Little by Little
Session Four: Little Choice
Bottom Line: God is the Source of our Faith
Day 1: Choose Who You Will Serve
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
By the time we get to Joshua 24, this is the end of the wilderness journey. God has brought His people out of Egypt, He led them through the wilderness. He brought them into the Promised Land, the walls of Jericho have fallen, they’ve seen God move and now Joshua stands before the people and gives them a challenge: Choose.
All throughout Joshua, we’ve seen this pattern:
Now Joshua is saying to make your choice, make it personal.
Following God isn’t something you drift into. It’s a decision you make.
You can’t live off someone else’s faith. At some point, you have to choose for yourself.
Apply:
Take a moment today and honestly ask yourself: “Who or what am I really living for right now?” Write down your answer.
Reflection Question:
Have I personally chosen to follow God, or am I just going through the motions?
Prayer:
God, help me choose You. Not just with my words, but with my life. Give me clarity and courage to follow You fully. Amen.
--
Day 2: Faith Begins with Hearing
Yesterday's Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on the decision to follow God and who you are choosing to live for.
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) & Romans 10:17 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Romans 10:17 "17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Joshua calls the people to choose who they will serve, but that choice doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from what they’ve already heard.
They had heard how God rescued them from Egypt. They had seen how He provided in the wilderness. They experienced His power at Jericho.
Their faith was built on who God revealed Himself to be and the same is true for us.
Faith doesn’t start with trying harder it starts with hearing from God. Through His Word, through what God's done, and through who Jesus is.
God is the source of our faith. The more we hear from Him, the more our faith grows.
So if you’re struggling to trust God, don’t start with effort, start with listening.
Apply:
Spend a few minutes today reading a passage of Scripture and ask, “What is God showing me about who He is?” Write down one truth.
Reflection Question:
Am I intentionally putting myself in a place to hear from God?
Prayer:
God, help me hear Your voice clearly. Grow my faith as I spend time in Your Word and remind me of who You are. Amen.
--
Day 3 – A Sincere Heart
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on how faith grows by hearing from God and spending time in His Word.
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Joshua calls the people to serve God, but not just outwardly. In Joshua 24:14, he says to serve God in sincerity and faithfulness.
That means God isn’t just looking at what you do, He’s looking at why you do it.
You can:
God sees:
God doesn’t want fake faith. He wants real relationship.
You can come to Him as you are and let Him shape your heart over time.
Apply:
Take a moment today and ask God, “Why do I follow You?” Be honest. Write down your answer and ask Him to shape your heart.
Reflection Question:
Am I serving God sincerely, or just going through the motions?
Prayer:
God, You see my heart. Help me be real with You and not just go through the motions. Shape my desires so I can follow You sincerely. Amen.
--
Day 4 – Faithful Over Time
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on serving God sincerely, not just going through the motions, but following Him from the heart.
Scripture: Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Joshua calls the people to serve God with sincerity and faithfulness. Sincerity is about your heart. Faithfulness is about your consistency.
Faithfulness means you keep showing up. Not just when you feel it. Not just when it’s easy. Not just when everything is going well. But day after day.
Paul reminds us that God is the one who started the work in us and He’s not finished yet. That means your growth is a process.
You won’t be perfect overnight. You won’t get everything right immediately. But God is working in you over time. Your role? Stay faithful.
Little obedience, over time, builds a faithful life.
Apply:
Pick one area where you want to grow with God (prayer, Bible reading, obedience) and commit to being consistent with it this week.
Reflection Question:
Am I being consistent in my relationship with God, or only showing up when I feel like it?
Prayer:
God, thank You that You are still working in me. Help me stay faithful and consistent as I follow You each day. Amen.
--
Day 5 – Lean In
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on being faithful and consistent in your relationship with God.
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV)
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
When Elijah needed to hear from God, something surprising happened. God didn’t speak through the wind.
Not through the earthquake. Not through the fire. He spoke through a whisper.
Why does that matter? Because a whisper requires you to be close.
If you want to hear a whisper, you have to lean in. You have to be near. You have to pay attention. The same is true in your relationship with God.
Choosing God isn’t just about saying the right things, it’s about staying close enough to hear Him.
But if our lives are loud, distracted, and rushed, we can miss it. Following God means slowing down and leaning in.
Not just once, but daily.
Apply:
Take 5–10 minutes today with no distractions. Sit quietly, read a short passage of Scripture, and ask, “God, what are You saying to me?”
Reflection Question:
Am I creating space in my life to hear God’s voice?
Prayer:
God, help me slow down and draw near to You. Teach me to listen for Your voice and be attentive to what You’re saying. Amen.
--
Day 6 – Only Jesus Has Life
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on leaning in and creating space to hear God’s voice.
Scripture: John 6:68 (ESV)
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,"
In this moment, a lot of people stopped following Jesus. What He said was hard to understand, it challenged them and it didn’t fit into what they expected.
So they walked away... Jesus then turns to His disciples and asks, “Do you want to leave too?”
Peter responds: “Where else would we go? You have the words of life.”
We all try to find life in different places, success, relationships, approval, control, and comfort.
But none of those things can give us what we’re really looking for. Because life isn’t found in what we do, it’s found in Jesus!
Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn’t live, He died on the cross for our sin and He rose again so we could be forgiven and made new.
He offers us real life, not just life in Heaven, but right now on earth.
This is why choosing God matters. Not because He’s trying to control you, but because He’s the source of life.
We’ve been talking about how faith begins with hearing, how it grows through sincerity, how it’s built through faithfulness, how it deepens when we stay close and listen, and it all leads to this question...Will you choose Jesus? This it the most important question anybody will ever have to answer in their life... Will You Choose Jesus?
Reflection Question:
Where am I looking for life right now—and is it actually working?
Prayer:
Jesus, You are the source of life. Help me stop chasing things that don’t satisfy. Thank You for saving me and giving me new life. Amen.
--
Day 7 – Choose Daily
Yesterday's Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on how Jesus alone brings real life and what it means to truly choose Him.
Week Recap:
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) & Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)
Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
As we end our series on Joshua, remember that Joshua doesn’t just tell the people to choose God once, he calls them to a life of ongoing devotion and love for God.
“Choose this day” isn’t just about one moment. It’s about a daily decision.
Every day, you choose:
Jesus tells a story in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who keeps coming back, again and again.
Why? Because real faith doesn’t quit.
Choosing God looks like persistence...It looks like praying when nothing seems to change, it looks like staying faithful when it feels slow, and it looks like choosing to follow Him daily.
That’s how a real relationship with God grows, not in one big moment, but in a daily choice.
Action Step:
Make a simple decision: choose one way you will pursue God daily this week (prayer, Bible reading, or obedience) and stick with it.
Tonight, we’re going to talk about this:
Tonight, we’re stepping into a new series on the parables of Jesus, starting with Luke 18:1–8.
We’ll see how faith grows through persistence and why following God means not giving up, even when it feels hard.
Reflection Question:
Am I choosing God daily, or only when it’s convenient?
Prayer:
God, help me choose You every day. Give me persistence to keep coming to You and trusting You, even when it feels hard. Amen.
Session Four: Little Choice
Bottom Line: God is the Source of our Faith
Day 1: Choose Who You Will Serve
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
By the time we get to Joshua 24, this is the end of the wilderness journey. God has brought His people out of Egypt, He led them through the wilderness. He brought them into the Promised Land, the walls of Jericho have fallen, they’ve seen God move and now Joshua stands before the people and gives them a challenge: Choose.
All throughout Joshua, we’ve seen this pattern:
- Rahab had faith and acted
- The people obeyed God and the walls fell
- Disobedience brought consequences
- Obedience brought breakthrough
Now Joshua is saying to make your choice, make it personal.
Following God isn’t something you drift into. It’s a decision you make.
You can’t live off someone else’s faith. At some point, you have to choose for yourself.
Apply:
Take a moment today and honestly ask yourself: “Who or what am I really living for right now?” Write down your answer.
Reflection Question:
Have I personally chosen to follow God, or am I just going through the motions?
Prayer:
God, help me choose You. Not just with my words, but with my life. Give me clarity and courage to follow You fully. Amen.
--
Day 2: Faith Begins with Hearing
Yesterday's Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on the decision to follow God and who you are choosing to live for.
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) & Romans 10:17 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Romans 10:17 "17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
Joshua calls the people to choose who they will serve, but that choice doesn’t come out of nowhere. It comes from what they’ve already heard.
They had heard how God rescued them from Egypt. They had seen how He provided in the wilderness. They experienced His power at Jericho.
Their faith was built on who God revealed Himself to be and the same is true for us.
Faith doesn’t start with trying harder it starts with hearing from God. Through His Word, through what God's done, and through who Jesus is.
God is the source of our faith. The more we hear from Him, the more our faith grows.
So if you’re struggling to trust God, don’t start with effort, start with listening.
Apply:
Spend a few minutes today reading a passage of Scripture and ask, “What is God showing me about who He is?” Write down one truth.
Reflection Question:
Am I intentionally putting myself in a place to hear from God?
Prayer:
God, help me hear Your voice clearly. Grow my faith as I spend time in Your Word and remind me of who You are. Amen.
--
Day 3 – A Sincere Heart
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on how faith grows by hearing from God and spending time in His Word.
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Joshua calls the people to serve God, but not just outwardly. In Joshua 24:14, he says to serve God in sincerity and faithfulness.
That means God isn’t just looking at what you do, He’s looking at why you do it.
You can:
- Go to church
- Say the right things
- Do “good” actions
God sees:
- Your motives
- Your intentions
- Your desires
God doesn’t want fake faith. He wants real relationship.
You can come to Him as you are and let Him shape your heart over time.
Apply:
Take a moment today and ask God, “Why do I follow You?” Be honest. Write down your answer and ask Him to shape your heart.
Reflection Question:
Am I serving God sincerely, or just going through the motions?
Prayer:
God, You see my heart. Help me be real with You and not just go through the motions. Shape my desires so I can follow You sincerely. Amen.
--
Day 4 – Faithful Over Time
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on serving God sincerely, not just going through the motions, but following Him from the heart.
Scripture: Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Joshua calls the people to serve God with sincerity and faithfulness. Sincerity is about your heart. Faithfulness is about your consistency.
Faithfulness means you keep showing up. Not just when you feel it. Not just when it’s easy. Not just when everything is going well. But day after day.
Paul reminds us that God is the one who started the work in us and He’s not finished yet. That means your growth is a process.
You won’t be perfect overnight. You won’t get everything right immediately. But God is working in you over time. Your role? Stay faithful.
Little obedience, over time, builds a faithful life.
Apply:
Pick one area where you want to grow with God (prayer, Bible reading, obedience) and commit to being consistent with it this week.
Reflection Question:
Am I being consistent in my relationship with God, or only showing up when I feel like it?
Prayer:
God, thank You that You are still working in me. Help me stay faithful and consistent as I follow You each day. Amen.
--
Day 5 – Lean In
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on being faithful and consistent in your relationship with God.
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-12 (ESV)
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
When Elijah needed to hear from God, something surprising happened. God didn’t speak through the wind.
Not through the earthquake. Not through the fire. He spoke through a whisper.
Why does that matter? Because a whisper requires you to be close.
If you want to hear a whisper, you have to lean in. You have to be near. You have to pay attention. The same is true in your relationship with God.
Choosing God isn’t just about saying the right things, it’s about staying close enough to hear Him.
But if our lives are loud, distracted, and rushed, we can miss it. Following God means slowing down and leaning in.
Not just once, but daily.
Apply:
Take 5–10 minutes today with no distractions. Sit quietly, read a short passage of Scripture, and ask, “God, what are You saying to me?”
Reflection Question:
Am I creating space in my life to hear God’s voice?
Prayer:
God, help me slow down and draw near to You. Teach me to listen for Your voice and be attentive to what You’re saying. Amen.
--
Day 6 – Only Jesus Has Life
Yesterday’s Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on leaning in and creating space to hear God’s voice.
Scripture: John 6:68 (ESV)
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,"
In this moment, a lot of people stopped following Jesus. What He said was hard to understand, it challenged them and it didn’t fit into what they expected.
So they walked away... Jesus then turns to His disciples and asks, “Do you want to leave too?”
Peter responds: “Where else would we go? You have the words of life.”
We all try to find life in different places, success, relationships, approval, control, and comfort.
But none of those things can give us what we’re really looking for. Because life isn’t found in what we do, it’s found in Jesus!
Jesus lived the perfect life we couldn’t live, He died on the cross for our sin and He rose again so we could be forgiven and made new.
He offers us real life, not just life in Heaven, but right now on earth.
This is why choosing God matters. Not because He’s trying to control you, but because He’s the source of life.
We’ve been talking about how faith begins with hearing, how it grows through sincerity, how it’s built through faithfulness, how it deepens when we stay close and listen, and it all leads to this question...Will you choose Jesus? This it the most important question anybody will ever have to answer in their life... Will You Choose Jesus?
Reflection Question:
Where am I looking for life right now—and is it actually working?
Prayer:
Jesus, You are the source of life. Help me stop chasing things that don’t satisfy. Thank You for saving me and giving me new life. Amen.
--
Day 7 – Choose Daily
Yesterday's Reflection:
Yesterday you reflected on how Jesus alone brings real life and what it means to truly choose Him.
Week Recap:
- Choose Who You Will Serve
- Faith Begins With Hearing
- A Sincere Heart
- Faithful Over Time
- Lean In
- Only Jesus Has Life
Scripture: Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV) & Luke 18:1-8 (NIV)
Joshua 24:14-15 (ESV)
14 “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
As we end our series on Joshua, remember that Joshua doesn’t just tell the people to choose God once, he calls them to a life of ongoing devotion and love for God.
“Choose this day” isn’t just about one moment. It’s about a daily decision.
Every day, you choose:
- Who you will trust
- Who you will listen to
- Who you will follow
Jesus tells a story in Luke 18 about a persistent widow who keeps coming back, again and again.
Why? Because real faith doesn’t quit.
Choosing God looks like persistence...It looks like praying when nothing seems to change, it looks like staying faithful when it feels slow, and it looks like choosing to follow Him daily.
That’s how a real relationship with God grows, not in one big moment, but in a daily choice.
Action Step:
Make a simple decision: choose one way you will pursue God daily this week (prayer, Bible reading, or obedience) and stick with it.
Tonight, we’re going to talk about this:
Tonight, we’re stepping into a new series on the parables of Jesus, starting with Luke 18:1–8.
We’ll see how faith grows through persistence and why following God means not giving up, even when it feels hard.
Reflection Question:
Am I choosing God daily, or only when it’s convenient?
Prayer:
God, help me choose You every day. Give me persistence to keep coming to You and trusting You, even when it feels hard. Amen.