This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

www.JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

I pray you had a great week and weekend. I hope you heard a great sermon, too.

How long does it take to read one of the most encouraging and informative letters on the internet? Please read it and let me know!

My 40 day fast is going very well. God has been giving me great strength and teaching me awesome things. Today is the 23rd day. Please pray that I stay strong and continue loving God more than anything! This has been quite and adventure and if you'd like to read my fasting journals, you may. Simply go here: http://www.jcsm.org/Fasting/Days1-10.htm

Two milestone were just reached. This week commemorates one year of sending Spanish devotions! Praise the Lord we've been able to reach people in another language. The other major milestone is we've exceeded 5000 names on the devotional mailing list! This list is growing at a rapid pace. I'm thankful for the increase and will be faithful to continue doing my job. All thanks and praise be to the Lord.

Please pray for the all-new, Quest service at New Venture Christian Fellowship! Many people have been working hard to bring a Sunday night service to Oceanside, California. It's targeting people between the ages of 18-35. I've been attending this growing group for about 6 months and it's been awesome. If you're in the area, please come! Email me or call them for more details.

I'm forming an Advisory Board for this ministry. I'd love some godly men and women to be on it. I'm hoping to get some feedback from some recipients of the devotions. I'm also looking for people who can give me some visionary ideas for this ministry. It is always growing and improving because the internet is a place that's full of options and opportunities. If you'd like to be on my Advisory Board, please email me.

Would you like to see the qualities of love? They are from 1 Corinthians chapter 13. You can find them here and send them to a friend! http://sendafriend.com/loveis/

Please take a minute to sign The International Church Directory. I'm compiling a list of churches all over the world! It will only take a minute to tell us about yours at - http://www.alxbook.com/cgi-bin/guestbook.cgi?gb=G21937

JCSM needs some chat room ministers. This will only take from a few minutes a week to a few minutes a day (depending on your availability). The only requirement is you be on AOL. Don't feel unqualified until you know exactly what I'm asking. Please email me if you'd like more details!

Today, the band U2 is releasing a new album! As you may know, Bono and The Edge are Christians. They are played on secular radio and television, even though they've written songs about Jesus and the Christian life (including Grace, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, If God Will Send His Angels, Gone, Do You Feel Love, Starring at the Sun, 40, Where the Streets Have No Name, etc.) I've heard their new album and it's great. Email me if you're a U2 fan.

AOL 6.0 has been released to the public! I've been beta testing the newest versions for months and I give it two thumbs up. You can download it at keyword: AOL 6.0

Would you like to enter a free contest to win money or a guitar? Simply go here: www.iwongear.com

The French devotions are being suspended because the internet translation program is far from adequate. If you know of a good translation program, please let me know. It's unfortunate that the French speaking people won't receive the devotions, but I look forward to the day when they can.

The number on the devotions has been changed to reflect the actual number of devotional messages that have been sent. I began numbering them several months ago, so people could keep track of them. However, these devotions have been encouraging the internet community every week since April, 1997.

Please visit my web page! There's over 1500 links (pictures, midis, Bible lessons, humor, proverbial stories, links, devotions, poetry, prayer journals and much more!) and it has registered over 37,333 hits!

If this ministry has touched you in a special way, please pray and consider sending a gift to Jesus Christ Saves Ministries. On the web, we're encouraging the believers and sharing the gospel with unbelievers. I'm also doing counseling on a regular basis. As I do full-time ministry on the web, love and help others, I never charge them anything for my time or services.

Would you like to support God's work on the web? You can become a Super Supporter of JCSM by sending only $5 a month. You'll be joining us in our vision to reach people on the web with the good news! Of course, a gift of any size will be appreciated! My address and more information is at the bottom of this message.

Welcome to the new screen names or recipients of this message! Here are the devotions, moment of introspection, challenge and quotations for the week. Have a fantastic week and God bless you!

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "His Strength is Needed"

2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 "And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Psalm 18:2, 3 "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies."

1 Chronicles 28:20 "And David said to his son Solomon, 'Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God - my God - will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.'"

1 Corinthians 1:25 "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

Prayer: "

Day 2: "One, Two, Three, Grow!"

2 Peter 3:18 "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Psalm 92:12 "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."

Ephesians 4:14-16 "We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

1 Peter 2:1, 2 "Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

Prayer: "

Day 3: "A Wonderful Wife"

Proverb 31:10 "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies."

Proverb 12:4 "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones."

Proverb 5:18 "Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice with the wife of your youth."

Proverb 19:14 "Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD."

1 Corinthians 7:4 "The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does."

Ephesians 5:23, 24, 33 "For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

1 Peter 3:3 "Do not let your adornment be merely outward - arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel - rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

Proverb 18:22 "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD."

Prayer: "

Day 4: "Make Time to Meditate"

Joshua 1:8 "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Psalm 119:15, 48 "I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, Which I love, And I will meditate on Your statutes."

Psalm 4:4 "Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah"

Psalm 77:6, 12 "I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search. I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds."

Psalm 145:5 "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works."

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

Prayer: "

Day 5: "Invest in Eternity"

Psalm 37:18 "Day by day, God sees the good deeds done by godly men and gives them eternal rewards."

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Prayer: "

Day 6: "Home Sweet Home"

Philippians 3:20, 21 "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself."

1 Peter 2:11 "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul."

Hebrews 11:13-16 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

Prayer: "

Day 7: "Keep Fighting"

1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

2 Timothy 4:7, 8 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."

Ephesians 6:12-18 "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

Prayer: "

Challenge

Write a poem! You can write it any way you wish. It could rhyme, it could be about God, it could be about life, etc.

I wrote a poem, today. It was my first poem from God's perspective. I wrote like I was God and talking to Jason. I've heard some songs and scriptures that use the same idea. It was fun and interesting.

If you're not good at poetry, try writing a short essay. You could even write it in a journal. There's something therapeutic and beneficial about writing. It's also a good way to remember your thoughts and feelings.

Have fun meeting this week's challenge and God bless you!

A Moment of Introspection

Something that makes me smile is when I begin getting upset about something and realize it's probably the one and only thing, in the entire world, that could be making me upset right now!

The evil one tries to steal our joy. I hope you are victorious and do not let him. Jesus gives us an enormous supply of love and joy. All you have to do is ask.

Counter demonic attacks with right thinking. Use the scriptures and smile. Christ has won the battle and He is living inside of us! Don't let the one thing that could bother you, at a particular point in time, bother you. Recognize demonic attacks and overcome them.

Quotations

Serving God helps cure lukewarmness.

When you speak the words of God, Satan has to flee!

Teach people God's Words, not your words.

Be creative and fervent in your ministry.

Don't consume yourself with people of the world.

Leaders who develop followers focus on the weaknesses of the people.

Leaders who develop leaders focus on the strengths of the people.

Come to church wanting to seek God first.

Serving God can be the most exciting thing you ever do!

Leaders who develop followers lift themselves up.

Leaders who develop leaders lift others up.

Be inclusive in your churches and Bible studies.

All I know is what You tell me.

All I want to be is what You are.

We have to stand up for who we are in Christ.

We live in a world of subtle bowing to idols.

Look at your life. Are you bowing to any idols?

Once you begin doing something right, you begin getting accused.

God is more than able to deliver us from our trials, but even if He doesn't, we won't serve other Gods.

We all go through God's refining fire. Remember that He is with you!

Do you desire God's refining fire?

You won't always know how or why you're being refined.

Go against the grain until the grain changes.

I'd rather be a weirdo than be another follower of the world.

Is the world giving you your identity?

None of us can be stopped when God's power flows through us.

What are the stumbling blocks in your society, today?

Knowledge and experience are two different things.

Do you have the courage to correct someone who is zealous for God, but believes some fallacies?

We must have zeal for God and a relationship with Him.

Don't hide behind your pastor.

Grace plus anything isn't grace.

Make God's Word a vital part of your day.

God's Word benefits our lives.

If the police were to take away every Bible on Earth, how much of it would you have memorized?

Because we need reminders to obey, we need to read the Bible and apply it often.

We have no excuse for abandoning God.

Plans rarely turn out as intended.

What is your anchor in a changing world?

Thank God today for the immense security He provides.

Take comfort in God's promises to you.

God gives blessings to people according to His will.

God wants to love, protect and bless us if only we will let Him.

Our pride, envy, stubbornness and disobedience deprive us of God's eternal blessings.

Don't let anything hinder your relationship with God.

A man is saved by trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross and not by physical excitement or religious ecstasy.

God's grace is deeper than our sins.

The grace of God says you serve God because you're saved, not in order to be saved.

Someone who tastes God's grace is the hardest worker, the most morally pure individual and the person most willing to forgive.

Whether you like it or not, all believers are called to be ministers of God.

We are all DJ's for God because when we lead someone to Christ, there's a part in Heaven!

Give God enough time to speak to you.

When you hear the truth, don't wait to do it.

If you want to maximize your blessings, do exactly what God tells you.

If you want to stay in God's blessings, you must obey His rules.

Jesus completes you; another human cannot.

Adam was given his mate while he was sleeping, so don't think you have to search excessively for one.

Wouldn't you rather have God bring you someone, rather than your hairstyle?

Manipulating the other sex is sin.

Don't use your influence to satisfy your fleshly desires.

Pray, trust God and listen closely for His voice.

The husband must establish and maintain the family.

Christ has made you triumphant!

Christians must derive their security from faith in Christ.

Try listening with greater discernment to commercials on radio and television. Note how their values differ from God's.

Having sex with your virgin wife, for the first time, is a blood covenant (resembling Christ's blood covenant with us).

Homosexuality perverts the blood covenant between a man and a woman.

Guilt is a feeling you did something wrong. Shame is a feeling you are something wrong.

What is preventing you from intimacy?

Keeping secrets and avoiding intimacy is a great way to marry the wrong person.

Four ways you can show love are: acts of service, physical touch, quality time and words of encouragement.

Husbands and wives must know what their spouse's love language is.

Quality intimacy requires honesty.

Can you be spiritually and emotionally naked before your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend?

The more honest you are with yourself, the more free you will be.

Sit before God and see what He has to say.

God is preparing each of us for something.

What was the most favorite gift you've ever gotten? Why?

God will bless you and others if you take a step of faith.

If you didn't pray for safety and protection, you have every reason to be afraid. However, if you did pray for safety and protection, you have no reason to fear.

Which percentage of your life is spent doing what you want to do?

If you showed me the world through your eyes, what would I see?

Why do you rely on such weak power?

I just want someone to laugh at this silly world with me.

God will relieve you from your burdens when you sing praises to Him.

When is the last time you sang praise songs to God?

I know exactly where I should stand with Christ.

Saying something with boldness does not make you right.

Is it ok to do things that God thinks are morally disgusting?

God didn't put laws in effect for us to please one another, He put them in effect to please Him.

There's nothing perfect about doing what God doesn't want.

Just because God creates you, it doesn't mean He'll agree with anything you do.

The phrase "gay man of God" is an oxymoron.

Leaving faith and God out of any equation will result in the wrong answer.

God teaches us His wisdom in the Bible.

Demons feed on human weakness.

Believers are more interested than unbelievers in developing our character.

Worldly peace comes and goes without the consent of the unbeliever.

With God, you can still have peace in crazy circumstances.

Is this refining really necessary?

We should devote our lives to God because He is all that matters.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Tim Elmore, Ajax (Ben Broome), Miles McPhearson, Tyrone Moore and my friends from New Venture.

These quotes can be used for sanctification and fun. Most of them are directly based on scripture and scriptural principles. Some of my quotes are humorous or rhetorical. Some are written from sermons and Bible studies. Others are lyrics from songs. Like most verses in the Bible, they can be debated. To use what I have written in the most beneficial way, try and trace them back to the scriptures they were derived from and apply the true principles to your life in a meaningful way! Please don't sell my quotes or publish them for profit. If English is not your first language, you may not understand some of the quotes. I'm sorry, but some of them are English metaphors and deal with multiple word meanings. God bless you all!

Please make a commitment to pray for this ministry. As every believer is tempted and tried, this ministry faces trials also. God has blessed me, JCSM and the people who have been reached! Unfortunately, the enemy knows this and spiritual warfare is the result. Please, at least pray that the devotions continue to be sent religiously, the web pages stay on the www and the subscribers are blessed, sanctified and protected from evil. Thank you very much in advance!

Do you want to help people receive the good news? I have sent nearly 500,000 emails, encouraging people with God's Word! Please join me in the great commission. I'm reaching new people every day with God's awesome Word! If God has blessed you and you wish to send a love offering to me and my ministry, please send it to the address below.

You can help this ministry! Your donations will keep my ministries running and they further my visions for evangelism. The internet, the telephone (volunteering time for the Youth Crisis hotline), the guitar, singing and gospel tracts are some ways that I encourage people and lead them to Christ. I'm certain there will be more ways to reach people in the future. Along with getting support, I also give support! I regularly give to my church and frequently give to needy people. Lastly, I do a lot of research on religious topics on the internet and at the library. You will definitely see the results of my work on my web page and in the weekly messages!

For more about me and my service history, go to http://resume.jcsm.org. For what I do, my ministries and giving, go to http://vision.jcsm.org

If you have received these devotions from someone other than I, please email me and I will send them to you, personally, each week. Don't worry, I don't send forwards or any other junk mail. I also refrain from giving your name to anyone. Also, email me if you wish to be removed from this list. If you prefer to receive the devotions in Spanish or French, please email me and I'll send you them each week in either Spanish or French!

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please email me! I would love to share the gospel with you. The Bible is very straightforward when it speaks about Heaven, Hell and eternal life. If there is any doubt that you are going to Heaven when you die, please let me know today!

Are you having trouble in life? Do you need someone to talk to? You can call the youth crisis hotline at 1-800-HIT-HOME, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I'm currently volunteering time for this hotline. Our motto is "help, not hassle". We will listen to you and encourage you. If you are hurting and need someone to talk to, please feel free to call. YDI pays for these calls and has helped over 1 million people! They are also looking for people to answer calls. Their web site is at www.1800hithome.com

Would you like to feed starving people by simply clicking a button and paying absolutely nothing? Sponsors pay to donate food to hungry people all over the world. I click this nearly every day. It takes about 10 seconds and it donates food to needy people! Go here: www.thehungersite.com and here www.stopthehunger.com

JCSM now does regular mailings! If you are getting rid of your email or know someone who wants the devotions, but doesn't have email, please give me their address and we'll send them the devotions. If you don't have internet access, but want to read a certain web page or Bible lesson, let me know. I could copy and paste something into an email message for you.

Since April of 1997, the weekly devotional message has been sent on the internet. This message currently reaches 5066 people in 98 countries. To read a list of these countries, go here: http://www.jcsm.org/misc/countries.htm. To read the archived devotions online, go here: http://devos.jcsm.org.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

http://www.jcsm.org

Over 1500 Links!

Jesus loves you!

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him should have everlasting life."