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November 14, 2005 - (Best viewed in 800 X 600 resolution) |
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Hello! I hope you had a great week and weekend. In the next six weeks, I'll be completing the 4th edition of my book, The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained. Please pray that it goes well. I'll be analyzing and rebutting numerous, alleged Bible errors. It should be quite exciting! In addition to my book, the new CD-ROM will be bundled with some new and exciting things. More information and an opportunity to pre-order this CD at a discount will be forthcoming. Once again, it'll be published by JCSM and all proceeds will continue to go to the ministry. We had a blessed weekend. We heard two great, Christian bands: Switchfoot and The Listening (formerly known as The Rock N Roll Worship Circus). Please pray for those bands and all Christian performers and worship leaders. They are doing a wonderful work. 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!) "The Biblical Gospel of Salvation" Mark 1:14, 15 "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 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." Titus 3:4-7 "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Insight: Know the gospel inside and out and be ready to give a brief presentation to those who need to be saved. Don't add to it and don't subtract from it. Let God work His awesome power through the biblical gospel message. Prayer: "Dear Lord, bless those who read this message. Let them be encouraged. Praise You for offering us salvation! Help people to trust in You, Lord. Help them to repent from their sins, too. Thank you for being worthy of our devotion and praise. There is no other like You. Thank you for giving us an awesome example to follow. Help us to fully understand the gospel message and help us to be bold and unashamed, so we can present it to others. In Jesus' name, Amen."
The Constitution of Tennessee 1796, stated:
"Article VIII,
Section II. No person who denies the being of God, or a future
state of rewards and punishments, shall hold any office in the civil
department of this State." ¹
¹ 1796, Article VIII, Section II. The Constitutions of All the United States According to the Latest Amendments (Lexington, KY: Thomas T. Skillman, 1817), p. 287. David Barton, The Myth of Separation (Aledo, TX: WallBuilder Press, 1991), p. 33. If you'd like to see more quotes from those that framed and founded America, please click here: http://jcsm.org/AmericasFounders/.
Can you summarize the gospel message in twenty-five seconds? If it takes you much less time, then you may not be giving a complete message. If it takes you much longer and you go on and on, then you may not be so sure of the gospel message or the power in its simplicity. Whatever the case may be, know the gospel inside and out and be ready to give a brief presentation to those who need to be saved.
Begin praying about witnessing to someone from another faith (or someone who has no faith). First, be prepared to share the gospel to someone who knocks on your door and tries to convert you to their religion. You'll have to know the gospel well to do this and it may take practice to do it well, but you have nothing to fear. God will be faithful and if you don't know the answer to one of their questions, tell them you'll get back to them. There's no shame in admitting that you don't know everything, finding the answer, and letting them know later. If nobody knocks on your door, then share the gospel with someone else! God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!
pisteuo (Greek, see Mark 1:15): to have faith, by implication to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ), believe
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims: Genesis 36:2-3 - Esau (Isaac's son) had several wives (continuing the tradition of polygamy, with no editorial comment from the Bible). One of his wives, according to 36:2, was Adah the daughter of Elon, but in 26:34 her name is given as Bashemath the daughter of Elon. Yet verse 3 says Bashemath is the daughter of Ishmael. "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" responds: Genesis 36:2 states that Esau took many wives. In Genesis 26:34, it lists some of them: Judith and Bashemath. In Genesis 36:2 it lists some more: Adah, Aholibamah, and Bashemath. One passage says she is Elon's daughter and one says she is Ishmael's daughter. This Hebrew term for "daughter" can be used figuratively. Therefore, Bashemath was likely Elon's daughter and Ishmael's servant or step-daughter. In the book of Leviticus, God forbids polygamy. However, early in history, while the gene pool was relatively clean and while the Earth was becoming populated, God allowed polygamy. (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.)
There are no new quotes this week, but we have thousands in our archive! Visit http://quotes.jcsm.org. Plus, if you'd like to receive a new quote every day, please go to http://jcsm.org/Wisdom.htm and bookmark it!
Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
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