Archive | March, 2025
Status

The Peril of Untroubled Ease

10 Mar

The Peril of Untroubled Ease

“Moab settled on his lees, he hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel.” This ancient image speaks to the insidious nature of uninterrupted prosperity.

When wealth flows freely, success attends every venture, and health remains unwavering, a subtle danger arises: presumption. Even the strongest faith can be weakened by the constant lullaby of ease.

We begin to believe, like David, “I shall never be moved,” forgetting our inherent fragility and dependence on God.

The smooth path, the unyielding fortune, can deceive us. It whispers that we are self-sufficient, that our strength is our own. But this is a perilous illusion, a precarious perch atop a mast swaying in a storm.

Without the tempering influence of adversity, we risk becoming intoxicated with our own perceived power, losing sight of the true source of our blessings.

Therefore, we must learn to embrace the trials that come our way. The losses, the setbacks, the moments of pain, they are not punishments, but mercies in disguise. They shake us from our complacency, reminding us of our vulnerability and drawing us closer to God.

As the saying goes, “Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors.” It is in the storms of life that our faith is tested and strengthened.

Heavenly Father, we acknowledge that you are the giver of all good things, and we thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us. But we also recognize the danger of becoming complacent in our prosperity. Grant us the wisdom to see your hand in both the smooth and the rough paths of life. Help us to remain humble in our success and steadfast in our trials. May we never forget that our true security lies not in earthly possessions but in your unwavering love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Adversity introduces a man to himself.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Fighting Faith – Weaponized Belief

10 Mar

Fighting Faith – Weaponized Belief…

Paul’s declaration, “I have fought the good fight of faith,” reveals a crucial truth: faith isn’t passive. It’s an active, dynamic force, a weapon to be wielded against the challenges we face.  We’re not called to simply possess faith, but to engage in “fighting faith”—a faith that actively battles, overcomes, and triumphs.

How do we apply this fighting faith? We use it as a weapon against the forces that oppose God’s will.  We raise it against discouragement, temptation, hopeless circumstances, and the insidious creep of doubt.  Victory is not a gift passively received; it’s the reward of a hard-fought battle. 

It’s precisely when encouragement is scarce, persistence is difficult, and strength falters that our fighting faith is most vital.  This is the essence of true faith—a faith that prevails in the face of adversity.

Christ’s sacrifice wasn’t merely to grant us belief, but to equip us with a victorious, battling faith. We possess powerful spiritual weapons, capable of securing victories in areas where we’ve previously experienced defeat. 

As 1 Timothy 1:18 reminds us, we are called to “wage the good warfare” using the prophecies and promises given to us.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of faith and for the example of Paul, who showed us what it means to fight the good fight. Lord, we confess that, at times, our faith has been weak and passive. We ask for your strength to transform our faith into a fighting faith, a faith that overcomes. We pray that you would empower us to wield our faith as a weapon against the forces of discouragement, temptation, and doubt. Help us to stand firm on your promises and to trust in your power to bring victory in every area of our lives. We ask that you would reveal to us the specific battles we need to fight today and equip us with the courage and strength to engage them. Help us to remember that we are not alone and that you are with us, fighting alongside us. Lord, help us to put our faith where our life is, to live out a faith that reflects the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you for the victory that is ours through him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Therefore, let us today take up the weapon of faith. Let us wield it against every obstacle that stands contrary to God’s will.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Faith Over Fear, Action Now

9 Mar

Faith Over Fear, Action Now….

It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that only perfect circumstances warrant action. We tell ourselves, “When things are just right, then I’ll begin.” But life, like farming, doesn’t wait for ideal conditions.

Ecclesiastes 11:4’s wisdom, “If you wait for perfect weather, you will never plant your seeds. If you are afraid that every cloud will bring rain, you will never harvest your crops,” strikes at the heart of our procrastination.

This hesitation often stems from a deep-seated fear, a whisper in our minds that magnifies potential failures. We fear the sting of rejection, the shame of mistakes, and the uncertainty of the unknown. Yet, this fear isn’t just a personal struggle; it’s a universal human condition that even biblical figures wrestled with. Let’s consider these examples:

Moses: Burdened by insecurity, he doubted his ability to speak for God. His fear wasn’t just about public speaking; it was a fear of inadequacy in the face of a monumental task.

Gideon: Overwhelmed by his youth and perceived insignificance, he questioned God’s choice. His fear spoke to a deeper sense of unworthiness.

Abraham: Facing the seemingly impossible task of fathering a nation in his old age, he grappled with doubt. This was more than just a biological concern; it was a fear of unfulfilled potential and the weight of a divine promise.

These individuals, despite their fears, were chosen by God. Their stories highlight a profound truth: God’s power isn’t contingent on our perfection. He often works through our weaknesses, transforming our limitations into strengths.

Our excuses—”I’m not ready,” “I lack resources,” “The timing is wrong”—are often sophisticated masks for fear. They create a comfortable illusion of control, shielding us from the vulnerability of taking a risk. But true faith requires us to step beyond this comfort zone.

Romans 8:31, “If God is on our side, who can ever be against us?” isn’t a passive statement. It’s an active declaration of trust. It’s acknowledging that God’s presence is a greater force than any obstacle we face.

Think of the Israelites at the Red Sea. They couldn’t see a way forward, yet God parted the waters. He didn’t just remove the obstacle; He demonstrated His unwavering faithfulness. Similarly, the manna in the wilderness wasn’t just food; it was a daily reminder of God’s provision.

The dreams God places in our hearts are not mere whims; they are seeds of potential. To nurture them, we must plant them, even in uncertain soil.

To do this, we must recognize the root of our hesitation: Is it fear, doubt, or a desire for control?

Acknowledge God’s power, for He is greater than our limitations and capable of working miracles.

Take the first step for even the smallest step of faith could lead to significant breakthroughs.

Then, we must trust in God’s timing. His plans may not align with our expectations, but they are always perfect.

Instead of waiting for a perfect moment that may never come, let’s embrace the present moment with faith. Let’s plant those seeds of hope, knowing that God will cultivate them and bring forth a harvest that exceeds our wildest expectations.

Dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge my tendency to let fear dictate my decisions. Forgive me for the times I’ve allowed doubt to overshadow Your promises. Grant me the courage to step out in faith, trusting that You will equip me for the tasks You’ve set before me. Help me to recognize and overcome the fears that hold me back. Strengthen my belief that You are always with me, guiding and providing. I surrender my desire for perfect conditions and embrace Your perfect timing. May my life be a testament to Your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. This means that he adds the ability and the resources that are needed when we answer the call.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Reflecting on Tribulation and Triumph

9 Mar

Reflecting on Tribulation and Triumph

As the day starts, let us reflect on the trials we have faced. Each challenge, each hardship, is a step on the path to God’s kingdom. These tribulations are not random; they are part of a divine design, shaping us into the image of Christ.
Remember that the journey of faith is not devoid of pain.

We must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God.   Acts 14:22

The lives of the saints testify to this truth. From Job’s unwavering faith to the apostles’ steadfast endurance, we see that tribulation is a hallmark of God’s chosen people. This is not a punishment, but a refining process, preparing us for eternal glory.

Though the path may be difficult, we are never alone. Jesus, our Savior, has walked this road before us. He understands our pain and offers His unwavering support. His grace is sufficient to sustain us, and His example teaches us how to bear our burdens with patience and hope.

As we look forward to the kingdom, let us remember that the trials we endure are temporary. The joy and glory that await us will far surpass any suffering we experience.

Lord, I bring before You the trials I have faced. Thank You for Your presence and strength that have sustained me. Help me to remember that these tribulations are shaping me for Your kingdom. Grant me peace and rest, knowing that You are in control. May I wake with renewed hope and faith. Amen.

The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.  Something to think about.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

God’s Love – Inner Beauty

8 Mar

God’s Love – Inner Beauty…

As the dawn breaks, let us anchor ourselves in the profound declaration of 1 John 4:8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” This isn’t merely a theological statement; it’s a revelation of God’s intrinsic nature, a truth that reshapes our perception of both the divine and our own humanity.

“God is love” isn’t a descriptor of a characteristic but an affirmation of His very being. It’s an agape love—unconditional, sacrificial, and relentless—that pursues us in our deepest vulnerabilities, finding beauty amidst our imperfections and refusing to relinquish its hold. This love isn’t passive; it’s a dynamic force that transforms us from within.

To truly encounter the God who is love is to be irrevocably changed. It’s to experience a healing that mends the fractured parts of our souls, allowing us to reflect that same love outwards.

This love becomes a conduit, flowing through us to illuminate the darkness surrounding us.
1 John 4:16 further illuminates this truth: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” To abide in love is to dwell in God’s very presence, to become a living testament to His nature.

Loving God, thank you for the boundless, unwavering love that sustains me, even when I falter. Imbue me with that same enduring love, enabling it to overflow and bless those I encounter. Help me to be a beacon of your love in a world yearning for solace and hope. May my life be a living epistle, a testament written not in ink, but in acts of compassion, words of affirmation, and a heart devoted to your purpose. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As we cultivate love within, we cultivate beauty—not a superficial beauty, but the profound beauty of a soul aligned with its Creator. The world will be saved by beauty. And that beauty, in its most profound form, is the reflection of God’s love within us.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

God’s Audacious Choice: Embracing Your Imperfect Calling

8 Mar

God’s Audacious Choice: Embracing Your Imperfect Calling

Jesus didn’t seek polished resumes or synagogue endorsements when selecting his disciples. He bypassed the conventional wisdom of qualification, choosing a fiery fisherman, Peter, and a notorious tax collector, Matthew.

Imagine a modern consulting firm’s report: “Unsuitable. Peter’s temper is volatile. Matthew’s reputation is compromised. Thomas displays chronic doubt.” Yet, Jesus, with divine insight, saw potential where others saw flaws.

This wasn’t an oversight but a deliberate act. Jesus chose them, imperfections and all, just as He chooses you. Remember, you’ve been handpicked by the Creator of the cosmos. You are a cherished member of God’s family, His masterpiece, intricately and wonderfully formed. Don’t let the whispers of fear, the shadows of insecurity, or the weight of guilt hold you captive.

Father, thank You for seeing beyond our limitations. Thank You for choosing us, flawed yet beloved, just as You chose Peter and the others. Help us to see ourselves as You see us, masterpieces in progress. We look beyond our perceived shortcomings and step into the greatness You’ve destined for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Embrace your divine purpose. To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world. Let that uprising begin in you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Open Hands – Open Hearts

7 Mar

Open Hands – Open Hearts…

Today, let’s reflect on what it truly means to live with open hands and open hearts, ready to bless others as Christ has blessed us.

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. Proverbs 31:20

Isn’t it beautiful how Proverbs 31:20 captures the heart of true giving? It’s not just offering help from a distance—it’s drawing near. Opening arms, extending hands, stepping into someone’s world. This kind of generosity doesn’t just change others; it transforms us too.

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn’t wait for the perfect time—she seeks out opportunities to bless others. She sees beyond physical needs to hearts longing for dignity, hope, and love. She turns strangers into neighbors and neighbors into family.

And isn’t this how Jesus lived? He didn’t love from afar—He stepped into brokenness. He touched lepers, dined with outcasts, and opened His arms wide on the cross. Every encounter didn’t just help—it healed, restored, and redeemed.

That’s our calling today: to see through His eyes, love with His heart, and give with His hands. When we open our arms, we’re creating sacred spaces where people encounter God’s love, grace, and hope.

As we ponder this, we should ask ourselves:

Who in my life needs a reminder of God’s love and kindness today?

How can I be His hands and feet in the places He has called me to?

Dear Father, thank You for loving me so generously. Help me to love like You do—to see needs, to act in kindness, and to give with a joyful heart. Open my hands so I can serve, lift, and encourage those around me. Let my life be a reflection of Your love. Where there is hurt, let me bring healing. Where there is loneliness, let me bring warmth. Use me, Lord, to shine Your light in a world that needs You. I choose to open my arms and extend my hands—just as You have done for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Life As God’s Living Epistle

7 Mar

Life As God’s Living Epistle…

The Bible, a testament to divine revelation, is a striking illustration of the interplay between message and medium. Black ink, the tangible words, requires the white space, the silent canvas, to be discernible.

Similarly, God’s Word isn’t meant to reside in a vacuum. It’s designed to permeate and transform the “white space” of our lives – the seemingly ordinary, the unwritten chapters, the areas where God’s presence is needed.

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 2 Corinthians 3:2

As 2 Corinthians 3:2 reminds us, we are living letters, read by the world. Our lives, the “parchment,” are the context through which the Word becomes visible. Without the Word, our lives remain a blank page, devoid of divine purpose.

Conversely, the Word without our lives is a beautiful theory, unapplied and unproven.
Therefore, we are called to actively integrate God’s promises, principles, and admonitions into the “white space” of our daily existence.

This means consciously applying the Word to those areas where we struggle, where we fall short, or where we need divine guidance. When we do, our lives become a living testament, a visible manifestation of God’s transformative power.

Today, I choose to apply Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Specifically, I will apply this to the “white space” of my thought patterns, which sometimes tend toward worry and negativity. I will consciously choose to focus on the good, the true, and the beautiful, aligning my thoughts with God’s Word.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word, a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. I recognize that my life is your parchment, and I desire to be a living epistle, reflecting your glory. Today, I bring the “white space” of my thought patterns before you. Help me to replace negative thoughts with your truth, as stated in Philippians 4:8. Fill my mind with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Transform my thought life, that it may be a reflection of your perfect peace and joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Bible is not just a book; it’s a blueprint. But the blueprint is useless until you build the house. Your life is the construction site.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

The Peacemaker

6 Mar

The Peacemaker…

Today, let’s explore what it means to be peacemakers in our divided world.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.  Psalm 34:14

Peace. We talk about it, we long for it, but let’s be honest—some days it feels like a whisper we can’t quite hear over the noise of life. Our minds race, relationships get messy, and worries keep us up at night.

But Psalm 34:14 doesn’t tell us to simply wish for peace—it calls us to actively pursue it. Like a treasure, we can’t afford to lose.

This means peace isn’t just a feeling—it’s a choice. A daily decision to walk away from bitterness and step into God’s presence. It’s choosing prayer over panic, grace over grudges, and trust over control.

And here’s the beautiful truth: peace isn’t found in perfect circumstances—it’s found in a person. Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is the One who quiets our storms and settles our anxious hearts. When we chase after Him, we discover that peace isn’t something we have to manufacture—it’s something He freely gives.

So today, don’t just wait for peace to find you—chase after it. Let it shape how you love, how you forgive, and how you trust. Because when we pursue peace, we’re really pursuing Him. And that’s where true peace begins.

Heavenly Father, the world feels restless, and sometimes, so does my heart. But I don’t want to just long for peace—I want to pursue it. Help me turn away from anything that fuels division, fear, or anxiety, and instead choose kindness, forgiveness, and trust in You. When worries take over, remind me that true peace isn’t found in perfect circumstances—it’s found in knowing You are in control. Fill me with Your peace, Lord, and let it overflow to those around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Peace rules the day when Christ rules the mind.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Status

Nahash – The Whisperer and Prayer

6 Mar

Nahash  – The Whisperer and Prayer…

“Nahash,” the Hebrew word for serpent translates to “the whisperer.” It’s a chilling descriptor, capturing the essence of the enemy’s tactics.

Now, the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. Genesis 3:1

In Genesis 3, the serpent, the embodiment of evil, is depicted as “crafty,” signifying his ability to deceive through subtle suggestions. This “whisperer” doesn’t confront us with overt force; instead, he plants seeds of doubt and temptation in the quiet corners of our minds.

A fleeting thought, a subtle nudge, a fleeting desire—these are the initial whispers. If unchecked, these whispers can morph into sin, then into actions, habits, lifestyles, and ultimately, a corrupted destiny. The enemy understands the power of incremental compromise. He knows that a whisper, if nurtured, can grow into a deafening roar.

Therefore, our battleground is the realm of thoughts and intentions. We must confront temptation in its nascent stage when it’s merely a whisper.

We must silence the whispers of anger, lust, and all forms of wrongdoing. The most effective weapon against the whisperer is the Word of God. By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we can drown out the deceptive whispers with the truth of God’s promises.

Proclaiming God’s Word over ourselves and our lives creates a shield of protection, a resounding declaration of allegiance to the truth.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Philippians 4:8


Heavenly Father, I recognize the subtle tactics of the whisperer. I acknowledge that my mind is a battleground, and I ask for Your strength to resist the whispers of temptation. Lord, help me discern Your voice from the deceptive whispers of the enemy. I claim the truth of Philippians 4:8, and I ask that You fill my mind with thoughts that reflect Your character. Help me to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. I pray that Your Word would become a shield and a sword against the enemy’s whispers. Empower me to proclaim Your truth over my life and grant me victory over the whisperer, Nahash. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I choose to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. I reject the whispers of negativity and temptation. I fill my mind with thoughts that honor God, as Philippians 4:8 instructs. I will think about such things.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼