This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

http://www.JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

The only thing hotter than the western, forest fires is this Spirit-filled message! God bless you as you read.

Would you like a free copy of "The Bible Promise Book"? Recently, I acquired an extra copy of this awesome book. It has different scriptures for different aspects of the Christian life. For example, it has several, encouraging verses on faith. If you'd like this free book (I'll even pay the shipping), please email me! I'll give it to the 3rd person who emails me.

A special thanks goes to my friend Burt. He advertized for JCSM in his local newspaper. This always helps people find JCSM. Please pray about helping this ministry reach people through your local newspaper. An ad will only cost a few dollars and you can be leading people to Christ! Please let me know if you advertize for JCSM.

On Saturday night, Dr. Kent Hovind gave us an awesome sermon. He spoke at Horizon Christian Fellowship. Many of this week's quotes are from his Creationism speech and question and answer time. If you'd like to see his web site, please go here: http://www.drdino.com.

Have you heard of the Festival Con Dios? This Christian, music festival is touring the United States and should be a whole lot of fun. The Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Jars of Clay, Luna Halo, The Elms and several other bands will be there. My wife and I will be attending the one in Irvine (on September 23rd)! For more information (there will be a lot more cool stuff at these festivals), go here: http://www.festivalcondios.com.

Last week, we gave the gospel to 152 people in Afghanistan! Please pray that they all get saved. We haven't received much of a response from them, but we are hoping that God does a powerful work in their lives. We'll continue ministering to persecuted countries via the internet.

Do you like your church or ministry? If so, tell us about it! Please take a minute to sign our "International Church and Ministry Directory". Currently, we have 57 churches and ministries on our site. We're excited to see what God is doing. This site can help the world know about a great church or ministry that's either in a seeker's area or possibly on their vacation or travel route! Here is the site address: http://pub.alxnet.com/guestbook?id=1321937.

If you're looking for a powerful, study Bible that contains the Septuagint and several other Bibles and resources, you'll want to read the Unbound Bible. I was amazed when I found this site. Here's the link: http://unbound.biola.edu.

I hope you are persisting in your spiritual growth. Listen to the Lord as He whispers in your ear. He'll direct your paths. Keep on keepin' on!

The Messianic Times has a great article about the date of Jesus' birth. Since the particular census that happened during Jesus' birth appears to be absent from the historical record, this article will shine some very revealing light on it. If you'd like read about it, please go here: http://www.messianictimes.com/article_detail_arc.asp?article=206&issue=10-4.

Are you concerned about skin cancer? Are you afraid that you might have it? Well, there is a site where you can learn about self-tests for skin cancer. Melanoma.com has all kinds of information about this disease and here is their site: http://www.melanoma.com.

One of the most important web sites at JCSM is "The Best Bible Versions (and Worst)". This site compares some of the "new" versions of the Bible and shows what they're omitting. Since God's Word was finished about 2000 years ago, why are we still seeing new versions arise? http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/BBV.htm

I've been reading some great books, lately. I just finished "Vladimir Zhirinovsky - The Man Who Would Be Gog" by Scot Overbey. This book taught me about the powerful, charismatic politician in Russia who could very well be the "Gog" in Ezekiel 38 and 39 that leads Russia into a surprise attack against Israel.

A few days ago, I started reading "Cosmic Codes" by Chuck Missler. This is an incredible book and reveals how God gave us a lot of coded information in the Bible. I'll be making some web pages on the things I'm reading.

Have you ever been intrigued how the number seven is mentioned so much in the Bible? We've made a web page called "The Number Seven" to show a lot of these instances. You can see them here: http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/7.htm.

Have you ever done personal, Bible studies? I'm doing one on Psalms. The "Life Lessons with Max Lucado" series are awesome, so I highly recommend them. They are great for the days in between Bible studies and church services.

Do you need a pen pal? The first time I asked for people to email me if they wanted a pen pal, I got a great response and put many people together. Those people have been enjoying their friendships. If you'd like a new, internet friend, let me know!

The "God Speaks" bulletin boards and t-shirts have been spotted all over the United States. If you'd like to read about this Christian phenomena, please go here: http://www.Godspeaks.org.

Please pray for the people who have been effected by the fires in the western United States. In the last couple of weeks, hundreds of thousands of acres have been burned. The fires haven't reached major cities, but they could. Most of them have been started by lightning. If you'd like to see up-to-date information about these fires, please go here: http://www.nifc.gov.

Are you a Luna Halo fan? If so, you won't want to miss their free , Southern California show! They'll be playing, on August 27, at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa at 6pm! In addition to the show, there will be a sermon by Greg Laurie.

Last week was a record week for hate mail. I'm considering it a blessing because God said we'll face persecutions. He also said our reward in Heaven will be great! Please pray that I persevere through the cursing and the hate mail.

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 our 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 52,000 hits!

Would you like to support God's work on the web? If this ministry has touched you in a special way, please pray and consider sending a gift to JCSM. 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 recipients of this message! Here are the devotions, challenge, moment of introspection, the Bible word of the week, the Bible trivia question, last week's trivia answer, an excerpt from "The Revised and Expanded Answers Book" and the quotations for the week. Have a fantastic week and God bless you!

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

Contact Us: http://jcsm.org/contact.php

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "The Laying On Of Hands"

Mark 5:23 "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."

Mark 16:18 "They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

1 Timothy 5:22 "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure."

1 Timothy 4:14 "Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership."

2 Timothy 1:6, 7 "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Hebrews 6:1, 2 "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

Prayer: "Thank you for the awesome power that You have! Thank you for giving it to us when we need it. Help us to lay our hands on people and pray for them. Help us to obey your Word. Thank you for the people who have laid hands on us. Bless them. Thank you for fanning the flame inside of us when a godly person lays hands on us and prays! Give us courage to obey You in this way. Give us more faith in You. Remove our worries and fears. Let us do your will and not be afraid. Praise You for being faithful and answering our prayers! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Live By Faith"

Romans 1:17 "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 11:8-10 "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

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

Matthew 17:20b "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

Mark 11:22 "So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God."

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."

Prayer: "Thank you for reminding us of the vital importance of faith. Thank you for giving all believers a measure of faith. Please increase it, though. Let us take big steps of faith. Help us to pray very big! Do might miracles, Lord. Remind us that You are a huge God and You defy our imagination. Thank you for doing incredible things, even when we don't ask for them. Teach us what it means to walk and live by faith. Help us to rely more on You than our own sight. Thank you for being more correct than our sight. To You be all the glory, honor and praise! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Know The Answers"

1 Peter 3:15, 16 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed."

2 Timothy 2:15 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Acts 17:10, 11 "Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to know You and know your Word. Increase our knowledge, Lord. Thank you for teaching and revealing great and awesome things to us! Give us self-control, so we can take time to read the Bible. Give us greater understanding and wisdom, so we can truly comprehend and apply your Word. Thank you for being perfectly true and accurate. Help us to realize that the Bible is a book that is true on many levels. Thank you for writing it in a way that no human could! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "Avoid Strong Drink"

Proverb 20:1 "Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise."

Proverb 23:21 "For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags."

1 Corinthians 5:11 "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person."

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit."

Prayer: "Thank you for warning us about strong drink (alcohol). Help us to stay away from drinking. Give wisdom to the Christians who refuse to avoid alcohol. Let them still be good witnesses. Teach us your ways, Lord. Let us do what You would do. Thank you for giving us the Bible, so we can read it and be safe. Protect us from evil, God. Forgive us for all of our sins. Thank you for wanting to talk and listen to us! There's no other God like You. Help us to be good examples for our family and friends. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Jesus' Words For Unbelievers"

Matthew 23:17a "Fools and blind!"

Matthew 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

Matthew 12:34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Matthew 12:39 "But He answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah."

Prayer: "Thank you for being honest about evil people. Help us to do the same. Let us make righteous judgments. Thank you for being strong, Lord. Thank you for telling the truth, even when it meant risking your life. Help us to do the same. Help the ones who literally risk their lives when they speak your name. Thank you that we have freedom to worship You freely in the United States. Let all the believers who have freedom never neglect to love You and others. Give us wisdom, so we can say the perfect things at the perfect times. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "When The Spirit Comes"

Judges 14:6 "And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat, though he had nothing in his hand. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done."

Acts 8:39, 40 "Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea."

Acts 19:6 "And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."

2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Prayer: "Thank you for the countless, mighty things your Spirit has done! Thank you for being One God in three persons. Help us to understand You. Thank you for giving us power and spiritual gifts. Let us use them for your glory. Forgive us for being selfish or worldly with your gifts. Thank you for having patience on us. Make us more like You, Lord. Give us vision and help us to listen closely to your Spirit. Thank you for wanting to speak to us and direct us. Help us to accept your direction, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Be Bold!"

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness."

2 Corinthians 3:12 "Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech."

Psalm 138:3 "In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul."

Proverb 28:1 "The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion."

Prayer: "Thank you for telling us to be bold! Help us to know when to be bold and when to be humble. Thank you for having a perfect character and wanting us to emulate You. Thank you for being a very strong man and perfectly righteous. Give us faith in You and your strength. Remind us how You work through people. Let us accept your power and remember that our new, bold selves are from You because You have made us new! Thank you for touching us and making us so different that we'll never be the same. Help us to fight spiritual battles with boldness! Remind us that Christ has already won the battles. Let us trust in His power to help us through. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Say "Hi" to a clergyman, pastor, deacon, etc. These men of God work hard. It's easy to see them every Sunday and not say anything to them.

Say a little prayer for the person you are going to say "Hi" to. Pray about his or her family, life, etc.

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

A Moment of Introspection

What on Earth are you doing for Heaven's sake?

This quote is somewhat a play on words. Nonetheless, the meaning is powerful and still intact.

God has given every Christian gifts that he or she needs to use to build God's kingdom. Don't think God doesn't need or want you. Don't think there are plenty of other people helping the Lord.

God wants You to know Him better. He also wants you to grow spiritually. You will do both of those things when you begin serving the Lord.

Pray about doing some ministry work for your local church, Bible study, JCSM, etc. God will speak to you and direct you to the best one for you.

The Bible Word of the Week

cryptography: the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher

The Bible Trivia Question

If Methuselah was the oldest person ever to walk the Earth, how could he die before his father?

(Email me your answer!)

Last Week's Bible Trivia Answer

Yes, Jesus claimed to be God. See John 8:58, 59 and John 10:30, 31.

An Excerpt from "The Revised and Expanded Answers Book" by Ken Ham, Jonathan Sarfati and Carl Wieland

Common Memories

The evidence for the Bible's account of human origins is more than just biological and genetic. Since all peoples have descended from Noah's family, and a relatively short time ago, we would expect to find some memory of the catastrophic flood in the stories and legends of many people groups. We may find the story distorted by time and retelling. In fact, an overwhelming number of cultures do have accounts that recall a world-destroying flood. Often these have startling parallels to the true, original account (such as: eight people saved in a boat, the sending of birds, a rainbow, and more).

The Quotations of the Week

Are you resisting God's call on your life?

How much proof of your calling do you want?

God has gifted you to fulfill His calling.

Everyone is called to share the gospel.

Can you name a spiritual duty that you are called to do for God's kingdom?

Your calling is according to God's purpose.

God will bless you as you pursue His calling.

Humanism and Creationism are exact opposites.

If evolution is true, we came from a cosmic burp, billions of years ago.

The first thing the devil did to humanity was question God's authority.

Evolution didn't come from Darwin; it came from Satan.

The devil wants to be God, but the position isn't available.

If you tell a lie often enough, loud enough and long enough, people will believe it (Adolf Hitler).

You don't have to try everything to figure out that some things should be avoided.

Define your terms if you're uncertain whether or not your listeners know them.

The word "evolution" has six meanings and only one is scientific and observable.

Christians believe that "in the beginning there was God" and the evolutionists believe that "in the beginning was dirt".

Crippling the Bing Bang theory, six of the sixty three moons, in our solar system, rotate backwards.

There will be a big bang, but it hasn't happened, yet (2 Peter 3:10).

Scientists would have totally dropped the Big Bang theory many years ago, but they haven't found a suitable replacement, yet, and they won't accept that God created everything.

Whenever you read a text that says, "Millions and millions of years ago...." you know a fairy tale is coming next.

It has never been against the law to teach creation in public schools. It's only illegal to force teachers to teach it.

Anyone who teaches evolution is in serious trouble when they die and face God.

If you're not in business, don't advertize.

Blaming guns for the Columbine shooting is like blaming spoons for someone's weight problem.

If people are told they came from animals, they'll probably act like them.

Humans can't redeem humans because we've all sinned.

Satan hates us because He hates God, can't do anything to Him and we are in God's image.

What on Earth are you doing for Heaven's sake?

Believing there is death before sin is heresy.

The creation was finished and mature when God made it.

Living a good life might make people nice neighbors, but it won't get them to Heaven.

The Honda Prelude and Honda Civic have 98% of the same parts. Likewise, the chimpanzee and the human have very similar DNA. The Prelude and Civic didn't come from the Ford Motor Company, just like the chimpanzee and the human didn't come from a frog. However, the Hondas had the same creator, just like chimpanzees and humans.

Similarities in beings show a similar Designer.

The Earth has more C14 in it now than it did 50 years ago, nullifying carbon dating because this dating relies on a constant amount of C14, in our atmosphere, since the beginning.

God hasn't called us to be saved and go about our own business.

Take seriously the things God says to you.

Until you can write or explain your vision, don't expect it to happen.

When God calls you, it will always be Spirit led, "others oriented" and based on God's Word.

God will give you a job that you can't handle, so you can rely on His power.

Use God's power for God's purposes.

It's ok to make a mistake.

Don't listen to the devil when he tells you that you can't do something.

God doesn't need you to be rich or smart. He needs you to be available.

If you don't see the devil coming against you, perhaps you're walking with Him.

Your job isn't to determine how people react; it's to do what He says.

The gospel is offensive and politically incorrect.

You insult God when you tell Him what you can and can't do.

Knowledge puffs up, but love build up.

Have you been feeding on God's Word?

If your spiritual self is malnourished, you need the Bible.

It's impossible to avoid pain and spiritual warfare.

The power is in the one who hears our prayers.

The presence of pain is not the absence of God.

Prayer isn't simply asking God what I want, but asking God to do what is right.

God transcends your experience.

The same God that made everything and led the Jews in the Old Testament is the God that leads us in the New Testament.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Kent Hovind 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've written in the most beneficial way, try and trace them back to the scriptures 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? We share the gospel over 1 million times each year! Please join us in the great commission. We're 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 join our vision and help this ministry! Your donations will keep these ministries running and further our visions for evangelism. Hundreds of web pages have been created to lead people to the Lord. Frequently, we make new ones and they are used to bring more and more people into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. We're certain there will be more ways to reach people in the future.

Along with getting support, we also give support! JCSM regularly gives to churches and needy people. Another function of this ministry is to do counseling. We are always answering questions about life, the Lord and everything in between. Lastly, we do a lot of research on religious topics on the internet and library. You will definitely see the results of our hard work and your loving support, in the web pages, and in the weekly devotions!

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 JCSM, please email us and we will send them to you, personally, each week. Don't worry. We don't send forwards or any other junk mail. Plus, we refrain from giving your name to anyone.

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 we send, however, please email me us you wish to be removed from this list. If you prefer to receive the devotions in Spanish, send us a request because the devotions have been reaching the Spanish speaking community for over a year!

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 and 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. Their motto is "help, not hassle". 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 these nearly every day. It takes about 10 seconds and it donates food to needy people! Go here: www.stopthehunger.com.

Go here to donate free Bibles to people: www.TheBibleSite.org. If you want to join a Christian organization that helps feed and clothe poor people, check into World Vision. You can see their site here: www.worldvision.com. Compassion International is another, great Christian organization that rivals World Vision. You can visit them here: www.ci.org.

Do you believe in evolution? If you can prove that the evolution of species has happened, Dr. Dino will give you $250,000. I know Kent Hovind and this is a legitimate offer. For more information, please see his web site: http://www.drdino.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 us 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 us know. We can copy and paste something into an email message for you. If you have internet access and need a great, online, study Bible, go here: www.biblestudytools.net. I recommend using either the King James Version or the New King James Version Bible.

We have been certified by the Evangelical Ministries to New Religions. EMNR is an accrediting body for sound, Christian ministries that preach the true gospel of God to people in other religions and cults. Their web site is located here: http://www.emnr.org.

Since April of 1997, the weekly devotional message has been sent on the internet. This message currently reaches over 22,000 people in 99 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."