My annual Bible reading plan has me in the book of Numbers this week. I had forgotten all the great stories in that book. This week one of them jumped out at me like never before.

The people of Israel send spies out into the land of Canaan. They return with a good report about the land, but ten of the spies are also convinced they will all die if they try to fight its inhabitants. Only two, Caleb and Joshua, trust that God will take care of them in this new promised land like he did down in Egypt. God is disappointed with his people, and they will be confined to the wilderness until one whole generation dies and they will take possession of the land.

If you had listened to a children’s sermon when you were growing up, you are familiar with this narrative. In fact, there is even a song about this event where you sing out, “Ten were bad, and two were good.” It is a defining story in the history of the people of God.

I had never noticed until this week the story that follows the spying out of the land. Moses tells the people of God’s anger and disappointment. Suddenly a group of men has a change of heart. They see their sin and want to suddenly make things right. They decide to go up into the land and take it by force without God’s approval. Moses warns them, and they choose to go up anyway.

Then there is this interesting line in Numbers 14:44, “Nevertheless, in their presumption, they went up …” (New International Version 2011). Other translations say, “they presumed” and the message paraphrases the statement by saying they went up, “recklessly and arrogantly.” In other words, they assumed that since they claimed to be the people of God that he would be with them in whatever they did. They presumed that God would show up and save them even though they were outside of his will. They did whatever they wanted to do and believed God would bless it.

The people go up, and the Amalekites and the Canaanites came out and “beat them down.” The people were completely wrong in their presumption.

This passage caught my attention because it sounds like so many people I know in the Church. They do whatever they want and presume that God is in it. They hope and assume God will show up without ever considering his word. They make their plans, have their goals and pursue their dreams and just believe God will bless it.

Following God means that sometimes our plans are changed, our goals are removed, and our dreams do not come true. He is leading us, and we are called to follow him. We are not to ask God to follow us on our grand adventures but submit to his will no matter how difficult it might be at the moment. We are not to presume that God is going to give us whatever we want. Faith is about trusting God even when we must spend forty years in the wilderness because of our failures.

I am not trying to raise bad kids either.

I am putting all my effort into raising children who follow Jesus.

Here is the harsh truth; you can raise a child to say please and thank you, show proper respect to their elders, work hard and tell the truth and they can be very far from God.

The Bible is clear that the people who get into heaven for eternity are those who follow Jesus Christ, not good people. Two verses underline this truth. John 14:6 says “I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the father but through me.” Then in Ephesians 2:8-9 it states that we are “saved by grace … not by works, so that no man can boast.” Jesus is the key to eternity, and he is only received through faith and not good works.

I believe it is infinitely harder to raise a believer than a good kid. The goal is not just to keep them from sinning, but for them to understand that their failures are why we need the grace of Jesus. It is a struggle to get them to see sin from God’s eyes and not the worlds. It pushes my wife and me toward a faith community called Church and away from anything that disrupts that relationship. It means I must have difficult conversations about God’s direction and design for their lives in the face of failure and success. It spills into who they date and how. The life of a believer is not about a few good behaviors that our society approves. It is about total surrender to God.

Sure, following Jesus means doing the right thing as God desires. That includes loving your neighbor and offering comfort to strangers. It also means they will teach the truth and fight for God’s will in this world. As a result, some people will see you as good while others see you as evil. Remember that Jesus was loved by some and hated and crucified by others. To walk the way of Christ we should expect the same thing for our children and for us.

I don’t want to raise children that people praise as being good or hate for being bad. I want people to see their life and know their faith is in the Lord.

If when I die my children are not followers of Jesus, then I will have failed as a parent, even if everyone stands up and says how good my children are as people.

Jesus frequently mentions the small number of people who will follow him as fully devoted believers. In the Sermon on the Mount, he mentions a narrow way that leads to life, and he says that few people find it. He tells his disciples that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. After one of his sermons where he teaches about the bread of life, the crowds turn and walk away and only his handful remains to follow.

I remind myself of this fact of faith in those moments when I don’t feel like I fit in with the crowd. There are those moments when my ideas and opinions appear to run contrary to everyone else. I have experienced times when I refused to make my life all about money or children or sports and have felt all alone in my convictions. My heart sinks when people for whom I care leave me behind because they know I will not agree with their actions. Some days I feel like everyone I know has the same point of view and mine is so drastically different. There are times when I feel alone in my faith.

The story of Elijah in the Old Testament is a comfort to me. He has this mountain top experience where is literally able to call down the fire of God. Shortly after evil people set out in pursuit to kill him, he finds himself alone in a cave, and God speaks to him in a still small voice. That alone is a powerful story with all kinds of application for us today. Finally, Elijah says to God that all the Israelites have prostrated themselves to idols. Elijah feels all alone in his faith.

At that moment God says something that is unexpected. He tells Elijah that seven thousand people have not bowed their knee to the idol Baal or worshiped him (1 Kings 19:18). One historian says that means 99% of Israel had allowed idolatry into their life. Roughly less than one percent of all the people in Israel had not bowed down in the worship that God abhorred.

But that one percent was enough to encourage Elijah and help him to get up and serve the Lord again. He needed to know he was not alone. He did not need all of Israel to support him, but he needed someone.

Maybe today you need the same thing. You need to know that you are not alone. When you refuse to allow your life to be contaminated by the world, you are not alone. You may not have an overwhelming amount of support as a Christian, but be encouraged as there is someone out there fighting the same battles and living for God. You may not know them or see them every day, but they are still present in the world. There may be many people who truly follow Jesus, but there are a few. You are not alone.

In over 25 years of ministry, I have had to cancel Church 14 times for snow and ice. Then I started my 26th year of ministry, and it has been unlike any other. So far in 2019, we have had to cancel three times; once for snow, once for ice and one time the ice and snow caused a power outage. A fourth time we were forced to cancel our first worship program and only have our second one with whoever could attend. About half of the regular attendees showed up, and we were able to worship and fellowship with some of the congregation.

Ours has not been the only congregation affected by the weather this year. Almost everyone in a 25-mile radius of our area has been forced to cancel repeatedly. With that said, here are a few things you need to know about a Church when they cancel worship on Sunday morning.

1. The Safety of the Congregation is Our Top Priority. Numerous issues go into the decision to cancel worship on Sunday. The number one issue is the safety of our people. Most Churches, including mine, have several senior citizens who are at risk when they are out in slick conditions. That is not to mention mothers with infants, those who are sick and teenager drivers with no experience in snow and ice. We cancel to keep people safe.

2. Finances are Affected. Fortunately, our Church does not live from offering to offering, but many do budget that way. We have missed three and a half weeks here at my Church. Imagine if your family did not get paid for one month. What would it do to your finances? It does the same or worse for Churches. That reality affects the ministries they support in all its forms. Ministry expenses do not cease when we cancel on Sunday. Please keep that in mind.

3. Momentum is Lost. Ask any person of faith, and they will tell you that the two biggest days on the church calendar are Christmas and Easter. In between those two days most congregations experience growth and life change as new people come to worship and make decisions to follow Jesus. Our Church had two interested families in the weeks of Christmas and following, now with all the cancellations we have not seen them and may not see them again. Spring is on the way, but so is summer and everyone leaving on vacation.

4. The Fellowship Suffers. It is hard to be a Christian community when you see each other only once or twice a month. Not only have had to cancel worship, but we have canceled fellowship meals, small groups, Bible studies, and youth group. People need to be together to remain a cohesive group.

5. It is Not a Vacation for a Preacher. While I do not preach on Sunday, I am still working all week. Even my Sunday involves getting up early so I can text and call numerous people, then we have to notify everyone of the decision. This week I spent most of the rest of Sunday making adjustments and working on projects. The reason I mention this is because I was planning an actual vacation in May and I know some people will not understand as I had all these weeks off. I know these feelings are not mine alone, but every preacher affected by this winter.

I am not asking for pity. I just want everyone to know the facts. These issues will impact the Churches in my area this winter and well into the rest of the year. I know that God will work through all of this mess, at the very least I am learning to be more patient and trusting.

I have read several great articles and posts lately. Enjoy

Famous Christian Quotes . . . That Aren’t Real

When Being ‘Relatable’ Does Damage

Love in Africa: It Costs You Something

Go to church — even when you don’t feel like it

4 INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD APOLOGY

HELP AND HEALING FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY SUICIDE – My friend Rusty had a staff member commit suicide. He put this together for his staff and Church. You might find it helpful.

Maybe it is because of all the snow, ice and cancellations that have allowed me to spend more time thinking quietly to myself, but a sermon that I preached a few weeks ago will not seem to leave my mind. Now I suppose I need to preface that statement by telling you that most of the sermons I preach are locked into the back of my brain by Sunday afternoon. This happens because I must move on to the next thing. Sunday evenings I speak to teenagers, and by Monday afternoon I need to have a general outline of the coming Sunday’s sermon. Usually, the concepts from last the previous sermon are placed into my long-term memory until the next time I speak on the same topic or text.

There is one sermon that I cannot seem to escape. It was the first sermon in my series from the gospel of Luke. Each lecture in this series focuses on a story from the life of Jesus from the beginning at his baptism to the point of his entrance into Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The first message was on the temptation of Jesus.

I have had the opportunity to speak on this story several times throughout the years. The original plan for my preaching was to stay with the old familiar outlines and ideas. Normally I focus on the three types of temptation that were offered to Jesus and remain the same for us today. Jesus was tempted with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Those are the same tactics the devil uses on all of us to separate us from the work of God in our lives. Unexpectedly, this time something struck me that I had never noticed before when I prepared to teach on this passage.

Each of the temptations of Jesus was the offer of a shortcut to a positive end. The devil tempts Jesus to turn stones to bread. Jesus was hungry, and it is a reasonable request. The problem is that it bypasses Jesus doing any work. The second temptation (in Luke) is for Jesus to bow down to Satan and he would receive power over and authority over the whole world. Jesus will get those things at the end of his ministry, but only after he goes to the cross. The final temptation is for Jesus to throw himself down from the temple; if he does that, then everyone will see that he is God’s chosen one without him having to perform miracles or rise from the dead. In each case, the temptation is to reach a desirable goal by using a shortcut to God’s plan. The end does not justify the means.

For me, I cannot get two ideas out of my head. First, the way of God is long. There are no quick and easy routes to get to where God wants you to go. It will take more than three years for Jesus to accomplish the things Satan is proposing that could happen in an instant. Second, I am struck by the repeated fact that there are no shortcuts in God’s plans. You cannot have God’s will in your life entirely by Friday. There are no three easy steps to immediate transformation. The work of the Lord in my life and the world required a concerted effort over the long haul.

There are no shortcuts on the narrow way. The journey of faith takes a lifetime. God is with you for the duration, and I wonder, are you in it with him until his plan is accomplished in and through you. We want our spiritual life to be easy, and it just isn’t.

There are times in life when you need to make a significant decision that will impact the rest of your days. It can range from a job change to moving, to a relationship adjustment clear to taking on debt. These moments can alter a lifetime and need to be taken seriously by everyone but especially by Christians.

Years ago, I heard a piece of advice that I have practiced and preached throughout my ministry. The concept is simple and has Biblical connections. The idea is to take your calendar and count out forty days and then circle that day as “decision day.”

First, the idea of using forty days has some Biblical precedent. Moses was on the mountain getting the law of God for forty days. Jesus was in the wilderness fasting for forty days before his temptation. Forty days seem to be the amount of time needed for preparation and completion. I also find it gives you enough time to process the situation, ask questions and think clearly about an issue.

Second, I suggest you take those forty days and pray at least once or twice daily about the decision you need to reach. Ask God to open doors and close doors of opportunity. Seek God’s will in your life and earnestly ask him to enlighten your soul.

Third, this plan gives you a day in which you reach finality. This keeps you from jumping to make a quick decision and from dragging it over months and months. When the day you circled arrives you say a final prayer and make a decision.

Finally, I tell people that the final step is to ask God to give you peace about your decision. Allow your answer to stand with no regrets and second-guessing.

Personally, I have used this tactic in my last three jobs and house purchases. Each time God has opened avenues for me to go forward and closed other possible paths. He has sent people into my life to affirm the decision and help push me in the right direction.

Maybe you have a decision you need to make right now, and this concept will work for you immediately. If not, I encourage you to put the idea in the back of your mind, and when the next big opportunity comes to you, then you will be ready to seek God’s will for your life.

Last week I wrote about my reactions when I hear that a member of the Christian community sin has become public. This week I am processing how a Christian should react when a non-Christian (or at least not publicly) fails.

How does a Christian respond when we hear about the sins and failures of other people who do not claim to follow Jesus?

1. Sadness. All sin is outside the will of God. It breaks Gods heart and put Jesus on the cross. I find no joy in the failure of anyone even if I disagree with that person’s views or lifestyle. Personally, I think it is wrong to find humor or joy in any form of sin.

2. Prayer. I really do ask God to break into that person’s life and show them the love of Jesus in some way. What would happen if every Christian asked God to do amazing work in the life of the person who failed?

3.Quietness. I refuse to share any articles, posts or gossip regarding anyone about sin. First, I do not know the true story and usually very few people do know the truth. Second, what if I share something that is wrong and hurtful and the story I shared is false? Finally, those two reasons are why the believers in the New Testament are told not to gossip and following Jesus requires me to remain silent.

4. Labels. I will refuse to label that person or anyone like them. Jesus did not see a tax collector who worked for Rome and was a crook. He saw Levi. He was a person created in the image of God whom Jesus came to redeem. He did not see prostitutes and sinners; he saw individuals in need of grace.

5. Speak. Speak the truth. I do not speak about the situation itself (see #3), but rather I use this as an opportunity to explain why we all need Jesus. We are all seeking to fill a void in our hearts that only Jesus can fill. The reason they committed this sin is that they were searching for fulfillment in ungodly ways. Now more than ever they need the grace and mercy of God combined with the love and compassion of his followers.

I get a little angry (and sad) when I scroll through social media and see what some people say and share about current news stories involving sin. One difference seen in being a follower of Jesus is that we meet sin in a constructive way rather than destructive. Where sin abounds, grace should abound all the more.

As of today, I have been soda free for 8 days. I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal to some of you, but for me, it is the first time in my life I have not consumed soda for a week.

The reason I tell you this story is not so that you will pat me on the back and tell me that I am doing a good job. No, I write this because of the dynamics behind this change.

Back in January, I visited the doctor for the first time in 18 years. I did all of the standard tests, and he told me that I have high cholesterol. This puts me at a greater risk of a heart attack. If you combine that with my dad having a heart attack and a series of strokes, my chances are also significantly increased. Then two weeks ago I read a new scientific study that showed people who consume two diet sodas a day are almost 75% more likely to have a heart attack. Immediately a light went on for me. I can’t control my genetics, and the doctor can prescribe medication to help with the cholesterol, but I can 100% control the liquids going into my body. In that very moment, I decided that I was done with diet soda forever.

The process of change has always fascinated me. So I began to dissect this event in my life. My wife has tried to convince me to drop the diet Mt. Dew for years. She has almost begged me and I would not do it. I have read other articles about the evils of soda and ignored them. This time it was a perfect storm of my stage in life, a doctor’s report, and a timely article that changed my mind. Everything came together, and all I needed to do was act.

I tell you all of this for two reasons. First, some of you have experienced God working on and in your life. Maybe it is time to follow him. I pray God will bring everything together that you might step forward in faith.

Second, some of you have been working with people you love, and they are resistant to ever changing. Don’t give up. With prayer and the power of God, one day everything may come together. You never know when that day will come so keep persevering in your effort to help.

I never dreamed I would give up my diet soda, but here I am. Who knows what God will do in your life and the lives of the people you love.

After reading a line by another writer, I took his thoughts and crafted my own sentence. I scribbled in my notebook, “You choose not only who you want to be but also how you want to be as that person.”

I firmly believe that God created us with free will. He is so powerful that he can limit his sovereignty over our choices, thus allowing us to love out of our own hearts. We can choose to follow him or reject him. We can walk the way of Jesus or the way of sin.

Once we step out in faith and become a disciple of the Lord Jesus, then we have a secondary choice. How are we going to live as a believer? Are we going to be an overachiever always pushing for greater success? Are we going to be passive and do very little for the kingdom of God?

One line that has adjusted my thinking is in Paul’s letter to the Church at Thessalonica. There he says,

Paul’s instructions for the believers in that city and all believers are elemental. Work hard. Earn your keep and don’t depend on other people to pay your bills. Then, when you are done working. Mind your own business and take care of your needs at home. Do what he calls “leading a quiet life.”

You do not have to be busy all the time. You do not have to work non-stop. You do not have to fill every minute of your life with noise and distractions. It is enough to work hard and take care of your own family. A life like that is so rare that people will see it outside of faith and they will respect you.

Your life is the result of the choices you make. You chose not only who you want to be but also how you want to be that person. Chose wisely.