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

Today's shout-out goes to Troy Longen from Badger, MN.
Thank you for your partnership with us through Project23.

Our text today is Judges 11:1-3.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. And Gilead's wife also bore him sons. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, "You shall not have an inheritance in our father's house, for you are the son of another woman." Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob, and worthless fellows collected around Jephthah and went out with him. — Judges 11:1-3

Jephthah enters our story under a dark cloud of shame—born of a prostitute (by the adulterous afair of Gilead), he is rejected by his half-brothers, and pushed out of his father's household. He ends up in Tob, surrounded by a gang of deadbeat outsiders with nowhere else to belong.

From a natural perspective, Jephthah looked disqualified for any kind of leadership. But God often works through the unlikely, shaping leaders out of rejects. The very rejection that pushed Jephthah away was the tool God would use to prepare him for Israel's deliverance.

Rejection stings. Family chaos always cuts deep. Being told you don't belong by your family of origin because of your father's sin can and usually does scar you for life. But rejection on a human plane doesn't disqualify you in God's economy—it often prepares you. Just think about your testimony. God makes leaders out of leftovers because God is the one writing the story.

Think about it: Moses was a murderer in exile before he led Israel. David was the forgotten youngest son before he became king. Jephthah was driven away as illegitimate, but God would raise him up as a deliverer. The same is true for us—God redeems rejection by reassigning it for a divine purpose.

Your rejection may be the exact place where God wants to demonstrate his power in your life. The rejection that made you feel small might become the stage for God's greatness. The voices that have said "you don't belong" can be drowned out by the voice of the Father who says, "you are mine called to a special mission."

Don't resent rejection; bring it to God today. Name that wound, confess the pain, and ask him to redeem it for his glory. Believe that God wastes nothing—not even the broken pieces of your past. And then get ready... watch as God makes a leader out of the leftovers.

ASK THIS:

1. Where have I experienced rejection that still stings today?
2. Do I believe that God can redeem even my deepest wounds for His purpose?
3. How might the people I consider "worthless fellows" actually be the place where God is shaping me?

DO THIS:

Instead of resenting rejection, bring it to God today. Name the wound, confess the pain, and ask Him to redeem it for His glory. Believe that He wastes nothing—not even the broken pieces of your past.

PRAY THIS:

Father, thank You that rejection does not define me—Your calling does. Heal the wounds that make me feel small, redeem the places of pain, and prepare me to walk in Your purpose with confidence and faith. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"One More Day."

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

Check out our mission to teach every verse of the Bible on video in what we call Project23.

Our text today is Judges 10:17-18.

Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead." — Judges 10:17-18

The Ammonites gathered in Gilead—a vulnerable region east of the Jordan, a natural invasion path into Israel. Israel responded by gathering at Mizpah, a high place often used for covenant renewal and prayer. Both locations carried significance: one was the physical threat, the other was the spiritual rally point.

But the geography only highlights the spiritual moment. Israel had no clear leader, no battle plan. What they had was repentance. They finally put away idols and cried out to God. That was the right preparation. Before God raised up a deliverer, he reshaped their hearts.

This is the order God still works in today. Repentance first, deliverance second. The people didn't repent because they already had a strategy—they repented because they had no strategy. Their idols were powerless, their enemies were pressing in, and they finally turned back to God. And God's compassion was stirred by the misery of his repentant people in this moment. His justice was engaged by the oppression, and now he was ready to move.

Think about that for your life. We want God to fix our circumstances, but God starts by fixing our hearts. Repentance clears the ground for his deliverance. It tears down idols, humbles our pride, and puts us in a posture to receive what only he can provide.

Maybe "Ammonites" are pressing in right now—anxiety, addiction, pressure, or relational conflict. You might even feel camped at "Mizpah:" gathered, waiting, desperate for God to act. Don't miss the lesson. Surrender at Mizpah. Repentance bridges the gap between misery and mercy, between oppression and deliverance. Trust in God. Repent and surrender. Find relief and salvation.

ASK THIS:

1. What "Ammonites" are pressing against my life right now?
2. Am I focused more on strategy or surrender?
3. Have I truly cleared away the idols so God can act?
4. Do I trust that repentance is the preparation God honors before deliverance?

DO THIS:

Don't just analyze your battle plan today. Start with repentance. Name your idols, confess your misplaced trust, and surrender at your own "Mizpah"—a place of waiting where God's compassion and deliverance can meet you.

PRAY THIS:

Father, help me see that repentance is the first battle move. Align my heart with Your justice, stir Your compassion over my misery, and prepare me for the deliverance only You can bring. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Song of Repentance."

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

Check out our mission to teach every verse of the Bible on video in what we call Project23.

Our text today is Judges 10:15-16.

And the people of Israel said to the Lord, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day." So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel. — Judges 10:15-16

Here we are again—but something finally shifts. After God tells Israel to cry out to their false gods, they realize lip service won't cut it. This time, they don't just say the right words; they take the right action. They toss the idols and turn back to God.

And then comes one of the most moving lines in Judges: "He became impatient over the misery of Israel." God, who had every right to walk away, couldn't stand watching his people suffer once he saw their genuine repentance.

Real repentance is about getting serious with God. Israel had said "sorry" countless times before, but this time, they proved it. They didn't just confess—they cleaned house. And God responded with compassion that overflowed from his heart.

But let's be clear: repentance is not a magic formula to get what we want from God. Israel didn't suddenly earn his favor. Instead, repentance aligned them with his justice. When they cast off idols, God saw both their hearts and the injustice of their suffering, and his mercy was stirred. That's what it means when Scripture says God became "impatient over their misery." God is not cold or distant. He doesn't shrug at our pain. When his people genuinely turn from sin, his compassion is moved both by their response to his justice and by the oppression weighing them down.

That's the same call for us today. We can cry tears, pray prayers, and make promises—but if the idols stay, repentance isn't real. For Israel, it meant dragging false gods out of their homes and tossing them away. For us, it may mean finally deleting the app that keeps pulling us back into sin. Or ending the relationship that's poisoning our soul. Or reshaping how we spend our time, money, and energy so God isn't pushed out of first place.

Repentance isn't about words, it's not a mere confession—it's a turn, it's about action. It leaves an imprint on your behavior. It changes what you do tomorrow. And when we finally get serious about our sin, we discover God's heart: He is both just and compassionate, eager to bring relief when his people turn back to him.

Turn back today. Let your repentance be made known.

ASK THIS:

1. Am I truly serious about my sin, or just serious about avoiding its consequences?
2. What "idol" do I keep confessing but never removing?
3. Do I believe God is stirred with compassion over both my repentance and my misery?
4. How might I align my life more with His justice this week?

DO THIS:

Don't just confess your sin today—cut it off. Take one tangible step that proves you're serious.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I don't want to play games with my sin. Help me to align with Your justice, to lay down my idols, and to trust Your heart of compassion that cannot ignore my misery. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Run to the Father."