MONDAY MOTIVATION

JOIN PASTOR GUY EVERY MONDAY FOR BIBLICAL ENCOURAGEMENT, INSPIRATION & INSIGHT
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Welcome to Monday Motivation—a devotional blog to keep you encouraged throughout the week! My name is Pastor Guy Deckard and I am incredibly excited for you to join in every Monday.
 
Below, you will find the most recent Monday Motivation post and if you continue scrolling, you will find an archive of blog posts by date. If you’d like to get a better understanding as to how this blog came about, click HERE to read the first Monday Motivation post. 
 
I invite you to follow along with me every Monday! And if you would like to dive even deeper into your study of God’s Word, purchase the same daily study that this blog is based, just click HERE.
#mondaymotivation

Digging Your Way Out

Digging Your Way Out
From the March 2nd reading
 
 
This week we will take a look at faith, and how, even with just a little, we can see amazing things happen!
 
SCRIPTURE:
Mark 9:24
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (NIV)
 
OBSERVATIONS:
  • The father had originally said “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (v. 22)
  • Jesus replied “If you can?” – questioning the man’s faith
  • Immediately the father recanted his statement – “I do believe.”
  • Then he said, “help me overcome my unbelief.”

APPLICATION:

  • We need to believe that God can do all things
  • We can cry out to God to take pity on us – and He listens
  • We can ask God to help us in our unbelief!
 
MOTIVATION:
I just recently read a book by Mark Sullivan called, Beneath a Scarlet Sky. He tells the story of a young 17 year old Italian boy, named Pino, who helps Jews to escape Italy during World War II. He is recruited by a warm and caring Catholic priest at a retreat that is at the foot of the Alps. This true story is a story of courage and faith, as we read of this young boy as he becomes a man in the dangerous passes of the towering Alps. During one of his adventures he is escorting a young Jewish family and a woman through a freezing storm to safety at the border of Switzerland. The storm becomes so bad that they seek refuge in a small hut. While waiting out the storm there is an avalanche that buries them deep within the snow and ice. There is no way out and panic begins to ensue. Pino begins to lose all hope of ever surviving, when the words of Father Re of Casa Alpina return to his mind, “have faith”! Pino realizes that they need air, and he has an inspiration. With the help of his younger brother he removes the chimney pipe from the ceiling of the cabin and begins to poke a hole through the snow and ice to get to the air above. They succeed, and then begins the long arduous job of tunneling through the avalanche to safety through the front door of the hut. Later, as he safely delivers the group to their escort at the border with Switzerland, he is elated and amazed at the faithfulness of God. Everything seems so much more beautiful, brighter, and wondrous!
 
When we cry out to God, He listens. When we step out in faith, He responds. When we ask Him to take pity on us He does!
 
In Mark we find a father who lacks faith. He has just witnessed Jesus’ disciples fail repeatedly to help his son, and now he questions whether the Teacher can be of any help. So he says, “If you can?” Imagine what it would be like for that father to witness his son suffer for weeks or months at the hands of an unforeseen enemy, a demon! Jesus had given His disciples the authority to cast out demons, and this father had heard of their work from others. But now, even they can’t help his little boy. What hope was left? What could Jesus do?
 
One commentary says, “Jesus took up the father’s words of doubt, If You can, to show that the point was not His ability to heal the boy but the father’s ability to trust in God who can do what is humanly impossible (cf. 10:27). Jesus then challenged the father not to doubt: Everything is possible for him who believes (cf. 9:29). Faith sets no limits on God’s power and submits itself to His will.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, by Walvoord & Zuck)
 
The father’s response was immediate. “I do believe”, but then he also pleaded, “help me overcome my unbelief!” Usually our faith is weak, and lacks the power that we so desperately need, but as the author stated above, “Faith sets no limits on God’s power.” God is powerful and able to do all things whether I believe it or not.
 
The question is will we chose to believe? Will we step out in faith, that He has us, every shaky step of the way?
 
Another author put it this way, “The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy (Mark 9:19, 23–24; and see Matt. 17:20). Why had the nine disciples failed? Because they had been careless in their personal spiritual walk and had neglected prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29). The authority that Jesus had given them was effective only if exercised by faith, but faith must be cultivated through spiritual discipline and devotion.” (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary)
 
Our faith must be cultivated. It must be stretched and pulled. It takes exercise. It takes discipline and devotion. But meanwhile, God is faithful. He is there to take up the slack, to get us over the crags, the peaks, and the valleys of life. Our God is able. Do you trust Him?
 
PRAYER:
Pray that God will help you to overcome your unbelief. Ask Him to show you where you are lacking so that your faith may grow.
 
 
If you would like help in growing in your faith, or if you would like to know how to have faith in Him, then please contact us. (928)636-2949 or email me at pastorguy@cvgrace.com



 Devotionals by Date

 January 2018

 
 
 
 

MONDAY MOTIVATION INTRODUCTION

 
 
 
  
 
 

THE GREAT SHEPHERD

 
January 1, 2018
 
 
  
 
 

THE GREAT PLANNER 

 
January 8, 2018
 
 
 
 
 

PROTECTING YOUR ROOTS

January 15, 2018
 
 
 
 
 

FACING YOUR GIANTS

January 22, 2018
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 

February 2018

 
 
 

PLEASE STAND

February 5, 2018
 
 
 
  
 
 
 

BE A GAME CHANGER

February 12, 2018
 
  
 
 
 

FINISH STRONG

February 19, 2018
 
 
 

STRETCHER BEARERS

February 26, 2018
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 

March 2018

 
 
 

DIGGING YOUR WAY OUT

March 5, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

REAL PEARLS

March 12, 2018
 
  
 
 
 

HIDDEN IDENTITY

March 19, 2018

 
 
 

MYSTERY GARDEN
March 26, 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
April 2018
 
 

THE TEST!

April 2, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

PASS IT ON!

April 9, 2018
 
  
 
 
 

CRACKED POTS!

April 16, 2018

 
 
 

LAY THEM DOWN!

April 23, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

LETTING GO 

April 30, 2018
  
May 2018
 
 
 

IDOL WORSHIP OR IDLE WORSHIP?

May 7, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

WATCH AND PRAY!

May 14, 2018
  
 
 
 

DON’T SAY GOODBYE

May 21, 2018

 

 
 
 

TRAPPED

May 28, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 

 

June 2018
 
 
 

GOT A MATCH?

June 4, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

CHOSEN?

June 11, 2018
 
 
  
 
 

I’M THIRD!

June 18, 2018

 

 
 
 

CHANGED LIVES MATTER

      June 25, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
July 2018
 
 
 

MADE FOR MORE THAN THIS

      July 2, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

SET FREE!

       July 9, 2018
 
 
 
 
 
 

   HEAVENLY PLACES       July 15, 2018

 
 
 

LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

July 2, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

NO SURPRISES HERE

July 2, 2018

 
 
 
August 2018
 
 
 

INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED

August 6, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

THE PEOPLE PLEASER

August 13, 2018

 
 
 
 
 
 

ONE CHURCH

      August 20, 2018

 
 
 

BROTHERLY LOVE

August 27, 2018

 
 
September 2018
 
 
 

NEWLYWEDS!

September 3, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

WHEN GOD SPANKS US!

September 10, 2018

 
 
 
 

TAKING A STAND

September 17, 2018

 
 
 

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

September 24, 2018

 
 
October 2018
 
 
 

FROM ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY

October 1, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

STAND YOUR GROUND!

October 8, 2018

 
 

 

 

FAITH UNDER FIRE

October 15, 2018

 
 
 
 

HOMELESS FOR A DAY

October 22, 2018

 
 
 
 
November 2018
 
 
 

A HEAVENLY MARRIAGE?

November 5, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

HOLY SMOKE!

November 12, 2018

 
 
 
 

MIRROR, MIRROR…

November 19, 2018

 
 
 
 

SECRET AGENT

November 26, 2018

 
 
 
 
December 2018
 
 
 

INNOCENT

December 3, 2018

 
 
 
 
 

HOPE?

December 10, 2018

 
 
 
 

FREEDOM

December 17, 2018

 
 
 
 

MORE THAN A MANGER

December 24, 2018