Ed Christian's World

Living In The Verb…

In English, the noun usually comes first, but in Hebrew the verb comes first. In Genesis 22:3, the English reads, “Abraham rose early in the morning,” but in Hebrew “Early rose Abraham.” In English, “He took two of his youths and Isaac his son,” in Hebrew, “Took he two of his youths.” In English, “He split the wood for a burnt offering.” In Hebrew, “Split he the wood;” the action first, then the noun.

Why? In America we tend to think our lives consist of things. But in Hebrew, life isn’t so much about nouns, it’s about the verb. It’s not about earthly things, it’s about moving in the Spirit. It’s not so much about what you own, but where you’re going.

It’s not about your label or your status, but about what you’re doing with God. Don’t live after things. Don’t get wrapped up in or weighed down by things.

Start moving in the divine verbs of God: loving, giving, hoping, believing, praising, worshiping, and overcoming. In English, split he the wood doesn’t make a good sentence, but in Hebrew it makes all the sense in the world.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.  Romans 8:12

Make it your aim to focus not on things today or anything you possess. Go through the day as someone who possesses nothing but God and is here on earth just to do the will of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Cosmic Therapist…

Some people go to therapy to solve their problems. In Acts 4 ,the apostles are put on trial for a man being healed. The Greek word used for healing is therapeuo. We get the word therapy from that word.

The power of Jesus that healed that man has the power of therapy. In Jesus, we’re all in therapy. We have a Jewish doctor who doesn’t charge for sessions. Your whole life should be a life of healing, becoming whole and sound, more functional as the child of God that you’re meant to be.

For that to happen, you need to spend time with your therapist, opening up your heart, your soul, your life, opening up your wounds, fears and need. Let your heavenly therapist have His way with you and make you whole. That’s His desire. Prayer time is therapy time.

Do you want to become truly whole? Then spend more time with Him, because in Him is your healing. His name is Adonai Rapha – the Lord our Healer, Sar Shalom – the Prince of Peace. Jesus is your heavenly therapist and you just happen to be in therapy.

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Spend time with your therapist, the Lord your Healer, today. Share with Him, your secrets, your hurts, your burdens.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Bridal Nightlight…

The Song of Solomon says that the bride’s face is as fair as the moon. The beauty of the moon is that it reflects the radiance of the sun. It’s the first sign that the sun is still out there and it’s coming.

It’s the light of the rising sun. As the bride, you need to have the beauty of the moon about you. Look beyond this world, beyond the darkness of this night. Look to the light of Jesus, particularly to the light of His rising.

Live your life in the power of His rising, of the resurrection. Set your face beyond your situation and into the direction of His light, into the hope, the glory, the victory and the power of His rising. Live your life in the transforming power of the resurrection.

That’s the moon reflecting the light of the sun. As you do that, you’re going to glow and be radiant with His light in any circumstance. Shine with His light and your life will become as beautiful as the light of the rising sun, radiating in the face of the moon.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Matthew 5:14

Let all who see you, see the Love of Christ within you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Redeemer In Disquise…

Ruth is gleaning food in the fields as a foreigner and she stumbles onto the field of Boaz. They meet, but she has no idea that he’s going to be the redemption of her life. She doesn’t see her story as beautiful. Her redeemer is right there, but hidden from her heart. God already had the answer before she saw it.

As for you, in your hardest and lowest times, the most beautiful things are happening. When you look back, you see that God already had the answer waiting for you. You didn’t see it, but it was right there.

People are blessed with great testimonies. What makes these testimonies so beautiful is that when it seemed hopeless, God was right there. God’s beautiful flowers germinate in darkness; when you don’t feel anything. Bless Him anyway, because He’s there.

Learn to start thanking God now before you see the answer. Rejoice that it’s there, and you’ll see it. In your darkest times, the redeemer is waiting, Messiah in disguise, right there in your midst. He’s waiting for you to rejoice and give God the glory before you see it.

“Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 41:14

Do you have a problem, a need, a want, an issue? Thank Him for the answer today before your answer appears.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Equation Of Love…

In mathematics, one plus one equals two. But when Scripture speaks about love, one plus one equals one. In Genesis, the two become one flesh. Jesus said, “A man shall leave father and mother…and the two shall be one flesh.”

Jesus and the Church, the two shall be one. It doesn’t make sense; it’s not logical that one plus one equals one. But love isn’t logical. Saying that someone gave you no reason to love them, they’re unloving. That doesn’t matter.

Stop looking for a reason to love. Love is not rational, or reasonable, according to our laws and understanding. Love doesn’t need a reason. Love gives a reason because God is love and He loved us when we gave Him no reason.

So those people who give you no reason to love, love them anyway. That’s how God loves you. One plus one is supposed to equal two, but the nature of God’s love defies our laws.

One plus one equals one. Love is not logical. It involves the miracle of transcending yourself. Just love and bless them anyway. It’s as logical as one plus one equals one.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39

Make it your aim to love everyone in your life today, unconditionally, just as Jesus did.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Well-Speaking…

When someone dies, a eulogy is given. In the New Testament, the word bless is often times the Greek word eulogeo-eulogy, meaning “to speak well of.”

Now Jesus says, we’re dead to the world and the world has died to us. If that’s the case, your enemies are part of the world. That means they aren’t your enemies anymore, they died. Give them a eulogy. Speak well of them. Bless your enemies.

All the times in your life when people didn’t love you, abandoned you, hurt you or rejected you, that’s part of the world too. And the world died to you, so it’s dead, it’s gone. It can’t affect you any more if you don’t let it. Give it a eulogy.

Bless your past. Bless the disappointments in your life. Bless all the things you didn’t get, the things that didn’t go the way you wanted them to go. Bless all of it, because God promises he will work it all for good.

But it all begins when you can speak well of it, when you do what you need to do and deliver your eulogy.

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8

Release your past hurts, rejections, and disappointments by giving them a eulogy today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Beggar At The Door…

Jesus tells the story of the rich man partying in his mansion, and poor Lazarus on his doorstep. The rich man who doesn’t help, ends up being judged. We listen to this and think we’re Lazarus the righteous man, but we’re not.

In this world, we’re the rich man and the rest of the world is Lazarus. They’re right there outside our doorstep starving to death. We’re feasting and Lazarus is shivering in the cold. We’re praising the Lord, and that’s good. But Lazarus is outside perishing without the Gospel.

Jesus said,”When you do it to the least of these, you do it to me.” So essentially it’s Jesus who’s cold, hungry, naked, and perishing. There are orphans, lepers, the starving, the persecuted, the oppressed in darkened huts without the Gospel.

Jesus is at our doorstep and our door is closed. Open the door. Open the door of your heart, your life, your involvement, your abundance. Give to the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the stranger because there’s a stranger on your doorstep that needs your help, waiting for your help, and it is Jesus.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

Open your eyes to see those around you. Bless someone in need today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Blowing In The Wind…

On the Feast of Shavuot– Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came with the sound of a mighty rushing wind. In Hebrew, the way you say Holy Spirit is “Ruach Ha Kodesh.” Ruach means wind, and Ha Kodesh means “the Holy.”

The Holy Spirit is the Holy Wind. What does that tell us? The Ruach is Wind, and wind is power. Wind can level a house or a city. God’s Spirit came to give you power to do His will. But you don’t have to do it in your own strength.

God has given you the Spirit; the power of the Wind. It wasn’t a gentle wind. It was a mighty rushing wind. Because you don’t just need power, you need the power of God. He didn’t just give you power, He gave you the Power of His Wind!

The power to break down all obstacles to do His will. To sweep away resistance and move forward to victory. So go for it. You can do all things as God has called you. Because you’ve got His Spirit and that’s the Power of the Wind – a Mighty Rushing Wind.

For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5

Ask the Lord to blow His Holy Wind on your life today to tear down any obstacles that have hindered you from serving Him with your whole heart – and then move ahead in His will.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

On Caring…

Grandfather told me once a long time ago that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. To me, as someone who cares so much for people, that made a lot of sense. Over the years I’ve found that if you are always there to give a helping hand, a bit of encouraging advice or just listen to someone as they talk about their problems you light up their world in ways no one could imagine.

John 15: 12 says “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” This pretty much lays out how we are to live our lives. Then as we look at Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” This pretty much shows us that as we shine our light, we are sharing our blessings and knowledge with others, not because we have the knowledge but because we love others enough to show them the way.

Sometimes, sharing a popular Bible verse with someone who is struggling will help remind them of Gods love for them forever and always. Of course, this is not the only way to help those in need. Routinely giving back to charities, volunteering at local food banks, and being someone they can lean on in times of need, are powerful and profound means to uplifting others. But Bible verses about helping others remind followers of Jesus Christ the importance of being kind and generous — regardless of any recognition you may receive.

It can be extremely meaningful to reach out to those who are less fortunate and find ways to remind them that they are not alone. God is always watching from above, and while your patience may wear out when you are going through a hard time, hearing scripture can spark a new beginning. You can also share these verses with your family and friends to remind them how much you love them and that you will always be there to offer a helping hand whenever they may need it.

Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices. Hebrews 13:16

Another thing Grandfather used to tell me was to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. With everyone looking out for everyone else’s interests more than their own, no one would be in need. You can find this in the book of Phillipians chapter 2

Caring for others is so important in our lives, yet so many seem only to care about their selves and not about their neighbor. Seeing this saddens me, but also reminds me of how blessed I am to have been raised how I was. Yes I have a unique education and have experienced life in ways most people never dream of, but God has always been there as my co-pilot to lead by the hand to safety.

Sharing my life with others has been a blessing for me and those who listened to my story. I’ve learned to love others more each and everyday of my life. My hope is that I showed others how to do that. We are the hand of God here to care for others, how we treat them should be an example of how God has blessed us.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Tablets and The Wind…

The outpouring of God’s Spirit on Pentecost, Shavuot, was the empowering of the New Covenant. On that same feast, Moses went up to Mount Sinai and received the Law. The Law was given to Israel – the Old Covenant; the Spirit was given to the apostles – the New Covenant.

The fact that the Spirit came on the same day that Jewish people were celebrating the Old Covenant is the sign that Jeremiah 31:31 has been fulfilled, “The time is coming when I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah…” “…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”

As believers, we have to move from the realm of stone and letters to the realm of Spirit and a heart of righteousness. The only way to fulfill the righteousness of God is by the Spirit of God, from the inside out. Get the Spirit and Heart of God into your life and you’ll live in His righteousness. The New Covenant is the Spirit Covenant. Live in the Spirit, and your Covenant will always be New.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit and write His Word on your heart today, and move in the moving of His Spirit.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed