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"You Can't Live on Yesterday's Water" Devotional Thought & "The Consumption Assumption" Sermon Recap

1/29/2015

 
Devotional Thought
"You Can't Live on Yesterday's Water".

If I wanted to get you excited about something, what would that something be?  Recently, friends of ours decided to do something very exciting.  We watched a video of Duane & Jenn telling their three boys that the family was going to Walt Disney World!!!  What should have been a very exciting moment with lots of screaming and jumping up and down turned quickly into nervous thoughts of flying in a plane for the first time, and confusion about when this was going to happen.  It almost seemed that the parents were more excited than the kids (don't worry, they went and had an incredible time...as I'm sure you guessed).

Can you think of exciting moments in your life?  Perhaps from childhood or maybe more recently.  I came across this quote from John Maxwell, "When your memories excite you more than the future, you're done."  Hmm.  What do you think?  Is that true?  I thought of the church, and how so often we get more excited about the past than the future.  Isaiah 43:18-21 says, 

“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past. 
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
The wild animals honor me,
the jackals and the owls,
because I provide water in the wilderness 
and streams in the wasteland,
to give drink to my people, my chosen, 
the people I formed for myself
that they may proclaim my praise.

If you read a few verses before verse 18, Isaiah reminds the reader of how God brought the Israelites out of Egypt.  As always, we read scripture with the balance of all of scripture.  And you wouldn't have to read much to know God doesn't intend the people to not remember the mighty things He has done for them in the past (in fact, there were many yearly festivals to remind the people of the past).  I think it comes to that word "dwell".  We remember the past, but we don't live there.  And then Isaiah goes on to talk about providing "water in the wilderness".  You can't live on yesterday's water.  The water I drank yesterday gave me strength to live...yesterday.  I need to drink more water to give me strength...today.  Are you excited about how God is going to provide for you today?  God has done wonderful things; throughout history, in our church, in our lives...but the following words are for us too, aren't they?  "See, I am doing a new thing!"  The best is yet to be.

Sunday Sermon Recap
Guardrails.  The Consumption Assumption.*

*Sunday's Message is based on teaching from Pastor Andy Stanley at North Point Community Church.  I've been asked for my manuscript (what I preached from).  If you'd also like me to send or print you a copy, let me know.

Key Verse from Sunday: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." -Matthew 6:24, NIV

God Is Not After Your Money.  He's After Your Devotion.  And money (our stuff) often gets in the way.

The Ditch on One Side of the Financial Road is "consumption" and the other is "hoarding".

We're either a consumer or hoarder.  Spender or saver.  The problem is, both ditches assume there's no God.

Greed is simply the assumption that it's all for my consumption.

How to avoid the ditches on the financial road:

(Matthew 6:21, Numbers 18:26, Malachi 3:10).

1. Give.
2. Save (Hoard).
3. Live (Consume).

Do you want financial freedom?  Then live by God's principles, and drive within His guardrails.
When we give to God first, it helps us keep our stuff and our relationship to it in check.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  -Matthew 6:33

Question for Reflection

How does giving to God first (before we save or buy stuff) help us live in financial freedom?

I welcome your comments.
-Jason


"A Power House" Devotional & "Forsaken Assembly" Sermon Recap

1/21/2015

 
A Power House
It's cold outside!  As you know, sometimes the cold causes problems with engines starting up.  Chrissy faithfully plugs in the Ford Focus on cold mornings to make sure it starts.  I, however, have been chancing that the Taurus will start without being plugged in, and so far so good.  I even use the remote starter (which I guess you're not supposed to do on really cold days).  But it keeps on chugging.  It has a good battery.  A good power supply.  How's your power supply? 

I've been enjoying a song this week by worship leader, Darlene Zschech, called "In Jesus' Name".  The bridge declares;

"God is fighting for us
Pushing back the darkness
Lighting up the Kingdom
That cannot be shaken
In the Name of Jesus,
Enemy's defeated
And we will shout it out,
Shout it out"*

Thank goodness we don't have to rely on our own power to "push back the darkness".  "God is fighting for us"!  Someday, I'm going to push the Taurus too far, and the battery is going to give out, and I'll need a boost."  You know I love simple analogies...so here you go.  Why not just skip the "trying to do it ourselves" phase and get our boost direct from God from the start.  2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."  I don't know about you, but I need a power-up today.  

In Christ...
I AM=purity
I CAN=power
I MUST=passion

Do you have darkness in your world that needs pushing back?  Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.  "Be Bold. Be Strong.  For the Lord Your God is With You."

*"In Jesus' Name" by Darlene Zschech from the album, "Revealing Jesus".  Click here to listen to an acoustic version of the song>>

Sermon Recap for Sunday, January 18, 2015
Series: Together. Stronger.
Message: Forsaken Assembly.
Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25

The Local Church Is the Hope of the World
Click here to view my opening video>>

Key Verse: "...not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  -Hebrews 10:25, NIV

Determine to make your church a priority because...
1. United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we...” (v.19)
2. The Price for Your Entry Was So High.
“...by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body...” (v. 20).  Ephesians 2:13.
3. When We Draw Near to God, He Has Promised to Draw Near to Us.  But When We Draw Near to God Together, He Will Move Heaven and Earth.
“...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart...” (v.22). Matthew 18:19-20.
4. Real Hope Exists Here.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess...” (v.23)
5. Someone Is Looking for Your Love and Your Outstretched Hand.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...” (v.24) 
6. You Are Not Alone.  Why Act Like You Are?
“...but encouraging one another...” (v. 25).  1 Peter 5:8.

The Local Church is the Hope of the World.  Be A Part of It!

Question for Reflection
How high on your priority list is your commitment to your local church and why?

I welcome your comments.
-Jason

Just Deserts

1/13/2015

 
I Love When People Get Their Just Deserts...Unless It's Me
I love dessert.  I admit it.  Chrissy took me out for my birthday last night and we had these yummy donuts (after the waiters came and did their "happy birthday" chant).  But of course, that's not what the phrase means.  It actually has nothing to do with food.  Getting your "just deserts" basically means "they'll get what's coming to them".  We like it when a robber is finally caught or that scammer is finally found out.  I read in Psalm 11:3-7 (NLT) today a passage that seemed to speak so clearly to the turmoil of the times we're living in.

The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?
But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven.  He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 
The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked.  He hates those who love violence. 
He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 
For the righteous LORD loves justice.  The virtuous will see his face.

I'm glad our God "loves justice".  I'm glad those terrorists in France will get their "just deserts".  God doesn't stand for such things.  But I'm also glad that God is full of grace and mercy.  Because, although no terrorist, there are things I've done, sins I've committed, that demand justice.  I'm not as excited about ME getting my "just deserts".  James 4:6 says, "But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, 'God opposes the proud but favors the humble.'”  When we humble ourselves, and come in repentance to God, Jesus takes the penalty a God who loves justice demands (that's why He died on the cross) and we receive, instead, grace.  That sounds more like the dessert I like.  Ha.

Question for Reflection
It seems like that word "seek" has been showing up all over the place as I've read God's Word.  Are you seeking His face?  I read this recently: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV). 
We are encouraged to seek Him (Jeremiah 29:13).  What does it look like to find Him?



I welcome your comments.
-Jason

Facetiming.

1/7/2015

 
New Year.  New Thoughts. New Power.
So let me ask you a question.  How's your thought life?  How we think dictates how we feel and act.  Let's take it a little further.  Is your thought life pleasing to God?  If you're like me, you know it's easy to stray in this area of our lives, cause we tell ourselves "who's gonna know".  We pause and dwell when we should move on and rebuke.  Whether it's gossip, negativity, temptation, anger...God wants all of us, not just the outside.  But how do we get control of our thought life?  A scripture that has helped me is 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV), "...take captive every thought and make it obedience to Christ".  I love how The Message paraphrase puts this passage, "The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ."  That's good stuff!  So how will you and I wield these "powerful God-tools" this year?

Sermon Recap
Series: Together. Stronger.
Message: Facetiming
Key Verse from Sunday:
"...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV

1. Collective Prayer is Powerful ("...if my people").
2. Prayer Puts God First ("...will humble themselves").
3. Prayer Without Action Is Incomplete ("...and turn from their wicked ways").
4. The Results Are Huge ("...then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land").
5. When You Prayer, See His Face, Not Just His Hand (...and prayer and seek my face...").

Question for Reflection
How do we "seek His face" when we pray and not "just His hand"?


I welcome your comments.
-Pastor Jason

    Jason McCutcheon

    Devotional thoughts, reflections on a books I've read or a great song I've come across.  Thanks for reading!

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529 McKay Ave.
North Bay, ON  P1B 7V7
705-494-9710
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