Ed Christian's World

Al Capone and The Untouchables…

During the years of prohibition in Chicago, Al Capone rose to power and corrupted everyone around him. He even had judges on his payroll. Because Chicago was so corrupt, there was nothing that could touch him.

But then Elliott Ness was brought in and put in charge. He along with nine young, idealistic, law enforcers, came to bring down Al Capone and break the underworld.

They were called the Untouchables, not because they couldn’t be killed or hurt but because they couldn’t be bribed, corrupted or intimidated.

They ended up getting Al Capone on tax evasion. He was touchable because of his lack of integrity. The Latin root for the word integrity is the same for the word untouchable.

God is calling you to be one of His heavenly untouchables. A person of integrity, who can’t be touched, compromised or bought. If you’ll rid your life of compromise, go all out for God and not let that sin, that temptation touch you anymore, then you’ll become one of heaven’s untouchables. You’ll pull down strongholds and even transform a city or even change the world.

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

Make a decision today to be one of God’s heavenly untouchables by committing to live a life of integrity before God and man.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

That Which You Give In To…

1 Peter 1:14 says, “Don’t be conformed to the former lusts.” When you give into sin, you become conformed to it. If you submit to something that’s low, you’ll become low. Submit to something higher and you’ll become higher.

You become what you give in to. If you give in to anger, you become an angry person. Give in to fear and you become fearful. But the good news is the other side. Give into righteousness and you’ll be conformed to righteousness. Giving in to holiness, starts you becoming holy.

If you start giving in to integrity, you’ll become that. If you start giving into prayer and worship, you’ll become a person of prayer and worship. You become what you give in to. Do you want to become something higher than what you are–holy and more wonderful?

Then start giving in to it. To become more like Jesus, start giving in to Jesus. Don’t be conformed to the former lust, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, by His Spirit. Give in to Him. Soon enough and sure enough, you’ll end up being conformed to His image.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your . Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Stop giving into that temptation. But give in to the leading and impulse of God’s Spirit.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

It’s Your Glasses…

I went to a store I thought was open, but it looked dark with a few dimly lit lights. I saw a man walking in the store and knocked on the door to ask why it was closed. He said, “It’s not closed.” I replied, “Then why are the lights off?” He said “Maybe it’s because you have sunglasses on.”

Forgetting I had them on changed everything. It showed that life is not always what it seems, but how you see it. People can look at the same thing and see something bright or something dark; the situation as hopeful or hopeless; disappointment or divine appointment; a closed door or a challenge.

We’re all wearing glasses. Some people have lenses of gloom, being a victim, rejection or fear. Others have lenses of faith and no matter what, they can rejoice and be encouraged.

Jesus said “If your eyes are good, your whole body will be filled with light.” So stop calling things dark, when in God there’s no darkness. He promises that all things work for your good. Take off your sunglasses and go in. The store is open. Rejoice, you’re blessed.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22

Is there something in your life that you have viewed through lenses of darkness? Replace them with the clear lenses of God’s Word. See it in His light today

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Treasures In Heaven…

There are believers who know the story of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary and when the angel says, “Hail Mary full of grace,” they think of liturgy, as in the “Hail Mary.” But back then it wasn’t liturgy or a ritual, it was just an angel greeting Mary.

Here’s the problem. We often take the things of God, things of real life and take them out of life and make them religious, so they don’t apply to our lives anymore. For the people in the Bible, it wasn’t a religious book, it was life itself. It’s not a religious part of life.

It’s not two different spheres, one way in church and another way at home. Jesus is God. He came down to touch every part of your life, from mowing the lawn to taking out the garbage, doing whatever it is.

For Mary, there was no Hail Mary. It was simply, Yeshua; Jesus coming into her life. Let God become real to you, the same way, in every part of your life. It’s not religious, it’s life. It’s as simple as saying “Hail Mary.”

For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. John 6:33

Today, take the Word of God and apply it to your real life, your real thoughts, your real circumstances, everything.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Jesus’s Missing Description…

When you read a biography, there’s usually some description of the person. Even before photographs, there were drawings, paintings, records and descriptions. Julius Caesar was tall and thin. Alexander the Great was clean-shaven and so on.

But in the Gospels, there’s no description of what Jesus looked like, other than he had a beard. Messianic prophecy about Him in Isaiah 53 says, “He has no form that we should be attracted to Him.” Paul says, “We do not know Jesus after the flesh.”

Because He’s about truth and truth is not about appearance. So when you follow Him, you must live by faith and not by sight. We’re to be people who don’t live by what we see. God wants you to be less dependent on your physical senses and more in tuned with living by His Spirit.

The things that we see are passing away. The things that we can’t see are forever. So look away from what’s seen and live more by His Spirit, by truth, the Word and by Him who is beyond description. He’s the One who can only be seen with the eyes of faith.

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17

Today, look at every situation with eyes of faith instead of what you see in the natural. See everything through the love of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Most Critical Rung…

You can’t climb a ladder with a missing first rung. No matter how high the ladder is, you won’t go higher. In our lives there’s often something missing that can make or break our walk. The difference between success or failure, may be just one rung.

That one thing you need to do. The first step that gets things started. There’re so many things that could and would happen in your life. But a victorious walk will never happen without you taking that first step.

The ladder that reaches up to heaven can’t go there without that first rung. The first step seems the hardest, but when you take it, you’re on your way.

God’s calling you to take that action, that repentance, that new beginning, that step of faith, that step of holiness, courage, restoration, forgiveness, healing, your ministry, your calling and your victory.

It’s waiting. You don’t have to do it all at once. Just take the first little step today. Begin ascending on the heights by putting your foot on the first rung of the ladder.

Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, Deuteronomy 6:18

Ask the Lord to show where you need to take a first step to accomplish His will in your life, then do what He shows you. Take that step today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Trading 11000 Miles…

A Minute maybe you’re afraid of change, breaking out of your comfort zone, stepping out in the great commission, or moving into new things. I have a secret. You’re already moving on a journey, traveling 18.5 miles every second, 200 miles every ten seconds; about 11,000 miles every minute, about 666,000 miles per hour.

The fact is, the earth is traveling that fast and you’re on the earth. You’ve already traveled several hundred miles from where you were when you started reading. And you’re afraid of stepping out of your house and sharing the Gospel with that stranger or doing a new thing in God?

Step out in faith and courage. Break out of that rut and do what you have to do. Perform that courageous act of righteousness. Don’t worry about leaving your comfort zone or where you left your comfort zone about 10,000 miles back since you started this message.

Live all out, because you’re already moving away from your comfort zone at 18.5 miles per second.

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

Make an effort to do something for God that you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Tell someone of His goodness. Pray for someone and show the love of Jesus today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Balaam’s Strange Prophecy….

The false prophet Balaam tries to prophesy against Israel but ends up speaking an amazing Messianic prophecy. He says, “I see Him, but not now. I behold Him, but not near.” I see Him, but not now.

What does that mean? Balaam had a vision but he didn’t really know salvation. He saw Him, but not now. That’s the way most people see Jesus – as something that happened a long time ago, not really here and now but in the past.

In the days of Jesus’s life, He was here and now to Mary and the apostles. That’s the only way to really know Him. The disciples and the first century are gone, but He remains here and now.

The same Jesus then and there, is the One who’s here and now for you. The same miracles and power in the book of Acts, are here and now. See Him now. See Him today, this moment.

Behold the reality of His presence. Receive His power. It will revolutionize your walk. Because Jesus will touch and transform your life here and now.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6

Today seek the presence of God… not somewhere else but here, in your situation, where you are, and not in the future. But now, right now in your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

God With Us…

God First! What does it mean to put God first? Lots of believers try to put God first but get focused on their sins. We look at our pride, anger, or lust and grieve over it. Now that’s important. But if you continue dwelling on your sin or your compromise, you may think you’re being holy, but you’re not putting God first.

When you focus on your sins, you’re putting your sins first and you’re still focusing on yourself. Now, again, there’s a place for holy conviction, but repent and move on with it. Do you want to put God first? Then put Him first over your sins, problems, worries, fears, even over the fact that you haven’t been putting Him first.

Dwell on Him and forget yourself. Look at His glory and beauty and get lost in His awesomeness. Forget your shame and ugliness and get lost in His Righteousness that covers you. Put God first in your heart and soul.

Dwell on Him, because if He’s first in your life, He’ll be first in your thoughts. It begins when you put Him first and forget about yourself.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Matthew 16:24-26

Put aside whatever has been taking His place in your heart, mind and life. Get your eyes off of everything else, even yourself, and get lost in Him.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

This Little Light…

There is a story I heard while growing up. During communism in Hungary, a young captain cornered a pastor and said, “What you preach is a lie.” He responded, “It’s the truth.” The captain placed a revolver to his head and said, “Say it’s not true or I’ll kill you.” He said, “You can kill me, but it’s still true.”

The captain put the gun down, wept and said, “I wanted to believe but I had to see if you would die for your belief.” He was won by the pastor’s willingness to die for his faith. The Greek word for witness is martyr. A martyr is a witness who isn’t afraid to give their life.

Your light has to be real to change the world. If your life’s more important than God’s truth, the enemy will use it against you, to make you live a half-life because of fear. Be like Esther and say, “If I perish, I perish.”

The disciples weren’t afraid of death because they knew Jesus was stronger than life. And they changed the world. God wants the same of you. Live your life as a true witness. Shine your light and change the world.

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Ask the Lord to empower you to live as a witness to His goodness, glory and saving power to those around you. Shine your light today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed