This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

www.JCSM.org

Over 1500 Links!

Hello!

I pray you had a great week and weekend!

Encouraging words from God's Word are soothing to the soul. He's waiting to lift you up. Please keep reading.

The Jars of Clay, Jennifer Knapp and Luna Halo performances were awesome! I saw them on Friday and Saturday nights! I also got to meet Dan Haseltine and Nathan Harlowe. It was a blessing and the music was super encouraging! If they come near your city, please check them out.

On Thursday, we heard a powerful sermon, at New Venture, by Jason Broome. His words were very inspired and helped us to look within and take our relationship with Christ seriously. Please pray for him and our group. Not only is the group growing in numbers, but it's growing spiritually! We're adding a new service on November 5th. Please pray that this is a huge success and God is glorified.

The WOW 2001 album is being released on October 31st! Make sure to check out this one of a kind, Christian compilation set. The WOW cds always include the top Christian songs of many different styles.

Please pray for my new guitar student, Wyatt. He is seven years old and wanting to learn acoustic guitar. His second lesson is this week. I'm praying that we both have patience and determination. It's exciting to see him learn, but he will have to work before he's playing chord progressions.

It's getting colder outside because it's Fall and turning into Winter. If you want to make sure you don't catch the flu, get a flu shot! I like to get one because the flu is a nasty thing to catch! Most doctors will give one for under $10.

Would you like to read some awesome, online sermons? Dr. Falwell is a very sound, biblical teacher and you can find his sermons here: www.trbc.org (Click on Media for sermons)

Are you considering marriage? Please consider getting some premarital counseling. To some people, it's an obvious decision, but to others, they never think about getting it. Most churches will freely give their members and attendees premarital counseling. All marriages will face problems. There's no reason to rush into a marriage without getting proper counsel and without trying to tackle some of the obstacles you will face in marriage.

Would you like to know how many vitamins, minerals and calories you should be consuming? Simply consult the RDA intake chart - http://www.lifestyler.com/jr/rdachart.htm

Rebecca St. James and the Newsboys are releasing albums on Tuesday! I've heard both and they're great. RSJ is releasing a new album called "Transform." It is a great, encouraging addition to her talented repertoire. "Don't Worry" is my favorite new song of hers. The Newsboys are releasing a greatest hits album called "Shine the Hits." On this album, they included a few new songs, too. Enjoy the new music!

Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour on Sunday morning. Yes, it's daylight savings time and you get to sleep an extra hour!

Are you celebrating Halloween? Please consider handing gospel tracts (with or without candy/snacks) to the neighbors! You can get them in bulk at Christian book stores.

My fast is going very well. Praise the Lord! I'm feeling just as good as I do when I eat; perhaps better. God is giving me supernatural energy. I know there are several weeks left, though. Please pray for me and feel free to email me encouraging words. Today is day 16 and I'll be finished with this fast on November 18th. I'll be posting my journals very soon. I've had lots of interesting dreams and awesome experiences.

Would you like an extra reason to fast? On November 2-4, there is a group fasting. If you'd like to know why, go here: http://www.fastingprayer.com/index.html

Vote "Yes" on 38! Vouchers should be given to tax-paying citizens, so they can send their children to private schools. It only seems fair. If your children aren't attending public school, then why pay them and private schools? Getting some tax money back and letting you use it in the school of your choice should be your privilege.

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 36,910 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, we're 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, moment of introspection, challenge and quotations for the week. Have a fantastic week and God bless you!

Love in Christ,

Jason J. Gastrich

ICQ#: 20731140

The Weekly Devotional Message

Day 1: "Where Should I Pray?"

Numbers 11:2, 3 (the wilderness) "When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the LORD and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the LORD had burned among them."

1 Kings 18:36, 37 (the mountain top) "At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: 'O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.'"

Daniel 6:10 "Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before."

Nehemiah 2:4 "The king said to me, 'What is it you want?' Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."

Matthew 26:36 "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'"

Acts 16:24, 25 "Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."

Acts 10:9 "About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray."

Prayer: "Thank you for the examples of people praying, Lord. Remind us that we can pray anywhere, any time. Praise You for being faithful and always present! Help us to remember You are here. Thank you for not making us place in one place, but giving us freedom. Let us pray to you inside, outside and everywhere we go. Help us to pray without ceasing. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 2: "Very Bright Words"

Psalm 119:105, 130 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple."

Psalm 18:28 "For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness."

1 John 1:5 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all."

2 Peter 1:19-21 "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."

Prayer: "Thank you for giving us light with your words! There's no other God like You. Thank you for lighting our paths and our lives. Let us love the light and despise the darkness. Praise You for being so good and perfect. Help us to see You how You truly are. Thank you for giving us your awesome Word! Let us memorize it and apply it to our lives. To You be the glory, honor and praise. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 3: "Practice Being Kind"

Ephesians 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."

Luke 6:35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. "

Proverb 19:22 "What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar."

Galatians 5:22, 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is......kindness......Against such there is no law."

Prayer: "Help us to be kind, Lord. Forgive us for not being kind in the past. Thank you for having mercy and grace on us. Let us treat others like You would have us treat them. Remove our selfishness and insecurities. Give us confidence and godliness. Let us forgive others and love them. Thank you for blessing and rewarding us when we obey You. Let us think of others as more highly than ourselves. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 4: "The Son of Man"

Daniel 7:13, 14 "I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed."

Matthew 8:20 "And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.'"

Matthew 12:8 "For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

Prayer: "Thank you for being the chosen one, the prophesied Son of Man! Thank you for being the Messiah and Savior of the world. Let more people believe and accept You as their Lord and Savior, Jesus. Thank you for saving me and so many others! Give us all genuine and deep faith. Help us to stay on the right path. Praise You for loving us and helping us each day. Cause us to give You praise, over and over. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 5: "Hard Work? or Hard Work!"

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

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."

Proverb 10:16 "The labor of the righteous leads to life, The wages of the wicked to sin."

Proverb 13:11 "Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase."

1 Corinthians 3:8 "Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor."

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."

Ephesians 4:28 "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need."

Prayer: "Thank you for all the benefits of labor! Help us to work hard and not be lazy. Forgive us for not being wise with our time. Thank you for giving us a certain amount of time. Remind us that we can use it how ever we wish. Help us not to be enslaved. Give us great spiritual strength and knowledge. Give us strength to continue our work and not grow weary. Thank you for picking us up! In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 6: "Angels Are Here"

Hebrews 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?"

Psalm 34:7 "The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them."

Psalm 91:11 "For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways."

Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."

Prayer: "Thank you for all the angels that you have surrounded us with! Remind us that there is an awesome spiritual world around us. Keep angels around us, Lord. Let them lift us up and protect us from evil. Give them strength over the demons that plague us. Thank you for being the Creator of all. Thank you for keeping certain things out of our sight. Let us be content and know there is an awesome world that we cannot see. Remove our fears and make us strong and faithful to You. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Day 7: "Tithe and Give Money"

Malachi 3:8-10 "'Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.'"

Acts 4:36, 37 "And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet."

1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Luke 12:32-34 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Prayer: "Thank you for the money You have given us, Lord. Help us to use it wisely. Thank you for the many ways we can spend it. Let us give it back to You. Thank you for rewarding and blessing us when we give our money to You and others. Give us self-control and discipline. Thank you for giving us things that nobody else could ever give us. Remind us of your character and how You give. Forgive us for hanging onto our money too tightly. Give us chances to give and help us take advantage of them! Thank you for having such great patience and mercy on us! You are an awesome Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge

Pray passionately. Does your prayer life need a lift? Have you wondered how to do it? Try praying passionately!

We are to do everything wholeheartedly, including prayer. Too many times we pray in a monotone voice. God wants us to believe and pray with fervor!

I have a friend who prayed for me, fervently, on Tuesday. I was feeling tired and a little discouraged. Suddenly, I felt lifted up! I heard his voice and began to pray, too. God lifted me up.

Do you want to know the most interesting part of this? He wasn't here. My friend was at his house, but I still heard his voice. I believe God did this supernatural phenomenon to encourage me during my fast. Tyrone was really excited when I told him that I heard his voice. I didn't know he was praying for me, but he said he was and he was praying passionately on Tuesday.

(You can read more about this and other awesome things in my fasting journal. It will be published soon.)

If you want your prayers to be heard by God, and possibly by others, pray passionately! God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!

A Moment of Introspection

Have you ever felt a darkness come over you? Have you ever had an uncomfortable feeling in your spirit?

Don't forget that there is an invisible spirit world. There are demons and angels that we cannot see. Demons will try and oppress us while angels protect us.

If you feel weighed down it's because of demonic oppression. Pray, quote scriptures, sing praises! God will rescue you and encourage you. He is much more powerful than any demonic power. He is available to you every minute of every day, too!

Quotations

There's a whole world of things to know and I love You for it.

It is no coincidence that letting God reign in my relationships has mended and persevered them.

Part of becoming godly is realizing God offers more good things than anyone or anything else.

Throwing things on top of the law confuses the law.

Freedom isn't the right to do whatever you want, it's the right to do what's right.

Freedom isn't in a flag, it's in a cross.

If you're gonna love God, you're gonna love people.

How many years were you spiritually dead?

Praise God if you have friends who want to talk about the deep things of God.

If people are thinking on an earthly level, when they hear Jesus speak, they're missing what He's saying.

Jesus fulfills our practical needs.

United States culture wants scientific proof for too many things, while being too ignorant of the spiritual world.

We all should either begin or continue pursuing God.

Radical actions are caused by inner changes.

Wholeheartedly obeying God increases your faith in Him.

Some people want to see which attitude (spirit) you have when you're speaking to them and they don't even need the words.

ASAP: Always Say A Prayer

Accepting Christ is the last thing you'll ever do alone.

God is the only one who never stops thinking about you.

The flesh doesn't like to die.

If you want a life, accept Christ.

God still hates divorce.

Marriage isn't something you try, it's something you do all your life.

In relationships, you have to obey God's rules and work at them.

Pride is one of the hardest things to work on.

God came to Earth to do His thing, not our thing.

Husbands should love their wives and they will respect them.

The two biggest reasons for divorce are stress and when the man isn't the spiritual leader.

If you break God's rules, there will be suffering.

God's ideal has to be your standard and goal.

Woman is man's helper, not his completer.

Some singles aren't finding a girlfriend or boyfriend because they aren't walking with God.

If you want to know God's will, lay your life at His feet.

You have a choice to talk about what's good or bad.

Trials bring people together if you let God do what He does through them.

I discern things quicker when I'm fasting.

If your potential girlfriend or boyfriend knows nothing about God, there will be problems in your relationship.

Be the best you can be, so you can get God's best.

Ask God for eyes to see which people are and aren't for you.

God can at 11:59pm.

Allow scrutiny of your ungodliness.

Be open to hear the voice of God.

Listen to God speaking through people.

What is your passion?

What are you hoping for?

What are you hungry for?

We're small, but we're reflecting the same, bright light.

The darker this world gets, the brighter we will shine.

If you want to shine brighter, stop complaining and arguing.

Knowing he would betray Him, Jesus washed even Judas' feet.

Prioritize God over all.

Nobody will stand for you at the judgment seat of Christ.

The Bible says, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling," not "play around with your salvation."

Have you set yourself apart for Christ?

Everyone has to tolerate the disobedience of others.

Be honest with God in your prayer time.

Everywhere we turn, there is junk food for our soul.

No matter how bad things look, God is in control of history and will one day reclaim the Earth.

When prayers go unanswered for long periods of time, more may be involved than what we could dream.

In your relationship with God, are you more concerned with past failures or future hopes?

How does it feel to love someone who doesn't love you back?

God refuses to let us conform to the world.

Reach your potential. Don't mimic the world.

God is blessing you ever day.

When I'm fasting, I want to stay pure more than I do when I'm eating.

I'm a unique person with unique needs.

The Bible is the deepest and most applicable subject I could study.

Trying to understand the mind of a fool is a useless chore.

Have you ever felt evil around you?

Forgiveness is freedom for the person forgiving the offender.

Stop saying He doesn't exist and let Him make you whole.

God is never going to stop calling us His children.

God is never going to take our spiritual gifts from us.

God must understand our humanity.

God is bulletproof.

Live and die for Him.

If you don't believe, you won't pray. If you won't pray, you won't receive.

If you don't believe in the deep things of God, you won't receive them.

Perhaps you have a small number of people to teach because you're not teaching the entire truth.

Listen very closely, so you can understand.

If you haven't felt led to do or say something, ask yourself why.

We are collectively and individually Christ's body.

There are differences in the body of Christ, but we are still one.

An ant colony is a good example of how all the people in the body of Christ are necessary and useful.

God has sovereignly gifted us.

If eating is an uncontrollable urge, so is lying and stealing.

Next time you think a part of the body of Christ is insignificant, imagine yourself with a broken or missing hand or foot.

Without the Holy Spirit, you are not a believer in Christ.

In the Bible, subsequent revelation didn't invalidate earlier revelation. It replaced it.

Fasting is a means of humbling ourselves before God, letting Him know that we are willing to exchange physical comforts to seek Him for a spiritual feast!

I think it takes more faith to believe in the theory of evolution than it does to believe in Jesus, God and creation in six days.

My religion isn't intolerant of others, my God is intolerant of sin.

If you want me to vouch for or feel bad for every Christian person's offensive behavior, then you should vouch for and feel bad for every non-Christian person's behavior.

Saying what I know about God and His Word reinforces my faith and knowledge.

There are quite a few Christians living like the world and with the world.

Do you think there will be more people in Heaven or Hell?

There's no sense in trying to fool someone who can't be fooled.

Even if your religion was right, I would never follow it because I would never want to become like you.

I would rather follow Jesus Christ and go to Hell for eternity than follow any other religion because I see how my life has changed since He's been in the center.

God wouldn't give us a life full of judgment or a life full of mercy. It has to be a combination of each, to teach us the right lessons, at the right times, in the right ways.

You can't solve a problem unless you diagnose it.

You don't need to eat every day to have a happy life.

Nobody ever deserves to be raped.

Are you a fervent prayer warrior?

Form a habit of praying.

Every time you pray, it costs you something.

The size of your God, determines the size of your prayer request.

The size of your prayer request, determines the size of your answers.

More godliness equals more freedom.

I don't know the answers. God knows the answers and I might know what He has said in His Word.

These quotes came from God, me, the Inspirational Study Bible (with Max Lucado), Dr. Jerry Falwell, George W. Bush, Jason Broome, Paul Breithaupt and Miles McPhearson.

These quotes can be used for sanctification and fun. Most of them are directly based on scripture and scriptural principles. Some of my quotes are humorous or rhetorical. Some are written from sermons and Bible studies. Others are lyrics from songs. Like most verses in the Bible, they can be debated. To use what I have written in the most beneficial way, try and trace them back to the scriptures they were derived from and apply the true principles to your life in a meaningful way! Please don't sell my quotes or publish them for profit. If English is not your first language, you may not understand some of the quotes. I'm sorry, but some of them are English metaphors and deal with multiple word meanings. God bless you all!

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

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

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 4953 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

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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."