The End of The Harvest

The End of The Harvest…

The ancient Israelites went out into their fields to reap the great harvest as summer ended. Then came the beginning of autumn and the first day of the month of Tishrei.

We know it as Rosh HaShannah/Feast of Trumpets. The trumpet sound would get the people ready to appear before God for the Great Day of Atonement.

Then the whole nation would come together for the Feast of Tabernacles and the whole harvest would be over. This is a prophetic picture. The Lord sent us out into the harvest to reap eternal life and gather in souls, but the harvest doesn’t go on forever.

The children of Israel being gathered back to Jerusalem is a sign telling you that the harvest is coming to a close. That’s what Feast of Trumpets means. Go full blast now, because the harvest is ripe. As an end-time believer, you get the charge of finishing the harvest.

Live as an end-time believer in the zeal and urgency of the last days. Whoever you would spread the Word to, do it now because the trumpets are sounding and the harvest must come to its close.

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.  Luke 10:2

Be part of the end-time harvest today, and spread the word of God to those who don’t know Him.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Shofar Gathering

The Shofar Gathering…

The Feast of Trumpets is about the shofar/ram’s horn. When the priests sounded it, Israel would gather to meet with the Lord.

When the watchman sounded it, they would gather to prepare for war. When it was sounded at Sinai, Israel gathered around the mountain. The shofar sound is linked to the gathering of Israel.

Isaiah speaks of a great shofar sounding and Israel gathering in the end-times. Thus, when you see the Jewish people gather back to Israel, you know it’s the time of the shofar.

They’ve gathered because God’s calling them for a meeting. Hosea prophesied, “Afterward, the children of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their King …” – that’s Jesus – “… and come trembling to Him in the last days.”

The Jewish people have gathered again because they have an appointment to meet with Jesus. Israel is the sign of the end-times.

Therefore, live in the light of this, be strong in these end times, and prepare to meet God. The shofar is sounding, and you need to draw near because God is calling you.

To the end that ye should walk worthy of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.  1 Thessalonians 2:12

Respond to the sound of His shofar today and come into the presence of the Lord for your appointed time with Him.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Blessings of The Pure

The Blessings of The Pure…

Heaven is characterized by a unique property. Revelation 21 describes heaven as having streets of pure gold like clear glass. The Greek word for both pure and clear is katharos. What is heaven? Heaven is katharos. It’s all the joy of this life with all the impurities taken out.

Heaven is pure fulfillment, pure wonder, pure righteousness, pure goodness, pure love, pure life, and pure joy. The substance of heaven isn’t pure gold or pure glass, it’s purity itself.

That’s something you can have in your life right now. If you want a taste of heaven, and the heavenly quality in your life, then live a pure life. Stop wavering, compromising, indulging, and playing it both ways.

Stop living two lives. Make up your mind to put away the impurity and set your heart purely on the things of God. Set your affections and your will purely on the delights and will of God.

You will have the heavenly quality of katharos. Your joy will become pure gold, your faith clear glass, and your life will become heaven on earth.

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.  1 John 3:3

Make up your mind to put away that impurity and live in katharos, in purity – pure thoughts, pure love, and pure joy.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Bird Husband

The Bird Husband…

Courtship isn’t limited to humans. In many species, the male has to show the female he’s a good provider. For example, in some species of birds, the male comes courting the female by bringing her a token of his ability to provide: a dead bug.

The female bird gets excited and thinks to herself, ‘This is one real responsible bird. He’ll make a great husband.” What’s true for birds is true for humans. The husband is called by God to be the provider for his wife and family. Husbands, this one is for you.

1 Timothy 5:8 says the one who does not provide for his family is worse than an infidel. Husbands, it’s your responsibility to provide for your family’s needs- not just financially and physically, but also for their souls and hearts.

You need to provide them with love, security, acceptance, and most of all, you need to be the spiritual provider of your home. Provide them with God’s Word, Love, and Spirit in your house. Even the birds know it. Fulfill your ministry and minister to their true needs and your nest will be blessed.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.  Proverbs 13:22

Fulfill your responsibility today. Do what is right. Fulfill your charge. Be the servant of God that you were called to be.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Athens Christian

The Athens Christian….

Ephesians 2:12 says, “Once you were … without God in the world.” The Scripture is saying that the Gentiles were going through their lives as if He didn’t really exist. The Greek word for without God is atheos, from which we get the word atheist.

You might think an atheist is someone who denies God, but the root of the word really denotes someone who’s without God. If you’re not careful, you could end up being a Christian atheist- a Christian who lives as if God doesn’t exist.

Much of modern Christianity, many churches, and ministers exist not for God, but to keep existing – serving the house of the Lord, not the Lord of the house. They wouldn’t run well without computers, phones, consultants, databases, or their business practices, but they’ll run smoothly atheos/without God.

Beware that you don’t end up the same way, running activities in your life quite smoothly without God. Get back on your knees because atheist really means without God, and without God, nothing else matters.

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.  Psalm 37:34

Acknowledge your need for the Lord in everything you do today. Live in the very present reality of God.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Giving To Your Debter

Giving To Your Debter…

The inventor, A. A. Hyde, found himself deeply in debt. Believing that because of his debt, any money he had belonged to his creditors, he didn’t tithe. One day, he was impressed with the thought that God was his first creditor and everything he had, had been borrowed from God in the first place.

He began tithing in his debt, and as he did, the Lord caused him to become debt-free and greatly blessed him so that he could bless others. You, too, may be dealing with a lot of needs, lack, and want. You may not think you have much to give. It doesn’t matter.

The Lord praised the tithing of the widow, because she gave out of her poverty. Poverty could be very affluent if you give out of it. Don’t ever think you have too little to give. If you have too little, you have too little not to give.

Give to God out of your prosperity or your poverty. Give and it shall be given to you. In God’s eyes, giving is never limited by the size of your resources, only the size of your heart.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:37-40

Give to the Lord today out of your much or your little. Bless Him in every way you can.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Masks of God

The Masks of God…

There are times the Lord appeared to His people in disguise: walking on water and they thought Him a ghost, to Mary/Miriam looking something like the gardener, to the disciples as a stranger on the road to Emmaus.

So, too, the Lord often appears to your life in disguise, and just as His own disciples didn’t recognize Him, chances are you’ve missed Him. He may speak to you disguised as the radio teacher, the pastor, a friend, your conscience, or even as an unbeliever.

The Lord may touch you through your boss, your parent, as sunlight on a beautiful day, or as a smile from a stranger. It’s the Lord in disguise. He might save your life through the correction of a friend, through the hurt of the enemy, or even through what looks like a tragedy at the time.

If you belong to Him, the Lord says to you, “I am with you always even to the end of the age.” If you don’t always see Him or feel Him, it doesn’t mean He’s not there. It means He’s there right by your side in disguise.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10

Today, seek to identify all the appearances of the Lord in your life, in people, circumstances, guidance, provision, and blessings.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

Talking To The Saints

Talking To The Saints…

There are some denominations that believe in the veneration of saints. They build statues to honor them and pray to them- Saint Joseph, Saint Jude, etc. Is it biblical to venerate saints? Yes, as long as it’s the right saints and the right venerating – as in giving honor.

Scripture teaches that everyone who’s born of the Spirit is a saint – thus we must believe in all of them. It’s saints who greet you at Worship Service, who teach the word, who sit next to you in the service. We’re to honor the saints around us, never to worship or pray to them, but to revere and bless them.

The saints who are already in heaven don’t need your reverence, but the saint who sits next to you, your brother and sister in the Lord, could use real love, respect, honor, and encouragement.

It’s okay to ask a saint to pray for you as long as the saint is alive. It’s even nicer to pray for a saint because the saints can use your prayers. Love a saint today because saints are biblical, and so is their veneration and blessing.

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.  Ephesians 6:18

Take every opportunity the Lord gives you today to honor and encourage the saints around you.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Five Gospels

The Five Gospels…

The Talmud and the Targums are Judaism’s writings on the Bible and commentary on the commentaries of the Bible. When you read the writings of Paul, it’s clear that he was a rabbi schooled in the Writings of the Rabbis.

His writings are every bit as rabbinical in style and approach as that of the Talmud and the Targums of Judaism – except that he has the answer, the truth of Jesus, and the Spirit of God.

God prepared him all his years before Jesus – to become an expert in commenting on Scriptures and bringing out their deeper meanings so that you could be blessed with the epistles.

So, too, God has given you His Word and salvation, and He wants you to comment on it, discuss it, share it, proclaim it, rejoice in it, and contemplate it.

He’s given you His Word. Your life is to be the commentary on His Word. Let everything in your life, word, and deed be a commentary on God’s love and salvation.God gave you the Bible. Let your life now become its living, continuous, and never-ending commentary.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.  1 Timothy 4:15-16

Make everything you do today a commentary on the truth, love, and salvation of Jesus.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed

The Thomas Touch

The Thomas Touch…

Upon hearing the reports of the Resurrection, Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail prints in His hands, put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.”

Eight days later, Jesus appeared and said to him, “Put your finger here, see My hands, reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas responded, “My Lord and my God.”

It’s literally a touching scene, and touching is the key. When Thomas touched the Lord, he stopped doubting. We need to do the same. Jesus doesn’t say, “hide or repress your doubts,” or “shame on you for having them.”

He says, “Bring your doubts to me. Don’t let them separate you from Me. Touch Me and let Me touch your doubts and make them disappear.”

Do you have doubts? Learn from doubting Thomas. Really, it’s unfair to call him doubting because he ended up very much believing. He approached the Lord with his doubts and touched Him. You do the same. Touch the Lord with your doubt, and He’ll touch you with faith.

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.  Isaiah 26:4

Bring any doubts you may have to Jesus today. Bring everything to Him, even the most ungodly parts of your life, and touch Him with it.

Walk daily with God at your side!

Love always,

Ed