This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

I pray that you had an awesome week and weekend!

A special thanks goes to the Super Supporters and everyone who has helped this ministry! You all are a tremendous blessing. Without you, this ministry would not be the same. Thank you!

Are you busy on Friday night (the 29th)? We will be playing a gig at the Berean Bible book store and coffee house! Wally and I have found a drummer named Mike who will be playing with us. As I was praying and fasting for the other band members, God led Him to me on Sunday! Praise the Lord. We're looking forward to playing with Mike and praising the Lord.

Berean is located in Clairemont (a suburb of San Diego and very close to the city). Their phone number is 858-292-8052. We'll be playing from 8-10pm. Come and listen to some great originals and some popular worship songs!

Do you live near the Rose Bowl? Did you know that Promise Keepers is having an event, at the Rose Bowl, on October 13-14? I'm planning on attending this awesome event and was looking for a nice Christian family to stay with. It will only be for a few nights and it will be exciting to discuss what went on during the day. If you have a spare room or sofa, please email me! I'd love to be with some Christians during that time.

Another special thanks goes to all my New Venture friends! You all are awesome. It's great to hang out and love God with you guys. I'm so thankful for friends that love God and want to do His will. Keep loving the Lord and putting Him first. You guys are "super". Praise the Lord.

Is it Tuesday, yet? On September 26th, we're going to be blessed with Skillet's live worship album and Switchfoot's Learning to Breathe album! Check them out at your local Christian music distributor. I've heard some of each album and they should be great.

Would anyone like to be a female mentor? A young Christian girl has emailed me and requested a godly mentor. If you haven't been involved in discipleship before, it's all right. All this relationship will require is an open ear and some encouraging words. She wants to grow spiritually and know God more. Please email me and I can send you her email address and personal information.

If you live in the San Diego area, you won't want to miss The Rock's service on Sunday night! Not only will we get a great sermon from Miles McPhearson, but Audio Adrenaline will be playing a free concert for us! Woohoo! We'll be at the Open Air Theater, on the San Diego State University campus, and it will begin at 7pm. See you there!

On Saturday night, I went to the Creed concert in Irvine, California. They are an awesome band. If you're not familiar with them, they sing about God, religion, the Bible, Christ and life. I believe they are a Christian band that has masked their lyrics, so they can be played in the secular mainstream. They have a heavy metal sound and have sold over 9 million albums. If you'd like to hear their songs, go here - http://www.creednet.com/audio/index.html

There are several ways you can access the JCSM main page. Recently, we have added one more. JCSM.org is all you have to type to get to the main page! It's easy to remember and share with friends. Thanks Dad!

Last week, I experienced some persecution for the cause of Christ. Roger Poehlmann had AOL delete all my files on the JCSaves3 account. AOL determined that I had broken their rules by having a False Teachers list on their server. His name was on this list because he is a member and vocal apologist for the International Churches of Christ (Boston Movement). Since then, all the files have been uploaded and I've made a web site that reveals AOL's decision and his legal threats. If you'd like to see why I'm rejoicing in my persecution, please go here - http://poehlmann_is_wrong.tripod.com/ICC-AOL_Letters.htm

Just so you know, Christ wasn't Jesus' last name. Some people actually think Christ is His last name. Christ is His title and it means anointed one, chosen one, Messiah and Savior.

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 35,500 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.

Would you like to support God's work on the web? 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, 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: "Hear the Word, Then Act"

James 1:22-25 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

Luke 8:21 "But He answered and said to them, 'My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.'"

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to do something after hearing your Word, Lord. Help us to act. Thank you for changing our lives with your awesome words. Praise You! Let us apply them to our lives. Motivate us to serve You and share the good news. Forgive us for our apathy. Give us extra energy to do your will and not lose heart. Encourage us and let us encourage others. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "The Remission of Sins"

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

Luke 24:47 "Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

Acts 10:43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."

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

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us a way to be forgiven! Thank you for the weight that You have lifted from us! There is nothing like your incredible forgiveness. Thank you for shedding your blood to remove our sin. Remind us that we are forgiven and we are new creations! Help us to look up and live like Christians set free from sin. Praise You for being so good to us! There's no other God like You! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "The Importance of a Secret"

Luke 9:21, 22 "And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, 'The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.'"

Mark 1:41-44 "Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.'"

Judges 16:9 "Now men were lying in wait, staying with her in the room. And she said to him, 'The Philistines are upon you, Samson!' But he broke the bowstrings as a strand of yarn breaks when it touches fire. So the secret of his strength was not known."

Mark 8:29-30 "He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered and said to Him, 'You are the Christ.' Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him."

Prayer: "Thank you for the secrets that we hear and know. Help us to be good friends and keep those secrets. Give us self-control. Let us bind our tongues. Thank you for friends that trust us and love us. Let us not betray their trust. Help others to keep the secrets that we tell them. Thank you for the secrets that are in the Bible. Remind us that some information isn't for everyone. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "Big Prayers That God Answered"

2 Chronicles 1:10-12 "'Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?' Then God said to Solomon: 'Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life - but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king - wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.'"

1 Chronicles 4:9, 10 "Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, 'Because I bore him in pain.' And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, 'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!' So God granted him what he requested."

Jonah 3:5, 10 "So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it."

1 Samuel 1:26, 27 "And she said, 'O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD. For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him."

Prayer: "Thank you for all the examples of prayers that have been answered! Help us to pray big, too! Thank you for always listening to us, Lord. Remind us to pray all the time. Thank you for doing mighty things when we ask You to do them. Let us dream and imagine all the awesome things You can do. Give us wisdom, Lord. Show us what to pray for. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "He's Perfected and the Work Is Finished"

Luke 13:32 "And He said to them, 'Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'"

Hebrews 5:9-11 "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest 'according to the order of Melchizedek,' of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing."

Hebrews 7:28 "For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever."

John 19:30 "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit."

Prayer: "Thank you for being our perfect sacrifice, Jesus! No other person could have done what You did on the cross. Thank you for being sinless and giving us eternal life through faith in You! Give more people your awesome gift of salvation! Call more people to your side, Lord. Thank you for dying for us. Praise You for your awesome character! Thank you for saving us completely and eternally! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Filthy Rags to Awesome Riches"

Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away."

Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.'"

1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written: 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.'

Prayer: "Thank you for purifying us, Lord! Thank you for taking us from dirty rags to awesome riches. Thank you for blessing us and giving us great things. Thank you for promising us awesome things in Heaven! Remind us that we are saved and are chosen to be in your kingdom. Thank you for giving us so much. Thank you for keeping some things a surprise. Let us trust You and know that You are going to give us very incredible things. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Ask God"

Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

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."

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."

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to ask You for things! Remind us that You do not despise our requests. Thank you for answering us every day, all the time. Thank you for the times You answer us immediately! Give us patience and joy as we wait for the rest of our requests to be answered. Praise You for having perfect timing and perfect ways. Help us to ask for the right things. Help us not to ask for things we don't need or shouldn't have. Thank you for changing our desires and our heart. Let us want godliness and love for You and others. To You be all the glory, honor and praise, forever and ever! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Pray the prayer that Jabez prayed. Pray it for 30 days and see what God does! You can find the scriptures in 1 Chronicles 4:9,10. It goes like this, "Bless me, increase my ministry, lay your hand on me and keep me from evil."

When I prayed this prayer for 30 consecutive days, and meant it, God did some incredible things in my life. Among them, my internet ministry began and I started answering the youth crisis hotline! I prayed those words several years ago and I know that God will answer our prayers.

Taste and see that the Lord is God! He is a God of His promises. He will do what He says. God bless you as you meet this week's (actually, this month's) challenge!

Quotations

When we pray, our ailments supernaturally go away.

Let God mold your thoughts.

Don't drift back into the darkness.

Just like God took the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to the promised land, He has taken Christians from darkness to light.

God didn't want us to be spiritual robots.

Sin is hostile to what God wants.

Godless people will not overcome evil.

God wants your dependence on Him.

God knows how to build your character.

Get around people who are excited about seeking God.

Don't ask, "Will I suffer for Christ?" Ask "When will I suffer for Him?"

Have you seen people joyfully and excitedly looking for God?

God's touch is more incredible than one from the opposite sex.

You can't fulfill the role God is supposed to play in someone's life.

Not teaching people what you know and what they don't know is a great way to keep them from growing.

Satan's followers won't be in Heaven.

Satan is like mini-me compared to God.

Recognizing your power in Christ is very necessary.

Jesus Christ grabs us and picks us up every day.

Jesus meets our needs in the ways other people can't.

What do people think about when they hear your name?

If you have a big mouth, use it for God's glory.

Seeking God with a sincere heart will make you a more honorable Christian than one who doesn't.

Accepting Christ is only and totally your decision.

Seek God like you're training for the Olympics.

There is nothing wrong and everything biblical with asking God for blessings.

God is saying, "I have so much for you, why are you trippin'?"

Come to church with a question for God.

When you're godly, God will give you great and awesome things.

Quite often, our dreams and requests are far less than God's capabilities.

There are constantly unseen spiritual beings flying around us.

God wants to empower us in ways we haven't thought to ask.

Ask someone, "How can I pray for you?"

Don't let people's lack of faith effect you adversely.

Every day is an important day to minister.

When God wants people to be quiet, they are quiet.

Sin and God are both knocking on our door.

God says, "Ask Me and I'll tell you."

Ask someone how you can help them.

If I'm not in God's Word, where is my wisdom coming from?

When you're ready to be serious about your requests to God, He's ready to be serious about answering you.

How perceptive are you?

Everything God has given us has been given because we need it. Everything God has kept from us has been kept from us for a good reason.

Christians should be people who will pray right now.

Sing songs that reinforce your faith.

You can't argue with what the scriptures plainly teach.

I'll move a thousand times if that's what God wants me to do.

There has never been a person who has cried to God for deliverance from sin and not received it.

The three men I admire the most are the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Actions that are inconsistent with scripture are unnecessary.

"Messiah" is synonymous with "Christ".

The Jews were looking for a Messiah that would free them. They did not expect God Himself to be the Messiah.

Have you been liberated by Jesus?

Without Christ in your heart and life, there is no liberation.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came upon people, it didn't indwell them.

Jesus emphatically said He was God and the Messiah.

God is the force behind the forces of nature.

The Bible is written in such a way that it demands careful, diligent study.

Jesus didn't become God. He always has been God.

Tithing 10% of your income could be a sin if you make an extraordinary amount of money.

It doesn't matter how much you make, if you give without wanting to give, you shouldn't bother giving at all.

Do you think that Christian artists may have prayed that the listeners of their music be blessed?

I'm a Christian, so I'm not afraid of much.

God is my energy source and He's better than food or a caffeinated beverage.

If someone asks for forgiveness, give it to them.

I'll do my best to push you in the right direction.

Don't look at me if you're looking for perfection.

Sometimes I need and want someone to tell me what I've done wrong.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Miles McPhearson, Paul Breithaupt and some friends from New Venture.

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.

3431 Seabreeze Walk

Oceanside, Ca 92056

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.

Since April of 1997, the weekly devotional message has been sent on the internet. This message currently reaches 3852 people in 98 countries. To read a list of these countries, go here: http://www.jcsm.org/misc/countries.htm. To read the archived devotions online, go here: http://devos.jcsm.org.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

Jesus-Christ-Saves.com

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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."