Ed Christian's World

The Harder The Test…

Are you going through some hard tests; having a hard time hanging on? You think you don’t have the strength for it? When you were in the fifth grade, you were given a test harder than in first grade.

You were given more because you learned more. You’re accountable for more as you progress. The first grader has easier tests. The third grader harder, the fifth grader harder still. To whom much is given, much is required.

If you’re going through a tough time, be encouraged because the hardness of the test manifests the level you are at and the degree of the revelation. It’s a good thing. Do you have harder tests? You are at a higher level. God believes you can handle it.

He won’t give you any test you can’t handle with Him. The harder the test, the greater the blessing, the higher the place you’re going to get to when you pass the test.

So dig in your heels my friend, burn the midnight oil, embrace the challenge. Pass that test; it’s a sign you are in the big leagues.

Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; Psalm 26:2

Persevere through your trials today. Treat every problem, obstacle, or setback as a test. Seek to find the lesson to be learned and pass it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Hurting The One You Love…

There are lots of accounts of people in bondage to alcoholism and drugs where the person remains in the addiction because the pain they deal with isn’t enough to cause them to decide to seek help. But one day they saw how their behavior was causing pain to those they love the most. Only when they had seen that, they stopped.

In the same way, every time you sin, you are hurting someone else. Who? You’re hurting the One who gave His life for you, who died for you, who died because of your sins.

So when you sin, you’re causing Him pain, grief, tears. It’s what He wept for. If you won’t stop that sin just because it is wrong, or if you won’t stop because it is hurting your own life, stop your sin because you are hurting someone else, the One who gave His life for you.

You don’t want to cause Him grief or hurt. It was enough that He went on the cross for you and me. Bless Him now. Be done with that sin. Be finished once and for all, and bless and stop hurting the One who loves you.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30

When you’re tempted today to do what you shouldn’t do, consider the pain you’ll be causing the One you love. And be done with it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Jailer’s Joy…

The Book of Acts says that Paul and Silas were set free by an earthquake from their jail cell in Philippi. The jailer ended up taking them home with him to celebrate his recent salvation. A question, who’s watching the jail?

The man was put in charge of the jail and would be put to death if he abandoned his post. The doors were opened and the Philippian jailer doesn’t seem to care. Rather, he’s having a great time in fellowship with Paul.

We don’t know exactly what happened, but we know he didn’t seem to care. What changed him? He was saved. A lot of believers who are in the Lord are still keeping prisoners for offenses made against them.

Are you still keeping their record or condemning them? You are saved and forgiven and now set free. You need to rejoice so much that you don’t have to watch your prison.

Release the prisoners in your life; release the condemned people in your life. Salvation is so good and you have so many better things to do in God than being a prison watcher.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

Release all offenses against you, let them go. Forgive and forget those who wronged you. Be glad, rejoice, let go, and be free!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

It’s The Little Things…

I’d like to tell you about this little snail… and the hope it gave me this week. I’ve been taking care of this little snail for my friend while she’s out of town. It doesn’t require much work… a little tablet of food every other day.

The snail is usually pretty active, moving around in the water of its aquarium several times a day, climbing over rocks and plants, and clinging to the walls. 

But about two weeks ago, it stopped moving. It just lay there on the rocks. I talked to my friend. She said to move it with a spoon or something to a different location. So I did.

A few days passed and still no movement.

She suggested cleaning the tank and replacing the water. I did. 

A few more days. Still no movement.

After a week of this, I talked to my friend again. I told her it hadn’t moved in a week. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I could wait a few more days.” But in my heart, I was ready to pull the bubble maker.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It probably is dead. But I’ve thought that many times.”

So we gave it a few more days.

Two days later, I looked in the tank. It was in a different position about 2 inches away from where it had been!

The next day, it was in another position! I hadn’t seen it move, but it was in a new spot on the rocks.

Then Thursday night I watched an episode of “The Chosen.” It was about the healing of the woman with the issue of blood and the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter.

As I watched Jesus do these miracles, I was in tears. I had to push pause while I took it all in. Watching Jesus step into our world and do the things He did… I was overcome.

The Bible stories we read now weren’t stories in a book to the people Jesus came to. Their experiences were real, lived out in real-time, and like nothing they had ever seen before.

They had no hope.

Then Jesus showed up.

And their worlds changed.

So did mine. I was reminded that everything I’ve read in the Bible is true. It’s happened in my life. It’s happened in others’ lives. And it still happens now.

I finished the show and went to say goodnight to the snail. I decided to pray… to plead… to believe… that God would somehow raise it up again, and specifically, that the snail would start moving again and cling to the walls like it had done before.

I didn’t have much faith. It had been 10 days. But I had seen some movement. And I had just seen Jesus do miracles.

The next morning, I looked in the tank and couldn’t see the snail. It wasn’t on the rocks. It wasn’t on the plants. Where had it gone?

Then I saw it, right next to the bubble maker, clinging to the wall as fresh bubbles flowed all over its shell!

It was alive! I couldn’t believe it! And it was clinging to the wall, just as I had prayed it would do the night before.

It’s a little thing. But sometimes the little things can give us the greatest hope.

Was it a miracle? Was it a resurrection? Was it a healing? Was it just resting for 10 days and just now deciding to move again?

I don’t know. I don’t know enough about snails to know what’s normal. But what I do know is it hadn’t moved for a week, and I was ready to pull the plug.

What about you? What plug are you ready to pull? What have you given up on as having no chance at life?

What dreams have been dormant in your life? What hasn’t come to pass that you thought surely would by now?

If Jesus can raise a snail, how much more can He raise whatever’s wrong in your life? He’s done it before. He’ll do it again.

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

I believe. And THAT gives me much more hope for the future than anything else ever possibly could.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Transforming The Valley..

I knew a true saint and woman of God. She was put into a hospital in great pain from cancer. Yet she never complained. There was a head nurse, supervisor, who ran that hospital. She was a very hard woman. Yet she noticed this one patient who just radiated the love of God. She was drawn to her. She would just sit by her bed, wash her and be ministered to by her.

Then the saint of God went home to be with the Lord. The head nurse was totally changed by the presence of this believer who instead of cursing her situation, shone the light of God. We are never to let ourselves be defined by our circumstances.

Before you curse your valley, look around. You might discover the reason you are in that valley is that you need to minister to others in that valley. Be encouraged, transform your problems, revolutionize your situation by the presence of God. In every circumstance, it should end up in some way transformed by the fact that you are in it.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Isaiah 60:1-3

Let the presence of God determine your circumstance. Serve and minister where you are. Be transformed by God, and transform your circumstance.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Unlikely Place For A Ministry…

The first wilderness experience came directly from God. The Hebrews went into the wilderness because God said so. He said, “Let My people go that they may serve Me in the wilderness.”

The wilderness was for freedom to serve God in it. Wilderness in Hebrew is “midbar”, and “avodah” means to serve, to minister and to worship. The Hebrews went into the wilderness to serve God and worship.

You say, “I can’t serve and praise God because I am in the wilderness.” Not true. All the more you can serve and worship God there. The wilderness was the place to receive God’s Word and His revelation, the place where God’s presence dwelt, where there were no distractions.

Are you in the wilderness? Don’t say, “How can I get out of this situation?” Rather, ask this, “Lord, how can I serve, worship and glorify you in this problem?” Then the wilderness will stop being a problem.

It will turn into an appointed place of God’s calling, purpose and service in your life. Let the glory of God come into your problem, and your wilderness won’t be a wilderness any more.

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. Psalm 34:1

Determine today that no matter what happens, in each and every circumstance, you will praise, worship, and serve God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Set As A Diamond…

There a sacrifice offered up by the priests when they went to ministry. It was called “the Miloeem.” The Hebrew “Miloeem” comes from the word “jewel.” It’s linked to the root word of being fitted, as a jewel is fitted into a ring, set into place, and it’s all linked to jewelry.

God puts you into ministry as a jewel being fitted into place. God will fit you. Believers often want a ministry that fits them perfectly. It’s not the ministry that you mold to fit your life, it’s your life that gets molded to fit the ministry.

You get molded like a perfectly fitted jewel. Without serving, you’re a diamond in the rough. You have potential, but you’re not there. But as you commit yourself to the Lord’s purposes and let Him mold you, you become a precious jewel.

God will fit you into your calling as a master jeweler. A precious stone in His hand; set, fitted, ready to shine and reflect the face of the Master Jeweler.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this. Psalm 37:5

What is God calling you to? What do you have to change in order to fulfill that calling? Let God mold you into His diamond.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Two Thousand Dollar Mattress..

I once went looking for a mattress. I went into a store and tried laying on beds like the princess and the Pea. One is not right and this one has memory foam. They told me the price is $2,000 and I’ll feel refreshed. I told them that for $2,000, I’m definitely not going to feel refreshed. I’d feel more refreshed sleeping on a rock for free.

In Bible times, if you wanted firm support, you slept on a rock. It hit me how much people will pay to get rest. But Jesus said, “Come to Me, I’ll give you rest.”

It’s not what you are laying your body on, it’s what you are resting your soul on. If you will rest your mind and soul on Him, the Prince of Peace and not on your problems, you will have rest. I don’t care how soft it is, you cannot rest your soul on a mattress.

Stop worrying; rest and trust in the Lord and you will find rest for your soul, because He is truly the Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace, and that’s better than a $2,000 mattress.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

You can find rest in the arms of Jesus. Put all your worries and cares upon Him. Let go of the rest and rest in Him.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

This Thing We Call Life…

Grandfather was one who had a very humorous side and a very serious side. One day he said to me: “Eddie, one of the most important things for you to do in life is to kiss each girl at least once, and kiss the pretty ones twice! That is the spice of life.” I asked him a couple months later how he determined which was the prettier girl, he responded: “Silly boy, they all are pretty!”

On the serious side he also had his opinion on how we live our life’s. He said there are two ways to live your life and I should be very careful on how I make my choices. If you believe that all the miracles happened in the days of Christ and that the days of miracles are over, you are going to be a pessimist. Your life will consist mainly of negativity and you will have a poor me attitude. It will appear that everything goes wrong, no matter how hard you try, because you have already decided you will fail. You will feel that your problems are obstacles that you just can’t get around. It will be a very unhappy life.

On the other hand, he said, if you believe miracles can happen everyday, look at your problems as challenges to grow and that there is something positive is every situation in life, than your life will be happy, full of promise and you will walk in confidence that you will succeed in every task.

Over the years I have found that to be true. Most unhappy people I know are very pessimistic and negative. They feel everything they do ends up in failure or not complete. They feel there are no miracles left in life and almost never smile.

On the other hand, I have found those who are positive in life seem happier, smile all the time and live their life as though nothing can go wrong. There is no obstacle they can’t get around or over. Life, for them, is full of promise.

It is the choices we make in life that determine the quality of our future. As Grandfather said, make your choices carefully and live your life as though there are no boundaries. Be happy and look for the miracles that happen everyday all around us.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

It’s called Attitude!!

Do we complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses?

Put into perspective – it is how we look at things in life that determine the path we follow. If we choose to be upset rather than letting things go we also choose to allow these things to control our future. If we choose to turn the other cheek we allow ourselves to grow and learn the meaning of love. This is the beauty of life, we have the choice to determine what and how we feel about just about anything in life. This is how we develop and build our life.

Remember, the only thing you have complete control over is your attitude. You alone are responsible for making yourself happy. Do not depend on others to keep you smiling and positive. Choose to be optimistic. Avoid complaining, especially when the things you are complaining about can’t be avoided or changed.

When I was growing up I was taught many sayings about attitude and feelings. One of my favorite is: It doesn’t matter how many times you stumble, what matters is how many times you pick yourself up and continue forward.

Life is full of bumps and obstacles, it is how we handle these bumps and obstacles that form our mindset and attitude. Choosing to take each one as a growing experience shows strength and courage on your part.

I find the most happy people I meet bounce back from disappointment, while most negative people I meet are always complaining about something. It is an amazing contrast on how they look at life, how they love their fellow man and achieve their personal goals.

One lives in darkness, complaining there is no way out while the other looks at the little light at the end of the tunnel and focuses on reaching it. There is always a light that will lead us out of our darkness, it is called love.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Live your life with love for all you meet and you will find happiness everywhere.

What we do with love is never lost.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed