"Your Case For Christ" - #363

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Hello!

I pray that you had a great weekend.

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On Sunday, I heard Lee Strobel speak at Shadow Mountain Community Church.  He gave a good sermon and I took notes.  You can read our quotes below and see what I learned.

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Please pray for an old friend of mine named Pastor Howard Everett.  He is a great evangelist and has a heart for missions.  However, the church where he preaches is somewhat divided over his vision.  In two weeks, they will be voting whether or not to replace him.  Please pray that God's will be done and that Howard is blessed and prospered no matter what God has in store for him.  He'll definitely be missed if he leaves the church and San Diego.

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Welcome to the new readers of this message!  Here is your Devotion, A Moment of Introspection, JCSM's Challenge, the 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 Gastrich

Contact Us: http://jcsm.org/contact.php

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

"Your Case For Christ"

Acts 1:1-3  "The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

Matthew 1:22  "So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'"

Romans 10:9, 10  "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Insight: What is your case for Christ?  Could you recall what He has done for you and present a detailed account like Luke did?  Could you win someone to Christ by showing them how Jesus Christ fulfilled countless Messianic prophecies?  Could you share the gospel with someone?  Prepare your case for Christ!

Prayer: "Thank you for being a good God and loving us so much.  Thank you for giving us a case for Christ!  You are awesome.  Help us to be able to lead people to You by means of our testimony, biblical prophecy, and the gospel message.  You are our everything.  Praise You for fulfilling the Messianic prophecies!  There is no other God like You.  Thank you for changing our lives and immeasurably blessing us.  We love You, Lord.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

America's Foundation

James Warren (1726-1808), was the president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, a Major General in the Provincial Militia, a member of the Navy board for the Eastern Department, a member of the Governor's Council, 1792-94, and a presidential elector from Massachusetts, 1804.  He was married to Mercy Warren, 1724-1814, a remarkable author of the Revolutionary period, whose correspondence with numerous founding fathers has granted invaluable insight into our nation's history.  In 1805, she wrote the History of the Rise, Progress and Termination of the American Revolution, in 3 volumes.

It was James Warren who first proposed the famous committees of correspondence to Samuel Adams, which were of inestimable influence in inspiring the spirit of freedom among the Colonies. 

On June 16, 1775, president James Warren and the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts resolved:

"In Provincial Congress, Watertown, June 16th, 1775.

"As it has pleased Almighty GOD in his Providence to suffer the Calamities of an unnatural War to take Place among us, in Consequence of our sinful Declensions from Him, and our great Abuse of those inestimable Blessings bestowed upon us.  And as we have Reason to fear, that unless we become a penitent and reformed people, we shall feel still severer Tokens of his Displeasure.

"And as the most effectual Way to escape those desolating Judgments, which so evidently hang over us, and if it may be obtain the Restoration of our former Tranquility, will be - That we repent and return every one from his Iniquities, unto him that correcteth us, which if we do in Sincerity and Truth, we have no Reason to doubt but he will remove his Judgments - cause our Enemies to be at Peace with us - and prosper the Work of our Hands.

"And as among the prevailing Sins of this Day, which threaten the Destruction of this Land, we have Reason to lament the frequent Prophanation of the Lord's-Day, or Christian Sabbath; may spending their Time in Idleness and Sloth, others in Diversion, and others in Journeying of Business, which is not necessary on said Day:

"And as we earnestly desire that a Stop might be put to this great and prevailing Evil:

"It is therefore RESOLVED, That it be recommended by this Congress, to the People of all Ranks and Denominations throughout this Colony, that they not only pay a religious Regard to that Day, and to the public Worship of God thereon; but that they also use their Influence to discountenance and suppress any Prophanations thereof in others.

"And it is further RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the Ministers of the Gospel to read this Resolve to their several congregations, accompanied with such Exhortations as they shall think proper.

"And whereas there is great Danger that the Prophanation of the Lord's-Day will prevail in the Camp:

"We earnestly recommend to all the Officers, not only to set good Examples; but that they strictly require of their Soldiers to keep up a religious Regard to that Day, and attend upon the public Worship of God thereon, so far as may be consistent with other Duties.

A true Copy from the Minutes,

Attest. Samuel Freeman, Secretary.

By Order of the Congress,

James Warren, President."  - June 16, 1775, in a Resolution of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, James Warren, president.  Copied from original, printed courtesy Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts.  Verna M. Hall, the Christian History of the American Revolution (San Francisco, CA: Foundation For American Education, 1976), p. 410.

A Moment of Introspection

Who have you stopped praying for?

Pray for someone you know that is unsaved.  Ask God to save them and bring them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

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

metanoheho (Greek - See Luke 17:4): repent - to think differently or afterwards, reconsider, morally to feel compunction

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:

Genesis 10:24 - says that the father of Salah was Arphaxad, but Luke (Lk.3:35-36) says Salah's father was Cainan.

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

Arphaxad begat Cainan and Cainan begat Salah.  Genesis 10:24 simply omits one man (Cainan), however the fact that Salah was from Arphaxad is not lost.  Incidentally, the Masoretic text, the Targum, the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Septuagint support the passage in Luke.

The word "begat" doesn't specifically mean "fathered."  This word has been used, in lineage purposes, to designate family lines.  Occasionally, it designates a line and omits a person.

(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.)

Evangelism is the unexpected adventure.

Living on the evangelistic edge is the cure for a dry and boring Christian life.

How would Jesus reach out to people?

Before talking to His neighbors about His Heavenly Father, Jesus would talk to His Heavenly Father about His neighbors.

Consider that whoever you've given up on has not been given up on by God.

Jesus' door was always open to genuine seekers.

Jesus would constantly and consistently pray for the unsaved.

Jesus didn't get angry at John the Baptist's question while he was in doubt.  He answered John sensibly.

If you don't have an answer for the unbeliever, then you can become another barrier between him and God.

Jesus showed His love by His actions.

Jesus would be authentic.

Jesus wouldn't just speak the gospel.  He would live it.

If you're a Christian, unbelievers have their "hypocrite radar" on you because they are watching.

Unbelievers aren't looking for perfect.  They're looking for someone real.

These quotes came from God, me, and Lee Strobel.

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!

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!

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For more about me and my service history, go to http://jcsm.org/misc/JasonGastrich.htm.

If you have never repented from your sins and believed, trusted, and 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!  If you’d like to discover the biblical doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ, please go here: Audio Gospel Message - http://www.jcsm.org/godsplan/TheGospel.mp3. or the Textual Gospel Message - http://gospel.jcsm.org.

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, if you're traveling, or if you need to find a new church, I recommend visiting the following site and locating a Calvary Chapel near you: http://www.calvarychapel.org.

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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."