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."

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 10:10-14.

And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals." And the Lord said to the people of Israel, "Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress." — Judges 10:10-14

Israel finally cried out to God after years of misery. But this time God pushed back. He basically said, "I've rescued you before, and you ran right back to idols. Why should this time be any different?"

That's the moment when regret had to become repentance. It wasn't enough to admit failure. Israel had to do more than cry out—they had to truly turn from idols.

This is the difference between worldly regret and godly repentance. Regret says, "I don't like the consequences." Repentance says, "I hate the reason that got me here — my disobedience."

We've all been there. We regret getting caught in a lie—but do we hate lying? We regret the hangover—but do we hate drunkenness? We regret the fallout of anger—but do we hate the pride that sparked it?

God isn't after our half-hearted apologies. He wants surrendered hearts. He'll even let us sit in our misery until we get serious enough to put away our idols.

Maybe you are caught in the spin cycle right now—sin, sorrow, repeat. Maybe you've even prayed prayers that felt empty. The way out is always the same: not just regret, but repentance. Not just "sorry," but surrender. That means getting brutally honest with God—not just naming what you did, but admitting why you wanted it. Then, ask him to change your desires, to help you hate the sin itself, and to love him more. That's where real freedom begins.

ASK THIS:

1. Do I confuse regret with repentance in my life?
2. What idols have I said "sorry" for but never actually removed?
3. How might God be using misery to push me toward surrender?
4. Am I willing to put away the counterfeit gods and trust Him fully?

DO THIS:

Don't just confess—clean house. Remove one "idol" today that competes with God's place in your heart. Then get honest with God about why you chased it, and ask Him to reshape your desires.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, I don't just want to regret my sin—I want to repent of it. Expose the motives behind it, and give me a heart that hates sin and loves You more. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"We Repent."

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 10:7-9.

So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed. — Judges 10:7-9

Here we are again. Israel fell into the same old pattern—idols first, slavery next. What started as excitement ended as eighteen years of oppression. The nations whose gods they worshiped became the nations that crushed them.

That's the lie of sin. It always starts with a sparkle, a promise, a rush. It whispers, "This will make you happy. This will satisfy. This time it will be different." And for a quick second, it delivers. But the high never lasts.

We've all felt it.

• The buzz of that secret indulgence.
• The ego boost of praise or success.
• The thrill of crossing a boundary we swore we wouldn't.

But then? The high fades. Guilt. Emptiness. Shame. Regret. Consequences. What was supposed to relieve us now rules us. What promised life delivers death.

Israel spent eighteen years crushed because they kept chasing the rush of idols. And we, too, end up enslaved—not to Ammonites, but to habits, addictions, bitterness, anxiety, or broken relationships. Sin always takes us farther than we wanted to go and costs us more than we ever planned to pay.

Sin shines like treasure, but it's just counterfeit change. What our souls really crave isn't a cheap thrill—it's the fulfillment of God. His presence satisfies. His call gives purpose. His Spirit provides freedom. Every other "high" is just a cheap knockoff that leaves us emptier than before.

Don't fall for it.

ASK THIS:

1. Where am I chasing a thrill I know won't satisfy?
2. How has sin overpromised and underdelivered in my past?
3. What "idol" is currently leaving me emptier instead of fuller?
4. What step do I need to take today to run back to God instead of another counterfeit?

DO THIS:

Name one area where sin feels thrilling but is leaving you empty. Bring it before God in confession today, and tell one trusted friend to help keep you accountable.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, open my eyes to see through sin's empty promises. Protect me from chasing counterfeits, and teach me to find my deepest joy and freedom in You alone. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"No Longer Slaves."