of them. But in church? He would rather speak five understandable words than ten thousand words in tongues that leave people confused. Let your worship be truly Spirit-Led—engaging heart and mind together. Refuse mindless worship, and pursue understanding that builds others up. DO THIS: When you pray or sing this week, pay attention to what you understand. Ask God to deepen both your affection and your comprehension of what you are saying. ASK THIS: Do I equate emotional intensity with spiritual depth? Am I comfortable with experiences I cannot explain? Does my worship engage both heart and mind? PRAY THIS: Lord, unite my heart and mind in worship. Guard me from chasing experiences that bypass understanding. Let your Spirit produce clarity, conviction, and truth in me and through me. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Be Magnified"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Carlos Andino from Allentown, PA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:6-12. Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. — 1 Corinthians 14:6-12 Shouts of sincerity do not equal suitability. Paul piles on illustrations. A flute without clear notes. A harp without distinction. A trumpet without a clear call. Sound can be present, while meaning is absent. And where meaning is absent, growth is impossible. Again, Paul is not anti-spiritual gifts. But he is anti-confusion. Paul's reflective question is relentless: "How will my spiritual gift benefit you?" That is the standard. If speech is unintelligible, it could "feel" intense to one, but it does not edify the whole. If language is unclear, it may "sound" spiritual, but it does not strengthen anyone. The goal of gathered worship is not to display spiritual ability. It is to build up the body. Notice verse 12: "Strive to excel in building up the church." — 1 Corinthians 14:12 Not strive in expression. Not strive in volume. Not strive in uniqueness. But strive in building up everyone in the church. Intensity without clarity is just noise. So don't be noisy in the body, be edifying to it. Use whatever gift you have not for yourself, but for building someone up today. DO THIS: Before you speak in any church setting this week—class, group, prayer—ask: Will this be clear? Will this strengthen someone else? ASK THIS: Do I care more about sounding spiritual than being understandable? Is my speech shaped by love—or by the desire to be noticed? Would someone unfamiliar with church language understand what I'm saying? PRAY THIS: Lord, guard my words from becoming noise. Make my speech clear, humble, and useful so that others are strengthened in Christ. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Goodness Of God"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Eric Plummer from Huntersville, NC. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:1-5. Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. — 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 If your version of spiritual expression cannot be understood, it will not build up the church. That is Paul's opening correction, in a chapter that is full of corrections. But here is how he begins. "Pursue love." — 1 Corinthians 14:1 His correction in this chapter does not drift away from the unpoetic hardcore love of Chapter 13. Gifts are good, and we should desire them. But we must measure them rightly. But next, Paul contrasts tongues and prophecy to demonstrate how to regulate them. Tongues without interpretation speak to God with personal edification. Prophecy speaks to people, edifying the church. One edifies the individual. The other edifies the church. And Paul is unapologetic about which one he prioritizes. He would rather speak ten words that edify a church than ten thousand words that don't. Adding spiritual intensity to a spiritual gift is not a display of maturity in the church. Volume is not power in a church. Private ecstasy is not corporate edification in a church. Because the Spirit's work is never self-exalting. It is Christ-exalting and church-building. If any church gathering leaves you confused or overwhelmed—but not edified in truth—Paul would call that a miss. The questions are simple: Did the church understand? Did the church grow? Growth and understanding are love applied to the church and, therefore, true edification. Don't confuse intensity with maturity — the Spirit builds through clarity. DO THIS: When you gather for worship this week, evaluate what builds others up—not what excites you most. Prioritize clarity in your speech, prayers, and encouragement. ASK THIS: Do I equate emotional intensity with spiritual depth? Would an unbeliever understand what is happening in my church? Am I seeking personal expression—or corporate strengthening? PRAY THIS: Lord, keep me from confusing spectacle with maturity. Teach me to value clarity, truth, and edification above personal experience. Build your church through speech that strengthens, not impresses. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Speak, O Lord"

What if the most quoted love chapter in the Bible is actually a sharp rebuke to arrogant Christians? Summary 1 Corinthians 13 is not a wedding poem — it is a correction to spiritually gifted believers who were proud, divisive, and self-promoting. Paul dismantles the idea that gifting equals maturity and declares that without love, even the most impressive spirituality becomes nothing but noise. He defines love not as sentimental softness, but as crucified self-denial that refuses envy, arrogance, and selfish ambition. In the end, only love lasts — because love is the evidence that Christ is truly at work in you. Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions Why do you think 1 Corinthians 13 is commonly read at weddings instead of understood in its original corrective context? According to 13:1–3, what does Paul mean when he says gifted believers without love are "nothing"? Where have you seen spiritual gifting used without love — in culture, church life, or your own life? How can truth be weaponized in a way that becomes "noise" instead of Christlike love? Which description of love in verses 4–7 challenges you the most personally — and why? What is the difference between biblical love and unconditional acceptance of sin? Before speaking boldly, what internal heart work should happen first? Why does Paul emphasize that gifts will pass away but love will remain? How does remembering that we "see in a mirror dimly" (v.12) shape humility in disagreement? This week, what is one relationship where you need to pursue patience, kindness, or repentance before pursuing influence?  

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Ken McKinney from Ellaville, GA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 13:13. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. — 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul ends with a ranking. Faith. Hope. Love. All three remain. But one is greater in how it remains. Love. Why? Faith trusts what it cannot see. Hope longs for what has not yet arrived. Both belong to this present age. One day faith will become sight. Hope will become fulfillment. Love will not change. It will remain. Love does not graduate into something better. It does not expire when the age ends. Love reflects the eternal character of God. That is why it is greatest. It's the greatest remaining. Corinth was fighting over gifts that would pass away. Paul redirects them to what will remain forever. Anchor your life there. Not in visibility. Not in applause. Not in being right. Love. Truthful everlasting love. Spiritual maturity is measured by what will last. And love will last. DO THIS: Choose one unseen act of love this week—something that builds another person up without drawing attention to yourself. ASK THIS: If my gifts disappeared, would love still define me? Am I investing more in what impresses now—or what remains forever? PRAY THIS: Father, fix my heart on what is eternal. Teach me to pursue love above recognition and shape my life around what will never fade. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Here Is Love, Vast as the Ocean"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Judson McCulloch from Lansing, MI. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 13:11-12. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. — 1 Corinthians 13:11-12 Paul now moves from the permanence of love to spiritual maturity. Childhood is not a sin. But being an adult believer and acting like a child is. "When I was a child…" Notice how Paul makes this personal. Paul is not mocking spiritual immaturity. He is describing spiritual growth. Children speak in fragments. Think in fragments. Reason in fragments. Partial. Incomplete. Developing. And that is how spiritual gifts function in this age. They operate in the partial. While real. They are good. But they are incomplete. The church in Corinth, however, treated partial things as ultimate things. They were fascinated with flashes of insight. Moments of manifestation. Public demonstrations of knowledge, tongues, and prophecy. Paul says that is childish thinking. Spiritually mature believers recognize the limits of the present age. "For now we see in a mirror dimly…" That is our condition. We know truly—but not fully. And that reality should produce humility, not spiritual gifting arrogance. Then Paul lifts their vision again: "Then face to face." "Then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." The Christian hope is not better gifting or more manifestations of your present spiritual gifts. It is a further and fuller sight of the more valuable motivation. One day, you will not need prophecy. You will not need partial knowledge. You will not need mediated insight. You will see Christ. And this is what we live for: a future reality that shapes a present humility. Aim for that in all your motivations this week with the gifts the Spirit has given to you. DO THIS: Identify one area where you speak or argue with more certainty than Scripture allows. Practice humility in that space this week. ASK THIS: Do I treat my partial understanding as final? Where has knowledge made me rigid instead of humble? Am I longing more for clarity now—or for Christ himself? PRAY THIS: Father, remind me that I see only in part. Guard me from childish arrogance and inflated certainty. Shape in me a maturity that longs for the day I see you face to face. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"