Kenneth Winter's Blog, page 12

Fishers of Men

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Having grown up in South Florida, one would reasonably expect me to have developed some expertise in fishing – but alas, that wasn’t the case. So when my son, at the age of three, became infatuated with the idea of fishing, i had no experience from which to draw. One day, he saw an advertisement on television for fluorescent-colored fishing lures that were “guaranteed” to attract fish – and plenty of them! As his birthday approached, he emphatically told my wife and me that this was the only gift he wanted. i will never forget the look of delight in his eyes as he unwrapped that particular box of lures, and then looked at me and excitedly declared, “Let’s go fishing!” He knew in his heart that he was about to have the greatest fishing experience of his life.

With fishing gear in hand and those brand new fishing lures guaranteed to attract fish, off we headed to the intracoastal waterway. We hadn’t been fishing along the seawall very long when my son’s pole arced, and his line started to rapidly run out. He had a fish on his line – and it was a whopper! His eyes widened like saucers as he saw the biggest “fish” he had ever seen swimming away with the lure in its mouth. Unfortunately, the thrill was short-lived as what turned out to be a manatee made short work of snapping that ten-pound test line and continued to swim away. Regrettably, my son didn’t catch any fish that day, but boy, did he ever have a story to tell about the one that got away!

Mark records an encounter in his Gospel that two fishermen had with Jesus one day. As Jesus was walking along “the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”(1)

That particular day was not Jesus’s first encounter with Simon and Andrew. Andrew had been with John the Baptist in Bethany the day Jesus returned from His forty days in the wilderness. Andrew had heard the baptizer declare Jesus to be the Lamb of God, and had immediately set off to follow Him. Within a matter of days, Andrew had the privilege of introducing his brother, Simon, to Jesus. This particular encounter that Mark records took place several weeks later.

When the men first encountered Jesus, He had said to them, “Come and you will see.” Andrew had, in fact, gone with Jesus and seen Him perform several miracles, while Simon stayed home and attended to the family’s fishing business. This time, however, Jesus’s invitation was different. He said, “Follow Me.”

His invitation to them had been progressive. His first invitation had been for them to observe; this invitation was to abandon – to abandon their work – their very livelihood – and follow Him. Simon could resist the first invitation, but he could not resist this second one.

Jesus never told them where they would be going as they followed Him. Rather, He was telling them to abandon all they knew and all that they did. He was telling them to leave their responsibilities to the family business. He was telling them to be absent from their families for extended periods of time. He was telling them to do things that would not only cost them personally, but would cost their family as well. He was telling them to step out by faith and trust Him completely – for their livelihood, for their family and for their very lives.

Over the years, the Lord has given me numerous opportunities to invite people to join me on a short-term overseas mission experience. There are always many details surrounding those trips, and most of the people i have invited have had many questions about what all is involved – from where we are going, to how we will get there, to what we will wear, what we will say, what we will eat and where we will sleep – to name just a few. And it has always been interesting to watch how the answers – and the subsequent experiences – have moved the individuals out of their respective comfort zones. i can honestly say that i have never had anyone join me on a trip and not ask any questions. But look at Simon and Andrew – they didn’t ask Jesus any questions – they simply stepped out in abandon and followed Him.

Jesus told them that He would make them become “fishers of men”. By the way, Jesus didn’t invent that term. It was actually a common description used by philosophers of the day who “captured men’s minds” through their persuasive teaching. They would “bait the hook” with their captivating words and “catch” disciples. Perhaps, Simon and Andrew had that concept in mind when they heard Jesus first utter those words.

But, of course, Jesus was using a term these professional fishermen would understand. They were part of a successful fishing enterprise. They knew all the right things to do, and the right order in which to do them that would result in the greatest harvest of fish. They knew how and where to cast their nets in order to produce the greatest yield. So perhaps when Jesus told them He would make them fishers of men, their minds immediately went to techniques He was going to show them. In our modern day vernacular – perhaps He had a new evangelism method or the latest discipleship tool.

But the reality was that Jesus’s plan did not involve the learning of persuasive words or new techniques. If Jesus had wanted scholars of the faith, He would have established a school. If He had wanted soldiers, He would have set up a code of conduct. If He had merely wanted practitioners of the faith, He would have simply established standards. But Jesus was seeking men and women with hearts surrendered to follow Him – wherever and however He leads. So His invitation was simple – “Follow Me!”

But the response required total surrender. And the promise that He would make them “fishers of men” was that they would become His followers who would lead others to follow Him, who would, in turn, lead others to follow Him. Unlike a harvest of fish in the net, it would be a harvest of followers that would multiply exponentially to become a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation following Christ to the glory of the Father. Now that’s some promise that Jesus made to them!

And get this, they didn’t stop to think about what He said. They IMMEDIATELY followed Him! This particular passage says they had just cast their net into the sea; it doesn’t tell us that they even took the time to draw in the net!

My personal prayer is that i will respond to whatever Jesus tells me to do in the same way that Simon and Andrew did that day. Their lives were never the same after that. i envision them following after Jesus with that same wide-eyed excitement my son had about those new lures. But their excitement did not lead to disappointment – it led to an intimate love relationship with the Son of God and a transformation they could never have imagined.

Jesus has extended that same invitation to each of us. He has invited us to follow Him and become fishers of men. i pray we will do so as wholeheartedly and unreservedly as Simon and Andrew did that day – and each day that followed.

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It was the truths expressed in this post that prompted me to write the book, A Fisherman Called Simon . We know him as the apostle Peter, but those close to him knew him as Simon. It is my desire that we see him as a son, a brother, a husband and a father – and in so doing, consider what it meant for him to follow Jesus. There are parallels to our own lives that i pray the book prompts you to consider. i invite you to read this seventh book in my series, The Called – the portion of his story you may know, and the rest of his life that could have been. The book releases this week through Amazon in paperback, large print and for Kindle or Kindle app. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy.

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Portions of this post are taken from Walking With The Master , chapter 12, entitled “Fishers of Men.” This fourth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on this book.

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(1)  Mark 1:16-18 (NKJ)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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Confidently Abandoned

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“Abandoned” is one of those English words that has multiple meanings. It can mean “having been deserted or cast off,”(1) or to be “unrestrained, or uninhibited,”(2) or it can mean “having totally relinquished.”(3) None of us would ever want to be accused of having abandoned another person, or abandoned an animal or thing placed in our custodial care. We would never want to abandon any responsibility with which we have been entrusted. Rather, we all want to be known for our dedication and commitment to stay the course no matter what we encounter. We will never abandon our post, or anyone in need of or entrusted into our care.

However, we are called to be abandoned to God. Oswald Chambers writes, “In our abandonment we give ourselves over to God just as He gave Himself for us.”(4) Jesus Himself called us to lay down our lives.(5)Paul reminds us that it is not us, but Christ who lives in us.(6) The writer of the proverb tells us that as we abandon ourselves and our ways to Him, He will make our paths straight.(7)

And in our abandonment, we can be confident in the One to whom we are abandoned. Time and again He has proven that He is trustworthy. As the people of Israel prepared to cross into the Promised Land, we see a reminder of the confidence He had instilled within the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh. Those tribes had chosen to possess the land on the east side of the Jordan River. Therefore, their wives, children and livestock were not going to cross over with the other tribes. Only the men would cross over, and they, as fully armed warriors, would lead the other tribes as a conquering army. We would do well to be reminded of how these three tribes responded to Joshua as their leader and their general, when they said:

“We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us. We will obey you just as we obeyed Moses. And may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. Anyone who rebels against your orders and does not obey your words and everything you command will be put to death. So be strong and courageous!”

We see their honor for God expressed through their followship of the one whom He had placed in leadership over them. It begs the question: are we that abandoned? Are we that confident in the One to whom we are abandoned? Are we willing to trust God as completely as these men were willing to trust Joshua?

First, are we willing to readily do WHATEVER He commands without any holdback or reservation? As soldiers following our Commander, there can be no place for second-guessing. His word is law. Each command must be followed to the letter. There can be no dispute regarding the leader’s right and authority to command, and/or the soldier’s responsibility to follow – in every and all circumstance. The soldier does not get to pick and choose which commands will be followed. And that followship must be wholehearted – without murmur or any hint of dissension. These tribes answered – “we will do WHATEVER you command us.”

Second, are we willing to readily go WHEREVER He sends us? These tribes had the confidence that their commander was going with them. Joshua was not going to send them off and stay behind. They knew that where they went, he went; and where he went, they went. i am not certain how much added confidence that gave them. But i do know that the fact that our Commander goes with us should give us unshakeable confidence. And bear in mind that their willingness was not conditional on where he sent them. The men of these three tribes knew they were being sent into the heat of the battle. This group had been selected to be the “point of the spear” of the advancing Israelite force. They were willing to go to the most difficult or the most perilous. They were not looking for the easy assignment. “We will go WHEREVER you send us” – they declared.

Third, is our allegiance to our Lord so COMPLETE, that we are not only willing to obey Him personally, but we will take responsibility to see that those who go with us – our family members, friends, coworkers – will also walk in obedience to Him? It is one thing to commit for ourselves; it is quite another to take the responsibility for those under our spiritual leadership. Throughout their exodus from Egypt and their journey through the wilderness, the Israelites saw how their obedience to God’s call cost others and how He often called others to surround them and encourage them in their journey. And the same is true for us.

But here, we see an example of the responsibility we bear as others join us in the journey. If they join us, they too must walk in complete obedience. Remember that our walk as disciples of Jesus – by its very definition means that we are to be disciplers of others. The Christian walk – this journey that we are on – is not a walk in isolation from others – rather, it is a walk in community with others. The idea that we can be followers of Christ and not be a part of a local gathering of believers is rubbish! It is through that community as believers that we see His works magnified as He displays Himself through the varying gifts that He has given to each member in a way that complements one another.

There is an interdependence between us in His design – a beauty in the body of Christ walking, worshiping and working together. And there is an accountability that we have to one another to make sure that we do not drift from the “Commander’s” directives. These folks were taking that charge seriously even to the point of death. They knew that disobedience on the part of any member weakened the entire body. The body dynamic of this particular declaration by these tribes parallels with the admonition to the church in the epistles of accountability and church discipline. Don’t overlook or minimize this declaration. We are accountable to nurture those who join us in this journey in the truths of God’s Word, and hold them accountable as well.

Fourth, is our abandon to the Lord such that we are prepared to follow those He has placed in authority over us just as COMPLETELY? The actions of the leaders of these tribes demonstrated three truths about their followship of Joshua. First, we must not so magnify our leaders of days past that we fail to honor and follow our leaders of days present, knowing that God has placed them in this position of authority. God has brought different leaders into our lives, our places of work, our ministries, our church – for different seasons. We must resist any temptation to belittle the role of the current leader. Those who God has granted favor to lead deserve our honor and respect.

Second, our followship cannot be limited to that which we understand. They knew the accountability that Joshua had before the Lord. They knew that there would be times that they must obey even when they didn’t fully understand. (Not to get ahead of ourselves, but do you think the battle plan around the walls of Jericho(9) really made any sense to the tribes while it was unfolding?) Therefore, these tribes prayed for God’s presence, wisdom and direction for their leader – and trusted God to provide it.

Third, they admonished their leader to “be strong and courageous”. It was not a question of his character, rather it was a vote of confidence in his leadership. Those who lead in good work deserve to be followed in good will. They encouraged their leader, built him up, and spoke truth into his life.

So fellow sojourner, as we continue in the journey God has set before us, we too must walk as those who are confidently abandoned. We must do – whatever He commands. We must go – wherever He leads. We must nurture – whoever He has placed beside us. We must follow – whoever He has placed before us.

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This post is adapted from Possessing the Promise , chapter 3, entitled “Be Strong and Courageous.” This third book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  Google’s Oxford English Dictionary

(2)  Google’s Oxford English Dictionary

(3)  Bible Hub Topical Dictionary

(4)  My Utmost For His Highest, March 13

(5)  Luke 9:23

(6)  Galatians 2:20

(7)  Proverbs 3:5-6

(8)  Joshua 1:16-18 (NLT)

(9)  Joshua 6:3-5

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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It All Started With A Little Detour

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Have you ever been caught up in a detour you weren’t planning for or expecting? It was one of those unexpected or unforeseen events that came to you from out of the blue. It could have been related to a situation at work, or at home. It could have started with people you didn’t even know, or it could have started with those who are the closest to you. But the further you got down the road of that particular detour, the more agitated you became.

A number of years ago, as i was driving to pick up my then-teenage son, i encountered an intersection that had just been closed overnight to accommodate work on a new overpass. My only option was to retrace my steps in the opposite direction and make a lengthy detour around the blocked intersection. It was late and i was ready to be in bed; and i was not a happy camper. i could not get over how inconsiderate this construction company was – the miles they were adding to my journey, my time they were wasting, and ultimately the rest deprivation they were causing me. And the further i drove out of my way, the more agitated i became.

To a much greater degree, that is what happened to the Israelites, as recorded in Numbers 21.(1) Because of the refusal of the Edomites to grant them access through their land, the Israelites were now headed south toward the Red Sea in a giant detour, when they should have been going north toward the Promised Land. And just like i did in the car that night, they began to murmur. It was one of those murmurs that the further you go, the more agitated you become, and the more things you find to become agitated about.

i mean the further i drove, my murmuring expanded beyond the “inconsiderate” construction company to now include the “inconsiderate” man driving in front of me who was going two miles below the speed limit. But my murmuring didn’t stop there! It went on to include my loving, “inconsiderate” wife who was back home asleep in our bed, completely unaware of my plight. It quickly moved on to my “inconsiderate” son – the “real source” of all my troubles – who had simply wanted to go bowling with his friends that night. Are you getting the picture? i’m certain you have never experienced anything like this, or felt that way yourself!

For the Israelites, it started with the “inconsiderate” Edomites, and grew to the rocky, sandy wilderness through which they were walking, to the absence of a varied diet, to “this wretched manna!” “So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them!” i must hurriedly acknowledge that i am overwhelmed by God’s graciousness toward me that there weren’t any poisonous snakes around the night of my detour!

You see, my agitation that night really didn’t have anything to do with my “inconsiderate” son, or my “inconsiderate” wife, or the “inconsiderate” driver, or even the “inconsiderate” construction company; it all had to do with me. My response had everything to do with what was already in my heart! And the issue that day as the Israelites traveled from Mount Hor didn’t have anything to do with manna, or their diet, or the wilderness, or even the Edomites; it had to do with what was in their hearts.

When will we learn that other people or circumstances cannot “make” us angry or agitated or bitter or whatever. That person or those people or that circumstance may have jostled our cup, but whatever came spilling out of it was in there to begin with! That anger, that bitterness, etc. was there long before we encountered this person or circumstance. God was dealing with what was in the people’s hearts that day, and had been in their hearts for quite some time.

So He sent poisonous snakes. It is interesting to note that the wilderness was and always had been infested with those snakes. In Deuteronomy we read, “Do not forget that He led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry.”(2) To that point in their journey, for almost forty years God had protected His people from them, but on that day, He allowed the snakes to invade the camp. The anger and bitterness of their hearts was met with the bite of the poisonous snakes – all of which was there in the wilderness long before that day.

That happens in our lives also; anger or bitterness or sin of any kind that remains unchecked in our hearts, even if it has lied dormant for some time, will eventually poison our entire self – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It will literally eat us up from the inside out. Now before you start jumping to the defense of the Israelites and wondering why God zapped them with snakes “just for murmuring,” God’s plan was for their cleansing and their redemption. Yes, He would not tolerate their sin, and the price of their sin was death; but God made a way in the wilderness for them to be cleansed. He made a way for the redemption of their sin.

God instructed Moses to make a bronze snake and lift it up on a pole above the people, and He told the people that those who turned toward it and looked upon it would recover. You have to admit that from a human perspective the plan doesn’t make much sense. First, it’s too simple. All they had to do was look at the bronze snake. They didn’t have to go through protracted acts of contrition; all they had to do was turn toward it, believing that God would enable them to be made whole because of it. i wonder how many Israelites died because they wouldn’t turn to look because it seemed too simple to be true.

Second, the cure was formed in the same shape as the cause. It reminds me of the words of the apostle Paul, “He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”(3)

Third, the bronze snake was lifted up before all the people. And, yes, Jesus was lifted up as the redemption for us all, so that whoever turns to Him might be saved. That bronze snake was a picture of the incarnate Lord Jesus.        

Jesus said, “And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to Myself.”(4) Jesus was lifted up for our salvation, our cleansing from sin, our sanctification. As children of the Living God, He has permitted the detours in our journey to surface the dross – the sin and bitterness – in our hearts. We must not let that dross remain to fester and poison us just like the bites of those snakes. Rather, we must learn to turn to the One who has been lifted up and experience the cleansing, the healing and the life that only He can bring.

Yes, it all started with a little detour, but even that detour led to His cleansing, His healing and His forgiveness – and so will ours … if we will but turn to Him.

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This post is adapted from The Wandering Years , chapter 29, entitled “It All Started With A Little Detour.” This second book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  Numbers 21:4-9 (NLT)

Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient along the way, and they began to murmur against God and Moses. "Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?" they complained. "There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this wretched manna!" So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among them, and many of them were bitten and died. Then the people came to Moses and cried out, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes." So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told him, "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to the top of a pole. Those who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!" So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to the top of a pole. Whenever those who were bitten looked at the bronze snake, they recovered!

(2)  Deuteronomy 8:15 (NLT)

(3)  Romans 8:3 (NLT)

(4)  John 12:32 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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The Choice Is Ours

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We are a people who thrive on choices, and in our culture of consumerism and self-gratification, there is no shortage of choices. Though the breadth and variety of those choices has broadened throughout the years, it’s not a new concept. The ability to choose dates back to the Garden of Eden. It is an integral part of who we are as God’s creation. Our Creator gave us the ability and capacity to choose. But as our Creator, He knew our frame. He knew He needed to give us guardrails to help us make the right choices. But the downside of our ability to choose was – and is – our capacity to choose to function outside of those guardrails and make wrong choices. So it was in the Garden … so it is today … and so it was for the people of Israel as they made their way to the Promised Land.

Only forty days had passed since the people of Israel had made this commitment to their God: “We will certainly do everything the LORD asks of us.”(1) God had then clearly told them in His first commandment that they were to worship no other gods besides Him.(2) And in His second, He made it clear they were not to make idols of any kind, including in the form of animals, nor were they to worship or bow down before images made by man.(3)

But how quickly they forgot the commitment they had made!(4) God was about to finish giving His detailed instructions to Moses regarding the wilderness tabernacle – the dwelling place for His presence that would be situated in the center of their encampment. As God was unveiling His plan to Moses, He observed the Israelites coming to Aaron and demanding he make an idol for them to worship. God did not immediately tell Moses what the people were doing. Instead, He continued to observe their blatant disobedience to His commandment without making comment to Moses. He observed Aaron’s spineless response to their request as he knowingly compromised and disobeyed God’s Word. God silently watched as the people presented their offerings of gold for the making of the idol. He saw Aaron disobediently melt the gold and mold it into the shape of a calf. He heard the people excitedly proclaim that this was the god who had brought them out of Egypt.

It is important that we realize that as God was watching and hearing all of this, He never skipped a beat. He continued to unfold His plan to Moses. That fact gives us an important insight into His character and His ways. God will never permit anyone or anything to keep Him from accomplishing His appointed task – even the disobedience of His people!

God will never permit anyone or anything to keep Him from accomplishing His appointed task – even the disobedience of His people!

The second important insight we must see is: God will not prevent us from being knowingly disobedient to Him. He is God! He could have very easily stopped them in their tracks at any point along the way, but God gave them, as He gives us, the freedom to choose to disobey.

i must hasten to add that i do believe that God does sovereignly intervene to protect us from unknowingly disobeying Him. i thank God that He protects me from my own stupidity! If the desire of my heart is to obey Him, but i am proceeding in a way that is contrary to His Word due to my lack of knowledge or understanding, i believe God will make sure i am given that knowledge and understanding.

 

God will not prevent us from being knowingly disobedient to Him.

He will seize my attention. He will surround me with Christian brothers or sisters who will point me in His ways. He will do whatever it takes to align the action of my head and hands with the desire of my heart (assuming my heart is truly desiring to seek Him and obey Him). But God will never override our decision to be knowingly disobedient to Him. And remember, God knows our hearts. We may be able to deceptively plead ignorance to man, but we will never be able to deceive God. Let there be no mistake; the people knew they were disobeying God’s commands. Aaron knew he was disobeying God’s commands.

And still, God continued to watch as the people prepared to offer burnt sacrifices and peace offerings to that golden calf. He continued as they celebrated and indulged in their pagan revelry.

Then, when God had finished outlining His plan to Moses – in His time and not before – God set things in motion to respond to the disobedience of His people. Here is a third truth that we must grasp. God alone controls His timing – neither our disobedience nor our obedience will alter His timing or force Him into action before His time. Don’t ever confuse God’s silence as being His tacit approval of our disobedience, and never assume that He is ignoring our disobedience. God will never wink at our sin. He will always deal with His people regarding our disobedience – for the sake of His Name and His glory – but He will do so in His time and His way.

  

God alone controls His timing – neither our disobedience nor our obedience will alter His timing or force Him into action before His time.

God knew His people were going to disobey long before He called Moses up onto that mountain – just like He knew Adam and Eve were going to disobey long before He created them. In God’s perfect will, He desired that His people obey; but in His permissive will, He allowed them to choose to disobey; and in His sovereignty He knew which they would choose. That’s why the Father always knew He would need to send His Son. He knew our propensity to disobey. He knew that left to our own devices we would choose to disobey. So He sent His Son to show us how to make the right choices. He sent His Son to cleanse us of our sin from the disobedience of our wrong choices. He sent His Son to enable us to walk in His path of right choices. No, He didn’t stop them. He doesn’t stop us. Instead, He made the Way for them – and us – to be redeemed.

Joshua, who was waiting for Moses up on that mountain, would later say to the people: “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”(5) And that choice is still ours!

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This post is adapted from The Journey Begins , chapter 48, entitled “Why Didn’t God Stop Them?” This first book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  Exodus 19:8 (NLT)

(2)  Exodus 20:2-3

(3)  Exodus 20:4

(4)  Exodus 32:1-7 (NLT)

When Moses failed to come back down the mountain right away, the people went to Aaron. "Look," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. This man Moses, who brought us here from Egypt, has disappeared. We don't know what has happened to him." So Aaron said, "Tell your wives and sons and daughters to take off their gold earrings, and then bring them to me." All the people obeyed Aaron and brought him their gold earrings. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded and tooled it into the shape of a calf. The people exclaimed, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!" When Aaron saw how excited the people were about it, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD!" So the people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and indulged themselves in pagan revelry. Then the LORD told Moses, "Quick! Go down the mountain! The people you brought from Egypt have defiled themselves.”

(5)  Joshua 24:15 (NASB)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense

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During the three years the apostle Peter walked with Jesus throughout Galilee and Judea, the Lord often told him to “Follow Me.” And that’s what Peter did – he kept his eyes on Jesus and followed Him – through storms, through the many encounters with people experiencing overwhelming needs, and even through his extended times away from his family. Time and again he saw Jesus do the miraculous, the completely unexpected, and from an earthly perspective, the unexplainable. But, through it all, he had confidence … because Jesus was right there with him leading each and every step of the way.

Then the time came when Jesus was arrested and crucified, and for two days Peter and the rest of the Savior’s followers didn’t know what to do. Their world had been shaken. The One they had learned to trust and look to was no longer there with them. And even though Jesus had told them what was going to happen, it still didn’t make sense to them. All they could feel was fear, loss … and shame.

But then Jesus rose from the dead. Everything was as it should be – Jesus was back with them! And He had just performed the greatest miracle of all – He had risen from the dead! Nothing would ever be able to defeat Him, and nothing could overwhelm Him.

i would imagine Peter and the others felt pretty invincible that morning as they walked with Jesus along the Galilean shore, and ate the breakfast He had prepared for them. But Jesus kept telling them He was going away again. Times were going to get difficult. Things would again not make any sense to them … and Jesus would not be there physically to lead them. He even told Peter how he was going to die – on a cross, with hands stretched out.(1) And yet, Jesus still said, “Follow Me.”

Jesus gave Peter and the other disciples, as well as each one of us who are His followers, an assignment. We are to “tell people about {Him} everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(2) Our lives are not about us – our circumstances, the situations we encounter, and the challenges we face are ultimately about Him, His gospel and His glory. Too often, we become so obsessed with what’s happening around us that we lose sight of His purpose – and when we do, nothing makes any sense.

Throughout his time walking with Jesus, Peter repeatedly saw how the Father ordered His Son’s steps according to His perfect timing. Not one encounter was ever random. Not one moment was to be wasted. Not one circumstance was ever unexpected by the Father. The Father had known it all from before the beginning of time. And He had ordered the steps of His Son to fulfill His perfect redemptive plan.

The Father not only ordered the steps of His Son, He has also ordered the steps of His Son’s followers. He ordered Peter’s steps in the work He had prepared for him. Peter was to preach the Good News on the day of Pentecost when 3,000 believed and were baptized. He was to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles. And yet, in the midst of it all, he suffered persecution, imprisonment, beatings and ultimately, crucifixion – all for the sake of the gospel.(3)

Peter’s path was unique – designed just for Peter by the Father – just like ours has been. As we walk in the steps that the Lord has set before each one of us, we will all experience very different circumstances. Some will experience extreme persecution. Some will experience severe health challenges. Some will experience painful losses. Some will experience abundant blessing. Some will experience abundant loss. And in the midst of it all, there will be times that don’t make any sense.

Jesus knew the struggles we would encounter. That’s why He sent His Holy Spirit to abide within us – to accompany us, and to lead us through every step. We may not be able to see Him with our eyes – but He’s just as real … and just as present.

Whatever the path is that He has set before us, we would do well to remember the words of our Savior to Peter – “As for you, follow Me.”(4) Our times are in His hands. Our circumstances are in His hands. Our very lives are in His hands. And He has permitted it all. He has ordered our steps through it all. Heed the words of the prophet Isaiah – “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past” – {or even the present!} “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”(5) Our God is in control – and He who began the good work, “will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”(6)

i’ve included the lyrics from the worship song “Spirit, Lead Me” at the end of this post.  It is based upon these words from the psalmist:

Teach me to do Your will,
    for You are my God!
Let Your good Spirit lead me
    on level ground!

For Your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life!

In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!(7) 

No matter what we face today … or in the days ahead … let’s remember to do what Jesus told us – let’s continue to follow Him. And as we do, when the things going on around us don’t make any sense, may “Spirit, lead us” be our cry!

* * * * *

A portion of this post is adapted from Taking Up The Cross , chapter 61, entitled “Our Times Are In His Hands”. This fifth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  John 21:18-23 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow Me.” Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved — the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray You?”Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.” So, the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

(2)  Acts 1:8 (NLT)

(3)  Acts 5:41

(4)  John 21:22 (NLT)

(5)  Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)

(6)  Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

(7)  Psalm 143:10-11 (ESV)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Keoni K. on Lightstock

 

Spirit, Lead Me

 

This is my worship, this is my offering
In every moment, I withhold nothing
I'm learning to trust You, even when I can't see it
And even in suffering, I have to believe it

 

If You say, "It's wrong," then I'll say, "No"
If You say "Release," I'm letting go
If You're in it with me, I'll begin
And when You say to jump, I'm diving in
If You say, "Be still," then I will wait
If You say to trust, I will obey
I don't wanna follow my own ways
I'm done chasing feelings, Spirit lead me
O Spirit lead me

 

It felt like a burden, but once I could grasp it
You took me further, further than I was asking
And simply to see You
It's worth it all
My life is an altar
Let Your fire fall

 

If You say, "It's wrong," then I'll say, "No"
If You say, "Release," I'm letting go
If You're in it with me, I'll begin
And when You say to jump, I'm diving in
If You say, "Be still," then I will wait
If You say to trust, I will obey
Teach me how to follow in Your way
I'm done chasing feelings, Spirit lead me

Holy Spirit, lead me

When all hope is gone and Your Word is all I've got
I have to believe, You still bring water from the rock
To satisfy my thirst, to love me at my worst
And even when I don't remember, You remind me of my worth
I don't trust my ways, I'm trading in my faults
I lay down everything 'cause You're all that I want
I've landed on my knees
This is the cup You have for me
And even when it don't make sense

I'm gonna let Your Spirit lead (Spirit lead me)

I'm gonna let Your Spirit lead (Spirit lead me)
I'm gonna let Your Spirit lead (Spirit lead me)
I wanna let Your Spirit lead (Spirit lead me)

Spirit, lead me

 

If You say, "It's wrong," then I'll say, "No"
If You say, "Release," I'm letting go
If You're in it with me, I'll begin
And when You say to jump, I'm diving in
If You say, "Be still," then I will wait
If You say to trust, I will obey
You're the only Truth, the Life, the Way
I'm done chasing feelings,

Spirit, lead me. 

 

Songwriters:

Michael Barkulis / Melody Noel / Gabriel Wilson / Graham Moore / Whitney Taylor Medina / Michael Ketterer

 

© 2018 Spirit Lead Me lyrics © Works By Influence Official, Mel Noel Publishing, Influence Music Official, Barkloudmusic, Ketterer Music Publishing, Whitney Medina Music, Krispy Music

 

Spirit Lead Me (Lyrics Video) – Michael Ketterer & Influence Music

A Disciple Whom Jesus Loves

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We live in a day and time when less and less people know about Jesus, and as a result, less and less have come to a place where they know Jesus. And even more, it bears pointing out that there is a huge difference between knowing about Jesus … and knowing Jesus. We can know about Him intellectually without ever knowing Him personally and relationally.

In the Gospel of John, the apostle John often referred to himself as the one whom Jesus loved. He didn’t write that distinction because he was the only one whom Jesus loved; rather, he does so because he didn’t only have knowledge of Jesus, and he didn’t even only simply follow Jesus; rather, he was walking in an intimate love relationship with Jesus. He loved Jesus with all of his heart, soul and strength, and he knew Jesus loved him perfectly. And he desired for the readers of his Gospel to know the same.

Our Lord came to earth that we might enter into that same kind of intimate relationship with Him – to love Him with our whole heart, soul and strength, and know that He loves us so much that He laid down His life for us. That kind of love does not happen simply through knowledge of Him; rather, it involves surrendering our lives to Him, spending time with Him, believing Him and trusting Him.

Each one of the four Gospel accounts are written with a different perspective on the earthly ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of John is written through his first-hand account of all that he personally witnessed as he walked with Jesus. And I believe it’s fair to say that as he wrote his account under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, he wanted each reader to come to the place of not simply being satisfied to know the facts about Jesus, but rather to enter into a personal love relationship with Him – to in fact be a disciple who knows Jesus, and knows they are a disciple whom Jesus loves.

John readily admits in his account that he did not fully understand who Jesus was – the Son of God – until He had risen from the dead.(1) Think about that! This was someone who was a first-hand witness to so much. Think about all the knowledge he had about Jesus. But still he did not yet believe until Jesus rose from the dead!

John was there when Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized.(2) He was there when the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and rested upon Jesus.(3) When John the Baptist told both he and Andrew that Jesus is “the Lamb of God”, he turned to walk with Jesus.(4)

John was one of the disciples that accompanied Jesus at the wedding feast in Cana.(5) He followed Jesus to Jerusalem, and observed as Jesus passionately cleansed the Temple.(6) More than likely, due to his family’s influential relationship in Jewish society,(7) Nicodemus called upon John to help arrange his private meeting with Jesus,(8) at which there were probably only three people in the room – Jesus, Nicodemus and John. (Think about it – John heard Jesus give a detailed account of the Gospel to Nicodemus, even though he did not completely understand it himself at the time.)

John would have followed Jesus back into the Judean countryside, and would have been one of His disciples that was baptizing.(9) He was also at Jacob’s well, and saw the multitude of Samaritans that came to Jesus as a result of the testimony of the Samaritan woman.(10) And he was back in Cana with Jesus, when He performed His second miraculous sign in Galilee – the healing of the government official’s son.(11)Soon thereafter, John returned to his family, working alongside his father and brother, until the day Jesus called him, together with Peter, Andrew, and James to follow Him and become fishers of men.(12)

John, together with Peter and James, formed an inner circle that Jesus chose to walk with Him in a more intimate relationship. As a result, he experienced a bird’s eye view of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration(13) and at the Garden of Gethsemane.(14) His family’s influence enabled him to gain admittance into Jesus’s trial in the High Priest’s home,(15) and protected him from retribution as he stood as the only apostle there at Calvary, as Christ was being crucified.(16) Jesus entrusted His mother Mary into John’s care – which given the fact that she had other sons – speaks volumes about the relationship between John and Jesus.(17)

But by John’s own admission, through all of that he did not yet truly believe! It was only when John saw the empty tomb,(18) that he truly believed!(19) John was there when Jesus ascended. He was there in the upper room when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and he was one of the first two disciples to be taken into custody after Pentecost. And through it all, he came to know, follow and love the Son of God personally… and intimately.(20)

John wrote his Gospel account through that lens. He does not want the readers of his Gospel to understand who Jesus is only once they read about His resurrection. Rather, he has written the first eighteen verses of his Gospel(21) as a prologue so that we might truly know who Jesus is from the very beginning. The Gospel message is encapsulated in those first eighteen verses.

He wants us to look at what Jesus did through the lens of who He is. He wants us to follow Him because of who He is and not what He will do for us. He wants us to surrender our lives to Him, not out of some self-seeking motivation, but because of who He is. He wants us to submit our lives to Him, not commit to Him. He wants us to love Him with all of our heart, soul and mind because of who He is. He wants us to worshipHim because He is worthy of worship.

Walk with the Master as one whom He loves … and heed this reminder from another one whom He loved:

He is the One who is the true light, who gives light to everyone.

He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him.  

He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him.  

But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.

God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.(22) 

* * * * *

A portion of this post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 17. This fourth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

* * * * *

(1)  John 2:22; John 20:8-9

(2)  John 1:15

(3)  John 1:32

(4)  John 1:36-37

(5)  John 2:11

(6)  John 2:17

(7)  See A Family Affair, chapter 16 of Walking With The Master

(8)  John 3:1-21

(9)  John 3:22

(10) John 4:1-42

(11) John 4:46-54

(12) Mark 1:16-20

(13) Matthew 17:1-9

(14) Mark 14:33-42

(15) John 18:15

(16) John 19:26

(17) John 19:27

(18) John 20:4

(19) John 20:8-9; John 2:22

(20) Acts 1:9-11; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 4:1-4

(21) John 1:1-18

(22) John 1:9-12, 16-17 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Brittany Laeger on Lightstock

Keep Your Promise

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We live in a day when promises are all too often kept only when it is convenient. Promises have become more fleeting and only endure for the moment – until we are convinced a better option has come along. Sadly, that has become true in every context in which we make promises. It’s become true in the promises made to one another in marriage. And it’s true in the promises of commitment we make to our Lord.

Promises, covenants and contracts have existed since the beginning of time. God made promises to Adam and Eve, and they made promises to Him in return. His promises endured. But regrettably, Adam and Eve’s did not. And too often neither do ours. No matter how much we may endeavor to make our promises more binding.

i am currently finishing a story about Rahab which will release in January. It is a story that explores the many sides of honor and promise. Hers is a story of a promise made and kept – between her, two spies, Joshua, the people of Israel, and God.(1) There are lessons to be learned from her story that we would do well to heed today.

A search of the internet about promises, led me to this quote in Wikipedia: “In common law legal systems, a contract is an agreement constituting a binding promise that has been entered into voluntarily by two or more parties under an authoritative jurisdiction. Basic elements of a contract are the offer, the acceptance,  the surety and the conditions.”(2) Allow me to dissect those elements of a promise.

An authoritative jurisdiction. Though there was no attorney present the day the promise was made in Jericho, the two spies and Rahab entered into just such a binding promise. And the promise was under the jurisdiction of the One who has authority over all. Rahab had said to the spies, “Now swear to me by the LORD.…”(3) This pagan woman knew that there was only one authority that mattered – the Lord God Jehovah. He alone is faithful. He is not a man that He should lie.(4) Every word that proceeds from His mouth is true. And every promise that He makes is “Yes, and in Him Amen.”(5). “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”(6) Rahab knew that she could trust this promise if it was made in His Name.

Up until recently, our government and legal systems acknowledged the authority of God over all things and required that those giving statements in courts of law invoke the name of God in order to attest that their statements were true and correct. Sadly, that is no longer the case. Because only His word is incorruptible. Only His word is guaranteed. Only His word is unchanging. As a matter of fact, “when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself.”(7)

The promise of the spies was accepted because they gave it under His authority. Oh, that our word today might be accepted so assuredly because we stand on the word of God. Why has the word of Christians individually and collectively become so suspect? Yes, i know that partially it is due to a world that has turned away from God. (But remember, at the time Rahab accepted their promise, she and the people of Jericho were not followers of Jehovah God.) My greater concern today, is that we as followers of Christ do not honor our Lord with unwavering truthfulness. Our word and our promises have come to mean little more than those who do not follow Christ. And in so doing, we dishonor His Name. Let our yes be yes, and our no be no.(8)Even this pagan woman was known for keeping her promise. Our promise cannot change over time or because of a change in our circumstance. Our word, like that of our Lord, must be unchanging – because we stand and are rightly accountable under His jurisdiction.

An offer was made. She promised to do her part to help the spies; the spies promised to do their part to keep her and her family safe when Jericho was destroyed. The promise they each made was regarding their own personal actions. Though there were elements outside of their control; they were not elements of the promise. Do you remember the quote, “don’t make promises you can’t keep”? They entered into their promise with a full commitment. Also, the promise they made, just like the promise that God makes, was not valid only until a better deal came along. It was a promise that endured everything that life and circumstances may throw against it. Their very lives depended upon their promise. Their offer was fully given and irrevocably made.          

An acceptance was given. Their promise to each other was not only offered, it was also accepted. The spies offered the promise by saying, “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise and be kind to you when the LORD gives us the land.”(9) Rahab accepted their promise by agreeing not to betray the spies, and she honored her acceptance. The acceptance in essence completes the promise; it “receives” that which has been “given”.

A surety was extended. The spies offered their own lives as a guarantee for her safety. If for any reason they failed to live up to their promise, they were committing to surrender and forfeit their very lives. In our day and time, it is common for a promisor to extend a monetary surety to the receiver of the promise, in essence saying, “if I don’t do what I promise, you will receive this sum of money”. And that surety is frequently placed in the hands of a third party to hold as guarantee. In this case, the spies were “swearing before the Lord”. He was the “holder” of their surety. When we, as followers of Christ, give our promise we also extend a surety. The surety we extend is our testimony – our faith and walk with Jesus. Every time we break our promise, we forfeit our surety – our testimony is impugned and the Name of our God is dishonored. And Jesus went on to tell us, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne, nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”(10)

Conditions were defined. They made sure to fully define their promise so there would be no confusion. The spies said, “We will be bound by the oath we have taken only if you follow these instructions. When we come into the land, you must leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window through which you let us down. And all your family members… must be here inside the house.”(11) And Rahab defined the conditions of her promise as follows: … she let them down by a rope through the window. “Escape to the hill country,” she told them. “Hide there for three days from the men searching for you. Then, when they have returned, you can go on your way.”(12)

As we now know, everyone kept their promise, and Rahab and her family came to live among the Israelites. She would become the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth, and through them would become the great-great grandmother of King David – all as a result of a promise given, a promise accepted and a promise kept.

We would do well to not forget the promises we have made along the path of your journeys. Promises that are broken because they are forgotten are still broken promises. Let us not make promises idly or cavalierly. The promises we make are under our Lord’s jurisdiction.

Let us keep our promises along the way, and be grateful for a God who keeps His every promise to us … including “and this is the promise that He has promised us – eternal life.”(13)

* * * * *

A portion of this post is adapted from Possessing The Promise , chapter 17. This third book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1)  Joshua 6:22-25 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Joshua said to the two spies, “Keep your promise. Go to the prostitute’s house and bring her out, along with all her family.” The men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place near the camp of Israel…. So Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute and her relatives who were with her in the house, because she had hidden the spies Joshua sent to Jericho. And she lives among the Israelites to this day.

 

(2)  Wikipedia

(3)  Joshua 2:12 (NLT)

(4)  Numbers 23:19

(5)  2 Corinthians 1:20 (NKJ)

(6)  Deuteronomy 7:9 (NKJ)

(7)  Hebrews 6:13 (NKJ)

(8)  Matthew 5:37

(9)  Joshua 2:14 (NLT)

(10) Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJ)

(11) Joshua 2:17-18 (NLT)

(12) Joshua 2:15-16 (NLT)

(13) 1 John 2:25 (NKJ)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Prixel Creative on Lightstock

Be Strong and Courageous

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In this “post”-pandemic era, the researchers tell us that there is a marked increase in the number of people who are discouraged, anxious and fearful about their lives, the times in which we live, and what lies ahead on the horizon. The increase appears to cut across all of society, including those who indicate they are followers of Jesus. This isn’t the first time that discouragement, anxiety and fear have been on the rise – and it would do us well to learn from those who have gone before us.

A transition in leadership was about to occur among the Israelites.(1) A respected leader was about to step down, and a new leader was about to take his place. The incoming leader had seen enough to know that he was stepping into a daunting task – prompting increased anxiety and fear over what could occur. There was a need for assurance and admonition – the need for a word aptly spoken. Perhaps we, too, need to hear those same words ourselves.

Moses had been the undershepherd of the Israelites for forty years. He was the one through whom God had led this people through the wilderness in times of plenty, times of victory and times of faithfulness. But God didn’t call him to lead only in the good times; he was the leader even when the people rebelled – even when they were experiencing times of scarcity, times of defeat, times of disease, and times of faithlessness.  He heard their complaints and their murmurings. He was the recipient of frequent criticism. As the need arose, he was their advocate, their mediator, their judge, their disciplinarian, their teacher, their pastor, their general, their leader and their friend. No one knew the responsibilities that Joshua was about to assume better than Moses. No other man truly understood the weight of the burden of responsibility that he was about to shoulder.

Now before you correct me – i know that God was the Leader of the people. i know that the responsibility and the burden were God’s. And i know that we are called to lay down our burdens upon Him. But Jesus did say, “Take My yoke upon you…. My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”(2) Our Lord takes the weight of that responsibility, but if we are going to take up His cross and follow Him, there is a burden. And He has promised that He will enable us to bear that burden. And He will never give us a burden that He will not enable us to bear.

With that understanding, Moses called for Joshua to give him his final words of instruction and encouragement. As the mantle of leadership now completely transferred from one man to the other, these words – these final words – are words of blessing and admonition. As each one of us continue in the journey God has set before us, it would behoove us to listen to and receive these words of instruction as well.

BE STRONG. The Lord God Jehovah is your strength. He is upholding you with His righteous right hand.(3)He has armed you with strength for the battle.(4) Even in our weakness, His strength is made perfect.(5) Do not look to your own strength; look to His. Do not rely on your own ability; rely on His. God will allow you to encounter situations that will test your strength. You will only pass through the test as you rely on His strength. His strength is not something you work up to; it is His gift that He freely gives, if we will but submit and ask. Look at Jesus – the first time He came, He did not come as a warrior, He came as a Servant – surrendered and submitted to the Father. And ALL strength and power were given unto Him. Be that surrendered and submitted servant – and as you are, you will be made strong.

BE COURAGEOUS. Moses said it here as well, “The LORD goes before you.”(6) You are not alone. When i was a young boy, i recall an incident with a bully in our neighborhood that had at least six inches and fifty pounds on me. This kid intimidated the stew out of me. But whenever i was walking in the neighborhood with one of my older brothers, i didn’t give this kid a thought. There was no way he would mess with me while i was walking with one of my brothers. i had a courage that came from a confidence in the one with whom i was walking. The same principle applies here. Don’t forget with Whom you are walking! There is nothing that you will encounter that He is not able to overcome. The bullies will flee - because they know if they don’t, they’re going to get a “pounding.” Walk with confidence in Him – and as you do, you will be courageous.

DO NOT BE AFRAID.  The Lord has promised, “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. …I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”(7) God does not promise us a journey free of difficulty, but He does promise to walk with us through the difficulty. The only fear that our Lord intends us to have is a healthy fear – a holy reverence and awe – of Him. We are not children of darkness – children of fear – we are children of the Light. Walk boldly in His light – and as you do, you will not be afraid.

DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. Discouragement arises when, in the midst of difficulty, we take our eyes off of our God and put them on our circumstances. Paul wrote, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.”(8) Our Lord will be with you; “He will neither fail you nor forsake you.”(9) The same God who delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt and cared for His people through the wilderness led His people into His Promised Land. That was true then … and it is just as true today!

Do not allow the “little foxes” that nip at your heels to cause you to become downcast and discouraged. Look up at your Heavenly Father – His Person, His power and His promise – and as you do, you will not be discouraged.

Just as Moses knew the admonition that Joshua needed, our Heavenly Father knows even more the words that we need at this stage in our journey. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid and do not be discouraged. The same God who led the Israelites will lead you through whatever you are experiencing in your journey and on into the promised land He has planned for you!

* * * * *

A portion of this post is adapted from The Wandering Years , chapter 59. This second book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

* * * * *

(1)  Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (NLT)

Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched he said to him, "Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the LORD swore to give their ancestors. You are the one who will deliver it to them as their inheritance. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you."

 

(2)  Matthew 11:29-30 (NLT)

(3)  Isaiah 41:10

(4)  Psalm 18:39

(5)  2 Corinthians 12:9

(6)  Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

(7)  Isaiah 43:2-5 (NLT)

(8)  2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT)

(9)  Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Storiés on Unsplash

A Walk Like Enoch's

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For full disclosure, i have now been writing a weekly post to my blog for over four years, and in that time i have never repeated a post … until today. i first posted this on February 14, 2019, but as i read through it, i realized it was a word i needed to be reminded of today. i hope you will feel the same.

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This week in my quiet time, i have been reading the short epistle of Jude. It’s only one chapter and only contains twenty-five verses. i think i have too frequently breezed through it in the past. But this time the Lord told me to slow down and walk with His servant Enoch. In Jude 14-15, we read “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness….”

That got me to thinking about Enoch. There are only two people of whom i am aware who never experienced death. One was Elijah, and we read that he was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). The other was Enoch, and apparently, at one moment, he “was” and then, in the next moment, he “was not” because “God took him” (Genesis 5:24). i have often thought that if i could be anyone in the Bible, i’d like to be Enoch. Not because he didn’t pass through death (though that would be an added benefit), but because of the walk he had with God. When i picture Enoch’s walk with God, i don’t picture him as struggling or striving in that walk. i picture him as walking peacefully and contentedly in stride with his Creator. What was his secret? How did he find that stride?

Enoch was the seventh generation of the patriarchs from Adam in the line of Seth, and he was the father of Methuselah and the great-grandfather of Noah. Only five short verses are used in the Old Testament to tell his story (Genesis 5:18, 21-24):

·      he was born (the son of Jared),

·      he had a son (Methuselah), as well as other unnamed sons and daughters,

·      he walked with God, and

·      he no longer was, because God took him.

His eulogy – if there had been one – would have been very short. There isn’t a long list of his accomplishments. We don’t read about all that he built, or the battles he fought and won. We don’t read about his great orations or the books that he wrote. We don’t read about the wealth he amassed or the inventions he discovered. His life doesn’t appear to have been defined by all the busyness and activity that ours most often is. What we read is that “he walked with God.” His life wasn’t about him – it was all about the One with whom he walked. The writer of Hebrews even affirms that his walk was a walk of faith by including him in the “honor roll” of faith (Hebrews 11:5-6). As a matter of fact, it is Enoch that is being commended in that oft-quoted verse “without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6).

Imagine having a walk with God like that! He never had to ask God what He wanted him to do or “which door to walk through.” All he needed to do was stay close and walk right there beside the Father. When the Father turned, he turned. When the Father stopped, he stopped. When the Father went, he went. He kept his eyes on the Father. And because he did, he was commended for having pleased God.

We make things so complicated. We try so hard. Enoch didn’t have to work to walk with God. He didn’t earn the privilege. He walked with God by His grace. It wasn’t Enoch’s efforts that caused him to be commended, it was his faithfulness to simply walk with God.

i am mindful that Enoch is probably the best picture we are given in the Bible of how we as followers of Christ are to walk with Him. By His grace, the Father has made the way for us to walk with the Son. It’s not about all that we are doing. He didn’t create us to strive. He created us to walk with Him. Wherever He goes, we are to go. Wherever He turns, we are to turn. Wherever He stops, we are to stop. And one day, He’s coming back for His followers (the church), and those who are still alive at that moment “will be,” and in the next moment, like Enoch, “will no longer be” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). We will be caught up together with Christ (raptured). Not because of what we accomplished, but because of the One with whom we are walking.

Then one day soon after that, Jesus will return with His church (“the ten thousands”) to judge the earth. Those two verses in Jude tell us that Enoch prophesied of that return over 5,000 years ago. That was the earliest prophecy of Jesus’ second coming. How could he possibly have known? Because he walked with God, and as he did, God spoke, and Enoch listened. He heard because he was walking with God. How many things have i missed hearing because i was so busy striving that i failed to stride with God?

All of us are walking through a unique place today. We’re walking through the challenges, difficulties, busyness and unknown of life. Most of us are just trying to keep our heads above water. Allow me to suggest that we take a lesson from Enoch, and make sure that we’re not allowing any of that to keep us from walking with God. Rather, that we remember that He created us to walk with Him through whatever those challenges or circumstances are – in His stride. And as we do, we’ll end up right where we’re supposed to be – right where He intends for us to be – just like Enoch!

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It was the truths expressed in this post that prompted me to write the book, A Friend Called Enoch . It is the sixth book in my series, The Called . The book actually releases this week through Amazon. i invite you to read the book and consider the life of Enoch – the portion we know, and the rest of his life that could have been. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Ilya Ilford on Unsplash

Like a Tree Planted by Streams of Water

If you would prefer to listen to this post as a podcast, CLICK HERE.

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A few days ago, a friend reminded me of the first promise given to each one of us as recorded in the first Psalm:

Blessed is the man {or woman} who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his {or her} delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His Law he {or she} meditates day and night. He {or she} is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he {or she} does, he {or she} prospers.(1)

Having grown up in South Florida, a picture of the majestic royal palms towering over me with their fronds waving in the breezes immediately comes to my mind. The word picture given by the psalmist can feel very serene. It’s a picture of strength and peace rooted in the assurance of God’s Law and His Word.

But we would miss the whole point if we forgot the conditions through which that delight and success are revealed. It is serenity and assurance in the midst of storms and trials. i can’t help but wonder if the psalmist, as he penned these words, had in mind this picture of the Israelites’ journey, as recorded in the Book of Exodus:

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.(2)

Can you picture the serenity of that place? Cool springs shaded by those majestic palm trees. This Florida boy is ready to run to that place! But before we run there, let’s remember what was going on. It had been a week – and what a week it had been! The preceding weeks had seen the plagues that God had brought upon Egypt, culminating in the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons. This particular week had begun with the pronouncement from Pharaoh that the people were to leave Egypt – and they were to leave quickly. They had suddenly found themselves freed from the bondage they had suffered for generations.

But two days later, with their backs to the sea, they witnessed the Egyptian army – the most powerful army in the world at the time – swiftly approaching to bring them back into captivity. There appeared to be no escape … until they experienced the impossible! They witnessed the mighty power of God as He parted the Red Sea to rescue them from their attackers. Not one of them would ever forget that unsettling walk from west to east through the walls of water that rose up on both sides of their dried pathway. Neither would they forget the relief mixed with horror as they witnessed from the eastern shore the sight of those same walls of water crashing down upon that mighty army.

Three days later, seemingly having forgotten what God had done for them at the Red Sea, they cried out for good water to drink. Again they witnessed the power of God as He transformed the bitter waters of Marah into sweet streams of water that satisfied their thirst.

Throughout it all, they had experienced a roller coaster of emotions from elation, joy, exuberance and awe to fear, panic, bitterness and anger – and back again – and then back again some more. They had experienced God’s presence, protection, and provision in ways that just one week earlier they could not have imagined. And they had seen Him demonstrate an awesome power beyond anything they had ever witnessed.

God had now led them to the beautiful valley of Elim – the valley of strong trees – with its twelve deep natural springs of fresh sweet water – one spring for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Elim was a picture of what His people would be if they heeded His voice, obeyed His Law and followed His Word. It was a visual reminder of His promise to them … and His promise to us as recorded by the psalmist. They would be like those strong trees firmly planted beside the deep water. God kept the Israelites encamped in Elim for several weeks so that they might be refreshed for the continuation of their journey, but also so that this reminder of His promise might be etched on their hearts.

God was telling them – just as He is telling us – that if we will meditate on His Word (listen for His voice), delight in His Word (heed His voice), and walk according to His Word (obey His voice), we will be like strong trees planted by deep water – trees that will prosper and bring forth fruit.

Jesus gave us the same promise when He said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.”(3) If we are going to abide in Him, we must listen for His voice, heed His voice and obey His voice. As we do, He will bear fruit in us and through us – fruit that remains. It will be fruit that is sufficient for the journey and fruit that is a product of the journey. Our way will prosper as He intends because we will be walking according to His way.

Those royal palms i am picturing from South Florida have stood tall through the many hurricanes that have passed their way. The palms of Elim stood tall through the storms and trials that whirled around them.

Allow the Master to use the picture of Elim to challenge you, refresh you and remind you of His promise – even in the midst of the storms and trials that may be encircling you … even now. Hold onto the promise written by the psalmist and spoken by Jesus. Abide in Him. Delight in Him. Stand strong in His assurance.

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A portion of this post is adapted from The Journey Begins, chapter 9, entitled “The Promise of Elim.” This first book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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(1) Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV)

(2) Exodus 15:27 (ESV)

(3) John 15:5 (ESV)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Angello Pro on Unsplash