Ed Christian's World

The City On The Hill…

They had come across the Atlantic Ocean through rough seas and storms, 66 days, locked up in small quarters and the storm tossed. Finally they came to solid ground.

It was Saturday afternoon. Despite their eagerness, hunger, sea-sickness, they didn’t set foot on land until Monday. Why?

They knew before they embarked on this new life, they had to begin in prayer and worship. It was from these weary but faithful travelers that came the civilization known as the United States of America.

America isn’t perfect, but think of how different the world would be without it. Without America, there would likely be no Israel in the world, millions of the poor and persecuted would have perished, and the world would be ruled by the followers of Hitler or Stalin.

And it all began with prayer and worship. Before you do anything, before you set foot into your new day, before you set foot into that new job, that new relationship, that new ministry…

Be a wise pilgrim, and do as they did on the Mayflower, first spend time with God, dedicate it all to the Lord and seek first His will… and all these things will be added to you.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

Before your day starts, dedicate all you’ll do for the Lord’s purposes and seek His direction in all things.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Carrot And Stick…

How do you get a mule to move? One way is to use a carrot and a stick. The carrot represents the pleasure principle. The stick represents the principle of pain.

It’s the same principle scientists use in behavior changing experimentations – whether by giving a cookie to a dog or an electric shock to a rat.

The enemy also uses behavior modification methods in order to influence your life. He seeks to get you to associate the things of God – His people, His house, His will for your life, His ministry, His ways – with pain – the stick.

And on the other hand, he’ll try to get you to associate evil and sin with pleasure, whether it be lust, gossip, an addiction, materialism, bad relationships, the world – the carrot.

How do you overcome his schemes? Stop living to seek pleasure or to avoid pain – Rather seek the will of God, and to do what is right, no matter what, and your life won’t be stuck between the carrot and the stick.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

Seek today to reject the pleasure principle. Don’t follow after pleasure, but follow what is right. Don’t seek to avoid pain, but avoid what is wrong.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Seeking What You Have…

Did you ever buy something and afterwards you realize you already had it? I’ve done that a few times. I’ve actually ordered something out of a magazine, only to discover later that I already had it.

I must have forgotten. Or it must have looked so good in that magazine that I just didn’t realize. It’s one thing to do that with an order form. It’s another to do that in life.

Too many believers spend their lives trying to obtain what they already have seeking approval and love when, in God, they have more love than they could ever handle.

Striving after more money and wealth while missing the true riches and wealth they have in God or seeking for joy and happiness in what the world has to offer, when in God they have the potential for more joy than their hearts could contain.

Is that you? Are you seeking for love, acceptance, recognition, riches, status, comfort, happiness… from people or from this world? A secret… you already have it! Start discovering the joy of the priceless blessings you already have, and you won’t be out seeking imitations.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaish 58:11

Instead of dwelling on what you don’t have today and what you want to get, dwell on what you do have, and give thanks to God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Tabernacle Of His Peace…

In the ancient Hebrew prayer and chant called the “Hashkiveinu.” These words are spoken: “Spread over us the Tabernacle of your peace” – or, in Hebrew, the “Sukkah” of your shalom.

It’s a strange prayer and a strange picture. Those praying ask God to spread over them His Tabernacle. It’s a bit mystical.

But if you look in the last book of the Bible; Revelation, you find a vision of a great multitude of people standing before the throne, clothed in white robes, holding palm branches in their hands, which is what the Jewish people held in their hands on the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot.

Then it says this: “And He who sits on the throne shall spread over them His Tabernacle. It’s a strange picture – but it’s the same exact words of the ancient Hebrew prayer. God wants His people to dwell under His Sukkah, the Tabernacle of His Shalom.

A Sukkah can be set up anywhere. So no matter where you are today, no matter the situation, or the problem, ask God to spread over you the Tabernacle of His peace, and, for your part, start dwelling in it!

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ Revelation 7:9-17

Pray and ask God to spread the tabernacle of His shalom over every problem, challenge, and situation you go through today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Jesus Garden Of Death…

When sin entered the world on the day of man’s fall, God took man out of the garden, a garden of life. On the day when sin was put to death, the opposite happened – man brought God down from the cross and into a garden, a garden of death – the garden tomb.

In the Song of Solomon, the bride says of the Bridegroom, “Awake oh north wind and come oh south wind, and blow upon my garden that the spices may flow out.” So man brought God into a garden of death, the garden tomb, and there laid upon him spices, spices which came from a garden.

Also in the Song of Solomon, the bride says, “Let my Beloved come into His garden. The tomb of God is a garden tomb – meaning, it’s merely a tomb, the place of endings – it’s a garden, the place of beginnings and life.

For all life in God now comes out of that tomb. So don’t be afraid of entering Jesus’s tomb, and dying to self. For it’s not just a tomb – it’s a garden tomb, and those who enter it will find true life.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Enter into the Garden Tomb. Lay down your old life, your old identity, your ego and bury it – Then walk in the newness of life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Becoming Not Impossible…

The angel said to Mary, “Nothing shall be impossible with God.’ Be didn’t say “Nothing is impossible with God” but “Nothing shall be impossible with God.”

In other words, it may be impossible now, but with God, it will cease to be impossible. But if something is impossible, it can never become possible. That is what impossible means.

But here it is implying what is impossible will become possible. It was impossible for our sins to disappear as if they never happened, but He makes it possible.

Maybe it feels impossible for your guilt to be taken away, but God will do it. He makes guilty people innocent. Without God, it would be impossible to be born again, but what was impossible, now become possible.

So the promise is even better than just saying nothing is impossible with God. For even if something in your life is impossible, what was impossible shall become possible with God.

So don’t give up and don’t ever lose hope. No matter how impossible it may seem, or actually be, be strong and believe because, with God, nothing shall be impossible.

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail. I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her. Luke 1:34-38

Today, don’t be bound by the possible, live by the impossible of God. For with God all things are possible!!!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Mountain Of The Sword…

The Law was given on Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai is also called “Mount Horeb.” Is there any significance in this?

The Hebrew word “Horeb” is linked to the word “Herev.” “Herev” means “sword.” The first time the word appears in the Bible is in Genesis when God stations the cherubim at the entrance to the Garden of Eden, with the flaming sword, or herev.

The herev is a sword raised up against sin. So the Law was given on Mt. “Horeb,” – linked to herev, the sword – as the Law, too, is a sword raised up against sin.

So too is the Word of God a sword. We must each learn to pick up the Word of God as a sword – against sin – against our own sin.

In other words, wherever your life doesn’t line up with the Word of God, use the Word as a sword to put to death that sin, that compromise, that questionable thing, whatever it is.

For only by passing through the sword of the cherubim, in Jesus, can we reenter the garden and the life of His blessing.

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. Ephesians 6:13-17

Before you leave home today, make sure that you’re properly dressed. Put on the full “Armor of God” – and use the Word of God today as your sword for victory against the enemy.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Watchmen In The Night…

The Bible speaks much of the watchmen. They were the ones appointed to watch over the city, to protect it, to sound the alarm in the face of danger.

When especially were the watchmen on duty? During the night. It was the night, when darkness covered the land, and when the people of the city slept, that the watchman’s call was especially critical.

When we look at what’s happening in the world, direction of the end times, it’s easy to feel discouraged or overwhelmed. But we shouldn’t. It’s the times of darkness when the watchmen’s ministry is most important.

So the darker you see the world becoming, the more critical it is to take up your mantle as God’s watchman. It’s the call to stay spiritually awake in a time of spiritual sleep, to stay separate, to keep vigilant – vigilant in prayer, vigilant in the word, vigilant in purity and holiness, in righteousness, and worship.

To all the more sound the alarm to those who are perishing. It’s night. The people are sleeping. And they need the watchman more than ever. You are the watchman – do your duty!

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Matthew 24:42

Don’t complain about the darkness today, but do something about it. Take a stand against it. Pray against it. Act against it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

And He Will Direct Your Paths…

I was once attempting to show mercy… to an ant. I was trying to lead it around its obstacles to freedom outside. I was trying to be an ant hero.

But the problem was I was dealing with an especially dumb ant. It kept going the wrong way, no matter what I did.

Now ants do indeed have brains the size of a small bread crumbs. But the ant didn’t have to have a high I.Q. All it needed to do was to trust me. If it trusted me, that ant would have functioned as if it had super-intelligence, as compared to its fellow ants, functioning on the reasoning of a human brain.

Compared to God, our intelligence is even less than that of a bread crumb-sized brain. So if you’re wise, you won’t rely on your own intelligence and understanding. If you do, you’ll be living like a dumb ant.

But if you trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding….then the Lord will direct your path and you won’t live your life like a dumb ant!

All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. You who fear him, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield. The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless his people Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the Lord—small and great alike. May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 115:9-15

What have you been dealing with, struggling with, or concerned about? Today, stop struggling and commit to God. Trust in the Lord and lean not to your own understanding.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Overcoming Worry…Your Problems – His Eyes…

Do you have problems you’re focused on in your life right now? Ten years ago or even five years ago, you probably had problems, challenges, crises, concerns, and worries you were dwelling on that seemed so big.

But if I asked you what those things were that you were so concerned about ten years ago, or even five years ago – most likely you wouldn’t be able to recall them. The problems have long since passed. The challenges have long ago ceased. The crises have long ago disappeared. And what you were so worried about, now, you can’t even remember what it was.

What does that reveal? There are things in your life which cause you to worry, problems which seem to overshadow everything else. However, five or ten years from now, you most likely won’t even remember what it is. And even if you do, it won’t be as big as it seems now.

But the love of God will be just as important then as it is now. So stop worrying about what you won’t even remember years from now and focus, instead, on what you will.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Jude 1:21

Today, whatever you’re dealing with, concerned about, worried over, whatever the problem or issue – look at it in the big picture, it will pass away, but your blessings in Jesus will remain.

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. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Father, I know that there are many dangers and difficulties in life that combine to ship-wreck my faith in You. I desire to love You more, to know You better, to keep the Lord Jesus as the center of my life and to grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Give me the wisdom to discern what is not from You and ears to hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and in Your mercy, keep me under the shadow of Your protection, in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed