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:

1. What am I planting in my life right now?
2. Where have I treated sin like something small?
3. What seed of obedience needs to be planted today?

PRAY THIS:

God, help me take small choices seriously. Keep me from sowing what destroys and teach me to plant what leads to life. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Take My Life and Let It Be"

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

We are about to begin our next study, and we are moving to the Old Testament. We will begin with the book of Hosea. Hosea 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:

1. Do I see how central resurrection is to forgiveness?
2. Would my faith survive if the resurrection were removed?
3. Am I building my life on historical fact—or religious feeling?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, deepen my understanding of the resurrection. Guard me from treating it as secondary. Anchor my confidence in the risen Christ who defeated sin and death. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Living Hope"

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

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:

1. Can I clearly explain why the resurrection is essential to the gospel?
2. If someone asked me why Jesus had to rise bodily, would I know how to answer?
3. Am I standing on the gospel Paul preached—or one softened by culture?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, strengthen my confidence in the resurrection of Jesus. Help me stand firmly in the gospel and speak it clearly to others. Let the risen Christ shape how I live today. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Christ Is Risen"

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

Our shout-out today goes to Keith Larson from Tacoma, WA. Thanks for your partnership in Project23. We cannot do this without donors like you.

Our text today is 1 Corinthians 14:36-40.

Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order. — 1 Corinthians 14:36-40

Paul now drops the hammer.

After regulating tongues. After regulating prophecy. After regulating the disorder. After addressing the controversial issue of silence. He confronts the deeper issue.

Pride.

"Or was it from you that the word of God came?"

Translation: Did revelation originate with you?

"Or are you the only ones it has reached?"

Translation: Are you spiritually elite?

Paul transitions from worship style to authority over worship. Paul exposes their spiritual arrogance that was causing the chaos.

"If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord."

This is a staggering declaration. Paul equates his written instruction with divine authority. To reject it is not merely to disagree with Paul. It is to resist the Lord.

And then comes the sober warning:

"If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized."

In other words, refusal to submit to apostolic authority reveals something about your standing. This is the real dividing line and the real question we all have to ask ourselves:

Do we submit to Scripture as the Lord's command?

Submit to God's authority. Let the unchanging Scripture confront you, correct you, and reshape you. Do not presume to edit what was given to rule over you.

DO THIS:

Examine how you respond when Scripture confronts you. Do you reinterpret it—or do you submit to it?

ASK THIS:

1. Do I treat apostolic instruction as optional?
2. When the Bible corrects my preferences, do I adjust—or argue?
3. Am I truly under the authority of Christ's Word?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, keep me from spiritual pride. Guard me from assuming I know better than your Word. Teach me to recognize Scripture as your command and to submit to it with humility and joy. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Use Me Lord"

If your words don't build the body, they're not spiritual — they're self-promotional.

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.

1. Why do you think modern Christianity often confuses emotional intensity with spiritual maturity?

2. Paul emphasizes "building up" seven times — why is repetition important in this chapter?

3. What is the difference between building yourself up and building the church?

4. How can someone claim "the Spirit led me" and still be acting in self-interest?

5. Where do you see platform-building creeping into church culture today?

6. How should the command for clarity (v. 9, v. 19) shape preaching, teaching, and worship?

7. When might silence be more spiritual than speaking?

8. How can social media amplify self-promotion instead of edification?

9. What practical test can you apply before speaking in a meeting, posting online, or correcting someone?

10. 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 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:

1. Do I equate spontaneity with spirituality?
2. Have I confused emotional intensity with the Spirit's presence?
3. Does my church intentionally pursue order so that everyone can learn and be encouraged?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, shape our gatherings to reflect your character. Guard us from confusion, competition, and disorder. Let your Spirit produce peace, clarity, and edification so your people leave strengthened, not shaken. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"What A Beautiful Name"