Waterfront Church

DAY 21

I choose Revival.

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation (Psalm 85:6-7)."

When we hear the word “revival,” many of us picture tent meetings with altar calls playing Just As I Am on loop in the background. Not quite. Let’s revive the meaning of “revival.”

The Bible clearly and repeatedly teaches that God wants to revive our relationship with Him. He wants to wake us up, to refresh our faith, to fire us up again. Revival is renewed interest after a period of indifference or decline. Revival is returning to God’s path, setting our sights on the goal again, and pursuing with new passion the One who can make our lives more than we’d ever dreamed. Revival is gladly experiencing and enjoying God at the center of our lives. Revival is seeing God at work.

Maybe you can remember a time when you were fired up about the Lord, but somehow you drifted away. Maybe you’ve become the passive observer at church, showing up but missing the point. Maybe somewhere along the line you lost your passion for the Lord. Well, you can have it back, and God wants you to have it back. God wants to revive you.

No matter where you are or what you’ve done, no matter what you feel or think you need, the clouds of heaven are now bursting with the favor and fullness God would shower upon the parched, dry places within you. A deluge of dangerous delight in the God who made you is ready to rain down upon you.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose revival. Lord, I admit that my soul is too often weary, dry, and lifeless. I need You to revive me, to give me new life, to wake me up again. I choose to return to You; that’s my part. I ask You to revive me - only You can bring fresh life to my soul.

DAY 22

I choose to Remember.

"Then I thought, 'To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds (Psalm 77:10-12).'”

“Remember.” It is one of the most often repeated commands in the Old Testament. Maybe that’s because the number one mistake people make is forgetting what God had done for them. At stake is not just knowledge of history. At stake is identity. These were the acts that formed Israel and these are the acts that make us who we are.

We are what we are because of God's actions in the past. His every promise for our future is secured by these same actions. We speak out about what God has done and, in speaking, are drawn deeper into trust. Remember your past, the psalmist calls to us, and ask God for the eyes to see his hand at work in it.

Standing between the faithfulness of God in our past and the promises of God for our future, we align ourselves to his purposes by remembering. Like an actress learning her lines, we repeat to remember. Like exiles singing stories to our children, we remember to survive. Like travelers with our photographs of home, we let memories define us and shape our onward journey. To lose memory is to lose hope.

Maybe God hasn’t won any military battles for us or led us by fire or fed us with mystery bread—but He’s done some amazing things for you and me, beginning with our great salvation. Don’t forget these miracles. More importantly, tell your stories to the next generation so they’ll know how faithful God is and that He can be trusted.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose to remember. Lord, lead me to treasures buried in my past. Amaze me with wonders stored up for my future. Forgive me for letting distractions keep me from my hope in You. Help me to remember You and talk about You and live for You.

DAY 23

I choose Friendship.

"And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 'Don’t be afraid,' he said. 'My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.' The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh (1 Samuel 23:16-18)."

The Christian life is not a solo thing. It requires teamwork. We desperately need each other so that when we want to quit we can’t because our friends, won’t allow it. As you read God’s Word, you cannot help but notice that great men and great women of faith always had supportive friends around them. Always!

Often the way God works in a person’s life is through other people. If there’s anything in my life that is praiseworthy, so much of it, from my perspective, relates to the people around me—my family, friends, and ministry partners. These people know and understand the power of biblical friendship.

A godly friend is someone like Jonathan who says, “Times are hard? You’re disappointed and discouraged? You feel like a failure personally? I’ll stand with you, man. I’m not going anywhere.” Real friends come alive in those times. They move in closer. Jonathan had many reasons for staying away. Personally, he had everything to lose and nothing to gain. But David was alone and afraid, and there was no way Jonathan was going to let David down.

Make deliberate choices about who you want to invest in and who rubs off on you. Decide the kind of people you need to associate with, the ones who will be your real, heartfelt, lots-of-time-together friends. Then choose them and love them. If you want to see your future then look no further than your friends.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose friendship. Please help me to recognize and value a friend who will hold me up when I stumble, and if I don’t have that, please help me to build that kind of strong, biblical friendship with another Christ-follower. A true friend is a gift. Please help me to be that kind of friend.

DAY 24

I choose Instruction.

"Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies,

and nothing you desire can compare with her (Proverbs 8:10-11)."

Are you teachable? It's an important question to ask ourselves and to honestly answer if we can. We would all like to think we are, but the facts may show themselves differently.

A teachable person is non-defensive. When they are wrong they quickly admit their wrongdoing and seek to learn how to be better next time. A teachable person allows others to speak truths learned from experience into their lives. A teachable person does not make unilateral decisions but seeks wisdom and knowledge from multiple sources. A teachable person gains wisdom and abandons foolish decisions.

Being teachable starts with the acknowledgement that we don't know everything. God teaches us through his word, through creation, through life experiences, and through the people that we meet each day. We will not get everything right and sometimes we will need to be reminded of what is truly important.

Pride will keep you from growing, because when you pretend that you’ve got it all together, you won’t make an effort to learn from others. No one has it all together! Humility leads to happiness because it makes you teachable.

Here are some questions to help you determine whether you're teachable? Can you be confronted without bristling or making excuses for yourself? Do you ask questions when you’re around others, or are you quick to tell others your opinion on the topic at hand? Are you reading books that challenge you in Christian walk?

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose instruction. Heavenly Father, I can point to many times in my life where I have not been teachable. Please forgive me for my willfulness and continue to put people in my life that will challenge me in love and keep me on the path You have chosen for me.

DAY 25

I choose Obedience.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much (Luke 16:10)."

God doesn’t owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can’t. Instant obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussions. In fact, you will never understand some commands until you obey them first. Obedience unlocks understanding.

Often we try to offer God partial obedience. We want to pick and choose the commands we obey. We make a list of the commands we like and obey those while ignoring the ones we think are unreasonable, difficult, expensive, or unpopular. I’ll attend church but I won’t tithe. I’ll read my Bible but won’t forgive the person who hurt me. Yet partial obedience is disobedience.

Today's verse reminds us that nothing we do is really small. Every action is of some account, either on the side of right or on the side of wrong. It is only through faithful obedience in the small transactions of ordinary life that our character is formed. It's when we are obedient in these small ways that greater opportunities come our way.

One of my favorite sayings is, "big doors swing on small hinges." It's a reminder that the smallest of actions can lead to greater results. It is conscientious attention to what the world terms "little things" that makes life a success. Little deeds of charity, little acts of self-denial, speaking simple words of helpfulness, watching against little sins, - this is what following Christ looks like.

God won’t promote you beyond your current level of competence and commitment. Indeed, He’ll keep bringing you back to these two things until you get them right. As you walk with Him, He’ll increase your faith by testing you in settings that require only a little faith. Every small step of faith leads to a deeper, richer and more rewarding relationship with Him.

What you’re doing today matters. It’s the determining factor in what God will call you to do tomorrow. So be obedient in the little things.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose obedience. Help me to follow you and to remain faithful. Thank You for having Your Son demonstrate in His life the importance of obedience even when it wasn’t easy, so that I would have a perfect example to follow.