Hello!

I hope you had a great weekend.

Until June 1st, I'm offering my book - "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" - for half price!  There is a very limited number of copies left, so if you want one for only $7.50, please email me.  You can see more about this great resource here: http://skepticsannotatedbible.org.

You might be asking, "Why are you selling this book for half price?"  Our "Second Edition" is being released in June!  This CD will include the Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary and Concordance, Matthew Henry's Exhaustive Commentary, Easton's Bible Dictionary, Nave's Topical Index and Torrey's Topical Index!  All of these awesome resources are bundled with the book, 450+ Israel pictures and the KJV Bible, on one CD, and it will cost only $14.99.

I've re-mastered one of my songs and added a 30-40 second guitar solo to it!  It's in CD quality and in MP3 format, so you can freely and easily stream it from the web.  If you click the following link, it will start playing, immediately!  It's called "Free" and it's about my new life and freedom in Christ.  Link: http://freesong.jcsm.org.  If you like that song, feel free to hear the rest of my songs at http://jcsm.org/MP3.htm.

My resume has been updated, so if you'd like to see what I've been doing, please see http://resume.jcsm.org.  I'm very happy with my ministry job at JCSM and I'd be happy to talk to you about starting a ministry or helping/joining this one.

This summer, I may visit Utah for an outreach to Mormons.  I've been given the opportunity to join a group from church and witness to the Mormons that attend a certain pageant.  Please pray for us and if you'd like to see the web page for the pageant that we'll be blessing, then please go here: http://www.mormonmiracle.org/index.html.  Please note: that web page is a Mormon web page and not endorsed by JCSM.

Do you need to make animated GIFs?  If so, I highly recommend the "GIF Animator 5" by Zoner.  I've created a number of animated (and still) GIF (picture) files and this tool is fantastic.  Go to their web page for more information (and other tools, too): http://www.zoner.com.

I hope and pray you are having a blessed weekend.  Remember to seek Christ and listen to Him.  Just like human relationships, we need to actively listen to God and learn from Him.

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 125,000 visits!

JCSM has encouraging sermons, exciting debates and the Bible on MP3 online and you can freely stream and download them!  Come and listen at 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.

Visit The JCSM Study Center!  We have over 400mb of resources like English and foreign Bibles, maps, commentaries, Greek and Hebrew dictionaries and concordances and much more!  Plus, it's all free.  Link: http://study.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: "God's Work Ethic"

Genesis 1:3, 4  "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness."

Genesis 1:9, 10  "Then God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'; and it was so.  And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas.  And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth'; and it was so.  And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:20, 21  "Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.'  So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:24, 25  "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind:  cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind'; and it was so.  And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind.  And God saw that it was good."

Insight: We should all follow God's work ethic.  1) God said what He was going to do.  2) He did it.  3) He observed and reviewed it.

Prayer: "Thanks for giving us an awesome work ethic to follow.  Help us to be good workers that do what we say.  Forgive us for saying we would do things, then forgetting about our pledge.  Help us to be honest and people of our word.  Praise You for being our Creator and a perfect God.  Thank you for doing what You said You would do.  Let us review what You have done and stand in awe of it.  Thank you for giving us the ability to work and do things that glorify You.  Help us to choose our jobs wisely.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Keep Your Promises"

Numbers 30:2  "If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

Psalm 76:11  "Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them; let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared."

Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5  "When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools.  Pay what you have vowed - better not to vow than to vow and not pay."

Matthew 5:33-37  "Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’  But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."

Insight: Promises are important to God.  He has kept His promises since He first made them - thousands of years ago!  Try and be someone who keeps their promises.

Prayer: "Thank you for the promises that we have made.  Thank you for the ones that we have kept.  Help us to be people of our word.  Praise You for having grace and mercy on people when they say one thing and do another.  Please help us to identify hypocritical tendencies and deal with them before You punish us for them.  Thank you for the wonderful people who have kept their promises to me.  Bless them and bless me, Lord.  Remind us of the things we say we will do and help us to avoid making rash promises.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Deny Yourself"

Matthew 10:38, 39  "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

Matthew 16:24  "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.'"

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."

Insight: It has been said that Christianity isn't simply "turning over a new leaf," but it's starting a new life!  This same direness can be applied to the way we should follow Christ.  We need to deny ourselves and follow Him.

Prayer: "Thank you for the benefits of denying ourselves foolish pleasures.  Bless us and help us to see clearly.  Thank you for the blessings that You give as your servants fast.  Remind us and help us to fast often.  Thank you for wanting full devotion and not settling for half of our heart.  Thank you for being worthy!  Forgive us for being distracted and foolish.  Remove our foolishness and give us wisdom, Lord.  Help us to deny ourselves.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "Our Labor is Not in Vain"

1 Corinthians 15:58  "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

2 Corinthians 6:1  "We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."

Galatians 2:21  "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Philippians 2:14-16  "Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain."

Insight: God blesses and rewards us for our hard work.  Don't think that your efforts are in vain.  Even if you think that your results aren't particularly impressive, God still blesses your hard work and effort.

Prayer: "Thank you for loving us enough to bless us for our hard work.  Thank you for knowing all things; even our hearts.  Remind us that we do not need to worry about the results of our God-centered labor.  Help us to give that aspect of our work up to You.  Praise You for blessing the work that glorifies You.  Remove our stress.  Give us peace and lighten our load.  Thank you for wanting us to be godly, but not overwhelmed.  Thank you for giving us awesome things to do.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Have Self-Control"

Psalm 4:4  "Be angry, and do not sin.  Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.  Selah."

Psalm 39:1  "I said, 'I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.'"

Proverbs 16:32  "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Proverbs 29:11  "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back."

Matthew 12:35,36  "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

2 Timothy 2:15  "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Titus 2:6-8  "Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you."

James 1:19, 20  "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Insight: Most people recognize how much self-control has made their life better.  Moderation is important.  Avoiding waste is important.  Doing good things and refraining from foolishness is also key.  Ask for self-control and be ready to use it.

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us Jesus' example of a person with self-control.  Thank you for the meekness that He had, too.  Bless us and give us self-control.  Forgive us for being reckless or foolish.  Forgive us for wasting time, energy and/or resources.  Let us be wise and do what is right.  Thank you for the great blessing of self-control.  Remind us how Jesus exerted self-control, even when people mocked and hated Him.  Help us to have unconditional self-control and the desire to be godly that transcends our circumstances.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Be Faithful"

Psalm 21:23  "Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!  For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person."

Proverbs 20:6  "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?"

Proverbs 27:6, 17  "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.  As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

Proverbs 28:20  "A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished."

Galatians 5:22, 23  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law."

Revelation 2:10  "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer.  Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life."

Insight: Do you realize how great it is to have a faithful God?  Are you a faithful friend?  Try emulating God's faithfulness and be there for the people that need you.

Prayer: "Thank you for being faithful to us, Lord.  Thank you for being far more faithful than we deserve.  Praise You for your faithfulness!  Help us to be faithful, too.  Thank you for having mercy on us when we are unfaithful, but punishing us if we make unfaithfulness a habit.  Help us to see the value of first being devoted to You, then being faithful to others.  We love You, Lord.  Thank you for the people that you've placed in our lives.  Help us to love them and give them our best.  Remind us that we are merely stewards of your blessings and gifts.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Diligence vs. Laziness"

Proverbs 6:6-11  "Go to the ant, you sluggard!  Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.  How long will you slumber, O sluggard?  When will you rise from your sleep?  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep - so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man."

Proverbs 10:4  "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

Proverbs 12:24  "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor."

Proverbs 14:23  "In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty."

Proverbs 21:25, 26  "The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.  He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare."

Proverbs 22:29  "Do you see a man who excels in his work?  He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men."

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12  "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this:  If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.  For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.  Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread."

Insight: Lazy people get into all kinds of trouble.  Plus, they never accomplish much.  Be determined to be and stay diligent!  Discover what God wants for you, then set your mind to complete those tasks and don't let anything stop you.

Prayer: "Thank you for wanting us to be diligent.  Thank you for the awesome benefits of remaining diligent to God-centered tasks.  Praise You for blessing my work, Lord.  Thank you for making JCSM a huge ministry because of my hard work and your great blessings.  Praise You for helping me, even when I get very tired.  Thank you for encouraging me with loving friends and supporters.  You are a great God.  Lift us up, Lord.  Help us to be like You would be and become and remain determined to do your will - at all costs.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

A Moment of Introspection

How often do you thank God for what He has done for you?

God has done awesome things in your life.  Take some time to thank Him.  Cultivate a respect and admiration for God by thanking Him for His blessings.

Consider making a list of things that you are thankful for.

Stop holding grudges.

Isn't it difficult to carry around grudges?  Don't they feel like weights on your shoulders?

Decide to drop your grudges.  Forgive the people who have wronged you and let go of your grudges.

Forgiving someone isn't saying that what they did was right.  Forgiving someone is saying that you still love them even though they did something that was wrong.

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

seismos: earthquake - commotion, gale, earthquake, tempest

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:

Genesis 2:17 - In verse 1:29 God told Adam that he could eat from "every tree," but now he changes his mind and tells him not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God says that if Adam eats from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then the day that he does so, he will die. But later Adam eats the forbidden fruit (3:6) and yet lives for another 930 years (5:5).

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

* This is nothing more than a father telling his child, "You may have all of these things, but not this one thing."

* The death Adam suffered was separation from God and imputed sin to his descendants.  This Hebrew word for death can be used figuratively, so literal death was not the punishment for his sin.

(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.)

It's amazing how much you can learn when you don't think you know it all.

Solomon asked for intangible blessings and he was given great, tangible blessings.

How often do you thank God for what He has done for you?

Solomon's request was based on God's plan for his life.

Whatever God equipped you to do is important.

God looks at you and asks, "Do you want to work or are you just here?"

Stop holding grudges.

Are you good at forgiving people?

If you become really good at something, you'll be amazed at what you get.

Don't let your weaknesses ruin what God wants you to do.

Your decisions send messages to God about how much you trust Him.

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."