Ken Winter
They Raised A Generation Who Did Not Know Him

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In these days of my life i find myself reflecting on the fact that God has blessed me with a godly heritage.

The question before us is, what are we modeling for the generation that we are raising up? Is our relationship with our LORD one that we desire for our children and grandchildren to mirror? Are we passionately pursuing our LORD with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and actively walking with Him in His mission? Or are we merely going through the motions?

They Raised A Generation Who Did Not Know Him
Ken Winter
I Look To the Mountains

It has been several weeks since i posted. Many of you know that i have been walking through health challenges. By God’s grace, and in His strength, i am now able to share with you that He has carried me through these most recent developments. He has used this time to remind me just how faithful He is, and just how dependent i am upon Him.

I Look To the Mountains
Ken Winter
Advent – We Three Kings (Balthazar’s Story)

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Introduction to this post:

This is the fourth of this year’s weekly Advent posts. Those of you who have followed the blog for more than a year know that it is my annual practice to post a weekly story for the season of Advent about the incarnational birth of Jesus. My hope is that the stories have become a part of your Advent tradition as you remember and celebrate the Good News of the advent of our Lord and Savior.

This year’s posts are as follows:

Week #1 - November 27th: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Joseph’s Story)

Week #2 - December 4th: Away in a Manger (Achim’s Story)

Week #3 – December 11th: Silent Night (Moshe’s Story)

This week - December 18th: We Three Kings (Balthazar’s Story)

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My name is Balthazar and I am a lifelong student of the science of the stars….

Advent – We Three Kings (Balthazar’s Story)
Ken Winter
Advent – Silent Night (Moshe’s Story)

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

Introduction to this post:

This is the third of this year’s weekly Advent posts. Those of you who have followed the blog for more than a year know that it is my annual practice to post a weekly story for the season of Advent about the incarnational birth of Jesus. My hope is that the stories have become a part of your Advent tradition as you remember and celebrate the Good News of the advent of our Lord and Savior.

This year’s posts are as follows:

Week #1 - November 27th: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Joseph’s Story)

Week #2 - December 4th: Away in a Manger (Achim’s Story)

This week – December 11th: Silent Night (Moshe’s Story)

December 18th: We Three Kings (Balthazar’s Story)

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I am a shepherd named Moshe.

Advent – Silent Night (Moshe’s Story)
Ken Winter
Advent – Away in a Manger (Achim’s Story)

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

* * * * *

Introduction to this post:

This is the second of this year’s weekly Advent posts. Those of you who have followed the blog for more than a year know that it is my annual practice to post a weekly story for the season of Advent about the incarnational birth of Jesus. My hope is that the stories have become a part of your Advent tradition as you remember and celebrate the Good News of the advent of our Lord and Savior.

This year’s posts are as follows:

Last week - November 27th: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Joseph’s Story)

This week - December 4th: Away in a Manger (Achim’s Story)

December 11th: Silent Night (Moshe’s Story)

December 18th: We Three Kings (Balthazar’s Story)

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My name is Achim. My family and I live here in Bethlehem, the town of our ancestor David, the shepherd king….

Advent – Away in a Manger (Achim’s Story)

Amazing Faith

Amazing Faith

There are only two times recorded in the Bible when we read that Jesus was amazed. It was highly unusual for the Son of God to be amazed. He knew what was in man, so very little could amaze Him.

The first time was by the unbelief of the Jews in His hometown of Nazareth.(1) These were the people who knew Him the best. He had grown up among them. He counted them as friends and neighbors. He had done carpentry work for many of them. (Imagine having the Creator of the universe doing your carpentry work. It must have been stunning!)

For almost thirty years they had seen Him live out a sinless life of righteousness. (Presuming that the Creator could possibly hit His own thumb with His hammer, not one disconcerting word ever came out of His mouth!) And yet, these friends and neighbors not only didn’t believe in Him – they rejected Him. Amazing!

The second time Jesus was amazed was quite the opposite. He was amazed by the faith of a man. It was a man who had never before met Jesus. He wasn’t one of Jesus’ closest followers. He wasn’t a devout religious leader. He wasn’t even a Jew. He was a Roman soldier.(2)

What Do These Stones Mean?

What Do These Stones Mean?

Twelve years ago, our family started a tradition of creating an annual book of photographs highlighting our family’s special memories for the year. Digital desktop technology makes creating such a book so much easier than printing individual pictures and putting them in an organized album – at least for us. We entitle each year’s book “A Year To Remember…” with the respective year. It has three main benefits for us.

First, it helps us recall the treasured memories, blessings and events that our Lord has given us, and even those challenging times through which He has led us. Often, as we look back several years, it helps us recall when something took place, or who was at that special event, or to be reminded of how much our family has grown. (However, we never use it to remind ourselves how much older we have become!)

Second, we use it as a “coffee table” book for friends and guests to browse when they visit us in our home. (We now have friends who look forward to being included in the book each year – and our family vies for who or what memory will make the coveted cover photo of this year’s book.) Through the book, we are able to magnify the works of God on our behalf and give Him glory….

You Will Never Ever Wash My Feet

You Will Never Ever Wash My Feet

There is absolutely no one who has ever walked on this earth who has had more authority, more majesty and more adoration due Him than Jesus. Every ruler who has ever lived, the most wealthy, the most powerful, and the most famous all fall short of His glory and His authority. The Father had sent Him, and He would return to the Father.

i grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida. i have heard it said that the island of Palm Beach is home to ten percent of America’s wealth. It is the island of the rich and famous. Our current U. S. President has a home there. Whenever he is in town, traffic is rerouted on land, sea and air. i would not even venture to guess how many people are in his entourage and service to make sure his every need is met, and every comfort is provided. i don’t say that critically of the President, nor do i disparage in any way the other residents of the town and the way they are served. i mention them solely as a point of comparison. Jesus, who has absolute authority over every one of them – and every one of us – and is worthy of all praise, all worship, all respect, and all reverence, got up from the table one night, took off His robe and wrapped a towel around His waist like a servant.(1) There are a very few of us who would ever do anything like that – and none of those are the King of Kings….

Keep Nothing For Yourself

Keep Nothing For Yourself

God has given me the blessing and privilege of working with a number of great leaders throughout my career in ministry and in business. One of those leaders was a “paradoxical leader”. He believed that a paradox (a self-contradictory statement) was an effective way to create tension within a group or organization from which creative solutions can emerge. That type of leader is very comfortable with ambiguity, uncertainty, messiness and contradictions. The desired result is direction without directives, authority without control, and a creative tension from which creative solutions will emerge. The idea is that the solution to many problems is found somewhere between the two paradoxical thoughts, and the creative tension will allow the diverging groups to converge on that solution. It’s an interesting leadership style; one that can be challenging to work under. But it was highly effective for this leader.

Jesus Himself is well known for using verbal paradox to communicate truth – “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”(1) “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”(2) And, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”(3) But His use of paradox did not point to a truth somewhere in the middle; His paradox underscored the truth. And i would definitely say that there is nothing paradoxical about God’s leadership. He is both directive and authoritative. His truth is absolute, and without contradiction….

The One Who Goes Before Us

The One Who Goes Before Us

Throughout our lives, we will encounter enemies that are assembling to attack us. In some instances it may be other people, but more often it will be enemies like disease, unplanned job loss, financial setback, and the like. When we come upon them, we would do well to remember that God is our “Banner” and He goes before us!

After God had led the Israelites across the Red Sea, they saw the warriors of Amalek assembling for a fight there in the valley of Rephidim.(1) The last army that had assembled against the Israelites had perished at the bottom of the sea. The Israelites had not been called upon to go into battle to defeat them. No Israelite blood had been spilled. The casualty count at that battle had been: Egyptians – ALL; Israelites – NONE. God had gone before the Israelites, making a way for their escape, and He had gone behind them, making a way for their enemy’s defeat….

Graves into Gardens

Graves into Gardens

The word “grave” can conjure up a lot of different images in our minds. Most often it is the reminder of our own mortality – particularly if we have recently received the unwanted news of a critical health diagnosis, either for ourselves or a loved one. Or it can come upon us suddenly as we are thrust into the totally unexpected loss of one who is near and dear to us. Those events bring us face-to-face with the harsh reality of our mortality and the fragility of life, whereas otherwise we view it through a much “safer” philosophical lens, knowing that all of our bodies are one day destined for the grave.

But the word “grave” can also point to a concerning moment or event in our lives that has nothing to do with our mortality. It is a loss that has been brought on by forces or events beyond our control. It can be an accidental injury that is life-changing, even though it is not life-ending. It can be loss due to the decisions or actions of another that have led to a relationship that has been torn apart. Our grave moment can be the unexpected loss of a job or finances. Whatever it is, it is a matter of grave concern with serious implications that could have a devastating impact on our lives and the lives of those we love….

Breath

Breath

We are acutely aware in these days that there are many things we permit to divide us. But there is one that should unite us all.

We can live our lives without a lot of the things that hold great importance to us. We can live without the possessions we hold dear. We can live without the positions that bring us self-importance and self-worth. We can even live without the good health and relationships that bring our lives enjoyment and purpose. And, for a period of time, we can even live without the food and water that bring nourishment to our bodies. But take away our breath and we immediately cease to live.

Breath is the one thing that distinguishes the living from the dead. Adam didn’t become a living person until God breathed into his nostrils.(1) Though muscles and flesh formed over the dry bones, they did not come to life until God breathed into them….(2)

But God ...

But God ...

The flood waters prevailed, but God remembered and brought him to dry land.(1)

His enemy intended it to harm him, but God intended it for good.(2)

The battle is not yours, but God’s.(3)

Your flesh may fail, but God is your strength.(4)

We were dead in sin, but God saved us.(5)

i have come to believe that those two words – “but God” – are actually a powerful promise to those of us who are His children – particularly when we are facing the impossible….

The Place Where The Reeds Grow

The Place Where The Reeds Grow

As we journey through the wilderness of our lives, God will often lead us, just like He did the Israelites, toward our own “Pi-hahiroth” (“the place where the reeds grow”).(1) It lies on the west bank of our Red Sea, between Migdol (the high place) and the sea and is opposite from Baal-zephon (the place where the idols are worshiped). It will appear to those watching that we are confused or disoriented, but take heart – the LORD has led us right to the place He intends – the place He will use to bring glory to Himself through our lives.

He has not led us to Migdol - the high place – the mountaintop. Occasionally He does lead us to enjoy that mountaintop experience where He will recharge our spirits and give us rest as we bask in His glory. But we weren’t created to stay in Migdol, though He knows we can easily be tempted to stay, just like Peter, James and John were at the Mount of Transfiguration. No, His mission for us is in the valley at Pi-hahiroth….

A Confident Cry

A Confident Cry

In Exodus 2, God was preparing to go global with the announcement of His glory to the entire world – and He had chosen a people through whom He was going to accomplish His purpose. But even though they were His chosen people, they found themselves in bondage to Pharaoh. And they groaned under the weight of their oppression – they groaned to the point that they could no longer endure. Then, they turned to the One who could deliver them from their bondage.

The people cried out to God. Their deliverance began with the people calling upon God. Deliverance will always begin with our recognition that the solution to the problem is beyond ourselves and dependent upon God – that we are powerless in and of ourselves. Repeatedly throughout Scripture, God tells us to call upon Him – that we must come to the end of ourselves and call out to Him. The first step of deliverance is admitting we have a problem and we cannot fix it ourselves – and only God can….

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