Hello!
I hope you had a super weekend.
While I was organizing my files, I came across a song I recorded nearly seven years ago. I put Psalm 23 to music and sang it while playing the electric guitar. If you'd like to hear it, please click here. If you'd prefer a slightly cleaned up version (e.g. less distortion), then click here.
We still need a case of paper to print our next batch of workbooks. Additionally, we're offering a free copy of our bundled, apologetics CD-ROM and our workbook for anyone who wants to donate $30 toward a case of paper! If you were to buy these resources, they would cost you $30 (plus shipping and handling). Your donation will help us print nearly 100 workbooks and will get you some great, free gifts. Please reply to this email now if you're interested because we need to get the paper and do our print run this week (with or without any support).
A Christian friend of mine gave me an extra copy of Lee Stroebel's "Exploring The DaVinci Code" book. If you'd like it, please reply to this email and we'll send it to you.
I'm currently looking for a venue in Lancaster, California, so I can debate an atheist. If you have some contacts in that area or if you have access to a church or community center, please let me know. We are planning on having our debate this summer.
Last week, I encouraged everyone to participate in JCSM's fantasy baseball league. However, the link I sent wasn't working, so I apologize for the oversight. Please click here if you'd like to join us. There are currently six teams playing, but we would be happy to welcome a few more. For those who missed the message, JCSM has its very own, free league through Yahoo! Sports. Our draft is at 2:30pm PST, on March 28, 2007. This is a private league, so after you register for a free account, you'll have to enter the password "jcsm700". Our league is called "JCSM's Baseball League".
Please continue to pray for Kent Hovind. The famous, evangelical debater and founder of Creation Science Evangelism is currently serving a jail sentence in Florida because of some tax issues. He is appealing the ruling and he is thankful that the charges against his wife have been dropped. In his absence, his staff is running Dinosaur Adventure Land and his son Eric is lecturing around the country and the world. In jail, Kent leads three Bible studies a day and has already led many people to Jesus Christ for salvation.
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!)
Galatians 1:3-5 "Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
2 Peter 1:2-4 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
John 1:16, 17 "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
Philippians 4:6-8 "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. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
Insight: In the New Testament, we read the word grace followed by peace over fifteen times. It can be concluded that grace precedes peace and without accepting God's grace and trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation, there is no peace with God. Embrace and experience God's amazing grace, then you will be filled with His peace.
Prayer: "Dear Lord, bless us and make us like You. Thank you for being a good God who loves us more than we can understand. Thank you for your amazing grace and the peace that follows it. Praise You for providing a way to make peace with our Creator. Let us understand what that means. Thank you Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Forgive us and purify us. Give us your awesome peace. In Jesus' name, Amen."
John Adams was George Washington's Vice President, he was the
2nd President of the United States, and he signed the Declaration of
Independence. He also influenced the American states to ratify the Constitution.
"I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened
means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the
best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I
have seen."
(Source: John Adams. This was written in a letter to Thomas Jefferson on
December 25, 1813. This can be found in the "Adams-Jefferson Letters.")
"The Christian religion is, above all the Religions that ever prevailed or
existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of Wisdom, Virtue, Equity, and
Humanity. Let the Blackguard Paine say what he will; it is Resignation to God,
it is Goodness itself to Man."
(Source: John Adams. This was a response to Thomas Paine's assertions and stated
in Adams' diary on July 26, 1796.)
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 who framed and founded America, please click here: http://jcsm.org/AmericasFounders/.
We don't want to be like a denomination or a doctrine. We want to be like Jesus.
Tell someone about God's amazing grace and the peace with Him that follows it!
God bless you as you meet this week's challenge!
irahnay (Greek, see 2 John 1:3): peace (literally or figuratively), by implication prosperity: one, peace, quietness, rest, set at one again
The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained
"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible" claims:
Exodus 20:24 - God gives instructions for killing and burning animals. He says that if we will make such "burnt offerings," he will bless us for it. What kind of mind would be pleased by the killing and burning of innocent animals?
"The Skeptic's Annotated Bible: Corrected and Explained" responds:
God tells the Israelites to make animal sacrifices to Him for the forgiveness of their sins. God never told Gentiles or New Testament believers to do this. In fact, the New Testament writers made it clear that this was no longer necessary.
* God told all people that "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins." Our sins require our death. However, if there is the death of a flawless person in our place (a shedding of blood to the point of death), then we would be forgiven. Before Jesus Christ, the death of a spotless lamb would temporarily take away the Israelites' sins. Since Jesus came, died and rose from the dead, He has been the sacrifice that removes our sins, forever.
(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 big titles in the body of Christ.
Just when you start trusting people, you see a whacko and you lose that trust.
Take your position in the body of Christ seriously.
If you were in prison, what would you write about and do?
Realize that you're a servant of Jesus Christ.
You can't have peace until you experience God.
When you lack grace or peace, go to God because He is the source.
Be thankful to God for others.
Develop long term relationships with believers in Christ.
The only one who hinders God from working through you is you.
God isn't trying to make you a religious nut. He's trying to make you like Jesus.
Some Christians look like they've been baptized in lemon juice.
We need God to give us the grace to have peace until the end.
God wants you to have knowledge of practical and doctrinal truth.
If you can't approve excellence, then you'll settle for mediocrity.
Being sincere requires emotion and investment and is more draining than being fake.
Sincerity is a sign that the Holy Spirit's love is working through you.
Is Jesus Christ being magnified in your life?
These quotes came from me, the Holy Spirit, and Mike Macintosh. If you'd like to read more quotes, we have thousands in our archive! Visit http://quotes.jcsm.org.
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San Diego, CA 92111
Jason Gastrich, Ph.D.
JCSM's Director
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