Ed Christian's World

Be Joyful…

The word simchah is Hebrew for joy. Scripture says, “Rejoice in the Lord always”, “the joy of the Lord is your strength”, “rejoice and be exceedingly glad”, “rejoice and shout for joy!” God didn’t have to command us to be joyful.

He could have commanded us to be miserable and we’d have to, because He’s the lawgiver. But the amazing thing is, He doesn’t say be miserable, He says be joyful. “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!”

Too many believers act like He said be miserable, gloomy, defeated, sad, and worried. The good news is He never said that, and therefore you don’t have to. If He did say it, it would still be enough that He gave His life for you.

But not only did He give His life to save you, He commands you on top of that to rejoice and be exceedingly glad! So, who are you to disobey God? Start obeying Him today. Rejoice in the Lord, because He loves you, He died for you, and you have eternal life – and because in God, “joy” is a command.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another. Galatians 5:13

Obey God today and start rejoicing in your salvation!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Embrace Life…

Good morning,

Today, let’s embrace the beautiful paradox of surrendering to Christ to truly find life.

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

For years, I thought being a Christian meant constantly striving to be “good enough.” I would wake up each day, determined to read my Bible more, pray harder, and somehow earn God’s favor. But no matter how hard I tried, I always felt like I was falling short.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar cycle of striving and guilt. If so, I want to remind you that you’re not alone, and there’s a better way.

Galatians 2:20 tells us that when we put our faith in Jesus, our old, striving self is crucified with Him. We don’t have to live by our own strength anymore because Christ lives in us. This doesn’t mean we become passive, but it does mean we can rest in the truth that we are fully loved and accepted, not because of what we do, but because of what He has done.

Friend, this truth has set me free, and I know it can do the same for you. Today, let’s choose to live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. Let’s allow His life to flow through us, transforming us from the inside out. There’s no greater joy than walking hand in hand with the One who gave it all for you.

How can you stop trying to please God on your own?

Where do you need to cling to Jesus today, trusting His righteousness?

Gracious God, in this quiet moment, I lay down my striving. Forgive me for trying to earn Your love through my own efforts, forgetting Your unconditional love. Thank You for the gift of Jesus, who bridged the gap I could never cross. Today, I choose to rest in Your grace. Fill me with Your Spirit so I may live by faith, not by my works. Transform my heart to reflect Your love and goodness to the world. I surrender my life to You, trusting that Your plans are better than I can imagine. May Your will be done in me, through me, and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace, you know, does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Chicken Everything…

It used to be that you went to the supermarket looking for chicken and that’s what you got- chicken. But now when you go to the store to get chicken, you don’t just find chicken, you have a choice: barbeque chicken, fried chicken, rotisserie chicken, chicken strips, chicken nuggets, chicken patties, chicken burgers, chicken everything!

What happened to chicken is symbolic of what’s happened to every area of life in modern times. Our lives are filled with choices and distractions that compete to take up your time and life: radio, television, video, networks, pads, phones, texts, twitter, emails, the web, and the internet.

But your life and your time is precious – especially your time with the Lord. The more choices you have, the more crucial it is to clearly choose to give your time only to what is best. If you don’t, your hours, days, and years will be wasted.

The best that you can seek is God’s will. That’s why Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Your years are too precious to be given to anything but the best, and only one thing is best. All the rest is chicken bits.

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.  Micah 7:7

Today, choose to give your time only to what God’s best is.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Pass Over The Load…

Today, let’s trade our worries for a gift: peace that surpasses all understanding. It’s closer than you think.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7

In a world that often equates worry with responsibility, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of our anxieties. But 1 Peter 5:7 offers a liberating truth: letting go and trusting God isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s the ultimate act of faith.

Imagine your worries as stones in a backpack you’ve been carrying. Each stone represents a different anxiety – a financial burden, a relationship strain, a fear for the future. Casting your anxieties on God means taking each stone out, naming it, and placing it in His capable hands.

The relief is immediate, not because the situation changes instantly, but because you’re no longer carrying the weight alone. It’s a daily practice, a conscious choice to trust that God cares deeply for you and is more than able to handle your burdens.

As you release each stone, remember that you are loved beyond measure. God’s peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding, will fill the space where worry once resided. This peace doesn’t ignore the reality of your problems; it empowers you to face them with courage and hope, knowing that you are never alone.

Father, Today, I’m handing over my worries to You. It’s not always easy to let go, but Your word in 1 Peter 5:7 offers such a comforting promise – that You care for me deeply. Help me to remember that no concern is too small for Your attention or too big for Your power. In the busyness of life, remind me to pause and breathe in Your peace. When anxiety tries to take hold, let me find solace in Your presence. Teach me to trust in Your timing and Your plan, knowing that You hold my future. May Your strength be my anchor and Your love, my shield. And as I move through this day, let my heart be light, filled with joy and gratitude for the blessing of knowing You’re always by my side. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God doesn’t need a lot to do a lot. All David had was five stones. And all David used was one.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

The Lightness of Jesus…

Most people in America weigh more than they should, or want to. We have all sorts of diets, because it’s not healthy to go through life with a heavy body. Neither is it healthy to go through life with a heavy spirit.

When you partake of things like gloom, bitterness, negativity, worry, selfishness, frustration, pride, worldliness, hopelessness, and fear, these things make your spirit heavy.

So go on Jesus’s diet. He said, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you shall find rest for your souls because my yoke is easy and my load is light.”

This is Jesus’s diet- 1: Know that you’re not alone. He loves you and He cares for you. 2: Give Him your burdens and trust Him with all of them. 3: Learn to be humble of heart, as He is. Get your eyes off yourself and become like a little child. That weight you’ve been carrying around will lift off, and your heart will become light.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Colossians 3:12

Get your eyes off yourself today. Humble your heart, and become like a little child. Cast your burdens on Him and lighten your load.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

It’s A Relationship…

Today, let’s unwrap a simple yet profound truth: joy isn’t found in getting what we want, but in wanting what God wants.

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

Imagine waking up each day with joyful anticipation, not because of what the day might bring, but because of who is already there: God. This is the delight Psalm 37:4 speaks of. It’s not about getting stuff. It’s about savoring Him.

Think of it like falling in love. At first, you’re thrilled by the dates, the gifts… but true love deepens. You find joy just being with the person, their quirks become endearing, and their presence is what you crave.

That’s what happens when we delight in God. We stop fixating on our wish lists, and we start noticing His fingerprints all over our lives. Suddenly, the desires of our hearts aren’t just about us anymore. They’re nudged, ever so gently, towards what He dreams for us too.

It’s not magic. It’s a relationship. As we draw close to Him, His goodness rubs off on us. The closer we get, the more our wants align with His good plans, leading to a life not just of fulfilled wishes but of a deep, unshakeable purpose.

What brings you joy and delight in your relationship with God?

How can you intentionally cultivate a heart of delight in Him today?

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the gift of longing that draws me closer to you. I know that the world can’t satisfy the deepest desires of my heart, only you can. Forgive me for the times I’ve chased empty promises and looked for happiness in things that don’t last. Today, I want to make You my delight. Help me to truly enjoy your presence, to see your goodness all around me, and to align my desires with Your perfect plans. As I draw near to You, I trust that You are already working in me, shaping my dreams and desires to match Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds!!

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always

Ed 🙏🏼

The Failure That Saved A Life…

William Cowper was 32 when he decided to end his life. After several attempts that failed, he tried to hang himself but was cut down, unconscious but still alive.

Then, one morning, for a reason unknown to him, he reached out for his Bible and opened it up to the Book of Romans. He opened up his heart and received the Lord.

His life was changed, and years later, he’d write the famous hymn which begins,”God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.” Cowper was thanking God that all of his own plans failed and only God’s plan came to pass.

You need to do the same thing. When your own plans fail, remember the plans of William Cowper. God has something better for you. The way of the flesh is death, but God’s way is life, and His will for you is a blessing.

So, every time your own plan fails, thank God. He’s got something better. As the Lord says, “I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.  Proverbs 16:33

Give thanks today for any of your failed plans that have led to the plans of God being accomplished in your life.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

Who Do You Thirst For….

Good morning,

Today, let’s dive into the profound longing expressed in Psalm 63:1 and explore what it means to truly thirst for God’s presence in our lives.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I thirst for You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1

Have you ever felt a thirst so deep, so consuming, that nothing else mattered? A thirst that couldn’t be quenched by any earthly drink? This is the desperate thirst that David describes in Psalm 63:1, a yearning for the living water that only God can provide.

We live in a world that offers countless distractions and temporary satisfactions. We chase after success, relationships, possessions – only to find that they can never truly fill the God-shaped void in our hearts. Like a parched traveler in a barren desert, our souls thirst for something the world cannot provide.

But this longing is a gift, a divine compass pointing us toward the One who created us and loves us unconditionally. David’s words remind us that true satisfaction, a love “better than life” itself, is found only in the presence of the living God.

Today, the Holy Spirit invites us to seek God with the same wholehearted passion as David. When we earnestly cry out to Him, He promises to draw near, satisfying our souls with His endless love and grace. Through Jesus, we can experience His presence continually, no matter how far we’ve wandered.

Let’s make seeking God our highest priority. As we pour out our hearts in prayer, immerse ourselves in His Word, and find quiet moments with Him, we will discover that in God’s presence, we find our heart’s true home.

What do you look forward to most about one day seeing Jesus?

In what ways will you seek Him today?

Father, sometimes, my soul feels parched and empty, and I confess that I’ve tried to fill that void with things that don’t last. But today, I come to You, acknowledging my deep need for Your living water. Forgive me for chasing after empty promises and for the times I’ve wandered away. Refresh my soul with Your presence. Help me to prioritize time with You, to drink deeply from Your Word, and to truly know You more. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and making a way for me to always come home to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Menorah People…

Israel’s national symbol on their Parliament building and national seal is the seven-branched menorah described in Exodus that stood in the Holy Place.

Israel was called to be a light to the nations, a holy vessel filled with God’s oil and shining with the light of His Presence. Whether you’re Jewish or not, if you’re born again, you are grafted in as a citizen of Israel.

So if you’re part of Israel, your national symbol is the menorah, and as a citizen, you’re called to individually be a light to those around you. Are you living a life worthy of the menorah? Is your life a light to those around you?

As God’s holy lamp, are you getting continually filled and refilled? Get filled up with the oil of His Spirit and the fire of His will. Be the light you were called to be. Shine to people all around you. It’s your heritage, and it’s your national calling. Live your life as the holy menorah of God.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. Hebrews 1:9

Today, get filled up with the oil of His Spirit and the fire of His will and be the light you were called to be.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼

The Gift of Today…

Today, let’s reflect on the promise of Jesus’ return and live with a sense of anticipation and purpose.

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.
Matthew 24:44

Let’s face it: we all love a good countdown. Whether it’s for a holiday, a birthday, or a big event, the anticipation builds as we mark off the days. But when it comes to Jesus’ return, we don’t get a countdown clock.

Matthew 24:44 reminds us that the Son of Man will come “at an hour when you do not expect him.” No calendar alerts, no flashing neon signs – just a sudden, glorious arrival.

So, how do we live in the meantime? This verse isn’t meant to scare us, but to empower us. It’s a call to live each day with intentionality and purpose, knowing that we could be called home at any moment.

Imagine getting a surprise visit from someone you love. Wouldn’t you want to be prepared? Your house would be tidy, your heart would be open, and you’d be ready to welcome them with joy. It’s the same with Jesus.

Living in readiness doesn’t mean being perfect; it means being prepared. It means cultivating a close relationship with God, investing in our loved ones, and serving others with a generous heart.

So today, let’s not get caught up in the waiting game. Let’s live each day as if it were the day Christ returns, embracing every opportunity to love, serve, and spread His hope.

What would change in your life if you knew Jesus was returning tomorrow?

Father, thank you for the gift of today. I know that Jesus will return, but only You know when. Help me to live each day with joy, purpose, and a heart ready to welcome Him. Fill my heart with your love and grace so that I may live a life that honors you. Empower me to share your hope with a hurting world, using every moment as an opportunity to spread your love. May I not be caught up in the distractions of this world, but instead, may I focus on what truly matters – Your kingdom and Your glory. Help me to be ready, not perfect, but prepared to meet you with open arms. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed 🙏🏼