Ed Christian's World

The April Mysteries…

In the midst of the Civil War, when the outlook for the Union looked gloomy and filled with years of bloodshed, Abraham Lincoln, issued a proclamation calling for the nation’s citizens to humble themselves before God and repent.

The proclamation said this: “… It is the duty of nations,” he wrote, “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 and proven by all history, 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.”

Can you imagine a president issuing such a proclamation today? And yet the burden of repentance rests first with us as believers. As it is written: “If My people… will turn from their evil ways…” Let us pray for our nation – but let us also be the first to turn from our own sins… 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

Be humble today in the sight of God and repent from all wrong doing. Then pray for your nation – that it will do the same.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Two Tablets – Two Commandments. ..

In Exodus chapter 20 we find the Ten Commandments. They are written on two Tablets. It is interesting how they are laid out and why.

The first tablet contains the first four commandments and those pertain to God and how we are to Honor Him

1) I am the Lord your God, you shall not have strange gods before me

2) You shall make no idols.

3) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4) Keep the Sabbath day holy.

All four are straight forward and make it very clear He is God and there are no others. As we look closely at the 4th commandment: Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.  Basically it says take one day to rest. Remember in Genesis: and on the seventh day He rested. We are to take one day and set it aside just for God where we pray and rest in His glory praising Him for all the blessings He gives us daily.

The second tablet contains the rest of the commandments which contain instructions on how we are to treat and love our family and neighbors.

5) Honor your father and your mother.

6) You shall not murder.

7) You shall not commit adultery.

8) You shall not steal.

9) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10) You shall not covet.

Now when we first look at these last six commandments, we tend to think they are straight forward also. Then as one begins to really look at them you see there is a lot more to them than we first realized.

The 5th commandment: Honor your father and your mother seems self explanatory until you realize it also means to honor and respect your elders. That is something taught on the Indian Reservation and is very precious for our elders have and teach us wisdom. We should respect that wisdom and use it to help live a good life.

The 6th commandment: You shall not murder. A lot can be said about this commandment since we should not kill period. But have you ever looked at what killing someone’s spirit does to them? We are to be kind in our words and lift up those who need help and not judge them for what they do.

The same can be said about the rest of the commandments. You don’t commit adultery, you don’t steal, you don’t bear false witness and you don’t covet. When we look at these closely we learn that we should be content with what God has given us and not be envious if our neighbor has something different or bigger. Be thankful for what we have and happy for what they have.

Now you are probably wondering where I am leading you to here. When Jesus told the Sadducees to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind He was referring to the first four commandments – the first tablet.

Then when He followed up with Love your neighbor as yourself, He was referring to the second tablet – the last 6 commandments. Most people fail to see the connection here but He added: All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:37-40

When you walk your daily walk keep these in mind and remember Love is the key in all things for our Christian life. It is also worth reminding you that your neighbor is everyone else in the world, not just the family across the street. The commandments are directed right at our hearts – instructing us how live a good Christian life and relate to other people.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Curse Of Mt. Gilboah….

David was hunted down by King Saul. And yet when Saul and his son Jonathan died, and David became king of Israel,

David didn’t gloat or boast. Instead he wept. And in his weeping, he pronounced a curse on the mountain on which Saul and Jonathan were slain – Mt. Gilboah.

He said this, “You mountain of Gilboah, let there not be upon you dew nor rain, nor fields of offerings. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away…”

The amazing thing is if you go to Israel today you’ll find Mt. Gilboah surrounded by the fertile plains of the nation’s heartland. But Mt. Gilboah itself is largely barren – just as the curse of David was pronounced three thousand years later.

Mt. Gilboah is an amazing testimony, not just 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. Luke 6:27-28

Love your enemies today and bless those who persecute you – and you will be blessed.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Radical Love….

One of the leaders of the attack on Pearl Harbor in the Second World War was the Japanese commander Mitzuo Fuchida. After the war, Fuchida met a Japanese friend who had been captured in the war and imprisoned in an American prisoner of war camp.

The friend told Fuchida that he had been treated with kindness by an American girl who had brought the Japenese prisoners food and reading material.

Fuchida asked his friend about the girl, why she responded with such kindness to her enemies. The friend told Fuchida her story. The girl’s parents had been Christian missionaries in Japan.

During the war, they were imprisoned, brutally beaten, and finally beheaded in Manila. But before their execution, they wrote a letter to their daughter asking her always to love the Japanese people.

Captain Fuchida asked from where did this love come. He was shown a Bible. It was from that, 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. And what power, what miracles, what breakthroughs will you unleash when you do!

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

If there is someone in your life that you are still holding a grudge against, forgive them – bless them – & be blessed.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Blesser 2…

In Hebrews 7 we’re told of the priest king, Melchizedek blessing Abraham – and then of a principle, which is this: “Without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.”

In other words the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. Interesting, because most people, believers included, spend their lives trying to be blessed.

Most people want others to bless them, to thank them, to praise them, recognize them, help them, serve them. But the Bible says that the one who blesses is greater.

So do you want to be great? Then bless. Do you want to be rich? Then be truly rich… Give! Do you want to be powerful?

The most powerful one, is the one who can bless no matter what. Do you want to triumph over rejection? Then bless those who rejected you. Do you want to triumph over your enemies? Then bless them. Do you want to be the most joyous person? Then bless.

Because it’s the one who has joy that can bless. For it’s the one who is truly blessed who can bless. So become one of the great and live a life of greatness! How? Simple… Bless!

This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him. Hebrews 7:1

Become great today. Instead of waiting to be blessed, go out and bless others, be a blessign to them.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Counsels Of War…

In warfare, you don’t appoint a private to fight a general – you appoint a general. So the Book of Ephesians tells us we’re at war with a specific kind of enemy in the spiritual realm.

The English reads “principalities,” but the Greek word is “archay.” An archay is a chief, boss, head, or top ranking power. In a war, an archay is a general. So you have been appointed to fight generals.

What does that make you in God? It makes you the equivalent of a general! That means, in the spiritual realm, by the power of God, you are mighty! It means that in the spiritual realm, you’re a commander.

It means you can’t live as one with no or little authority… as one who is ruled over by sin, or fear, or despair. You’ve been given great authority. And to fail to exercise that authority is a sin.

To obey God, we must fully use the authority He has given us. Therefore, start acting like a general. Start using the authority of the Word, of His name, and of His power. For not only are you on the winning side – you’re a general.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:11-12

When you speak with others about Jesus today, speak with His authority, with His words and with His power, in His name.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Who Goels Your Life…

From The Pit in Psalm 103, verse 4, it says of the Lord, “who redeems your life from the pit.” But in Hebrew, it doesn’t say that. It uses a much more specific word – the Hebrew “goel.”

Thus it would read something like “who goels your life from the pit.” The “goel” was the kinsman-redeemer – the man who would redeem the life of a barren widow, by marrying her, and making her fruitful with children.

So in Psalm 103, it’s not just that God redeems us. It’s that God “goels” us. He becomes our “goel,” our kinsman-redeemer. He redeems us by marrying us, by joining Himself to us, by becoming one with us, so that our lives can’t help but bear fruit.

That’s the secret. Do you want your life to become overflowing with fruitfulness? Do you want to fulfill your purpose and calling? Do you want your life to be abundantly blessed?

Then make it your aim to get as close, as intimate, as joined, as one with God as possible, in everyting – and it will be. For the Lord is not only your Redeemer – He’s your Goel!

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5

Ask God to get closer to you today. Expect it; look for it and He will do it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Illegal Miracles…

In the writings of the rabbis there are accounts bearing out Jesus’s miracles. One involves a Jewish man who needs healing. A Jewish believer tells him to pray in the name of Yeshua, Jesus.

He does. And he’s healed! So he runs to the rabbi to tell them what happened. To which the rabbi responds by telling him never to get healed in that name again! Amazing!

The rabbinical writings confirm that in the name of Yeshua, Jesus, is the power of healing. But then give the counsel never to pray in that name. So here waits the healing of the Jewish people, and still they’re yet ready to receive it.

So, too, God’s will for all, is healing and restoration, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And it’s not as if that healing and restoration isn’t there. It is. It’s just that we might not be ready to be healed, or to become whole.

Until we do, it will still wait. God wants you healed, whole, and restored. Don’t make the mistake of the rabbis – Open up your life, and let it happen.

You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. James 5:6

In what areas of your life do you need healing and restoration? What’s holding you back? Open up your life and let it happen.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

But I Will Not Forget You…

If you’ve ever been chased around the dining room table by a parent – most likely it wasn’t your mother – but your father. My father would count up to three. My mother would count up to three thousand and beyond.

In fact she’s still counting. A mother’s love is a picture of the love of God. Often we picture God as a severe judge ready to lose His temper.

But the truth is, the love of God is as compassionate and tender as the love of a mother – only more so. And that means He must be very patient.

In fact the Bible says that the reason the age has gone on so long is solely because of the patience of God for people to repent and get saved. Thank God that He’s patient – That He puts up with you – and me – and all of us.

What should that make us do? It should make us all the more zealous to bless Him, to please Him, to make Him smile. God has the patience of a saint … even more than a saint… the patience of a mother… and even more. And in that, is our salvation.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. Romans 15:5

Be patient with that impatient person today and make God smile.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Paul’s Failure…

While Paul was in Athens he sought to preach the Gospel. It was the city council that was in charge of granting such permission. We don’t know that he ever obtained that permission. We have no record of him spreading the Gospel throughout the city.

So did he fail? Not at all. Paul preached the gospel in Athens at least once – on Mars Hill. And that one sermon on Mars Hill, the sermon of the Unknown God, was recorded and transmitted to thousands and millions of people, and launching countless missions to countless more people.

In the same way, sometimes it may seem as if you’ve failed in the Lord. You didn’t achieve what you set out to achieve. And you feel like a failure. But if you’re in God’s will, there is no such thing as failure.

It’s only a matter of obedience. Paul was obedient, and in his “failure” countless lives and nations would be touched for the gospel.

So, too, you in God, if you’re faithful, you can never fail – you just have no idea how successful you are.

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. Acts 17:22

What has God called you to do, yet you feel that you are failing at doing it? Don’t give up, keep the faith and stay in the race.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed