Ken Winter
Between the Already and the Not Yet

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As Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, teaching His disciples, He began this particular discourse with the admonition, “be on the alert,” and concluded with the exact same words. In reading His words in the Gospel of Matthew, we see that He directed this message to four distinct “audiences.”

First, He addressed His disciples' specific questions. Second, since Jesus’ earthly ministry focused primarily on the Jewish people, this message was also directed to them. Third, He spoke to His church—those who would follow after Him, including us today, who will be with Him in heaven before the Tribulation. (By the way, as a side note—as His people we will escape the Tribulation, but He never promised that we will escape tribulation.) Fourth, He was speaking to His followers who would come to faith in Him during the Tribulation (after the rapture, but before His second coming).

For those of us in that third group—believers following Him today—we live in a place between the “already” and the “not yet.”

Between the Already and the Not Yet
Ken Winter
Simple Stories, Profound Truths

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When Jesus spoke to the crowds, He often used simple stories (parables) to communicate profound truths about the Kingdom of God. Have you ever gotten confused over what Jesus was saying? If so, you’re in good company because even the apostles were confused—until they were filled with the Holy Spirit. The good news is, if we are followers of Jesus, we have that same Holy Spirit inside of us to reveal all truth.

Once, the disciples asked Him, “Why do You use parables when You talk to the people?” Jesus replied, “To those who listen to My teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” He added, “I use parables because they look, but don’t really see. They hear, but don’t really listen or understand.”

Jesus was emphasizing profound truths ….

Simple Stories, Profound Truths
Ken Winter
No More Manna

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Have you recently lost a job or seen a significant income stream dry up? Are you feeling discouraged or confused about what’s happening? Are you struggling to make sense of an unexpected change in your life? There’s a lesson to be learned from the Israelites’ experience soon after they crossed into the Promised Land.

Few Israelites were old enough to remember the days before they ate manna. For them, it had become a basic staple of their diet—like fresh ground peanut butter is for me today. The generation that perished in the wilderness had been the ones grumbling, “If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt… There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”God responded to their complaints and miraculously provided them with manna.

No More Manna
Ken Winter
The Staff That Blossoms

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There is a powerful example in the Book of Numbers that illustrates how we should live as followers of Christ. Ironically, this example arose from a dispute among God's chosen people. They were arguing over who should hold the highest position. In some ways, this mirrors the debate among Jesus’ disciples about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. In both cases, selfish ambition reared its head, just as it often does in our own lives.

God decided to put an end to the controversy about who should serve as a priest on behalf of the people. Despite the judgments of death God had already rendered earlier in the passage, He now used a life-giving sign to settle the issue once and for all.

The Staff That Blossoms
Ken Winter
Seen the Cloud? See the Glory!

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If you are a follower of Christ—if you are one of God’s children—He promises to go before you, not just some of the time, but all the time. When we walk in His way and according to His will, He guarantees that every step we take is sure and secure—even when it doesn’t feel that way! As long as we are walking in His way to the best of our understanding, we can trust that every situation and circumstance—whether He placed it there or not—will work for our ultimate good, His purpose, and His glory.

Let’s consider an example of this truth. From the day the Israelites left Egypt, the Lord gave His people a constant reminder of His presence. He sent a pillar of cloud to guide them by day and a pillar of fire by night, so they could travel without losing sight of His leading. In Exodus we read, “The LORD did not remove the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire from the sight of the people.” This visible reminder was with them for the entire month since their journey began.

Seen the Cloud? See the Glory!

Following Jesus

No Detail Is Too Small

No Detail Is Too Small

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It was the fifth day of the week – Thursday – and the 14th day of Nissan on the Hebrew calendar. The Passover Festival was to begin at dusk with the Passover Seder and continue for seven days, as it still does today. In preparation for the festival, all leavening (Chametz) was to be removed from the Jewish households. Leaven symbolized corruption or sin, so for the seven days of Passover, Jews ate only unleavened bread.(1) Often, any Chametz remaining in the household the day before Passover was removed and destroyed by burning. That morning in Jerusalem the pungent odor of burning Chametz would have permeated the air in and around the city. Every household was completing its preparations.

The preparations were so important to Jesus that He sent His two most trusted disciples:(2) Peter (the one upon whom He would build His church)(3) and John (the one to whom He would entrust the care of His mother).(4) Notice that when Jesus instructed them to go and prepare the meal, they wisely asked Him for specific instructions. Both men would have known what preparations were required under the Law. Both had traveled to Jerusalem many times before for the observance of Passover. Both were leaders. It would have been very easy for them to receive instruction from Jesus to “go” and then head off to do what they believed was right. How often do we attempt to go off and do God’s work in our own way? How often do we fail to ask Him the “how” question? How often do we make our own plan and ask Jesus to bless it instead of asking Him for His plan, so we can join Him in His activity?

His Face Was Set

His Face Was Set

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The New King James translation of Luke 9:51 says “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Jesus to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” The timeframe of this particular journey recorded in Luke 9 was well over a year before Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. He still had much yet to do, messages yet to preach, and miracles yet to perform. But in this verse, Luke is reminding us that Jesus never lost sight of why the Father had sent Him. No matter what was on His “to do list,” His face was always set, His eye was always focused, and His stride never wavered from His ultimate purpose.

Sometimes, as we remember the events of Holy Week, we can fall into a trap of thinking that Jesus’s crucifixion was the result of Judas’s betrayal, the Sanhedrin’s envy and hatred, Pilate’s spinelessness, and the soldiers’ cruelty. We can be lulled into thinking His death was involuntary. And salvation was the result of God taking something that the enemy meant for evil and using it for His glory and our good.

The Choice Is Ours

The Choice Is Ours

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

Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense

Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense

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

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

Jesus Is Missing!

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….

A Journey Home

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….

Fully Devoted To Whom?

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….

Peace Be With You

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!

Jesus Doesn’t Do Random

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….

3 Things You Never Want To Hear Jesus Say

3 Things You Never Want To Hear Jesus Say

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Most often when we think of Jesus, we think of Him as our Loving Savior. He and the Father loved us so much that Jesus came to this earth to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus, Himself, said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”(1) He was not only pronouncing His love for us; He was calling us His friends.

We also often think of Jesus as the Gentle Servant, who lived humbly and served selflessly. But we water down the Gospel when we fail to recognize Him as the Righteous Judge. Though we see Him most often in the Gospels as the Loving Savior, we see Him upon His return in the Book of Revelation as the Righteous Judge. And just as He, as our Savior, has extended His salvation to each and every one of us – each and every one of us will stand before Him as our Judge….

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