Hello!
I hope you had a super weekend.
Do you have any instant messaging programs? If so, we'd like to know your screen names or have you add us as a friend! Here are the names that I commonly use to chat with people: AIM: DrJasonGastrich, YIM: Jesus_Saved_Jason, ICQ: 20731140, and MSN: jasongastrich at hotmail.com.
A very special thanks goes to Paul Adams and ACES. His generous organization virtually gives away fully loaded computer systems to low income people, the disabled, and non-profit organizations in San Diego county. ACES has provided a system to JCSM, so we can potentially hire another employee or utilize the services of an intern or volunteer. If you fall into one of the three categories above and need a computer system, please click here for more information.
JCSM is in its final stages of leasing a wonderful office in San Diego. Please pray that everything goes well and as planned. A formal announcement will be made after the lease has been signed, but the office and location will be excellent for our ministry and we're excited about this opportunity to not only return to San Diego, but minister to you and Southern California from a new office.
Is your PC slowing down? Are you an internet dunce? Well, I've written a new web page called Top 10 PC and Web Tricks. These are some of the things that I probably take for granted that help my computer function well, on and off the internet. Enjoy!
This Saturday, my wife and I are riding our bikes 50 miles, from Rosarito to Ensenada. Please pray that our ride and our trip into Mexico goes well! Click here to learn more about this fun ride.
Switchfoot and P.O.D. are in concert together on Saturday, September 30. They're playing in San Diego with some other bands. If you're interested in more details, please click here.
On Tuesday, MuteMath releases their new CD to the public. They have made a name for themselves on MySpace and they're currently touring in Southern California. I recommend checking them out, as they have a unique blend of thoughtful lyrics, guitars, and synthesizers.
Please pray for a friend of mine named Pastor Alan. He has a heart condition and has been seeing the doctor for it. Let's pray that God does a miracle and heals him, so he can continue to lead his congregation and enjoy time with his family.
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, Ph.D.
Contact Us: http://jcsm.org/contact.php
JCSM's Weekly Devotions (click here to listen!)
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
1 Samuel 16:7b "For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Proverb 22:2 "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts."
Psalm 1:1 "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;"
Philippians 4:6, 7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Insight: Evil deeds begin with evil thoughts. Guard your heart and mind and purify your thoughts, so your life will remain protected and free. Capture and weigh each thought against the scriptures and God's will, so you can determine whether or not it is good or not.
Prayer: "Dear Lord, bless us and purify us. Thank you for caring about our thought life. Thank you for wanting us to succeed. Help us to emulate You. Forgive our sins. Remind us that You are watching and hearing our thoughts. Thank you for loving us, despite our shortcomings. Let us be used by You for your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen."
Woodrow Wilson
(1856-1924), was the 28th President of the United States, after having
served as the Governor of New Jersey. He was an educator and author,
having been the president of Princeton University. In his Inaugural
Addresses, March 4, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson recognized God in
such expressions as:
"God's own presence .... God helping me .... in God's Providence ...." ¹
Woodrow Wilson remarked:
"A man had deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of this, a knowledge of the Bible. When you have read the Bible, you will know it is the Word of God, because you will have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty." ²
"I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and of the pleasure." ³
On July 4, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson declared:
"Here is the nation God has builded by our hands."
4In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson said:
"A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday, does not know what it is today, nor what it is trying to do. We are trying to do a futile thing if we do not know where we came from or what we have been about....
"The Bible ... is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God and spiritual nature and needs of men. It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation.
"America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture." 5
President Woodrow Wilson stated:
"The history of Liberty is a history of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it. When we resist, therefore, the concentration of power, we are resisting the powers of death, because concentration of power is what always precedes the destruction of human liberties." 6
"There are a
good many problems before the American people today, and before me as
President, but I expect to find the solution to those problems just in
the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God."
7
On March 5, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson said in
his Second Inaugural Address:
"I pray God that I may be given the wisdom and prudence to do my duties in the true spirit of this great people." 8
If you'd like to have the citations for the footnotes above, please email us. If you'd like to see more quotes from those that framed and founded America, please click here: http://jcsm.org/AmericasFounders/.
When is the last time you brought stray thoughts captive to the Word of God?
Today, make an effort to bring your thoughts into captivity. When they start to wander, identify what took them off the Lord or what took them off something relatively pure. Do all you can to maintain a pure thought life.
God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!
noaymah (Greek, see 2 Corinthians 10:5): a perception, that is, purpose or the intellect, disposition, device, mind, thought
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained
"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:
Exodus 12:35-36 - God encourages the Israelites to steal from the Egyptians. But stealing is forbidden in many Bible passages.
"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" responds:
The Hebrews had been slaves of the Egyptians for many years. This command from God doesn't involve stealing, it involves retribution.
This Hebrew word for "plunder" is also interpreted "recover." The Egyptians had taken what was not theirs - the Hebrews' time and possessions.
(This explanation came from "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained", by Dr. Jason Gastrich. This book is on CD and gives over 4,000 answers to alleged Bible errors, 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.
Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
Jason Gastrich, Ph.D.
JCSM's Director
______________________________________________________
JCSM is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Copyright © 1997-present.