This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

www.JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

I pray you had a super weekend and Monday!

Please pray for me this week. I'll be substitute teaching every day! I love teaching and it will be great to earn some extra money for my wedding, honeymoon and extra moving expenses. There's only 25 more days until the wedding!

I didn't make it to the Skillet concert because I had to work. However, Caedmon's Call, The Lemonade Stand and The Normals were awesome! It was especially great to see a couple of old friends at the Lemonade Stand show. A special shout out goes to Jeremy, Charlie and Seth! God bless you guys.

Since a lot of people wrote me about baptism, I did a little research paper on the subject. I've uploaded to my web page. If you'd like to read about Christian, water baptism, please go here: http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/Baptism.htm.

Audio Adrenaline is releasing a new album called Hit Parade! It's a greatest hits album with two new songs called "One Like You" and "Will Not Fade." They're awesome, especially the second one. This album will hit the stores on Wednesday the fourteenth.

Have you ever heard of the Christadelphians? I hadn't until one came to my door. After researching their sect, I found them on the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry site. Here it is: http://www.carm.org/delphian.htm.

Please pray for my band auditions. We're talking about hearing two more bassists. I'm thankful for the interest that people have been showing. Auditioning people has been a timely process, but we're still practicing and glorifying God like we did in the beginning!

Do you need a great Bible study in the San Diego area? For about a year, I've been attending New Venture's Bible study, at 7pm on Thursdays, in Oceanside! I've met some great Christians there and we have a lot of fun. If you need more information, let me know! You'll love the worship, message, food and social time with our college and career group called Quest.

Do you need a daily devotional message? An online friend named Joshua publishes one called Joshua's Journal. If you'd like more info, please email him at BigJosh916@aol.com.

God bless you in your spiritual growth! Keep praying to love God and others. Those are the most important commandments.

What is a sulfite? Should we care? Find out here: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/096_sulf.html.

*** Are you receiving about twelve pages with this message? If this message is truncated, and perhaps you're only receiving half of it, you can always find these devotions on my web site! Simply go here: http://devos.jcsm.org.

This is your ministry, so please feel free to link to JCSM and forward these devotions to your friends and family. On the JCSM website, there are over 1500 links (pictures, midis, Bible lessons, humor, proverbial stories, links, devotions, poetry, prayer journals and much more!) and it has registered over 42,000 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. We're also doing counseling on a regular basis. As we do full-time ministry on the web, love and help others, there is never a charge for our time and services.

Would you like to support God's work on the web? You can join us in our vision to reach people on the web with the good news! Please email me or see our address below.

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

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

http://jcsm.org/contact.php

http://jcsm.org/contact.php

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "Blessed Are . . . ."

Matthew 5:3-11 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake."

Revelation 1:3 "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

Psalm 1:1 "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful."

Psalm 33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance."

Jeremiah 17:7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD."

Matthew 11:6 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him."

Prayer: "Thank you for telling us simply who is blessed. Let us be like You, Lord. Give us blessings and more of You! Thank you for having a system that is different than the world's. Thank you for giving us awesome qualities! Thanks for blessing us for obeying You. Show us how You are. Thank you for your awesome Word. Help us to memorize and apply it. There's no other God like You! Remind us how your ways are better than our ways. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "God's Names"

Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Psalm 18:2 "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."

* For more of God's names, go here: http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/godsnames.htm

Prayer: "Praise You for being so awesome! Praise You for being our Almighty God! There will never be another God like You. Thank you for being our Prince of Peace. Help us to remember your names and character. Praise You for having the qualities that all humankind needs. Thank you for being more awesome than our imagination! Thank you for orchestrating everything under and over the sun. Help us to praise You, continuously, and trust You deeply! You are the most awesome God in the universe! All praise be to You! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "With All Your Heart"

1 Samuel 12:24 "Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you."

Colossians 3:23, 24 "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

Joshua 22:5 "But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Proverb 3:5, 6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

Jeremiah 29:13 "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Matthew 22:37, 38 "Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment."

Prayer: "Thank you for teaching us to use our whole heart. Thank you for disliking a halfhearted effort. Show us how halfhearted devotion can hurt You, us and everyone else. Thank you for the awesome power and love that flows through fully devoted people! Let us be more devoted to You and the things You have us to do. Forgive us for being any less than wholeheartedly devoted to You. Thank you for having such awesome grace and mercy on us. Show us how we can be more devoted to You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "One Way"

Leviticus 8:21 "Then he washed the entrails and the legs in water. And Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses."

Exodus 12:23, 24 "And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you."

Genesis 4:3-5 "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."

Matthew 26:28 "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

Hebrews 9:22 "And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission."

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us the Old Testament laws, coming to Earth and fulfilling them. Thank you for the significance of a blood sacrifice. Help us understand how a burnt sacrifice to You would cleanse the Old Testament believers and how Jesus' sacrifice cleanses us. Thank you for your awesome ways. Thank you that You are a God that is perfect and makes sense. Let us appreciate You and the fact that You don't require us to do odd or harmful things. Praise You for having a plan since before the Earth was created! Remind us that You are faithful and sovereign. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Christian Freedom"

John 8:31-36 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'? Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.'"

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

Galatians 4:4, 5 "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."

Galatians 5: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

1 Peter 2:15, 16 "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men - as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God."

Prayer: "Thank you for the great freedom we have in You! Thank you for setting us free from our sins and the penalty of those sins. Thank you for giving us your Holy Spirit, so we can overcome or avoid sin all of our life! Praise You! Remind us that we are no longer simply victims that cannot avoid sin. You have overcome the world and given us the same power that You have. Remind us that we have your power within us and we have no excuse if we are sinning. Thank you for not letting us sink in this world, but giving us a way to swim and stand tall. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "What's Dumb?"

1 Corinthians 12:2 "You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led."

Proverb 10:14 "Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction."

Proverb 14:20 "A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish man despises his mother."

Proverb 10:23a "To do evil is like sport to a fool."

Proverb 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise."

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us words on the foolish things in this world. Reveal our idols to us. Help us understand the human tendencies we have. Give us great, spiritual strength to put away idols and pursue You! Let use see You, Lord. Give us spiritual food that will benefit our entire lives. Thank you for the ways You run after people. Help people to run to You, too. Thank you for loving us when we were foolish and promising to finish the work You began. Make us wise, Lord. Make us like You. Give us deep faith in You and love for You and others. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Everyone is Gifted"

Romans 12:3-8 "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

1 Corinthians 7:7 "For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that."

Ephesians 4:11-16 "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that 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."

Hebrews 2:4 "God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?"

1 Peter 4:10, 11 "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us spiritual gifts, Lord! Thank you for giving us these awesome ways to glorify You. Show us our gifts and how to use them. Remind us that You are the Giver of these gifts. Thank you for the ways You work through us. Thank you for my spiritual gifts of discernment, teaching and exhortation! Let me sharpen them and continue to use them for your glory. Thank you for the ways You desire to use us. Help us to obey You and not fight You. Thank you for having a perfect plan that involves us using our gifts for You and others. Help us to be unselfish. Give us your vision, Lord. Let us be unashamed and unafraid of what You've given us! To You be all the glory, honor and praise, forever and ever! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Email 10 people about the spiritual gifts you see in them! Perhaps your friends don't even know their gifts. Pray and ask God how you can encourage someone.

We've all been gifted. Perhaps something you say could encourage a Christian brother or sister. We can't always see or understand all of our gifts.

God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!

A Moment of Introspection

God has given every believer spiritual gifts. These gifts are awesome and need to be used for His glory. Do you know yours?

Believers should be using their gifts. Our spiritual gifts can help others, help us and glorify God. Have you ever taken a spiritual gifts test?

There are spiritual gifts tests on the web and at your church. Please find one and take it. It would be a terrible waste to never know or use your spiritual gifts!

The Bible Trivia Question

How long did Jesus live?

Last Week's Bible Trivia Answer

Matthias was chosen to replace Judas as the twelfth disciple. See Acts 1:26.

Quotations

Fear and anxiety keep us from serving God.

Imperfect service cannot stand in the way of God's amazing power.

Give God all the glory for what he accomplishes through you.

Thank God for your friends, teachers and families.

Give God the credit for your spiritual gifts and use them for His purposes.

Before you forget them, write the great ideas God gives you.

Christians who refuse to share Christ with the world are like candles who refuse to be lit because they think they're not ready.

If you don't think you have any spiritual gifts, you either aren't saved or haven't discovered them.

Appreciate your spiritual gift(s).

Don't envy other people's spiritual gifts.

By not serving God with our talents, we are like perfectly healthy candles singing to each other about light, but refusing to come out of the closet.

If there are things that we do that may make a weaker brother or sister stumble, we should abstain from it or clarify it.

Loving others requires us to express our liberty wisely.

My goal is not to please me, it's to please my Lord Jesus, my God. It is not to please you, it is to please my Lord.

God's big-picture kingdom plan is not being shaped by small things like what one person prefers over another, but by large things, like righteousness, peace and joy.

We are free from the lures of status, materialism and peer pressure.

Build up the church.

When you are making certain decisions, it'd be wise and loving to consider others.

Don't sin or cause others to sin with your liberty.

Enjoy the freedom God has given you.

Are your actions encouraging and edifying to others?

God has given us the freedoms we have because He's given us the ability to overcome or avoid sin.

There is a variety of spiritual gifts because there is a variety of spiritual needs and purposes of God.

If there were two, different Gods, one would be less than God.

Intentionally involve God in every detail of your life.

The spiritual world is every bit as real as the physical world.

God's loving gaze is on you all the time.

The Bible, and it alone, with nothing added or subtracted, is the sole and sufficient guide for each individual.

I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any other history whatsoever.

We're merely thinking God's thoughts after Him.

Apparently, Jesus' message is too radical for some.

Do you care more for a physical spectacle or spiritual truth?

Not only wealth, but any form of pride or self-dependence tends to lead away from God.

Even Jesus' closest disciples had trouble swallowing His teaching that money represents a grave danger.

An effort to become holy may accomplish just the opposite if it results in spiritual pride and a feeling of superiority.

It seems that God has put something in our Spirits that wants to know the unknown.

No matter what we go through, Jesus stands with us.

Would you be nervous if you met yourself?

Greatness emerges through struggles and suffering.

Your stamina for future service to God will come through your trials.

Do you look forward to Christ's return?

Choose actions you would want Him to see and words you would want Him to hear.

Make decisions that God would approve.

Spiritual energy is more powerful than food energy.

Don't call things scary if they shouldn't be scaring you.

God will calm the storms in your life.

God wants you to tell and give Him your fears.

God will not accept a half-hearted or microscopic dedication to Him.

You can't do your own thing with God. You must do His thing.

If God said it, that settles it.

Evil people aren't walking with God.

Chronic anger comes from not being close to God.

The bottom line is this: If you follow God and stay in line, you'll be fine.

On Earth, sin will always be knocking on our door.

He's given you His Holy Spirit, so God doesn't want you telling Him you can't help sinning.

Sin is coming after us every day, so we better do something about it.

Hell is your soul being consumed by fire, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with no chance to leave.

Having a continued problem with another human indicates a person having a problem in their relationship with God.

Ask God to help you love people you can't love.

The issue of getting a job isn't with the earthly boss, it's with the Heavenly one.

If people who keep saying, "Praise God!" get on your nerves, maybe it's because those words aren't in your heart.

The devil will only tell you what you need to do to destroy your life.

Isn't spiritual alienation from the Father the root of all problems?

Not only is the Santana shooting our business, so is every other shooting.

Are your knees bowed to Christ?

Many people are hurting because they don't know God's arms are wrapped around them.

Christians should always be smiling like they know something the world doesn't know because they do.

Some of us are giving God unacceptable sacrifices like Cain did.

Let God help you deal with the people you have issues with.

God fixes your problems when you obey Him.

Money and true power don't go hand in hand.

God will be glorified the way He wants to be glorified.

Find a way or reason to make exercise part of your lifestyle or you'll get into poor physical shape.

You have a much better chance of doing something if you plan on it.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Sir Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday, Philip Yancey, Chuck Swindoll, Tyrone Moore and Miles McPhearson.

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. If you'd like me to go into more detail on any of them, please email me.

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!

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Since April of 1997, the weekly devotional message has been sent on the internet. This message currently reaches over 11,000 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.

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