Ken Winter
An Unlikely Witness

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The hour had come. It was very late. Jesus had led the disciples to a garden called Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives so He could pray … and they could pray with Him. Well, He had led almost all His disciples. Earlier that night, Judas had abruptly gone out from the upper room while Jesus was still speaking … apparently sent on an errand by the Master. There had been no sign of him since then.

They had all feasted well—perhaps too well—on the delicious Seder meal they had eaten earlier. Throughout the meal and the hours that followed, Jesus had taught them a lot! It was almost as if He was endeavoring to prepare them something … but they weren’t quite sure what that was. They were tired from listening and from trying to make sense of what He had said. So when they sat down on the luscious green grass in the garden in the stillness of the night, their bodies gave in to their need for rest. One by one they fell asleep.

The disciples were unaware that a teenage boy had secretly followed them to the garden and was hiding in the bushes. Here is his account of the night….

An Unlikely Witness
Ken Winter
A Covenant Renewed

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Does it seem like God is directing you to do something at a time which you believe is most inopportune? Has that still, small voice (the Holy Spirit within you) directed you to do something now that is contrary to what your conventional wisdom is telling you to do?

For thirty-eight of the forty years the Israelites spent in the wilderness, no Israelite male was circumcised.And yet, 470 years earlier, God had entered into a covenant with Abraham and his descendants saying, “I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan …  to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God…. Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised.”(1) God had given a promise to that first generation of Israelites and had entered into a covenant with them. Their part of the covenant was to obey the terms and seal it through the circumcision of every Israelite male.

A Covenant Renewed
Ken Winter
On To Our Paran

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After having camped at Mount Sinai for almost a year, the cloud lifted and the Israelites set out on their three-day journey to the wilderness of Paran.(1) (You may recall that the wilderness of Paran is where Hagar and Ishmael found refuge when Sarah had Abraham send them away.(2)) The wilderness of Paran was bounded to the north by southern Canaan, otherwise known as the Promised Land. They were in the fourteenth month of their exodus from Egypt and they were now closing in on the prize that was before them – the Promised Land!

On To Our Paran
Ken Winter
Bread That Is Sufficient

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The day God provided a ram to be sacrificed in the place of his son Isaac, Abraham called that place Jehovah Jireh, meaning “The Lord will provide.”(1) That day was to be a reminder to all generations that the Lord will provide. He will be faithful to provide just what is needed at the exact time it is needed. He is seldom early; but He is never late! He seldom provides in the manner we anticipate; but He always provides in a way that is sufficient. That was true for Abraham and Isaac, it was true for Moses and the Israelites, and it is true for us today.

God promised Moses and the Israelites that each morning He would provide bread that would be sufficient for every person for the day – everyone would have their fill.(2) After the people had gotten over the shock that this “white, flaky stuff” was God’s bread for them, they set about the process of gathering what was needed for their household. God’s provision, though “packaged” in a very unexpected way, came with very specific instructions.

Bread That Is Sufficient
Ken Winter
Chosen to Serve

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There is no such thing as a perfect church. That statement does not come as a shock to any of us, whether we are a part of a church … or not. However, i do believe that those of us inside the church often tend to want everyone to believe we have it all together. We have a tendency to hide the “real me” behind a mask and cover up the things, the hurts, the doubts, and the imperfections that we don’t want anyone else to see. (It’s similar to the way most of us – believers and non-believers alike – tend to portray ourselves on social media.)

i also believe that those outside the church often project that false impression – that we think we’re perfect – upon the church, and enjoy highlighting the downfall of those within the church when they fall.

No, the church isn’t perfect, but then again, it never has been! But we endeavor to worship, follow, and follow the example of the only One who is and ever was perfect.

Chosen to Serve

Jesus heals

Stories of Hope (Part 3) – The Blind Son

Stories of Hope (Part 3) – The Blind Son

If you would prefer to listen to this story as an audio recording, CLICK HERE.

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This week i conclude my three-story blog series about men and women who experienced that message of hope at the moment of their greatest despair.

Just like the first two stories, you will recognize the main character in the story. However i have added fictional elements to his story to help us better see the hopelessness he was feeling in the days, months and years of his life leading up to his unexpected encounter with the only One who was able to bring him hope.

i invite you to read (or listen to) the portion of his story you may already know … and the rest that could have been. Though some of the other characters and details contained in the story are fictional, you will find the truth conveyed about the One who brings hope to the hopeless is very REAL! My prayer is that you will allow this story to be a personal reminder that the One who brought him hope is capable of bringing it to each one of us today … if we will only receive it.

Stories of Hope (part 3) - The Blind Son (This week - July 13)

Stories of Hope (Part 1) – The Despairing Father

Stories of Hope (Part 1) – The Despairing Father

If you would prefer to listen to this story as an audio recording, CLICK HERE.

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Jesus came to bring

good news to the afflicted,

healing to the brokenhearted,

freedom to the captive,

comfort to those who mourn,

joy to those who sorrow,

gladness instead of tears, and

praise instead of despair.(1)

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

Stories of Hope (part 1) - The Despairing Father (This week – June 29)

A Resurrection Story – The Paralytic

A Resurrection Story – The Paralytic

If you would prefer to listen to this story as an audio recording, CLICK HERE.

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NOTE: As has become my annual practice, starting this week and for the three weeks that follow, i will be posting four short stories about four different people who encountered Jesus during the months leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. You will find each of these individuals in the Gospel accounts, however i have added fictional elements to each of their stories so that we might see each one … as they journeyed through their lives leading up to their encounter … and as they continued their journey in the days that followed. You will read the parts of their stories you may already know … and the rest that could have been. Though some of the other characters and details contained in each story may be fictional, you will find the truth conveyed about the One they each encountered to be very REAL! My prayer is that through the stories, you will see Jesus and be reminded of the Good News of the cross and the empty tomb as we enter into this season of remembrance. To that end, let’s look at their stories:

The Paralytic (This week – March 23)

The Grieving Mother (March 30)

The One Caught In The Act (April 6)

The Man Who Owned The Upper Room (April 13)

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My name is Yanis. I grew up in the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee not far from the road that now leads from Tiberias to Nazareth. The men of my family have been shepherds as long as anyone can remember. I never had to wonder what I would do when I grew up. Because I am my father’s oldest son, there was never any question that I, too, would be a shepherd – and one day my father’s flock would become mine….

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