Hello!

I pray you had a wonderful weekend.

This Sunday is Easter!  I hope you have a wonderful time and reflect on Jesus Christ's bodily resurrection.  Praise the Lord for Jesus and His gift of eternal life!

Do you have a web site or ministry?  If so, would you mind putting JCSM's banner on your site?  Please see the following site to get our banner.  You may link it to http://www.jcsm.org.  Banner link: http://www.jcsm.org/JCSM.gif.

If you have a minute and want to see a "scholarly skeptic" and his web site of anti-biblical research, please go here: http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html.  Joe Alward has been posting in the JCSM Forum for quite awhile.  He is one of those respectable atheists that won't call you names.  He enjoys honest discussions, so if you visit his site and feel your hair raise and heart rate increase after reading some of his research, please email him with your "scholarly rebuttal"!  Don't forget to pray for Joe, too, because it would be wonderful if we could win him to Christ.

You are personally invited to join us for some Christian Fellowship on the JCSM Forum!  Do you want to tell someone what you had for lunch?  Do you want to talk about the latest trip you took or the last church service you attended?  Come and meet some friends and share at http://christianfellowship.jcsm.org!

On April 20, KPRZ.com (1210am, K-Praise in San Diego) is airing my friend's radio show.  It will be from 7:45pm to 8pm (Pacific Standard Time).  He is a pastor and minister who has a heart for missions.  This week, I'll be speaking for a minute on my new book.  Next Sunday, I'll be his guest and I'll have more air time!  If you aren't busy, please tune in.  The broadcast will be aired on the radio and on the internet.

Do you have a problem with racism?  I've created a web site of hotlinks to anti-racism foundations and organizations.  When you have a minute, please explore these sites and pray that racism becomes eradicated.  Link: http://www.jcsm.org/biblelessons/Anti-Racism.htm.

I hope and pray our Lord blesses you a lot this week.  Meditate on Him and His Word and He will come into focus!

If you are in Southern California, I challenge and encourage you to attend the sunrise service at Qualcomm Stadium.  Rock N Roll Worship Circus (http://www.worshipcircus.com) will be leading us in songs at 8:30am and 10am.  This service is on Easter morning and should be awesome!

Please pray for my church's softball team.  We played our first game on Saturday and won.  Let's pray for good, Christian fellowship and no injures.  Thanks in advance.

Would you prayerfully consider supporting JCSM with $5 per month?  If God leads you to take this step of faith and bless this ministry, PayPal will process a donation subscription for you.  It will only take a minute and you can join us in this dynamic ministry that constantly reaches people all over the world.  Here is the link for $5 donations: Click here!

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 117,000 visits!

JCSM has encouraging sermons and debates online that you can freely stream and download!  Come and hear them on SermonAudio.com!  Here is our site: http://sa.jcsm.org.

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! Either email me for more information or simply go here: http://vision.jcsm.org.

Welcome to the new readers of this message! Here are the Devotions, A Moment of Introspection, JCSM's Challenge, the Greek Bible Word of the Week, a faith-builder from "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" and the Quotes of the Week. Have a fantastic week and God bless you!

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "Get Sharpened!"

Proverbs 27:17  "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

Ephesians 5:21  "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Hebrews 10:24, 25  "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

James 5:16  "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Insight: Becoming "spiritually sharpened" requires some work and some friction.  Find a mentor and become accountable to him or her.  Submit yourself to God and be dedicated to spiritual growth.  You will greatly benefit from becoming sharpened for Him!

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to grow spiritually.  Thank you for giving us the tools to become more mature.  Bless us, increase our ministries, lay your hand on us and keep us from evil.  We love You, Lord.  You are our everything.  Help us to find solid, Christian mentors and friends.  Thank you for those people that have taken the time to invest in our lives.  Help us to love and invest in others, too.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Beware of the Seductress"

Proverbs 2:16-19  ". . . to deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God.  For her house leads down to death, and her paths to the dead; none who go to her return, nor do they regain the paths of life."

Proverbs 6:23-29  "For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattering tongue of a seductress.  Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids.  For by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread; and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.  Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?  Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?  So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent."

Proverbs 23:26-28  "My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.  For a harlot is a deep pit, and a seductress is a narrow well.  She also lies in wait as for a victim, and increases the unfaithful among men."

Insight: Be careful and don't be fooled by women who want to seduce you.  Some women are virtuous and some are not.  Be discerning and guard your heart.  (This isn't implying that men do not seduce women, but that is a different topic for another time.)

Prayer: "Thank you for warning us about potential problems and pitfalls, Lord.  Give us great wisdom and knowledge.  Help us to avoid these traps.  Thank you for giving us your Spirit and helping us discern good and evil.  Let us see things how they truly are.  Help us to walk on the narrow and straight path and avoid chasing vain pleasures and foolishness.  Expose the seductress and help her repent.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "The Renewed Mind"

Psalm 51:10  "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Romans 12:2  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

1 Corinthians 14:20  "Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature."

2 Corinthians 4:16  "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."

Ephesians 4:20-24  "But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

Colossians 3:8-11  "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all."

1 Corinthians 14:20  "Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature."

2 Corinthians 4:16  "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day."

Ephesians 4:20-24  "But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:  that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."

Colossians 3:8-11  "But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all."

Insight: Has God ever changed your mind?  Has He renewed it?  Renewing our minds is a process with sanctification as the goal.  If you haven't pursued Christ-likeness and renewed your mind, lately, stop and see how you can "think" more like God does.

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us more than a new hobby.  Thank you for renewing our mind!  We love You, Lord.  Thank you for helping us to think more like our Creator.  Change and renew our minds, Lord.  Thank you for thinking correctly and wanting us to become like You through a relationship with You.  Help us base our knowledge of You, our lives and our relationship with You on the facts in your awesome Word.  You are our God and we want more of You.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "By Faith"

Matthew 17:20b, 21  "... For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Luke 17:5  "And the apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.'"

Romans 5:1, 2  "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Romans 10:17  "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

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

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."

Ephesians 2:8, 9  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

Hebrews 11:1, 2  "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony."

Insight: We cannot please God unless we have faith in Him.  Great things happen by people who have great faith.  Ask God to increase our faith, then use it for His glory.

Prayer: "Thank you for the measure of faith You have given us.  Please increase it!  Thank you for wanting us to be faithful to You.  You are an awesome God and worthy of our devotion, faith and praise.  Thank you for doing mighty things through us.  Help us to step out on faith and try awesome things in Jesus' name that will utterly fail unless You come and help us.  Help us to pray very big and never put You in a box.  Thank you for doing mighty and awesome things and planning to do many more.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Abide In God's Love"

John 15:9, 10  "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love."

1 John 4:7, 8, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

1 John 4:12-16  "No one has seen God at any time.  If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.  By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."

Insight: Great things happen when we abide in God's love.  Don't worry about pleasing the world.  Concern yourself with pleasing God and remaining in His perfect will.  Like Steven Curtis Chapman says, "There's no better place than the road that leads to Heaven."

Prayer: "Thank you for leading the way, Lord.  Thank you for giving us safety and security in You.  Bless us and make us like You.  Help us to walk in your ways and refuse to blaze a foolish path to destruction.  Thank you for making us successful and fulfilled as we do your perfect will.  Reveal yourself to us and show us where to walk.  Thank you for giving us second chances.  Thank you for forgiving our foolishness.  To You be all the glory, honor and praise.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Christ Died For Us"

Romans 5:6, 8  "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 8:34  "Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

Romans 14:9  "For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living."

2 Corinthians 5:14, 15  "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus:  that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

Galatians 3:13  "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')."

Insight: Christ died for all of us.  He didn't die for some of us.  He came to Earth, lived a sinless life, died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead.  Repent and trust Christ, today!  If you already have, then tell a friend about His awesome grace and saving power.

Prayer: "Thank you for dying for us, Lord.  Thank you for being the perfect sacrifice that was necessary to cleanse us from our sins.  Help us to understand what You did on the cross!  There is no other God like You.  Thank you for enduring pains and hardships to set us free.  Thank you for having great patience and mercy as people mistreated You and deceived You.  Help us to emulate You and be godly.  Thank you for dying for us and setting us free.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "The Wonderful Resurrection"

Psalm 16:10  "For you will not leave me among the dead; you will not allow your beloved one to rot in the grave."

John 2:19-22  "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.'  Then the Jews said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?'  But He was speaking of the temple of His body.  Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said."

Luke 24:5-9  "Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, 'Why do you seek the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’  And they remembered His words.  Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest."

Insight: Christianity hinges on the fact that we have a risen Savior.  The resurrection of Jesus gives us hope that we will be resurrected to live with our Lord and Savior for eternity.  Praise God for the resurrection!  Without it, we wouldn't have hope.

Prayer: "Thank you for the resurrection, Lord!  You are an awesome God.  Praise You for having power that we do not have.  Help us understand how You simultaneously transcend our mental capacity and want us to know You better.  Thank you for putting the weight of the world's sins on Jesus' shoulders as He hung on the cross and paid for our sins.  Thank you for His resurrection!  Help us to understand this supernatural event and rejoice!  Thank you for giving us hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  You are our awesome God.  Give us more faith in You.  Let us not worry or fear.  Our eternal security is in your hands and there are no better hands to place our trust.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Some clothes are so revealing that they must have been designed by the Devil.

In Southern California (not too far from Hollywood), we see all kinds of styles and fashions.  Some of them are great and some of them aren't.

Are you discerning in the clothes you wear?  Have you ever considered that your apparel may be making someone sin?

It has been called a "higher law of love" to be concerned with the sanctification of others.  However, we are called to care about the well-being of other people.  This includes wearing tasteful things that don't make others sin.

I'm not saying that you need to wear a gunnysack or ugly clothes.  However, I am saying that we should watch what we wear and be sure to keep most of our skin unexposed.

If you are wearing too little clothing, consider your motives.  Are you trying to get people to like you for the way you look?  Beauty is fleeting, so it would be wise to sharpen and mature your insides and allow people to like you for the right reasons.

God bless you as you consider these things.

Meditate on the resurrection.  Consider what happened at the cross and at Christ's tomb (which is now empty).

Here is a picture of the entrance to the empty tomb (this is from the "Garden Tomb" in Jerusalem and it is a probable location for the actual tomb that once contained Jesus' body): http://www.jcsm.org/Israel1997/GardenTomb.jpg.

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

sin: hamartano - to miss the mark, to err, sin, trespass

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:

Genesis 1:28 - God commands us to "be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over ... every living thing that moveth upon the earth." This verse is used to justify Christian opposition to birth control, to concern for the environment, and to animal rights. The earth was made for humans, and they can do as they damn well please with it.

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" responds:

* I've never heard this verse used in defense of the opposition to birth control, abusing the earth or the animals in it.  Contrarily, this verse is used to indicate that we are responsible for how we treat God's creation.  We have been put in charge of it and we must take care of it.

(This explanation came from "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained", by Jason Gastrich.  This book is on CD and explains over 3,000 difficulties regarding the entire Bible at http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.org.)

Many of our prejudices are results of things we learned as we grew up.

Are you drawing conclusions based on outward appearances?

Condemning others and making false judgments are two of the most destructive sins.

Feelings are important as facts.

Porcupines know that they will prick each other if they huddle up and keep warm.  However, this is the price for staying warm and avoiding freezing.  Christians are similar to the porcupine.  They may irritate each other as they draw closer, but they will reap a larger benefit.

Can you hate someone that you pray for?

Partial obedience to God is disobedience.

Avoid unjust discrimination.

Since God created sex, we should read His Word to discover His purpose for it.

Some clothes are so revealing that they must have been designed by the Devil.

Don't let a sleazy culture poison you.

These quotes came from God, me and Miles McPhearson.

Do you need more quotes?  We have thousands in our archives!  They are located here: http://quotes.jcsm.org.

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 written religiously, the web pages stay on the www and the readers 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 JCSM, please send your gift to the address below.

You can join our vision and help this ministry! Your donations will keep these ministries running and further our visions for evangelism. Hundreds of web pages have been created to lead people to the Lord. Frequently, we make new ones and they are used to bring more and more people into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. We’re certain there will be more ways to reach people in the future.

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, Christian ministries 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!

Fishes and Loaves (FALO) is a great, missions organization.  They have helped many people embark on missions trips to the uttermost parts of the world.  If you are interested in missions, please visit http://www.gofalo.net.

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.

OCCM (Online Christ-Centered Ministries) has certified JCSM as a ministry that preaches the true, biblical gospel of Jesus Christ.  OCCM is a professional membership association for Christian ministries and people that reside on and off the internet.  Are you OCCM certified?  For more information, go here: http://www.occm.org.

JCSM has it's own, site search engine!  If you'd like to search over 1000 web sites, please go here: http://search.jcsm.org.

Over 5000 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."