This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

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Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

I hope you had a great week and weekend.

Mine has been full and interesting. I've moved from my house and am currently in between residences. I have a lot of things at a storage facility in Escondido. Please pray that I hear where God wants me and have patience, as I look, in the meantime.

I moved from my parent's house when I was eighteen years old. I've never moved back with them, but I've gotten a college degree and been working. Right now, I'm twenty-six and wondering exactly where God wants me. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I'm not afraid to travel across the world. I simply want to know what God wants. The only non-food or shelter need I see myself having is access to the internet (for my ministry). I'm sure that the Lord will reveal His will to me soon. I won't worry, but I'll know that He will make a way as I remain faithful to Him.

The Miles Ahead Crusade is coming to Charlotte, North Carolina, on September 9-10! If you can't be there, you can see it on the web at www.milesahead.com. The webcast will begin at 3pm PST.

Promise Keepers is coming to Los Angeles on October 13-14! If you've ever been to one of these, you know that they are awesome and encouraging. You can read about the event here: http://www.promisekeepers.org/conf/venu/confvenu214.htm. I'm going to be driving there from San Diego and staying two nights in L.A. If you'd like to sponsor me for this trip and event, please let me know. If you'll be attending the PK event in LA, please let me know and perhaps we can meet! If I can afford it, I'd like to go with The Rock Church.

Would you like to see some pictures of the Spirit West Coast music festival? The folks at Reunion Records took lots of pictures and put them on the web. They even took a picture of me when I was looking quaint! Simply go here: http://reunionrecords.com/festivals/07_28/4/index.html

My gig at The Fir Coat was canceled. The man who invited me to play, Major Harbour, was nowhere to be found when Wally and I arrived. Someone who was running the place told me that they had a DJ for my time slot. We were disappointed, but God healed us and gave us a fantastic night anyhow. I sincerely apologize, on behalf of The Fir Coat and Major, if you came to see us perform and didn't find what you were looking for.

If you live in the North County area, you definitely won't want to miss the Bible study, on Wednesday nights, at Emmanuel Faith Community Church. Yes, Mr. Paul Breithaupt (Dallas Seminary Graduate) is returning to teach us more awesome truths from God's Word! We will be meeting, at the church, on Wednesday nights at 7pm. Email me or call the church for more information.

A special thanks goes to everyone who has kept me accountable in the areas of my daily scripture reading and prayer! I have been doing very well and will continue to read at least two chapters a day and pray for at least thirty minutes. Thanks!

Please visit my web page! There's over 1500 links (pictures, midis, Bible lessons, humor, proverbial stories, links, devotions, poetry, prayer journals and much more!) and it has registered over 34,500 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, I'm encouraging the believers and sharing the gospel with unbelievers. I'm also doing counseling on a regular basis. As I do full-time ministry on the web, love and help others, I never charge them anything for my time or services.

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

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

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "Our Real Family"

Matthew 12:48-50 "But He answered and said to the one who told Him, 'Who is My mother and who are My brothers?' And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

John 8:42 "Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.'"

1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

Prayer: "Thank you for being our Father, God, and making us your children! Bless us and make us like You. Thank you that we have a new family - the body of Christ! Let us love one another, wholeheartedly. Thank you for saving us, Lord. Forgive us for our sins. Show us how we can draw closer to You. Let us be godly and be available for the members of our family. Help us to value everyone in the body of Christ. Thank you for giving each of our family members an important role in this Earth. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Never Thirst Again"

Psalm 42:2 "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?"

John 4:13, 14 "Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.'"

John 7:37, 38 "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

Prayer: "Thank you for quenching our thirst, Lord! Nothing else can satisfy us like You. Remind us how thirsty we are, especially when we try and quench our thirst with worldly things. Thank you for being alive and well! Let us see You how You really are. Thank you for giving us your Word! There is nothing like it in all the universe. Give us discipline to read it and memorize it. Protect the ones who read your Word, despite persecution and possibly being arrested. Lift us up, Lord, and help us to continually drink deeply form your incredible fountain! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Who is Always There?"

1 Corinthians 1:9 "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Psalm 139:7-18 "Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, 'Surely the darkness shall fall on me,' Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You."

Prayer: "Thank you for always being here! There is no other God like You. Praise You for your incredible faithfulness. Remind us that You are always here. Thank you for always answering us when we call You! Let us pray without ceasing. Thank you for being so good to us, Lord. Remind us that You never change. Thank you for knowing us better than we know ourselves and loving us better than we love ourselves. Give us more faith in You! Let us trust You, wholeheartedly. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "We're Strong in the Lord"

Job 9:19a "If it is a matter of strength, indeed He is strong;"

2 Corinthians 12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Joel 3:10b "Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'"

Psalm 18:1-2 "I will love You, O LORD, my strength. 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."

Prayer: "Thank you for being incredibly strong! There is no other strength like You. You are stronger than anything we could imagine. Thank you for showing your strength in our weakness. Give us humility and meekness. Let us have an accurate accout of ourselves, and not an inflated one. Praise You for the power of your will! Nothing can or will ever stop You, Lord. Thank you for always being in control. You are an awesome God. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "The Living God and Creator"

Acts 14:15 "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them."

Hebrews 10:31 "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

1 Timothy 4:10 "For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe."

Isaiah 43:15 "I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King."

1 Peter 4:19 "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."

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.'"

Prayer: "Thank you for creating us, Lord! You are the one who made us from the dirt. Thank you for being alive and incredible! Remind us that You are alive and watching us from Heaven. Thank you that You are inside of us, too! There is no other living God. You have been alive since before the beginning and there is no end to you! Thank you for having a plan for us and this Earth. Remind us that we shouldn't worry. To You be all the glory, honor and praise! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Pure Power"

Psalm 21:13 "Be exalted, O LORD, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power."

Psalm 62:11 "God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God."

Psalm 66:3 "Say to God, 'How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.'"

Psalm 66:7a "He rules by His power forever;"

Matthew 6:13b "Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever."

Jude 1:25 "To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen."

Prayer: "Thank you for the power you've shown us, Lord! There is no other power source like yours. Remind us that all other power fails in comparison to You. Forgive us for seeking power from other sources. Purify us. Praise You for being more powerful than the demonic forces! Remove our fears and worries. Lift our heads and make us stronger, Lord. Help us to accept the awesome power that You are trying to give us! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "We're Travelers, Sojourners, Pilgrims"

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

Hebrews 11:11-16 "By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

Prayer: "Thank you for letting us leave this Earth when we die! Thank you that there is much more to live for than what we see. Thank you for giving us hope, Lord. Thank you that we are pilgrims, on a spiritual journey! Remind us how awesome and exciting this life can be. Thank you for having such an awesome character and revealing it to us. Let us seek You with all our hearts! Help us to set aside Earthly desires and fleshy wants and seek what You want. You want the best for us and You want to give us great things that will help us in this journey. Thank you for saving us and making us like You! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Find a place to pray outside! God is everywhere, so we can obviously pray to Him anywhere. However, we can see nature and the wonderful things He's made when we go outside! Find a place like a mountain, beach or lake. If you have more ideas, please let me know!

Some of the greatest times I've had with God have been outdoors. Sunsets at the beach and the Grand Canyon include a couple of the wonderful places I've experienced God's glory! God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!

A Moment of Introspection

"Dream about the future. Reflect on the past."

Do you have short-term and long-term goals? Do you think about what you want to do in the future? It's difficult to know the future, but we can know God will be with us. He holds the future in His hands! Trust in Him and consider many options. God will show You what you need to be doing.

Don't limit God and what He can do. He can bring you many places! He can lead you across the world! Pray to Him and listen to His prompting.

Reflecting on the past is a way to become wise. Everyone makes mistakes. When we try and realize why we made our mistakes, we can know what we should do in the future.

Reflection and meditation can be a part of our prayer time. Try writing down the things you learn and hear. God will teach you and improve your life.

Quotations

With God's Word there is truth; not sensationalism.

In your eyes, is a great preacher one who gives you massages?

Preachers aren't supposed to simply make you happy.

Preachers tell it like it is.

You have no faith when you think I can only know what I see.

Simply going to church wouldn't solve your problems.

I hope you realize how obvious it is that you don't have faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible.

God has called you a fool, I'm just quoting Him.

Just because I'm not sitting in the same room as you, it doesn't mean I can't know you are lying.

If you are using supernatural power to do things, and you aren't saved through Christ, you are using evil power.

How can you say you're saved through Christ, but not know if you're going to Heaven when you die?

Are your questions spurring sin, the spirit or confusion?

Don't ask questions that invited you and others to sin.

Jesus is the answer, so what's your question?

Food doesn't keep me alive; Jesus does.

What will people see when they see you go through trials?

When the storm subsides, remember that God was the one who brought you through.

Look past the storms in your life.

Concentrating on the storm, instead of the Savior, is a great way to get swallowed by it.

Jesus is the Eternal Baker and the Bread of Life.

Jesus could have said, "I told you so" a lot.

Will power won't get you out of sin, but Jesus' power will.

Does the reading of scripture make you smile?

Be very thankful for Christian friends and family members.

God is embracing me right now!

Don't be afraid to pray and ask for all the qualities of God.

I'm nothing without You, but I'm everything with You.

There's something therapeutic about hearing what you already know.

Dream about the future. Reflect on the past.

Have your arms ever gotten sore and tired from raising them to God for so long?

If you want to be blessed, do your homework.

What is distracting you from God's love?

Are you wanting things to give you what God should be giving you?

Nothing should have more influence over your decisions than God.

Ask God for help before you ask your earthly father.

Who do you know that is smarter than God?

Who do you know that loves you more than God?

Do you know what a congregation of people turning the pages of their Bibles sounds like?

The devil tells us that we can't do things we haven't done.

God wants to do things that you've never done or thought.

God's plans are greater than mine.

During the sermon, write what God says and write what the pastor says.

God must be our only God.

Before the service, tell God the areas of your life you need His advice.

Knowing the King of kings is the only thing that can satisfy us.

Being a successful speaker includes knowing what not to talk about.

Thank your mentors, teachers and pastors before it's too late.

God is patiently waiting for you to worship Him.

God wants to improve your mentality.

It's hard to be godly in an ungodly world, especially when someone in your house is ungodly.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), 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. Like most verses in the Bible, they can be debated. To use what I have written in the most beneficial way, try and trace them back to the scriptures they were derived from and apply the true principles to your life in a meaningful way! Please don't sell my quotes or publish them for profit. If English is not your first language, you may not understand some of the quotes. I'm sorry, but some of them are English metaphors and deal with multiple word meanings. God bless you all!

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

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

862 La Moree Rd.

San Marcos, Ca 92078

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The weekly devotional message has been sent since April, of 1997. This message currently reaches 3766 people in 98 countries. To read a list of the 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

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