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JCSM's Weekly Devotions (click here to listen!)

"Give God the Right Sacrifice"

Genesis 3:7, 21  "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings . . . for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them."

Genesis 4:3-5  "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.  And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.  And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell."

Hebrews 9:22  "And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission."

Matthew 16:24-27  "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.'"

Insight: God has revealed His will to us in His Word.  We are to make the sacrifices that He requires.  We cannot simply do whatever we want and assume it is pleasing to God.  Obey Him and His Word and you will please Him.  Trust His sacrifice for sins and you will be saved.

Prayer: "Thank you for loving me so much, Lord.  Thank you for being a good and awesome God.  There is no other like You!  Make us more like You.  Thank you for sacrificing your Son for our sins.  Forgive us and help us to continually repent and trust You.  Remind us to obey You.  Help us give You what is required and not simply what we want to give You.  Thank you for having mercy, patience, and grace with us.  You are the awesome, perfect, Creator.  To You be the glory, honor, and praise.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

America's Foundation

First Charter of Virginia - April 10, 1606, was granted by King James I to those who would endeavor to settle "Jamestown Colony" in Virginia:

"We, greatly commending and graciously accepting of their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of His Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those Parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government...."  - 1606, granted by King James I.  Church of the Holy Trinity v. Unites States, 142 US 457, 458, 465-71, 36 L ed 226, (1892) Justice Brewer.

Colony of Virginia - May 14, 1607, was planted with settlers who had left England in December of 1606.  Their settlement Jamestown was the first permanent settlement in North America.  (Sir Walter Raleigh, who was responsible for naming Virginia after the "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I, had attempted a previous settlement in 1585, but it proved unsuccessful.)

The colonists' first act, after having landed at Cape Henry, April 27, 1607, was to erect a large wooden cross and hold a prayer meeting.  Their minister, the Reverend Robert Hunt, conducted this premier service honoring the Lord for the first time in this new land.  Later that year, at Revered Robert Hunt's death, the settlers gave this tribute to him:

"We all received from him the Holy Communion together, as a pledge of reconciliation, for we all loved him for his exceeding goodness.  He planted the First Protestant Church in America and laid down his life in the foundation of America."  - 1607.  Inscription of original 1607 Settler's testimony engraved upon the bronze Robert Hunt Memorial, Jamestown Island, Virginia.  Catherine Millard, The Rewriting of America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1991), p. 308.  Catherine Millard, A Children's Companion Guide to America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1993) p. 9.

Second Charter of Virginia - May 23, 1609, granted by King James I, stated:

"Because the principal Effect which we can expect or desire of this Action is the Conversion and reduction of the people in those parts unto the true worship of God and the Christian Religion."  - May 23, 1609.  William McDonald, ed., Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606-1889 (NY: The Macmillan Company, 1909), pp. 1-2.  David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 85.  "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 1.

Colony of Virginia - July 30, 1619, was ordered by the Virginia Company to hold the first Representative Assembly in the New World at Jamestown.  The secretary of the Virginia Colony, John Pory recorded the meeting:

"But forasmuch as men's affaires doe little prosper, where God's service is neglected, all the Burgesses took their places in the Quire till prayer was said by Mr. Bucke the Minister, that it would please God to guide and sanctify all our proceedings, to His own glory and the good of this plantation."  - July 30, 1619, at the first Representative Assembly at Jamestown, recorded by James Pory, secretary of the Colony.  Marker outside original Church Tower, Jamestown Island, Virginia.  Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities.   Catherine Millard, The Rewriting of America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1991), p. 309-310.  Catherine Millard, A Children's Companion Guide to America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1993) p. 11.

Colony of Virginia - December 4, 1961, records how 38 colonists landed in a place they called Berkeley Hundred.  In their charter, they instructed:

"We ordain that the day of our ship's arrival... in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God."  - December 4, 1961, in the charter of the colonists who landed at Berkeley Hundred.  Jim Dwyer, ed., Strange Stories, Amazing Facts of America's Past (Pleasantville, NY: The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., (1989), p. 189.  Gary DeMar, The Untold Story (Atlanta, GA: American Vision Press, 1993), p. 16.

Colony of Virginia - March 22, 1622, saw the Jamestown Settlement saved from a massacre by the warning of a young Indian youth, named Chanco.  A marker within the reconstructed interior of the original church at Jamestown Island, Virginia, commemorates the event:

"In memory of Chanco, an Indian youth converted to Christianity, who resided in the household of Richard Pace across the river from Jamestown and who, on the eve of the Indian massacre of March 22, 1622, warned Pace of the murderous plot thus enabling Pace to cross the river in a canoe to alert and save the Jamestown settlement from impending disaster."  - March 22, 1622.  Marker within reconstructed interior of original church, Jamestown Island, Virginia.  Catherine Millard, The Rewriting of America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1991), p. 311.

Colony of Virginia - 1623, enacted legislation requiring civil magistrates:

"To see that the Sabbath was not profaned by working or any employments, or journeying from place to place."  - "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 2.

Virginia Bill of Rights - June 12, 1776, states:

"Article XVI That Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator, and the Manner of discharging it, can be directed only by Reason and Convictions, not by Force or Violence; and therefore all Men are equally entitled to the free exercise of Religion, according to the Dictates of Conscience; and that it is the mutual Duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love, and Charity towards each other."  - Catherine Millard, The Rewriting of America's History (Camp Hill, PA: Horizon House Publishers, 1991), p. 145.  "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 3.

Virginia Statue of Religious Liberty - January 16, 1786, states:

"Well aware that Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacitations... are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author or our religion."  - "Our Christian Heritage," Letter from Plymouth Rock (Marlborough, NH: The Plymouth Rock Foundation), p. 4.

A Moment of Introspection

The more you know God, the more you can trust Him.  Make sure you know the Word and what God requires of you.  Otherwise, you won't know whether or not you are living up to His expectations.

Are you pleasing God with your sacrifices?

Ask God if you are making the right sacrifices for Him.  He has revealed His will in the Bible.  Simply ask Him if you are doing what He is asking.  If you aren't, then make the appropriate changes.

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

ates (Hebrew): tree - wood, sticks, carpenter, pine, plank, staff

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:

Genesis 7:21-23 - God drowns everything that breathes air. From newborn babies to koala bears -- all creatures great and small, the Lord God drowned them all.

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

This is correct.  The Creator God had given people the recipe for righteousness and they didn't care.  He also gave them 150 years to repent (while Noah built the ark and preached to them).  God deemed it time for a fresh start.

(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.  There is also a 300 question workbook that accompanies the CD-ROM.)

One of the main reasons God destroyed the Earth with a flood is because the people were having strange sexual unions.

The first murder wasn't because of Cain's parents, what he saw on TV, or what he listened to on the radio.  It was because he had a messed up relationship with God.

The definition of religion is trying to do what you think God wants without obeying His Word and what He has required.

When you give God the wrong sacrifice, you'll have problems with Him.

When you give God the right sacrifice, you have peace.

The Devil wants you to have conflict.

If you have an issue with another person, check and see if your relationship with God is all right.

Many times, when you get angry, it's because you don't get what you want.

When you submit to God's will, you don't mind your circumstances and you don't get angry.

When you are submitting to God, you won't worry about those that hate you and talk bad about you.

You can't resist the Devil in your own power.

Unconditional love doesn't mean unconditional acceptance of sinful behavior.

When you pull people down, it only shows that you have issues.

You can't fight God.

The number one cause of stress is guilt.

Abel was a shepherd when people were thought to be vegetarians.  Abel chose this profession so he could make pleasing sacrifices to God.

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 the quotes are humorous or rhetorical, others are written from sermons and Bible studies, and some 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!

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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 not perish, but have everlasting life."