Ed Christian's World

He Who Goes Before You…

At the end of the story of Joseph, his brothers see who he is. He says to them, you meant this for evil, but God meant it for good. God sent me ahead of you to preserve your life.

Joseph is a shadow of Jesus. Jesus is the one who went before you to judgment so you could be saved. He went before you to the Father in heaven so you could go to heaven. If you are saved, then Jesus is the one who goes before you every day of your life.

Before you get up in the morning and go anywhere, He is already ahead of you. Before you encounter that problem, He has already been there and is seeking to work it out for good. Before you encounter that temptation, Jesus has already been there and He’s ready to help you out of it.

Don’t fear your future, because Jesus has already gone there before you. Every problem, challenge, temptation, danger, blessing and everything coming your way–don’t worry! Because like Joseph, Jesus has already gone there before you.

Before they call I will answer while they are still speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

Open your day with Jesus, asking Him to plan your steps ahead of you, lead you and guide you according to His plan. Then walk in His footsteps.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love.always,

Ed

The Little Things…

Some marriage advice today. There are marriages that break up over somebody leaving the toilet seat up or the cap off the toothpaste.

The smallest difference, if not dealt with, forgiven, or resolved, can destroy a relationship. If the smallest issue is kept inside to fester, it’s going to build a wall.

On the other hand, the biggest difference can actually build a marriage, if it causes each one to come together to work it out. Successful marriages aren’t those without any problems or differences, but those marriages in which the differences are worked out.

Your relationship with God is a marriage, and like marriage, the smallest difference can destroy your peace and your relationship. If you’re upset or disagree with God, or are hurt – let Him know it, don’t hold it in. Deal with it together.

Tell Him what you think. Then praise Him for being right and do what He says. Bring it to Him, whatever it is, lift it to Him, take it really close and there won’t be any walls. You’ll have a good, healthy, successful relationship and marriage to God.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10

Take all the problems you face today to your heavenly Father, release all your burdens to Him, that there is no distance between you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Gift to the Mailman…

Imagine that you sent this really costly gift through the mail to a loved one. A week later you get a letter back thanking you for the beautiful gift, signed, the mailman.

The thank you from the mailman would mean the gift never got to the one you sent it to. In the same way, every good work you do is to be for God, a gift to God. If you do things to get someone to thank you, what are you doing? You’re giving gifts to the mailman.

It’s not getting to where it’s supposed to go. All the good you ever do, all the love you ever show, is to be a gift to God. You do it to people, but it goes to God. If you start expecting thank you notes from people, you’re not really addressing your gift or your good works rightly to God.

Stop sending your gifts to the mailman. Stop expecting people to thank you, recognize, or praise your good works. Start getting your good works in to Heaven. That is, do it for God alone, His thank you alone, His eyes only, and not for the mailman.

So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:4

Today seek to get nothing from others, no thank you ,no recognition, but live this day completely to bless God and bless others.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Going Forth…

Why did the Lord command His disciples to “tarry,” to wait in Jerusalem? The answer is sung by Jews in virtually every synagogue. The exact words are: Kee Mitzion Taytzeh torah – The Law shall go forth from Zion – Oo davar Adonai may Yerushalayim – And the Word of the Lord shall go forth from Jerusalem.

It’s prophesied in Isaiah that one day, the Word of the Lord shall go forth to all nations, and will come from Jerusalem. Whenever Orthodox Jews chant this, they are bearing witness to the Gospel as only Jesus brought the Word of God to the world from Jerusalem.

What does it have to do with you? Everything. If the Jewish people and Jesus knew that it’s crucial for the Gospel to begin in Jerusalem -you also must begin the Gospel in Jerusalem. Where is Jerusalem?

Jerusalem is where you start out; your home is Jerusalem, your family is Jerusalem, your co-workers – that’s Jerusalem. Share the Good News now where you’re at – in Jerusalem. Then the power of God will go forth, and the Word of the Lord shall go forth from Jerusalem.

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47

Today focus on your Jerusalem, and bless it with the love of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Hebrew Mysteries…

In 1967, after 2000 years, the Jewish people regained Jerusalem. In God’s word, Jerusalem – Yerushalayim is called “beautiful.” Rabbis say of the ten measures of beauty bestowed on this world, nine were given to Jerusalem.

Its praises fill much of Scriptures. But if you visit Jerusalem, you’ll find it’s pretty much just a bunch of rocks. Yet, God’s word speaks of it as if it were the most beautiful place in the world. When you’re in love, it doesn’t matter what they look like to you; they’re beautiful.

So it is with God and Jerusalem, and with your life. Look around; you’ll see some very imperfect people. Look at your circumstances; you’ll see lots of problems.

Look at yourself, without God’s grace, you’ll see a sinful wretch. Learn the mystery of Jerusalem, the Beautiful. See your life through the eyes of God’s love and grace.

See your circumstances as blessings, people around you as gifts, your walk victorious, your life something wonderful, and piles of rocks as Jerusalem, the beautiful.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness; the Lord will be my light. Micah 7:8

Live today through God’s eyes, see yourself through God’s eyes, and see every situation as a chance to reveal God’s love.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

You’re Being Recorded…

Heaven is the most valuable real estate in the universe. Every inch is priceless. If you’re born again, heaven has a place with your name on it. Jesus Himself said, don’t rejoice that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice rather that your names are written in the Book of Life.

Of all the important things that heaven has, there’s your name in it. You write things down because it’s noteworthy. You don’t want to ever forget it. Your name is considered worthy of heaven’s attention, worthy of heaven’s notes. Your name, your salvation is considered worthy of heaven’s writing.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t you treat your own salvation as something worthy and holy? If heaven actually takes up its own space for your name because you are saved, how much more do you have to value, treasure and guard your own salvation?

Don’t live just an earthly life. It doesn’t matter if your name is written or spoken on earth, live a heavenly life. Live a life worthy of the notes heaven is taking on it for your salvation. Your name is included, held, kept, recorded and written in heaven.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Revelation 20:12

Live today a life that is worthy of being noted by heaven. Take actions worthy of being recorded in the annals of heaven.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Presence of The Fruit…

Galatians 5:22 speaks about the fruits of the Spirit. One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy and it’s in the Holy Spirit. We tend to think of joy as a feeling, emotion, or experience. Joy isn’t spoken here as an emotion, experience or feeling. It’s a fruit and it’s important.

The word in Hebrew is “periy – a fruit.” If there’s a banana in the fruit bowl, it’s not an experience, feeling, or emotion of a banana in the fruit bowl. It’s a banana in the fruit bowl. It’s a real thing, a presence.

That’s the joy that God has for you in the Spirit. Fruit isn’t an experience, it’s a presence; a reality. Forget about experiencing highs, about trying to have an experience of joy. Rather comprehend the reality of joy, the presence of God, the presence of joy which is always there even in tough times, when you’re not feeling so good.

It’s like the fruit in the bowl. It’ll still be there tomorrow morning. You can rejoice always, because the joy that God gives you is at least as real as a banana.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Galatians 5:22

Discover the joy that is not simply an experience, but an abiding reality.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Exercising Your Powers…

We think of exorcism as something involving people rolling on the floor screaming obscenities, the Exorcist movie, or heads turning around. That’s not the only kind of exorcism. John 2:15 says, Jesus drove them out of the Temple, but the word here is ekballo, which is the same word for exorcism.

If you are a disciple, you have the power of ekballo, to exorcise, to take out evil. We don’t have a passive faith, we have to be powerfully opposed to evil. We’re to be casters out of evil in end-time civilization.

You have the power, not just to complain about what’s going on in the world, but to actually drive out evil in your surroundings, your own life. Evil spirits aren’t the only thing that needs to be cast out. Sin needs to be cast out, anything in your life not of God has to be cast out.

You have power not only to receive new things into your life, but to cast out old things out of your life. So cast out those things in your life because you have been given the power to exorcise them.

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” 2 Timothy 2:19

Exercise the power of ekballo, cast away all things that are not pleasing to God, make no room for evil to enter in your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Virtual World…

There are goggles and gloves you put on to become enmeshed in virtual reality. Imagine you had these on since you were born and all you knew was virtual reality.

There’s the real world out there, but you never saw it. The real world would seem less real. You’d have to have faith to see. One day you take off those glasses and it’s more solid than anything you ever knew.

The fact is, virtual reality is the world we’re living in. It’s not absolute reality, it’s a copy based on the real. Real reality is spiritual reality. We think that the spiritual is less real because we don’t see it, but it’s the real thing.

We walk by faith, not by sight, because things which are seen are temporary. Things which aren’t seen are eternal. All the problems you’re dealing with are only virtual problems. Terrors of this world–virtual terrors.

Riches of this world–virtual riches, not real. Stop getting so wrapped up in virtual reality. The only thing that matters is what’s forever. Live in the real world, live in the spiritual then you’ll really live.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Look beyond today’s temporary circumstances, focus on and live in the eternal.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Scarlet Redemption…

In the Bible, scarlet is the color of sin. In Isaiah, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” Scarlet is the color of sin, yet scarlet is also the color of redemption.

It was the color of the thread that Rahab used and was saved. It was the color of the Passover doorposts when the Hebrews sprinkled it with blood and were saved. It is the color that was sprinkled on the mercy seat on the Day of Atonement that saved them from sin.

Jesus became sin for us, to take away sin from us. It’s amazing, when you look back at your life, you find out that it’s generally not the good times that changed you or produced the most good, but the bad times as the Lord uses everything for His good.

Take that guilt, take that past sin, take that failure and lift it to God, lift it to the cross, and it will become your victory. What was once sin will become repentance, conviction, holiness, love, purity and zeal for God. Because scarlet, the color of sin is also the color of redemption.

Come now, let us settle the matter, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Lift everything in your life, the darkest and most ungodly things, to the Lord. Give Him thanks for redeeming it and turning your scarlet into redemption.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed