Ed Christian's World

The Big Picture…

It was early morning, the sun had just begun to rise. Grandfather took me on a journey to the city through the desert riding on horses. The purpose of the trip was to pick up supplies for the school. But, as usual, he had more than one purpose in mind.

One thing I want you do today, he said, is to keep watch over the sun.

It was a strange directive, even for a nine year old, but I did my best, noting from time to time it’s position in the sky. At journeys end, upon our return, he questioned me.

What did you see? He asked

Nothing out of the ordinary, I replied, nothing of note. The sun was just the sun.

I imagine, Grandfather said, that at times it was obscured by the mountains, the trees, and the buildings of the city. But otherwise, I imagine it stayed the same, certainly the same size. I would also imagine that the landscape was continually changing, everything was changing around us except for the sun.

That’s true, I said, but isn’t that the way the sun works?

Yes, but why is that the way the sun works? Then he added, It’s because although a mountain or a house or even a hand can appear bigger than the sun and can, for a time obscure it, the reality is that the sun’s true magnitude, it’s actual size, is so enormous, so colossal, that the highest mountain on earth is as nothing in comparison.

It doesn’t appear so in the short run, but it becomes clear over the long run. Even in our little journey, everything we saw completely changed, the hills, the mountains, everything but the sun. If we had traveled thousands of miles, it wouldn’t have made a difference. The sun’s colossal magnitude is manifested by it’s changelessness.

What does that reveal? I asked.

Then Grandfather smiled and said two thousand years ago, Jesus said, ‘ I am the Light of the World.’ Since that time, ages have begun and ended, continents and civilizations have been discovered, kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen, kings and luminaries have appeared and passed away. And some of these have, for a moment, seemed larger.

For a time they obscured the figure of the Nazarene. But in the long run, over the course of the long journey, they’ve all passed away. Everything has changed… except Him.

All the rest lies in ruins and rubble or in the pages of history… but He remains, unchanged, undiminished.. as central, as pivotal and as colossal as He has ever been. Everything changes but Him. He is the sun. And the immensity of His magnitude is manifested by His changelessness.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains– where does my help come from? Psalms 121:1

This is my favorite verse in the Bible as it reminds me I can do nothing without Him. I am constantly amazed in today’s world by how people forget where they come from or where they are going.

I think we need to relearn just how much we rely on God in our daily life. I generally start my day with a quiet conversation with Him before I do my daily posts. I then go outdoors and do a top down observation of the wonders He has presented for the day.

I notice the life all around me from the birds flying in the sky to the beetles crawling on the ground. I watch the leaves as they ruffle in the gentle breeze He provides. I smell the newness of the day in the fragrances of the flowers and grass. Then I look up and thank God for giving me another glorious day.

I would like to remind everyone to go out and look up! Then thank God for all He gives you everyday.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. Psalms 29:3-5

Today, see all things in view of the big picture. Whatever problems or issues you have are small in comparison to Him and will pass away in the magnitude of the Son.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Zeus’ Mid-life Crisis…

In Greek mythology, the king of the gods was Zeus. He was married to Hera. Zeus was always carrying on affairs with gods and mortals. He actually would take human form and animal form.

This was Greek religion. Gods of the ancient world were projections of people projected onto gods. Zeus was a fantasy of a lot of frustrated, middle-aged Greek men going through a midlife crisis. Pagan. You project; you make your own god. It’s not just the pagans who do this. Believers often do that, too.

We make God into our own image. We project our ideas onto God. We downplay parts of His Word to conform to our lives. We’re no better than the pagans when we’re making God into our own image, instead of conforming our life to Him.

That’s pagan because it doesn’t bring any life. Stop trying to conform God to your image. This is an impossible task. Instead, start letting your life conform to His Word. We are to be transformed into the same image from glory to glory.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2.

Let yourself be conformed completely to the Word. Take the Word at full strength and do not project your own ideas. Be a projection of His image, today.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Olah Offering…

The most radical offering in ancient Israel was called the Olah – the burnt offering or whole offering. It’s translated into Greek as holocaustos, from which we get the word holocaust. Olah means simply to go up.

Jesus is the Olah, the whole sacrifice, total offering, the Olah that goes up. He went up from Jerusalem to the Father. He went up from the Mount of Olives. There are profound connections here because that which is totally offered up as a sacrifice, totally consumed, is that which goes up.

We’re all called to go up. We don’t just have a walk in the Lord, we have an upward walk. Paul says the upward call. You go up when you become totally consumed in the Lord, in worship, praise, serving Him in love.

The one who’s totally consumed with God won’t be able to help himself or herself. If you’re totally consumed with God, you’ll go up, rise, ascend. You’re to be a little version of Jesus. Jesus is the Olah, the total sacrifice. He who ascends. You do the same, and so shall you.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Hold nothing back, but be totally consumed in your walk and in worship. Serve Him wholly and mightily as He gave Himself totally all out for you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Leah’s Yahudah…

Jacob had two wives, Rachel and Leah. Rachel was loved. Leah was unloved. Rachel was beautiful, but apparently Leah was not. Yet, God looked down and blessed her. He gave her children.

One of them named Judah, or in Hebrew, Yahudah, which means praise, thanks, worship. From Yahudah, Leah’s baby, we get the tribe of Judah, from which came Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Yahudah, Judah. Leah was unloved, but not by God who looks to the inside, not the outside.

Her praise, her Yahudah, her Judah, resulted in the birth of Jesus. It doesn’t matter what people think of you. Praise Him in your problem: hardship, weakness, rejection, trouble, loneliness – in all things.

From your praise will come your blessing, the redemption of your situation, as it was with Leah. From your praise will come your answer and the fullness of His blessing.

Through your praise will come Yeshua, Jesus. It doesn’t matter what you’re going through, praise Him and Yeshua, Jesus, will come through.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

Let your praises spring forth from your soul at all times. Praise Him in all circumstances, even when you don’t feel like it, when it is hard, praise anyway. Your blessing awaits.rn

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Cornerstone Construction…

Rosh Pinah is one of the most important titles in Scriptures. Psalm 118 says the stone that the builders rejected has become the Rosh Pinah, the cornerstone.

In Acts 4:4-12, Peter says, “He is the stone which you the builders rejected, but which has become the Rosh Pinah, the cornerstone.” One of Jesus’s titles is Rosh Pinah in Hebrew, which means literally, Rosh (head) and Pinah (corner), head of the corner, cornerstone.

The cornerstone is the first stone from which everything else is built. Only upon Jesus can you build your life. You can’t build your life on marriage, career, or anything else. You can only build it on the cornerstone. He is the Rosh Pinah, the beginning of everything. Begin everything with Him.

Start your day on the cornerstone – because everything that is not founded on Him will surely fall apart. Everything founded on Him, will surely stand. Build your life on Him. He is the only foundation that anything can be built upon. He is your cornerstone. He is your Rosh Pinah.

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.” Isaiah 28:16

Start everything with Yeshua. Go to the chief cornerstone for lasting joy in what you touch upon today. Don’t start anything without Him!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Your Kata…

If you’re reading the Gospels in Greek, you see the word kata. Kata means according to, by, or on the basis of. Matthew the gospel kata, Mark kata, Luke kata, John kata. It’s the good news of God.

Even though your unsaved friends may never read the Gospel and have it manifested, they need to see it. Because of this, the Gospel needs to be the gospel kata, – kata you, according to you.

Every time you show them God’s love, forgive them, rejoice when you have no reason to, they’re reading the Gospel kata without realizing it. Every time they see your peace, faith, generosity, your love for them, they’re going to see the Gospel kata, according to you.

It doesn’t matter if they take Bible studies or what they think of the Bible. They’ll be reading it because the Gospel will come into their ears, eyes and hearts.

Get that Gospel into every part of your life, because in as much as you live it, it will be translated to the world, the Gospel kata, the Gospel according to you.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Be a shining example of God’s light to the world. Show love through random acts of love for others. Live the love, let them see God’s love in you, flowing out.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Macro-Love…

1 Corinthians 13 says that love perseveres, endures. Some translations render it as long suffering, but the Greek word is macro. In photography, a macro-zoom goes the long distance.

That’s what love is, it has to be for the long distance, the long run. God’s love, agape, isn’t short term, not a feeling or something that comes and goes, not a high. God’s love is for the long haul. God loved Israel 4,000 years ago.

He still loves Israel today. His love for Israel is macro. God loved you when you first came to the Lord. He loves you just as much now. His love for you is macro. His love goes the distance. It holds on when it’s easy, when it’s hard, when you’re love able and when you’re unlovable.

Your love also has to be macro-love that goes the distance. Not a feeling that comes and goes. Real love perseveres, presses through, never gives up. Love with a true love because that’s exactly how God loves you and will always love you. Love with a love that He loved you with… macro love.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

Commit to a love not based on feelings, but a love that perseveres, and presses through no matter what.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Things vs Love…

When two people are in love, they don’t really care about other things; just about each other. They are completely in love. But, if they fall out of love or choose divorce, suddenly things matter–the furniture, the card table–who owns what?

So with church history. The first believers didn’t have much, but they possessed all things. They were in love with God. Things didn’t matter. They had so much more. But as church history went on, it changed.

The church began to get wealth, power, status, and many other things. When you are in love, you don’t care much about things, but once things become important, you are not in love.

So with us. When you first came to the Lord you didn’t care. You had Him and that was enough. Maybe now you’ve become wrapped up in things. When your heart is on these many things you fall out of love with God.

Put away your things, clear out that space in your heart, get back to the love you had for Him, because those who are in love are free from things.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Turn away from these things that have taken your attention from God. Fill yourself up with His love.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Living In The OR…

My sister was correcting her daughter. My sister said, “Young lady, are you going to do this? Yes or no?” My niece replied “OR, I choose OR.” Totally rebellious, not good behavior, but clever. Strange?

Not really, we do that in the Lord. The Lord says if Baal is god, choose him. If the Lord is God, choose Him. But we don’t really give an unconditional yes. We don’t totally give up the old. We don’t fully say “yes” to God and we don’t fully say “no” to the world.

We are living in the land of “OR.” A little righteous, a little sinful, a little prayer, a little worldly, a little compromise. We live in the land of “OR.” It’s God, but then there’s an idol. We haven’t once and for all cut that thing off, or ruled God in. We are living in the land of “OR,” and Abraham left the land of Ur.

As Abraham’s children, you have to leave the land of “OR.” Choose yes once and for all. You are going to be blessed the moment you choose, and start coming out of the land of “OR.”

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Move out of the land of Or and into the land of decision for God. End indecision and begin victory.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Some Trust In Duct Tape…

Because of a recent terrorism scare, the government gave instructions on how to survive a chemical or nuclear attack. How? With duct tape and plastic wrap. Are you concerned with terrorism? No. Why not? I have duct tape. Concerned with a nuclear explosion? No. Duct tape.

What about the book of Revelation? It’s okay, I have duct tape. The cup of judgment? Duct tape. Armageddon? Duct tape. Well, they meant well. Personally, I picked up some duct tape and plastic wrap, just in case. In the end, it doesn’t matter what security we have, it’s just duct tape and plastic wrap.

There’s only One who can save us. Only one we can rest in and find peace. His name is Yeshua, Jesus. Jesus’ real name, Yeshua, means He will save. If you are saved, that means you are safe…only in Him.

That’s the point. In Him we are to rest and trust, and find peace. Some trust in chariots, some in duct tape, but for you, trust in Yeshua who is strong and mighty to keep you in perfect shalom….strong against any terror and more effective than duct tape.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

Today trust in the power of the name of Yeshua, Jesus. And in that name, be secure and confident.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed