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

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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."