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

Got a Match?

Got a Match?
From the May 29th reading
 
What would you be willing to do to reach others? Would you be willing to set your house on fire?
 
SCRIPTURE:
READ: Romans 10:11-16
 
Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  (NIV)
 
OBSERVATIONS:
  • How can they call on the Lord if they have not believed in Him?
  • They can’t
  • How can they believe in the Lord if they have not heard of Him?
    • They can’t
  • How can they hear about Christ if no one shares the good news?
    • They can’t

MOTIVATION:

An old man lived on a hill that overlooked the ocean. At the bottom of the hill was a public campground where people would come to pitch their tents, hike along the beach, and play in the surf. One day the old man was looking out at the ocean from his window when he noticed a huge tidal wave bearing down on the campground. He knew that the people who occupied the campground below were doomed. He had no phone or any other way to warn them from his hillside perch. And he knew that if he attempted to run down to the campground, by the time he got there, he would be wiped out, too. There was only one thing to do. He grabbed a book of matches and set his house on fire. Within minutes the people in the campground noticed the smoke from the fire and rushed up the hill to try to save the man. Just as the campers made it to the top, the tidal wave reached land and completely destroyed the campground and everything in it. But the people were saved.[i]

The man on the hill sacrificed his home to save the lives of people he didn’t even know. There was no other way. God did much more than that when he sacrificed his son on our behalf. There was no other way.

Just as the fire on the hill drew people away from the death and destruction of the tidal wave, so the cross draws people away from a life of sin and death. Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). When we run to the cross, we escape the death and destruction of sin. It’s the only way to salvation.

So, what are we supposed to do? What is my role in life? What is my purpose? Romans 10:14 gives us the answer: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

One author explains this verse for us: Carrying God’s gracious offer involves human beings whom God has brought to Himself and then uses as His heralds. They share God’s message of salvation because He will save everyone who calls on His name.[ii]

Our job isn’t to save anyone. Our job is to share the Good News! And we need to get better at it. We need to learn to share our story. As a church we need to find more effective ways to reach people. Whether its through social media or the internet or one on one, we have got to find better ways!

In Acts 1:8 Jesus instructed His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We are to reach those in our towns and cities, then our states and nation. But, then we are to find ways to reach beyond our borders.

This passage in Romans also challenges us to reach other nations. How can those in foreign lands believe if they don’t hear, and how can they hear if we don’t go? How can people from other parts of the world respond to the gospel if they have not heard? Maybe God is calling you?

It doesn’t matter if you are 15 or 75, God can use you! What are you willing to do to rescue others? Is God calling you:

  • To go on a missions trip?
  • To serve here?
  • To help with outreach events?
God called His disciples to do everything possible to complete the task that He had set before them. That task has not changed. That challenge remains the same, and we are not finished! So, got a match?
 

APPLICATION:

  • We need to share Christ with others
    • We need to find more effective ways to do this
  • We need to reach more nations (missions / internet)
  • The gospel wasn’t just for me!
  • We need to ask ourselves – what is God calling me to do?
  • 28:18 “Go therefore and make disciples” – not just converts!
 
PRAYER:
Pray that God will give you opportunities this summer to share your story of what Christ has done in your life. Ask God to show you what He is calling you to do with your life.
 
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] Youth Specialties – Hot Illustrations: The Man on the Hill
[ii] Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 481). 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