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

Changed Lives Matter

Changed Lives Matter
From the June 19th reading
 
 
What were you like before Christ? How has God demonstrated His love and forgiveness in your life?
 
SCRIPTURE:
READ: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
 
1 Timothy 1:16
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. (NIV)
 
 
OBSERVATIONS:
  • “But for that very reason” – Paul was a horrible sinner before coming to Christ
  • God used Paul’s conversion to demonstrate His patience, love, and mercy.
  • God used Paul’s testimony to bring others to Himself

 

APPLICATION:

  • God saves us for a purpose
  • God uses us to demonstrate His love and forgiveness
  • God wants to use our testimony to win others
  • God has a purpose in our conversion
 
 
MOTIVATION:
I am always amazed by God’s grace and the stories of people’s lives that are changed by it. I have met men and women who were imprisoned because of crimes that they committed, and have witnessed God use their testimony in amazing ways. I have known young people over the years, who had the worst possible home life, and God lifted them out and changed their future. God has even used my own story of redemption to reach young and old alike. I am always amazed when God uses our stories to reach into the hearts of other people, and to bring life where there was none.
 
We see in this passage in First Timothy that Paul was also amazed that God had chosen him, the “worst” of sinners, to reach others for Christ. Paul’s confession in verse 13, “Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief”, is further proof of his offense against God and His people. But God chose Him anyway.
 
One author explains verse 13 in this way, “The reason this was so striking to the apostle was that he knew so well the pit from which he had been dug. When he said he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, he was not exaggerating for the sake of effect.[i] Paul is a reminder that God can use us no matter how far we have traveled or how deep the pit was that we were lifted from. God has a habit of using people’s stories and their testimonies to bring Himself glory and to reach others.
 
This same author went on to say, “As the worst of sinners (cf. Paul’s other descriptions of himself in 1 Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8), Paul represents the extreme example. If God was patient and gracious enough to save Paul, He is patient and gracious enough to save anyone.”[ii] We all have someone in our lives that from all appearances, seem to be beyond God’s reach. As we can see from Paul, and many others throughout history, this is simply not true.
 
God has given you a story, and a purpose. He has placed you in situations and has involved you in the lives of others that only you can reach. He wants to use the story of His grace in your life to reach them. Who are these people? Ask God to show you who they might be, and begin to pray fervently for them. Then wait for the opportunity, the divine appointment, and then share your story.
 
If you would like help with this there are many tools available today. One of them is a book called Tell Someone, by Greg Laurie. In there you will learn The Power of Your Personal Story. Read others testimonies, and learn from them how to share yours. Then, simply ask God to give you the chance, and wait and watch to see what He does!
 
 
PRAYER:
Pray that God would show you your story, and help you to think it through. Write it down. Then pray for the opportunity to share it with someone this week.
 
Each week’s Monday Motivation is taken from the reading schedule found in the Life Journal. If you are ready for the next step in your discipleship, then order yours today or see me for a copy.
www.lifejournal.cc
 
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 at (928)636-2949 or email me at pastorguy@cvgrace.com
 
 
[i] Litfin, A. D. (1985). 1 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 732). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
 
[ii] Litfin, A. D. (1985). 1 Timothy. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 733). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
 



 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