Ed Christian's World

Talk to the walls…

There is a story told of an Israeli on a visit to a friend in America. His friend takes him to McDonalds where they go through the drive through, give their order and then to the window to pick up their burgers and fries.

The Israeli is amazed and has tears in his eyes. “Why are you so amazed and so emotional?” his friend asks him. “Because,” says the Israeli, “in America you talk to a wall and out comes a hamburger, shake, and fries. In Israel, we’ve been talking to a wall for 2000 years and not once have we ever gotten a hamburger!”

Talking to walls… it’s a Jewish tradition. The Jewish people have lifted up prayers at the Western Wall from ancient times. God’s people are to talk to walls… and mountains… and obstacles… and barriers.

The Lord has given you the power to say to the mountain. “Be removed.” And if you can talk to mountains, then how much more to that problem and hindrance in your life. Go ahead, do it, by the authority of Jesus. You may not get a hamburger, but you will get a victory!

May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. Psalm 20:5

Today, speak to that wall, mountain, obstacle or barrier to be removed by the authority of Jesus and get a victory.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed.

Idols In Your Life…

The Temple in Jerusalem was the dwelling place of God’s presence. But in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, an idol was set up in the holy place. From that moment on, the Temple ceased to be the Temple of God. It was no longer a holy place. No longer was it the dwelling place of God’s presence. It became, for all intents and purposes, an empty building.

Only when the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, removed the idol, and cleansed it, could it be restored to God’s purposes and presence.

2 Corinthians 6:16 says: What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

But if you let idols into your life, the glory of God will be withdrawn, and your walk and heart will be left empty. That’s what idols do to the presence and glory of God.

Have you lost the fullness of His glory? Is your heart empty? Search for, and destroy any idols in your heart. For when you remove the idols and open your heart to the Lord, your life and heart will be filled again to overflowing with the glory of the Living God.

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 23-24

Ask the Lord to show you any idol you may have in your life. Put out that idol and replace it with the flowing of the Spirit.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

He Gladly Blesses…

How many of us have been in an accident and somehow miraculously lived through it? I have and I know for sure God was watching over me. But as we tell others about how it happened, our defense seems to leave out the hand God had in it. He blesses us without us even knowing or asking.

As believers, we so often try to convince God to bless us, to love us, to provide for us, to protect and defend us. But we don’t have to. He’s the One who had to convince us to be saved. He loves us freely. And He gladly has chosen to give us the kingdom. So stop trying to convince God what you want and let Him convince you of the love and blessings He wants to give you.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Today, don’t try to convince God of anything, but instead focus on letting God convince you of His grace, His love, His mercy, and His plans for your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Day Of Repentance…

In the midst of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for national repentance: “… It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures…, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord… It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness… let us then rest humbly in the hope…, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with… the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country…, to… unity and peace.”

As believers the burden of repentance rests first with us: “If My people… will turn from their evil ways. Let us pray for our nation – but let us be the first to humbly repent… and trust God to do the rest.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Is there something you need to repent of, or turn away from. Take time today to do it. And pray for our nation.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Other Messiah…

Around the year 1666, a rabbi named Sabbatai Zevi was hailed by rabbis throughout the lands in which Jewish people lived as the long-awaited Messiah, coming to rescue His people and bring them back to the land.

But then something went wrong – Sabbatai started acting strange. He got married to a Torah scroll and started advocating heresy. Finally, the Sultan of the Turkish Empire arrested and imprisoned him and gave him a choice to either convert to Islam or be killed. Sabbatai Zevi quickly converted to Islam.

A thousand and a half years earlier, another Jewish Rabbi, Yeshua, Jesus, was rejected as Messiah. And since then every Jewish hope in another Jewish messiah has been crushed. Jesus is the only answer to the Jewish hope in Messiah. Everything else is false.

So, too, in your life, if you’ve been disappointed lately, seeing your hopes crushed or broken, or if things are just not working out chances are, you’ve lost sight of God. Come back, for in Him alone is your hope – everything else is just false.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, Hebrews 6:19

Today, take any disappointment, and any trust you’ve put in man or the world or the flesh, turn away from it put all your trust in God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

God has a use for everything…

When the apostle Paul spoke on Mars Hills in Athens, he did an interesting thing. In Acts 17:28, he quoted from pagan Greek writers including a quote from a hymn to Zeus.

How could this be? How could he use something so pagan for such a holy purpose? Paul quoted them to aid in defending and spreading the Gospel. He took a truth which was expressed and applied it to build a bridge to speak of the One True God. Paul determined to use all things at his disposal to spread the Gospel; to be as a Gentile to the Gentiles, in order that people would come to salvation.

In the same way, you need to have the same heart, to be so zealous for salvation, to use all things in your life for the glory, the purposes, and the heart of God for the salvation of the lost. Use every situation, every circumstance, everything you have and know for the glory of God. For if Paul could use part of a hymn to Zeus to accomplish God’s purposes, then there is nothing in your life that cannot be used likewise.

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. Ephesians 6:19

Take and use everything you have and know to spread the Gospel for the glory of God!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed