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Hello!

Spiritual encouragement is in your mailbox. You've got mail! Please read and be encouraged!

Last Tuesday, our web site received a record amount of hits. Can you guess how many? The main page had 171 hits! Praise the Lord. Thanks for visiting and letting the Lord encourage you through our ministry.

Rebecca St. James releases her new album called "Worship God" on Tuesday, February 26^th. It contains the following songs, "Breathe, God of Wonders, Better is One Day, Let My Words Be Few, Song of Love, Above All" and 6 new worship songs. Check it out at your local Christian book store!

I've decided to read the entire Bible in a year! I'm excited about reading the entire Bible because I know that I've skipped some great stories. Plus, I know God will speak to me through the "seemingly mundane" and the "famous" sections. Do you want to join me? If so, I've uploaded the daily reading schedule to the web. You can find it here: http://members.tripod.com/~Jesus_Christ_Saves/Bible.htm.

I'm nearly finished with the book, "Fast Facts On Islam: What You Need to Know Now" by John Ankerberg and John Weldon. This is an awesome book on the Islamic religion. It is easy to read and it isn't full of emotional rhetoric, but it contains factual, historical information with quotes from the Koran and the Hadiths. In this moment in time, I believe it's imperative to understand the Muslim terrorists and the Muslim non-terrorists that are living in this world. You can get this book for $15 on his web site: http://www.ankerberg.org/fbooks.htm.

After reading Ankerberg's section on the treatment of women, I decided to update my web page on the Koran. It was quite interesting to learn that the Koran and the Hadith's (alleged sayings of Mohammed) endorse wife beating. For information on that subject and others, check out: http://koran.jcsm.org.

Do you need a Bible? I have five extra Bibles that I'd like to give away. They are paperback, but they contain the entire Old and New Testaments. They're in the New King James Version and one of these Bibles is an awesome study Bible. If you would like one of these, please email me with your mailing address and I'll pay the shipping!

Do you remember praying for Michael Lafayette? Well, the man who stole some things from me and was subsequently arrested has not complied with his probation officer and has neglected to pay any restitution to me. His family has told the police that he has left the state of California. Please pray for him. Not only do I want the money he owes me, I want to see him get right with God and have a fruitful life.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were laid off our jobs. Since then, I've been substitute teaching and doing this ministry and she is looking for work. Please pray that God meets our needs in a mighty way. I'm sure God has some open doors for us and in the meantime, I'm happy to be working extra to reach people on the web with God's Word.

Have you ever prayed about sending a donation to JCSM? We used to send a monthly message that told everyone about the needs of this ministry and how we're reaching the world. We haven't sent it in several months, but we will begin sending it again, soon. We're able to spend countless hours on the web because loving people send donations, so please take a minute and ask God if you should support JCSM as we spread God's Word to the world.

Please take a minute and visit The International Church Directory. We have a large directory of churches because we want people to be able to find a quality, local congregation in any part of the world. If you enjoy your church, please tell us about it here: http://pub.alxnet.com/guestbook?id=1321937.

God bless you as you follow the Lord Jesus Christ! I hope God lifts you up this week. Follow Him and your steps will be certain.

The Grammy Awards are this Wednesday! Let's hope plenty of Christian authors get nominated. To see the nominees for Best Rock Gospel album (and all the other nominees and categories) go here: http://grammy.aol.com/awards/grammy/44-10.html.

Are you going to Spirit West Coast? SWC is a huge, Christian music festival in Monterey, California. You can buy tickets for $69 if you get them before February 28^th. Here is their web site: http://www.spritwestcoast.org. Maybe I'll see you there!

Last weekend, I heard some great sermons by Greg Laurie and Mike Macintosh. You can see what I learned by reading the quotes at the bottom of this message. Both are dynamic, godly speakers.

If you prayed for Danielle Van Dam, please know that her likely abductor has been arrested. Her neighbor had her blood and DNA in his motor home and on his clothes. Unfortunately and tragically, they believe that she was murdered. Please pray for her family and friends.

Are you getting this message every week? Are you receiving about twelve pages with this message? If this message isn't reaching you consistently or if it's shortened, you can always find these weekly devotions on our web site! Simply go here: http://devos.jcsm.org. Plus, if www.jcsm.org isn't working, please try www.jcsm.net.

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 2000 links (pictures, midis, Bible lessons, humor, proverbial stories, links, devotions, poetry, prayer journals and much more!) and it has registered over 65,000 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 for more information.

Welcome to the new recipients of this message! Here are the devotions, challenge, moment of introspection, the Bible word of the week 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

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "The Blessing of Rain"

Isaiah 55:10, 11 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Hebrews 6:7 "For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God."

James 5:7, 8 "Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand."

Prayer: "Thank you for the way you make it rain and saturate the Earth. Thank you for the way rain has been a blessing for people who grow food. Forgive us for acting or feeling like it is an inconvenience and a curse. Thank you for the way your Word is like the rain because it never returns to You without doing your will. Help us to be joyful and patient for the things that You promise us. Help us not to worry. Thank you for giving us great things in your timing. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "The Need For Humility"

1 Peter 5:5-7 "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.' Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Romans 12:16 "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."

Proverb 15:33 "The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility."

Proverb 18:12 "Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

Proverb 22:4 "By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life."

Psalm 10:4 "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts."

Prayer: "Thank you for the wonder of humility. Thank you for giving us great direction when we humbly come to You. Forgive us for being prideful and acting like or thinking we know the best way. Help us to see things like You do. Help us to see the truth. Thank you for lifting up the humble ones and opposing the proud people. Praise You for being an awesome God. Let us understand You, your ways and your requirements. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Touch the Healer"

Psalm 69:32b "And you who seek God, your hearts shall live."

Jeremiah 29:12, 13 "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

Exodus 15:26b "I am the LORD who heals you."

Psalm 147:3 "He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds."

Psalm 103:1-5 "Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting to heal us! Thank you for having the desire to make people whole; inside and out. Give us more faith in You. Thank you for all of the people You have healed and helped. Thank you for rewarding us and revealing yourself to us when we seek You with our whole heart. Thank you for doing great miracles! Remind us that You are real, faithful and still able and willing to do awesome things. Let us pray for unrealistic healing and let us see it happen. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "The Deception of Sin"

Hebrews 11:24-26 "By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Proverb 21:6 "Getting treasures by a lying tongue Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death."

2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light."

Prayer: "Thank you for warning us about the deception and snare of sin. Give us great spiritual strength and stamina. Thank you for helping us identify and steer clear of it. Give us great discernment, knowledge and wisdom. Thank you for your living Word that lights our path. Thank you for the way the Bible is true and awesome, even two thousand years after it was completed! Help us to read it and memorize it. Let us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit that is within us, so we can make supernatural decisions that are correct and God-directed. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Our Role As Servants"

Exodus 10:7 "Then Pharaoh's servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?"

Psalm 2:11 "Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling."

Psalm 100:2 "Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing."

1 Corinthians 7:35b "Serve the Lord without distraction."

Colossians 3:24 "Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to be your servants. Let us have great joy as we do your will. Remind us that life on this Earth is very short. Thank you for giving us the awesome promise of eternity in Heaven! Thank you for giving us interesting and mundane things to do. Help us to have zeal with the mundane tasks and diligence with the interesting jobs. Praise You for molding us to be like You, Lord. Help us to have patience with ourselves and others. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Take Time To Rest"

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Psalm 37:7 "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass."

Revelation 14:13 "Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, 'Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.'"

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us rest, Lord. Thank you for wanting us to have periods of rest. Help people who work non-stop to have sufficient time to rest. Help the people who are lazy work more. Thank you for wanting us to find a perfect balance. Forgive us for living imbalanced lives and wasting time. Give us wisdom, so we can balance our lives correctly. Be the center of our lives, Lord. Let everything else revolve around You and your perfect will. Help us to ask You for direction every time we face a situation we are uncertain about. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Prefer Forgiveness Over Hatred"

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."

Proverb 10:12 "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins."

Proverb 15:17 "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred."

Matthew 5:22b "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment."

Galatians 5:19-21 "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Prayer: "Help us to be forgiving people, Lord. Help us to forgive others no matter what. Let us identify any hatred in our lives and make sure we are not hating godly people. Let us hate evil, though, like You have commanded. Help us to forgive others very quickly and not harbor any hate or bitterness. Thank you for making forgiveness such a great release. Let us look into our hearts and confess bitterness and grudges. Thank you for the way that You heal us and give us a pure heart. Cause us to be moldable. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Read the Bible in a year! If you are determined to read a few chapters a day, you can actually read the entire Bible in one year. I'm going to do this and I hope you will pray about it and join me.

On our web page, we have a site that shows which chapters you need to read on every day of the year to finish reading the Word in one year. Here is the site: http://members.tripod.com/~Jesus_Christ_Saves/Bible.htm.

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

A Moment of Introspection

You don't want a vicarious relationship with God.

We all need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can't accept or adopt someone else's relationship with Him as our own. It's great to listen to pastors, to read Christian books, to listen to Christian music, etc. However, there's no substitute for reading the Bible and having quiet time with God.

Make sure you take some time to pray and listen to God. Experience Him personally. He will meet your individual needs and show you His individual will for you.

The Bible Word of the Week

fervently: exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling

The Quotations of the Week

Which "delicacy" is taking over your life?

Seek God with pure motives.

Do good works because you love God, not because others expect them.

Barnabus and Paul prayed and fasted to choose elders.

Try listening to a form of Christian music that you'd never think you'd like; and let yourself like it.

Encourage the people you are having conflicts with and give them a phone call or letter.

The ark of the covenant may be in Ethiopia.

The world view without the Bible as the base is extremely different than the world view with it.

I'm a very humble man and I'm proud of it (haha).

The more we interact with God, the more humble we become.

You don't want a vicarious relationship with God.

Aaron doesn't speak directly to God, but he uses Moses to speak to Him.

Why is it less difficult to commit the future to God than the present?

God does unique things when He works through people.

God will help you pass through hostile territory.

The Devil and his army is always resisting us.

During our battles, we learn the lessons God wants to teach us.

Satan doesn't surrender his territory without a fight.

Would God appraise you in a positive light?

Do the assignments God gives you.

You're going to be in this race until your heart stops beating.

Joshua's name was changed from Hoshea by Moses.

Many times people have a plan or strategy without a purpose.

Know how to delineate your purpose in life.

Some people get degrees in Psychology (and other health related subjects), so they can give themselves free treatment.

When you're caught with a paralyzing stare at the wilderness, remember God sees the promised land.

You can be in the right place with the wrong motives and intentions.

Jesus shouted 200 cubits (about 100 yards) to Peter and the disciples (from the shore, after His resurrection) and asked them if they had caught any fish.

Peter caught 153 fish and there were 153 species of fish in the Sea of Galilee (symbolizing the harvest of diverse people to come to Christ).

You may be busy, but what are you doing to further God's kingdom?

Peter had no clothes while he was fishing and he put them on to swim to Jesus!

Spend more time listening to God.

Is your life abundant?

Many of us are very close to God's enormous blessings, but we're fishing on the wrong side of the boat.

Common people can have abundance from God.

God wants His people to worship Him according to His Word.

Peter should have went to Capernaum to pray and wait for Jesus, not to fish.

In God's kingdom, even bad news will be good news.

Many of us have never been trained how to handle "bad" news in a godly way.

Don't let the Devil get you down because he wants to win the battle.

If you can figure it out, you may be able to do it. If you can't figure it out, it may be something God will do.

Ask God to slay the giants in your life.

You are what is keeping God from helping you.

Thank God that there are things bigger and stronger than us because if there weren't, we'd think we were in control and didn't need God.

You will face hostility as you do great things for the Lord.

There will be obstacles on the way to God's blessings.

Are you a happy person?

There are right and wrong ways to find happiness.

Trust that God, who created you, knows how to meet your needs.

Enthusiasm is vital to a good life.

Everything you're looking for can be found in a relationship with God and none of it can be found in the world.

If you want to live a happy life, live a holy life.

Seeking happiness outright often leads to unhappiness.

None of the gospel writers wrote what Jesus looked like; probably because of the human tendency to worship idols and discriminate.

Breaking the Sabbath was never mentioned in the New Testament because this was given to the Jews, not the New Testament believers.

Religion can't take the place of a relationship with God.

The Apostles never taught anyone to keep the Sabbath.

Other world religions say "do", but Christianity says "done".

In the new covenant, every day is holy to the Lord.

Few things can give us as much pleasure (or pain) as our families.

Thank God if you came from a stable, loving home.

We tamper with God's order at our own peril.

Unmarried couples need self-control, not birth-control.

You can win your parents to Jesus Christ by being a good example of Christ.

It was not until Jesus' death and resurrection that His own siblings believed.

"Hate" is a serious word in the Bible.

Don't use the word "hate" casually.

Hating someone is like committing murder in your heart.

When you break God's commandments, you will pay a price.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Mike Macintosh and Greg Laurie.

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 2.5 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 email me and I'll give you our mailing address.

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 Sunday nights. The gospel is sent on the 11^th of every month and the monthly newsletter is sent on the 20^th. These are the only messages we send, however, please email me us you wish to be removed from this list.

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 and here www.thehungersite.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.

JCSM operates in Oceanside, California, United States. This ministry has 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 39,000 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 2000 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."