Ed Christian's World

Living By Temple Standards…

In Israel, there’s a place called the House of Caiaphas. There, you can see ancient measures and standards of weights. In Bible times, Israel used weights and measures to determine price and value.

They had to be geared to the Temple or Sanctuary standard. Whether at home, the marketplace, or work, they had to all be the same. Your life also needs a sanctuary standard.

In the sanctuary, in the house of God, you praise the Lord, you’re patient, loving, and compassionate towards the brethren, holy and pure, entering into worship. But if, when you leave the sanctuary, you’re no longer as holy, pure, and loving, then you’re living by a double standard.

The way you are in the sanctuary is the way you need to be outside the sanctuary. If you praise God in the sanctuary, praise Him at home. If you’re loving and patient with people in the sanctuary, be the same way at home and out in the world.

Get every part of your life in line with the sanctuary standard, and your life will be a life of His holiness worthy of God’s Temple.

The LORD hates weights that weigh things heavier or lighter than they really are. Scales that are not honest don’t please him.  Proverbs 20:23

Today, live by the Temple standard. Live and act as godly, as loving, and as righteous as you would in the Lord’s house – even in heaven.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Fruit of The Spirit…

Today, let’s immerse ourselves in the beauty of the Fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23. May this inspire us to cultivate these qualities in our daily lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.   Galatians 5:22-23

In a world that pressures us to chase after success, status, and material wealth, Galatians 5:22-23 reminds us of a different harvest: the fruit of the Spirit. These nine qualities—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are not something we can manufacture on our own. They are gifts, grown within us by the Holy Spirit, when we abide in Christ.

Imagine a life where these qualities flourish, where love replaces anger, patience overcomes frustration, and kindness wins over bitterness. This is the life God desires for us, a life that radiates His presence and reflects His character to the world.

So today, let’s choose to nurture these fruits in our lives. Let’s open our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s gentle guidance and allow Him to transform us from the inside out. As we do, we’ll discover a joy that transcends circumstances, a peace that surpasses understanding, and a love that knows no bounds.

Heavenly Father, I want to reflect Your love and character, but I know I often fall short. Please forgive me for the times I’ve reacted in anger instead of love, impatience instead of peace, and selfishness instead of kindness. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today. Let Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control flow through me. Transform my heart and mind so I can walk in Your ways and be a light to those around me. Help me to reflect Your light and love in everything I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of heaven ahead of you. If you have the Shepherd, you have grace for every sin, direction for every turn, a candle for every corner, and an anchor for every storm. You have everything you need.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Angels and Outlaws…

In Acts 12, an angel is sent to release Peter from prison. The first thing the angel had to do was see Peter as a man who happened to be in prison. If he had seen Peter as a bound and hopeless case instead of a person who happened to be in prison and who could otherwise be doing great things in future ministry; there would have been no incentive to get him out.

In the same way, there are people in your life who are not saved. They might be unpleasant, miserable, or even rotten. But if that’s the only way you see them, you’re consigning them to the darkness.

If you see them as people who happened to be inside a prison of rottenness by those things, it’s a different story. There’s hope for a prison break. Then they become those with the potential to become children of God.

By faith and the blood of Jesus, see the person separate from their prison. And by the grace and power of God, help arrange their prison break!

And have mercy on those who doubt.  Jude 1:22

Today, practice separating people from their sins. See them as those made to become children of God, but they have to first break free of their prison.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Joy – Embrace It..

Good morning,

As we begin this day, take a deep breath and remember that no matter what lies ahead, Jesus offers you a joy that is not dependent on circumstances. His joy is with you, ready to fill your heart.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
John 15:11

Imagine sitting in the upper room, hearing these words from Jesus’ own lips. On the eve of His greatest trial, knowing the anguish that awaits, He speaks of joy. Not fleeting happiness, but a profound, unshakeable joy that He wants to share with us.

This joy isn’t just a feeling; it’s a person. It’s Jesus Himself, dwelling in us through His Spirit. It’s the joy that fueled His obedience to the Father, who sustained Him through betrayal and death, that burst forth in resurrection power.

When Jesus offers us His joy, He’s inviting us into the very heart of the Trinity. It’s a joy born of perfect love, unwavering trust, and eternal purpose. This joy doesn’t deny our pain or struggles; it transforms them into testimonies of God’s faithfulness.

In a world desperate for lasting happiness, we carry within us the answer. Today, in your victories and failures, your laughter and tears, will you embrace the complete joy Jesus offers? It’s not just for perfect days, but for this day—for you, exactly as you are.

Loving Father, thank You for the gift of Your unshakable joy. Even in moments when life feels uncertain or overwhelming, remind me that Your joy is alive in me, steady and true. When my heart feels heavy, lift my eyes to You. Let Your joy be the song that carries me through the hard days and the light that shines in the good ones. Help me to share that joy with others, Father. Let it spill over in the way I love, in the words I speak, and in the peace I offer. May Your joy transform every part of my day and be a reflection of Your love to the world around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that everything will be alright, and the determined choice to praise Him in all things.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Royal Food…

In a beehive, the larvae are pretty much the same. But what the larvae becomes depends on its food. If it eats royal jelly, it becomes a queen. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. It’s all in what it eats.

So, you might think you are bound to be as you are – living with anxiety, depressed, or in sin. But, what matters now is not what you were, but who you become in Jesus as you partake of salvation.

You become what you partake of. If you partake of the divine, then you become of the divine nature in God. If you partake of righteousness, you become righteous. If you partake of the world, you become worldly. But if you partake of Jesus, The Bread of Life, you become Jesus-like.

So don’t dwell on or be limited by who you’ve been. Live by Who He is – and partake of it. It’s true of bees and also true of believers. If you partake of the royal food, you will become a royal creation.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.  Psalm 119:103

Today, partake of Jesus as The Bread of Life and read His Word as though it is your royal food.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

God’s Nature – Love…

Good morning,

As we start this new day, let’s allow the simple yet profound truth of 1 John 4:8 to sink deep into our hearts. This verse reminds us of the very essence of God’s nature – love.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8

“God is love.” These three simple words hold a truth so profound that they can change how we see God and ourselves.

When we say “God is love,” we’re not just describing one of His qualities. We’re declaring who He is. Love isn’t just something God does; it’s His very essence. This love is unlike any other—steadfast, relentless, and unconditional. It pursues us in our darkest moments, sees beauty in our brokenness, and never gives up on us.

This amazing love isn’t meant to be kept to ourselves. It’s meant to change us, heal our wounds, and shape our hearts. As we understand God’s deep love for us, we’re changed from the inside out, overflowing with love for those around us.

When we truly meet the God who is love, we can’t help but share that love. It spills out of us, touching the lives of everyone we meet and bringing light to dark places. God’s love is powerful and capable of changing hearts, lives, and even the world. And it all starts with three simple words: “God is love.”

Loving God, thank you for your love that never fails me, even when I fail myself. Fill me with that same unfailing love, Lord. A love that overflows from me, blessing everyone I meet. Help me share your love with a world that’s hurting, that’s lost, and that’s searching for hope. May my life be a love letter to you, Lord. A love letter written not with ink but with acts of kindness, words of encouragement, and a heart that beats for you. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Since love grows within you, beauty grows. For love is the beauty of the soul.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Genesis Gene…

There are many believers who believe that the New Covenant nullifies God’s calling on Israel. But the New Covenant is first spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31. Then right after that God says that the Jewish people, the children of Israel, will never cease from being a nation before Him.

So the new covenant is not against the Jewish people. It’s for them. In fact, the New Covenant is first made with the house of Israel and Judah. It is the fulfillment of the promise given to Abraham that His seed would be a blessing to the nations.

The apostles of the New Covenant were all Jewish. If you’re in the New Covenant, you’re linked to Israel. It came through Israel and it’s going to be fulfilled in Israel. So, their blessing is your blessing and your blessing is their blessing.

If God were to abandon His covenant to Israel, then what assurance would you have of His covenant to you? Thank God that He’s faithful to Israel and to you as well. Rejoice that God is faithful to His people and be faithful to Him.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Today, rejoice in the fact that God is faithful to His people, Israel, and to you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus…

Today, let’s fix our eyes not on the fleeting things of this world but on the eternal truth that gives us unshakeable hope. Just like flowers fade, our circumstances are always changing.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.  Isaiah 40:8

In ancient Babylon, exiled and homesick, the Israelites clung to these words. Today, in our own exiles of uncertainty, they still resonate.

Imagine a centuries-old tree, its roots deep, its branches reaching skyward. Empires have risen and fallen, yet the tree stands. God’s Word is that tree, and we are invited to nest in its branches.

In a world where ‘truth’ changes with each news cycle, where our curated online lives wilt faster than cut flowers, Isaiah reminds us of what endures. But this isn’t about rigidity; it’s about relevance that transcends time.

When anxiety floods your heart, when doubt creeps in like frost, remember: the same Word that comforted exiles millennia ago speaks to you now. It’s not just ancient text; it’s living water for your parched soul.

Today, as fleeting as it seems, is your chance to sink roots into eternal soil. What withering part of your life needs the nourishment of God’s enduring truth?

In a world obsessed with the temporary, dare to be evergreen.

Dear God, Sometimes life feels like a whirlwind, and my carefully laid plans just seem to blow away. But even then, Your Word remains steady and true. Thank you that Your Word always speaks to the deepest needs of my heart, offering guidance and comfort no matter what else is going on. When things feel shaky, help me cling to Your promises. Make Your Word my safe place, the source of my strength and hope. I want to live by it every day, letting it guide my choices and shape who I am. Keep me close to You, Lord. Help me hear Your voice clearly, even above the noise and confusion. Let Your truth cheer me on and keep me on the right path. Thank you for always being there, my rock, and my refuge. You’re the best, and I’m so grateful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever; and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Direction of Up…

Where are you heading in life? Is it a career, school, marriage, a house, or a ministry, or do you have a plan? These things may be in God’s will, but they’re not the direction of your life. Proverbs 15:24 says, “The path of life leads upward for the wise that he may keep away from sheol below.”

People head in all directions to reach their goal in life. But Proverbs doesn’t say the path of life leads north, south, east, or west – but up. So if any goal in this world becomes the final goal, the end reason of why you’re doing what you do, your direction is no longer upward.

Your goal should never be to get from point A to B, but rather to rise up from the earthly to the heavenly, from selfishness to love, from ungodliness to holiness, from the carnal to the spiritual.

Take that step that will lead you higher up in God. The path of life is better than the north, south, east, or west. For the direction of our life is up!

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.  Psalm 139:24

Today, take that step that will lead you higher up in God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

At The Right Time…

Good morning,

As we awaken to a new day, let’s embrace the beautiful promise found in Isaiah 60:22. May this truth fill our hearts with hope and anticipation, knowing that our God is always right on time.

The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen.
Isaiah 60:22

Isn’t it encouraging to know that our Lord, in His wisdom, has a plan and a timing that is perfect? He tells us that even if we feel like the “smallest,” we have a grand purpose in His divine plan. Our small beginnings, our moments of doubt, or our feelings of insignificance are never limitations in God’s eyes. In fact, they are often the starting points of something grand He is about to do.

His promise to turn the smallest family into a large one, the least into a mighty nation, is a testament of His transformative power. It also reminds us that God’s timing is always best. “At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen” – these words reassure us that when God moves, He moves swiftly. But He also moves in His time. He sees the bigger picture that we often don’t see.

So, as you move through your day, take courage. Even if you feel like the smallest, the least significant, remember that in God’s hands, you are part of a mighty plan. Trust in His timing. He has promised to act, and when He does, it will be swift, and it will be right.

Dear God, Thank you for Your promises, for reminding me that my value and my potential are not determined by the world’s standards, but by You. Help me to trust in Your perfect timing, and remind me that even if I feel small or insignificant, I am part of Your mighty plan. Guide me today as I step into the roles You have designed for me, trusting that You are transforming me and using me for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength – carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼