Kenneth Winter's Blog, page 14

Stories of Hope (Part 1) – The Despairing Father

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Jesus came to bring

good news to the afflicted,

healing to the brokenhearted,

freedom to the captive,

comfort to those who mourn,

joy to those who sorrow,

gladness instead of tears, and

praise instead of despair.(1)

 

If there was ever a day we needed to be reminded of the message of hope to be found in Jesus, it is today. Beginning this week and continuing for the following two weeks, i will be posting three stories about men and women who experienced that message of hope at the moment of their greatest desperation.  

You will find these individuals in the Gospel accounts, however i have added fictional elements to each of their stories so that we might see them … and better understand the circumstances in their lives leading up to their encounter with the only One who could bring them hope.

You will read the portion of their stories you may already know … and the rest that could have been. Though some of the characters and details contained in each story may be fictional, you will find the truth conveyed about the One they each encountered to be very REAL! My prayer is that you will allow these stories to be a reminder that the One who brought each of them hope is capable of bringing it to each one of us today … if we will only receive it.

The Despairing Father (This week – June 29)

The Hopeless Woman (July 6)

The Blind Son (July 13)

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My name is Chuza. I am the son of Shachna, and I serve as the royal chamberlain (a senior official) to Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea. My father grew up in Capernaum, and as an adult, he became the business manager for the senior Roman centurion stationed in that city. He was greatly admired for his capabilities and recognized in ways he didn’t even realize. That is, until one day, he was told to appear before the king, Herod the Great.

My father had no idea why he was being summoned. He was relieved and honored when Herod explained he was being appointed to manage the construction of a new city along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The city was to be called Caesarea Maritima, in honor of the Roman emperor, Augustus. It was to be the showplace of the province, boasting a deep-water harbor, an ornate palace, and sporting arenas rivaling those of Rome itself.

Herod had a grand vision to bring economic prosperity to the region and Caesarea Maritima was central to those plans. He gave my father great latitude in selecting the most gifted architects and designers, the most skillful craftsmen, and the finest materials. I was nine years old when construction began, and the work concluded just prior to my twenty-first birthday.

As a young boy, I shadowed my father and watched him with great pride. He led this massive undertaking with wisdom and grace. His workers honored and respected him. During the latter years, I served alongside him as his apprentice and assistant. I never once heard King Herod voice anything but satisfaction with my father’s work and the progress of the project.

When everything was completed, Herod honored my father by naming him the royal chamberlain – which meant he directed the royal household and was answerable only to the king. Herod was known for his impatience and fits of rage, but he never showed my father anything but the utmost respect.

I learned much from my father and continued to serve alongside him in the palace until the day Herod died. Afterward, the Roman emperor divided the kingdom with Judea, Samaria, and Idumea being ruled by his son Herod Archelaus and his son Herod Antipas ruling over Galilee and Perea. Respecting my father’s abilities, Archelaus retained him as his royal chamberlain.

But Archelaus’s rule was cut short when he was removed by Caesar Augustus, and the Roman prefect Coponius was installed in his place. My father decided it was time to step down as chamberlain and advised the incoming prefect to choose me to assume his role. Coponius was facing enormous challenges resulting from Archelaus’s poor leadership, so he was only too happy to have someone step into the role with little disruption.

I quickly learned that being the chamberlain was very different from being the assistant to the chamberlain! The responsibility now fell squarely on my shoulders. I was grateful that my father was still available to provide wise counsel whenever I needed it. Over time, I grew more comfortable and confident in the role – and the prefect frequently praised me for the way I handled his household.

I had been in the role for three years when Coponius was reassigned to another post; his replacement had already been selected by the emperor. Before he left, Coponius told me that Herod Antipas wanted to offer me a position in his court. Coponius gave me permission to consider the opportunity. Apparently, the incoming prefect was bringing his own chamberlain, which meant I was no longer needed in Caesarea.

That turn of events actually worked in my favor. My new master and king, Antipas, told me of his plans to construct a new capital city for the provinces under his rule along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The city would be called Tiberias in honor of the current Roman emperor. Antipas explained that the city would rival his father’s city of Caesarea Maritima in its majesty. He knew my father had supervised the construction of that city, and he knew I had assisted my father.

I am just a few years older than Antipas, so we grew up in the palace in Caesarea at the same time – though obviously in very different stations. Still, we were well-acquainted with one another. He told me he knew I had the ability to oversee the construction of his new city – and even more importantly, he knew he could trust me.

As I mentioned earlier, my father grew up in Capernaum in Galilee and he was now planning to move back there. So, the opportunity for me to also relocate to Galilee to oversee the development of Tiberias was an added bonus. I accepted Antipas’s commission. I would report only to him and would have his complete authority backing my every decision.

While visiting Capernaum, I met a young woman named Joanna, and it wasn’t long before her parents and mine thought we should be married. And truth be told, Joanna and I both thought so as well! Arrangements were made, and six months later we married. I couldn’t imagine life being any better. Jehovah God had blessed me with a loving wife and had granted me the opportunity to serve our ruler – and our people – by building a new thriving city that would bring added benefits to our region.

It took ten years for the city of Tiberias to be completed. The city is surrounded by seventeen natural mineral hot springs to its north, west, and south, and the inviting waters of the Sea of Galilee to its east. All of this makes it a pleasant place to live.

My only disappointment was that our most religiously orthodox Jews decried the building of cities such as Tiberias. They believed that our region was becoming Hellenized in appearance, in culture, in language, and in religion. They refused to settle in Tiberias and influenced many others to do the same. As a result, we were forced to resettle segments of the non-Jewish population from other parts of Antipas’s domain in order to populate the city.

When construction of the city was completed, Antipas honored me by making me his chamberlain. He gave me responsibility over not only the management of his household but also the administration of his efforts to appease the anxiety of the orthodox Jews. That responsibility would eventually afford me the opportunity to financially support the ministry of Jesus. But I am getting ahead of myself!

Joanna, our four-year old son Samuel, and I moved into our new accommodations inside the palace, which were exceeded only by those of the royal family – and life for us was good. That is until Samuel fell ill at age ten. He developed a high fever that the court physicians were unable to treat. Each day our son became weaker, and each day we had less and less hope.

Someone in the palace told us about a miracle worker named Jesus of Nazareth. He was creating quite a stir throughout Galilee. Witnesses said He could make the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame walk. Joanna and I did not know whether He could heal our son, but we knew the physicians could not.

Joanna learned that Jesus’s mother had recently moved to Capernaum, so we made arrangements to take Samuel there. Antipas graciously permitted us to take whatever time we needed to see if this Man could heal our son. We set sail from Tiberias and within a few hours made the journey to the north shore of the sea. When we arrived in Capernaum, we learned that Jesus was not there but was expected to arrive soon. He had been delayed in His travels through Samaria, of all places, but was expected home within a few days. He would be traveling back through Cana.

Joanna and I knew our son wouldn’t survive another trip. But we also knew he did not have many days to live. So, Joanna and Samuel stayed with her parents in their home in Capernaum, and I set out on a day’s journey walking to Cana – in the hopes that I would come upon Jesus along the way.

It was early afternoon when I arrived in Cana. I asked if anyone knew the whereabouts of Jesus of Nazareth. He was obviously well-known and well-liked in the village because I was immediately directed to Him.

When I approached Jesus, I explained my son’s condition and begged Him to go to Capernaum to heal my son. I was desperate. Jesus could see it in my eyes and hear it in my voice. But surprisingly, He did not reply with compassion as I expected. Instead, He turned His face in the direction of the crowd gathering around Him and asked, “Will you never believe in Me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?”(2)

Thinking that Jesus did not understand the urgency of my situation, I said to Him, “Lord, please come now before my little boy dies.”(3)

I did not know it at the time, but my statement to Jesus revealed my ignorance about who He was and what He was capable of doing. But I was certainly not alone in my misunderstanding. I would venture that most everyone within the sound of His voice still had no idea who He was.

First, I mistakenly believed that Jesus had to be in the physical presence of my son in order to heal him. Second, I believed that Jesus’s miracle-working power was limited to healing and not to restoring life. I was looking at Jesus through the lens of my own understanding, not through the realization of who He is.

But graciously, Jesus showed me compassion and said, “Go back to your son. He will live!”(4)

I now had three options. I could continue to beg Jesus to return with me. I could attempt to use my position as Antipas’s royal chamberlain to command Him to come with me. Or, I could take Him at His word and trust that He had the power to heal my son just by speaking those words.

I am one with royal authority. I enjoy the trust of Herod and direct many as the manager of Herod’s household. I am accustomed to giving a command and having it obeyed. But today, I am in no position to command. I am a beggar before this King, and He has given a command. I will trust Him in His mercy. I will trust Him by faith. If I can’t trust Him in what He has said, then I can’t trust Him at all!

So I turned, without any further hesitation, and began my journey back to Capernaum. As I walked away, I heard Jesus commend me for my faith to those standing around Him. At that moment, I knew my son had been healed.

I wanted to get back to Capernaum to see with my own eyes, so I traveled for several hours until nightfall. I stopped to rest overnight and then continued on my journey.

As I neared Capernaum, I saw some of my servants running toward me. As they drew closer, I could see how happy they were. They were overjoyed to tell me my son was well. He had been healed!

What I had believed came true! But did it become true when I believed it, or did it become true to me when I heard about it from my servants? I now know that it is the former, not the latter. Truth becomes reality when I believe it – not when I see it!

I rejoiced in the news and praised God for His faithfulness. Then I asked the servants when my son had begun to get better. “Yesterday afternoon at one o’clock, his fever suddenly disappeared,”(5) they replied. I knew the answer before they even responded. My son had been healed the very moment Jesus said, “Your son will live.”(6)

On that day, I believed in Jesus – not only for what He had done – but for who He is. When I arrived in Capernaum, I told Joanna, and she, too, believed in Jesus. We told her parents and my father – and they believed. When we returned to Tiberias, we told our entire household, and they also believed.

Even Herod Antipas asked me what had occurred. He listened with interest as I explained what happened. But I could see that He did not believe. He rejoiced in our good news, but he never accepted it for himself.

God continues to allow me to provide financial resources from the royal treasury to help support Jesus in His travels and ministry. Joanna is now traveling with the other women and men who are following Him. While she assists Jesus in His work close by, I do so from afar. But we both follow Him.

I enjoy the favor of my king in his palace, but more importantly, I enjoy the favor of the One who stood before me. I will serve Him, the true King, with my life … for now and forevermore.

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This story is taken from The One Who Stood Before Us , a collection of forty short stories. The complete collection is available through Amazon in standard print, large print, for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy.

You can listen to an audio recording of this story by tuning into this week’s episode of my podcast by CLICKING HERE

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

The Scripture references are as follows:

(1)  Isaiah 61:1-3 (paraphrase)

(2)  John 4:48

(3)  John 4:49

(4)  John 4:50

(5)  John 4:52

(6)  John 4:53

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Sorin Popa on Lightstock

Are We Known For Who Our God Is?

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In his letters to the churches in Galatia and Philippi, Paul wrote that he was “crucified with Christ. I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. For me to live is Christ.”(1) Paul’s identity was in Christ and he was writing the churches to remind them that as followers of Jesus, their identity was to be in Him as well.

The same is true for us … or at least it is supposed to be. But is it? Or are we better known for what sports team we follow, what political party we are a part of, what school we are alumni of, or what social issue we champion? It is easy in our day and time for our identity to get lost in our many interests that divide us and not in the One who died to draw us to Himself.

We would do well to heed a lesson from the Israelites. They had just arrived in their Promised Land. The river which had opened before them so they could pass, had now closed behind them so they could not go back. And for the Amorites and Canaanites, the river which they had trusted to provide added protection from the advancing Israelites no longer separated them. The Israelites were now camped at Gilgal along the west bank of the Jordan.(2)

i would imagine that it was quite an impressive site. One day no one was there, and then on the next, two million people and their livestock were covering the area with their campsites. The population of metro Richmond where i live is approximately 1.3 million people. So i am trying to imagine what it would be like to see one and one-half times that number of people suddenly appear from one day to the next. And imagine that you were a Canaanite living nearby when these two million people showed up in your backyard. Imagine the environmental and economic impact!

But was it their sheer number alone that caused the Amorites and Canaanites to be paralyzed with fear? Or was it their fighting force of 600,000+? No, we read the real reason in Joshua 2:  “We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.”(3)

The people were not best known for who they were or what they had done; they were known for the God who went before them – the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below! And the supreme God of the heavens and earth was not and is not only sovereign over the actions of men; He was and is sovereign over the acts of nature and the entire created realm. What defense are earthly weapons or walls of stone against such a God? He is supreme over the gods of the Amorites and the Canaanites. He is supreme over all! There is none like Him! And they were paralyzed with fear! If only instead of turning from Him in fear their hearts had turned toward Him in repentance!

Almost 1500 years later and less than 30 miles from that very spot, a group of Jewish leaders looked upon two Galilean fishermen in a similar way. The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.(4) Peter and John were recognized not for themselves nor for who they were, but for the God they served and the work of His hands.

Today it is estimated that one out of every ten people on the planet is a professed follower of Jesus Christ, believing in His crucifixion and bodily resurrection as the sacrifice for our sin, trusting in Him alone for salvation, and believing that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Think of the size of that tribe!

But are we truly seen as the people of God? Are those around us amazed by our boldness – not because of our training, but because they recognize us as a people who have been with Jesus? Does a watching world see the activity and presence of the supreme God of the heavens and the earth going before us? Are we described for whose we are – or are we described for what we are against? Are we known for the majesty of our God or for the self-centeredness of our thinking? Is the presence of God seen in any way through our attitudes and actions?

What will it take in each one of our lives for us individually and collectively to be seen as the people of the One and Only Supreme God? It will require a commitment and abandonment to take up our cross and follow Him, like that demonstrated by the Israelites when they crossed over the Jordan. It will require a followship that is completely and totally dependent upon the work of God. It will require a faith that trusts Him to turn back the wall of water – or whatever else stands in the way. It will require a confidence in His ability and power to lead us and sustain us so that the waters will not crash down upon us. It will require a surrender that is all about Him and not about me. It will require Him to increase and me to decrease. It will require for me to be okay with Him making a way and then closing it so i cannot turn back.

God led the Israelites from Egypt through the wilderness into the Promised Land so that His Name might be made known among the nations. He has led us, as His children, through our own wilderness experiences and into our promised land for the same purpose. So the question remains – are we known for who we are, or for who our God is? Are we known for being followers of Christ through whom He is at work in might and in power – and our lives have become the canvas upon which He is seen?

As i think about the Israelites crossing the Jordan, a song keeps playing over and over in my head. “i have decided to follow Jesus. i have decided to follow Jesus. i have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.” He goes before us. We are following Him. There’s no going back. We are His, and He is high and lifted up in and through our lives. Our only reputation is that we are His people. He is our God. That’s why we’re on this journey. LORD, grant that we might be known – not for who we are – but for who our God is!

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This post is adapted from Possessing the Promise chapter 10, entitled “Are You Known For Who Your God Is?”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)  Galatians 2:19-20, Philippians 1:21 (NLT)

(2)  Joshua 5:1 (NLT)

When all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings who lived along the Mediterranean coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan River so the people of Israel could cross, they lost heart and were paralyzed with fear because of them.           

(3)  Joshua 2:9-11 (NLT)

(4)  Acts 4:13 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Kevin Carden on Lightstock

The Minority Report

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Are you at a place in your life journey right now that you believe God is telling you to do one thing, but the obstacles ahead just seem too overwhelming? Are your eyes of faith saying one thing, but your eyes of fear are saying another?

Eyes of fear will always look up at the obstacles from man’s perspective; eyes of faith will always look down at the obstacles from God’s perspective. Eyes of fear will always gaze out from under the circumstances; eyes of faith will always look over the circumstances in light of God’s promises. Eyes of fear will always be blinded by the visible; eyes of faith will always be illuminated by the unseen assurance of God.

Twelve men were sent ahead to explore the land. Ten of those men returned with a compelling argument against entering the land: “The people are stronger than we are. We are like grasshoppers compared to them. If we go there, the land will swallow us up. It would be better for us if we went back to Egypt.”(1)

Joshua and Caleb saw the exact same things that the other men had seen. They all had seen the richness of the land. They saw the size of the people and the strength of their fortifications. But what the majority saw as giants, the minority saw as prey; and what the majority saw as obstacles that could not be overcome, the minority saw as opportunities for God to demonstrate His power. The majority saw their defenses; the minority saw their vulnerability. So what caused the majority and the minority to see different things when they were looking at the exact same things? It was the eyes through which they were looking. The majority looked through the eyes of fear, and the minority through the eyes of faith.(2)

The report of the eyes of faith will all too often be the minority report. Our propensity – a characteristic of our flesh nature – will always be to look ahead strictly through eyes of fear. We pride ourselves on our seasoned objectivity, our pragmatism and our “feet-firmly-planted-on-the-ground” common sense, when in fact, what we need is an uncommon sense that comes from ears attuned to God’s voice, hearts and hands willing to do His bidding, and feet willing to follow Him wherever He leads.

Let’s face it, was it common sense that led Noah to invest 100 years in the construction of a big boat in the middle of dry land in preparation for a flood in a place that had never seen rain? Was it pragmatism that prompted Abraham to pack up his family and his possessions and leave their home in Haran when he had absolutely no idea where he was going? Was it seasoned objectivity that prompted Peter, Andrew, James and John to leave their successful fishing businesses to follow the penniless son of a carpenter?

In each instance there would have been a majority report that said these men were crazy. I can hear it now, “Peter, it’s one thing to have your head in the clouds, but plant your feet on the ground, man, you have a family to think about.” Or how about another familiar moment in history – the Israelite army is trembling before a giant that is too big to fight, when up steps a shepherd boy who sees the giant as too big to miss? God’s call on our lives to step out in faith will be a call to step out of the majority into the minority. It is a call from the mainstream to the “faith-stream”.

Caleb and Joshua were severely criticized by the majority for the position they took. As a matter of fact, the community began to talk about stoning them. But these men never once backed away from their stand of faith. They never once compromised their conviction. And they never once doubted the promise of God.

As a result of their faithfulness, and as a result of their courageous obedience, those two men were the only two out of over 600,000 men to survive the forty-year wandering and enter the Promised Land. The critics of the minority report all perished in the wilderness; only these two experienced the blessings of the land of milk and honey. The writer of Hebrews writes, “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”(3) God was displeased with the majority report, but He rewarded these two. God is a Rewarder of those who walk by faith.

So as you explore what lies ahead in your path, are the obstacles too great for God to overcome? Does the land seem too far off for God to be able to get you there? Does the journey seem too difficult for God to enable you to endure? Does any of it make any sense apart from the promise that you know God has given you? Don’t use your common sense; use the uncommon sense God has given you. Standing with the minority will require faith and courage. It will require a reliance that what God has promised He will bring about! Look through the eyes of faith God has given you and see the land ahead in light of His promise. He will reward your faithfulness.

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This post is adapted from The Wandering Years chapter 19, entitled “The Minority Report.” 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 13:31 - 14:4

(2)  Numbers 14:6-9

(3)  Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo: View of the Promised Land from atop Mt. Nebo

No Matter Where We Are In Our Journey

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It really doesn’t matter where we are in the journey – at the beginning, the midpoint or the end. God uses it all! As a matter of fact, He assures us that what He begins, He completes(1) – and He ultimately works through all things for our good and His glory(2) – even when we can’t see it, or fathom how that could be the case.

The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years. As a matter of fact, it had been 430 years to the day. If you recall, God led them into Egypt. He sent Joseph, son of Jacob, ahead to prepare for their arrival by using for good that which his brothers had intended for evil.(3) Now, 430 years later, the Lord was leading His people to embark on a journey to the land that He had promised their patriarch Abraham; a journey that would lead through the wilderness.(4)

For centuries they had cried out to God for deliverance. This generation had known of no life other than the bondage of Egypt. They had heard about the promises that God had given to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but they could not imagine that life was ever going to be different. But, on that day, they left behind all the encumbrances they had known and walked away from their slavery. God had finally answered their prayer and was delivering them from Egypt. As they began the journey, they did so with a huge degree of relief – their bondage was finally over.  

But they also began the journey with some reservation. As difficult as their years in Egypt had been, it was all they had ever known. Today they were venturing out into the unknown. They had no idea what to expect or what they would encounter. At least, as long as they were in Egypt, they were assured of food, shelter, and the protection of the most powerful nation on earth at the time. Now as they stepped out into the wilderness, they had no idea where they would find food or shelter, or what enemies they might encounter.

Some of the Israelites had built close relationships with some of the Egyptian people. Not everyone had mistreated or abused them; some of the people had befriended them. And as they began, though there was a relief over their freedom, there was also a regret over friends that would never again be seen. Each step into their journey took them further away from friends that they loved.

But there was also an excitement and expectancy. This day that they had prayed for, that they had cried out for, and that they had longed for, was finally here – and they relished what most certainly was ahead in their journey. What would this land flowing with milk and honey, as Moses had described it, be like? What opportunities existed for them and their sons and daughters without the threat of the overseers’ whips on their backs? The investment of the sweat of their brow would now be for their own behalf and not for the benefit of their Egyptian overlords.

Yes, as they began the journey, they did so with that mixture of relief, reservation, regret and relish. They saw all of the ways that they would benefit from this journey; they saw all the ways that the journey would impact their lives. There was only one problem – they were looking through their own eyes. They were looking at it as a journey that would lead them from Egypt and their escape from slavery, not as a journey that would lead them to encounter God and His person.

God wasn’t leading them to bring them from a place; He was leading them to bring them to Himself. God was bringing them on a journey that would bring them to a place that would enable them to know Him, know Him more and know Him more intimately. In that journey, He would lead them through the wilderness, because there are certain things we are only able to learn in the wilderness. There would be times on the journey that He would teach them as a part of the crowd, because there are some things that God teaches us when we are part of a crowd. But there would be other times when they would be alone with God, because there are some things we can only learn once we get alone with Him.

God made sure that they had everything from Egypt that was necessary for the journey. They didn’t have everything they would need; God would take care of that along the way. But He made sure that they had everything that they needed from Egypt. And they would see how God had planned all of this long before they had any idea.

But one more observation – they traveled on foot. It wasn’t going to be a fast journey, and it wasn’t going to be a short journey. God’s journeys are designed to accomplish all He intends. God is not as concerned with the quantity of time, as He is with the quality of the work He accomplishes in us through the journey.

No matter where we are in the journey – the beginning, the middle or the end – we must follow Him! We must walk in obedience with Him knowing we will arrive at our destination at the exact moment He intends – and not before!

Yes, the Israelites’ journey had begun. It was a journey that God would use to impact their lives; but it was also a journey that God would use to impact the world through them. That’s how God’s journeys are. And we can walk in that same confidence that whatever journey we are on, through whatever wilderness we are walking, He will use it to transform our lives and to impact the world around us.

Trust Him, no matter where you are in the journey. He will use the beginning, the middle, and the end of the journey to bring glory to His name!

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This post is adapted from The Journey Begins chapter 4, entitled “The Journey Begins.” 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)  Philippians 1:6

(2)  Romans 8:28

(3)  Genesis 50:20

(4)  Exodus 12:51, 34-38 (NLT)

And that very day the LORD began to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, division by division. The Israelites took with them their bread dough made without yeast. They wrapped their kneading bowls in their spare clothing and carried them on their shoulders. And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for….  That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about 600,000 men, plus all the women and children. And they were all traveling on foot.

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Austin Ban on Unsplash

Is He Worthy?

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This past Sunday as our faith community sang the confessional worship song “Is He Worthy?” (lyrics below), i found myself pondering, “Do i really believe what i am singing? Is God truly worthy of all blessing, honor, and glory? And if He is, am i really living out my life as if He is?”

Those questions caused me to think about the early believers we read about in the Book of Acts.(1) Because they truly believed God is worthy, there was a conspicuous transformation that occurred in their lives. It changed the way they thought about everything – themselves, their priorities, their relationships, their time, and their possessions. They immediately recognized something that appears to be more difficult for us today.

“They felt that what they owned was not their own.”(1) The hearts of the believers had disconnected from their “stuff” and their own ambitions; instead they “connected” with the Spirit of God. They no longer felt entitled. They now felt blessed. They were no longer possessed by their belongings. That which they had in their possession was now seen as a means with which to minister to others. Luke writes that the believers were “united in heart and mind.”(1) They were no longer united with their personal possessions; rather, they were united with one another. They were united in Christ. They were “believers” in every sense of the word. They not only believed in Jesus for their salvation; they believed in Him and trusted Him for all that they needed. Their satisfaction and worth no longer came from what they possessed; rather, their complete satisfaction was in God through Christ.

Today as twenty-first century believers, we read that passage and immediately want to issue disclaimers. “Surely God does not intend for me to give away all that i have!” That statement, in and of itself, reflects the condition of our hearts, our trust and our belief. The passage doesn’t tell us that they all sold all of their possessions all at once. It says that they shared everything they had so that no need went unmet. Needs were met as they arose through the provision that God placed within the body of believers. The issue wasn’t the possessions; rather, it was the ownership of those possessions. They didn’t all immediately sell everything that they had; rather, they immediately surrendered the “deed” to all that they had to the One who had provided it. Through that transaction of “surrender,” they were acknowledging that they were no longer the owners. Their possessions were no longer theirs to keep – or even to give. That decision rested solely with the Owner. The possessions were His to use as He saw fit.

As an example, there are many today who want to debate whether or not we are to tithe a percentage of our income to God through His local storehouse – the church. We see the tithe established in the Old Testament as early as Genesis 14 as a starting point for giving to the Lord. Additionally, we see a multitude of offerings that were to be given over and above the tithe. The debate today surrounds whether those commands that were given to God’s people under the Law still apply to those of us who are now under grace. i have heard many who profess to be followers of Christ use “grace” as a justification that we are no longer to give a tithe because we are no longer under the Law. They are using “grace” to justify their refusal to honor God with the provisions He has given.

The early believers clearly demonstrated that we are no longer to return a portion of what God has provided back to Him; rather, we are to return it ALL. He does not own one-tenth of what we have. Grace shows us that He owns ALL that we have! If we are giving a tithe of our income through the local church – that’s only the beginning point – not a point of debate.

Those early believers knew that giving – whether it was of their possessions or time – had nothing to do with percentages or amounts; rather, it had everything to do with their hearts. Many of them had been eyewitnesses to Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Their hearts were now gripped by Him and for one another, and they had loosened their grasp on their own ambitions and “things”. Faith in Christ creates a bond of love with people, and cuts the bond of love with possessions. We are to be freed from the love of things and firm in our love for others.

Over the years, i have heard pastors and teachers (myself included) talk about “giving sacrificially”. But, in light of God’s worthiness and the example of those early believers, i think we get that wrong. i can only sacrifice something i own. If i no longer own it, it is no longer mine to sacrifice. i have “abandoned” all that i am and all that i have to the Master. i no longer have any rights or say over its disposition.  i am simply the caretaker for the Owner, carrying out His directive, trusting that as i do, He will also provide for my needs.

One of those early believers, Joseph, or as we better know him – Barnabas – was a great picture of abandonment.(1) As a Levite, Barnabas would have been far from being affluent. His act of selling a field and bringing the proceeds to the apostles was tantamount to the widow who gave the mite. He wasn’t giving from his plenty; he was basically giving all that he had. Because he had surrendered it to God long before any money was ever received from a buyer! His abandonment was not only seen in the property that was sold, it was also seen through his other actions as well. In Acts we see that Barnabas was abandoned to His Lord in his willingness and obedience to reach out to a new convert by the name of Saul when all the rest of the believers in Jerusalem were afraid of him.(2) Through his abandonment, God led Barnabas, a Jew, to leave his home in Cypress to go to Antioch and co-shepherd the new Gentile church.(3) From there, Barnabas and Paul were led by the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles throughout modern-day Turkey, Syria and Cypress.(4) But it all began with a demonstrated freedom from the love of “stuff” and an overwhelming love for Jesus.

They gave it all – not at the point that they sold their property – they gave it all long before that. They gave it all when they surrendered their lives to Jesus. The sale of property, the giving of all that they owned, was merely evidence of their surrender and abandonment. Like Barnabas or the widow who only had the mite, it doesn’t matter how much or how little we have. The question before every one of us is – have we given it ALL? What are we continuing to hold onto tightly? What are we refusing to let go of? The old saying is still true – “Jesus is not Lord at all, if He is not Lord over all!” Is He worthy? Or are those words just something we sing?

Is He worthy of all? He is!

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This post is adapted from Until He Returns chapter 14, entitled “They Gave It All.” This sixth 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)  Acts 4:32-37 (NLT)

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

(2)  Acts 9:26-27

(3)  Acts 11:22

(4)  Acts 13-14

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Andrew Maranta on Unsplash

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Is He Worthy?

 

Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us? (He does)
Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is! He is! 
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is! He is!
He is worthy! He is worthy!
He is!

 

Written by Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive 

Is He Worthy? (Lyrics video) performed by Chris Tomlin

A Journey to Our Well

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There is a journey that each of us take most every day. It is a journey to a “well” where we go to meet a need in our lives. Its purpose may be to fill an emotional emptiness, provide mental stimulation, meet a spiritual need, or satisfy a physical hunger. The needs we feel may vary and the places we go to appease them may look different, but we all have a “well” to which we go.

Sometimes we go to our well not even recognizing what our need truly is.  We go to meet a perceived need, when in reality our need is something entirely different. It may be a need that we openly acknowledge and embrace, or it may be one we deny and reject. It may be a need that leads to our being built up, or it may be a need that leads to our being torn down. Whatever it is, we think the well to which we are going will meet the need.

Such was the case with the Samaritan woman we read about in the Gospel of John.(1) She had come to a well with an empty bucket, just like she had many times before. She came because she needed water. Her physical need is what brought her there, but her emotional need is what dictated the timing of her journey.

Her life was hard, filled with disappointment. She had been married five times before, having possibly been widowed and on other occasions divorced. She was now living with a man who was not her husband, which would have been scandalous in that day. But she no longer cared. She was seeking love and fulfillment wherever she thought she could find it. However, every attempt only led to more rejection and greater emptiness.

She was an outcast in her own village, and probably felt as if she didn’t have a friend in the world. She came to the well at the sixth hour of the day – at the noon hour. The busy time at the well was always first thing in the morning, when others collected the water they would need for the day. But not this woman, she came when she knew the others would not be there.

And what’s more – she came to a well that was out of her way. Archaeologists tell us that her village – Sychar – had its own well right there in the village. But she had come to the well outside of the village in order to avoid running into anyone who might recognize her. She was tired of their hurting remarks and their judgmental looks. She came to the well wounded – cut to the heart by the rejection she had time and again experienced. She came to the well living a life of desperation – shutting out the world around her on the outside and raging against it on the inside. And though she came to the well with an empty bucket needing to be filled with water, she also came with questions for which she had no answers. She knew the religious teachings of her day, but the list of rules and commands had left her frustrated and empty. She had come to a place in her life that she no longer believed there was an answer to the pain she felt.

As she approached the well, she saw a Man. She looked at Him warily. He was a stranger to her. On closer inspection, she realized He was a Galilean. And she knew Galileans, like all Jews, despised Samaritans, and vice versa. She expected this Galilean would deride her just like all those before Him had done. But instead, He did something that astounded her. He spoke to her – not with words of ridicule or disdain; rather, He asked her for a favor – a drink from the well. Surprisingly, His speech and demeanor did not reflect arrogance or contempt; instead His words and manner evidenced humility and compassion. He spoke to her in a way that no man had ever spoken to her before.

“Perhaps He is a ‘religious’ man,” she thought. She had encountered rabbis and pharisees before, and they had been just as cruel and self-centered as the rest. But this Man was different. He seemed to be well-meaning. He offered to give her water – what He called “living water.” But He had nothing with which to draw from the well, so how could He possibly help her?

But as He continued to speak, His eyes and His words told her He could see right into her heart. Here was a Man who knew everything about her. Here was a Man that wanted to give her life – not the miserable existence that the world called life – but a life of integrity, a life of purpose, and a life that was abundant. Suddenly her eyes were opened, and she saw the Master for who He truly was. She saw and heard the Father and His love revealed through this One – this stranger, this rabbi – the Messiah.

Look at the exchange that occurred at the well that day. The Samaritan woman came with an empty bucket, but left connected to the endless spring of Living Water. She came rejected by most of those around her, but left accepted by Almighty God Himself. She came wounded, but left having been made whole. She came living a life of desperation, but left overflowing with hope. She came filled with questions, but left knowing the One who had all the answers.

Now don’t misunderstand, when she left the well that day, many of the people in the village still probably treated her rudely. She was still poor. The circumstances of her life were still hard. But now a love relationship with God gave meaning to her life. She knew He loved her, and by His grace, she was His child. Nothing and no one could take that away. And she was so full of joy that she forgot all about her waterpot and ran into the village to tell others about the One she had encountered at the well. And we read that many others believed in Jesus because of her witness.

Each of us are headed to our “well” today. We’re headed to a place to meet our need – whatever that need might be. But we would do well to look to the One who stands directly in front of us. He knows our need better than we do. He wants to fill our lives to overflowing. And He is the only One who is able to do so.

Let’s be careful that we don’t leave the well with the same old empty bucket we’ve been carrying around, filled only with those things that won’t last. The Father has ordered our steps to encounter Jesus. Let’s allow Him to fill us up, make us whole, and give us hope for the journey. And as we journey on with Him to the next well, let’s allow Him to use us to point the ones we meet there to the One who can fill their bucket as well!

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 10, entitled “A Journey to the Well.” 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.

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(1)  John 4:3-7, 28-30, 39 (NLT)

So Jesus left Judea to return to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually He came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give Me a drink." …The woman left her water jar beside the well and went back to the village and told everyone, "Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see Him. …Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!"

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Pearl on Lightstock

Chosen and Called

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In the Book of Judges we read, “But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, the LORD raised up a rescuer to save them….”(1) The rescuers were a succession of ordinary men, and one woman, who were chosen and called by God to be used in extraordinary ways. They are referred to as the judges of Israel.

In those days, the people repeatedly chose to turn away from God and do evil in His sight. Their actions led to their enslavement and oppression by wicked kings. The people cried out in their distress, and God in His mercy raised up a man, or in one case a woman, who He chose to use to rescue them from their distress. They enjoyed a period of peace … until they again began to seek their own way.

Following the death of Joshua and the elders, the Israelites entered into an eight-year period of oppression at the hands of King Cushan. God used Othniel, the son-in-law of Caleb, to lead them to victory and forty years of peace and rest ensued.(2)

Following the death of Othniel, the Israelites entered into an eighteen-year period of oppression at the hands of King Eglon of Moab. God used Ehud to lead them to victory and eighty years of peace and rest again ensued.(3)

Following the death of Ehud, God used Shamgar to quell the oppression of the Israelites at the hands of the Philistines for an unrecorded period of time.(4)

Following the death of Shamgar, the Israelites entered into a twenty-year period of oppression at the hands of King Jabin of Hazor. God used Deborah to lead them to victory and another forty years of peace and rest ensued.(5)

Unfortunately this pattern continued to repeat itself after Deborah. But throughout it all, God used these men and this woman, and others like them, to lead them out of their bondage.

Sadly, our life patterns are often very similar to those of the people who lived in the era of the judges – even those of us who would profess to be followers of Jesus. We allow the desires of our sin nature to turn our attention away from God, and we pursue those desires by allowing evil to reign in our lives. All too often that behavior leads to our enslavement and oppression in the hands of addiction, false-reasoning, and/or our self-destructive lifestyles.

God continues to choose and call out men and women to be used in extraordinary ways to lead us out of our oppression. Those men and women have much in common with the judges of old. In each instance, they were men and women who were brave and courageous. But more importantly, they demonstrated an uncompromising confidence in their LORD, His Word, and His trustworthiness.

Our tendency is to elevate those men and women and perceive them to be extraordinary; people with ability and skill far beyond ours. As we look at them, all too often we may conclude that God could never use us because we don’t have their unique ability. The fact of the matter is that they were unique. They were uniquely and wonderfully made by their Creator for their season and their assignment. They were chosen and called by God for His specific purpose. But so are we!

The key “ingredient” for each of these was that they were willing to be used by God. They had ears to hear Him, eyes to see Him, and hearts that were prepared to follow Him. It wasn’t their extraordinary skill; it was their willingness to follow Him by faith.

The apostle Peter wrote, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”(6)

The Father redeemed us through the shed blood of His Son – not only that we might be reconciled to Him – but also that we might be used by Him for His purpose. If we are followers of Jesus, He has chosen and called us for His purpose.

That purpose is to be those men and women He uses to help lead others out of darkness into His marvelous light. Our part is to keep our ears attuned, our eyes open, and our hearts responsive to His call to follow Him. And like Mary, the mother of Jesus, said to the servants at the wedding feast of Cana to “do whatever He tells you to do.”(7)

If you would like to read more about these ordinary men and women God chose and called to be used as judges, i invite you to get a copy of the newest book in my series The Called. The book releases this week on Amazon and is entitled A Judge Called Deborah. It’s the story about a woman of faith, courage and wisdom who was responsive to God’s call  – the portion of her story you may already know, and the rest that could have been. Click HERE for more information about the book.

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This post is adapted from Possessing The Promise chapter 46, entitled “The Man (or Woman) God Uses” 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)  Judges 3:9 (NLT)

(2)  Judges 3:9-11

(3)  Judges 3:12-30

(4)  Judges 3:31

(5)  Judges 4:1 – 5:31

(6)  1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

(7)  John 2:5 (NLT)

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by LUMO-The Gospels for the visual age on Lightstock

The Load Is Far Too Heavy

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Have you ever found yourself being weighed down by a burden of leadership? It could have been as you led your family, your co-workers, a group from within your church, or a group of friends. Whatever the group was, God had ordered your steps to be in a position of leadership with the group.

At first, everything seemed to be going smoothly, but then the group encountered some type of difficulty. The “honeymoon” period ended abruptly and the people around you began to murmur and complain. You may be feeling weighed down in your role of leadership even today. 

The Israelites often turned to murmuring throughout their journey in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land. As the people murmured, they would dishonor God. And all of that murmuring was most often directed toward Moses. Such was the case after they departed from Mount Sinai to continue on with their journey.(1) The pillar of cloud was going before them and the ark of the covenant containing the tablets etched with the ten commandments was now traveling in their midst.

The people began to cry out with their complaints. They literally began to scream at Moses, who in turn cried out to God, “What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this?”(2)

Are you feeling his pain? Have you ever felt like a burden was being placed upon you that you had done nothing to deserve?

A wise man told me early in ministry, “Whenever you are leading God’s people, be careful to pass all the praise on to Him, and all the criticism as well.” A mistake we often make is that we want to hold onto it. We want to keep some or all of the praise; and as was often the case for Moses, we tend to hold onto the criticism as well. When we try to hold on to the praise, we will begin to develop an inflated opinion of ourselves. When we try to hold on to the criticism, we will often end up drowning in a pool of self-pity.

Regardless of which one we try to hold onto, we will be adding far more to our load than God ever intended; and the load will get heavier and heavier. The task that God has placed before us to do and the ministry opportunity He has given us will cease to be a blessing and will quickly become a burden – a “load that is far too heavy”. When that happens, we will cry out to God to be taken out from under the burden; but the lesson we need to remember is that God never intended for us to be under the burden in the first place. Jesus said, “My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."(3)

You will know you are under a burden God never intended when you overvalue your own performance in God’s work. Moses said, “I can’t carry all these people by myself!”(4) – as if he was carrying them at all! Who parted the Red Sea? Who defeated every enemy along the way? Who provided for every need? We, too, are very good at taking the credit; we talk about his work or her work or my work. The truth of the matter is that it is God’s work He has chosen to accomplish through us. We must be careful to never get that confused and overvalue our role.

Secondly, Moses said to God, “I’d rather You killed me than treat me like this.”(5) Part of his overburdening came about when he undervalued the honor God had placed on him. Moses had been chosen by the Lord God Jehovah to be the instrument through which He led His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. God didn’t need to honor Moses, and Moses did not deserve to be honored. But God chose to honor Moses. The same is true of us. God has given us rights and honor as His people,(6) not because we are worthy but because He has chosen to do so. And what God has given value, no man can remove. With God’s value comes the enablement and empowerment to finish the task. Don’t undervalue what God has valued – and don’t allow others to do it either.

Next, Moses lost sight of the fact that this was God’s assignment. God’s assignment will always be far greater than anything we can do ourselves. God’s work results in God’s glory. If we could do it, who would get the glory? We, like Moses, will find ourselves under a load that is far too heavy when we either overestimate our ability or underestimate God’s ability. Take heart, there is nothing that He has placed before you that He does not have the strength to complete; and conversely, there is nothing that He has placed before you that you have the strength to complete apart from Him. So get out from under the load and give it to Him.

Lastly, watch for who God has surrounded you with to be co-laborers in His work. God has not called us to be “Lone Ranger” Christians. The seventy leaders that God told Moses to assemble that day were already in the camp. God had placed them there for just that purpose. Yes, Moses may have nominated the men, but it was God who had qualified them. He had prepared them and He had gifted them. And the Lord was preparing to fill them with His Spirit so they would be fully equipped to accomplish His purpose.

As you journey down your own life path this day, do you find yourself struggling under a load that is far too heavy? Get out from under it and give it to Him; He never intended for you to be under it – and He never will.

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i’ve adapted this post from The Wandering Years, chapter 11, entitled “The Load Is Far Too Heavy.” 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 11:10-11, 14-17 (NLT)

Moses heard all the families standing in front of their tents weeping, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. And Moses said to the LORD, "Why are You treating me, Your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! I'd rather You killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!" Then the LORD said to Moses, "Summon before Me seventy of the leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

(2)  Numbers 11:11 (NLT)

(3)  Matthew 11:30 (NLT)

(4)  Numbers 11:14 (NLT)

(5)  Numbers 11:15 (NLT)

(6)  1 Peter 2:9

 

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Kevin Carden on Lightstock

God, You Left Out A Few Details

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The day Moses stood before the burning bush, God gave him a promise. He promised that after Moses had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he would return to that very same mountain to worship God. God didn’t tell Moses all that he was going to encounter along the way, and that is often true for us as well.

A number of months passed between the day God gave the promise as recorded in Exodus 3, and the day Moses and the people arrived back at the mountain in Exodus 19.(1) During those intervening months, Moses suffered rejection from his wife when the journey first began.(2) He suffered ridicule from the Egyptians when he delivered God’s message.(3) He suffered rebellion from the Israelites almost every step of the way.(4) As a matter of fact, he was subjected to more grumbling, complaining and death threats than anyone before or since has been forced to endure. And God never mentioned any of those details when He gave Moses His promise. God never said, “After you have endured being the object of rejection, ridicule and rebellion, you will return here and worship Me.” God, however, did say, “After you’ve completed the assignment I’ve given you, you will return here and worship Me.”

God didn’t tell Moses all that he was going to encounter along the way. God knew Moses’ frame; and He knew that if Moses knew everything that was going to unfold, Moses would never step out on the journey. He would have determined to stay right there at the burning bush. I mean, “God, if You’re going to bring me right back here to worship You, let’s just skip all the difficult stuff in the middle. Let’s just go right to the good stuff at the end of the journey.” 

Or, if Moses had known all that he was going to encounter before he set out on the journey, he would have been plotting, planning and contriving how to overcome each of those obstacles on his own. For example, if Moses had known the Egyptian army was going to attack at the Red Sea, he could have led the Israelites another way – through the land of the Philistines.(5) Or if Moses had known that there would be no water at Rephidim,(6) he could have had the Israelites bring extra provisions of water before they left the sweet springs of Elim. There are many things that Moses could have done differently if God had let him know what was going to unfold. But God chose not to do so! And instead of going around the Red Sea, they went through the Red Sea. Instead of carrying sweet water, they tasted the sweet water that gushed out of the rock. Instead of Moses being commended for his wisdom and foresight, God moved in the miraculous way that only He can move – and He alone got the glory.

The key truth we must grasp here is that though God seldom reveals ahead of time all of the challenges we will encounter as we journey toward the fulfillment of His promise, His promise always assures us that He will lead us through each one of those challenges. God’s promise always assures us that He will lead us through every circumstance we encounter to accomplish His purpose and fulfill His promise. His promise assures us that we will not lack for the provision needed to fulfill His promise. Yes, we may encounter rejection, ridicule and rebellion along the way. We will most certainly encounter obstacles and circumstances that are beyond our ability to overcome. We will more than likely find ourselves in situations that will cause us to look back and second-guess some of our decisions. But learn from Moses. If God has permitted you to encounter obstacles, circumstances or situations in the midst of your journey to His promise, trust that He desires to use them to magnify His Name – to accomplish what only He can! God is jealous for His glory. He will not share it with anyone or anything else. And He desires – as a matter of fact, He has set you on this journey – so that His Name might be further glorified. Heed His promise and commit the challenges and surprising details to Him!

And one more thing – remember that the Moses who returned to the mountain to worship God was not the same Moses who had stood before the burning bush. Throughout those months of rejection, ridicule and rebellion, there was no one else for Moses to turn to other than his Lord. As a result, Moses experienced an intimacy – a closeness – that could only come through the trials. 

Just like Moses, it is the experiences we encounter in the valleys that prepare us for worship on the mountain. Don’t misunderstand me – we are to worship our Lord in the valley as well. We are to worship Him throughout the entire journey, because He is worthy of our worship. But I believe that it is while we are in the valley that we come to better understand why He is worthy of our worship. We come to better understand Who He is. It is in the valley that we come to the end of ourselves – to the end of our own abilities and our own resources. It is there we come to know Him more and love Him more. Then, when we arrive at the mountain, just as He has promised, we arrive with hearts that are fully-prepared to experience Him … to worship Him … and to receive all that He intends to now reveal to us on the mountain.

Remember the promise that God gave you before you embarked on your current journey. Hold onto His promise and trust Him to fulfill it. Then when you arrive at the mountain He has promised you, you will be fully prepared to experience, receive and give back to Him all that He intends … and all that He deserves.

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i’ve adapted this post from The Journey Begins, chapter 29, entitled “God, You Left Out A Few Details.”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 3:12; 19:1-3 (NLT)

Then God told him, "I will be with you. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain." 

…The Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after they left Egypt. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the base of Mount Sinai and set up camp there. Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. 

 

(2)  Exodus 4:25

(3)  Exodus 5:4-5

(4)  Exodus 5:21

(5)  Exodus 13:17

(6)  Exodus 17:2

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Kevin Carden on Lightstock

The Language of the Heart

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

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Thus far in my lifetime, the Lord has blessed me with the opportunity of visiting fifty-five of the nations that make up our world today. In most of those nations, He has further granted me the opportunity to participate in some form of worship celebration that was being conducted in the heart language of the indigenous people. By heart language, i mean the language that is the most authentic expression of the passion of our hearts. In most instances, it is the language that was spoken in our home during our formative years. In many nations today, it is different from the trade or link language that has been adopted by a culture in order for the people to communicate across a wide variety of heart languages. 

Each time i have found myself in the midst of a worship experience that is taking place in a heart language other than my own of English, it has been an opportunity for me to experience a hint of what it will one day be like to be a part of “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.(1) Each of us will be praising God in the language of our heart.

It is a reminder that God’s primary purpose for creating us was for us to worship Him … with all of our being … including our language. i am therefore convinced that the spoken word was given to us by our Creator for that primary purpose – to worship Him. Yes, it was given to us so we might communicate with one another … but that is its secondary purpose. And i believe that sin is what caused our view of the order of purpose to become confused. 

It is telling that the very first thing that occurred when the Holy Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost was that the people of the fifteen different language groups from three continents who were gathered in Jerusalem heard and understood the disciples praising God in their own language – simultaneously.(2) The disciples were not yet preaching the Good News; they were praising God for what He had just done. 

Theologians have debated for almost two thousand years as to whether the disciples were divinely and instantaneously empowered to speak in those different languages or if the people’s ears were simultaneously attuned by the Holy Spirit to hear in their own language. Or was it a combination of both? Regardless, it was quite a feat! And the fact that it was the first evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence reinforces His principal purpose – to draw all people to worship Him and bring glory to His Name. 

You may recall that over twenty-three hundred years prior to that day, God had pronounced judgement on the people at the Tower of Babel by confusing their language.(3) In building their tower, they weren’t attempting to worship God, rather, they were attempting a feat in rebellion against God in order to bring glory to themselves. God is jealous for His glory, and He will not share it, so He confounded their plan by confounding their language. The judgement of differing languages caused the people to scatter and each group to go their own way. 

But on Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came, He united them around the praises being offered to Him. For the first time in over twenty-three hundred years, they were able to simultaneously hear the same praises to God in their own heart language. At that moment – just like in heaven to come – language was no longer a divider to worship.

Apparently, the sound of the wind drew the people to the place where the disciples were gathered, but it was their praise and worship of God that captured the attention of the people. The Holy Spirit was “the sound of the wind”. It is He who drew the people. And that’s as true today as it was then. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws them to Me.…”(4) And the Father “draws” through His Holy Spirit. Once drawn, the people encountered God through the praise and worship that was being offered up to Him. Why? Because God inhabits the praises of His people!(5)

A number of years ago, i was a part of a group visiting the Church of St. Anne, near the site of the Pool of Bethesda, in the city of Jerusalem. We were not the only people inside the church admiring the beautiful early twelfth century architecture. There was a large number of people, obviously from a wide variety of countries. We overheard many languages being spoken. The acoustics in that chapel are absolutely amazing. At some point, someone began to sing the hymn, “How Great Thou Art”(6) in another language. Though it was not a language many of us spoke, we all immediately recognized the tune. Within moments, we all joined together in singing that familiar song in our own respective language. 

We didn’t know one another’s language, but we all knew the words and the meaning in our own heart language. The difference of our languages quickly disappeared in the blending of our voices – and our hearts – as we united in praise. We went on to sing two additional hymns together. i can’t remember which hymns they were, but i do remember the expressions on all of our faces. We all knew that God was inhabiting our praises. It wasn’t the place; it was the praise. None of us wanted to leave. i could see the reluctance on everyone’s face. But soon we did leave. Since then, i have had other similar experiences, but that one stands out above the rest in my memory. Even as i write this, the memory of that day reawakens the anticipation of what it will be like when we are all gathered together around the throne of God.

The disciples and the people experienced a taste on the Day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit drew them all together as they united in worship. Together they heard and understood the praises being lifted up to Him. And God inhabited their praise and worship. And the nations were glad.

That same Holy Spirit dwells within us today, if we are followers of Jesus. He is still at work to draw all people to worship Him. What do they hear when we lift our voices? Are they hearing words that honor our God? Are they hearing the language of praise and worship? Let’s not lose sight – that’s why we’re here. That’s why He created each of us with our language of the heart – a language that echoes and reflects the language of our Creator’s heart.

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I’ve adapted this post from Until He Returns, chapter 5, entitled “Let The Nations Be Glad.” This sixth 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)  Revelation 7:9 (ESV)

(2)  Acts 2:9-12

(3)  Genesis 11:1-9

(4)  John 6:44 (NLT)

(5)  Psalm 22:3

(6)  How Great Thou Art, recorded by Carrie Underwood

Copyright © 2022 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by ken winter