Ed Christian's World

The Bounty…

Fletcher Christian was my great uncle and namesake. Yes the story “Mutiny on the Bounty” is true. In the course of the mutiny, nine mutineers along with six native island men and twelve native women of Tahiti went ashore on the black sands of Pitcairn Island in 1790. They soon started distilling alcohol, and the new colony descended into depravity and debauchery.

But the story has a little-known surprise ending. Within ten years, only a few of the original mutineers survived, now surrounded by native women and children. One day, while going through a chest from the mother ship, the “Bounty,” Fletcher found a Bible. He began reading it and teaching it to the others.

It transformed his life and ultimately the lives of all the islanders. In 1808, the USS Topas landed on Pitcairn Island. They found a thriving colony that had no alcohol, no jail, and no crime. That’s the power of the Gospel; to change a tragic story into a story of blessing.

So, too, for the story of your life and for every situation in your life: Apply His word, and your story will also become a blessed story!

For which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. 2 Timothy 2:9

Apply the story of the Gospel to every part of your life, especially those untouched parts, and let God have His way.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

Fatherhood and reverence…

Over the years there’s been a trend in modern culture against fatherhood. In earlier years, when a father was depicted on television in a situation comedy, he would most often be seen as an object of respect and authority.

That’s changed. More often than not, when fathers are now depicted in situation comedies, they’re portrayed as overgrown children, incompetent, with little authority, little responsibility, or else pompous, overbearing, continually corrected or shown to be foolish and irresponsible by those around them. It’s part of an increasing trend that fatherhood is irrelevant or disposable.

This manifests as an increasing lack of reverence. In the church world, it manifests in a decreasing sense of reverence toward God, His presence, and authority; a lack of submission to His Word. Has that affected you? Do you reverence God’s presence as you should? Do you truly subject your life to the Word of God?

Are you truly surrendering your will to the will of God? If not, then start today! Revere the Lord. Make Him the true Lord of every part of your life. For we are truly His children and He is truly our Father.

Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— Ephesians 6:2

Open and read the Bible and truly subject your life to it.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

Joshua And Caleb…

In the book of Numbers we learn about the twelve spies Moses sent out to scout the land of Canaan for 40 days. Two in particular, Joshua and Caleb, knew full well what they were up against. They never pretended that there weren’t giants in the land. In fact, Joshua would become the general to defeat those giants. Then what was it that separated Joshua and Caleb from the other ten spies who also saw the giants but brought back a bad report to the Israelites?

The difference was that though Joshua and Caleb saw the giants – they didn’t focus on them. Instead, they focused on the blessings, the promises, the faithfulness, and the power of God. And they were the ones who entered and apprehended all that God had promised.

So it is with you, it’s not that you don’t or won’t have problems in your life. John 16:33 says you will. It’s part of life. The key is – don’t focus or dwell on them. They’re there in your life to manifest the power, the victory, the faithfulness, and the triumph of God. They’re only giants. Set your focus instead on the giant power, the giant love, and the giant faithfulness of your God and you too will enter the land of blessing God has promised you.

Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Hebrews 11:33

These things I have spoken to you, thatin Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Live with the eyes of Joshua and Caleb. For every problem focus instead on the giant power, the giant love, and the giant faithfulness of your God.

Walk daily with God at your side!!

Love always,

Ed

All things are possible…

Grandfather once asked me if I knew how wine was made. I said it is crushed grapes allowed to ferment. No, he said, how does wine become wine? Wine, by definition, is aged. Good wine takes years to age. The first recorded miracle Jesus did was to turn water into wine, and not just any wine, but good wine. God made the wine complete with age, complete with a past that didn’t exist before. God is able to even touch the past.

It is written, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” God can even change the past. How? How can the living God die? It’s all a miracle. If God can die on a cross for our sins, then the past can be changed, and your sins become as white as snow. In the world, the future is bound to the past. But for you in Jesus, that has all changed.

Therefore, be no longer bound to anything of the past, to no sin, no shame, no sorrow, no abuse, no rejection, no failure, and no darkness. For in Jesus, your past is as white as snow – just as the water has turned to wine.

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1

Do not allow anything from your past to hinder your walk. Put it under the blood of Jesus, and live as if it never was.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The best of what you have…

We were sitting in the shade of a tree one morning talking about the Tabernacle described in the Old Testament. Did you know, Grandfather said, what we’ve known as the Tabernacle was called the ‘Mishkan’ or dwelling place? It was the very first house of God; the dwelling place of God’s glory; the place of Heaven’s dwelling. And yet it wasn’t built of heavenly materials. It was built of earthly things.

It was built from what the Hebrews gave. And they gave from what they had; their jewelry, their cloth, their adornments, whatever they had. They gave of their lives. It wasn’t the material that was holy – it was the fact that they gave it, they sacrificed it, and they surrendered it for God’s holy purposes. And the glory of God indwelt it.

So too, with your life. When you give to the purposes of God, your time, your money, your heart, your talents, your resources, that which you give becomes holy.

The Lord doesn’t ask you for much… just all. And we all have an all to give. Just give all of it, whatever you have, no matter what it is, the materials of your life – give them all to God and His purposes, and they will become holy, and the glory of God will come down.

The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.2Chronicles 7:2

Give God your best, your most valuable time, the first fruits of your devotion, the best of your heart.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Going out…

Do you remember when you were a child, and the summer came around? School would have a commencement celebration, and everyone would go their separate ways. It was a time of going out.

Ancient Israel had something like that too. Every year Israel would gather in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Shavuot — known in Greek as Pentecost. After celebrating, they would all go out to their fields and reap the great summer harvest.

They wouldn’t gather again until the fall. It was no accident that on this festival 2,000 years ago, God sent His Spirit. The disciples then had to go out into all nations — into the harvest field of the Great Commission. Going out is holy.

Do you want a life that flows in the Spirit? Do you want to grow, fulfill the Great Commission and the calling on your life? Then go out in the power of God’s Spirit, into the joy of His harvest, because it’s summertime. The harvest is great. The Spirit has come, and you need to go out.

Paul had decided to sail past Ephesusto avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost. Acts 20:16

Today, go out in the power of God’s Spirit, into the joy of His harvest.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Canopy…

Isaiah 4:5 says this: “Then the Lord will spread over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud of smoke by day and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all, the glory will be a canopy.”

But the original Hebrew behind the word “canopy” contains a treasure. The actual Hebrew word is “Huppah.” The Huppah is the canopy of the Hebrew marriage, spread over the heads of the bride and groom, who sit together as king and queen as one.

In other words, in the days of the kingdom, God will spread a wedding canopy over His people. In that day, as Isaiah 62:4 says, even the land will be married, everything will be married. And if you want to live in the blessings of the kingdom now, then the key is – marry everything in your life to the Lord; your dreams, your problems, your weaknesses, joys, desires, plans, home, job, spouse, secret life, career, money, possessions, everything.

Bring every part of your life under His Huppah, joined to Him. For that which is under the Huppah shall be blessed.

No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. Isaiah 62:4

Today, marry everything in your life to the Lord. Bring everything, especially those untouched areas, into His presence, His mercy, and His healing touch.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Forever new…

I was asked the other day just how old my computer is. I answered, “It’s seven months old.” They reply, “Then it’s a dinosaur.” “Oh really?” I reply, “And what kind of computer do you have?” “Well, I’m just about to purchase a new computer with 1000 terabytes.” “That’s nice, but give it two months, and you’ve got a dinosaur. All you’re doing is buying a future dinosaur.” The more new something is in this world, the more quickly it becomes old.

New technology grows so fast that it becomes old in a matter of months – New movies, in a matter of weeks – New news, a matter of hours. The newer it is, the more quickly it grows old. But there’s one thing that breaks all those rules – the Word of God.

The Word of God is thousands of years old, and yet when you receive it, it’s newer than yesterday’s newspaper. How much is yesterday’s newspaper worth? Nothing. But the Word of God, thousands of years old, is as new and as priceless now as it was when it first came. The best part is everytime you open it and read, you learn something new.So what should you be spending your time on?

But the word of the Lord endures forever.”And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:25

Take time today in the Word of God and treasure that which is always new forever.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The blesser…

In Hebrews 7 we’re told of the priest-king, Melchizedek blessing Abraham – and then of a principle, which is this: “Without a doubt, the lesser person is blessed by, the greater.” In other words, the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed.

Interesting, because most people, believers included, spend their lives trying to be blessed. Most people want others to bless them, to thank them, to praise them, recognize them, help them, and serve them. But the Bible says that the one who blesses is greater.

So do you want to be great? Then bless. Do you want to be rich? Then be truly rich by giving! Do you want to be powerful? The most powerful one, is the one who can bless no matter what. Do you want to triumph over rejection? Then bless those who rejected you. Do you want to triumph over your enemies? Then bless them. Do you want to be the most joyous person? Then bless. For it’s the one who is truly blessed and who has joy that can bless. So live a life of greatness. How? Simple… Bless!

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14

Today, be greater: bless those who have rejected or hurt you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Worse Case…

Grandfather would talk about the pressures put upon us in life and how sometimes things seen so hard. The many times we were up against a wall and had no way to turn.

Life has its moments, he said, when you just wonder where you have to go or what you have to do for relief. Then you look at and say what’s the worse case that can happen? You die, but then you go to heaven. That doesn’t sound like it’s hard, so we have to stop and think, God always has us covered and it doesn’t matter how hard life gets, He is there with open arms.

We deal with so many issues and so many things in life that we could be worried about. Try this: Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” The worst that can happen is your life ends. But then what? Then Heaven! So stop living in fear and anxiety – and start really living in God’s righteousness. Remember, the worst thing that can happen to you now – is Heaven!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Today, don’t walk in fear. Instead, walk fearlessly in God’s righteousness.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed