Ed Christian's World

Between the lines… you

We were sitting in the library and Grandfather opened a book and said I want you to see what’s on these pages. These are the pages of the Holy Scripture, he said. Tell me what you see.

That’s easy, I said, words, writing, letters.

Is that all? He said.

Well, let’s see, Matthew 6 about the middle of the Sermon On The Mount. I responded.

And?

What else is there? I asked.

You haven’t even described the half of it.

What do you mean? I asked.

You’ve only described the black, but not the rest..

The white? I asked.

Then the lesson began!

Yes, the white, the background. The black is holy; so too is the white. Without it you wouldn’t see the black of the ink, there would be nothing with which to contrast it, nothing to delineate it. Without the white, you wouldn’t see the Word of God. The white is the unscripture of God.

The unscripture? I said, What are you telling me?

Yes, the unscripture. When the Word is sent into the world, it must have a context, it must have a parchment, a paper, a voice, some medium to bear and manifest it to the world. This is the sacred white of the unscripture, the what between the lines. And do you know what the holiest unscripture is?

No, I guess I don’t. I said.

Your life, he said. Your life is the sacred white upon which His Word appears, the Holy parchment that bears and manifests the eternal script.

Therefore, the key is to join your life, your heart, your emotions, your soul and your will to the Word of God. To join the black with the white, the ink with the page, to receive the Holy oracle’s, to carry it and manifest it to the world. Let every part of your life become the sacred white onto which the Word of God is revealed. Let your life become sacred unscripture of God. You are the between the lines that emphasize His word through your words and actions.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. Psalm 119: 11

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16

Join the Word to the parchment of your heart, your will, your emotions and your ways. Let your life become the sacred white of God’s Word.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Lemonade Principal…

Once two men were on a train discussing the life of Jesus. Both were unbelievers. One of them suggested that the other should write a book to disprove the Gospel. The man who made the suggestion was Colonel Ingersoll, a famous atheist. The man who wrote the book was Lew Wallace, a general in the Civil War.

Wallace’s intent was on tearing down Jesus. But as he set out to write his book, he became more and more convinced that Jesus was true. Instead of attacking Jesus, the book ended up lifting him up.

The book was called “Ben Hur.” And through the book and later the movies, millions would see Jesus as the Son of God. It just goes to show you, if God can take an attack against Jesus and turn it into “Ben Hur,” how much more he will work all things in your life for good.

So be blessed and give thanks even for the problems and even for those things the enemy meant for evil. For in the end, they will all be used for your good and His glory, just like Ben Hur.

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 1 John 5:10

Give thanks to the Lord that He will turn for your good those things the enemy meant for evil.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Prayer In School…

Back in the 1960s forced prayer was banned in our public schools, which effectively ended Bible reading and prayer in school. Yet that was the reason the American school system came into existence in the first place. The reason was given at the time of its birth, in 1647, in Massachusetts. It was, “to ensure that no one be kept from the knowledge of the Scriptures.”

So it’s not just that the Bible was part of the American educational system. It was that the American educational system itself came into existence for the purpose of teaching the Bible. Yet today, the Bible is not evident in the school system, while secular humanism and immorality are taught.

How could this happen? It happens one step at a time, step by step, whether for a nation or a person. Thus even a little step away from God now, can end up leading to total abandonment and destruction.

Therefore, guard your steps, even better, watch that every step you take brings you one step closer to God – and you’ll never have to worry about falling away.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. Psalm 119:9

Watch that every step you take brings you one step closer to God.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

Your Depth Of Love…

David was hunted by King Saul and yet, when Saul and his son Jonathan died, and David became king of Israel, he didn’t gloat or boast, instead he wept. And in his weeping, he pronounced a curse on the mountain of Gilboa on which Saul and Jonathan were slain. He said this, “O mountains of Gilboa, let not dew nor rain be upon you, nor fields of offerings. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled…”

The amazing thing is if you go to Israel today you’ll find Mt. Gilboa surrounded by the fertile plains of the nation’s heartland. But for thousands of years, Mt. Gilboa itself remained largely barren – just as the curse of David was pronounced three thousand years earlier. Mt. Gilboa is an amazing testimony, not only of an ancient curse but of an ancient love. It’s the testimony of David’s love and faithfulness for his enemy Saul.

Jesus commands you to do likewise – love your enemy. For the one who loves his enemy is the one who is truly mighty, mighty enough to move mountains, or at the very least, to curse them.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful,just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:27-36

Is there a person whom you see as your enemy? Ask the Lord what blessing you should pray over them, and pray it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Sunrise commandment…

One day I was so mad at a friend I told him I could never forgive him for what he did. Grandfather upon hearing our heated exchange, sat us down and told us this story.

Commander Mitsuo Fuchida was one of the leaders of the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. After the war, Fuchida met returning Japanese soldiers who had been captured and imprisoned in an American prisoner of war camp. He was surprised to find his friend, Kazuo Kanegasaki, alive. Kazuo told Fuchida that he had been treated with kindness, and how a young lady named Peggy Covell had brought the Japanese prisoners food and reading material. Fuchida asked his friend why the girl responded with such kindness to her enemies.

Kazuo shared that the girl’s parents had been Christian missionaries and during the war, they were captured, brutally beaten, and finally beheaded by Japanese soldiers. Before their execution, they wrote a letter to their daughter asking her to always love the Japanese people. Captain Fuchida could not understand this love. He was given a Bible and after reading it, he gave his life to the Lord.

If this little girl could forgive the murderers of her parents, how much more can you forgive those against you? What power, miracles, and breakthroughs you will unleash when you do!

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11: 25-26

Today, release and forgive anyone who has wronged you. Bless them.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Shake It Off…

When I was in college, I worked many part time jobs. One of the places I worked was a quarry. Before I could go home, I had to spend time shaking the dust off of my clothes. Shaking off dust is a scriptural thing; Jesus told His disciples to shake the dust from their feet; Paul shook the dust from his garments. In the case of Paul and the disciples, the dust was specifically linked to rejection.

Being rejected in your life is like a cloud of dust settling on you. You may still be walking around with the remnants of that rejection – a spirit of fear, anger, bitterness, inferiority, depression, etc. But I couldn’t go home from that quarry with all that dust on my clothes. And you can’t enter the streets of heaven or the blessings of the abundant life covered with dust.

Thus it’s time to shake off whatever dust has affected your life, your soul, and your emotions! Shake off that rejection, sin, guilt, fear, and that gloom! Shake off whatever you have to shake off. For you were never meant to go through life covered with dust!

Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor,
Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. Isaiah 52: 1-2

Today, shake off the dust the enemy has tried to put on your life, the dust of rejection, failure, shame, guilt, defilement, fear whatever it is… Shake it off!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Lamb vs The Jungle…

Charles Darwin based his theory of evolution on the law of “the survival of the fittest.” It’s basically the same as the “law of the jungle.” It states a truism: that which survives is that which is most fit to survive – or the strongest survive. From Darwin’s law came “Social Darwinism,” which states that the most fit or strong humans, or races, or nations, are those which survive.

The world, in many ways, does function after the law of the jungle. But we go by the law of the Lamb – which states that, in the end, it’s not the strongest who prevail – but the good. Jesus gave His life as a Lamb – and yet his life has become the most powerful, prevailing, and world-changing life ever lived. So don’t seek to be the strongest or the most forceful – seek to be good and holy – and, in the end, you will prevail – in the law of the Lamb.

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15

Don’t live by the law of self, survival, and the jungle. Live by the law of the Lamb. Seek not to be the strongest, but to be the most good and holy.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

King David…

The Bible foretells the end-time regathering of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. And in that return, is a strange sub-prophecy. Jeremiah 30:9 says, “… and David, their king…” “And David, my servant, shall be king over them…” (Ezekiel 37:24) “And afterward, the children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God, and David, their king… in the last days.” (Hosea 3:5) How could David be the king of Israel in the last days? David was long dead when every one of these prophecies was given.

When Israel came back into the world, who was appointed as their leader? A man named David Ben-Gurion. It would seem to be a sign. For, in the end, Israel shall be ruled by a man called “David.” Who? The “David” who will reign over Israel, is Jesus, “Son of David.” In all of history, there’s only one man known both as Jesus and the Son of David.

As it is for Israel, so it is for you – when our lives are truly led and ruled by the will of Jesus, Son of David – that’s when the blessing will come.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, Luke 1:32

Today, follow the lead of Jesus and submit to His ways, to His kingship, and blessing will come.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

The Bounty…

Fletcher Christian was my great uncle and namesake. Yes the story “Mutiny on the Bounty” is true. In the course of the mutiny, nine mutineers along with six native island men and twelve native women of Tahiti went ashore on the black sands of Pitcairn Island in 1790. They soon started distilling alcohol, and the new colony descended into depravity and debauchery.

But the story has a little-known surprise ending. Within ten years, only a few of the original mutineers survived, now surrounded by native women and children. One day, while going through a chest from the mother ship, the “Bounty,” Fletcher found a Bible. He began reading it and teaching it to the others.

It transformed his life and ultimately the lives of all the islanders. In 1808, the USS Topas landed on Pitcairn Island. They found a thriving colony that had no alcohol, no jail, and no crime. That’s the power of the Gospel; to change a tragic story into a story of blessing.

So, too, for the story of your life and for every situation in your life: Apply His word, and your story will also become a blessed story!

For which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 2 Timothy 2:9

Apply the story of the Gospel to every part of your life, especially those untouched parts, and let God have His way.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

Fatherhood and reverence…

Over the years there’s been a trend in modern culture against fatherhood. In earlier years, when a father was depicted on television in a situation comedy, he would most often be seen as an object of respect and authority.

That’s changed. More often than not, when fathers are now depicted in situation comedies, they’re portrayed as overgrown children, incompetent, with little authority, little responsibility, or else pompous, overbearing, continually corrected or shown to be foolish and irresponsible by those around them. It’s part of an increasing trend that fatherhood is irrelevant or disposable.

This manifests as an increasing lack of reverence. In the church world, it manifests in a decreasing sense of reverence toward God, His presence, and authority; a lack of submission to His Word. Has that affected you? Do you reverence God’s presence as you should? Do you truly subject your life to the Word of God?

Are you truly surrendering your will to the will of God? If not, then start today! Revere the Lord. Make Him the true Lord of every part of your life. For we are truly His children and He is truly our Father.

Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— Ephesians 6:2

Open and read the Bible and truly subject your life to it.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed