Ed Christian's World

In All We Do…

As we begin this day, let’s turn our hearts to the wise words of Ecclesiastes 5:2. May this verse guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions as we seek to honor God in all we do.

Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so let your words be few.  Ecclesiastes 5:2

In our world that often celebrates quick wit and clever comebacks, Ecclesiastes 5:2 offers a counter-cultural invitation: to approach God with reverence, to speak with intention, and to listen with humility.

This reminds us that when we come before God, we are stepping into the presence of the Almighty, the One who dwells in heavenly places. In light of His majesty, our posture should be one of awe and reverence, not hasty speech or impulsive promises.

This call to let our words be few is not a command to remain silent, but rather an invitation to weigh our words carefully, to speak from a place of sincerity and truth. It’s a reminder that God is more interested in the condition of our hearts than the eloquence of our speech.

As we navigate the joys and challenges of this day, let’s approach God with a heart that is quick to listen, slow to speak, and eager to honor Him in all we say and do. Let’s remember that in the presence of the King of Kings, our words matter, but our hearts matter even more.

In what areas of your life do you need to practice speaking less and listening more?

How can you cultivate a heart that approaches God with reverence and sincerity?

Dear Heavenly Father, as I come before You today, filled with awe and reverence, I ask for forgiveness for times I’ve spoken hastily or carelessly in Your presence. Teach me to approach You with humility, weighing my words and speaking from a place of sincerity and truth. Help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and always eager to honor You. May my words be few, but deeply felt, and may my heart always reflect Your grace and love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Zip Up The Negative…

When Gabriel announced to Zechariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, were destined to have a baby named John, Zechariah questioned how it was possible. They had prayed for a child for years, but Elizabeth was barren and too old. It’s easy to settle for who you are instead of believing for who you can become.

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words. Luke 1:19–20

Too often we get comfortable with what is when God has more for us. For nine months, Zechariah was silenced. God knew if he went around saying, “It’s never going to happen,” the promise would not come to pass.

You can talk yourself out of your blessing. When you hear your destiny calling, you may not see how it can happen, but do yourself a favor and zip that up. Don’t go around talking about how it’s not going to work out.

If you stay in agreement with God, all the forces of darkness cannot stop it from happening. God will open doors that no man can shut.

He’ll turn situations around that look impossible. He is saying you can become something greater. Don’t settle where you are.

Father, thank You for the promises You have spoken to my spirit. Thank You that I can speak words of faith that agree with Your promises and give them the right to come to pass. I will zip up my doubts and use my words to invite good things into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Sonship and Suffering…

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us.” Consider who we were, and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is powerful in us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called “the sons of God.”

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” — 1 John 3:1,2

What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ.

As for the temporary drawback of suffering with the elder brother, this we accept as an honour: “Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.” We are content to be unknown with him in his humiliation, for we are to be exalted with him. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.”

That is easy to read, but it is not so easy to feel. How is it with your heart this morning? Are you in the lowest depths of sorrow? Does corruption rise within your spirit, and grace seem like a poor spark trampled under foot? Does your faith almost fail you?

Fear not, it is neither your graces nor feelings on which you are to live: you must live simply by faith on Christ. With all these things against us, now-in the very depths of our sorrow, wherever we may be-now, as much in the valley as on the mountain, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God.” “Ah, but,” you say, “see how I am arrayed! my graces are not bright; my righteousness does not shine with apparent glory.”

But read the next: “It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” The Holy Spirit shall purify our minds, and divine power shall refine our bodies, then shall we see him as he is.

O Lord, how astonishing is Your love!  It surpasses all understanding, that You, the Creator of the universe, would call us, flawed and struggling as we are, Your children.  We marvel at this adoption, this incredible privilege of being sons and daughters of God.  Forgive us for the times when we forget this truth, when we allow our circumstances or our internal struggles to cloud our vision of Your boundless grace.  Help us to live in the reality of this relationship, drawing strength and comfort from Your unwavering love.  Even in the depths of sorrow, when corruption seems to overwhelm us, remind us that “now are we the sons of God.”  We cling to this promise, not in our own strength, but by faith in Jesus Christ.  We look forward to the day when we shall be like Him, transformed by Your glorious power.  Thank you, Father, for this unspeakable gift.  Amen.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Expressing Gratitude…

Today, let us unwrap the gift of gratitude—an attitude that God instructs us to maintain not just in seasons of abundance but in every season of life.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gratitude can feel impossible when life feels loud—when the to-do list never ends, relationships strain, or the weight of the world presses down. Yet here’s the quiet miracle of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 : God isn’t asking us to fake thankfulness. He’s inviting us to find it, like wildflowers blooming through cracked pavement.

Think about Paul—he wrote these words not from comfort, but amid persecution, shipwrecks, and prison cells. His gratitude wasn’t rooted in his circumstances; it was anchored in who God is. He thanked Him for the breath in his lungs, the friends who stayed loyal, and the hope that refused to fade. Gratitude, for Paul, wasn’t a fleeting feeling—it was a choice to see God’s faithfulness even in chaos.

Today, your “thank You” might look simple: whispering it over burnt toast because you have food, naming one good thing before bed after a hard day, or thanking God for the person who challenges you—they’re teaching you grace. Gratitude doesn’t erase pain, but it shifts our focus. It opens our eyes to see God working, even in the mess. And in that posture of trust, we discover His presence is enough.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your daily gifts—the breath in my lungs, the love of family and friends, Your endless grace that finds me every morning. In seasons of abundance and in times of need, help me see Your goodness woven through each moment. Plant gratitude so deep in my heart that it transforms how I see everything, drawing me closer to Your loving heart with every “thank you.” In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Is it so hard if you used one to say ‘thank you’?

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Ruining Living Funerals…

We often think of special occasions as sacred, times that should be protected from anything that might spoil them.  We’re taught that ruining these moments is wrong. But is that truly a Biblical perspective?

Consider the story of Jesus and the funeral.  Everyone had prepared, dressed in their best, brought food, and created a somber atmosphere.  It was a significant occasion, a time of mourning.  And then Jesus arrived and, in a sense, “ruined” it.

Jesus is in the business of disrupting funerals.  He challenges the finality of death and offers hope beyond the grave.  If we follow Him, we should also be in the business of disrupting “living funerals.” 

These are the funerals people hold for themselves throughout their lives – funerals of self-pity, bitterness, anger, sorrow, and loss.
Our mission, as followers of Christ, is to disrupt these living funerals.  How? 

Just as Jesus did: through compassion, through prayer, through miracles (both big and small), by touching lives with God’s love, through healing, and through the promise of resurrection.  There are likely “funerals” happening all around us, even now. 

We are called to act.  Empowered by Jesus, we can bring life where there is death, hope where there is despair. We can ruin those funerals with the transformative power of God’s love.

We are Easter people living in a Good Friday world.

Lord Jesus, we thank you for the power you have over death, both physical and spiritual.  We ask that you open our eyes to the “living funerals” happening around us.  Give us the courage and compassion to disrupt them, to bring your light and love into those places of darkness. Empower us to offer hope, healing, and the promise of resurrection, just as you did.  Help us to be agents of your love, transforming lives, and “ruining” despair.  Amen.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in.  John 11:25-26

Today, ruin some funerals and subvert the enemy’s plans to destroy someone by sharing the love of Jesus with them.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Handling Grief…

Today, let’s discover how God meets us in our deepest sorrows.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4

Grief can feel like an unwelcome guest—heavy, disorienting, and isolating. Maybe you’re mourning a devastating loss, carrying a shattered dream, or just feeling worn down by the ache of a broken world. But in the midst of that pain, Jesus speaks words that seem almost contradictory: ‘Blessed are those who mourn.’ Blessed? How?

Because God meets us right there—in the rawness of our sorrow. He isn’t distant or waiting for us to get it together. He weeps with us (John 11:35). He holds us. When mourning cracks us open, it makes room for His comfort, deeper than words, steadier than the sunrise.

Your tears are not a sign of weak faith—they’re an invitation into God’s heart. Mourning isn’t failure; it’s sacred ground where God works His most tender miracles. In the depths of our grief, He whispers, ‘I’m here. I see you. Let Me hold you.’

Today, if your heart feels heavy, know this: You’re not forgotten. You’re not abandoned. You’re being held by the One who turns every tear into a testimony of His love. And in His embrace, even your deepest sorrow becomes a doorway to hope and restoration.

Reflect on these questions as you ponder what you just read:

What sorrows have I been trying to run from rather than bringing to God?
How might God be offering His comfort in the very places that hurt the most?

Precious Father, there’s such comfort in knowing You draw closest when our hearts are most broken. Thank You for catching every tear, for sitting with me in the raw moments when words fail and pain feels overwhelming. When grief weighs heavy, help me remember You’re not waiting for me to “be strong”—You’re already here, holding every piece of my shattered heart. Thank You that I can come to You exactly as I am, with all my questions and aches. Wrap me in Your tender comfort, whisper Your love into my deepest hurts. Transform these tears into testimony, not by rushing past the pain but by walking through it with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sometimes, when you’re in a dark place, you think you’ve been buried, but you’ve actually been planted.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Gap and your Mantle…

We often recognize a difference between the life we’re currently living and the life described in the Bible – a life of victory, purity, love, and influence.  This gap between who we are and who we aspire to be, the saint we know we should be, can be disheartening. 

However, instead of despairing, we should find encouragement in this very gap.  Think of Elijah casting his mantle over Elisha.  Elisha likely felt unworthy of such a significant calling, symbolized by the mantle. Yet, through God’s grace, he rose to the occasion. 

Similarly, if we didn’t have a calling on our lives, there would be no gap. We would simply be as we are, nothing more.  The very existence of this gap signifies something greater, a higher calling that God has placed upon each of us.

If our current lives perfectly matched our calling, there would be no room for growth, no journey to embark on.  Therefore, this gap is actually good news! 

It means we are destined for more.  And even better news:  God’s Holy Spirit will empower us to close that gap, to grow into the people He has called us to be.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Lord, I acknowledge the gap between where I am and where I long to be, between the person I am and the person you have called me to be.  I thank you that this gap is not a sign of failure but a sign of your great purpose for my life.  I recognize the calling you have placed upon me, a calling that stretches me beyond my current abilities.  I ask for the power of your Holy Spirit to fill this gap, to equip me, and to transform me into the person you created me to be.  Help me to embrace the journey, trust in your grace, and walk in the fullness of my calling.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Today, ask God to fill in the gap between you and your calling and believe in His power to do it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Treasures of The Heart…

Good morning, today, let’s reflect on the true nature of our treasures and where we invest our hearts.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:21

Imagine the sudden loss of your entire bank account.  The immediate panic is understandable. Now, consider the loss of a deeply cherished relationship. Which loss resonates more profoundly?

Jesus, in Matthew 6:21, isn’t dispensing financial advice; He’s performing a spiritual cardiogram. He’s probing the question: “What do you truly value, and what constitutes your real wealth?”  Our world relentlessly promotes the pursuit of superficial metrics: likes, followers, square footage, monetary wealth.  Jesus subverts this paradigm, revealing that our hearts are drawn to what we invest in, not the other way around.

Consider what occupies your thoughts as you drift off to sleep. What is the first thing you reach for in the morning? These aren’t mere habits; they are signposts pointing directly to the location of your heart.  This isn’t about guilt for enjoying earthly blessings, but rather discerning the critical difference between possessing them and being possessed by them.

Jesus calls us to invest in the truly fulfilling: faith, meaningful relationships, acts of compassion, and moments that resonate throughout eternity.  Let us honestly examine ourselves: Are we accumulating transient treasures, or are we investing in the eternal?

In God’s economy, love holds infinitely more value than gold, and the strength of relationships far surpasses the worth of any material possession. God’s desire extends beyond mere obedience; He yearns for our hearts. And wherever we choose to place our treasure, that is where our hearts will inevitably flourish.

Reflect on these questions:
* What stirs the deepest longing within you?
* What pursuits and obsessions have ultimately left you feeling empty?

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

This proverb encapsulates a profound truth.  We often cling tightly to ephemeral things, mistaking them for true treasure.  Yet, these very things are destined to slip through our fingers.  True wisdom lies in recognizing this transience and redirecting our investments toward the eternal. 

What we surrender in this life – fleeting pleasures, material possessions, even our own pride – for the sake of Christ and His kingdom, we gain eternally.  We trade the perishable for the imperishable, the temporary for the everlasting.  This is not foolishness, but the highest form of prudence.  It is understanding that true wealth lies not in what we accumulate, but in what we give away for the sake of eternal gain.

Heavenly Father, thank You for gently reminding me of the true location of my heart.  In a world saturated with distractions and fleeting enticements, help me to treasure what is truly lasting: Your unwavering love, my deepening faith, and the precious individuals You have placed in my life. When I am tempted to chase after the illusory allure of temporary things, gently guide me back to the eternal.  Grant me the wisdom to release what fades and the courage to cling steadfastly to You. May my life be a reflection of Your grace and compassion, and may my heart always find its true sanctuary in Your boundless love – the only place where authentic joy and enduring peace can be found. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

The Redemption of Messes.

A teenage girl from a traditional Jewish home finds herself scandalously pregnant and unwed, thereby bringing shame on her family and the possibility of being stoned to death.

Meanwhile, her fiancée must travel to his ancestral hometown for a government tax census. He chooses to marry her in the midst of her shame and takes her on this rough journey. As they arrive, she goes into labor. She’s forced to give birth in an animal habitat.

This is the story of Jesus’ birth – the summation of a multitude of messes. Yet, it’s through all those messes that the ancient prophecy of Micah 5:2 was fulfilled.

God used it all together perfectly; their scandal, their tax problem, and the Roman government, to move this poor young Jewish girl from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Nothing was out of His control. This is true for your life as well. When you look at your life, it might seem like it’s filled with messes.

But as you love the Lord and follow Him, in the end, you’ll see all your messes were just threads

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Roamns 8:28

Today, take time to meditate on how God has used all things in your life, even the messes, for your good.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Living Like Jesus…

Christians should strive to live like Jesus.  While books about Jesus are helpful, the best way to understand him is by seeing his teachings lived out in his followers. 

And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. — Acts 4:13

If we truly lived as Christians should, people would immediately recognize the resemblance to Jesus in our words and actions.  We should be bold in our faith, never ashamed to be Christian.  Like Jesus, we should be loving, thinking, speaking, and acting kindly. 

We should be holy, always eager to do good, and make the most of our time.  Like Jesus, we should be selfless, putting others’ needs before our own.  We should be devout, praying regularly and faithfully following God’s will. 

We should be patient in difficult times.  Most importantly, like Jesus, we should forgive our enemies, remembering his words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” 

We should respond to evil with kindness because that’s how God acts.  In short, we should live in such a way that everyone can see we have been with Jesus.

Lord Jesus, help us to live more like you.  Give us the strength to be bold in our faith, to love unconditionally, and to forgive freely.  May our actions and words reflect your love and grace, so that others may see you in us. Amen.

The best way to show your gratitude to God is to accept everything, including the difficulties.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼