Hello!

I pray you're having a great week.

Last week, Time Warner had a problem with their email server.  This kept some people from receiving the devotions.  I'm sorry about this and will keep working to get the devotions to everyone on our list.  If you ever don't receive them, please go to the following site.  You can either read or download them here: http://devos.jcsm.org.

Did you abstain from television last week?  My two "TV-free" days were great and refreshing.  I was blessed and I highly recommend taking some time away from "the one eyed evil prophet".  *Smile*

I've purchased a new domain name called "skepticsannotatedbible.org".  Why have I done this?  I've done this to correct and explain the Skeptic's Annotated Bible.  Take a trip to http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com and you'll see what I mean.  Atheists have a very confused picture of the Bible.  Therefore, there are hundreds (and probably thousands) of "Bible difficulties" and "inconsistencies".  Since I've learned about these things and know the Bible is a perfect, cohesive and supernatural book, I'm really enjoying correcting and explaining the SAB! 

Please pray for this effort.  It's very time consuming and draining.  However, I've already finished correcting their entire commentary on Genesis and most of Exodus.  By the end of the week, I'll have several New Testament commentaries corrected.

Do you know where Cain got his wife?  This is the most common "Bible difficulty".  The answer is quite simple.  Email me if you know or if you can't wait for the answer (it will be in next week's message)!

Please pray for my Bible study's worship team.  We need sanctification and godliness. 

I pray that you are blessed this week!  Remember that God is good and He loves you.  Don't be afraid to open up to Him and tell Him how you feel.  He will bless and help you.

On Tuesday, Skillet releases their new DVD!  I'm sure this will be a great effort and I look forward to getting it.

An interesting JCSM link: http://www.sermonaudio.com/jcsm - Hear JCSM's sermons (for free)!

Ken Ham and Dr. John Sarfati are coming online to broadcast the introduction to their new book called "Refuting Evolution II"!  This will be a live broadcast and Answers In Genesis will stream it from their web site, on November 20, at 6pm PST.  Here is their site: http://www.answersingenesis.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 5000 links (pictures, forums, midis, Bible lessons, humor, proverbial stories, links, devotions, poetry, prayer journals and much more!) and it has registered over 90,000 visits!

If you need to email me, please see the email address below. Hitting "reply" to this message isn't the best way to email me. I’m sorry if this is an inconvenience to you, however, rest assured that I will answer all of the emails I receive.

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

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "The Crucified Ones"

Luke 9:23, 24  "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.'"

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Galatians 5:24-26  "And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Romans 6:6  "Our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

Insight: Christ requires us to crucify our selfish and sinful desires.  Becoming a Christian isn't simply turning over a new leaf; it's starting a new life in Christ!

Prayer: "Thank you for loving us so much.  Thank you for wanting us to give you a wholehearted commitment!  Forgive us for being apathetic and not really appreciating the gift of eternal life that You have given us!  Thank you for being so worthy of our love, praise and devotion.  There is no other God like You in all of the universe.  Thank you for literally being crucified on the cross for us.  Help us to crucify the desires that keep us from You.  We need You, Lord.  To You be all the glory, honor and praise, forever and ever.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Perfected By the Spirit"

Galatians 3:2, 3  "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are you so foolish?  Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8  "Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit."

2 Thessalonians 2:13 "But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."

Philippians 1:6 "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Matthew 5:48 "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

Insight: Is it possible to be perfect?  Well, with God's Holy Spirit, He won't stop trying to make us perfect!  Keep striving for perfection and becoming more like Christ.  Let the Holy Spirit work within you.

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting to make us like You, Lord.  Thank you for taking the time and energy to sanctify us through your Holy Spirit.  Help us to be sensitive to the Spirit's convictions and promptings.  Thank you for promising to complete the work You began in us.  Change us and help us.  Praise You for having the awesome and pure character that we need.  Reveal our true nature to us and remind us that we need You.  Thank you for the sinful things we have left behind!  Help us to remember the miracles You have done and the changes we have made.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Live In Unity With Believers"

Psalm 133:1  "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

Hebrews 10:24,25  "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

Romans 12:10-18  "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.  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.  Repay no one evil for evil.  Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. "

1 John 4:7   "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Insight: Be unified with the believers in Jesus Christ.  God's people should be loving one another and treating each other right.  Put aside differences and disagreements and do God's will.

Prayer: "Thank you for the people who believe, accept and trust You.  Help us to know them and love them.  Thank you for the diversity in the body of believers.  Thank you for the way people enrich our lives and our spiritual lives.  Remind us to remove the things we learned that tell us that certain people should be avoided.  Help there to be less exclusivity among believers in Christ and more acceptance.  Thank you for giving us one Word and one God.  Praise You for being the same, yesterday, today and forever!  Give us more love for You and for others.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "The Assurance of Salvation"

John 10:27-30  "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

1 Corinthians 6:20  "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

1 John 5:13  "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

Insight: God has bought us with a price and we cannot buy ourselves back from Him.  We cannot jump out of His hand, either.  Be thankful for God's promise of eternal life that begins when you believe, accept and trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Prayer: "Thank you for dying for our sins, Lord.  Thank you for giving us a very clear picture of why a sacrifice was necessary for our forgiveness.  Thank you for giving us a new and better covenant than the Old Testament believers had.  Thank you for giving us eternal forgiveness through Jesus!  Thank you for sending your Son to show us the way.  Give us great joy as we realize that we are Heaven-bound!  Thank you for all the promises in your Word.  Help us to accept what You have told us, even if we do not like it.  Change our hearts and let us align with your revealed will.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Praising the Lord"

Psalm 150:6  "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD!"

Colossians 3:16  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Matthew 22:37, 38  "Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment."

Psalm 69:30  "I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving."

Insight: God deserves and desires our praise.  Do you know how to praise God?  Have you praised God lately?

Prayer: "Thank you for teaching us about praise and worship, Lord.  Thank you for wanting our songs, our love and our praise.  Remind us of the therapeutic value of worship.  Plus, remind us how You have blessed our lives for obeying You.  Thank you for giving us laws that are awesome for us.  Let us understand this paradox.  Forgive us for giving you nominal praise or simple acknowledgement.  Let us praise You with our whole heart!  Thank you for having great patience and mercy on us.  You are an awesome God.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Supernatural Wisdom"

Proverb 1:7  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction."

1 Corinthians 2:7  "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

1 Corinthians 1:20, 21, 25  "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

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

Insight: Wisdom comes from the one who created all things.  Ask Him for wisdom and you will receive it.  Godly wisdom always aligns with God's Word.

Prayer: "Thank you for making us wise, Lord.  Help us to be wise on your terms and not only worldly terms.  Remind us about the differences between this world's wisdom and foundation and your wisdom and the foundation that is You.  Praise You for teaching the ones who seek You.  Mold us and make us, Lord.  Thank you for making us wiser than we were.  Remind us to take stock of where You have brought us.  Thank you for doing such an awesome work in the lives of the ones that used to be fools!  Thank you for forgiving our foolishness and putting our feet on the Rock.  Give us more wisdom, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "We Are Not Worthy"

Gen. 32:9-12  "Then Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies. Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children. For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’"

Revelation 5:11-14 "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing! And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever! Then the four living creatures said, Amen! And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever."

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."

Matthew 3:11  "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

Insight: We are clearly unworthy of God's grace and favor.  However, He loves us anyhow.  He is so full of grace and compassion, He gives it to us, even while we don't deserve it.

Prayer: "Thank you for being so worthy, Lord!  There is no other that is worthy like You.  Help us to understand how incredible You are.  Forgive us for our sins.  Forgive us for being incomplete and unholy.  Thank you for completing and purifying us!  Thank you for giving us your righteousness.  Help us to see that we cannot be righteous on our own.  Without faith in You, we cannot please You.  Thank you for giving us an account of John the Baptist declaring Jesus' greatness!  Help us to do the same.  Forgive us for our pride.  Remind us that we are fallen humans and unrighteous and Hell-bound with You.  Thank you for having grace, love and compassion on us!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Join a group that is helping homeless people!

This will be easy to do around Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Most churches have outreaches to poor and homeless people.  They can use volunteers and people who can give certain things like disposable razors and diapers, food, etc.

This Thanksgiving, my wife and I are joining The Rock Church's outreach!  We are excited to be helping some people and serving God.

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

Did you discover the answer to last week's MOI?  Here it is again:

In Genesis 11:26, 32 and Acts7:4, it says that Abram didn't leave Haran until after his father died. Verse 26 tells us that Abram's father was 70 years old when Abram was born, and Abram's father lived to be 205 (Gen. 11:32). Clearly, then, Abram was at least 135 when he left Haran. Yet, Gen.12:4 says he left Haran when he was only 75.

Here's the answer!

* Genesis 11:28 says "Haran died before (his father) Terah in Ur of the Chaldeans".  There was clearly a person named Haran and a place called Haran because they later travel to and from a place called Haran..  Abram left the dead Haran, in Ur, when he was seventy five years old.  From this place he traveled to the place they called Haran.  Terah died here and Abraham left him.

* Genesis 11:31 states they "went out from Ur of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran".  Verse 32 states that Terah died (after the person of Haran had died) and he died "in" (the land) of Haran.  Therefore, the last verses in Genesis 11 and the first verses in Genesis 12 overlap.  Abram left the body of Haran at age seventy-five and he left the place of Haran once his father died there.

* In Genesis 12:4, the phrase "departed from Haran" is not so in the Hebrew.  This word "from" is implied by modern translations.  This phrase is the same one used later (vs. 5 - "went forth") and should be translated "departed for Haran".  It is clear from Acts 7:2-4 that Abram was called in Genesis 12:1-3, while he was in Mesopotamia (specifically, Ur) and not yet in the land of Haran.  Genesis 12:5 is correct in implying that they gathered all of their people and things from Haran, then continued to Canaan.

* This overlap is further seen by the fact that God called Abram in Ur, like it is stated in Acts 7:3, which is before he went to the place called Haran (also like it says in Acts 7:3).  Chronologically, God visited Abram between Genesis 11:29 and 31.  This account is revealed, in detail, in Genesis 12:1-3.  These situation and sequences are not unlike the telling of the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2.

1. If you're lost, here is a timetable of events:

2. Genesis 11:26 - Terah is 70 years old and has Abram and Haran.

3. Genesis 11:28 - Haran dies in Ur.

4. Genesis 12:1-3 and Acts 7:2, 3 - God calls Abram while he is in Mesopotamia (specifically, Ur) and tells him to leave home.

5. Genesis 11:31, Genesis 12:4 and Acts 7:4 - Abram leaves Ur at age 75 and comes to the land of Haran (this is where the modern translation, in Genesis 12:4, of the word "from" is wrong and "for" should be used, making this correlate with Genesis 11:31, Acts 7:4 and other usages of this term).

6. Genesis 11:32 - Terah dies in the land of Haran at 205 years of age.

7. Genesis 12:5 and Acts 7:3, 4 - Abram leaves the land of Haran after Terah dies.

sanctification: hagiasmos - purification, holiness

Live a holy life to please God.

Remember that God’s conviction comes through the Holy Spirit and not simply other people.

Christianity isn’t a self-help program, it’s a God-help program.

Don’t sin in moderation. Abstain from it.

Expand your definition of pornography to include all nudity.

If you laugh at sin, pretty soon it won’t look so bad.

When you’re sinning, you’re acting like you don’t know God.

Don’t you know that communion with God is better than sin?

Can sin ever effect only the sinner?

In Heaven, we’ll surely see people’s eternal value, even in the people we didn’t like too much.

Mature believers in Christ cannot practice immorality.

Heed God’s warnings of judgment.

How dear is your sin to you?

God’s Spirit is incompatible with sin.

Sin is self-seeking and destructive.

Our Creator knows what will make us happy and successful and what won’t.

God is not an impersonal force. He is a personal, relational and emotional being.

These quotes came from God and I.

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.

If you wish to contact us in the mail or send support, please make checks payable to Jesus Christ Saves Ministries.  Here is our mailing address:

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

3219 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. #212

San Diego, CA 92117

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!

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The devotions are sent on Wednesdays.  The gospel message and JCSM's newsletter are sent monthly. These are the only messages we send, however, please email me us you wish to be removed from this list.

Do you need to find a solid, Christian church?  I've attended numerous Calvary Chapel churches and I've been very blessed by their Bible-based sermons, inspiring worship and kind members.  If you don't have a home church or need to find a new one, I recommend visiting the following site and locating a Calvary Chapel near you: http://www.calvarychapel.org.

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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."