Ed Christian's World

Upside Down…

Think about the power of the cross. It was an execution stake, a horrible vessel of torture and death that became the symbol of life and hope.

Amazing! Death turned into life. It was the worst thing that could happen that became the best thing that ever happened. The worst sin that has ever been– the crucifixion of God– became the greatest act of righteousness that has ever been.

The ending of Jesus’s life becomes the beginning of eternal life. The cross becomes a place of hope, and the tomb becomes a place of new beginnings. The power of Jesus, is to turn everything upside down.

You have that power, too. If you’re in Jesus, you have the power to turn everything upside down; to turn your sorrows into joy, your setbacks into victory, your failures into triumph, and to turn every bad thing into the blessing of God.

Use that power. For the cross is the most revolutionary power in the universe. It’s the power of the Lord for you to turn the world – and your life – upside down.

I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. Psalm 30:1

Today, whatever your situation, take the power you have in Jesus and apply it to your life – Turn your life – and the world around you – upside down!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Doctrine Of Caesar…

Today we see the Church and the Synagogue as two very different things. However, the first church or what we call ‘church’ began in Jerusalem.

The leader was James. His real name was Jacob or Yaakov in Hebrew. He wrote one of the earliest epistles. James 2:2 says, “If a man comes into your assembly…” The word translated as assembly or church, is the Greek word synagōge. It is from this word that we get the word synagogue.

That means that the first churches were, in a sense, synagogues. The first church in Jerusalem was also a synagogue and it was the mother of all churches. Remember the Gospel is Jewish and yet for all people.

As a true believer, you must love and pray for the Jewish people. Salvation came to you from Israel – you’re part of something Jewish. In fact, if you’re born again, you’re a child of Abraham.

You’re of the commonwealth, a citizen of Israel, so be blessed. For the first church was also a synagogue.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29

Remember to not separate, as all born again believers receive the promises of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Sharp…

Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “When the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is required. But wisdom brings success.”

It’s simple but profound. This isn’t just true for an axe or knife, but for our lives. If we do things that get little results and drain our energy in life, then we aren’t being effective for God because our axe is dull. We have to become sharp.

A sharp edge is a focused edge. In photography, sharp means focused. If you live your life without focus, your life becomes dull, and you don’t accomplish much.

Become like Paul, focused on the Lord. He didn’t do things without aim; everything was focused on Jesus. He had purpose and his life was consistent. He wasn’t all over the place, he had a point, an aim, and a focus in everything he did, and he changed the world.

So you, too. Don’t live all over the place – unfocused. Make Jesus the focus of everything. Fix your eyes on Him and run the race. Then, you’ll become like a newly sharpened knife, and you’ll be able to slice through your problems like butter.

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25

Today, practice focus. Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord, and keep your spiritual mind sharp by filling it with the Word of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Purim..

Purim is the Jewish holiday named by the enemy of the Jewish people. Purim means the casting of lots.

Haman decided to cast lots to establish the day for the destruction of the Jewish people. God redeemed them, and they made a holiday out of it.

You think they would have changed the name, but they didn’t, they called it by exactly that, to remember the failed plan of God’s enemy. Don’t be afraid of the plans of your enemy.

We have a faith that can deal with problems and overcome them. Purim reminds us that whatever evil attempts to do, we have something greater than evil. When we celebrate Purim, we are bearing witness that God is greater than the problem.

We celebrate that what the enemy planned for evil in our lives, God will turn it for good. If you follow God, your problem will become a victory. What looks like defeat will become a celebration.

You can smile at the days to come. For every trial, tribulation, and problem will end up as Haman’s holiday – a triumph of the good and the victory that God brought you.

These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants. Esther 9:28

Today, whatever problem you deal with, don’t just see the problem, but look beyond for the good purpose God will use it for.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Footsteps On the Alter…

In ancient Israel, when a sacrifice was offered up, there was a required set procedure. The first part was called the Hikriv, which means, the bringing near of the sacrifice.

The sacrifice had to be brought near to the priest or into the dominion of the priest whose duty it was to perform the sacrifice.

Jesus was brought to the house of Caiaphas, and before the Sanhedrin, because the sacrifice had to be brought into the dominion of the priests to perform the Hikriv.

Jesus is the sacrifice – and those who have the sacrifice must perform the Hikriv. They must bring Him near.

Bring Jesus near to every part of your life, near to your hearts, near to your sin, near to your emotions, near to your past, near to your wounds, your secret things, your dreams – everything.

The whole point is that the sacrifice has to be brought near. Bring Jesus near to that part of your life that’s been distant – for that is where the blessing is.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22

Bring the Lord into every part of your life – especially those parts that have been distant, the wounds, the secrets, the shame, the ungodly part. Perform your Hikriv.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Spirit Filled Life…

It is in Jeremiah 31 where God promises Israel a New Covenant or Brit Hadashah in Hebrew. Verse 33 says, “I will put My Law within them, and on their heart, I will write it.”

The Old Covenant had 613 commandments for every part of life – eating, clothing, hygiene, worship, fellowship, legal affairs – everything.

The New Covenant of the Spirit is also for every part of your life. It says He will write it on our hearts, but that means all the commandments of the Spirit. If it happened with tablets of stone, so much more for the Spirit.

In the New Covenant, God commands by the moving of His Spirit. You are in the Spirit, and there’s a Spirit way to raise your children, to speak, to play, to do your job, to dress, to walk, to wash, to go shopping – in the Spirit.

It means that every part of your life is to be a worship service. He put His Spirit within you so that at all times, you can walk in the Spirit and fulfill the Law of the Spirit.

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

Today, ask the Lord to move you and lead you by His Spirit, and follow His moving.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Cover Your Weak Spot…

What is an Achilles heel? The phrase comes from Greek mythology. A baby, Achilles was dipped into the River of Immortality.

The one place he wasn’t dipped was the heel by which his mother held him. In battle, his enemies shot an arrow through his heel – his vulnerable spot – and he died. Achilles was a myth.

But you are truly dipped into a river of life when you’re immersed in Jesus – completely submerged in His Salvation. But if you leave anything out of His Lordship, that thing, part, area of your life becomes vulnerable. It can still be touched by the enemy where you’re not submerged under Jesus’s headship.

The enemy will have a foothold or a heel hold, on anything that is out of the cross. Submerge yourself into Him. Dip your life; that sin, that dream, that ambition, that habit, everything under His Lordship.

Then the enemy will be defeated in your life, and unable to get a foothold. You’ll have victory and no Achilles’ heel and nothing left in your life undipped.

I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew 3:11

Today, take every part of your life, especially those parts that are not quite in God’s will and submerge them in the will of God – leave no part dry.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Miracles In Testing…

Are you going through hard testing times? Do you feel that it’s hard hanging on, or that you don’t have the strength for it? Let me share something.

When you’re given tests in the fifth grade, they’re harder than when you are in first grade. It’s fitting because you know more, so you’re accountable for more.

To whom much is given, much is required. So if you are finding yourself going through a tough time, or a tough test, be encouraged. For the hardness of the test, is a manifestation of the level you are at, and the degree of the revelation.

It’s a good thing. It’s because you’re at a higher level, and God believes you can handle it. Scripture says He won’t give you any temptation you can’t handle with Him.

The harder the test, the greater the blessing, the greater the graduation, and the higher the place you’re going to get when you pass the test.

So dig in your heels, sharpen your pencils, burn the midnight oil and embrace the challenge given you. Pass that test, because it’s a sign you are in the big leagues.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope. Romans 5:3-4

Accept your challenge for what it is, a challenge; it will take strength that God has already given you to accomplish that task.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Heavenly Tears – Heavenly Smiles…

There are accounts of people who have been in bondage to alcoholism or drugs, who claimed nothing was wrong, or that they were only hurting themselves.

It wasn’t until they realized the pain and damage that their sin was causing to those they loved, that they chose to stop.

You might think that you’re not like that, or that you don’t have any situation like that in your life. But every time you sin, you’re hurting someone else.

Maybe not someone you see, but you’re hurting the One who loves you the most. You’re hurting the One who gave His life for you, who died for you, who died because of your sins – you’re hurting Him.

It’s what He wept for. So if you won’t stop that sin because it’s wrong, or because it’s hurting your own life, stop your sin because you’re hurting the One who loves you more than anyone else has loved you. He loves you! He gave His life for you.

So bless Him now. Be finished with that sin once and for all, bless and stop hurting the One who loves you.

You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:20

Today, when you’re tempted to sin, think about how it will hurt your Beloved, the One who gave His life for you – your God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Unbound…

I knew an amazing woman of God, who was hospitalized with terminal cancer and suffered great pain. Still, she was filled with love and peace and never complained.

The supervisor and head nurse of the hospital was a very hard woman. Yet, she was drawn to this woman who radiated God’s love. The nurse sat with her, washed her, and was ministered to by her.

When my friend went home to the Lord, she left gifts to be given to the hospital. When the gifts were delivered, they found that the head nurse and the whole hospital had been completely changed by the presence of this saint in her last days.

Instead of cursing her situation she had shone the light of God. Never let your circumstance define who you are. Before you curse your valley, look for the reason why you’re there. Maybe others in the valley need God.

So don’t be overcome by circumstances. Be encouraged and overcome by the presence of God. Because in every circumstance of your journey, it should end up in some way transformed by the fact that you are in it.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

No matter what, be the light of your circumstances, your situation, your world, and to everyone you meet – shine!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed