Whose Report Are You Believing?

There was a popular song back in the 90’s by Ron Kenoly entitled, “Whose Report Shall You Believe?” The focus, of course, was who do we believe? Who are we listening to and agreeing with? According to the song lyrics, “We will believe the report of the Lord.” But do we?

We live in an information-technology age where reports are everywhere. Our TV’s (one in every room, mind you), our phones (always in hand or very near), and our computers, all flash reports in our face and into our eyes. We are continually bombarded with news and reports.

While we do need to have some awareness of what is happening in the world we live in, has it gotten to be too much?

How many hours do we devote to checking the news, social media, or other sources of information? Now-- how many hours do we devote to our God and Savior?  

Ouch.

In Numbers 13 Moses sent twelve leaders of Israel into Canaan for 40 days to scout the land God had promised them. He wanted to know about:

The people- what were they like? Strong? Weak? How many?

The cities and towns- fortified with walls or open?

The land- is it good, bad, fertile?

The productivity of crops- are their trees and fruit?

At the end of their 40 day stay, they returned to Moses and gave him their report.

While the land was indeed fruitful, the people were giants and more powerful than them. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”” Verse 32 says, “and they [the leaders] spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they explored.” (NIV) (brackets mine)

Notice how they didn’t just give the report to Moses, they SPREAD it throughout the whole group of Israelites. What was the result?

Chapter 14 verse 1:

“That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 

Based on the report of a handful of men, the whole nation was lost hope and they grumbled and complained! They questioned God and His motives. They wanted to go back to SLAVERY in Egypt!

This was the land God had promised them and brought them to, but they quickly forgot the faithfulness of God because of a bad report. It took only 40 days for their hopes and faith to turn to doubt, fear, and complaining.

How easy is it for us to do the same?

We are constantly bombarded with bad reports about politics, the environment, the economy, health. If it’s reported on these days, it’s likely an unfavorable word that stirs us up. We begin to lose hope and grumble and complain. We want to go back to the “good old days.” Sound familiar?

 Then we have Caleb. He was also one of the twelve sent to Canaan. He saw the same things the others had, but his report was different.

  “30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

 Caleb did not forget the promise of God, nor the strength of God to accomplish His promises. He did not become discouraged or lose hope. He didn’t grumble or complain, and he certainly did not want to go back to Egypt!

 What if:

-for every 30 minute news podcast we watched, we watched a 30 minute Christian podcast?

 -for every hour we spent on social media, we spent an hour watching a Christian video?

-for every 30 minutes spent reading news articles, we spent 30 minutes reading the Bible?

 -for every 30 minutes we spend grumbling and murmuring about the country’s current condition, we spent 30 minutes sharing Jesus with our neighbors, or simple praising and thanking God for all His provision and blessings. 

It’s time for us to decide whose report we will believe. Our choices effect our hearts, and our actions.

 

“Whose report
Will you believe?
We shall believe
The report of the Lord. 

His report says
I am healed,
His report says
I am filled,
His report says
I am free,
His report says victory!”

 Ron Kenoly, Lift Him Up 1992