Ed Christian's World

The Immerser…

The first event recorded in the New Testament is that of the coming of John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke. Isn’t it a big jump to go from the rebuilding of the Temple at the end of the Old Testament to the birth of John the Baptist in the new?

The link is the Malachi connection. There’s an Old Testament prophecy which speaks of John the Baptist. The Lord calls him ‘My messenger,’ the one who will be sent before the coming of the Lord.

The Hebrew word for ‘My messenger’ is ‘malachi.’ Is it any accident that the prophecy that speaks about the messenger of the Lord is contained in the book called ‘Malachi’?

Is it any accident that the book called ‘My messenger,’ is the very last book of the Old Testament?

It leads into the New Testament, which begins with the fulfillment of that very Scripture of the one who will be the ‘malachi,’ the messenger of God.

It’s just like God to leave no loose ends, but to tie it all together so perfectly. He will tie up all the loose ends of your life so that it becomes something truly beautiful.

I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you. Matthew 11:10

Reflect on your life. Are there any loose ends that you can bring to the Lord?

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

After Gods Own Heart…

David is called ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ That’s remarkable because he lusted after Bathsheba, committed adultery, and had her husband murdered.

The church leaders had trouble reconciling this. How could a man who committed adultery be called ‘a man after God’s heart’?

The answer is simple: God doesn’t look at the trip up or fall – He looks at the walk, the journey. If David had fallen and stayed down, it would be a different story.

Then his journey would’ve been one of defeat. But he got up and praised God. He kept serving and worshiping Him all his life. God reckoned David’s life not by his fall but by his walk.

Just because you love God, doesn’t mean you won’t have mess ups and falls. Just because you fall, it doesn’t mean you don’t love God. Don’t be discouraged and stay down because you messed up and fell. It happened to the best of them.

But God didn’t define His saints by their fall. Just get up. Shake off the dust and get on with your journey. You too will be counted as one of those who lived their life ‘after God’s own heart.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23

Are you discouraged because of failure? Know that the only time that you lose is when you don’t get back up!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Tender Shepherd…

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, those who survive are the strongest.

From Darwin’s law came “Social Darwinism,” which states that the most fit or strong humans, or races, or nations, are those which survive.

Out of such theories came Hitler’s attempt to destroy the Jewish people in the name of a German master race. The world in many ways, does function after the law of the jungle.

But we don’t go by the law of the jungle – 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.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Today, don’t seek to gain or get ahead – but seek to be good – righteous.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

And David Shall Be Their King…

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.

It says this, “… and David their king…” (Jer 30:9) “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)

What does this all mean? How could David be the king of Israel in the last days? David was long dead when every one of these prophecies were given.

When Israel came back into the world, who was appointed as their leader? A man named “David” – David Ben Gurion. It would seem to be a sign. For in the end, Israel shall be ruled by a man called “David.” Who?

Clearly, the “David” who will reign over Israel, is Jesus, “Son of David.” In all of Jewish history there’s only one man known both as Jesus and the Son of David – Yeshua.

As it is for Israel, so 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.

“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. Matthew 22:42

What part of your life is not truly ruled by Him? Take that area and submit it to Him today. When He reigns, you will be blessed.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Come To Me – Present Tense…

On the Feast of Tabernacles, the nation of Israel would pray for the outpouring of rain and God’s blessings on the land.

So it’s no accident, that on that same feast, the Feast of Tabernacles, that Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”

He spoke of the Spirit. And He did so on the Feast of Tabernacles because it was then that Israel was praying for a future outpouring of rain and blessings. But notice something – they were praying for water, for rain, to be poured out in the future.

But Jesus spoke in the present tense. In other words, the life of the Spirit, and the life of abundance, is never dependent on waiting for some blessing to happen in the future. It’s now.

So don’t live a life waiting for God’s blessings. Enter His blessings now. Enter the abundant life now. For the Spirit and the blessings of abundant life are now. And the only time to enter it – is now!

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

What blessing from God are you still waiting for? Live in the blessing of God now, start walking in it, start living it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Mattan…

When a Hebrew man and woman were betrothed to each other to be married – they would separate, often for about a year before their wedding. During this time, the broom would send to his bride a gift.

The gift would be a sealing on their engagement, a symbol of his pledge to her, a token of their marriage to come, an adornment to beautify the bride and a reminder to encourage her during their time of separation. The gift was called “the Mattan.”

So too, Jesus pledged Himself to us. And if you’ve received Him, you’re now betrothed. And He too has sent you a gift, a sealing, a token of His love and pledge to you, an encouragement for strength, in the days of separation.

The Mattan of the Bridegroom is the Spirit of God. The Spirit even came down on Shavuot, Pentecost, which was known as the “Day of the Mattan.”

So use the Gift He has given you, live in the Spirit and overcome in the Spirit, become beautiful in the Spirit. For the Spirit was given to you to keep you strong until the day you see your Bridegroom face to face.

 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. Isaiah 61:10-11

Rejoice in the Gift given to you – the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, overcome in the Spirit, shine in the Spirit.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Going Out…

Remember when you were a child and the months of May and June came around? It was a time of going out. Vacation was coming. Summer was on the way.

Ancient Israel had something like that too. Every year around May and June, Israel would gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Harvest; Shavuot known in Greek as Pentecost.

After celebrating, they would all go out to their fields and vineyards and reap the great summer harvest. And they wouldn’t see each other again until the fall.

It was the Feast of Going Out. And so it was no accident that on this celebration of going out – 2,000 years ago, God sent the Spirit. They had to go out into all nations – into the harvest field of the Great Commission.

They had to leave home and the comfort of the familiar. Do you want to live in the Spirit and fulfill His will in your life?

Then leave the comfort of the old and the familiar that you might have the freedom of the new and the joy and the adventure of God’s best. For those who live in the Spirit must go forth in faith.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Today get out of your comfort zone and share the gospel with somebody that needs to know about His love and joy!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Through The Eastern Gate…

In the days of the Temple, on the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, at the end of the ritual, the High Priest would take the scapegoat and place upon its head the sins of the people.

Then the scapegoat would be led out through the eastern gate, eastward, toward the Mount of Olives, and the goat would then disappear from view, signifying that the sins of the people were removed, gone, departed, vanished.

Now think of Jesus. What happened after His death and resurrection, the atonement of our sin? He left this world. And from where did He leave it? From the Mount of Olives, east of the Temple.

He disappeared from the same point from which the scapegoat disappeared from view on Yom Kippur. Why?

Jesus disappeared from this world, just as the scapegoat disappeared with the sins of Israel. As surely as He disappeared from the Mount of Olives, that’s how sure it is, that your sins have also disappeared. For if the Scapegoat is gone, so too gone are your sins. Live accordingly.

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

What is it in your life that has to be gone – today send it away – say goodbye – let it go – believe it gone.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Joshua And Caleb…

Joshua and Caleb never pretended that there weren’t giants in the land. They knew full well what they were up against. In fact, Joshua would become the general to defeat those giants.

Then what was it that separated Joshua and Caleb from the other ten spies who also saw the giants but brought back a bad report to the Israelites?

The difference was that though Joshua and Caleb saw the giants – they didn’t dwell on them. They didn’t focus on them. Instead they focused on the blessings, the promise, the faithfulness, and the power of God.

They were the ones who entered and apprehended all that God had promised. So with you, it’s not that you don’t or won’t have problems in your life.

You will. It’s part of life. The key is – don’t focus on them – don’t dwell on them. They’re only giants. They’re there in your life to manifest the power, the victory, the faithfulness, and the triumph of God.

They’re only giants. Set your focus instead on the giant power, the giant love, and the giant faithfulness of your God and you too will enter the land of blessing God has promised you.

Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 1 Samuel 12:16

Today, choose to avoid dwelling on the negative – and choose to dwell on that which is positive and of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Three Sides Of A Coin…

I remember one day in my childhood when I was in a quandary over something and just couldn’t find the best way to go. As I approached Grandfather with it he asked: How many sides does a coin have? Two I responded. Humm, he said, You go think about it for a little bit and come back with your answer.

I was raised believing we all exist in our own worlds. We each have our beliefs, our opinions and our own take on things. Life for us revolves around what we see and think along the constraints we set up in our own little world.

By joining worlds with our friends we expand our beliefs and feeling to include those of others to the extent of where they don’t infringe on our personal feelings.

There I found my answer, a coin has three sides and so does life. As a coin has a front and a back, it also has the edge. As we combine our worlds we find we don’t always agree on everything, but we find common ground.

Sometimes we alter our personal feelings when someone presents something that makes more sense to our world. It’s called compromise and we learn to live within the new boundaries we set for ourselves.

Some religions encourage members to stay within the world of the church, keeping true to its beliefs and staying away from outside influences. The Amish and Menenite Religions do this and have been quite successful in keeping their communities closed. They do interface with the outside world for business only, but do have some of the younger ones starting to wander to the outside. Some of the Evangelical Churches are encouraging members to seek friends and activities from within the church community. It is a study on how people grow in life in a closed community. I guess everything we do is a study in some form.

However, the outside world is the real world, the world we are forced to see every day on the news and for sure is outside our world of comfort. It is not a very compromising world and is a very hard nosed – my way or the highway place. I have not found an easy way to mix or merge the two worlds together. Sometimes we find ourselves at odds with what is happening out in the real world and can find no easy way to adapt with it.

But we, as Christians, are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves so we have to find a way to get along with each other and find common ground. We learn that not everyone will agree with how we live and we certainly don’t always agree with how they live, but we should respect each other for their right to live as they choose. This is the third side of the coin. Its called compassion.

I guess when you really get into life, we can make is as easy or as hard as we want. Life is as good as we decide to make it. We make all the decisions and choices that determine and shape our world. Grandfather always said that life is simple, only we can complicate it. He was a very wise man!

Yes, a coin has three sides as does just about everything in life. It all comes down to how willing you are to work together and find some common ground in life. Love – Compromise – Compassion – these are the keys of a good physical and spiritual life.

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23

So, how open are you to accepting others thoughts and beliefs that are so different from yours? Life is different for everyone and everyone has their story.

A closing thought: God has a plan to fight injustice and that plan is us — his people. There is no plan B. Its called Grace on Tap.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed