Kenneth Winter's Blog, page 17

An Advent Story - Gabriel

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NOTE : As has become my annual practice, beginning today and for the next three weeks, i will be posting a total of four short stories surrounding the incarnational birth of Jesus. The stories are my Christmas gift to you. They are fictional first-person accounts of the prophecies and events surrounding the advent of Jesus. Some of the characters and details contained therein are fictional, but you will find the truth they convey to be very REAL! My prayer is that through the stories you are reminded of the Good News of Advent this Christmas season. To that end, let’s look at the account through the eyes of four different eyewitnesses:

Gabriel – the angel (This week – December 1)

Zechariah – the priest (December 8)

Elizabeth – the cousin (December 15)

Anna – the prophetess (December 22) 

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I am an angel created by Almighty God to be His messenger. My name is Gabriel. “I stand in the very presence of God.”(1) He gave me my name, which means “God is my strength.” My comings and goings are at His command. I only speak the words He has given me to say. I stand beside the archangel Michael as his support and defense.(2) For millennia, God has used me to deliver His message to His creation, but it never fails to amaze me how His creation receives – or in some instances, refuses to receive – His message.

Michael and I accompanied the Lord when He visited Abraham near the oak grove at Mamre to announce that Sarah would bear a son.(3) I heard Sarah laugh in response to the word of my Lord. He rightfully rebuked her by saying, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”(4)

God was preparing to raise up His chosen people from Abraham’s offspring. They would be a people through whom God would make His name known. The stench of wickedness that the Lord destroyed through the flood was again beginning to rise across the earth. Nowhere was that stench greater than in the city of Sodom.

Almighty God sent Michael and me from Mamre to the city of Sodom to destroy it. But the Lord briefly remained in Mamre because He had decided to disclose His plans to Abraham. When he heard the Lord’s plan, Abraham interceded on behalf of his nephew, Lot, who lived in the city. In His mercy and grace, God agreed to withhold destruction of Sodom if there were ten righteous men within the city.(5)

However, when we arrived in Sodom, we found every man in the city blinded by his sin, except Lot. We seized his hand, and those of his wife and daughters, and rushed them to safety outside the city. Then the Lord rained down fire on Sodom and the surrounding cities and villages, eliminating all life – people, plants, and animals alike. Sadly, Lot’s wife perished because she disobediently looked back at the destruction and became a pillar of salt. But God had honored His promise to Abraham and kept Lot safe.

I can bear witness to the unchanging nature of Almighty God – whatever He promises will come about. It was true in the destruction of Sodom. It was true in the saving of Lot. It would be true in the nation that would arise from Abraham. And it would be true in His ultimate plan to redeem this lost world.

Over thirteen hundred years later, the Lord again sent me on a mission to help one of His servants. Most of God’s chosen people had turned their backs on Him, and they were now being held captive by the Babylonians. But a remnant of those who were righteous remained. One of those was His servant Daniel. God had given Daniel a vision of what would take place in the last days before He returned to judge the earth.

But Daniel did not know what the vision meant so he began to pray for understanding. God sent me to reveal what was going to happen.(7) It would be a time of anguish. It would be a time of sacrilege and desecration. It would be a time when evil seemed to prevail. But, at that moment, when everything will appear to be at its darkest, God will return to establish His kingdom on this earth. On that day, all creation will be judged. The wicked will enter into their punishment, and the redeemed will receive their inheritance.

But before that day of judgment takes place, God will send His Redeemer – the One He spoke of even in the Garden of Eden, the One He promised through the seed of Abraham, the One He foretold through His prophet Isaiah, and the One whose arrival was anticipated by His prophet Malachi. 

Almost six hundred years later, God again sent me. But this time, I was sent to tell some of His servants some very startling news – the day of the Redeemer’s coming had arrived.

A priest named Zechariah was in the sanctuary of the temple in Jerusalem burning incense on the altar before the Lord. He had never entered the sanctuary before that day, and he would never do so again. It was a once-in-a-lifetime honor to present the offering of incense before the Lord. The priest was an old man in his late seventies. He had served as a priest for a long time, and now his opportunity to do this had come. It was obvious – and understandable – that he was caught up in the awe of the moment!

In the blink of an eye, I appeared before him on the right side of the altar. I was facing the priest with my back to the veil that separated the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies. To say the least, the priest was startled by my appearance. No one else was in the sanctuary with him and I had just appeared out of nowhere. 

Also, I had just come from being in the presence of Almighty God. Do you remember how Moses’ face radiated the shekinah glory after he spent extended time with Jehovah God? That same glory radiates from and surrounds those of us who are angels who stand in Almighty God’s presence. So, not only did I appear out of nowhere, I glowed. Zechariah was visibly shaken and overwhelmed with fear.

I said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”(8)

That was a lot for Zechariah to take in! His wife, who had been barren, was going to give birth to a son in her old age. Their son would be filled with the Holy Spirit as well as have the spirit and power of the great prophet Elijah. And he would herald the arrival of the Messiah. Zechariah’s son was the one the prophet Malachi had told them to expect! Zechariah had hoped and prayed all of his life for the coming of the Messiah, and I was telling him that his son would announce His arrival!

Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure this will happen?”(9) I expected Zechariah to be overwhelmed by my appearance and my message, but his doubt was not acceptable. It was obvious that I was an angel sent by God. 

As a result of his lack of faith, God made him mute from that moment until after the birth of his son. His doubt prevented him for ten months from being able to loudly declare the good news that all of creation had awaited since the days of the Garden of Eden.

A little more than six months later, God sent me again. This time, I visited a young virgin in the village of Nazareth in Galilee. She was betrothed to a carpenter. “Greetings, favored woman,” I said to her. “The Lord is with you!”(11)

The young woman was startled by my appearance. She was also confused as to why I had called her “favored.”

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” I continued, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David. And He will reign over Israel forever; His Kingdom will never end!”(12)

The young woman asked, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”(13) 

Unlike Zechariah, Mary was not doubting what I had said. She was most sincerely trying to understand how she could be with child.

I continued, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and He will be called the Son of God.(14)

“What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail.”(15)

Mary’s response was a testimony to the sovereignty of Almighty God. Of all of the young women God could have chosen to be the mother of His Son, He had chosen perfectly. “I am the Lord’s servant,” she responded. “May everything you have said about me come true.”(16)

I didn’t have long to wait before God sent me with His next message. I was to deliver it to the carpenter to whom Mary was engaged. He had just received some shocking news – she was with child – and he was not the father. His heart was broken. He loved this young woman. She had told him about my visit, and he wanted to believe her. But Joseph feared God even more than he loved Mary. He could not continue an engagement that dishonored God.

So, that night I appeared to him through a dream. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the Child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”(17)

Once again, I witnessed the sovereignty of our Almighty God. When the carpenter arose, he did exactly as the Lord had commanded. He never questioned. He never faltered. He trusted God completely.

I would come to Joseph on two additional occasions: once to warn him of danger, and the second to let him know the danger had passed. Again, he would arise and obey. Jehovah God knew just the right man to entrust with the earthly upbringing of His one and only Son. 

Almighty God gave me one more opportunity to announce the coming of His Son. This time it was to a group of shepherds on a hill overlooking the town of Bethlehem. The young virgin had just given birth to the Savior in a stable. And the Father intended for a small group of fathers and sons to come to the stable to worship His Son. 

As I looked down on the shepherds to announce the birth of their Savior, I noticed one father and son in particular – Moshe and his son Shimon. They were initially fearful when I appeared. And when the angelic host joined me to proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest”(18) they stood frozen. 

But I knew their hearts had received the message. I watched as they made their way to the stable. I watched as they bowed in worship. And again, I knew that Almighty God in His sovereignty knew exactly who needed to hear about the birth of His Son. He knew the ones whose hearts were prepared to hear and receive the good news. He knew the work He was doing that night in their hearts and lives. And He knew the work He would continue to do in the days and years ahead.

I may stand in the presence of God – but I am not omniscient or omnipresent. I am not an infinite being. I am a created being. I was created by God to bring the messages He told me to tell. Even as I brought the good news of the birth of His Son, I did not know what would follow in the days ahead. 

Little did I know how He would be received. Little did I know what awaited Him. Little did I know the breadth and depth of the sacrifice He would make! But God was allowing even me to gain a greater understanding of the breadth and depth of His love.

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This story is taken from  Little Did We Know , a collection of twenty-five stories for the Advent season. The book is available through Amazon in standard print, large print, for your e-reader, and as an audiobook. Click  HERE   for more information on how you can obtain your copy.

You can listen to the audiobook version of this story by tuning into this week’s episode of my podcast by  CLICKING HERE

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In multiple instances the dialogue in this story comes directly from Scripture. Whenever i am quoting Scripture, it has been italicized. The Scripture references are as follows:

(1) Luke 1:19

(2) Daniel 10:21

(3) Genesis 18:1-15

(4) Genesis 18:14

(5) Genesis 18:16-33

(6) Genesis 19:1-29

(7) Daniel 8:18-26; 9:21-27; 10:10-12:4

(8) Luke 1:13-17

(9) Luke 1:18

(10)Luke 1:19

(11)Luke 1:28

(12)Luke 1:30-33

(13)Luke 1:34

(14)Luke 1:35

(15)Luke 1:36-37

(16)Luke 1:38

(17)Matthew 1:20

(18)Luke 2:14 

Copyright © 2020-2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Pearl on Lightstock

A Journey With The Magi

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From the days of the Garden of Eden, our God has been at work to redeem a lost world back to Himself. His plan was already in motion. The plan was to send His Son to pay our debt. The plan was to then send out the followers of His Son to every corner of the globe to be witnesses of the Good News. He set in motion a mission to make a global impact that continues to this day. In doing so, He desires to work through men and women – MAGI – wise men and women who desire to be used by Him to Make A Global Impact. If we are to be those modern-day MAGI who journey on mission with the Master, we would do well to learn from our first century forerunners.

Matthew in the second chapter of his Gospel records an account of their mission.(1) First, they had a desire to seek Him. God had given the magi that desire long before the star appeared. Many saw the star, but Scripture records only the magi followed the star. God, having placed that desire in their hearts, was able to call them from right where they were. You see, if you are looking for His star, you will see it, no matter where you are. The magi were doing what magi do. They were in their homes in their own countries watching and studying the stars. God called them in the midst of their day-to-day routine. They were magi when He called them, and they were magi when they went. Don’t miss this – God’s call to them to step out on the journey didn’t require them to change their profession, only their purpose! God’s call is never to a place and never to a position; God’s call is always to move from where we are unto Himself!

But in order for them to heed God’s call, they first had to “hear” God’s call. And in order for them to “hear” God’s call, they had to be alert for His call. God chose few people to encounter Jesus when He was born, revealing His Son only to those whose hearts were faithful and pure. As i’ve already said, the star was there for everyone to see, but only the magi saw it – because they were watching. And the God who led them to go, led them all the way. He did not lead them to set out on the journey and then leave them to “figure out” the way, He journeyed with them all the way. Just as He led His people to the Promised Land by means of a pillar of fire, He led the magi to His Promised Seed by means of a brilliant star – and He will lead us all the way in our journey with Him as well.

How did God call them? Through the stars – the Father used a brilliant light burning in the darkness to announce the birth of The Light to a very dark world. These men were astronomers and astrologers. God spoke to them in a language they would understand. There wasn’t any question for them as to what the star meant, or if there was, they quickly researched and studied the prophecies to remedy their concern. And when He spoke, they knew that they must respond. As Dr. Henry Blackaby writes, “You can’t stay where you are and go with God.” It will require an adjustment. 

These men were not embarking on a short trip; it was a lengthy journey. They did not start out together; they set out from different countries. Matthew Henry wrote, “Those who truly desire to know Christ, and find Him, will not regard pains or perils in seeking after Him.” But those who don’t have that desire can be right in the midst of His activity and miss it. Look at the religious leaders of the day – they knew the prophecies, but they were not looking. The magi sought the King. Herod rejected the King. And perhaps the greater tragedy, the Jewish priests ignored the King. They were five miles from the very Son of God, yet they did not go to see Him. I am encouraged that despite the apathy, pride and resentment the magi encountered, they were not discouraged, distracted or detracted from their mission.

Scripture never tells us that there were three magi; Scripture records that when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem there were enough of them to “disturb” the entire city. I am convinced that if the church of Jesus Christ will make the adjustment He has called us to make and journey with Him, the kingdoms of this earth will be disturbed, and the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven will be seen and heard.

But not only did they have a desire to seek Him; secondly, they had a heart to worship Him. When they encountered the Living Lord Jesus they fell to the ground. They did not solely honor Him as the King of Kings; they worshipped Him as the Son of God. Having then presented themselves to Him, they next presented their gifts. They knew, as we should, that our gifts will never be acceptable to God until first we have presented ourselves to Him as living sacrifices. But also conversely, if we truly surrender ourselves to Him, we will never be unwilling to part with the things of this world – those things that we value and hold dear – bringing them to Him and for Him. 

Worship begins as we present ourselves and continues as we present all that we possess. That with which God has given us favor is that with which we must honor Him. The magi presented gold symbolizing His royalty, frankincense symbolizing His deity, and myrrh symbolizing His humanity. Their gifts acknowledged to Whom they were giving. I wonder if our bank accounts would reflect that we as modern day MAGI have or have not lost sight of to Whom we are giving. Are we giving Him our best that is commensurate with His Royalty as the King of Kings, His Deity as the Son of God and His Humanity as the Son of Man, or are we giving Him the leftovers? These magi gave of their best because they gave out of a heart to worship Him.        

Thirdly, their journey led to a greater intimacy with Him. On more than one occasion i have pondered what it must have been like at that moment in that place. Imagine the intimacy of that moment – the Lord Jesus, Mary, the magi – the holy hush - a scene that you’d like to observe but you fear that even your presence would be an intrusion on the intimacy and the tenderness of the moment. As i have traveled overseas on mission, i have often endeavored to capture images on video to share with our church family back home. On many occasions i have found myself in the midst of “a moment” – one of those times when God’s spirit is conspicuously at work in the hearts of people. But in those moments, as much as i would like to capture them on video, i hesitate for fear that i will disturb the intimacy and the tenderness that is being expressed. That is but a hint of what i think it must have been like that day.

Though Scripture does not record the events of their lives after their journey, i am convinced that the effect of the intimacy of that moment with Jesus transformed them for eternity. In the same way, i believe that as we experience a greater intimacy with the Master, we too will never be the same.

God used this entourage and their journey to announce the birth of His Son to a world that was not looking for Him and had not otherwise seen Him. If we will be faithful to be modern-day MAGI responding to His call with hearts that desire to seek Him and worship Him, God will use us to accomplish His mission – to make a global impact – to carry the Good News to a world that may not otherwise see Him. And in the process, He will draw us to a greater level of intimacy with Himself that we might know Him more and know Him more intimately. 

May it be said of us – that we were modern-day MAGI – walking on mission with the Master to make a global impact for His glory!

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 3, entitled “Magi – Men on a Mission.” This fourth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. 

i also invite you to read several of my other books this Christmas season. Each one has been written so that you might experience the advent of our Savior through the eyes of men, women and children who witnessed His arrival. Click any of the titles to see more information about the book.

                         Through the Eyes of a Shepherd

                          A Carpenter Called Joseph

                         Little Did We Know

                         Not Too Little To Know

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(1)  Matthew 2:1-5, 7, 9-11 (NASB)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east, and have come to worship Him." And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet….” Then Herod secretly called the magi… and having heard the king, they went their way; and lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. 

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Pearl on Lightstock

Jesus Is Missing!

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Have you ever been so caught up in what was going on in your life that you failed to keep your eyes on Jesus? And when you did come around to looking for Him it seemed like He was missing? If so, there are some lessons to be learned from Mary and Joseph.

Other than the advent of Jesus as a baby, there is only one other event pertaining to His first thirty years on this earth that is recorded in Scripture. As we look at that event, let’s be mindful that Jesus came and journeyed on this earth so that we might know how to live (His life and ministry), we might be able to live (His crucifixion), and we might be empowered to live (His resurrection). The truth of what took place on this specific journey goes a long way toward teaching us how to live in our life journey. As such, we will look at this event through the eyes of Jesus’s traveling companions.(1)       

As a part of the Law handed down through Moses, the children of Israel were commanded to celebrate three festivals each year – Passover, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.(2) Many chose to travel to Jerusalem to observe those celebrations. Joseph being poor was probably unable to make that trip three times per year; but he would have faithfully done so at least once each year to celebrate the Passover. Every year he would take Mary and Jesus, together with the rest of his family, and travel the sixty-five miles from Nazareth in Galilee to Jerusalem in Judea. And they did not travel alone. Often entire villages would make this annual pilgrimage together. As was the custom, the women and children would walk in the front of the entourage and the men and their teenage sons would follow, discussing politics and religion. They would not travel as a family, but as a village; and the family would not come together until it was time to stop for the evening.

At the age of twelve, Jesus was no longer a child, but He was also not yet considered a man. So on this trip, Jesus probably spent time bouncing from one group to another, as well as with friends. So, on the return trip to Nazareth that first day, it is not surprising that Mary and Joseph did not discover that Jesus was missing until the evening hours. They had been busy finalizing any business they needed to conduct in Jerusalem while they were there, as well as making preparations for the four to five day journey back home. In the midst of their busyness, it would have been easy to lose sight of Jesus. 

But in the evening when the pace slowed, the busyness stopped, and the distractions subsided, they began to become acutely aware of His absence. Can you imagine their panic as they hurried from place to place seeking Jesus, but to no avail? And in their hearts, His absence and their separation from Him turned into sorrow – a sorrow that led them to stop traveling in the direction they were going – to turn around – and seek Jesus.

If you have found yourself journeying without Jesus, take heart in the truth of this account: if you seek Him, you will find Him. Respond to the sorrow of your separation, turn from the direction you were headed, and turn back to where He is.

It took one day for them to get back to Jerusalem and they searched for two more days before they found Him. Be mindful that even though they were the earthly parents of Jesus, they still didn’t understand all that was going on. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah; the angel had told them that. But remember the Jews thought the Messiah would come as the King to the palace, not as the Son of Man to the temple … and the cross. Joseph and Mary may have been more impressed to first seek Jesus in the palace then they were to look for Him in the temple.

Perhaps you too are seeking Jesus, but not sure where to look. Heed the lesson of Joseph and Mary: go back to the last place you saw Him. He will be there; He will be waiting for you.       

And when Joseph and Mary came upon Him, what did they see? They saw Him listening to the teaching of God’s Word. They saw Him asking questions to clarify God’s Word. And they saw Him answering the teachers with His God-given wisdom and understanding of God’s Word. As you return and find Him, listen to His teaching. Don’t be fearful to ask questions to clarify. And then respond – in word and in action – with the wisdom and understanding that He has given you through His Word. Don’t be so excited by your joy over finding Him that you miss His teaching. And don’t be in such a hurry to get back on your journey that you fail to respond to Him.

The one tragedy of the day surrounded the teachers with whom He sat. Because there He was in their presence, speaking the Truth of the Father and they did not know Him. They marveled at His understanding and missed the reality of His Person. Do not solely seek Jesus as your Teacher; seek Him as your Savior and your Master – as the Son of the Living God.  

And one more truth for us to remember – Jesus told Mary that He was “about the Father’s business.”(3) Let us be mindful that we too must make the Father’s business our priority.

As many of you know, last week i released the first book in my newest series, The Called. The book is entitled A Carpenter Called Joseph. It is a story about Joseph, written in first-person – from his early days before meeting Mary through the final days of his life. You’ll find an account of this trip to the temple in the book as well. Fictional elements have been added to the factual story where Scripture is silent so that we might explore what Joseph’s life journey and reactions could have looked like beyond the specific events we are told about. My hope is that you will recognize the ways God works through all of our experiences – just like He did in the lives of Joseph and Mary. God uses it all – in and through us – to further His mission  -- and bring glory to His name.

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 5, entitled “A Trip To Temple.” 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)  Luke 2:41-52 (NLT)

Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss Him at first, because they assumed He was with friends among the other travelers. But when He didn't show up that evening, they started to look for Him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn't find Him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for Him there. Three days later they finally discovered Him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 

His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" His mother said to Him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." "But why did you need to search?" He asked. "You should have known that I would be in My Father's house." But they didn't understand what He meant.

Then He returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and His mother stored all these things in her heart. So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and He was loved by God and by all who knew Him.

(2)  Deuteronomy 16:16

(3)  Luke 2:49 (NKJ)

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

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

The Son Needed A Father

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Are you feeling like God has called you to do something that is way outside of your comfort zone? Do you find yourself in the midst of a situation that is far beyond your capability or understanding? Do you feel like God has just thrown you into the deep end of the pool? If so, you’re in good company. We see that occurring to men and women that God used throughout the Bible. Let’s look at one of them this week.

We read in the Gospel of Matthew that “After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream.”(1) The English translators did Joseph an injustice when they translated that particular passage, because ALL of the wise men were not gone. The magi may have departed, but one wise man remained – and his name was Joseph. Over the course of Jesus’s earthly ministry, a number of men had the privilege of journeying with Him, but only one man had the unique privilege of journeying with Him as His earthly father.

Just as the Heavenly Father chose John the Baptist to be the forerunner of Jesus, and He chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, He chose Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus. Do not think that the Father chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, and then left the selection for the role of earthly father up to Mary. God ordered the steps of this woman and this man to be the earthly parents of Jesus. He graced Joseph with the awesome privilege and responsibility of parenting the Son of Man.

Soon after our children were born, my wife and i, just like most of you, modified our wills to include a guardian for our children in the event something happened to us, and we could no longer care for them. i remember the process we went through in making that determination. We did not make it quickly or casually; we entered into it prayerfully and carefully. And i am certain that the Heavenly Father chose the earthly father for His Son with even greater deliberation! As a matter of fact, God created Joseph for that intended purpose.

There is much more written in Scripture about Mary than there is about Joseph. But knowing that God made Joseph for the purpose of parenting His only Son, there are certain aspects of his character that we can know with certainty. Repeatedly the earthly father allowed the Heavenly Father to guide and direct his steps. We see that demonstrated before the birth of Jesus when the angel of the Lord revealed in a dream to Joseph that the baby Mary carried within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. We see Joseph’s responsiveness again demonstrated when God directed him to go to Egypt, and then two years later directed him to return to Nazareth.(2)

In each instance, Joseph knew the voice of God, then he obeyed the voice of God. There is no record that he ever questioned or debated the word of the Father; he heard, and he obeyed. Even when i am sure he did not understand – there had never been a baby born of a virgin and conceived by the Holy Spirit, and neither has there been since. But Joseph didn’t keep asking questions until he understood – he just obeyed. The Father said it; that settled it! He knew God; he knew His voice and he obeyed Him.

Joseph was a man of conviction. When Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, before he had heard from the angel of the Lord, he intended to break their engagement because he could not be a party to anything that dishonored God. But he was also a man of compassion. He had chosen to break their engagement in a manner that would not bring public shame or humiliation to Mary. He was prepared to be honorable, even when, according to the world’s standard, he had been dishonored. 

And he was a man of courage. He disregarded the ridicule of those who assumed the worst about Mary’s pregnancy. He protected his Son from the plot of Herod by leaving his lifetime home and livelihood in Galilee and starting over again in a foreign place. Custom and tradition would tell us that Joseph was probably in his middle-aged years, if not his later years, and Mary was in her early teens when the two of them were betrothed. (Sorry to have shattered the mental image you may have had of them as a young newlywed couple). So Joseph was walking away from everything he owned (albeit the meager lot that it was) and everything he knew, for the sake of his family and in obedience to the Father. But he could do that, because Joseph was a man of confidence – confidence in GOD.

The Father is calling us to be men and women who walk with the Son with that same conviction, compassion, courage and confidence. And it is most often in the midst of the unknown and the situations outside of our comfort zone, where He grows us in those areas. Even the Son needed a father - and the father, like you and me, definitely needed the Son! In the same way the Father worked through Joseph to fulfill His purpose through the Son, so does He intend to do so through us. You didn’t choose Him, He chose you. Whether you are in your teen years like Mary or your later years like Joseph, He has an assignment for you right where He has placed you. Heed His invitation to walk with Him … with conviction … with compassion … with courage … and with confidence.

One more thing: This week i am releasing the first book in my newest series, The Called. The book is entitled A Carpenter Called Joseph. It is a story about Joseph, written in first-person – from his early days before meeting Mary through the final days of his life. Fictional elements have been added to the factual story where Scripture is silent so that we might explore what his life journey could have looked like beyond the specific events we are told about. My hope is that you will recognize the ways God works through all of our experiences – those that are well known to others, as well as those that are hidden from view. God uses it all – in and through us – to further His mission  -- and bring glory to His name. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 4, entitled “The Son Needed A Father.” 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)  Matthew 2:13 (NLT)

(2)  Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 (NLT)

After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child." That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt." …When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him, "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead." So Joseph returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother. But when he learned that the new ruler was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid. Then, in another dream, he was warned to go to Galilee. So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: "He will be called a Nazarene."

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Illustration by Scott Campbell

A Journey Home

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Have you ever been rejected by the very people you thought would stand by you no matter what? If so, you’re in good company!

Nazareth was Jesus’s hometown. He lived the majority of His life in that small village. Like most small towns, everyone knew everyone – and everyone most definitely knew Jesus! They had watched Him grow up. They had seen Him always treat His parents with love and respect. They had seen Him as a caring big brother to His half-brothers and half-sisters. In recent years, since the death of Joseph, they had seen Him care for His mother, as the head of His family. As a capable carpenter, He had probably performed carpentry work for many of His neighbors. He was a good son, a good brother, and a good neighbor.

One day He surprised them all. He left the village, giving His brothers and sisters the responsibility of caring for His mother. He walked out of the village alone, but now, about one year later, He returned to the village with a small group of followers accompanying Him.(1) In recent months, the people had begun to hear reports of the healings and miracles He had performed in other parts of Galilee and Judea. They had been surprised by the reports because they had never witnessed Him do such extraordinary things while He was living among them.

His return to Nazareth, therefore, likely created a stir. Given the reports, His neighbors probably expected their favored son to perform some pretty impressive miracles in their midst. If you want a great point of comparison to the reception He received in Nazareth that day, consider His return to Jerusalem three years later. The people gathered to shout His praises on Palm Sunday, looking forward to the miracles He would perform, and then they shouted to crucify Him on Friday. This hometown crowd was also just that fickle.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught in many synagogues, but the Gospels only report of Him “reading” the Scripture on this one occasion – in His “home” synagogue in Nazareth – the place He had worshipped since His youth. Consistent with Jewish tradition, the Priest, a Levite and five other members would read from the Scriptures on each Sabbath day. Though the Gospels are silent on how Jesus spent most of the days of His first thirty years, one thing is certain: on the Sabbath He would have been in synagogue, and on numerous occasions after his twelfth birthday, He would have been one of the men reading from the Scriptures. So Jesus did on that day what He had done on many previous occasions – He served as one of the five. Like all of those previous times, He stood and read one of the passages selected by the priest.  

Jesus read these words from the writings of Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Him,

for He has appointed Him to preach Good News to the poor.

He has sent Him to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see, and the downtrodden will be freed…,

and the time of the Lord’s favor has come.(2)

The people knew this passage was referring to the Messiah. They had read it or heard it many times before, and many times they had prayed for the coming of God’s promised Messiah. After Jesus read the passage, He sat down and began to teach, as was also the custom. We don’t have the full discourse of His teaching, but through His words He made it very clear to everyone gathered as they listened and watched intently, that He was the One to whom Isaiah was referring. 

At first, the people were attentive and affirming, probably with faces beaming at their favored son. They marveled at the clarity of His words and His teaching – just as they had done many times before. But suddenly their mood began to change. “Wait a minute, did Jesus just say that He is the Messiah?” someone asked. Then another added, “This is Jesus; He’s one of us. We’ve known Him since He was a child. He is Joseph’s son – the son of a poor carpenter. He can’t be the Messiah; the Messiah is a King!”  One of His lifelong neighbors probably looked at the others and said, “The little house He grew up in is DEFINITELY not a palace fit for the Messiah!” 

Then a few of the elders began to add, “There is no question that God has given Him the power to perform miracles. The stories are too widespread and too well known to refute. Jesus has healed many people. And now that He has come back home, we will experience some of those same miracles ourselves. If He healed people in Judea and even Samaria, can you just imagine what He is going to do right here in His hometown? But let’s not take this to the extreme! The Messiah? Jesus hasn’t even attended rabbinical school. He has no credentials. He was a good boy and a fair man, and there is no question that He is a captivating speaker and teacher – but the Messiah? From Nazareth?”

Jesus had known what they would say and how they would respond, long before He returned. “No prophet is accepted in his own hometown,”(3) He said in response to their reaction. Jesus had come to His own and His own received Him not.(4)                 

                        They rebuked Him,

                                    they rose up against Him,

                                                they rejected Him, and

                                                            they rebelled against Him with fury and frenzy.

So, what are the lessons we can learn from this journey back home? Let’s face it. Jesus had a purpose for everything He did – and that purpose includes us.

First – don’t miss the personal application as it relates to our own “acceptance” of Jesus. We must be ever so careful that we never allow our own “familiarity” with our Lord to cause us to miss out on what He wants to do in – and speak into – our lives. Sometimes, we allow our familiarity with Him – and His tenderness and grace – to cause us to lose sight of who He is – the Sovereign Almighty God! He knows all things, can do all things, and always knows what is best. He is not Aladdin’s genie at our beck and call. We must guard that we never reject Him for Who He is and miss the reality of what He desires for our lives. 

Second – don’t miss the application as it relates to those who reject us. Jesus knew they were going to reject Him, but He still went to them. We must never avoid doing something He has told us to do out of fear of rejection. And He didn’t respond to their rejection by arguing with them or berating them. He never lost His composure. He spoke the Truth to them in love. Even when they attempted to do Him bodily harm, He didn’t retaliate – He turned and went away from them.

Imagine the Master’s heartbreak – even though He knew how they would react. Those He knew the best, rejected Him the most. Those He desired to bless the greatest, turned from Him with the greatest fury. 

Jesus made the journey back home to tell His neighbors that the time of His favor had come. We, too, would do well to remember that His favor has come. No matter where He leads us in our journeys, we are to walk in His favor … bear witness to His favor … and walk in such a way that His favor is reflected through our lives.

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 11, entitled “A Journey Back Home.” 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)  Luke 4:16-21, 29-30 (NLT)

When [Jesus] came to the village of Nazareth, His boyhood home, He went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Him, and He unrolled the scroll to the place where it says: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has appointed Me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come." He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at Him intently. Then He said, "This Scripture has come true today before your very eyes!" …Jumping up, they mobbed Him and took Him to the edge of the hill on which the city was built. They intended to push Him over the cliff, but He slipped away through the crowd and left them.

(2) Isaiah 61:1-2 (NLT)

(3) Luke 4:24 (NLT)

(4) John 1:11

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Pearl on Lightstock

Fully Devoted To Whom?

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Imagine what that day was like. In Acts 2 we read that three thousand believed, repented and were baptized.(1) They comprised the very first church – “The First Church of Jerusalem”. And after that – the Lord added to their fellowship daily. Let’s take a few minutes and look back at that first church.

All the believers devoted themselves….(2) The word “devoted” means “given over to”, “ardently enthusiastic and loyal”, and “placing the needs of the object of your devotion over your own”. We often refer to sports fans as being devoted. One of my nephews attended the University of Georgia and became a loyal Georgia Bulldog. As a matter of fact, during his undergrad days, he became so ardently devoted at football games that he painted his bare upper torso red, put on a red wig, sported a letter on his chest and became affectionately known as “W”, as together with eleven other devotees, they spelled out “GEORGIA DAWGS” in the bleachers. That could probably be described as a number of things J, one of them being “devoted”. There are degrees of devotion as illustrated by my nephew. But as we read in the Book of Acts, those believers were fully devoted. There wasn’t anything “halfway” in their belief or their actions.

But the thing that drew them together was not their devotion – it was the One to whom they were devoted! The church today has a lot of devoted followers. But i would contend that in too many instances our devotion has become misplaced. We have become fully devoted to aspects of our politics – or our culture. Our core beliefs have become more centered in our political or sociological orientation than in our theology. And our respective devotions have done more to divide us than unite us.

Those early believers were fully devoted to their Lord. They repented and surrendered their lives to Christ and never looked back. In our day, we have too frequently simply “added” Christ to our lives. We keep on doing many of the things we were doing before we “got saved.” Those around us may – or may not – see any difference that Christ has made in our lives. Our identity still remains in our other areas of devotion – unlike those three thousand… who were radically transformed. 

They knew that apart from the saving work of Christ all they had was a religion that made little or no difference in their lives. They knew that apart from Christ they were dead in their sin. They knew that His Spirit and His Word had “pierced their hearts” and there was no going back. Their devotion to Jesus led them to become fully devoted to His Word – every word! And one of the teachings from Jesus’s words was that they were to love one another. They took Jesus’s words seriously when He had said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”(3) That word from Jesus meant that if they were going to be fully devoted to Him and His Word, they also needed to be fully devoted to one another.

Their devotion led to awe. Their belief and repentance were not about a “one and done conversion”. Rather they became a day-in, day-out community of believers – learning, applying and witnessing the fruit of Jesus’s teachings in their own lives, as well as in one another’s lives. They saw the power of God working through signs and wonders. The miracles and the life transformation they witnessed never became routine; rather, their awe led to increased faith … which led to greater awe … which led to even greater faith…. 

Their awe led to selflessness. When Jesus became Lord of their lives, they were no longer the central figure in their own lives. Selfish ambition was abandoned to be replaced by sacrificial generosity. They began to understand that everything they possessed was from God. And none of their possessions were truly theirs; they were but stewards of the gifts with which God had entrusted them. When they began to see themselves as stewards, they realized that the gifts that God had given them were not for self-expression or self-fulfillment, but to fill what was lacking in someone else by meeting genuine needs. They realized that even the grace that God had extended to each one of them was not meant to end with them, but was to be extended to someone else.(4) Apart from selfless and sacrificial compassion, grace would merely end up in storage, not in action. It was never our Lord’s intention that we fill our barns with His grace, rather, that His grace and His gifts be poured out to others.(5)

Their devotion to one another and their growing selflessness bonded them in such a way that if one was in need, the others did not feel they had the right to live on in prosperity without giving up something to meet the need. Thus, they sold their possessions and used the money to meet the needs of the poor in the church.

Their selflessness led to contagious joy. Their love for one another was expressed joyfully, not grudgingly. Tertullian was a theologian in the early church, living from 155 A.D. to 240 A.D. He wrote that the Roman government was disturbed by the early church. So they sent spies to infiltrate and observe worship gatherings. They came back to their Roman leaders with a report that went something like this: “These Christians are very strange people. They speak of One by the name of Jesus, who is absent, but who they expect to return soon. And my, look at how they love one another, and are ready to die for each other.” Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”(6) And the early church took Him seriously. Their love – and their joy – were contagious! i can’t help but consider what those “spies” would report about us today!

We would do well to look within our own hearts and our own local fellowships. If our lives and our faith communities are committed, but not compelling to anyone, we should be asking serious questions about what – or more importantly Who – we’re committed to. Are we known for our joy and our love, or are we known solely for what we’re against? Are we known for our passionate political or cultural stances, or are we known for our unreserved devotion to Jesus? John Piper writes, “Churches are dying today because they are not doing anything which the world should look at and say: ‘There is evidence that God is real and that He is glorious.’ Many churches have forgotten why they exist – namely, to meet needs in the name of Jesus so that people will be moved to give God glory. And when a church forgets that it exists for others and for God, it becomes in-grown and self-satisfied, and can go on year after year like a social club with a religious veneer.” Or i might add, like a political action committee with a religious veneer.

In our day, for many, including most professing Christians, God is simply an idea to talk about, or an inference from an argument, or a family tradition to be preserved. Only for a very few is God a stark, fearsome, stunning, awesome, shocking present REALITY. Instead of allowing Him to shape our devotion, we have allowed our devotion to shape our view … and our reflection … of Him. Where are the followers of whom Luke could say today, "devotion, awe, wonder, selflessness, trembling – is upon every soul"? It is time that we prayed that the Spirit of God would pierce our hearts with the Word of God and a holy, joyful awe would come upon us, and He would be the One seen through our words, our positions and our actions. It is time for us to become those fully devoted followers of our Lord, His Word, and one another, impacting our communities and the world around us with His presence.

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This post is adapted from Until He Returns, chapter 9, entitled “Fully Devoted Followers.” 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 2:42-47 (NLT)

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

(2)  Acts 2:42 (NLT)

(3)  John 13:35 (NLT)

(4)  1 Peter 4:10

(5)  Luke 12:16–21

(6)  John 15:13 (NLT)

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Rob Birkbeck on Lightstock

Peace Be With You

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Do you find yourself in the midst of a situation that looks bleak? Are you at a place facing the unknown where you have more questions than answers? Is your situation causing you to be anxious or fearful? If so, you have a lot in common with Jesus’s closest followers.

This was the first time that all of them, with the exception of Thomas (whose absence is a curiosity), were back together since the night of His arrest.(1) They had secretly gathered, and the door to the room was locked. It was risky for them to be together in one place. They were still fearful that they might all be arrested at any moment and punished … or worse. But they had secretly gathered because a few of their number were sharing the most extraordinary news. The room was abuzz! 

Mary Magdalene told the group about how Jesus had spoken to her as she stood outside His tomb. John shared how he and Peter had witnessed the empty tomb, and his belief that Jesus truly was the Son of the Living God. Mary, Joanna and Salome relayed their encounters first with the angels in the tomb, and then with Jesus Himself when He appeared to them on their way to report to the disciples. Then Peter told them how Jesus had appeared to him earlier in the day. By now most of them had heard how Peter had denied Jesus following His arrest and they were curious what that face-to-face meeting might have been like. Finally, Clopas and his companion, having just returned from Emmaus, were telling “their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road.”(2)

The disciples’ heads were spinning. They wanted to believe the news … but it was hard to fathom. These reports were coming from brothers and sisters that they respected … but how could this possibly be true? Jesus had been subjected to unspeakable brutality and had died on the cross. They had witnessed it, albeit from a distance after they scattered. Could this all be a part of the religious leaders’ diabolical plot to not only murder Jesus, but to defame His teachings and His miracles? Was this all a part of their plan to now draw out His close followers and arrest them as well? At that moment, there was still more fear than faith present in that room.

Then all of a sudden – Jesus appeared – out of nowhere!(3) Heads all turned to see if the door had opened, but it was still locked! i would venture to say that many of those in the room were ready to jump out of their skins! Good thing there weren’t any open windows nearby! i would venture that if you and i had been there, we would have been ready to do the same. They thought they were seeing a ghost!(4) So, it is no wonder that the first words out of Jesus’s mouth were “Peace be with you!”(5) Be at peace, the One – the only One – who can make sense of all that is happening is now standing before you in this very room! 

Jesus did all that He could to calm their fears and give them assurance. He ate a piece of broiled fish to assure them that He wasn’t a ghost.(6) He showed them the wounds in His hands, His feet and His side to prove to them that He who was dead was now alive. The work that the Father had given Him to do was now complete. Slowly, the disciples’ fear and anxiety turned to peace and joy! Allow me to conjecture that at some point, Jesus’s and Peter’s eyes knowingly locked for a moment as they saw the rest of the disciples gradually and finally coming to that place of peace. Peter had experienced that same emotional roller coaster earlier in the day – and i am certain that his was to an even greater degree.

Then for a second time, Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you.”(7) But this time it wasn’t a word of peace for them, it was a word of peace that they were now to go forth and share with a world that desperately needed to hear it. As the Father had sent Him, He was now sending them (and us)!

Again, we aren’t given any explanation as to why Thomas was not in the room that night. John is the only Gospel writer who gives us that report. Surely, Thomas didn’t have a more pressing appointment. But later, when he did join the other disciples, he refused to accept their testimony. He held to the conviction that since he wasn’t there to see it, it must not be true. Thus, he became “Doubting Thomas” – to this day defined as “a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience.” His skepticism and faithlessness robbed him of joy for eight long days before Jesus again appeared in their midst and stood among them, this time including Thomas. Jesus again declared, “Peace be with you,”(8) but this time He added a rebuke to Thomas with a truth that we too would do well to embrace – don’t believe simply because you see; believe because of Who I am and what I have said.”(9)

Therefore, it would do us well to repeat and rehearse the truths that the disciples learned and experienced on those two occasions:

1.    No matter our situation or circumstance, we will always find peace in the presence of our Savior. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”(10)

2.    We have not heard the full truth about any situation until we have heard from Jesus. As we cast our doubts and fear on Him, trust Him for the answers that we need – not necessarily all the answers we want, but all the answers we need to know. Some of those answers will not come until we are in His presence. But in the meantime, He has promised that “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(11)

3.    The peace He gives us – His Gospel – is not just for us. He has entrusted it to us to share it with others. As Jesus said that night, “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”(12)

4.    Don’t believe simply because you see; believe because of Who Jesus is and what He has said.

Peace be with you! “…Because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.”(13)

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This post is adapted from Taking Up The Cross, chapter 58, entitled “Peace Be With You.” 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.

Also, i have written a collection of forty short stories about some of the men and women who had a personal encounter with Jesus throughout His years of ministry, at His crucifixion and following His resurrection. You can read how some of the eyewitnesses who were there that night in the upper room may have reacted in my book,  The One Who Stood Before Us . Click  HERE   for more information on how you can obtain your copy.

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(1)  John 20:19-29 (NLT)

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said. As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again, He said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),  was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side.” Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me.”

(2)  Luke 24:35 (NLT)

(3)  Luke 24:36 (NLT)

(4)  Luke 24:37 (NLT)

(5)  John 20:19 (NLT)

(6)  Luke 24:42-43 (NLT)

(7)  John 20:21 (NLT)

(8)  John 20:26 (NLT)

(9)  John 20:29 (paraphrase)

(10) Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

(11) John 8:31-32 (NLT)

(12) John 20:21 (NLT)

(13) Philippians 4:7 (CEV)

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Pearl on Lightstock

Jesus Doesn’t Do Random

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As the twelve disciples walked with Jesus, they followed Him from one experience to the next. Jesus taught them through each one, and His next teaching always built on the previous one. Some of those teachings occurred in the midst of some pretty harrowing experiences. For example, the disciples learned in the midst of a frightening storm that Jesus could still the winds and calm the waves simply by speaking a word. Matthew records in his Gospel that the disciples were amazed. Mark writes they were absolutely terrified. Luke, ever the one to include all the details, says they were amazed AND terrified. i think all three of them in this instance had the gift of understatement. The disciples were freaked out!

They also had already seen Jesus heal the sick on multiple occasions. And they had also learned that His ability was not limited to just healing. On a recent occasion, they had heard Jesus speak the words to raise a young boy from the dead (even though they had not actually seen the dead boy arise since he was miles away). But through the experience of the storm on the sea, they had seen creation itself obey Him! Their emotions had gone from fear for their lives to terrified amazement of Jesus in an instant. They had already realized that Jesus was the Messiah – but they had never envisioned a Messiah like this! When they docked the boat on the other side of the lake, they were still looking at each other and asking, “Who is this Man?”(1)

But before they could consider the question any longer, Jesus was leading them to the next thing. There were already two men there at the shore to meet them when they docked.(2) But before we move on, there is one other thing for us to keep in mind. The night before, when they got into the boat, Jesus had told them, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”(3) The disciples had no idea why they were going to the other side of the lake. They had no idea what Jesus’s purpose was or who they would encounter. But Jesus did! Nothing with Jesus is random! He doesn’t waste a moment … an experience … or an encounter. Nothing is inconsequential. That was true for the disciples … and it is equally true for us. We would do well to remember that truth.  If we follow the example of the disciples and keep following Him wherever He goes – we will be right where He wants us to be – in the midst of His activity – and His purpose!

Matthew reports that there were two men who were possessed by demons.(4) Apparently one was the spokesman, because Mark and Luke only reference the one. They were homeless, naked and living in tombs. They were strong and violent, able to break their chains and shackles, and escape those who were guarding them. With a shriek, the one screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”(5) Even before Jesus had said or done anything, they had come to the shore to meet Him. They were there as He arrived. The demons within the men knew more than the disciples did. They knew who Jesus was. They knew He was the Son of the Most High God. They knew His power. They knew His mission. They knew that one day He alone would judge them and cast them into eternal damnation. Their plea was not about what He would do – that was a foregone conclusion. Their plea was about when He was going to do it. “Have You come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”(6)

These men were controlled by a legion of demons. (For reference, a Roman legion was as many as 6,000 men!) And that multitude of demons not only knew who Jesus was – they believed! They believed Who He was, in the authority that was His, in the judgment that was to come and the torment they faced. They even believed in prayer! They were begging Jesus not to send them into the abyss. Jesus had already commanded them to come out of the men. Their plea was that Jesus would allow them to enter into a herd of 2,000 pigs, because they knew that Jesus would not permit them to enter into anyone else that was there on the shore.

Please understand this. As i’ve already said, the demons knew Who Jesus was. They knew the prophecies that they would one day be judged by Him. They also knew that the day of judgment had not yet come. But keep in mind that the demons could no more see into the future than you or i. Their knowledge and beliefs were founded in what God had said through His prophets. Beyond that, they did not have foreknowledge.

So when Jesus granted their plea and gave them permission to enter into that herd of pigs, they had no idea what was coming next! But Jesus did! And that entire herd of pigs bolted for the lake and drowned. Remember, Jesus doesn’t “do” random! He has a purpose and a plan in everything that He does!

Before you get too sympathetic about those 2,000 pigs, i want you to be mindful of how much Jesus valued those two possessed men. He valued them over the lives of those pigs. Be mindful of how much He values you and me. He values us so much that He was willing to lay down His own life for us. The Father gave His Son so that we might have everlasting life. What’s that compared to 2,000 pigs?

And the men who had been set free from the bondage of the demons – at least one of them(7) –  begged Jesus to allow him to go with Him. But Jesus told him to go back to his family “and tell them everything God has done for you.” And Mark tells us that the man went all through the ten towns of that region proclaiming,“the great things Jesus had done for him.”(8)

It is sad to note that the herdsmen and the people of that nearby town were more concerned about the pigs that had died than the men who had been delivered. Jesus was in their midst, but sadly the demons believed in Him more than the townspeople did. As a result, Jesus left the town and crossed back to the other side. 

Imagine what the disciples were thinking through all of this and as they continued on their journey with Jesus. Not only does the wind obey, but the demons believe. Not only does He still the storm, He sets captives free. And there is nothing random about anything He does! 

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This post is adapted from Walking With The Master, chapter 30, entitled “Jesus Doesn’t Do Random” 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.

Also, if you’ve ever wondered what happened to those men after Jesus delivered them from the demons, i pick up on their story with what could have happened in my novel,  Through the Eyes of a Prisoner . Click  HERE  for more information on how you can obtain a copy of that book, as well .

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(1)  Luke 8:25

(2)  Luke 8:26-39

…They arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet Him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town. As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of Him. Then he screamed, “Why are You interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg You, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had already commanded the evil   spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power. Jesus demanded, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged Him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned….

(3)  Luke 8:22

(4)  Matthew 8:28

(5)  Luke 8:28

(6)  Matthew 8:29

(7)  Luke 8:38

(8)  Mark 5:20

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by LUMO-The Gospels for the Visual Age on Lightstock

Keepers of the Light

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

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My wife will tell you that when a song REALLY touches my heart, i have a tendency to play it over and over … and over again … until it is completely embedded in my soul. And i don’t tend to play it quietly! (Now you know another way you can be praying for my wife as she patiently walks through this journey of life with me!) Such is the case with the final track of Michael W. Smith’s most recent album, Worship Forever (Live). The song is entitled Sing Again. I have included the lyrics below, as well as a link, so you can read them and listen to the song. i hope you will take a few minutes to do so, if you are not familiar with it. It will speak to your soul!

During the past few weeks, we have seen a number of friends walking through the pain of battling cancer, Covid, and the like. We have seen the pain experienced by their families as they have walked right there with them. And we have seen the sorrow of some of those families as those battles have ended in the passing of a beloved husband, wife, parent or child. The song has really gotten me thinking about what it means to be a “keeper of the light” – not when everything is going great – but in the midst of sorrow and pain. 

i think we sometimes mistakenly believe that as we walk with the Master, we should somehow be exempt from pain and suffering. We have been known to look up into the heavens and cry out, asking God why He has permitted us to walk through what is happening in our lives. Somehow, we believe He has let us down and failed to live up to His promise. And if we’re not careful that cry can turn into bitterness or anger directed toward God.

But God never promised us that our journey through life and our walk with Him would be pain-free or without suffering. As a matter of fact, there have been many who have walked through pain and suffering BECAUSE of their walk with Jesus – both in days past and even today in many parts of our world.(1) However, whatever the cause of our pain or suffering, He did promise that He would never leave us nor forsake us.(2)

i recently finished writing a fictional novella about Joseph, the carpenter, who God chose to be the earthly father to His One and Only Son. The Gospel accounts would indicate that Joseph died sometime between when Jesus was twelve and when He began His earthly ministry at the age of thirty. i became mindful, as i wrote the story, that Joseph was the only immediate earthly family member of Jesus who “predeceased” Him. We don’t know how Joseph died or the circumstances surrounding his death. But we can safely presume that Jesus was with him – or at least nearby.

The Son of God, who had the power to keep His earthly father from experiencing the pain and suffering of death, watched and walked with Joseph as he passed through the valley of the shadow of death. He walked with His mother Mary and His half-brothers and half-sisters as they too walked through the journey with him. i found myself wondering what was going on in Mary’s mind and heart when it was happening. She and Joseph (and perhaps their other children) knew who Jesus was and what He could have done. But i think that’s the thing – they KNEW who Jesus was! They KNEW He was able … but they also knew that He KNEW what was best. They KNEW better than anyone that He was the Light of the world. He had come to extinguish the darkness. He had come to defeat suffering and death. He had come that sin might be defeated once and for all. And though they … and we … may need to endure it for a little while, we do so with His promise – the promise of One who has walked where we are walking. One of Jesus’s closest friends said it best,  “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”(3)

Therein is the hope and the light of the Gospel! Yes, to use Michael W. Smith’s words: “shadows may loom ahead, but He holds us in the palm of His hand, and the hope we have in Him illuminates the sky!”

In the meantime, i pray He finds me … and you … faithful to be keepers of the light … His Light!

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In this post, i reference my upcoming book,  A Carpenter Called Joseph . The book releases on November 12th. Click  HERE  if you’d like more information about the book or how you can pre-order a copy.

 

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(1)  Hebrews 11:35-38 (ESV)

(2)  Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

(3)  1 Peter 5:10 (ESV)

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by DiegoPH on Unsplash

 

Sing Again  

Sometimes the pain felt like a hallow in my chest
Sometimes I struggle just to take another step
All I could see was shadows looming up ahead
Will we find some peace in the end

Through all the fear and doubt, we long for better days
And in our hopelessness we tried to find our way
Yet in the strife we saw a glimmer through the haze
Even in the sorrow we can still believe

This lonely heart will sing again
These barren lungs will breathe again
Through suffering we're stronger
In the palm of His hand
Like a beacon in the night
Hope illuminates the sky
Reaching for each other
And as we carry on
We are keepers of the light

We now remember who we are and how to live
To love with open arms, to heal and to forgive
And we'll keep shining like a city on a hill
Even in the sorrow, we can still believe

This lonely heart will sing again
These barren lungs will breathe again
Through suffering we're stronger
In the palm of His hand
Like a beacon in the night
Hope illuminates the sky
Reaching for each other
And as we carry on
We are keepers of the light 

Our lonely hearts will sing again
Our barren lungs will breathe again
Together we are stronger
And as we carry on
We are keepers of
Keepers of the light
We'll make it through the night 

Written by Michael W. Smith, Wes King, Ryan Smith

Sing Again (Lyrics video) performed by Michael W. Smith

A Faith That Is Sure

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Are you at a crossroad in your journey? Are you needing wisdom to know which road to take? Are you considering which of the roads in front of you is the best one for you? The probability is that all of your options look pretty good. Let’s face it – if one of your options looks like it will lead to complete disaster, you’re probably not wasting much time considering it. So your quandary is probably over which of the “good” options in front of you is the best. If that’s the case, you would do well to follow the example of a woman by the name of Rahab.

When i first wrote the chapter from which this post is excerpted, my wife and i were at one of those crossroads. We were in the midst of a transition from one place of ministry service to another. We had embarked on the transition because we knew God had clearly directed us to do so. His word had been unmistakable through our time with Him in Scripture, through the counsel of godly friends we trusted, and lastly, through the circumstances that had unfolded consistent with God’s clear word of direction. 

Throughout my life, God has shown me that the order of those three elements – His Word, godly counsel and circumstances – is as important as the elements themselves. He has taught me that every aspect of my relationship with Him – my very life – must be solidly built on His Word. He tells us that “if you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth.…”(1) It is through His Word that i can receive and filter the counsel of others in order to discern if it is godly. It is through His Word that i am able to evaluate the circumstances that are before me to discern how i should best respond. If i react to either of the latter two (counsel or circumstances) without first hearing God’s direction through His Word, i am embarking on a fool’s errand without a compass or a rudder. But having heard from Him through His Word, He provides the “twins” of “counsel” and “circumstance” to help me apply the truth of His Word.  

As Joshua was preparing to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, we find he was doing the same thing.(2) God had already given him a clear word before they crossed the Jordan River. He was now availing himself to the twins of “counsel and circumstance” by sending out two men to spy out the first fortification the people would encounter – the city of Jericho. 

You may recall the story. In the course of the spies’ journey, they came to the house of Rahab. They didn’t know Rahab. They had never met her, and yet God led them straight to her doorstep. It reminds me of a similar situation several hundred years earlier. God had promised Abraham that He would raise up a nation from his offspring. God had given him a son named Isaac. And when it came time for Isaac to take a bride, Abraham sent out a trusted servant to find the bride. 

God immediately led the servant into the presence of the very woman He had selected to be Isaac’s bride. The servant knew that the Lord had clearly directed him when he said, “as for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house.…”(3) Each and every day i find myself praying, “Lord, allow me to walk with You just as this servant did – led by You in Your way.” In the same manner, God led the spies right to the one He intended – Rahab. 

God was already at work bringing glory to His Name through His people, and now His plan included Rahab. Rahab would one day be remembered for the sureness of her faith in the Books of Hebrews and James in the Bible. She would become a part of the lineage of the birth of Jesus, as the mother of Boaz and great-great-grandmother of David. But the sureness of her faith had nothing to do with her own sureness. When we first meet Rahab, we learn she was a prostitute. As the story unfolds, we see that she was also a liar. In short, she was a sinner – just like you and me.

You may recall that Rahab lied to protect the spies. So, before we go any further, let’s stop and ask a question – did God condone Rahab’s lies? No! Did she lie? Yes! Is lying a sin against God? Yes, we clearly see that expressed in the ninth commandment.(4) Could God have protected the spies from capture without Rahab’s lies? Unquestionably yes! Did God save her and her family when Jericho was destroyed because she lied to protect the spies? No, He did not! He saved her because of her faith in Him – despite her sin. That’s good news for us, because we too are often led astray by our sin nature even when we’re walking by faith.  But still, by God’s grace, He rewarded her faith – because “she had received the spies with peace.”(5)

But so we don’t trample on God’s grace, let’s keep two foundational principles in mind. First, God will NEVER violate His Word. He will NEVER do anything – or lead us to do anything – that violates or is contrary to His Word. Take that to the bank! If we believe God is ever leading us to do anything that violates His Word, we must remember these three simple words – WE ARE WRONG! If we believe that a “righteous” end justifies “ungodly” means – WE ARE WRONG! If we believe God condones ungodly behavior because it “feels so right” – WE ARE WRONG!

Second, we cannot confuse God’s perfect will – His plan and purpose for our lives – with His permissive will – His decision as the Sovereign God to not supernaturally intervene when we exercise our free will to sin against Him. Rahab was rewarded because “she received the spies” (His perfect will) NOT because she lied (His permissive will).

Rahab demonstrated a sure faith by “receiving the spies” – not based upon any sureness she had in herself, or the sureness of the two spies; she demonstrated a sure faith because of the sureness of the Supreme God! Listen to her own declaration about God to the spies:  “…the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.”(6) Flesh and blood had not revealed that to her. By God’s grace – and His alone – He revealed Himself to Rahab and she acknowledged Him as the One True God and acted by faith – despite peril. 

James, the half-brother of Jesus, later wrote, “you see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”(7)

Rahab exercised a sure faith – unwavering and fully committed to the One in whom her faith was placed, based upon Who He was and what He had said. As we decide which of the roads we should take, we would do well to follow her example and take the road God has directed us to take through a faith that is sure.

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This post is adapted from Possessing The Promise, chapter 4, entitled “A Sure Faith” 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.

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(1)  John 8:31-32 (NKJ)

(2)  Joshua 2:1-21 (NLT) – summarized:

Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove…. So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night…. Rahab had hidden the two men…. Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. “I know the LORD has given you this land,” she told them…. “For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you….”

(3)  Genesis 24:27 (NKJ)

(4)  Exodus 20:16

(5)  Hebrews 11:31 (NKJ)

(6)  Joshua 2:11 (NLT)

(7)  James 2:24-26 (NLT)

Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.

Photo by Vladislav Babienko on Unsplash