Ed Christian's World

Lessons From The Lemon Tree…

If you put a lemon tree on a hill, in a valley, city, countryside, or next to an apple tree, it still produces lemons. It’s our nature to focus on our circumstances, personal life, work life, or financial life, but Jesus doesn’t focus on those things.

Your circumstance has little to do with the walk God called you to. Salvation is unconditional. Jesus won’t ask you about your circumstances on the Day of Judgment. He came that you might bear fruit. If you abide in Him, you’ll bear fruit, and that’s God’s will for your life.

It doesn’t matter if you’re on the mountain or in the valley, if people love you or hate you. You bear fruit not because of what’s around you, but because of what’s inside of you. This world, with all its circumstances – good and bad – can’t stop you from bearing fruit.

Learn from the lemon tree: bear your fruit no matter what, because He loves you. His love is unconditional, so your fruit should be unconditional. Fruit doesn’t come because of circumstance. It comes because of the tree.

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8

Today, practice bearing the fruit of the Spirit in every place, time, situation, and circumstance unconditionally.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

A Prince Of Another Kind…

Most of us grew up with fairy tales. Many people are disappointed with life, living in heartbreak, sorrow, mourning, and bitterness, because their life didn’t turn out “happily ever after.”

But life isn’t a fairy tale and Jesus isn’t prince charming. He’s the Sar Hayim, the Prince of Life. You aren’t saved by this life; you’re saved by Him, the true Prince. He turned out to save you.

He overcame death, sin, evil, and the grave, and if you’ll stop living according to how life turns out and start living like He turned out, you’ll be blessed. His loving kindness is better than life, and that is the victory.

I have good news for you. Your life isn’t a fairy tale. You don’t have to be miserable; you can be blessed. Scripture doesn’t speak about living happily ever after. It speaks about rejoicing always.

That’s unconditional. So stop looking for prince charming, he doesn’t exist. Start learning to be a disciple of the Prince of Life, and you won’t live happily ever after, but you can live rejoicing always, and that’s even better – a life of unstoppable joy.

I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7

Gain the victory today by rejoicing in your Prince of Life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Heaven Down Here…

As many of you know, I am constantly telling you to stay focused on Jesus and let the world go by. I also push 1 Corinthians 13 a lot because it is the love chapter of the Bible and, to me, one of the most important passages in the Bible, along with Psalm 23.

I often hear people ponder about what heaven must be like and complain about how hard life is here on Earth. So today, I am going to talk about my life a bit, tell you about Heaven here on Earth, and explain how these chapters help us as Christians to live our life as we are in Heaven.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

So maybe we should take a real close look at the 1 Corinthians 13 verses through different eyes: God is patient, he is kind. He does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. He does not dishonor others, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. God never fails.

The 23rd chapter of Psalm is one of the most quoted in the bible. But, have you really looked closely at it to see how it fits our everyday life?

The Lord is my shepherd and makes sure I have everything I need. Without Him, I would be lost.
He gives me a green pasture for which to graze and sleep. He provides still water for me to drink. In case you didn’t know, lambs won’t drink from moving water. He restores my soul: He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. He provides guidance in all circumstances, if we ask. He offers me comfort and protection so that I have nothing to fear. He is always there to watch over me. He stands with me in the presence of my enemies. He covers me with His love and blessings and my cup overflows. Goodness and mercy follow me everywhere, and He has prepared a place for me in His house for me to live forever.

As Christians, we are to love all as we love ourselves so as we live our lives with love and have faith that the Lord is watching our every step, we the realize the joy of our Lord is our strength. Dwell in His holy presence, and center yourself in His will. His blessings will flow. Serve Him with a joyful heart and again; rejoice.

Many times, I am asked how I stay so positive when it seems like the world is crushing in on me. I have always responded that life is a choice, and I can choose to be negative or positive for all the challenges. I always choose the positive, knowing that He is right here beside me and knows what is waiting around the corner.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

A life of love.. It is here, the very essence of life, where life itself takes on a whole new meaning. Harmony, love, trust, and faith in, with and around your fellow man step up and take a leading role in the meaning of everyday life. It takes a unique balance of all of these to maintain human relations in our complex world. The pressures put on us by our social peers, for lack of a better word, tend to drive us all in opposing directions from the center of life’s true meaning.

Eternal life does not begin with death; it begins with faith.

In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
Proverbs 3:6,

Let us live our lives full of love for all and share our blessing along the way. Then we will see that the world is not collapsing on us and the Lord is always at least one step ahead of us.

This is my life of peace and grace. Join me and learn how to live free of the world.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Maker Of The Ages…

Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God created the world” but it can also be translated, “the ages.” It’s a mystery. All past, present and future is created in Him in the beginning.

It’s all in Him who’s the same yesterday, today, and forever to whom a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day. He stretched out the heavens and when He died,

He died for the world; the ages past, present, and future, and every sin you’ll ever commit. He died also to prepare a whole new life for you. The future is in Him. Your life filled with righteousness and good works that haven’t happened yet are all in Him already.

He died not only for your past but for your future. So don’t fear the future. Walk boldly into the good works that are prepared for you and fulfill His will that He gave His life for.

Because He’s not only the God who created the world. He’s Lord over the universe and the ages of your life. The maker of the ages.

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden, and that God destined for our glory before time began. 1 Corinthians 2:6-7

Let go of any fear, regret, or anger, and thank Him for covering your past, present, and future.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Hitler And The Spear Of Jesus…

In the Hapsburg Library in Vienna, there was a spear believed to be the one used to pierce Jesus’s side. The young Adolf Hitler became fascinated by it and would stare at it for hours. When he marched into Vienna, he took that spear.

The greatest enemy of God, the world knew in the 20th century, possessed the spear that was said to have drawn the blood of Jesus. The real spear though a vessel of evil, actually fulfilled prophecy; God’s purposes and became used for good.

Jesus was pierced through and we received healing. We’re saved by His blood. So God used one of the most evil men who ever lived to bring about the rebirth of Israel. Through the Holocaust, Israel came back to the world and the world accepted it.

The spear of the Roman soldier, every evil no matter what it is, whatever is against you, whatever problem, it’s not stronger than God’s love and God’s will.

Don’t fear evil. Don’t fear the enemy because God will turn it all for good. And that problem that came against you was only the spear of the Roman soldier.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Genesis 50:20

Believe the good today over every evil. Believe His love over every sin, and His power over every problem.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Gosple Has No Fade Out…

When a movie ends, usually it fades to black or it says, “The End,” music starts and credits roll. It would be nice if that happened in life when a bad relationship ends, or you’re going through a hard time, trials and testing, and it fades with music and credits.

The Gospel ends with Jesus giving the Great Commission. There’s no fade out in Jerusalem, no credits rolling over the book of Acts, no copyright notice. The Gospel has no fade out, no ending because there’s no end to the work of Jesus.

There’s no end to His love, His grace, the flowing of His Spirit, His forgiveness, His redemption, His mercy, no end to Him. He’s infinite and unending. We like endings. Everything in life ends– months, weeks, years, but the Gospel has no end because there’s no end to the good news.

Everything ends, but Him. Sorrow, hate, pain, and sin end, but the things of God don’t. So overcome the world of endings with the unending power of the Gospel of love and joy. For the Gospel isn’t a movie, it has no end.

The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. Psalm 9:7

Today, let the goodness, the blessings, the love, and the presence of God flow through your life and don’t let anything stop it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Your Charge: Keep His Presence…

In ancient times, the Jewish people would caravan up to Jerusalem with relatives. Undoubtedly, Jesus was left with His relatives. His parents were relying on their relatives to watch over Him. But then they lost Him.

You can lose the Lord the same way. By relying on other things to keep His presence. When you first come to the Lord, His presence means everything, and you just guard that presence. But often, as we go on in the Lord, we start relying on other things that are going to keep God’s presence alive in our life.

Joseph and Mary did it. They relied on relatives, but they lost Him. You have to keep the presence of God yourself in your heart because people fall, congregations fail, and people mess up. But if you kept Him close, you’ve cherished Him, your love for Him, your zeal; you’ll never lose sight.

Remember, if even Joseph and Mary could lose His presence for a time, then you watch it. Don’t ever give that job over to relatives. Keep Him close.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Keep your eyes on Jesus and spend time in His presence today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Get Your Directions First…

Have you ever stopped and asked for directions and it didn’t help. You were still lost. When you’re on a long journey, you want to get your directions right from the start.

You don’t want to waste any time going the wrong way. You don’t want to make a wrong turn because, ultimately, you’ll pay for it by losing time and energy. One wrong turn, and you’re off track.

So in the Lord, you don’t want to make wrong turns. You don’t want to proceed down a wrong course because you’ll have to pay for that sin, that mistake, that jumping ahead. It will take you off track and away from your destination, and you’ll have to get back on. So save yourself the problem.

Wait until you know it’s God’s will. If you’re feeling uneasy, don’t do it. If there’s a question, don’t go there. Stop, get the direction right. Go in righteousness and don’t mess up your journey with sin because it takes a lot longer to get back on track than to not go off in the first place.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Get out your spiritual “road map” the “Bible” and study your route for today. Seek God’s will in every decision. Then go in it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

Appearing Beautiful or Being Beautiful…

1 Peter 3:4 says, “Women are to have a quiet spirit.” The Greek word there means, undisturbed. Are you disturbed? It’s not beautiful. What does God find beautiful or ugly?

When you’re disturbed, upset, or angry, it’s not a beautiful thing. When you’re a bitter person, filled with fear, discontent, frustrated, and never satisfied, that’s not beautiful. A person who’s in conflict with others, jealous, full of self-pity, always worrying, that’s not beautiful either. All these things are different ways of being disturbed. God calls us to have an undisturbed spirit.

Start becoming truly beautiful by adorning yourself with an undisturbed spirit of peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, contentment and blessing.

We’re all called to be part of the bride. Cultivate a spirit that doesn’t get upset so easily, doesn’t get anxious, or bent out of shape, full of crisis, and fearful.

Keep yourself in Jesus’s shalom by resting in His love. You’ll not only have peace, blessings, and contentment, but it’ll be something else. You’ll be beautiful to God.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4

Today, seek not to look beautiful – but to be truly beautiful in God’s Spirit.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Antichrist Book…

Friedrich Nietzsche, the son of a Lutheran pastor, wrote a book called Antichrist. In it he called Christianity the one great curse, the one enormous, innermost perversion, the moral blemish of mankind.

He said, “I regard Christianity as the most seductive lie that ever existed. I condemn it.” A young Austrian named Adolf Hitler, read Nietzsche’s books and was fascinated by them.

He became a disciple of Nietzsche and his philosophy becoming the epitome of the title Antichrist and a foreshadow of the Antichrist to come.

The result was The Third Reich, the Second World War, the Holocaust, and millions of people dying. Behind world history and the news are spiritual things; good and evil.

What you do in the spiritual realm, what you believe, and what you receive makes a difference. Hitler is evidence of that, going back to Nietzsche.

So, turn away from the ways of the enemy. Live as a child of light, and you’ll prevail and crush the serpent under your feet. The enemy is real. But God is even more real!

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Ephesians 5:8-9

Today, take the war you’re in more seriously. Reject and turn down anything of the evil one.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed