"Draw Closer to God by Fasting" - #369

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Hello!

I pray that you had a great weekend.

I've started another, formal, online debate.  This time, I'm debating Jesus' return.  My opponent is an atheist who thinks that Jesus promised to return in the lifetime of His followers.  I affirm that Jesus' second coming was prophesied as a future even and has not happened, yet.  We have both made our first round posts, so you can see them here: http://iidebate4.jcsm.org.

Please pray for the readers because our debate is being hosted at the most popular atheist discussion board in the world.  This venue called the Internet Infidels Discussion Board (IIDB) has over 1.7 million posts, over 13,500 members, and our debate has already been seen over 500 times.  Let's pray that God does a mighty work in them!

The Missions, Apologetics and Creation Bible Conference is going to be a great event.  Dr. Duane Gish from ICR will be speaking and Joe Taylor will be flying here from Texas to share some of his magnificent fossils.  Dr. Eddie Tabash will be debating me and we'll have two moderators; one Christian (Pastor Gene Cook) and one atheist (Dr. Jamison Collins).  Plus, we'll also be having some very special music from Chris Surdock and Vinnie Dambrose.  See http://macsd.org for details and make sure to attend this free conference on September 11, 2004!

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Dr. Tim LaHaye will be speaking at Shadow Mountain Community Church on Sunday, August 1st.  If you live in or near San Diego, you won't want to miss him.  The service begins at 6pm, but you'll need to come about 20-30 minutes early to find good parking and seats.

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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!)

"Draw Closer to God by Fasting"

I Corinthians 9:27  "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Insight: In no case does Christ say, "if," but always "when." The inference is clear. Christ expects that all His disciples will regularly practice fasting.

Prayer: "Dear Lord, thanks for wanting us to fast.  Thank you for the special time of closeness that we enjoy when we fast and draw closer to You.  Praise You for being worthy of our devotion and praise.  Forgive those that have not fasted.  Help them to see their mistake and correct it.  Give those that are fasting strength to carry on.  Thank you for being faithful.  Thank you for revealing great things to us as we fast in Jesus' name.  In His holy name, Amen."

* You can see JCSM's Bible lesson on fasting here: http://jcsm.org/biblelessons/fasting.htm.  You can see my 1st and 2nd 40 Day Fast journals here: http://www.jcsm.org/Fasting/40DayFast.htm, http://www.jcsm.org/Fasting/2nd40DayFast.htm.

America's Foundation

The Boston Tea Party December 16, 1773, followed just three years after the Boston Massacre, where five Americans were killed by British soldiers who commandeered their homes.  The British then began imposing taxation on the Colonies which eventually became unbearable.

Early in the year of 1773, the men of Marlborough, Massachusetts declared unanimously:

"Death is more eligible than slavery.  A free-born people are not required by the religion of Jesus Christ to submit to tyranny, but may make use of such power as God has given them to recover and support their laws and liberties... [We] implore the Ruler above the skies, that He would make bare His arm in defense of His Church and people, and let Israel go."  - 1773, un a unanimous declaration of the men of Marlborough, Massachusetts.  Charles E. Kistler, This Nation Under God (Boston: Richard G. Badger, The Gorham Press, 1924), p. 56.  Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg's Heart 'N Home, Inc., 1991), 1.2.

The towns, cities, and surrounding Colonies began sending their support.  In August, 1774, William Prescott led the men of Pepperell, Massachusetts, to deliver many loads of rye.  He wrote to the men of Boston:

"We heartily sympathize with you, and are always ready to do all in our power for your support, comfort and relief; knowing that Providence has placed you where you must stand the first shock.  We consider we are all embarked in [the same boat] and must sink or swim together.  We think if we submit to these regulation, all is gone.

Our forefathers passed the vast Atlantic, spent their blood and treasure, that they might enjoy their liberties, both civil and religious, and transmit them to their posterity.... Now if we should give them up, can our children rise up and call us blessed? ....

Let us all be of one heart, and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free; and may he, of his infinite mercy grant us deliverance out of all our troubles."  - August 1774, William Prescott's statement to the inhabitants of Boston while delivering supplies from Papperell, Massachusetts.  George Bancroft, Bancroft's History of the United States (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1859), Vol. VII, p. 99.  David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 96.

Josiah Quincy, the American orator of freedom, voiced the Colonists sentiments in 1774:

"Blandishments will not fascinate us, nor will threats of a 'halter' intimidate.  For, under God, we are determined that wheresoever, whensoever, or howsoever we shall be called to make our exit, we will die free men."  - 1774, Josiah Quincy speaking in response to the Boston Port Bill, in which the British closed the Boston harbor.  John Bartlett, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1855, 1980), p. 393.  Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Glory of America (Bloomington, MN: Garborg's Heart 'N Home, Inc., 1991), 2.10.

The Colonists grew in their resilience and confidence in God, to the point where one Crown-appointed Governor wrote of the condition to the Board of Trade back in England:

"If you ask an American, who is his master?  He will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ."  - 1774, Boston, Massachusetts.  Hezekiah Niles, Principles and Acts of the Revolution in America (Baltimore: William Ogden Niles, 1822), p. 418.  David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 96.

The Committees of Correspondence soon began sounding the cry across the Colonies:

"No King but King Jesus!"  - Boston, Massachusetts, 1774.  Cushing Strout, The New Heavens and the New Earth (NY: Harper & Row, 1974), p. 59.  Clifford K. Shipton, Sibley's Harvard Graduates (Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 1965), Vol. XIII, pp. 475-476.  Peter Powers, Election Sermon entitled Jesus Christ the King (Newburyport, 1778). David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 97.

A Moment of Introspection

When something discouraging happens, God usually provides some comforts and blessings at the same time.

Fast.  Right now, talk to God and make a commitment to fast without food.  If you are an inexperienced faster, then consider fasting for a meal or two; or perhaps a single day.  If you have a lot of fasting experience, then prayerfully consider an extended fast.

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

nacetyoo-o (Greek, see Matthew 6:16): to abstain from food (religiously), fast

The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained

"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:

Genesis 12:7 - God appears to Abram contrary to those verses that say that God is invisible and cannot be seen.

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

Genesis 12:7 reads, "And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him."  There are few details about this "appearance."  It was likely Jesus Christ appearing to Him, though.

(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.)

As you pursue your dreams, things may get cloudy.  Don't worry and trust God.

Dreams require hard work.

Distractions can stall your dream or even ruin your life.

When God sends you somewhere you don't anticipate, consider that He has a plan.

After we die, we'll likely realize how we could have had more faith, taken more risks, and used more opportunities.

When God sends you into an undesirable place, stay committed to Him.

When you're submitting to God, you'll have to pass on some opportunities.

You're always able to run from temptation.

Potiphar was the chief executioner, but when his wife accused Joseph he only sent him to a prison in his own home because he knew Joseph was a man of integrity and morals.

God blessed Joseph and although he was a prisoner, he became the ruler of all the other prisoners.

If your life is getting you down, you need to reevaluate how you see your life.

Try and stay even-tempered even when most people would act with extreme and unnecessary emotion.

God has given you talents, resources, and gifts to fulfill His dreams for you.

Pursue God's dream for you even amidst your trials.

Godly people prosper wherever God sends them.

Godly dreamers realize that success passes through them and not from them.

Godly people are faithful stewards of their blessings.

Godly dreamers thrive even in the toughest of times.

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.

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