Ed Christian's World

Examining The Fruit of our Lives…

As believers, it’s essential to inspect the fruit of our lives. While I may not know much about selecting fruit at the supermarket, I can pretend to be an expert. However, when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit, we must be genuine.

In Galatians, we’re told that the fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities should be the hallmark of our lives, not anger, bitterness, selfishness, or other negative traits.

It’s time for a honest self-examination. Take a close look at the fruit your life is producing. Are you bearing good fruit or bad?

Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  Matthew 7:17

Today, take an honest look at your life and make any necessary adjustments to produce good fruit. Remember, the quality of your fruit will be evident on the day of judgment when you stand before the Final Fruit Inspector.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

He Has Plans For You…

As we start this new day, let’s open our hearts to receive a timely reminder: God has beautiful plans for our lives. In seasons of uncertainty, this truth anchors us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 isn’t just a comforting verse—it’s God’s love letter to the weary and brokenhearted. Picture receiving this promise while living in exile, far from everything familiar, with hope fading. And then, God’s voice breaks through the silence: “Even here, especially here, I have a plan for you.”

Like those exiles, we all experience seasons when life unravels—when our carefully laid plans crumble and we’re left wondering what’s next. Yet, even in the chaos, God’s promise remains unshaken. His plan may not always align with our own desires or timelines, but it is always woven with purpose, hope, and anchored in His unchanging love. Trusting Him doesn’t guarantee an easy road, but it assures us that each step—especially the missteps—are guided by His hand.

Your life is a story that God is writing. Right now, you may be in a chapter of uncertainty or pain, but remember: the best authors use these moments to shape the most beautiful endings.

Whatever season you’re in today, place your fears, your dreams, and your doubts in His hands. The struggle you’re facing isn’t the final word—it’s the foundation for a comeback that only God can script, a future brighter than you can imagine.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unchanging love and perfect plans for my life. Forgive me when I try to take control, forgetting that You are the author of my story. Calm my heart when I’m tempted to fear what I don’t understand. Guide my steps, hold my heart, and lead me through each moment. Even when I can’t see the full picture, help me trust that You are working all things for my good. You are my peace, my hope, and my strength. In You, I know my future is safe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God’s plans for your life far exceed the circumstances of your day.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Hebrew Meaning of Fatherhood…

The Hebrew word for “father” is “av,” composed of the aleph and bet letters, representing an ox and a house. Thus, a father is the ox of the house, embodying strength and bearing ultimate responsibility.

As a father, you are called to be the strength of your family, a blessing from God. However, be cautious not to let your strength turn into stubbornness driven by anger, bitterness, or pride. Instead, channel your stubbornness into love, compassion, and mercy.

Tenderness, humility, and a willingness to apologize are essential qualities for a father. Be strong and stubborn in your love for those who rely on you, just as God is stubborn in His love for you.

Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.  Luke 6:26

Today, strive to be stubborn in love, faith, joy, and righteousness.

Walk daily with God by your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Learned Through Living…

Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.
Psalm 9:10.   Good morning! Today, let’s open our hearts to God, seeking Him earnestly, and find the trust that He promises.

Some truths can only be learned through living them. Like the way a child discovers their parent’s love not through words alone, but through countless moments of being caught when falling, comforted when hurting, guided when lost.

That’s what lies at the heart of David’s words. Through victories that left him breathless with praise and valleys that drove him to his knees, he discovered something precious about the Lord’s name. This wasn’t knowledge found in scrolls or ceremonies—it was truth carved deep by experience: every time he sought the Lord, he found Him faithful.

That’s why he could write with such certainty: those who know His name will trust in Him. Not because they’re commanded to trust, but because they’ve discovered something too real to doubt. Throughout history, the testimony remains unshaken—the Lord has never turned away a seeking heart.

Today, let this truth lift your spirit: your seeking will always find Him. The Lord who has never turned away a searching heart stands ready to be known by yours.

What experiences in your life have taught you the most about God’s faithfulness?

Father, I need You. Sometimes I get so busy trying to figure things out on my own that I forget to simply come to You. Forgive me for that. Your Word says that those who know Your name will trust You, and I want that to be true in my life. Help me to know You more—not just the facts about You, but Your heart, Your character, Your presence in my everyday moments. Show me what it means to truly trust in Your name, to find my refuge and strength in You alone. I’m seeking You today, Father. Reveal Yourself to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Cultivating Contentment

Today’s Scripture reminds us that contentment is a learned trait. Philippians 4:11-12 says, “I have learned to be content in whatever state I am.” The apostle Paul didn’t naturally feel content; he had to train his mind to focus on the positive.

We, too, must make a conscious decision to choose happiness and contentment daily. It’s not something that happens by chance; it’s a mindset we must cultivate. By focusing on gratitude and the good things in our lives, we can avoid growing sour and unhappy.

Perhaps you need to shift your focus. Instead of magnifying your problems, magnify your God. Step out of doubt and into faith. Choose joy over discouragement. Make a deliberate decision to live a happy life.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Father, thank You for teaching me to be content in all circumstances. I’m grateful for Your presence in my life, and I rejoice in the day You’ve given me. Help me focus on the good and cultivate a heart of gratitude. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Limitless…

Today, let’s step into the promise that even our most fragile faith can lean on a limitless God as we dig into Mark 9:23.

‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Mark 9:23

Have you ever stood between hope and heartache? In Mark’s Gospel, we meet a father in that exact space. “If you can do anything,” he whispers to Jesus, years of watching his child suffer, weighing heavy in his words. His uncertainty isn’t rebellion—it’s just the honest cry of a heart that’s carried pain for far too long.

And Jesus? He meets this moment with words that change everything: “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Not to shame this weary father, but to lift his eyes toward something bigger than what seems possible.

The beauty of this story shines in what follows: “I do believe; help my unbelief!” No pretense, no religious performance—just raw truth. And Jesus doesn’t lecture or scold. Instead, He acts. With a word, He breaks the power that had tormented this child for years.

Today, whatever battle seems too big, remember: Jesus still turns “if you can” prayers into displays of His glory. Your faith may feel small, but His power remains limitless.

Father in Heaven, I come before You with an open heart, eager to believe and experience the impossible. Banish, every trace of doubt within me, fortify my faith to stand firm against life’s challenges. Let my trust in You not be based on circumstances but on Your steadfast love and unmatched power. I want to live in the fullness of belief, confident that with You, Lord, everything is truly possible. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Trust God for the impossible-miracles are His department. Our job is to do our best, letting the Lord do the rest.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Living for an Audience of One

The apostle Paul faced intense opposition, yet he wrote almost half of the New Testament and profoundly impacted the world. His secret to handling criticism and pressure? Not seeking everyone’s approval. Instead, Paul lived to please an audience of One – God.

Paul’s message is clear: don’t let others’ opinions dictate your path. Pursue the goals and dreams God has placed in your heart, regardless of what others think. Don’t sacrifice your identity and greatness to gain others’ approval.

Are you held back by the need for others’ validation? Remember, you have Almighty God’s approval. Break free from the need for human affirmation and be bold in pursuing your God-given destiny.

It matters very little to me what you think of me… What matters most is God’s approval.  1 Corinthians 4:3-4

Father, thank You for seeing the greatness within me and loving me just as I am. Help me release the need for others’ approval and affirmations. I declare that Your approval is all that truly matters, and I have it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

One filled with joy preaches without preaching.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Faith Over Feelings

Many of us desire to feel God’s love constantly. However, faith isn’t about relying on emotions; it’s about trusting in God’s unwavering love and promises.

We shouldn’t wait for feelings to dictate our actions. Instead, we should choose to be compassionate, holy, and loving because God commands it.

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19

True goodness often requires us to act beyond our feelings. Jesus taught us that knowing the truth sets us free, not feeling it (John 8:32).

If you’re feeling distant from God or uncertain about His love, remember that feelings are fleeting, but God’s Word is eternal.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm. 100:5

Today, choose righteousness over feelings. Be good, compassionate, holy, and loving – not because you feel like it, but because God is real, good, and faithful.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

His Initiating Love…

Good morning. Today, let’s explore 1 John 4:19 and the beautiful truth of God’s initiating love.

We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19

In a world that often feels conditional, here’s a truth that can transform our hearts: God’s love for us isn’t a response to our actions. It’s the very reason we can love at all.

Think about that for a moment. Before you took your first breath, before you did anything right or wrong, God loved you. His love isn’t earned; it’s freely given. It’s not a reaction to our goodness but the source of any good in us.

This verse reminds us that our capacity to love – whether it’s loving God, others, or even ourselves – stems from His initial love for us. It’s like a small flame lit from an eternal fire.

When we grasp this, it changes everything. Our love becomes less about striving and more about responding. We love not to gain approval, but because we’re already approved. We love not out of duty, but out of the overflow of being loved.

Today, let this truth sink in: You are loved, unconditionally, and eternally. And that love empowers you to love others in return.

How does knowing God loved you first change your perspective on love?

In what ways can you reflect God’s initiating love to others today?

Dear Lord, Thank you for loving me unconditionally. Long before, I even knew what love was. Your love is a precious gift, and sometimes I forget to open it fully. Today, I want to receive Your love with open arms and let it change me from the inside out. Fill my heart with Your love so that it overflows into my words, my actions, and my every thought. Help me to love others like you love me – patiently, kindly, and always ready to forgive. Let your love shine through me and touch everyone I meet today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God’s love is not a response to your love; your love is a response to His.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

Beautiful – In Its Time…

Good morning! Today, let’s discover how God makes everything beautiful in its time.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

Have you ever looked back at a difficult season and suddenly seen the beauty in it? The way challenges shaped you, closed doors guided you, or waiting times prepared you? That’s the promise tucked into this verse—God makes everything beautiful in its time.

Notice the word “makes”—not “made.” It’s ongoing. Even now, in your unfinished chapters, He’s weaving beauty out of what feels messy or incomplete. And that stirring in your heart that whispers, “There must be more.” That’s the eternity He’s placed within us, reminding us that this life isn’t all there is. Your story is part of something bigger.

We won’t always understand His timing. We can’t always see how the pieces fit. But we can trust the heart of the One who sees the full picture. The same God who turns winters into springs, caterpillars into butterflies, is at work in your story.

Today, rest in this truth: your unfinished chapters are safe in the hands of the One who makes all things beautiful in His perfect time.

Where in life do you need to trust that God’s timing is better than your own?

How can you lean into the eternal perspective God has placed within your heart?

Father in Heaven, I come to You with all my unfinished chapters and messy pages. Forgive me when I try to wrestle the pen from Your hands as You write my story. Thank You for seeing beauty where I see brokenness and purpose where I see confusion. It brings such peace to know that every page of my life rests in Your loving hands, and that even now, You’re writing something more beautiful than I could ever imagine. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God is never late, rarely early and always right on time.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼