Ed Christian's World

The Sacred Bath…

In Galilee, there are the ruins of an ancient city in which there were structures designed to contain water. These were baths of purification called “mikvah.” The “mikvah” or “sacred bath.” Hebrew brides used them on their wedding day before the ceremony. Interesting, because Ephesians 5 speaks of Jesus cleansing the bride, the church, “by the washing of water with the Word…”

The bride is linked to cleansing. In Ephesians, it’s Jesus who is cleansing the bride with water. And yet in the Hebrew marriage, it’s the bride who must cleanse herself. Each contains a spiritual truth.

Our cleansing comes from Him. Only by the power of the Bridegroom can the bride be cleansed. But it is the bride who must choose to be cleansed and to enter the waters of her sacred bath. Are you the bride? Then you must be cleansed.

The good news is you can be. But it’s your choice. Enter the mikvah of your cleansing, the waters of the Spirit. For to every bride, there must be a cleansing.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7

Bathe yourself in His Word, in His presence, and in the Spirit – come out cleansed.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

God’s Covering…

Yom Kippur means The Day of Atonement, or The Day of Covering. But it’s also called Yom Ha Kippurim – The Day of the Coverings. God’s covering is so great that the singular word covering cannot quite cover it.

Jesus is the fulfillment of Yom Ha Kippurim – Jesus is our covering – or rather our coverings. If you’ve received Him, every one of your sins is covered. But it means more. When someone’s watching over you, they say, “I’ve got you covered.” Well, He’s got you covered. When you lay down at night, you can sleep securely because “He’s got you covered.” When you’re in danger and you need someone to protect you, “He’s got you covered.”

In ancient times when a man offered a woman his love, his house, his protection, his life, he would spread His cloak over her. In that way too, “He’s got you covered.”

So celebrate Jesus’ Coverings. Walk in courage, and without fear because the Day of Atonement is really Yom Ha Kippurim – the Day of the Coverings. And if you don’t remember that – just remember “He’s got you Covered.”

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Psalm 32:1

Today, meditate on, receive, and walk in the knowledge and security and peace of Jesus.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Apollos…

The Book of Acts records the fascinating case of Apollos. Apollos was a Jewish believer who was mighty in the Lord – except that he didn’t really know what he was doing. He didn’t even have all his facts or doctrines straight – and yet he was used for the Lord.

What does that tell you? It tells you that God can use people who don’t know what they’re doing. So if you don’t know what you’re doing, be encouraged, because God loves to use people who don’t know what they’re doing. Just don’t let the fact that you don’t know what you’re doing stop you from doing it.

Yes, we should seek to know everything we need to know in the Word. But you’re never going to be qualified enough, strong enough, or spiritual enough. So… you don’t know what you’re doing in the Lord? Do it anyway. Serve Him. Step out in faith.

I still don’t know what I’m doing – but I’m not going to let that stop me from doing it – for it is He who does it within us – within those who have no idea what they’re doing.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Psalm 139:6

Today, when you don’t know what you’re doing seek the Lord’s direction and step out in faith anyway.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

Self Control…

Proverbs 25:28 says, “Like a city that is broken into and without walls, is a man who has no control over his spirit.” What is it like to have no control over your spirit? It’s like an ancient city without any strong walls. Without walls, a city would end up attacked, plundered, and in ruins.

So a man without self-control is like a city without walls. Self-control is not just the right thing to have in your life – it’s an essential protection for your life. And one of the secrets of protecting your life is that of building walls – or hedges.

As the ancient city needed walls, so your life needs hedges. A wise man builds hedges around what he can do and not do, what he can watch or not, partake of or abstain, enter or avoid – hedges of action, hedges of association, hedges of thought, and hedges of relationship.

Don’t avoid the issue of self-control. Instead, build whatever hedges you need to build. And, after building them, honor them. And just as the walls of the ancient city – they could end up saving your life.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galations 5:22-23

Practice self-control in that area you most need it and build that wall!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Predictability…

There was a joke told during WWII. Two assassins planned to kill Adolf Hitler, who was known for being punctual. So they stationed themselves in the right spot waiting for the right moment. Five minutes go by, and there’s no sign of him… ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, and still no sign of him. Finally, one of the assassins turns to the other and says, “This isn’t like Hitler at all. He’s never this late.” To which the other replies, “Gee, I hope nothing happened to him.”

Predictability is not a good thing in warfare. If the enemy knows what you’re going to do, you become an easier target – so, too, in your spiritual walk. If your walk with God is stuck in a rut – it’s to the enemy’s advantage. So don’t’ let that happen. Always seek to grow and step into the new.

Break out of the old routine. Open up your walk to change. Take a step of faith. For those who are led by the Spirit walk in the newness of life. And those who walk in the newness of life are the enemy’s worst nightmare.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

Today, follow the leading of the Spirit and don’t be predictable or fall for the enemies schemes.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Priest King…

In Isaiah 11 it’s written, “There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse…” But the word in Hebrew for “stem” is “geza.” “Geza” actually means “a stump” a “cut down tree or plant.”

This Scripture is prophesying that Jesus will come forth as a twig growing out of a cut off tree stump. Thus Jesus would spring up from the broken, cut off stump of the throne and line of David.

If you look at the lives of those who are born again, you can always find some sort of tree trunk; an old life cut down, and yet out of which comes forth the life of Jesus. The life of Jesus comes forth in the cutting down of our pride, our plans, our hopes, our dreams, our happiness, our security, and all the rest of the old life. That is when Jesus’ life begins to grow. Remember that.

Even now, when you see hopes, comforts, plans, securities, and dreams cut down in your life, don’t despair. For in Jesus, from every cut-down trunk, will come forth a shoot of something far better.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Give God your broken hopes and dreams. And surrender your current plans and desires to His will and allow Him to grow something better.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Awesome Days…

There are ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These were the days, given to Israel and heralded by the sounding of Trumpets, to prepare to meet the Lord. They are known as the Yomim Noraim, The Days of Awe,or The Awesome Days.

It’s believed that in these days your name is sealed in the Book of Life. Throughout the ages, Jewish people have spent their Days of Awe with great reverence – getting right with God and man, forgiving and asking forgiveness – The Days of Awe.

What does this have to do with you? After this life is over, we all will stand before God. The days of eternity do not determine your days on earth. But your days on earth do determine the days of eternity. So use them wisely; get right with God and man, forgive and be forgiven. Do the good you know you must.

For eternity stands just around the corner, and you will never again have these days to ready yourself for it. These are your Yomim Noraim, the Days of Awe.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

Use your time wisely in view of eternity. Do whatever you have to do to be right with God and forgive and be forgiven. These are awesome days.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Find Your Path…

In the pathway of faith we come to learn that the Lord’s thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. Both in the physical and spiritual realm, great pressure means great power! Although circumstances may bring us into the place of death, that need not spell disaster, for if we trust in the Lord and wait patiently, that simply provides the occasion for the display of His almighty power.

“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders and the judgements of His mouth.” Psalms. 105:5

While His thoughts are not ours, we are the sum total of our thoughts at any point in time. Realizing God knows our thoughts before or as we have them, we have the blessing to make the most of what we think and feel. I learned, growing up, that how you start your day sets the tone for that day.

Grandfather mentored me to give thanks for another beautiful day, be joyful for how good your day was going to be and remember to give thanks for all the blessing you have received in your life. I start my day with these three little prayers of thanks every morning. God has blessed me way more than I deserve.

To say life isn’t always easy would be an understatement. But add we determine just how easy or hard our life is would, I’m sure, give some people some heartache. It’s all our choice.

Many people feel their life is always on the rocks and they live their life in calamity, while others feel you get out of life what you put into it and live full happy lives free of most burden. I believe if I make the best of a situation that a blessing will come from it. When a situation confronts you, if you turn in defeat you miss out on the blessing the situation has for you.

I have discovered there is a secret to life and it involves faith, trust, love and prayer. I faithfully follow the path God has given me trusting He will light my way. I love God with all my heart and I love my neighbors as He loves me. I pray continuously, listening to His answers as they are whispered in my ear. I never question His intentions for He knows my needs better than I do.

All this is found in the bible, if one is willing to look beyond the words and follow the spirit. Yes, the bible also mentions persecution, but how one accepts it is a choice. It is a blessing to serve God. It is also a blessing to serve people in His name.

I believe that even in the darkest times, there is always a light showing me the way out. It just may be a candle at the end of the tunnel, but is shines brightly ro guide me down my path. It is the same for you, He is always there to guide you through life and the path you chose.

My prayer for all is that they see the light and faithfully follow the path He has set before you. Pray continuously and listen for His answers.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Edwin Christian
Efchristi2@Yahoo.com

The Collaberators…

The Scriptures speak of humanity as sheep. When it comes to being one of the Lord’s flock with Jesus as our Shepherd, it’s a beautiful thing. But there’s a dark side to the sheep – not concerning the kingdom but the nature of man. As sheep go astray, so does human nature. Sheep have another characteristic – they tend to follow. They are herd animals. What that means is that it’s the nature of man to follow the majority – for good or evil.

The track record of the majority, for most of Biblical history and most of human history is a dark one. The majority turned away from the Lord, followed other gods, and rejected Jesus. Even when the evil is so stark, overt, and satanic as in the evil of Adolf Hitler and Nazism, the majority follow it – and the majority did.

There is no way that Hitler could have committed the evil he did if not for the majority. And the majority that followed Hitler and served as his accomplices called themselves “Christian.” Even the majority of those who called themselves “pastors” went along with the evil.

The issue is all the more critical now as we watch our culture – or the majority – turn away from God and to the darkness. The tendency to follow the majority has led many to go along with the present apostasy – even those who call themselves by the name of God – even those of the evangelical world – even born again believers.

Is it the result of a new revelation from God? No. It’s nothing more than man’s nature to follow the herd – the majority. It is the weakness, the self-interest, the bankruptcy, and even the cowardice of the flesh in the face of social pressure – the pull of the herd.

In such times as these, we are to live not less, but more bold, more uncompromised, more all out for God. We must, as did the disciples in the Book of Acts, resolve that we will not live as followers of the majority – but as followers of the Lord.

Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood. Peter and the other apostle replied We must obey God rather than human beings! Acts 5: 25-29

We must each commit once and for all to follow only the voice of the Shepherd – and not the call of the herd.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Trumpet Sounds…

Every Biblical Feast links up with a prophetic event, and the next event on the prophetic calendar is the Feast of Trumpets. The Trumpet, the ancient Hebrew ram’s horn, the Shofar, unlocks important prophetic keys into the days in which we live.

In Biblical times, the shofar was sounded by the priests, from the Temple in Jerusalem, to call God’s people to assemble. It’s the instrument that calls everyone in the land to turn their eyes to Jerusalem. For most of the last 2000 years, Jerusalem was in the backwaters of history. Then, in the 20th century, the world started turning its attention to Jerusalem like no other city on earth.

Jerusalem is the center of world attention because we live in the days of the Shofar and Jesus is coming to Jerusalem. The message of the Shofar is this: Prepare. Get ready to meet the Lord, for we all will stand before Him.

Turn away from what distracts you. Put away what hinders you. Lift up your eyes and set your heart on what is forever for the Lord is coming. And you live in the days of the Shofar.

Listen, I tell you a mystery We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1 Cor 15:51-52

Today, hear the sound of God’s trumpet. Put away the distractions. And live this day in light of eternity.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed