This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

www.JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

This message is so long that Jesus may return before you finish reading it! Let's pray that He does, but if He doesn't, at least you'll be encouraged and edified!

If you have any ideas for web sites, please let me know! We're always developing new pages! It's awesome when God gives me fresh revelation for a new page. Since hundreds of people visit the site each week, developing new web pages is important. If God has laid a certain subject on your heart, first, visit my site and see if it's already there. If it isn't there, email me!

Did you know that we send the devotions in Spanish? If you'd like them or know somebody who would, please email me! Adding another name to the list is no trouble.

I'm giving away two copies of the SonicPraise cd! All you have to do is email me and either tell me a story when you've been persecuted for the gospel or give me a story about when you've witnessed to someone. Don't feel like there has to be a supernatural miracle in your story. Just recall the interesting event and send it to me. The SonicPraise album has blessed me so much, I'm looking forward to giving two copies of it away!

Please pray for my family. A couple of days ago, my Grandpa passed away. He was 77 years old. His pastor said that he believes Hank was a Christian. Praise the Lord. The funeral will be this Saturday.

I'll miss my Grandpa. We weren't super close, but I do have many fond memories of him. We went to baseball games together, had fun at Christmas and Thanksgiving and making airplane models. He was a pilot, so he took me up in his plane one time. I was young, so it was especially fun. I'll be looking forward to seeing Him in Heaven.

Since my Grandpa passed away, Sarine and I inherited his car. We're grieving his death, but thankful for the 1980 Buick Century. It's awesome to see how God works through tragedies.

Thanks for praying for Sarine to get a job! Monday, she was hired to work at a Christian daycare. She's very excited and looking forward to starting work.

Would you like an international friend? Have you ever wondered what life was like in another part of the world? If so, email me and let me know that you're interested in our International Friends program. I'm collecting email addresses and putting together people all over the world. Since these devotions reach 98 countries, we should get plenty of people. Don't forget, though! If you'd like an international pen pal, please write me.

Please pray for Ambon, Indonesia. Christians are suffering serious persecution. Among the atrocities are genital mutilation and forced conversation to Islam. These sites will give you a lot of information about the situation: http://www.worthynews.com/news-features/indonesia-persecution-2.html and http://www.imb.org/Media/PhotoDownloads/ambonreport.htm.

Please pray for the following two boys. Yee Lok is suffering from Leukemia and Nicholas is suffering from Muscular Dystrophy. They need God's healing touch in their lives.

Would you like your faith to be deepened? Check out Kent Hobind's site. He is a Creation Scientist and I've been watching his videos. He's really funny, too.

Do you believe in evolution? If you can prove it, Kent will give you $250,000! Check out his site: http://www.drdino.com.

Mother's Day is Sunday! Don't forget to do something nice for your Mom! If you have lost your Mother, I pray that God comforts you on Sunday.

I pray that God blesses you! Spiritual growth isn't easy and it usually involves change. Cling to God as He sees you through.

*** 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 45,000 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

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "Persevere Through Persecutions"

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."

Romans 8:35-39 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

2 Timothy 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."

Romans 5:3, 4 "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope."

James 1:2, 3 "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."

Prayer: "Thank you for being faithful to us! Thank you for warning us about the persecutions that we will face. Give us great strength, courage and endurance. Thank you for helping us through our trials. Remind us that trials and sufferings have an end. Thank you for blessing us. Bless us more, Lord! Thank you for wanting us to be godlier and more like You. Forgive us for our sins and purify us. Praise You for being perfect! Thank you for not giving up on us. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Great Is Your Name!"

James 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!"

Acts 3:6, 7 "Then Peter said, 'Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.' And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength."

Luke 19:38-40 "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples. But He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Philippians 2:10, 11 "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Prayer: "Thank you for having a name unlike any other! Thank you for saving people who come to You! Thank you for being a unique and awesome God. Thank you for making the demons tremble at your power. Remind us that You are in us and everywhere. Help us to be strong and call on Your name. Thank you for letting us use your powerful name. Thank you for answering our call. Help us to call You in our times of need. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "The Value of a Friend"

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 "Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Job 6:14a "To him who is afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend."

Proverb 17:17 "A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity."

Proverb 27:6, 9 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel."

Prayer: "Thank you for showing us the value of a friend! Thank you for making us better friends. Help us to submit to You and learn from You. Forgive us for the times when we've been poor friends. Let our friends forgive us and have understanding and patience. Thank you for being the perfect example of a friend. Thank you for loving us so much! Thank you for the ways that friends encourage us. Help us to keep seeing our friends and loving them like You would. Help us to pray for our friends, too. Thank you for the awesome power of prayer. To You be all the glory, honor and praise! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "The Hand of God"

Joshua 4:24 "That all the people of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever."

Isaiah 59:1 "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear."

Ecclesiastes 2:24 "Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God."

Mark 16:19 "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."

Acts 11:21 "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord."

1 Peter 5:6, 7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Prayer: "Bless us, keep your hand on us, increase our ministries and keep us from evil (the Jabez prayer). Thank you for putting your hand on us, Lord. Remind us of the power that You have. Thank you for working through us in very powerful ways. Don't remove your hand from us, Lord. Thank you for being such an awesome force in the lives of the ones who love You deeply. Help us to use this power and influence lovingly and wisely. Thank you for lifting us up, Lord. You are an awesome God! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Ask!"

James 4:2, 3 "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Jeremiah 6:16a "Thus says the LORD: Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls."

Matthew 18:19, 20 "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Matthew 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

John 14:13, 14 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

John 15:7, 8 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."

John 16:24 "Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

James 1:5, 6 "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

1 John 3:22 "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us such incredible things when we ask! Thank you for wanting us to ask You for things. Help us to realize that You are not an angry or stingy giver. Thank you for answering so many of my prayers, Lord! Thank you for revealing yourself through answered prayers. Remind us to keep asking You for things. Help us to understand why you keep certain things from us. Don't let us worry. Give us peace and joy, Lord. Give us more faith in You! Help us to ask for the right things. Thank you for giving us positive, awesome things! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "End Bitterness and Resentment"

Hebrews 12:15 "Look carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled."

Ephesians 4:31, 32 "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Colossians 3:8 "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth."

1 Peter 2:1-3 "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."

1 Corinthians 5:8 "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting peace and reconcilliation from us. Help us to get over our bitterness and resentment. Forgive us for our sins. Let us forgive others, too. Thank you for the awesome power of forgiveness. Thank you for helping us do what is best. Remind us that we need to be walking in the light and not doing the deeds of darkness. Thank you for giving us your Word! Thank you for revealing our sins to us. Thank you for helping us overcome sin! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Walk By Faith"

Galatians 3:11 "But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Jude 1:20, 21 "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

Prayer: "Thank you for helping us to walk by faith and not by sight! Thank you for making us more faithful than we used to be. Help us to pray for faith. Help us to believe, Lord. Thank you for revealing yourself to us. Let us keep seeking You and keep finding You. Thank you for showing us incredible things when we have faith. Thank you for opening our eyes to a whole new world when we have faith! Thank you for showing us supernatural things. Let us be prepared to see miracles and to do miracles in your name. Thank you for wanting to reveal great things and do great things through the faithful. To You be all the glory, honor and praise, forever and ever. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Write all the things you need forgiveness for. Confess them to God then tear up the paper (or burn it)! You will be totally forgiven and you'll feel great!

Take about 5-10 minutes to do this week's challenge. Try and think of any sins you've committed and haven't confessed. Think about your childhood, college years, family life, etc. Think about your "wild friends" and your pranks. Ask God to forgive them all!

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

A Moment of Introspection

Is there any emotion that imprisons the soul more than the unwillingness to forgive? Take a minute and explore what the unwillingness to forgive has done to you or someone you know.

The Bible Trivia Question

Please answer either TRUE or FALSE.

The following verse is from the Bible, "God helps those that help themselves."

Last Week's Bible Trivia Answer

There are seven of each. See Revelation 1:13 (lamp stands), Revelation 5:1 (seals), Revelation 17:1 (bowls), Revelation 15:6 (plagues).

Quotations

Do you value your relationships enough?

Have you learned from your relationships?

Have you ever given up anything for God (to glorify Him or draw nearer to Him)?

Are your friends encouraging?

Appreciate your friends, teachers, pastors, leaders and mentors.

If there is to be a revival in the churches, there needs to be a revival in hearing God's voice and taking notes at church, remembering the sermons and applying them.

You honor a person by asking them what they need.

Keep your commitments to your friends.

Fights occur when insecurities arise.

Don't be afraid to tell your friends you love them.

Friends must have meaningful conversations if they're to have deep, meaningful relationships.

Friends show love to each other by words and deeds.

Meaningful communication takes time.

Are you able to share meaningful, emotional events?

Give your friends appropriate, physical contact.

All human beings need physical contact with their loved ones.

When you thirst for God, quench yourself with Him!

Dependence upon God makes heroes of ordinary people.

We are expected to attempt some things large enough that failure is guaranteed unless God steps in.

Your surrendered need turns into His unlimited opportunity.

Jesus came with the power of love, not the love of power.

If you want to be successful in the little details of life, give them to God, in prayer.

Tragic as it might sound, the hand of the Lord is so seldom experienced by even mature Christians, that they don't miss it and don't ask for it.

If you don't ask for God's blessings, you forfeit those that come to you only when you ask.

The very nature of God is to have goodness in so much abundance that it overflows into our unworthy lives.

God's nature is to bless.

Make it a lifelong commitment to ask God every day to bless you; and while He's at it, bless you a lot!

If you're doing business God's way, it's not only right to ask for more, but He is waiting for you to ask.

Our God specializes in working through normal people who believe in a supernormal God who will do His work through them.

A miracle is an intervention by God to make something happen that wouldn't normally happen.

Miracles don't have to break natural law to be a supernatural event.

Do your actions prove you believe in Christ?

Consider volunteering to meet one of your church's needs.

Christ fills a new believer's life with joy, hope, love and peace.

People from our "old life" will see the changes in our lives, but they don't always understand them.

God provides hope when there seems to be no way out.

Trust in God to fulfill His promises.

What keeps you from sharing Christ with your friends.

Are you becoming a positive and reputable person among the people you meet?

Make the most of every situation; even the bad times.

How can believers be unmoved by sound preaching?

Attendance at church cannot simply be a social obligation. It must be to get fed by the Lord.

Make your goal next Sunday to worship God through active participation and listening.

Is there any emotion that imprisons the soul more than the unwillingness to forgive?

Don't get on the roller coaster of anger and resentment.

If you want to understand God, if you want to draw closer to Him, then forgive someone today.

Resentment is when you allow your hurt to turn into hate.

Remember who God has called you to be.

Did the Father call you to be angry and bitter or loving and forgiving?

There was something about Jesus that made people cluster around Him like He was God's gift to humanity. He is your gift as well.

God listens to thoughtful parents.

Who knows how many prayers are being answered right now because of the faithful prayers of a parent ten or twenty years ago?

Though you may go to the grave wondering if your prayers will ever be answered, don't stop praying.

Praise is the occupation of every being.

Praise is the occupation of those who dwell in Heaven.

Even if the civil rights of a believer are abused, God still holds the situation in His hand.

Stay loyal to God, even when it may be dangerous or embarrassing to do so.

How does God want to use you?

God saved you for many reasons. One reason is that you could serve Him on Earth. Another reason is to worship Him.

Focus on helping others.

Who are "your people"?

Don't do anything for selfish ambition.

We are all naughty by nature.

How far will you go to help someone who could never repay you?

Confront the impossible.

The only way you can face the impossible is to have Jesus at your side.

How many times has God called you to do something, but you didn't do it because you didn't have faith?

Let the impossible become "Him-possible".

You have to continuously walk by faith.

Compared to most people in this world, we are filthy rich.

On Earth, you will never know all the things that could have happened if you had more faith.

How much do you rely on prayer?

When you pray, you will see God do incredible things.

Jesus prayed all night, regularly.

Praying 10 minutes a day isn't enough.

Be on a mission to pray and see God's blessings.

If you become a person of prayer, your life will be unexplainable.

My life should be a result of my faith in God, not a result of my sinfulness.

God wants us to let go of everything and hang onto Him.

Consider your experiences, your education and your past. Surrender it all to God and discover what He has been preparing you to do.

In God we trust; everyone else requires verification.

Do you know the difference between resting and worshiping at God's feet and serving the Lord?

Have you ever sat with a pen in hand, waiting for God to speak to you?

In Greek times, there were no bronze, silver or gold medals for their top athletes. There was one crown for the winner.

Christ enables us to be in the race for the crowns.

Our new name will be a celebration of our new life in Heaven!

Hold onto sound doctrine, not just the words that make you feel good.

Shouldn't we be running this race to win?

The enemy wants you to believe that your life doesn't count or matter.

Don't put your hopes or faith in the things the world offers.

Old Testament tabernacles had only one door.

The church is the bride of Christ.

Heed the warnings in the Bible.

Right now, God's door is wide open, but it won't always be.

About 600,000 people could be left after the tribulation and when Jesus returns.

Jesus proved who He was by rising from the dead.

We can't make Jesus cool. You either think He's cool or you don't.

How can people preach that God used the evolution of species in His plan of creation?

The truth and a lie mix like oil and water.

For the Believers, the end will be a time of rejoicing; for the unbelievers, time to face God.

Trust fully in Christ today as your antidote to God's punishment for sin.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Kent Hildebrand, Kevin Max, Todd Strandberg, Bruce Wilkinson, Charles Stanley 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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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.

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The devotions are sent on Monday nights. The gospel is sent on the 11th of every month and the monthly newsletter is sent on the 20th. These are the only messages I send, however, please email me if you wish to be removed from this list. If you prefer to receive the devotions in Spanish, send me a request because the devotions have been reaching the Spanish speaking community for over a year!

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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."