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
Ken Winter
Perilous Times

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We live in a day filled with upheaval, confusion, and uncertainty. It therefore comes as no surprise that the rates of depression, anxiety, and fearfulness about the future continue to reach new highs  among adults in the U. S. according to a Gallup poll published in May 2023.(1) But as followers of Christ, we can take heart that the perilous times in which we find ourselves are also indicative of the days to come that Jesus described two thousand years ago. We can embrace the hope we have through the promises and assurance He gave to His disciples—and through them, to us.

Jesus was sitting on the slopes of the Mount of Olives with His disciples telling them about the perilous times that would signal the end of the age and His return.(2) The disciples, in turn, asked Him three questions:

1.    When will all this happen?

2.    What sign will signal Your return?

3.    What sign will signal the end of the world?

Perilous Times
Ken Winter
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.

His Face Was Set

Through the Eyes of a Shepherd

Zacchaeus – A Message of Hope

Zacchaeus – A Message of Hope

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As is my practice on occasion, the post this week is a fictional first-person account as told by Zacchaeus about the events and circumstances of his life leading up to his encounter with Jesus. Though some of the characters and details contained in the story are fictional, you will find the truth conveyed to be very REAL! 

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I did not always want to be a tax collector. I was the second son of a merchant by the name of Hiram. He fully expected both his sons would follow in his footsteps.

My mother was very ill as she carried me to term. The midwife had warned her that I might not survive childbirth. But she and I did survive my birth; however, she died soon thereafter. I was sickly as a baby and required constant attention, so my father arranged for a nurse to care for me. As I grew, I continued to be chronically ill, which caused me to be feeble and stunted my growth….

All To Him I Owe

All To Him I Owe

One of my favorite stories in my novel Through the Eyes of a Shepherd is about a fictional little boy who was encountered by two of the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent out into the villages throughout Galilee. i thought it would be fun to connect him with another little boy we actually see (though he is unnamed) in the Gospels. It became a very touching account that reinforces foundational biblical truth.

i originally told the story through the eyes of the shepherd Shimon. But in the book i am releasing next year, i retell the story through the eyes of the little boy himself. i’m posting the new story here this week because i think it is a truth that we all need to be reminded of again and again – particularly as we walk through these challenging days. As in all of my stories, some of the events and some of the people are fictional – but the truth they tell is trustworthy! This is longer than a blog post; it is a short story. But i pray you will find it worth the read.

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My name is Jonathan and I am ten years old. My parents and I live in the village of Chorazin in northern Galilee….

Thankful

Thankful

My journey as a novelist began less than a year ago. The idea for my first novel began to take root in my heart and mind at the end of 2018. It was the beginning of what continues to be a great adventure and a tremendous learning experience.

One of the elements i have enjoyed the most is learning how to create “fictional” characters within a novel – to visualize their appearance, to bring their personality and history to life, and then to begin to empathize with them. One of my mentors encouraged me to identify a muse for every character i write about. As i write, i picture that person in my mind’s eye, and his or her appearance and personality begin to help shape that of my story’s character. Through that process, the characters become as real to me as the “real” characters that i place alongside of them….

Jesus Will Still Be There

Jesus Will Still Be There

This week has been filled with special memories for our family. Our second grandson was born at 6:09AM Sunday morning. All seven pounds fourteen ounces of him! i can’t think of a better way to start a week than to welcome a new life into your family. 

Kenton was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. The doctor was scheduled. The delivery room was reserved. Our daughter’s bag was packed. But someone forgot to tell our grandson. But no fear – he didn’t arrive early. He arrived right on time! It was the rest of us that were off on our calendars.

My wife and i received that middle of the night call and quickly made the two hour drive to be here. As we were driving, the song “Jesus Will Still Be There” (lyrics below) by Selah came up on my playlist. 

As i listened to the lyrics of the song, i couldn’t help but be struck by this idea. “Kenton, today is the first day of your life outside the womb. And if there was one word i would tell you and your older brother to hold onto every moment of every day of your life, it would be just that – Jesus will still be there….

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