The Daily + Weekly by Vince Miller

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...

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: 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. 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: 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, 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: 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. 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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"

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Our shout-out today goes to Bill & Peggy McAllister from West Point, NE. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you. Our text today is 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. — 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 "Love never ends." That's the headline in this text. Everything else in this paragraph is a contrast to that. Prophecies? Temporary. Tongues? Temporary. Knowledge? Temporary. Corinth was captivated by what was dramatic and public. They attached spiritual weight to what drew attention and applause. Paul reframes the timeline around the timeless The gifts you are tempted to build all your identity around have an expiration date. They will end. Notice the verbs. Prophecies will "pass away." Tongues will "cease." Knowledge will "pass away." But love? Never. This is an eschatological correction. Paul lifts their eyes beyond the present moment and into the coming fullness—"when the perfect comes." The force of Paul's argument is clear: what is partial will not last. So why do we worry about them so much? Spiritual gifts operate in the realm of the incomplete. But the force behind them—love— that belongs to the realm of the eternal. That means if your confidence rests in your gifting, it rests in something fading. Gifts are good, but they are anchored in what will vanish. Love, however, reflects the very character of God. This is why genuine self-giving love is greater. Not because it is softer. But because it is eternal. So, if you were stripped of the spiritual gifts you have, like my gift of teaching, would people see a loving believer behind it? DO THIS: Ask yourself what part of your spiritual life you would lose if your most visible gift disappeared tomorrow. Then cultivate love in hidden, uncelebrated ways this week. ASK THIS: PRAY THIS: Lord, detach my identity from what is fading. Anchor my heart in what is eternal. Teach me to value love above visibility and permanence above applause. Form in me what will endure beyond this age. Amen. PLAY THIS: "The Everlasting Love of God"