Ed Christian's World

Mountain Of The Sword…

The Law was given on Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is also called “Mount Horeb.” Is there any significance in this?

The Hebrew word “Horeb” is linked to the word “Herev.” “Herev” means “sword.” The first time the word appears in the Bible is in Genesis when God stations the cherubim at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, with the flaming sword, or herev.

The herev is a sword raised up against sin. So the Law was given on Mt. “Horeb,” – linked to herev, the sword – as the Law, too, is a sword raised up against sin.

So too is the Word of God a sword. We must each learn to pick up the Word of God as a sword – against sin – against our own sin.

In other words, wherever your life doesn’t line up with the Word of God, use the Word as a sword to put to death that sin, that compromise, that questionable thing, whatever it is.

For only by passing through the sword of the cherubim, in Jesus, can we reenter the garden and the life of His blessing.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17

Before you leave home today, make sure that you’re properly dressed. Put on the full “Armor of God” – and use the Word of God today as your sword for victory against the enemy.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Watchmen In The Night…

The Bible speaks much of the watchmen. They were the ones appointed to watch over the city, to protect it, to sound the alarm in the face of danger.

When especially were the watchmen on duty? During the night. It was the night, when darkness covered the land, and when the people of the city slept, that the watchman’s call was especially critical.

When we look at what’s happening in the world, direction of the end times, it’s easy to feel discouraged or overwhelmed. But we shouldn’t. It’s the times of darkness when the watchmen’s ministry is most important.

So the darker you see the world becoming, the more critical it is to take up your mantle as God’s watchman. It’s the call to stay spiritually awake in a time of spiritual sleep, to stay separate, to keep vigilant – vigilant in prayer, vigilant in the word, vigilant in purity and holiness, in righteousness, and worship.

To all the more sound the alarm to those who are perishing. It’s night. The people are sleeping. And they need the watchman more than ever. You are the watchman – do your duty!

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42

Don’t complain about the darkness today, but do something about it. Take a stand against it. Pray against it. Act against it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

And He Will Direct Your Paths…

I was once attempting to show mercy… to an ant. I was trying to lead it around its obstacles to freedom outside. I was trying to be an ant hero.

But the problem was I was dealing with an especially dumb ant. It kept going the wrong way, no matter what I did.

Now ants do indeed have brains the size of a small bread crumbs. But the ant didn’t have to have a high I.Q. All it needed to do was to trust me. If it trusted me, that ant would have functioned as if it had super-intelligence, as compared to its fellow ants, functioning on the reasoning of a human brain.

Compared to God, our intelligence is even less than that of a bread crumb-sized brain. So if you’re wise, you won’t rely on your own intelligence and understanding. If you do, you’ll be living like a dumb ant.

But if you trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding….then the Lord will direct your path and you won’t live your life like a dumb ant!

All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the Lord—small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 115:9-15

What have you been dealing with, struggling with, or concerned about? Today, stop struggling and commit to God. Trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Overcoming Worry…Your Problems – His Eyes…

Do you have problems you’re focused on in your life right now? Ten years ago or even five years ago, you probably had problems, challenges, crises, concerns, and worries you were dwelling on that seemed so big.

But if I asked you what those things were that you were so concerned about ten years ago, or even five years ago – most likely you wouldn’t be able to recall them. The problems have long since passed. The challenges have long ago ceased. The crises have long ago disappeared. And what you were so worried about, now, you can’t even remember what it was.

What does that reveal? There are things in your life which cause you to worry, problems which seem to overshadow everything else. However, five or ten years from now, you most likely won’t even remember what it is. And even if you do, it won’t be as big as it seems now.

But the love of God will be just as important then as it is now. So stop worrying about what you won’t even remember years from now and focus, instead, on what you will.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Jude 1:21

Today, whatever you’re dealing with, concerned about, worried over, whatever the problem or issue – look at it in the big picture, it will pass away, but your blessings in Jesus will remain.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Father, I know that there are many dangers and difficulties in life that combine to ship-wreck my faith in You. I desire to love You more, to know You better, to keep the Lord Jesus as the center of my life and to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Give me the wisdom to discern what is not from You and ears to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and in Your mercy, keep me under the shadow of Your protection, in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The God Coin…

Jesus asked those who were testing him about taxes, “Whose image is on this coin?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” To which He responded, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and render to God the things that are God’s.”

In other words, if the coin bears the image of Caesar, then it belongs to Caesar and must be given to him. But then, what is it that bears the image of God?

What bears the image of God is man. Thus, as a coin is to Caesar – so you are to God. If you bear God’s image, then you belong to Him, and if you belong to Him, you must render, give yourself unto Him.

It’s the only natural and proper thing to do – since we already belong to Him. And beyond that, it reveals that if you don’t give yourself totally and wholly for God, then your life is lived in debt. In fact, your life becomes stolen property, an illegal substance.

That’s why when you do your own thing with your life, it never works out, something is always wrong. So render unto God today that thing that is God’s – namely… you!

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

Consider this, your life bears the image of God, therefore you belong to Him. Live today as one whose entire being is owned and belongs to God – do all for His glory.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Shepherd’s Departure…

In the book of Zechariah it’s written, “And I said to them, ‘if it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind.’ So they weighed out 30 shekels of silver as my wages.”

God told Israel to give Him a price they think His services to Israel had been worth. They came up with 30 pieces of silver. It’s the same price for a slave and later the price given for Jesus’s life.

It sounds crazy to value God at 30 pieces of silver. We do the same. We often value God for the services He can provide us. Too many believers see God as their heavenly servant. Too many teachers teach that God will do whatever you ask Him to do. God has to do it.

What we’re doing is making the King of the Universe our personal slave. But God is not our slave. He’s our Lord. Come to Him with no requests. Ask Him only what He wants you to do and then serve Him. Forget about what you want. Worship Him – the King of the Universe!

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 29:2

Make it your aim today to do everything as a servant of God – to seek His will for every situation and to fulfill it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The House Of Spirits…

Jesus told his disciples of the possessed man from whom a demon was cast out. Later on, the demon returns to the man with seven other spirits – thus the man’s state becomes eight times worse than before.

This reveals a profound principle which not only applies to people but to civilization – and to the end times. Western Civilization was once pagan… as possessed. But then it became, in a sense, excorcised of paganism, swept clean.

But now we are witnessing the beginning of a return to darkness – “post-Christian” era. But according to the principle, if it does so, it will end up eight times worse – eight times more demonic than at the start.

This is why a post-Christian civilization is far worse than a pre-Christian one. Thus, end-time culture will be especially satanic. What does that mean for you as an end-time believer?

If the power of darkness is stronger and more brazen, so too the righteous must be all the more bold and powerful in the good. If we find ourselves in a world eight times more evil than what once was – let us be eight times more all out for God!

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45

Be stronger against the darkness. Be stronger for the light.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Gift Of Life vs Anger…

There are certain givens in life that everyone experiences. For example someone will say or do something that really upsets you or you will say or do something that really upsets someone.

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and armor arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.” Psalm 35:1-3

On the other hand the complete opposite will happen and everyone is happy. There will be days when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, bringing you down and then there will be days when you feel light as air and life is at its best. This is life and we all experience it everyday.

What makes this special is how we handle these ups and downs in our world. I say handle because these obstacles or plusses happen for a reason and that reason is a lesson we need to learn. As you know I don’t believe in coincidences, but maintain everything and every person that crosses our path is for a reason. That reason could be because there is a gift hidden there for you or you have a gift to share.

Life is a gift! Everyday of our life we are given gifts or blessing we are to share with each other to make life lighter and brighter. That smile you share with a stranger might just make his or her day. That kind greeting of good morning or hello to that clerk at the checkout counter may be a blessing needed to lift their spirit.

In this same approach, how we look at the negative experiences in our life could make the same difference to us. When we look for what lesson is hidden inside, we just may find the blessing God has for this day. On the other hand if we decide the world is pushing down on us we may lose that blessing and lesson. That blessing could be something you need to share with the next person that crosses your path.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

In other words, life is just how we accept it. We can look for the blessings or we can choose to let it overwhelm us. Life is not a bed of roses, we all know that, but we hold the reins and can make the best or worse of it. I choose the positive and look to share the blessings with all. I know what love I share makes someone’s life better, which in turn blesses me to make mine better.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Joy….

“O come, let us sing unto Jehova, Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For Jehovah is a great God, And a great King above all gods.” Psalm 95:1-3

Although it is a fact that everyone is “always” in the presence of God in the ultimate sense, yet there is a special way in which men who are assembling for worship do indeed “come into God’s presence.” In this light, these verses are a beautiful and proper call to worship in churches all over the world even today.

Coming before God with praise and thanksgiving is the very essence of worship.

Having joy includes feeling good cheer and a vibrant happiness. But joy, in its fuller, spiritual meaning of expressing God’s goodness, involves more. It is a deep-rooted, inspired happiness.

The Bible says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). The Bible says God gives us joy and peace. It tells us that real joy comes from God and is ours forever. The joy that is found in God’s presence isn’t static; it transforms and regenerates us.

Paul, a follower of Jesus Christ, wrote in a letter that joy is a “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). Spirit is another name for God. Spiritual joy from God gives us a sense of the presence of good, showing His infinite power to govern the lives of men and women. As we learn more that God is All, that He is good, and that there is no power besides Him, spiritual joy will be ours more and more, bringing healing and happiness into our lives.

At the heart of joy is an unshakable awareness that we possess good from God. Joy is part of God’s kingdom. Harmony and painless being are spiritual qualities, and expressing joy brings these qualities into view in our lives.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”  Luke 2:4-14

I want each of you to know the real joy of Christmas. The angel announced the source of that joy to the shepherds on that first Christmas night: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

Imagine how frightening the shepherd’s experience would have been. They had been sitting in the dark night, perhaps with only the light of a flickering fire, when suddenly the sky lit up like noontime! Add to that the sudden appearance of the angel. It was enough to scare anyone!

The shepherds sitting in darkness picture the lost human race, sitting in the darkness of sin and the shadow of death. When the glory of God in His holiness suddenly breaks in on people who live in the darkness of sin, the only response is great fear. In the Bible, even when godly people encounter God or His holy angels, fear is the only response.

The witness of the shepherds further confirms the historical accuracy of these events. There was no reason for them to fabricate a story about seeing the angels. Mass hallucinations of this sort are highly unlikely. Verse 20 affirms that the things that the shepherds heard and saw were “just as had been told them.”

The things that they heard and saw—a common couple and their baby in a stable—were not the sort of things one would fabricate. If people were going to make up a story about the birth of a Savior, it would have sounded more like a fairy tale, with a palace in Jerusalem, not a stable in Bethlehem. The Savior would have had magical or mythical qualities. But there is none of that. Rather we find the straightforward reporting of events as they happened.

Christmas hath a darkness

Brighter than the blazing noon,

Christmas hath a dullness

Warmer than the heat of June,

Christmas hath a beauty

Lovelier than the world can show:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

Earth, strike up your music,

Birds that sing and bells that ring;

Heaven hath answering music

For all Angels soon to sing:

Earth, put on your whitest

Bridal robe of spotless snow:

For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

Brought for us so low.

_

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Infinity Solution…

The “Trinity” or the “triune nature of God” is one of the most controversial of doctrines. People, nonbelievers, and cult leaders have argued against it for ages. And even believers struggle with it.

The simple truth is, when it comes to mathematics is that 1 cannot be 3 and 3 cannot be 1. But there’s a secret here. Those laws only apply when you’re dealing with finite entities – finite numbers.

But the Bible declares that God is not finite – but infinite. So we have the realm of infinite entities or infinities. It’s 1 infinity plus 1 infinity plus1 infinity. And what does it equal? 1 infinity! 1 infinity divided by 3 still equals 1 infinity.

Thus, the infinity of God plus the infinity of God plus the infinity of God equals…. The infinity of God. Can we fully understand infinity? No. Nor could we fully comprehend God – and we don’t have to.

Rather, we just have to believe in Him. For there is no real “trinity problem” or “problem with God” – the only problem is how to open up our hearts, our minds, and our faith to that which is so much bigger.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. Psalm 147:5

Is there an area or issue in your life – in which you are limiting God? Open up the limit, open your heart, mind, and soul – believe God for whatever it is – for with God, nothing shall be impossible.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed