This is the Weekly Devotional Message from

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries

Devotions for October 20^th through 24^th

Monday "There is Joy Now and to Come"

Proverb 12:20 "There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace."

John 16:24 "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

James 1:2, 3 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."

1 Peter 4:13 "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Prayer: "Thank you for all the joy You have given us. Give us more joy, Lord, and take away our sadness. Thank you for forgiving us and making all things work out for the good. Lift our heads and remind us that there will be much, much joy to come, too. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Tuesday "Don't Be Deceived"

Mark 13:22 "For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect."

Matthew 24:5 "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

Matthew 24:26, 27 "Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Prayer: "Give us wisdom and discernment. Thank you for giving us salvation by faith and the Holy Spirit and your Word. Make us use the tools You have given us to test the spirits and find out what is right and wrong. Don't let us even think about praying to see if we should obey what is in your Word--that much is obvious. But give us discernment to deal with the difficult decisions that will come our way. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Wednesday "Don't Trust the Flesh (carnal desires, unbiblical feelings, etc.), Trust God"

Philippians 3:3 "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh."

Proverbs 3:5, 6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

John 6:63 "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."

Prayer: "Praise You because you are faithful! Remind us that you are everywhere. Give us wisdom and let us know that the flesh isn't trustworthy. Thank you for your Word. Remind us that if we lean on own understanding, we will fall down. Thank you for the gift of prayer. Make us talk to You when we need answers and a faithful friend and God. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Thursday "It Starts with Love"

Matthew 5:43-45 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven."

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away."

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Prayer: "Have us love one another, Lord. Teach us how to love like You do. Thanks for loving us so much. There is no other love like yours. Forgive us for not showing everybody love in the past. Give us self-control, so we aren't foolish and hurtful. Remind us of the power of words--they can build up and destroy. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Friday "Give to the Poor"

Luke 19:8, 9 "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham."

Mark 10:21 "Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me."

Prayer: "Thank you for Jesus' example of a life of giving. Remind us to give what You've given us. Thank you for giving us so much. Cause us to stop and realize how much we really have and give to the poor and needy. Thank you for blessing and rewarding us when we do. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Challenge:

Bring a friend to church. Or at least ask somebody to go to church with you. There's plenty of people to ask. They can be a friend of family member. Pray to God and ask him for courage and direction, then invite somebody to church.

(Psalm 37:18 "Day by day God sees the deeds of Godly men and gives them eternal rewards."

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.")

Did You Know That....

The prophet Zechariah prophesied that in the last days Jerusalem would become "a cup of trembling unto all the people round about" and "a burdensome stone for all people" (Zechariah 12:2-3). Israel has now declared its capital to be the city of Jerusalem---a united Jerusalem. However, 90% of the nations of the world still refuse to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. International embassies in Israel have had to be set up in Tel Aviv. Today, one of the greatest stumbling blocks to the Middle East peace process centers around Jerusalem. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a Palestinian state, but the Jews have refused to allow Jerusalem to be divided again. Today, the international community is strongly pushing Israel to allow Jerusalem to be "on the table" for the sake of the peace process. Clearly, Jerusalem is a stumbling block to peace...exactly as was prophesied.

("301 Startling Proofs and Prophecies, Proving That God Exists," by Peter and Paul LaLonde)