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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:45-48.

And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. Five thousand men of them were cut down in the highways. And they were pursued hard to Gidom, and 2,000 men of them were struck down. So all who fell that day of Benjamin were 25,000 men who drew the sword, all of them men of valor. But 600 men turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon and remained at the rock of Rimmon four months. And the men of Israel turned back against the people of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, the city, men and beasts and all that they found. And all the towns that they found they set on fire. — Judges 20:45-48

The last verses of Judges 20 are heartbreaking. Israel wins the battle—but loses its brother. Towns are burned. Families destroyed. A tribe nearly erased. What began as justice ends in devastation.

When believers battle believers, no one wins. The body of Christ turns on itself, and the mission suffers. What remains are ashes, regret, and a broken witness to a watching world.

This is the cost of church hurt and hypocrisy. When pride replaces grace and division replaces love, we scorch the very ground we were called to cultivate. The fire spreads—from one wound to another—until the family of faith looks no different from the world.

But this isn't where God's story ends. Jesus came to heal what sin burned down. Through his cross, he made peace between us and God—and between each other. Where the sword once divided, his blood now unites. The gospel restores what pride destroys.

If you've been hurt by the church or by another believer, Jesus invites you to come home. He knows your pain. He was betrayed, abandoned, and denied by those closest to him—and still he forgave.

Healing starts when we stop swinging and start surrendering. Lay down your sword. Stop fighting other believers and start following Jesus. He is the only one who can turn ashes into beauty, division into unity, and hurt into healing.

ASK THIS:

1. Have I been part of a conflict that hurt another believer?
2. How has church hurt or hypocrisy affected my faith or witness?
3. What relationships need reconciliation in my life today?
4. Have I brought my wounds to Jesus for healing—or just carried them?

DO THIS:

• Reach out to someone you've been divided from and start the conversation toward peace.
• Pray for those who've hurt you instead of rehearsing the pain.

PRAY THIS:

Jesus, heal the wounds we've caused and the ones we carry. Forgive us for fighting our brothers and sisters when we should have fought for unity. Restore Your Church, beginning with me. Make me an instrument of peace and healing today. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"O Come To The Altar."

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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:26-28.

Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And the people of Israel inquired of the Lord (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, and Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, "Shall we go out once more to battle against our brothers, the people of Benjamin, or shall we cease?" And the Lord said, "Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand." — Judges 20:26-28

Something changes here. After two crushing defeats, Israel finally hits bottom. This time they don't just cry—they fast. They don't just speak—they sacrifice. They don't just ask God for permission—they seek presence.

This is the turning point of the entire chapter. Their breakdown becomes the moment of breakthrough. They finally humble themselves—not to win a war, but to be right with God. This is where we see the truth that brokenness leads to breakthrough in action—the moment hearts yield, heaven moves.

Sometimes we want God to fix our circumstances without fixing our hearts. We want him to change our marriage, our finances, our friendships—but not our pride. We want peace without repentance and victory without surrender.

But God's breakthrough always begins with breakdown. He doesn't bless arrogance; He honors humility. When we fast, pray, and repent, we realign our hearts to his will, not ours.

Think of it like this: in a struggling marriage, both spouses may pray for change, but until one person decides to lay down pride—to listen, confess, and forgive—nothing changes. The same is true in our faith. God doesn't move through prideful hearts, but through broken ones.

If you're longing for breakthrough today, stop fighting for control and start surrendering your heart. God isn't holding back your victory—He's waiting for your surrender. Breakdown leads to breakthrough every time.

ASK THIS:

1. What area of my life needs both repentance and renewal?
2. Am I fasting or praying for results, or to be closer to God?
3. Where have I been asking for breakthrough but resisting surrender?
4. What would humility look like in my relationships today?

DO THIS:

• Choose one day this week to fast and pray for humility before God.
• Write out a prayer of confession, asking God to reveal areas of pride or resistance.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, thank You for using my breakdowns to draw me closer to You. I surrender my pride, my plans, and my pace. Help me find breakthrough not by pushing harder but by bowing lower. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)."

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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:22-25.

But the people, the men of Israel, took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day. And the people of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening. And they inquired of the Lord, "Shall we again draw near to fight against our brothers, the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Go up against them."

So the people of Israel came near against the people of Benjamin the second day. And Benjamin went against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed 18,000 men of the people of Israel. All these were men who drew the sword. — Judges 20:22-25

Israel tries again. They pray and weep. This time it looks more spiritual. But still, there's no real repentance. They ask, "Should we go again?"—not, "Lord, what have we done wrong?"

They confuse emotion with surrender. Their tears are real, but their pride is intact. God isn't after their sadness—He's after their submission. The phrase "sorrow isn't surrender" sums up Israel's problem and often ours too—emotion without repentance never changes the outcome.

And so they lose again. Another 18,000 die. Why? Because feeling bad isn't the same as turning back. God allows defeat until their hearts are truly humbled.

This is how pride disguises itself in our lives. We tell God we're sorry for the consequences but hold on to control. We cry over the damage but won't lay down our will. We promise change but never surrender our way.

It's like a marriage that keeps circling the same fights. One spouse says, "I'm sorry you feel that way," but never owns the hurt they caused. The words sound humble, but pride is still running the show. Until someone truly surrenders, healing never starts.

Israel's story is our story. We mourn the results of sin—broken homes, fractured churches, divided nations—but we're not broken before God. And until we are, He will let us feel the weight of our own choices.

The truth is, sorrow isn't always true surrender. Don't wait for another round of collateral damage to learn surrender. Lay down your pride now. Stop fighting your way and start trusting his. God will not give victory to the proud—but he will lift up the humble.

ASK THIS:

1. Am I more grieved by the consequences of sin or the cause of it?
2. Where have I mistaken regret for repentance?
3. How has pride kept me from true surrender in my relationships?
4. What battle am I still fighting that God is waiting for me to release?

DO THIS:

• Admit where pride still controls your responses—especially in your closest relationships.
• Write down one area you've been "sorry about" but haven't surrendered—and pray over it daily this week.

PRAY THIS:

Father, I'm tired of circling the same battles. Break the pride that blinds me and teach me to truly surrender. Help me move from tears of regret to the obedience of repentance. I don't want to just feel sorry—I want to be changed. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"I Surrender."

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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:18-21.

The people of Israel arose and went up to Bethel and inquired of God, "Who shall go up first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" And the Lord said, "Judah shall go up first."

Then the people of Israel rose in the morning and encamped against Gibeah. And the men of Israel went out to fight against Benjamin, and the men of Israel drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. The people of Benjamin came out of Gibeah and destroyed on that day 22,000 men of the Israelites. — Judges 20:18-21

Israel goes to Bethel. Finally—they pray! But look closely. They don't ask if they should go to war, only who should go first. Their minds are made up. They're not seeking God's direction; they only want God's endorsement.

It's a subtle but dangerous difference. They don't want divine wisdom—they want divine approval. They're still fighting the wrong battle in the wrong way.

And God allows them to go. He tells them, "Judah shall go up first." It sounds like victory—but it isn't. Israel loses 22,000 men that day. Their zeal was high, their numbers were strong, and their cause was just—but their hearts were wrong. They inquired of God, but they never repented to Him.

Believers are guilty of doing this all the time. We ask God to bless our careers, our goals, our posts, our politics—without ever asking if they align with God's will. We quote Scripture but don't surrender to it. We wear God's name but pursue our own plans.

Israel's defeat wasn't because God failed—it's because His people fought without surrender. And that's a battle you'll always lose.

Maybe your defeats aren't setbacks; maybe they're invitations. God lets us lose when he wants to lead us back to him. He loves us way too much to let us keep winning our way.

Before you go to battle, ask: Am I fighting God's enemy—or just my own?

ASK THIS:

1. Have I mistaken God's permission for His blessing?
2. When was the last time I surrendered my agenda before seeking God's help?
3. Where am I fighting a battle that God never called me to fight?
4. What would it look like to let humility lead instead of pride?

DO THIS:

• Before you act, pray: "Lord, am I fighting Your battle or mine?"
• Identify one area where you've asked for God's approval but not His direction. Surrender it today.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, forgive me for fighting battles You never called me to fight. Teach me to seek Your direction before demanding Your blessing. Lead me to surrender so that every victory brings You glory—not me. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lead Me to the Cross."

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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:8-17.

And all the people arose as one man, saying, "None of us will go to his tent, and none of us will return to his house. But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go up against it by lot, and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the people, that when they come they may repay Gibeah of Benjamin for all the outrage that they have committed in Israel." So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one man.

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, "What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel." But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel. Then the people of Benjamin came together out of the cities to Gibeah to go out to battle against the people of Israel. And the people of Benjamin mustered out of their cities on that day 26,000 men who drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who mustered 700 chosen men. Among all these were 700 chosen men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. And the men of Israel, apart from Benjamin, mustered 400,000 men who drew the sword; all these were men of war. — Judges 20:8-17

Israel's outrage turns into organization. They swear an oath not to go home until justice is served. It sounds noble—but it's dangerous. What started as righteous anger now becomes collective vengeance. They are so convinced of their own version of justice that they can't see the injustice they are about to commit. The people unite around punishment, not repentance, blind to the fact that their zeal will make them guilty of the same sin they condemn.

There is no Judge in this moment—no voice of God's appointed leadership. The nation acts without discernment, following a rogue man who looks like a spiritual leader but does not live like one. The Levite's story fuels their passion, but not their prayer. They rally around his words, not God's Word.

The unity here is impressive but deceptive. They're "as one man," but not under God. They're driven by zeal and confuse justice with revenge.

And Benjamin, the brother tribe, refuses to hand over the guilty men of Gibeah. Pride meets pride. The result? Civil war. Israel will soon destroy its own family in the name of righteousness.

This is what happens when justice acts apart from God's Word and direction. We seek to destroy the guilty instead of restoring them. The line between moral conviction and moral arrogance gets blurry.

We see this same division today. Churches split over politics, believers cancel one another online, and movements built on truth end up powered by hate. Somewhere along the way, we stopped asking, "How do we honor God?" and started devising, "How do we win?"

Justice without God's truth and direction always ends in destruction. Because without grace, even the right cause becomes the wrong crusade.

Jesus showed us the better way: He didn't excuse sin, but he didn't execute sinners either. He bore their punishment to redeem them. That's what real justice looks like. It's always the truth, but it's wrapped in love.

ASK THIS:

1. Is my passion for justice rooted in love or in pride?
2. When I see sin, do I seek restoration or revenge?
3. How do I respond when brothers and sisters in Christ disappoint me?
4. Am I building unity under God or alliances around outrage?

DO THIS:

• Before confronting someone's sin, pray for their restoration—not their ruin.
• Look for one relationship in your life that needs grace more than judgment.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, keep me from turning Your justice into my vengeance. Give me a heart that loves mercy, seeks unity, and fights for truth without losing grace. Teach me to stand firm and kneel low at the same time. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"What Mercy Did for Me."

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

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

Our text today is Judges 20:1-7.

Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at Mizpah. And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword. (Now the people of Benjamin heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the people of Israel said, "Tell us, how did this evil happen?" And the Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered and said, "I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. And the leaders of Gibeah rose against me and surrounded the house against me by night. They meant to kill me, and they violated my concubine, and she is dead. So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel. Behold, you people of Israel, all of you, give your advice and counsel here." — Judges 20:1-7

The scene opens with national unity—but not spiritual unity. Israel is outraged. The murder and dismemberment of the Levite's concubine shocks them into action. Four hundred thousand men march to Mizpah, ready to make war. But notice what's missing: there's no prayer, no repentance, no seeking God's will.

They are united in outrage, not obedience. They are loud about the problem, but blind to their part in it.

And the Levite—the one who caused this entire mess—plays the victim. He twists the story to make himself look righteous. He never admits his cowardice or cruelty. He blames everyone but himself.

This is what happens when moral outrage replaces moral conviction. It feels righteous. It sounds godly. But it's hollow—because it lacks repentance.

We do the same thing today. We rage against corruption in politics, immorality in culture, and sin in society—while ignoring the idols in our own homes. We tweet truth without living it. We protest evil but excuse pride. We call for justice but never kneel for mercy.

The Church must beware of becoming like Israel at Mizpah—loud in anger but silent in repentance. Before we correct the world, we must first let God correct us. The greatest threat to righteousness isn't the sin of others in the world but believers with unrepentant hearts. Revival begins with us, the righteous, getting right with God. So are you ready to remove the log from your eye?

"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." — Matthew 7:5

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I confused moral anger with spiritual obedience?
2. Do I seek to fix others before I allow God to confront me?
3. How do I respond when God exposes my hypocrisy?
4. What would it look like to start repentance before reaction this week?

DO THIS:

• Identify one area where your outrage exceeds your obedience—and confess it.
• Lead your family in a moment of prayer, asking God to purify your hearts before you judge others.
• Replace complaining with confession; revival always starts at home.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me see the sin beneath my outrage. Break my pride before it hardens my heart. Teach me to repent before I react, and to seek Your truth before I speak mine. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Lord, I Need You."