Ed Christian's World

The Other Side Of The Gift…

Isaiah 9:6-7 is a Messianic prophecy, “Unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given.” First, “a child is born” in the natural. But second, “a Son is given”. Given means existed before; came from somewhere else, given by someone else.

Jesus didn’t become a son. He always was and was given. His life was a gift given to us. First for the Jewish people and second to everyone else. The life of Jesus, ‘a gift’, can’t just be known about but must be received or rejected.

This is the issue of salvation. As many as received him, they became children of God. The key aspect of Jesus’s life on earth is summed up in these words, ‘Gift’ and ‘Given.’ ” So the key characteristic of your life must be that you have received that gift.

Signs of a life that has received a gift is a life of gratitude; a life of thankfulness; a joyful and blessed life. Is that you? Live a life of gratefulness and grace. For unto you a Son is given that you might live a life of blessing, thanksgiving and joy unto Him.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

The gift of Jesus grows when you share Him with others. Show your gratitude by sharing Jesus today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Courage…

In an experiment, scientists placed people who witnessed an event in a room with actors who were scripted to lie about the event. After the actors gave false testimony, the test subjects also gave the wrong testimony, going along with the majority.

They refused to witness the truth. It sounds cowardly and immoral, but it’s no more immoral than most of us who witnessed the power of God and the truth of his salvation in our lives. But because we’re afraid of the majority or rejection, we restrain our witness.

We keep quiet, and they keep perishing. We’re no better than the people in the experiment. If we condemn those people who knew the truth but refused to tell it, then we have to condemn ourselves because we know the truth. We have to bear witness of the truth to our families, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, strangers, or those of other nations.

Share the gospel because the one who refuses to bear witness to the truth is not much better than a liar. But the one who does bear witness is the true and faithful witness of the Lord.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Bear witness of the truth to all those around you today. Refuse to go along with the majority.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

The Place.Of Blossoming…

For 2,000 years the land of Israel became known as a land that couldn’t be farmed. People tried, but it was barren. Then starting at the end of the 19th century, Jewish people began returning to their land.

It was prophesied by the Hebrew prophets that the land would blossom like a rose in the desert. Miraculously, the Jewish people farmed a desert and produced a Garden of Eden, exporting flowers and produce all over the world.

How could the Jewish people, not known to be farmers, become the greatest of farmers in this barren land? Because they were brought back to where they belonged, in the will and place of God.

If your life isn’t bearing the fruit that you know God called you to, the chances are you’re not in God’s will. Whatever change you have to make, whatever repentance, whatever you need to do to answer that call, do it.

Because when you’re back in the center of God’s will, that desert is going to bloom in your life like the Garden of Eden. Whatever you touch will blossom. Just get back and get into God’s will.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God. Amos 9:13-15

Do whatever you need to do today to get centered in God’s will and watch your life blossom.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Direction Of Your Armor…

In Ephesians 6, we’re told to put on the armor of God: the breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with sandals of the gospel, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. Notice that it all faces forward, nothing faces backward.

If you’re going to become victorious in God and win your battles, you also have to face forward. Don’t run back. Look behind or retreat, but move forward continuously. Paul said, “Forgetting what lies behind, I press on to what lies ahead.”

Press on to higher ground, looking forward in hope. Be a person. Press on to greater challenges, holiness, godliness, faith, love, prayer, power, and greater Jesus’ likeness. The victory in God lies only ahead of you, and all your armor is made for it.

Only by going forward and moving forward will you have victory, and you will, but press on. The victory is guaranteed, but you just have to press on. You’ll win the race, but you just have to keep going and press through. For the victory of the armor is assured, but only in one direction-forward.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Move forward in His Spirit and claim the victory that has already been won today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Cheese Maker…

Years ago a young man started a small cheese business. He was failing and deep in debt. A friend counseled him, “You need to give God your business.” The young man thought… well if God wants to run a cheese business He can do it. He’ll be the senior partner and I’ll work for Him.

From that moment on, the business grew and prospered and became the largest cheese business in the world. The man was J.L. Kraft, President of the Kraft cheese company. So it is in all things in life.

You need a senior partner to shoulder all your burdens to relieve you of your worries and anxieties, to guide and bless you, and to lighten your load. God’s got the whole world in His hands, so give Him your life in every part.

Make Him the senior partner of your ministry, career, business, family, and everything you have and own. Then everything you have and own will be blessed. In the business of life, the only way to really profit is to make God your senior partner.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything, he might have the supremacy. Colossians 1:18

Seek God’s counsel on every decision you make today, making Him the senior partner of your day and the rest of your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Jesus and Buddha…

Buddhism is named after its founder. But Buddha’s real name was Siddhartha, a wealthy Indian nobleman, who found himself dissatisfied with life. He sought fulfillment in sensuality, and then self-denial.

One day, he claimed to discover that neither was the real answer but something in the middle; the middle path, thus Buddhism. Buddha means the enlightened one. His followers refer to most religious leaders and founders as enlightened ones, Buddha’s people who have seen the light.

But Jesus, Yeshua did not come as a Buddha. He’s not an enlightened one. He is the Light, and that’s a big difference. He doesn’t seek light; He gives us light. His whole life is light. That means that Buddha is not a real Buddhist.

Because only those who truly know the Light of Jesus can be truly enlightened. It’s a high honor knowing Jesus, the Light. You can never know him enough.

Spend time in His presence because He’s the True Light. The more you know Him, the more truly enlightened you become. And that’s better than Buddha.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. Ephesians 1:18

Spend time in the light of Jesus’s presence today. Let His light dispel all darkness and enlighten you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Experiences of Israel…

When leaving Israel after our tours, people are often sad because there are so many experiences that spoke to them coming to an end. In life, most people live for experiences, even believers.

They talk about experiences in the Lord, experiences in His Spirit, and that’s great, but the difference between experiences in the Lord Himself is, it’s not the end. The experience is not the destination. Don’t make the experiences of the Lord your aim, but the Lord of the experiences.

It’s not about how great the service was, because the services aren’t the point, the Lord is the point. Pilgrimages to Israel end, so do services and songs. But the Lord of the pilgrimage, the Lord of the song, He doesn’t.

Take His beauty from Galilee, His love from Gethsemane, and the price of His love from Calvary. It’s great that you have experiences of the Lord, but go deeper. Get beyond the experience of the Lord… to the Lord of the experience… Because when every experience has faded away , the Lord will still be there,

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25

Walk with Him, talk with Him, and share with Him all of your experiences today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Devel’s Plan For Your Life…

According to Jeremiah 29:11, God has a plan for your life. That’s the truth. But the enemy has a plan for your life as well. He wants you to be empty, ruined, destroyed, suffering, miserable, bitter, harassed, frustrated, tempted, and fallen. In his plan, your marriage, home, ministry, calling, reputation, and everything is destroyed.

The way to avoid the enemy’s plan for your life is to get more and more into God’s will and by not taking any step of the enemy’s plan. Stay far away from temptation. That’s why we’re told to continually seek the will of God.

Get into the plan that He has for your life, a plan of victory and blessedness in God. Get on His perfect path every day. Because you can’t be into God’s plans and the devil’s plans at the same time.

God isn’t the only one who has a plan. The enemy does, too. So, all the more seek God’s plan. Because the more you get into the will of God, the more you will be farther away from the plan that Satan has for your life.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10

Turn your back on the enemy today and focus on God’s plan for your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Jordan and The Galilee…

The Jordan, Israel’s greatest river, begins in the northern mountains. The Jordan – Ha Yarden in Hebrew means: The descender, because it continually flows down. It flows from the mountain heights into the Sea of Galilee and then continues out the other side. It’s a profound picture of divine heavenly life.

Jesus is The Descender; Ha Yarden. He’s the One who comes down from the heights to give His life for us. We, like the Sea of Galilee, have to receive Him in order to become alive. You have to receive His life, not just once, but continuously, the living waters flowing into you every day.

But it’s only completed when the Galilee gives of the water that it receives from the Jordan. So, in the same way, when you receive God’s love and forgiveness, then give love and forgiveness.

You’ve been blessed and touched, so bless and touch. That’s true life, Jesus flowing into us and out from us. It’s amazing. Let “The Descender” – the Jordan flow through you, and you will be as blessed as the Sea of Galilee.

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. John 7:38

Allow the love of Jesus to flow through you by blessing or helping someone in need today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Two women, a pastor and a gun…

In Red China, a pastor and two Christian girls were sentenced to death. They promised the pastor his freedom if he would shoot the girls. The girls waited in the prison yard, only to discover that their executioner was their pastor. He explained the situation.

They said, “Before you shoot us, we wish to thank you for what you’ve meant to us. You taught us the way of eternal life. May God bless you for all the good you’ve done to us. You also taught us that Christians are sometimes weak and commit terrible sins, but they can be forgiven.

When you regret what you’ve done, don’t despair like Judas, but repent like Peter and God be with you. Remember that our last thought was not one of anger against your failure. Everyone passes through hours of darkness. We die with gratitude.”

The pastor shot them and was then shot by the Communists. A powerful and deep lesson from the kingdom. Whatever betrayal, hurt, disappointment, or injustice people have done against you isn’t anything in comparison. In this case, learn not from the pastor but from his congregants.

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25

In your prayer time today, release all those who have wronged you in any way and choose to forgive them.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed