Ed Christian's World

Center Your Steps…

There are two ways of looking at a giant wave. If you’re in front of it and stationary, then the giant wave is dangerous. But to a surfer, a giant wave isn’t a problem but an opportunity, even a blessing. The big wave gives the surfer momentum. If the surfer stays in the center of that wave, then he becomes unstoppable and all the energy contained in that wave is given to him – so, too, with the will of God.

To sin, to go against the will of God is a dangerous thing – because, in the end, nothing can stand against it. But it’s much wiser to never go against the will of God, but like the surfer, get on top of it, and in the center of it.

For the one who stands and moves in the center of God’s will, will not only not be destroyed and not fall, but will be given energy, speed, power, and momentum – just as the first disciples were given on the day of Pentecost. So depart from any sin, and get out your spiritual surfboard, and catch that wave!
Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. John 7:16-17

Get into the center of God’s will and allow His Spirit to give you power and momentum to share the Good News.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Wherever You Go…

God gave Joshua an amazing promise. He told him that wherever the soles of his feet would tread, that land would be given to him. What an amazing word. Wherever Joshua would go, it would be given to him. But there’s a flip side – wherever the soles of your feet don’t tread, that land won’t be given to you. In other words, “you’ll have as far as you can go.”

You can take that from the Lord; it’s not only to Joshua but to you. The Lord gives many promises in His Word. But those promises are for the one who goes with them, who walks out on them. If the blind man had not gone and washed in the pool of Siloam, he never would have been able to see.

Who knows all the miracles and blessings God has for your life? God does, and all you have to know are His Word and His promises. But knowing them, you need to step out on them. For all the promises of God are good, and they will be given to the one whose feet tread upon their blessings.

He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations… Psalm 105:8

Go with the promises that you know God has given you in His Word – walk out on them.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Bible…

Unless you can read the story of Adam and Eve, of Abraham and Sarah, of David and Bathsheba, as your own story, you have not really understood it.

The Bible is a book finally about ourselves, our own apostasies, our own battles and blessings. When you read the Bible, look beyond the words on the pages and realize it is a book about the basics of living a good life.

Grandfather taught me that the words are only half of what is in the Bible, we are the in between the lines. When we insert ourselves into the words the Bible takes on life, our life, and as we start living what is in the Bible our lives take on a new meaning. The love we share, the hope we bring and the light we shine seems so much brighter. Love is the center theme of life and of the bible.

The Bible is the story of our life, the history of our world and our pathway to the future. It is a living instrument that guides us through life and is always there with a ready answer.

Grandfather said that if you have a problem or question you just can’t seem to find an answer to flip through the Bible and let it open. Then read the passages on the pages in front of you and your answer will be there. I’ve tried it many times and found it always seems to show me a way to solve my problem or answer my question.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Cor 13:4-8

It is important to realize that this is not a dress rehearsal, you only get one chance to live your life. There is a certain pause when you rrealize that the Bible really is your Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Make the best of it!

Insert yourself into the Bible and let it become alive in you. Be the light that leads others to Him. Remember, you just may be to only Bible some people see.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Assent…

The early Israelites were called to make a journey to Jerusalem, three times a year, first in spring for the Passover, second in early summer for Shavuot or Pentecost, and lastly in the autumn for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. In other words, the people of God were called to journey to Jerusalem in every season of the sacred year – at all times. And no matter where you lived, in order to journey to Jerusalem, you had to go up.

Thus the journey was called “the Aliyah” or “the assent.” You, too, are called to “go up.” But not just once when you come to the Lord, and not just occasionally when you make big decisions for the Lord, but in all seasons.

The Lord calls you to journey upward at all times, in every season of your life and walk, and in every circumstance. Thus, make it your commitment every day to go up and always choose the higher path. In doing that, your life will be headed only for glory – for you are called to make assent in every season.

Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3

Today, choose the path and step that will take you upward to higher ground.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Plow…

No one likes their life to be shaken up. No one likes crises, turmoil, confusion, problems, dislocation, and chaos. But pretend for a moment that your life was represented by a plot of soil that was meant to produce a great harvest.

If that soil was never touched and just laid still it would likely get settled and hardened. So how do you get that soil to bear much fruit? You plow it. The plow will upset the soil, turn it upside down, and make a mess of it. Only by shaking it up, by turning it over, and by causing some chaos, can the soil become loose, open, oxygenated, and ready to bear life and become fruitful.

So don’t panic when you encounter crises, problems, turmoil, or you’re your life gets shaken up. It’s all the plowing of the Spirit. God is allowing your life to be turned over, not because He doesn’t have a good purpose, but because He does. So rejoice and open yourself up, for every life that is plowed by Him, will also be sown, and will overflow with His fruitfulness.

Sow righteousness for yourselves,
reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12

If there’s any turmoil in your life, see it as the plowing of God’s Spirit and look for the good purpose God will use it for.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The In Crowd…

In 1965, the lyrics of a hit song talked about, “I’m in with the ‘In’-Crowd.” Most high schools or junior high schools have an “In Crowd,” a group of people who are considered favored or popular. Of course, it’s the group almost everyone else wants to be in.

Long past high school, many spend their entire lives trying to get others to accept them – even many believers. For many believers, the reason they don’t share the Gospel with others is fear of rejection. But this way of thinking is incorrect. If you’re born again, you don’t need anyone’s acceptance anymore and you don’t need to fear anyone’s rejection. If you’re born again, you’re now in God’s “In-Crowd.” You’re the one who’s accepted.

Your part is to get the lost accepted into the kingdom and not worry about who accepts or rejects you because you’re already a beloved child of God.

Your life should no longer focus on getting acceptance but giving acceptance. So go out to those who are outside the kingdom and bring them in – because you already are – you’re in!

All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. John 6:37

Today, don’t spend any time thinking of others accepting you – You’re accepted. But work on accepting them into the kingdom!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

When the cats away…

Grandfather sat us down and told us a story of Moses on the mountaintop. When Moses dwelt on the mountaintop of Sinai, he said, the people began to lose faith in the days of his absence. They began to fall into apostasy and build the golden calf.

There’s a revelation about civilization and the last days in this story. For almost two thousand years, parts of civilization was viewed as “Christian.” But Jesus, like Moses, went up to be with God, leaving His people below. Just as with the physical absence of Moses, the Hebrews descended into apostasy, so with the physical absence of Jesus, our civilization is descending into its own apostasy.

So we shouldn’t be completely shocked to see the apostasy around us in the media, the culture, or even in the church world. All the more, it’s crucial that you live like one of the faithful in the days of the absence of Moses. All the more, don’t go along with the majority. All the more, abstain from the ways of the world. And all the more, keep your eyes above. For Jesus, like Moses, will return and will reward those who stayed faithful in the days of His absence.

See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. Isaiah 40:10

Commit to do what’s right no matter what. Stand apart from the world and faithful to your coming King.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Adelphos Mystery…

In the book of Mark, chapter 3, Jesus called us His “brother.” But the actual word used in the Greek for brother is “Adelphos,” which comes from the Greek root word “Delphos,” or “womb.” Why? A brother is someone who is born of the same womb as you. So if Jesus is our brother, what does it mean?

There are two mysteries here. The first mystery is about Jesus’s incarnation. He was born into this world in flesh and blood from the same place all people come from – their mother’s womb. The second mystery is that we now have the chance to be born of heaven’s womb as Jesus also was – to be born of the Spirit in the second birth. In fact, the two mysteries are joined.

Jesus was born of an earthly womb that we might be born of heaven. Or, in other words, Jesus is your adelphos, in that He so intimately joined every part of His life to your life, that you, now, would make it your aim to so intimately join every part of your life to Him – your adelphos.

Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35

Today, get intimate with God in the intimacy of His presence. Let every part of your life be joined to every part of His.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Message of the fig…

2000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit fell on a gathering of Jewish believers in a very specific season. The Bible says Israel is like a fig tree. The fig tree puts forth early figs and late figs. The early figs are called the bikoreem – or the first fruits. When do the eary figs begin to blossom? They blossom in June – the time of the Feast of Pentecost!

So it was during the actual blossoming of the early figs – those first fruits of the fig tree – that the first fruits of Israel – or Israel’s early figs – started to blossom on the day of Pentecost!

What does that tell us? Well, if a fig tree has early figs, it will also have late figs. And Israel will have late figs too. The revelation is the children of Israel are due for another revival, another blossoming, and another outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

It’s still to come. So pray for the Jewish people and for that day. For when they blossom a second time, it will mean the redemption of the world.

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. Luke 21:29

Pray for the salvation of the Jewish people, pray for their second blossoming. For when it happens, Jesus will come!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Carrot and Stick Principal…

Grandfather used to ask, How do you get a mule to move? One way is to use a carrot or a stick: the carrot represents the pleasure principle, while the stick represents the pain principle. You have to get its attention.

Satan also uses behavior modification methods in order to influence your life. He tries to get you to associate the things of God–His people, His house, His will for your life, His ministry, His ways – with pain, with the stick. On the other hand, he’ll try to get you to associate evil and sin— lust, gossip, an addiction, materialism, wrong relationships, or the world – with pleasure, with the carrot.

How do you overcome his schemes? Delight yourself in the Lord. Renew your mind and heart in the truth of God’s Word. Stop living to seek temporary pleasure or to avoid pain – rather seek the will of God, and to do what is right, no matter what, and your life won’t be stuck between the carrot and the stick.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 2 Timothy 3:1-4

Focus on the joy of God and the blessings of living in righteousness.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed