Ed Christian's World

Your Problem and Your Yeshua…

The Lord says, “In the world you will have trouble; tribulation, but take courage.” That doesn’t seem like encouragement. That’s the point.

In this world we will and we do have trouble; that’s the way the world is. Doctrines and teachings that pretend that God’s people won’t have trouble are useless. The encouragement is that we will have trouble, but God is bigger.

God has overcome the world. God’s love doesn’t separate us from trouble, but trouble will never separate us from the love of God. It’s saying we WILL have trouble, but we WILL have salvation. Yeshua means salvation–Jesus; His name is salvation.

How would we see the power of salvation without something to be saved from. “In the world you will have trouble, but, take courage, I have overcome the world and your problem already.”

Don’t expect to not have problems. Expect the problem, but expect something better–the salvation of God in which you will overcome every problem and the world.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 4:14

Be an overcomer. Take courage to face your problems without fear. Press on, knowing He has overcome the world.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Jesus’s Nachum…

There’s a place where you’ll always find Jesus, the Messiah, and those who follow Him. It’s a specific place with a specific name. Two Hebrew words, the first is Kfar, meaning village or shelter. The other is Nachum – like the prophet Nahum, meaning both comfort and repentance.

Put it together and you get Kfar Nachum which we know as Capernaum. This was the place that Jesus chose to live. Jesus’s place of ministry could be translated as “the Village of Comfort” and “the Village of Repentance.”

It was from Capernaum, known as Kfar Nachum, that Jesus revealed the ways of God, healed the sick and set free the oppressed. This tells us that if you want to know God’s comfort, miracles, presence, and blessing then you have to go to Kfar Nachum, the Village of Repentance.

In repentance, in turning away from sin and to the ways of God, you’ll find God’s blessing, healing and miracles. For Jesus dwelt in Kfar Nachum – “the Village of Repentance” which is also “the Village of His Comfort.”

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3

Turn away from that sin in your life; turn to God and you’ll find the comfort of the Lord.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Finishers…

Are you complaining and blaming others for your problems, and how your life is going? Anytime we blame someone for our problems, we are ultimately blaming God.

He is in charge of everything; He is in control. Even your problems are under His control. Even things that seem out of control are under His control.

If you are complaining about your life, then it’s one of two things. Either you forgot that God is God, or you are blaming and complaining against God. Either way, it’s not a winning proposition.

The good news is, you can be at peace. Whatever the complaint, whatever you thought you should have but don’t, or you do have but don’t want; whatever the regret, whatever happened you didn’t want, be in peace.

Remember, God IS in control. Never complain against God; you know He’s right. Give thanks instead, knowing that He’s in charge. If you are in His will, He will work all things together for your good. You will be blessed, because He loves you and He’s in charge.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Seek the good in all things that come your way today. Be at peace in your heart no matter what tries to upset you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Yud Step…

Jesus said not one jot or tittle will perish from God’s word. Jot was the Hebrew letter “Yud.” It’s like an apostrophe. It’s the letter that begins the word Israel–Yisrael, Yehovah, Yeshua, some of the most important words in Hebrew.

If you look at the life you are to live, your calling, the life of victory and holiness, it looks overwhelming; out of reach. Even to repent, to break that sin can seem overwhelming. Remember the Yud.

The Yud begins most of the blessings God has for His people, even the Aaronic blessing. Remember, the blessings God has for you begin with a Yud, the smallest things. Your life of victory and righteousness often begins with the smallest step.

You can’t walk a whole journey today, just the first step. You can’t complete a life of repentance or victory today, but you can take the Yud of repentance, the Yud of victory, the Yud of holiness.

Take one small stroke for righteousness today, of repentance, of victory, of new beginnings and you will live a life of blessings. For most of God’s blessings begin with a Yud.

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matthew 5:18

Close that gap to achieve your victory in Yeshua by making one small step to holiness and then keep going.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Journey Of Up…

Several decades ago, at this time of year, Israel became a nation again, with Jewish people returning to their ancient homeland. They made “aliyah.” Aliyah tells you where your life is to be heading.

The Gospels always speak of Yeshua, Jesus going UP to Jerusalem – always UP. Jerusalem, was set on the Judean hills, but more importantly, when you’re going to God you always go up. The journey was called aliyah, the journey of ascending.

Whenever someone goes to the Holy Land, it’s said they’re “making aliyah.” If you go to Israel, or from Israel to Jerusalem, you’re making aliyah. If you’re born again, your life is now to become a spiritual aliyah.

Your direction is UP, heavenward. Apostle Paul would write of pressing on in the “upward” call. You, too, have an upward call. Every day, you have a choice between a higher and lower step.

So every day, choose always the higher step over the lower, the more heavenly over the less. Dare to go for the highest. You’ll be amazed at what happens to your life – going up – making aliyah.

I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up—the tribes of the Lord—to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity. Psalm 122

Make it your aim to take the higher step today, and keep taking it until you rise to higher ground.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Master Of Dreams…

One of the most beautiful foreshadows of Jesus in Hebrew scripture is the foreshadow of Joseph. Even the rabbis saw that as parallel when they spoke of Jesus as being Mashiach Ben Yosef or Jesus the son of Joseph.

In the Bible, Joseph is given a Hebrew title; Baal Ha Halamote which means the master of dreams. Joseph is a shadow of Jesus. This tells us that Jesus is not only the Lord of the world but the master of dreams.

One of the things we don’t often talk about is our dreams. Our lives are filled with dreams, desires, and hopes, but most of them don’t come true. Many of us live our lives in the shadow of broken dreams and we mourn the loss of them throughout our lives, but He is the master of dreams.

He knows your dreams and hopes; all the things that are broken in your heart. Jesus knows how to redeem them. Open your heart and pour out your heart before the Lord. You gave Him your life, now give Him your dreams. He is not only the Lord of life, He is the master of dreams.

The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Psalm 21:1-2

Share with God your hopes and dreams; seek His will in all these yearnings of your heart. Let Him be Master of everything.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Secret Kings & Queens…

Did you know that Joseph and Mary, or Yosef and Miriam, were royalty? They had to be since they were in Jesus’s genealogy. Even Joseph was of the royal line from David. And Mary was a royal princess.

You might be thinking that it must have been a privilege to be born of the royal house, to be in Jesus’s genealogy. We were not born of any kind of house like that.

But you are indeed royal if you are born again. And since you are born again, you also are in Jesus’s genealogy. It’s the record of the people who bore Him, the people through which He came.

If Jesus has come into your life, then you are of His genealogy. And if you are born again, your life has to be a royal life. So stop living your life as if it was just another life. This life is a royal life.

Start thinking royal thoughts, take royal actions, speak royal words and start doing royal things. For those through whom the King comes, they are truly royal and that means you.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Live royal today, take royal actions, think royal thoughts, walk in royal footsteps.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Blessed Are The Goels…

In ancient Israel, there was the law of the “Goel.” If a woman found herself a widow, the brother or nearest relative of her deceased husband would or could marry her and redeem her husband’s line and the house.

He would be called the “Goel,” the “Kinsman Redeemer.” Because of the “Goel,” she would be able to have children, and her debts would be covered; her shame would be lifted up.

Psalm 103 says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” In the fourth verse it says, “Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”

But in the original Hebrew it doesn’t say exactly that. It says who “Goels you.” It is saying that God is your “goel;” your kinsman redeemer, the one who looks at your life.

He joins Himself to your life so your sorrows would be turned to joy, your shame would be lifted up, and your life would become fruitful. It means that you are no longer alone.

You are married. Because He is committed to you, He is now with you. He redeemed your life; He has “goeled” you.

But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name. Isaiah 63:16

Walk in boldness and strength today, bless the Lord, even in your valleys and sorrows; your Redeemer walks with you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Getting Into The Manger…

Where is Jesus? If you were looking for Jesus on the day of His birth, where would you find Him? You wouldn’t find Him in the inn, or in the crowded places.

God is not going to stay in a crowded place. We think we can maintain His presence in a crowded life or we can fit Him in between a thousand details. You might have let so many details come into your life that the Lord’s presence just can’t stay there.

And you wonder why you don’t feel that joy anymore, that zeal in God. How can you have it? He’s not going to stay where there is no room for Him. On the day of His birth, He wasn’t in the crowd or in the inn. He was outside–away in the manger.

You want to restore the joy and the glory of His presence in your life? Then you also have to get away from the crowded place and busyness. Get alone with Him, get to the manger and find Him again because He still loves you. He’ll be waiting for you this week–away from all the rest, in a manger.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Unclutter your schedule today to enter into thatsecret place where it is you and Jesus one-on-one.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Lion Hearlds…

With Jesus’s first coming, He called His disciples to have a key part, to go with Him throughout Israel to spread the word of salvation to all the earth.

Jesus is coming again. And just as the original disciples were chosen in His first coming, so He chooses and calls us, as born-again believers, to have a key part in His second coming. Now the original disciples prepared the way for the Lamb who was to be slain.

But we are to prepare the way for the Lion who is to reign in glory. How do you prepare for a Lion? By proclaiming and honoring His kingship over everything…our lives, our homes, our towns, and our world.

We are to proclaim the gospel of the Kingdom, and the coming of the King. We are to live as if He were already King because He already is. It’s exciting! We have as much part in His coming as the disciples did 2,000 years ago. As a believer, you are the disciple of the Lion.

So prepare the way of the Lord and make straight the path, for the King is coming, and you are His herald!

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” Isaiah 62:10-11

Proclaim God as sovereign in your life. Share the Good News of the coming King in your neighborhood.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed