Ed Christian's World

The Bereans

The Apostle Paul, went to Berea and preached. The Bible says the Bereans were noble. They received the word. The Greek word here for noble is eugenees. We get the word Eugene and eugenics from it. “Eu” means well and “genees” means genes or genetics – good genes or well – born.

It’s translated into noble, of good birth. Most of the people in Berea weren’t nobility. They weren’t rich or powerful. In fact, there were probably a lot of very poor people. So how are they of good birth or good genes?

When we become born again, we become someone who is born of a good birth. The Bereans received the word, which made them noble. When you receive the word you become born again.

You become a true noble man or woman. You’re to live a noble life, a life of integrity and dignity, because you’re born of God. You’re of good stock, as well-born as it gets, so live that way. Live a life of nobility, because you’re a noble person in the Lord.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Since you’re a child of God, act like your Father, walk in His ways of love. Show dignity and respect for yourself and others today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Overshadower…

The Hebrew scriptures speak of Jesus coming at the sunrise. Isaiah 60:1 says, “Arise, shine; for your light has come.” In Malachi, “The Son of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.”

What happens when the sun rises? When the sun rises, everything else, every other light fades away. The moon becomes like a faded ghost. The stars disappear. That’s who Jesus is – He’s the One who overshadows everything else.

If we turn to Jesus and see Him in His glory, if you see God face to face, everything else fades away because it’s so brilliant. That means your problems will fade away. Your worries will fade away. Your sins will fade away.

Let Him overshadow everything else. Let His love overshadow your fears; His beauty overshadow the world around you; His joy oveshadow your temptations; His righteousness overshadow your sin, and His presence overshadow even your very life.

Get so caught up in seeing Him who is the sunrise that the rest fades away. And when the rest fades away, then you are really seeing Him.

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Malachi 4:2

Today turn your heart, mind and focus to the sunrise of the Lord and let His light and love overshadow every thing else.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed

The Holy Lawbreaker…

Jonah had an amazing ministry even though he didn’t even want it. He gave the worst message you can give and what happened? Revival broke out. The whole city got saved. Jonah, the man who rejected his calling, wanted nothing to do with God’s call on his life, became the most successful missionary in history.

This teaches us something very important. It’s not about us, it’s about God. If Jonah, who hated his calling, did everything he could to get out of it, became the most successful minister in history, then how much more can you do? You haven’t run away or been swallowed by a fish.

The point is, it’s not your power or abilities that’s going to fulfill your ministry. It’s the power and ability of God. It’s just your yes. Get God into every part of your life and go for it. Because if God can fulfill the calling of Jonah who did everything he could to prevent it, how much more will He do for you.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Surrender to God’s will for your life today. Trust that God is able to fulfill His purpose for you by His power that is at work in you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Inbred Christianity…

Royal families of Europe only associated with and married each other. This led them to becoming inbred. It’s not healthy to intermarry. Families become weaker and vulnerable to diseases.

Likewise, a congregation can become inbred. What is meant by this? It happens when it has no relation any more to the outside world. It has its own Christian churchy culture.

In the same way, if you get so into Christian culture, you can lose the Lord and actually become weaker. You will actually segregate yourself from the very world that needs your influence the most.

If you’re not stepping out, not taking new ground for the Lord, advancing the Gospel or sharing with unbelievers, you are at risk of becoming inbred. You can forget where you came from and what the whole point was.

It’s the fallow ground that bears the most fruit. The power of the Gospel is to go forth. Get out of your comfort zone and begin transforming the areas that haven’t been touched yet. Let’s face it–becoming inbred isn’t good for the royal children of Europe and it’s certainly not good for the royal children of God.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16

Step out in God today. Ask Him to put people in your path that need to hear about salvation and the love of Jesus. Ask Him for the right words to say. He will help you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Minding Your Mind…

We treat our thought life as if it’s something that just happens. The Bible says, “Take every thought captive.” This tells us that God has given us the ability to have charge over our thought life. You have the ability to bind and loose them, cut them off and lead them in the right direction.

But what if it’s just something you feel? “I can’t control my feelings,” you might say. In Hebrew, one of the words for feelings is “lev,” which also means “mind, thoughts.” So don’t confuse your emotions and your thoughts. They are the same thing.

God has given you the power to lead your thoughts, emotions and feelings – take all of it captive. It’s not the end of the story, it’s the beginning of the story. When you despair and say, “I can’t help it. It’s just the way I feel.” counteract this and say “But I’m not going to be stuck with it,”

David asked, “Why are you so downcast?” He told his heart what to do. Start leading your thoughts. As Jesus leads you, you’ll have the power to lead them. It starts when you take every thought captive.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Cast down negative thoughts and invite Jesus to be exalted over your mind today. Feelings can deceive us, but God’s Word never will.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Removing Training Wheels…

When I was little, I had a bike with training wheels and wanted to learn how to ride. My sister tried to teach me, but the bike kept falling. One day I decided it was about time I learned to ride a bike. I took out the two-wheel bike, pedaled once, then two times, three pedals, and then I was riding all over the neighborhood. It was time.

God wants you to grab that bike and ride – to go to a new level. You might be afraid. You might have fallen down in the past, crashed, messed up in the Lord. You might have always had failure in one area of your life and you’re scared that you’re going to continue with a walk of failure.

The Lord says it’s time to put away the training wheels, put aside the old stuff that you shouldn’t be into anymore. You need to grow up in the Lord. It’s time to say enough is enough. It’s been too long. It’s time to break through, rise to new things, step out, take God seriously and rise to the call. It’s time to ride.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15

Do you have that burning desire to accomplish more for God? Then be active in your goal to grow and mature spiritually.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Serpent’s Twist…

God gives His word to Adam and Eve, the first command; do not eat of that tree. The serpent asked, did God really say that? What’s he doing? He is putting doubt and attacking the word. The woman goes on what she sees.

The woman said, God told us not to eat of the tree or to touch it. He didn’t say not to touch it, but the enemy says, you surely shall not die. He is taking away from the word of God. Notice that one adds to the word and one takes away from the word.

Do you know what happens? When you change the word of God, when you alter it or dilute it, you end up with death. It’s the old nature that bends the word of God, takes away from or adds to it. You might feel good for a moment, but it will take you to death.

Do you want to live a life of fullness? Then believe God’s word. Believe it beyond what you desire or want and it will always keep you in the ways of life and blessing, and far away from the serpent.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 2 Corinthians 4:2

The Bible is the dearest treasure in this world; the most precious of all books. Every verse, every line, every word in God’s Word came from the mouth of God. It cannot be changed!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Sin As A Bacterium…

Do you know why you are not dead right now? Because God made something in you called the immune system. Your immune system doesn’t wait until you get sick to start fighting or until you have a major threat in your life.

It fights at the first sign of danger. As soon as it detects the slightest one-cell bacteria, that’s it. God’s amazing creation of the human body gives us an example of how we should conduct our lives.

Don’t wait for sin to grow in you, take root, and make you spiritually sick. Fight sin at the first germ, nip it in the bud, when it first creeps into your life. Fight sin when it’s a mere thought or temptation.

With God’s help, be on guard, protect yourself from sin, and keep it away from you. You will then be free to daily live healthy and strong in the Lord, fulfilling the purpose God has given you. It’s as simple as learning from the body God gave you. It’s as simple as not catching a cold.

Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133

Always be on guard for the very first signs of sin threatening your walk with God. Fight sin at the very first sign of temptation. Recognize the threat, seal it and put it under the Blood of the Lamb.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Messiah and Isaiah…

Many people seek to prove the Messiahship of Jesus through the prophecies of Isaiah and the prophets. For instance Isaiah 53 speaks about the death and the suffering of Jesus.

Although an amazing prophecy, Jesua didn’t need Isaiah 53 in order for His life to happen. He didn’t even need Isaiah. Isaiah needed Jesus. The world didn’t hear about Jesus because of Isaiah. They heard about Isaiah because of Jesus.

Most of the world knows about Moses and Abraham and David and Isaiah because of Jesus. It’s not the other way around. Indeed He used them, but He certainly didn’t need them. He is greater than that.

He doesn’t need to get approval or authority from anyone else because He is the one from whom all authority and approval comes. We who are His disciples are the same way. All who follow Him don’t need anything from this world.

We are here to give. Learn to walk in the authority and the power of the awesomeness of Jesus. Live confident. Live strong. Live sure. Live blessed. Messiah Jesus didn’t need Isaiah. Isaiah and everybody else in this universe needs Him.

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Be confident that all you need is from Heaven above. Your authority comes from Jesus. Use His power to share the Word and be the blessing that people need today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

I Can Only Touch You Now…

Many times I’ve been asked about how I became who I am so today we will discuss who I am. I have lived an unique and somewhat enchanted life and am always willing to share and teach the lessons I have learned.

I am a child of God. My sole purpose in life is to touch the minds of others and show them that they are too. I believe every living thing in this universe has a song to sing, a tale to tell. Listen carefully to their tales for they will open unlimited secrets of life.

Being an outdoors person, I feel close to nature and the animals. Some have even told me that I have a special gift of being able to talk to the animals and listen to what they have to say, for sure they follow my directions very well. I feel at home with nature among the trees, flowers and animals. Grandfather said “Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others – even the dull and ignorant for they too have a story to tell.”

What he didn’t tell me was that even the plants and animals have a song to sing and a tale to tell and as I sit here among the trees and flowers, listening to the birds sing and watching the deer wander in the grass, I realize how special all living things are and how their stories shape our future.

I’ve been called a healer by many because I can help calm the spirit with my touch and sometimes remove the pain of a hurt soul. They say I have a magic touch.

The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17

I believe we should give a little sunshine to everyone we touch… It helps generate a whole world of feeling. Share your experiences with others, good and bad, for they are lessons that may help others explain what is happening in their life. In turn they may just open a world of feeling and grace you never knew you had.

Remember, God never closes one door – without first opening another. Stop and think about this for a minute, you are never left unprotected by His grace. But when you stop to think – remember to start again.

One of Grandfather’s lessons was on worry. “Worry over tomorrow casts shadows on today” he said. “You don’t need to worry about yesterday for it is already gone, don’t worry about today for He is here to guide you, and you don’t need to worry about tomorrow because He is already there.”

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Matthew 6:25-27

Dreams are the visions of hope – The power needed to make wishes come true. Many times the answer we most need for a challenge we are facing comes in our dreams. Like angels whispering in our ears. Grandfather was very adamant about this adding we control our day much more than we realize. “As the corners of your mouth go, so goes the rest of your day.”

I have learned that even with the toughest challenges, you are to keep ascending the mountain by daily scattering seeds of hope along the way, to everyone you meet, and, should mists hide the mountain top, continue undaunted and you will reach the sun tipped heights in your own life – experience. Change yourself and your work will seem different. What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humankind.

The bird with the broken pinion never soared so high again, but the song it sings is sweeter! The lesson here is that you can fail many times, but you aren’t a failure until you begin to blame someone else.

We all fail sometimes in our life, but we learn from our experience and pick ourself up and try again. Life experiences are valuable lessons, don’t be afraid to sing your song!

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Speech may sometimes do harm; but so may silence and a worse harm at that. No insult ever caused so deep a wound as a tenderness expected and withheld, and no spoken indiscretion was ever so bitterly regretted as the word that one did not speak. An admission of error is a sign of strength rather than a confession of weakness. Why is this so hard for people to grasp?

The best and most beautiful things in the universe cannot be seen nor touched – but are felt in the heart. Solitude is the ante – chamber of God; only one more step and you will be in His immediate presence.

You are a child of God, no less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you – undoubtedly life is unfolding as it should.

Perhaps Confucius said it best: “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”

These are the lessons of life I have learned both from my Grandfather and living centered in Jesus. I pray they can be useful to you.

I can only touch you now…and then I must go.

With all my heart!

Love,

Ed