Ed Christian's World

The Faught-Over Life…

Tiny Israel is the most fought over land in human history. Fought over by the ancient pharaohs, Amorites, Canaanites, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Mohammedans, Mamelukes, Crusaders, Ottomans, French, British, Arabs, and finally Israel again – the Jewish people.

You’d think that with all that fighting, Israel was filled with natural resources and riches. It has almost nothing except that it belongs to God. Which makes the stakes there especially high. From there, the kingdom and the blessing will come.

You might feel like life is a battle. The reason is that you belong to God, and your life is precious. There’s a high calling on it and a promise of great things to come. It’s worth the fight, and the enemy knows it.

His job is to discourage you from persevering and inheriting the blessing. He knows how precious and how high the promise and the calling is on your life.

Be encouraged, fight the good fight, and keep going until you inherit the blessing. You knew you had a fight, but now you know you’ve got something worth fighting for.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18

Be encouraged, take the fight and the resistance as a sign of the greatness of God’s blessings, and press on!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

God’s Love…

Today, let’s reflect on the overwhelming love of God that surpasses anything we can imagine.

Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
Psalm 63:3

Psalm 63:3 reminds us that in this life, there’s something far more precious than anything we could ever chase after – God’s love. David, who knew a thing or two about hard times, declared this love was better than life itself. It’s deeper than any achievement, more fulfilling than any possession.

When we truly grasp the magnitude of God’s love – a love that relentlessly pursues us, a love that sees our flaws and loves us anyway – it changes everything. It becomes our joy, our anchor, and the very reason we sing praises to Him.

Today, let’s not get caught up in the rat race. Let’s pause and remember the love that truly satisfies, the love that never runs out. When life gets tough, let God’s love be the first thing on your mind because it’s the only thing that truly lasts.

• What does it mean for God’s love to be “better than life?”
• How can you more fully embrace this love and let it transform your heart and actions?
• How can you express your gratitude for God’s love in tangible ways?

Heavenly Father, even when life gets messy and I feel unsteady, I’m reminded that Your love for me is constant and strong. Thank you for loving me unconditionally, no matter what I face. Help me to grab hold of Your love and let it fill me up, especially on the days when I’m feeling empty or adrift. I want to seek You wholeheartedly, just like David did even in the wilderness. Please be my strength, my anchor, my guide. Let Your unfailing love steady my steps and light my path through every season of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that is a fact. So if you need to brag, brag about that.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The God of Not…

Tiny Israel is the most fought over land in human history. Fought over by the ancient pharaohs, Amorites, Canaanites, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Mohammedans, Mamelukes, Crusaders, Ottomans, French, British, Arabs, and finally Israel again – the Jewish people.

You’d think with all that fighting, Israel was filled with natural resources and riches. It has almost nothing, except that it belongs to God. Which makes the stakes there especially high. From there the kingdom and the blessing will come.

You might feel like life is a battle. The reason is that you belong to God, and your life is precious. There’s a high calling on it and a promise of great things to come. It’s worth the fight, and the enemy knows it. His job is to discourage you from persevering and inheriting the blessing.

He knows how precious and how high the promise and the calling is on your life. Be encouraged, fight the good fight, and keep going until you inherit the blessing. You knew you had a fight, but now you know you’ve got something worth fighting for.

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.  James 1:2-3

Think about all the ‘Nots’ in your life – all that He’s delivered you from, all that’s no more, all that He saved you from – and give Him praise!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Our Lamp…

Good morning,

Today, let’s rediscover the power of God’s Word to illuminate our path and guide our steps.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105

In the midst of life’s chaos, it’s easy to feel lost and adrift, searching for direction and purpose. But as the psalmist reminds us, we have been gifted with a powerful compass for life’s journey—the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 compares Scripture to a lamp, a guiding light that illuminates the path for those who seek to follow God. When we find ourselves tossed about by the storms of life, unsure of which way to turn, God’s Word provides the spiritual coordinates we need to navigate our way back to Him.

As believers in Jesus, we have the incredible privilege of being led not only by the written Word but also by the living presence of the Holy Spirit. When we lose our way, He is there to redirect our steps, to align our hearts with God’s purposes, and to transform us from the inside out.

Today, let us turn to the lamp of God’s Word with gratitude and expectation. As we read it, study it, and follow its wisdom, may we find ourselves guided ever closer to the safe harbor of God’s presence.

How have you experienced a particular verse or passage as a compass for your life in recent days? When are you tempted not to follow the directions the compass of Scripture gives?

Heavenly Father, Life can feel so chaotic and confusing sometimes, but I’m grateful that I have Your Word to guide me through it all. Thank You for the Bible – a light that illuminates my path and helps me find my way back to You. I’m so thankful that I don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Your Holy Spirit is always with me, redirecting my steps and aligning my heart with Your purposes. As I open Your Word today, fill me with gratitude and expectation. Transform me from the inside out as I read it, study it, and follow its wisdom. Draw me ever closer to the safe harbor of Your presence. Thank You for being my compass, my guide, and my eternal home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

Avodah…

The Biblical Hebrew word for ‘work’ is ‘avodah’. It also means ‘worship’. Often, worship takes work, and our works should always be worship. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, as for the Lord rather than for men.”

If you don’t do it with all your heart, then you’re not being whole. When you agree to do a job, you agree to do it 100%. When you give less than that, and don’t work as you said, then you’re taking that which doesn’t belong to you.

As a believer, you should be the best of workers, and do all you do wholeheartedly to God. When you don’t work wholeheartedly, you not only rob your employer, you also rob yourself. When you do something wholeheartedly, that’s when you do it freely.

When you’re half-hearted, you’re in bondage. So, do what you do with a whole heart or don’t do it at all. Because in Hebrew, work is avodah, and avodah is also worship.

When you stop doing your job half-heartedly and start doing it wholeheartedly to God, your work will stop just being work and will turn into worship.

As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work.  John 9:4

Today, do all that you have to do, the task of your work, your job, your duties, wholeheartedly for the Lord – as if it was worship – because it is.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Faith – The Secret Ingredient…

Good morning,

Today, let’s embrace the inspiring message from Hebrews 11:1, reminding us of the unwavering confidence and hope that come from true faith. May this truth uplift and encourage us as we begin our day.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Faith is the secret ingredient that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. It’s the spark that ignites our dreams and propels us forward, even when life is uncertain. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don’t see. It means believing in God’s promises, even when our circumstances look different.

True faith shines brightest in darkness. It’s the light that guides us through doubt and the anchor that holds us steady in life’s storms. Faith isn’t just a feeling; it’s a choice. It’s deciding to trust God, even when we don’t understand His plan. It’s a step forward, even when we can’t see the whole staircase.

Every time we choose faith, we unlock God’s power in our lives. We tap into a strength that helps us move mountains and conquer giants. Today, let’s put our faith in the One who is always faithful. Let’s step out of our comfort zones and onto the waves of possibility. With God, all things are possible. Watch as He turns our faith into a testament of His goodness and grace.

In a world where seeing is believing, in what ways do you struggle to live by faith in God? What has strengthened your faith, and in what areas do you need to rest in Him more fully?

Father, Thank You for the amazing gift of faith that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. When life feels uncertain and I can’t see the way forward, help me to trust in Your promises. Strengthen my faith to shine brightly during the darkest times, guiding me through doubts and holding me steady in life’s storms. Encourage me to step out of my comfort zone, knowing that with You, all things are possible. Fill my heart with confidence in Your plan and let my life be a testament to Your goodness and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Plan B…

David Livingstone’s heart was set on being a medical missionary to China, but the opium wars made it impossible. He went to Africa instead and opened up unchartered land to the Gospel.

Alexander McKay prepared for Madagascar, but instead ended up in Uganda helping found one of the most amazing missions in the world. Robert Carey planned on going to the South Sea, but instead ended up in India and was responsible for opening up India to the Gospel.

None of these people got what they initially prepared for or dreamed about, but they didn’t let it stop them. In the end, what appeared as a broken dream was really the call of God to do something better.

You will know broken dreams and frustrated plans, but be all the more determined to serve God no matter what. If it’s not one way, He’ll give you another and it’ll be something better and greater than anything you could have ever planned yourself.

In the end, disappointments are God’s appointments if you let them be, and your detours will have been the call of God on your life.

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Today, when things don’t go as you want, make it your aim to praise and glorify God all the more.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Eternal Not Temporary…

In a world of constant change, let 1 John 2:17 be your anchor today. This verse reminds us that while earthly desires fade, those who do God’s will live forever.

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17

In 1 John 2:17, we’re reminded that the world and all its attractions are temporary. This verse isn’t telling us to ignore our daily lives, but it’s calling us to focus on what lasts beyond our earthly journey.

Embracing God’s will means recognizing what truly brings lasting joy and fulfillment. It’s about seeing past the immediate allure of material success, popularity, or comfort, and understanding that real satisfaction comes from aligning our lives with God’s purposes.

What does this look like in practice? It might be choosing kindness over anger, generosity over greed, or faithfulness in small things that seem insignificant. These choices help us live out the eternal over the temporary, crafting a life that resonates in eternity.

Today, let’s be mindful of where we’re investing our energy and passions. Are they in things that fade away, or in pursuits that build an enduring legacy in Christ? Each decision, each action, is a brushstroke in the masterpiece of our lives—let’s paint with eternal colors.

Dear God, thank You for the reminder that this world is temporary, but Your love and purpose are eternal. Help me to see past the distractions and focus on what truly matters. Give me the wisdom to make choices that align with Your will, even in the small things. When I’m tempted to chase after fleeting pleasures, remind me of the joy found in living for You. Guide my passions and pursuits so that my life becomes a masterpiece that reflects Your love and grace. Let me paint each day with the colors of Your eternal kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Everywhere Name…

While Jesus was in the boat with His disciples, there came a violent storm, waves breaking over the boat threatening to drown them. Jesus was sleeping. He didn’t really have to do anything, because it was enough that He was there.

Jesus has a special name in Hebrew prophecy. In Hebrew, it’s a sentence: ‘Im’ with a long e meaning ‘with’, ‘Anu’, which means ‘us’, and ‘El’, which means ‘God’- ‘Immanuel’, or ‘God with us’. Jesua’s presence isn’t just the Name, but Immanuel the sentence.

Jesus was ‘God is with us’ on the boat that day, because He’s Immanuel. We all know what it’s like to have storms in our lives, times when it seems like everything is out of control, overwhelming circumstances, and it seems that your boat is sinking.

You’ll have those storms, but when they come, remember Who’s with you in your lifeboat. If you are Jesus’s, then Immanuel is in the boat with you. The wind and waves won’t prevail against you, and your boat won’t sink because you’re not alone. In the storm is Immanuel; God is with you in the storm.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

Today, throughout the day, meditate on this Hebrew sentence, IM-ANU-EL – GOD IS WITH ME!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Your Words Reflect Your Heart…

Today, let’s embrace the message of Luke 6:45, reminding us that our words reflect the state of our hearts. Let’s fill our hearts with love, kindness, and grace so that our words can bring life, healing, and hope to those around us.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.     Luke 6:45

Have you ever wished you could take back the words that slipped out of your mouth? I know I have. Luke 6:45 reminds us that our speech is a direct reflection of what’s happening in our hearts.

Just like a tree is known by its fruit, our words reveal the true state of our inner world. If we find ourselves constantly speaking negatively or harshly, it’s a sign that something needs to change – not just in our vocabulary but in our hearts.

The good news is, we don’t have to do this heart work alone. When we invite the Holy Spirit to fill us, He starts reshaping our inner world. As we surrender to His transforming presence, He helps us replace those negative speech patterns with words of gratitude and grace.

Today, let’s invite God to tend to the garden of our hearts. Let’s ask Him to uproot any bitterness or negativity and to plant seeds of love and joy in their place. As we cooperate with His transforming work, our words will start to sound a whole lot more like His – full of life, healing, and hope.

What do your words and speech say about your heart?

How are you inviting the Holy Spirit to transform your speech these days?

Dear Lord, You know my heart better than I do. Forgive me for the times my words have missed the mark, falling short of the love and grace You’ve shown me. I invite You to tend the garden of my heart, uprooting any weeds of bitterness or negativity. Plant in their place seeds of kindness, patience, and understanding. May my words become an overflow of Your Spirit within me—words that bring life, comfort, and hope to those around me. Transform my heart, Lord, that my speech may always honor You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, and kindness in your smile. May your actions follow the kindness of your words.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼