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Trapped

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 306

Trapped

From the May 24th reading

Where is there hope in this world? Where do we find our hope?

SCRIPTURE:

READ: Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:3-4

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

“Not only so” – refers to “we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (V. 2b)
“We rejoice in our sufferings”
- Imprisonment, beatings, hunger, abuse, etc.
- They considered it all joy!
Suffering produces perseverance
Perseverance builds character
And character brings hope

APPLICATION:

Rejoice in any and all suffering for His glory
Suffering produces perseverance and godly character
Tested character results in hope!
Our hope is found in the glory of God through Jesus Christ (V. 11)

MOTIVATION:

The Sobibor Nazi concentration camp was set in the scenic woods near the Bug River, which separates Poland and Russia. The natural beauty of the setting stood in stark contrast to the stench and horror of the camp, where torture and death awaited every man, woman, and child who arrived there. On October 14, 1943, Jewish slave laborers in Sobibor surprised their captors by using their shovels and pickaxes as weapons in a well-planned attack. Some of the Jewish prisoners cut the electricity to the fence and used captured pistols and rifles to shoot their way past the German guards. Hundreds of others stormed through the barbed wire and mine fields to the potential safety of the nearby forest. Of the 700 prisoners who took part in the escape, 300 made it to the forest. Of those, less than 100 are known to have survived. Most were hunted down by the Germans and executed. One of the former prisoners who lived to talk about Sobibor was a boy named Thomas Blatt—or Toivi. Toivi and two companions started their long journey through the dense woods. Every morning at daybreak they buried themselves in the woods to sleep. Every night they made their way through the trees and thick brush. After four nights of wandering through the cold forest, the three boys saw a building silhouetted against the dark sky in the distance. With smiles on their faces, they eagerly approached it with the hope that it might provide sanctuary from their enemies. As they got closer, they noticed that the building they had seen was a tower—specifically, the east tower of the Sobibor concentration camp! They had made one giant circle through the woods and ended up exactly where they started. Terrified, the three boys plunged back into the forest. But only Toivi lived to tell about their awful experience.[i]

Many people spend their entire lives trying to escape from a life without meaning, only to find that they have been traveling in circles. They pursue pleasure, entertainment, and materialism. And more often than not they find themselves right back where they started – trapped in a prison of meaninglessness that denies them hope and freedom.

Life for the believer does not have to be this way. Life doesn’t have to be without meaning. We don’t have to chase after the things of this world to find our purpose, and life does not have to be without hope.

This hope that we have does not mean that we will not have suffering. Jesus Himself warned us that we would suffer (Matthew 10). Peter tells us “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). As followers of Christ we can expect that there will be persecution and suffering. But that does not mean that we have to lose hope.

Romans 5:3 says, “Not only so, but we glory in our sufferings”. Why? “Because we know that suffering produces perseverance”. Then it goes on to say that, this perseverance develops character and that character brings hope.

One author explained it this way: “As believers suffer, they develop steadfastness; that quality deepens their character; and a deepened, tested character results in hope (i.e., confidence) that God will see them through.”[ii] We are surrounded by people who are trapped in a maze with no way out. There is no ray of hope shining through the clouds to show the way. They have chased after so many things only to find that they only lead to another dead end.

Proverbs 6:23 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death”. But, we have found the Way. He has set us free, and no matter what we go through or how dark it may seem, our hope is found in Him. We have been set free from the maze, and we have found the Light!

Have you found your hope in Him? Or are you still chasing after shadows that lead to nowhere? Do you know someone who is still trapped? Show them; tell them there is a way out. Have them follow you as you follow Him!

PRAYER:

Pray that God will show you that He is there, that He is the Light. Pray that He will give you hope and joy while you are in the maze of life. Pray that He will let you be a light to someone else today.

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] Taken from Youth Specialties Hot Illustrations: Sobibor

[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. 456). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Don’t Say Goodbye

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 266

Don’t Say Goodbye

From the May 15th reading

Are you ready? We don’t have to say goodbye, we get to say “see you later”!

SCRIPTURE:

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

“We do not want you to be ignorant (uninformed)” – without knowledge of the truth
Concerning those who “fell asleep” – physical death
Or to grieve like the rest of men – unbelievers
Who have no hope – we have hope for the future!
Our hope is in the resurrection – Vs. 14
14 “God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”

APPLICATION:

Fall asleep – when we breathe our last we wake up in His presence
One second we are “falling asleep” and the next we are awakened by His voice!
We are not to grieve like the pagan who is without hope
We have an incredible hope!
Our hope is found in His resurrection

MOTIVATION:

This passage reminds me of a story that I read many years ago about a father who was preparing to die and he called in his family for his last farewells. It was a Christian family and the father had done his best to raise his children to follow the Lord. All but one of them had given their lives to Christ and were faithfully following Him. The son had chosen his own way, and decided that his father was old fashioned and out of touch with reality. He didn’t have room in his busy life for religion or Christianity. So on this last day, as the father was saying his goodbyes, he called each of his children to his bedside one by one. The oldest daughter came first and as he gently caressed her face he told her how proud he was of her, and that she had become an amazing woman. As he gazed into her eyes, he said to her “See you later”. The next daughter came to his side, and he shared with her that, even though she had had her share of struggles, that he was proud of her and loved her very much. Then he smiled and said to her with a twinkle in his eye, “See you later”. The next daughter came forward as well, and he smiled as any father would who had that special bond between a father and his daughter. He told her how special she was to him, and that he treasured their relationship. He kissed her and then said to her, “See you later”. The son nervously came forward to say his last farewells. The father looked at him with compassion and sorrow. He told his son that he was proud of all of his accomplishments, and that he admired his work. He told him how much he loved him, and that he prayed for him every day. Then with sadness in his voice, he told his son, “Goodbye”. The boy quickly grabbed his father’s arm and asked him why he had said, “Goodbye” instead of “See you later” as he had to his sisters. The father, struggling with the words to say, said, “Because son, I know that this is not the last time I will see your sisters, but I cannot say that is the case with you. I would love nothing more than to know that for sure. However, you have chosen your own way. So, I am sorry, but this is goodbye.”

Saying goodbye is always a hard thing to do, and seems so final. Fortunately, for us as believers we are not limited to these final words. We have the wonderful blessing of being able to say “See you later!”

First Thessalonians four is a wonderful reminder of this fact. We don’t have to fear death, because it merely means that we fall asleep in this world, and awaken in His presence. The process of death can be painful and sometimes even horrible, but it does not mean the end.

One author had this to say, “Those who fall asleep are Christians who die. The figure of sleep for death is common in the New Testament (cf. Mark 5:39; John 11:11). This is not sleep of the soul, however, because Paul wrote elsewhere that a Christian who is absent from his body is present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8; cf. Phil. 1:23; 1 Thes. 5:10). It is rather the “sleep” of the body in the earth until it is resurrected, changed into a glorious body, and reunited with the soul (1 Cor. 15:35–57; 2 Cor. 5:1–9).”[i] This is a wonderful promise for us as believers. However, this hope is only available to us because of Jesus’ own resurrection. Verse 14 says, “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

There is another very exciting promise found in this chapter. People for many generations have waited for this incredible event. The rapture that is described in 1 Thessalonians 4 has captured the imagination of Christians for two thousand years. Although, we do not know the day or the hour that it will occur, one thing is for certain, it is closer now than ever before. On that glorious day, Christ will descend to the clouds and with a loud command and a trumpet call from the Lord the dead in Christ will rise. Then those Christians that are still living will follow after them, and will be transformed.

Can you imagine? This is real! This is guaranteed! We don’t know when, but we do know the One who will make it happen! The question is are you ready? Is there someone in your life that needs to be able to hear you say, “See you later” instead of “Goodbye”? Let’s be sure that we are “eagerly awaiting His coming” (Phil. 3:20), and that we take as many with us as we can.

PRAYER:

Pray that He will give you peace when thinking about those final days. And pray for opportunities to reach loved ones and others before His return.

Each week’s 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 us 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] Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Thessalonians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 703). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Watch and Pray!

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 293

Watch and Pray

From the May 9th reading

Jesus calls us to Keep Watch and Pray! What are we to keep watch for? What is it that we are to guard ourselves from?

SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 26:36-46

Matthew 26:41

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

“Watch and pray” – watch for danger!
We are told many times in the gospels to “keep watch”
So that we will not fall into temptation
Our spirit – because of His Spirit living in us – is willing (wants) to obey
But our flesh is weak
Temptations overcome us because we focus more on our flesh then we do our spirits

APPLICATION:

Spend more time on your spirit (soul) – strengthening it
Focus less on your physical needs / wants / desires
Be on guard against temptations
Know your weaknesses & fortify!
Put on the armor of God to stand guard (Eph. 6)

MOTIVATION:

I will never forget being a young Boy Scout and going on my first camping trip. There were troops from all over, and there were tents and squirrely young boys spread out over this camp ground. It was the first night, and we were all exhausted. Shortly after falling asleep there was a lot of commotion and a bell from the dining hall began to ring loudly over and over. All of us jumped out of our little tents and looked around blurry eyed and scared. Imagine our shock and fear when we saw flames engulfing some tents on the other side of the camp! One of the boys had accidentally lit his tent on fire with his lantern. Everyone got safely away, but many of us older boys were on “fire watch” throughout the night as we waited for buses to come and take us away. We watched through the night as the fire spread to the surrounding trees, but fortunately they blew in the opposite direction. I remember sitting up through the night, along with a few other boys, dutifully watching the flames for any change of direction. We were all weary and tired, but we were too fearful to fall asleep.

Jesus is calling us to this same kind of watchfulness. We aren’t to give up or become weary in our fight against evil, and especially our own flesh. In this passage, and in many others Jesus instructs the disciples to keep watch. In Matthew 7:15 He says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” In Matthew 24:4 He warns them to “Watch out that no one deceives you.” And again in Matthew 24:42 Jesus warns, “keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

This word watch, in the original language (gregoreo), is an interesting one. It means to “be awake”, “to be on the alert”, and “to watch”. The idea here is to remain vigilant, not to be distracted, or to fall asleep.

Like the disciples who kept falling asleep, while Jesus prayed in the Garden, we too have a tendency to get distracted or to doze off. But Jesus warns us to be on guard. We are to be watchful for false teachers, false Christ’s, and for the coming of the Lord.

But in Matthew 26:41 we find one of the more important commands when it comes to keeping watch: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Temptation comes at us from all sides, and many times from places or persons that we could never have imagined.

First Peter 5:8 is a warning to all of us: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” One author explains the meaning of this passage better than I could, “Christians should be constantly alert because the enemy (antidikos, “adversary”), the devil (diabolos, “slanderer”), is always actively seeking an opportunity for a vicious attack.”[i] Satan’s goal in life is to steal, kill, and destroy! He will do everything possible to keep us from becoming all that we can become in Christ Jesus.

But our biggest weakness is our own flesh. No matter how hard we try, and no matter how much we grow we will always have our flesh fighting against His Spirit within us. It is a battle that wages within us and it is real! Jesus instructs us to “watch and pray”, and that the “spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”.

We all need to be on high alert, against Satan, and our own worst enemy – our flesh! We also need to keep watch for His coming. His coming is nearer now than ever before. I don’t know about you, but my spirit is crying out, “Come now Lord Jesus, come now!”

PRAYER:

Pray for the strength that you will need to keep watch. Pray for His strength and that He will protect you from temptation. Pray that you will be ready for His return!

Each week’s 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] Raymer, R. M. (1985). 1 Peter. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 856). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Idol Worship or Idle Worship?

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 417

Idol Worship or Idle Worship?

From the May 2nd reading

What things have you been chasing after? What has drawn your attention and your fervor from Him?

SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 19:29

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

Earlier Jesus told the rich young man that if he wanted to be perfect then he needed to go sell all that he had. Then to come follow Him. (Vs. 21)
In Psalm 106:20 it says they exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass!
We exchange our Glory for a green piece of paper or a corner office in a concrete building
But those who have walked away from all of that will receive a hundred times more!
The disciples had walked away from everything!

APPLICATION:

Anything we worship or value more than Him is idolatry
- Money
- Careers
- Things
- Pleasure
- Children
- Even spouses
We need to be willing to follow Him wherever that leads
We need to be willing to do anything in order to follow His will
Be content and stop chasing better and faster things
Stop justifying idolatry!

MOTIVATION:

The following letter was written by a young pastor in Zimbabwe who was later martyred for his faith: I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made—I’m a disciple of his. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must keep going until he comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until he stops me. And, when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.[i]

Following Jesus is not about joining a church or going to youth group or listening to Christian music. It’s not about wearing Jesus on your T-shirt or putting a fish on your car: it’s about being willing to put your life on the line for Him. The decision to follow Christ is radical, unequivocal, and unmistakable.

In Psalm 106 it says the people of Israel exchanged His Glory “for an image of a bull, which eats grass”! (106:20) I love this picture! If you will remember back in Exodus 32, the Israelites had made a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain with God. He had taken too long, and in their desperation they decided to take things into their own hands. They made a golden idol and began to worship it instead. It is hard for us to imagine why a nation that had just witnessed one incredible miracle after another would choose to worship something that eats grass!

But how many of us have exchanged His “Glory” for a cheaper imitation? As humans we are famous for chasing after things and other people. We chase after “green paper” and corner offices. We pursue things that do not last, and people that can not meet all of our needs or expectations.

Jesus calls us to a life where we are willing to put our life on the line for Him – a radical life! Not the life that we have bought into – the life of greed and always wanting more. But His call does not come without promises. One author explains Matthew 20:29 this way: “Jesus now extends his encouragement to all his self-sacrificing disciples. The promise is not literal (one cannot have one hundred mothers). God is no man’s debtor: if one of Jesus’ disciples has, for Jesus’ sake, left, say, a father, he will find within the messianic community a hundred who will be as a father to him—in addition to inheriting eternal life.”[ii] God never calls us to radical obedience without some type of reward. Not that we do it for the reward, but it is good to know that God recognizes and rewards the faithfulness of His children.

So, what banner will you carry? When Christ returns will He have any trouble recognizing you? Or will you be too busy chasing the things that this world has to offer?

PRAYER:

Pray that God will show you where your idols are. That He will reveal to you what you have been chasing after. And then confess and put those things aside for Him.

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: Radical Faith

[ii] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 8. P. 426

Letting Go

Posted on Apr 30, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 264

Letting Go

From the April 23 reading

What has God called you to let go of? What are you holding onto that is keeping you from all that He has for you?

SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 10:37-38

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

We are not to love anything more than Him
If we do we are not worthy of Him
We must take up our cross daily and follow Him
Jesus said this long before His crucifixion

APPLICATION:

We need to love Jesus more than anyone or anything
We shouldn’t even put our children or our spouse before Him!
We should want to be found worthy
We need to take up our cross every day

– crucify my will and my wants

– take up His goals and His mission

MOTIVATION:

Everywhere he went, the man carried brightly colored balloons. It was easy to hold the string in his hand or wrap it around his wrist and take his colorful balloons wherever he went. One day he went to the fair and had a great time. Blending into the atmosphere of the rides and lights and noise. Oh, sometimes people tried to buy his balloons, thinking he was a vendor, but of course he wouldn’t sell even one. At one of the booths he filled in a ticket to see if he could win a free ocean cruise. Two weeks later a telegram came—he had won! He would enjoy great entertainment and the world’s finest chef providing his meals. On the morning of the big day, he called a taxi and had the driver take him to the dock very slowly because the balloons wouldn’t all fit in the taxi and he had to hold some of them out the window. At the dock he was welcomed by the officials who had planned his trip. Sailing on a big ocean liner was really refreshing. It also made him very hungry. When they rang the bell for dinner. The aroma of the food was so enticing. There was one problem, though. There wasn’t enough room for a man with a handful of balloons to get down the passageway. He could do it if he released some of the balloons, but the he just couldn’t do that. He had seen some crackers and cheese on the upper deck earlier, so he went back and ate that instead. It wasn’t great, but he had his balloons. Later that night he went to his cabin. It was beautiful. They had given him one of the classiest rooms on the ship. He could see that the interior decorating was the best, and the bed looked inviting. Unfortunately, the door to the cabin was so designed that he couldn’t get all the balloons in without breaking some. He tried, but it just wouldn’t work. Back on deck he found some blankets and a deck chair. He tied the balloons around his wrist and the arm of the chair and tried to sleep. The next morning the balloon man received an engraved invitation from the captain of the ship inviting him to sit at the captain’s table and enjoy the specialty of the world famous chef, prepared especially for the balloon man. All that day he waited patiently for the evening banquet and at 8:00 p.m. the ship’s bell rang and the passengers began to go to the dining room as before. The aroma of the food was so enticing. Yet he stood at the end of the passageway for some time not able to enter. Finally he walked to the back of the ship. He could still hear the dinner in progress. He reached in his pocket and felt the engraved invitation. He knew there was a special place reserved for him at the captain’s table. Then he looked up at his balloons. It was hard to do, but slowly—very, very slowly (he hadn’t unclenched his hand for years)—one at a time he uncurled his fingers. One by one the balloons began to drift away. As he watched, the wind caught them and blew them out of sight. The man turned and walked down the passageway. That night, as a guest at the captain’s table, he enjoyed the finest meal and the best companionship he’d ever known. [i]

What balloons are you holding onto? God wants us to come and enjoy His great banquet, but many times we are holding onto something that prevents us from entering in. Following Him means letting go, and some times that means sacrifice.

In Matthew 10:36 Jesus calls us to a life of sacrifice and of devotion to Him. We are challenged to put our love for Him above everything else. One author said, “Each believer must make the decision once and for all to love Christ supremely and take up his cross and follow Christ.”[ii] I find this difficult when I consider how much I love my family and my life with them, or when I consider my own wants and dreams. But this is the kind of sacrificial love that God has called us to.

Jesus takes it one step further in verse 38 when He says, “Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” This word “worthy” (axios), means worthy or deserving in the original Greek. If we are to be found worthy or deserving of following Him, then we need to take up our cross daily. One author put it this way, “A true disciple must take his cross and follow Jesus (cf. Matt. 16:24). He must be willing to face not only family hatred, but also death, like a criminal carrying his cross to his own execution.”[iii] Jesus is calling us to something much higher than a passing fad or to a life of convenience. He is calling us to a life of devotion, like never seen before.

Warren Wiersbe said it this way, “To “carry the cross” does not mean to wear a pin on our lapel or put a sticker on our automobile. It means to confess Christ and obey Him in spite of shame and suffering. It means to die to self daily. If the Lord went to a cross for us, the least we can do is carry a cross for Him”[iv]

Many times we consider it an inconvenience to help another or even to attend church. We approach our Christianity as a fad and the cross as a token or good luck charm. Most of us, including myself, have become guilty of watering down our Christianity. We have softened it and made it easier for ourselves and for others to swallow. But as we can see from this passage, it is much more than this.

Who or what do you love more than Him? What is it that God has called you to die to? Is there a sin or temptation in your life that God wants you to let go of? Take up your cross daily and live for Him!

PRAYER:

Ask God this week to reveal your true heart. How much do you truly love Him? Who or what have you placed in front of Him? Then, give it over to Him.

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] Taken from Youth Specialties: Hot Illustrations

[ii] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 38).

[iii] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 39). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[iv] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 39). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Lay Them Down!

Posted on Apr 23, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 291

Lay Them Down!

From the April 19th reading

What is it that keeps you up at night? What is stealing your time and your energy from being all that you can be?

SCRIPTURE:

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink (V. 25)
Look at the birds – the Father feeds them (V. 26)
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life (V. 27)
The lilies of the field – God clothes the grass of the field (Vv. 29-30)
We aren’t to worry about our daily needs
We aren’t to worry about tomorrow

APPLICATION:

Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (V. 33)
Then He will take care of your needs.
Stop worrying – it does nothing for you and solves nothing
Go to Him – seek His face!
Focus on today!

MOTIVATION:

The young man said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan.” The elderly woman breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way she could have changed her own tire. Bryan had the spare tire on and the jack down in less than ten minutes. As he was tightening the lug nuts, the woman rolled down her window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she owed him. Any price would have been all right with her. She’d already imagined some of the awful things that might have happened if Bryan hadn’t stopped. Bryan never thought twice about asking for money, even though he could have used some financial help. Changing a tire was not a job to him; it was a matter of helping someone in need. He told the woman that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed. “And when you do,” he added, “think of me.” Bryan waited until the woman started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed home. A few miles down the road the woman saw a small diner. Though the place didn’t look like much, she went in to grab a bite to eat and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. Her waitress brought a clean towel for the woman to dry her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet all day couldn’t erase. The woman noticed that the waitress was pregnant. She wondered how someone who seemingly had so little could be so generous and kind to a stranger. Then the woman remembered Bryan. After she finished her meal, she gave the waitress a $100 bill. While the waitress went to get change, the woman slipped quietly out the door. When the waitress came back to the table, she noticed something written on a napkin. When she picked it up to read it, she noticed four $100 bills that had been left underneath it. There were tears in the waitress’s eyes when she read what the woman had written: “You don’t owe me anything. I’ve been there, too. Somebody nice helped me out, the way I’m helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: don’t let this chain of love end with you.” That night when the waitress got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the woman had written. How could the woman have known how much she and her husband needed that money? With the baby due in a month, she knew how worried her husband was. As he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered softly, “Everything’s going to be all right. I love you, Bryan.”

I don’t know about you, but I am a professional worrier. I come by it naturally. I come from a family of worriers and anxiety ridden people. This isn’t an excuse by any means, just a fact. By the age of sixteen I was already on my way to being a professional worrier. I remember getting sick before long trips, anxiety before taking tests, and having all kinds of stomach issues. I went to the doctor during my sophomore year and discovered that I had an ulcer! I tried all kinds of over the counter remedies, and different ways to distract myself from worry, but none of them had long lasting results. It wasn’t until I had been a Christian for many years that I discovered the true remedy for worry – prayer!

Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Frank Gaebelein in his commentary says, “believers should be prayerful instead of anxious. The verb ‘merimnate’ can mean “to be concerned about” in a proper Christian sense (and is so used by Paul in 2:20), but here the meaning is clearly that of anxiety, fretfulness, or undue concern. Paul is not calling for apathy or inaction for as we make plans in the light of our circumstances, it is our Christian privilege to do so in full trust that our Father hears our prayers for what we need. The answer to anxiety is prayer.” The opposite of worry is trust, and that means to pray to Him for our concerns and our needs.

Another author said it this way, “Worrying shows that one has “little faith” in what God can do. As a disciple cares each day for the things God has trusted to him, God, his heavenly Father (6:26, 32), cares for his daily needs.” [The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 33)]

Jesus said that worry is sinful. We may try to dignify worry by calling it by some other name, but the results are still the same. Instead of solving the problem or making us live longer, anxiety only steals from us time and energy. That reminds me of a saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That is exactly what worry is!

If God can feed the birds and manage fields upon fields of grass and lilies, then He most certainly can take care of our needs – no matter how large they may seem! Will you trust Him today? Will you identify what it is that you are anxious about, and lay them at His feet?

PRAYER:

Ask God to show you what it is that you are anxious about and mentally lay them at His feet. Then ten minutes later, lay them back down again.

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

Cracked Pots!

Posted on Apr 16, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 264

Cracked Pots

From the April 12th reading

What is God’s agenda for us? What kind of people is God looking for when it comes to accomplishing His plan?

SCRIPTURE:

2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

God’s grace is sufficient for any of our needs
His power is made perfect in weakness
God always chose the youngest and the weakest to deliver Israel
Paul boasts of his weaknesses: (V. 10)
- Insults
- Hardships
- Persecutions
- Difficulties

APPLICATION:

God’s grace covers a multitude of sin
Our weaknesses = physical or mental
He is glorified more by using our weaknesses for His Kingdom
God can use our afflictions
God’s grace is sufficient to cover all of them.

MOTIVATION:

Many years ago a rich man had a servant whose job was to carry water each day from a distant stream to his master’s house. The servant carried the water in two large pots, each of which hung from opposite ends of a pole he carried across his neck. One pot was in perfect condition and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream. The other pot had a crack in it, though, and always arrived at the master’s house half full. For two years the servant delivered only one and a half pots of water to his master’s house each day. The undamaged pot was proud of itself. It had been made to carry water without leaking, and it did the job perfectly. The cracked pot, on the other hand, felt ashamed. It was miserable knowing it was not able to accomplish what it had been made to do. Still, it did the best it could, even if it was only half of what the perfect pot could do. Finally the cracked pot spoke to the servant one day by the stream. “I need to apologize to you,” the pot said, “For two years now, I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value for your efforts.” The servant simply said, “When we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” As they made their way back to the house, the cracked pot saw the gorgeous wildflowers beside the path and was cheered a little by their beauty. When they reached the house, the servant said to the cracked pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path? I’ve always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path. Every day when we walked back from the stream, you watered them. For two years I’ve been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. If you weren’t just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.” (Youth Specialties: Hot Illustrations)

Each of us has our own unique flaws. You might say we are all a bunch of “crackpots”. But if we allow Him to, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His table.

Paul wrote, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (2 Cor. 11:30). Paul had quite a few flaws, which he freely acknowledged, but God still used him in a mighty way. God has a habit of using people with flaws. While reading through the Old Testament there is one example after another of how God used men and women who were broken, and many times a mess. Just look at the genealogy of Jesus found in the gospels. There we find prostitutes, deceivers, and foreigners. God is in the business of using ordinary people with all of their flaws and weaknesses to do amazing things.

Tony Merida, in his book called Ordinary, shares this, “The book of Acts shows that the result of the early church’s efforts wasn’t’ due to their own gifting and wealth (though some were gifted and wealthy). When Peter and John were brought before the council they were called ‘unschooled, ordinary men’ (Acts. 4:13). Not even the leaders were extraordinary! But these ordinary people turned the world upside down.” God used ordinary Christians like you and me to change history! And God hasn’t changed His agenda one bit.

We see in verse 8 that Paul was given “a thorn in my flesh”. We don’t know what that thorn was but one author said: “It is understandable that Paul would consider this thorn a hindrance to wider or more effective ministry (cf. Gal. 4:14–16) and that he would repeatedly petition God for its removal (2 Cor. 12:8). But he learned from this experience the lesson that pervades this letter: divine power is best displayed against the backdrop of human weaknesses (cf. 4:7) so that God alone is praised.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Rather than removing this “thorn” God gave Paul the grace that He would need. This same grace is still “sufficient” for us today. God wants to use our weaknesses, our infirmities, our difficulties in life for greater things. God wants to use cracked pots, like us, to do amazing things!

PRAYER:

Ask God how He wants to use your weaknesses this week. How can you use your “ordinary” to do amazing things for Him?

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

Pass it On!

Posted on Apr 9, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 358

Pass it On!

From the April 1st reading

How do we find the will and the strength to show others compassion, when we seem to be running on empty?

SCRIPTURE:

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

He is the Father of Compassion
He is the God of all comfort
He comforts us so that we can comfort others
We comfort others with the same comfort that the Father shows us
His comfort overflows from us to others (vs. 5)

APPLICATION:

God has comforted us so we need to comfort others
His comfort and love should overflow from our lives to the lives of others
We get His comfort from seeking Him and spending time with Him.
He also uses others to comfort us

MOTIVATION:

Bobby was a special-education boy. He was just bright enough to remain in a regular classroom but was still noticeably different. He was the constant butt of jokes by his classmates, but he never seemed to mind. Every day, as the neighborhood kids walked home from school, Bobby’s mother would look out the window to see them all laughing and joking together—all except Bobby. He was always walking behind the others, all alone. It was obvious that the other children felt uncomfortable around Bobby and shunned him. One day Bobby burst into the kitchen after school. “Mom, guess what?” he said. “Valentine’s Day is two weeks away, and our teacher said we could make valentines and give them to the other kids in our class! ”His mother’s heart sank as she pictured yet another opportunity for Bobby to be excluded. “Mom,” Bobby continued, “I’m going to make a valentine for every person in my class!” “That’s very nice, Bobby,” his mother answered, fighting back the tears. Over the next two weeks, Bobby worked every afternoon on those valentines. They were truly labors of love. When the big day finally came, he was so excited about taking his valentines to school that he couldn’t eat breakfast. But he was also a little worried. “I hope I didn’t forget anybody,” he said as he dashed off to school. Bobby’s mother made a fresh batch of his favorite cookies and prepared herself to comfort her son when he returned home brokenhearted from the valentine exchange. She knew how disappointed he would be with the response he got from the other children. That afternoon she saw the same cluster of neighborhood kids walking home together. A half block behind them, all alone, was Bobby. Bobby’s mother turned away and placed a plate of cookies on the table. Much to her surprise, Bobby came through the door with a huge smile on his face. “What is it, Bobby?” she asked. “How did it go?” With a shout of pure joy, Bobby said, “Guess what, Mom! I didn’t forget a single kid!” (From Youth Specialties – Hot Illustrations)

Imagine what life would be like if more of us were like Bobby! He was so focused on giving that he didn’t stop to think of the response that he would receive. He was so concerned about others that he was blind to the fact that he was being slighted by his classmates.

According to this passage in 1 Corinthians we have a Father of Compassion, and He shows us comfort in our time of need. There have been countless times when God has shown me comfort and given me compassion. I could share story after story, and I know that many of you could as well. But our comfort is not the end goal.

One author said this, “Just as spiritual gifts are not intended solely for the recipients’ benefit but are to be used in turn for the service of others (cf. 1 Peter 4:10), so comfort received from God enables believers to comfort others. The comfort of God is channeled through people”

[The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 555).]

Many times our comfort comes in the form of other people, often other believers. We are feeling down and have had a rough week, and a friend calls to invite us to coffee. Or you get a card in the mail with loving words inscribed within at just the right time. These are often times divine moments where God has moved in the heart of someone else to call or even write a note, days before you even needed it.

God wants to use you and me to be those channels of comfort for others as well. Where do we find the resources to show compassion to others? Through the well of comfort and compassion that He has shown us. If God is the “Father of Compassion” then at the very least He will give us the ability to show that same compassion to others, even if we don’t have it within ourselves.

So, who is it that needs your comfort this week? Who needs an encouraging word from you? Who is it that needs an act of compassion? Ask God and He will place them on your heart, then simply do it, and see what God does through you!

PRAYER:

Ask God to enable you to show comfort and compassion to someone this week. Ask Him to show you who needs an encouraging word or note from you and He will.

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

The Test!

Posted on Apr 2, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation, Uncategorized | 293

The Test!

From the March 27th reading

How do you handle tests? Do you freeze up or do you handle them with ease?

SCRIPTURE:

Judges 2:21-22

“I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their ancestors did.” (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

Joshua and the leaders of Israel had all passed away.
The first generation of Israelites did a horrible job of passing down what Moses and Joshua had commanded them. (Vv. 10-11)
The people forsook all of the Laws, decrees, rituals, and sacrifices.
This all happened within one generation!
God left other nations in Israel to test them
Israel failed the test and God judged them.

APPLICATION:

It didn’t take long for the nation of Israel to forget where they came from and all that God had done for them.
It also didn’t take long for Christianity to turn into a religion and to walk away from the true teachings of Christ (See Galatians)
The church has been divided ever since, and we have become scattered and weak.
God leaves things in our lives to test us as well. (Ex. Paul in 2 Cor. 12:7)

MOTIVATION:

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t—the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun when he visited a second-hand book store and selected a book that interested him. When he began to browse the book, however, it was not the words of the book that intrigued him, but the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. It didn’t take long to locate her address—she lived right there in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year the two of them grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared about her, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting—7:00 p.m. at the Grand Central Station in New York. “You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my lapel.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he’d never seen. I’ll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened: “A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. ‘Going my way, sailor?’ she murmured. “Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible; her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. “I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small, worn, blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. “‘I’m Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?’” “The woman’s face broadened into a tolerant smile. ‘I don’t know what this is about, son,’ she answered, ‘but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!’”

(Taken from Youth Specialties “Hot Illustrations)

A test is sometimes the only way we can know what’s in our hearts. Sometimes it is a flirtatious smile from a co-worker, or maybe it is “accidentally” checking the wrong box on our tax return. Either way, these can be tests that check our integrity and our faithfulness. Most tests happen when no one else is looking. In the case of the nation of Israel it was when everyone was looking, especially God! They had failed to remove all of the foreign nations in their newly conquered territory, and God decided He would use these foreigners to test the faithfulness of His chosen people. Unfortunately they failed!

“The summary in vv.20-23 closely resembles the stern pronouncement of vv.1-3 by the angel of the Lord. Violating the covenant meant a slower conquest of Canaan. The nations would be left there to test Israel’s desire to obey the Lord (v.33). The constant pressure from a pagan culture would prove who the genuine believers really were.” (The Expositors Bible Commentary).

Many times God allows things to stay in our lives in order to test our resolve and our faith. Paul asked three times that a “thorn in his flesh” be removed (2 Cor. 12). We can only speculate what the “thorn” was, but the words that Paul was given remain true today – “My grace is sufficient for you”!

What kinds of tests have you been given? What test are you experiencing right now? Remember God can not tempt us, but He most certainly does test us!

PRAYER:

Ask God to help you to remain faithful and true to the tests that He lays in your path. Pray that you will not fail, and if you do fail, remember He will forgive.

If you would like more information about how you can have a relationship with Him or how to grow in your faith, then please contact us at (928)636-2949 or email me at pastorguy@cvgrace.com

Mystery Garden

Posted on Mar 26, 2018 by Guy Deckard in #mondaymotivation | 300

Mystery Garden

From the March 18th reading

What is in your garden? What tools has God placed in your hands? Read here to discover God’s plan for our lives.

SCRIPTURE:

1 Corinthians 3:7-8

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

It is not the workers who produce a crop – it is God
One person’s job is to plant
Another person’s job is to water
They both will be rewarded for their labor.

APPLICATION:

We all need to be either planting seeds or watering
Evangelizing
Or Discipling / Encouraging / Mentoring
It is God who works in the hearts of people
We will be rewarded for all that we do to make disciples

MOTIVATION:

I remember many years ago when we bought our first house. We were so excited and couldn’t wait to get our young family of six moved in. We had shopped for months, and God led us to just the right house. Shortly after moving in I discovered a small garden on the side of the house that had already been planted. It was a winter garden. I had never planted a winter garden, and didn’t recognize all of the plants. So I began to weed it, and to water it each day. I love to see things grow, and was excited to see what kind of vegetables had been planted here. There was one plant that I had guessed was spinach, and I had picked off and ate a few of the leaves while waiting for them to fully grow. One day I realized that these were not spinach plants, but were in fact broccoli plants. After getting over feeling foolish, I couldn’t wait to try our home grown broccoli. The day finally came. I cut off several heads of broccoli. They were so deep, rich, and green in color. I had never seen broccoli like this in the store. Shelli cooked them up for us, and they were by far the best broccoli I had ever eaten. Store bought broccoli has never even come close since.

This story of my gardening skills, illustrates this passage for us … I hope! I didn’t plant this garden. I didn’t dig up the soil, mix in fertilizer, or even plant the seeds. All I did was water and pull a few of the weeds. One of us planted, and the other watered, but we did not make these beautiful green plants grow.

The same is true when it comes to making disciples. It is much like planting a seed and watching it grow. One person many times shares the gospel, and another comes along to encourage and nurture that new believer to maturity in Christ. But it is the Lord who produces the results.

One author says this about this passage in 1 Corinthians 3: Apollos and Paul were given their ministries by Christ (Eph. 4:11). They were the means, not the cause, whereby the Corinthians believed (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4–5). God alone produced results. God made the seed grow (3:6). Therefore God alone should get the credit (v. 7). As servants, Paul and Apollos were not competing against each other but were complementing each other’s ministries (v. 8). Their purpose was to bring the church to maturity, to Christlikeness (Eph. 4:12–13). In accord with their faithfulness to that task would come their reward (cf. 1 Cor. 4:2–5). For though a minister served the church he was basically responsible to God. Paul and Apollos were fellow workers who belonged to God and worked for Him in His field, the church (3:9).

[The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 511)]

God assigns some of us the task of evangelizing. All of us are commanded to do it (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts. 1:8), but for some of us it comes more naturally. Then, there are those who are spiritually wired to disciple, coach, and mentor. Each play an important part in the task of “making disciples”, and one is not more important than the other.

Warren Wiersbe says this, “The work of the pastor is to help the church grow spiritually and mature in the Lord. This is done by the steady, balanced ministry of the Word. Ephesians 4:1–16 explains how this is done: It is necessary for each member of the body to make his own contribution. God gives spiritual gifts to His people, and then He gives these gifted people to the various churches to build up the saints. As the believers grow, they build the church.”

[Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 578)]

It is exciting to realize that we all have a part to play in God’s major plan for building His Kingdom. We aren’t all called to do the same thing, but we have all been strategically gifted by His Spirit (1 Cor. 12:7-11). This shouldn’t be seen as a burden, but a privilege. We have been given a purpose in this life that is far greater than our career, our income, or our portfolio.

Paul continues with these important instructions, “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:8-9 (NIV) We have been given a purpose, a reason for living, and one that will be rewarded. We are co-workers in God’s massive plantation – some of us planting, others watering, and some even weeding.

So, whether you have a rake or a shovel in your hands, God has given you a purpose for your life. He has given you a role to play. What is your role? What has God specifically designed for you to do? What is your God-given purpose?

Just dig in and watch what God does! It’s pretty amazing!

PRAYER:

Ask God to show you clearly His purpose for your life. If you need direction see your pastor or someone that you trust. Seek it out, and try it on for size!

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