MONDAY MOTIVATION

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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

The Great Shepherd

 
The Great Shepherd
From the December 21st Reading
 
Scripture:
John 10:27-28 (NIV)
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.
 
Observations:
His sheep listen to His voice!
•  As followers of Christ, we listen to Him. We listen to His teachings. We listen to His still, small voice. We recognize His voice over all of the clamor of “voices” around us.
 
He knows them.
•  Our great Shepherd knows us. He knows each of the sheep in His flock. He truly knows us!
 
They follow Him.
•  His sheep follow Him. We are followers of Christ—that means we follow Him and we attempt to be like Him.
 
He gives them eternal life.
•  We were once dead in our sin and wrongdoing, but He has given us life. Abundant life! We no longer need to fear death. We no longer have to live a mediocre life, without hope!
 
We will never perish.
•  This body may die and it is dying even now. But our spirit will not perish into nothingness. We will not suffer for eternity in punishment. 
 
No one can snatch us from his hand.
•  Nothing can separate us from the love of God! Not even me!!
 
Application:
We need to listen and obey!
•  Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey His commands.
 
We have eternal life!
•  We don’t have to fear death! We will spend eternity with Him!
 
My salvation is secure!
•  he will never leave me nor forsake me. I don’t have to just hope that I will make it—I can know for sure!
 
Motivation:
When I think of how Christ is our Great Shepherd, I think of the story that Dr. Lynn Anderson shares in His book, “They Smell Like Sheep.” He shares about this man who was taking a tour in Israel and how the tour guide topped to point out a large herd of sheep. There was this very large herd of sheep with several shepherds. As this herd approached a split in the trail, the shepherds went off their separate ways. Immediately the mass of sheep behind them began to split up and follow their own shepherd. When the various shepherds and their flocks were distanced from each other by a few hundred yards, the shepherds turned around to find that there were still a few strays that were wandering in confusion. Then one of the shepherds cupped his mouth and called out, “Ky-yia-yia-yia!” At his shout, a few of the stray lambs perked up their ears and bounded toward his voice. Then a second shepherd cried out with a shrill, “Hoot-hoot-hoot!” Each shepherd, in turn, called. Each of the strays, hearing a familiar voice, knew exactly which shepherd to turn to. And to this man’s amazement, the massive herd of sheep split in several different directions, each following the voice of its own shepherd. 
 
When we grow in Christ, we begin to recognize his voice. There are many voices in this world crying out for our attention, our devotion. Paul says that the Christian life is like running a race. We are to run towards the goal: Jesus Christ! But, many times, as we are running the race, we are distracted by the voices of the people and the temptation of things in the stands. We waiver in our commitment to Him. It becomes harder and harder to hear His voice and we can get lost. 
 
This Scripture says that He knows us! He knows our weaknesses. He knows our past. And He calls us anyway! Many times we wander off and we begin to follow other things that are calling out to us. But He patiently calls out to us, waiting for us to recognize His voice and come to Him.
 
We are so like sheep! We wander around in the rocks and the thorns of life. We get stickers and scrapes along the way. But when we stop long enough to listen and come to Him, He picks us up and picks out the stickers, speaks kind and loving words to us, and whispers in our ear, “Follow me! Just stick with me. Put your feet where I place mine and everything will be alright.”
 
As we begin this new year, listen for His voice. Spend time in His Word each day and listen for His voice as He guides you throughout your day. Spend time seeking His face.
 
His sheep listen to His voice and they follow Him!



 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