Whose Report Will You Believe

            Written by Mary L. Hock

             05/04/2023

I. Good Report: what the Lord or the Word of God says:

     A. The bible tells us what to think on in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever                   things are true, whatever things are  noble,   whatever things are just, whatever things               are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if  there is any              virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

        1. So, what are you meditating about? The Word of God tells us what we should be                         thinking about here in this verse.

          1.) Whatever is true, the truth?

           2.) Whatever is noble-having high moral qualities?Whatever things are just-fair.

            3.) Whatever things are pure-without blemish, clean.

             4.) Whatever things are

              5.) Whatever things are of good report. 

             Joshua 1:8:” This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall                       meditate in it day and night, that you may observe according to all that is                                     written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have                         good success.

             Psalm 1:1-3, NLT: “Happy is the man who does not walk in the way sinful men tell him               to, or stand in the path of sinners, or sit with those who laugh at the truth.2But he                       finds joy in the Law of the Lord and thinks about His Law day and night. This man is                 like a tree planted by rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time and its leaf                 never dries up. Whatever he does will work out well for him.”

       2. What are you thinking about most of the time? Do you have Jesus on your mind? Do                    you think about the Lord and the Word of God throughout the day?

             Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because               he trusts in You.”

            Romans 8:5-6: “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things                of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be              carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

           Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” We need to                   think like Jesus’ thought.

   B. Think about what you are thinking!

        1. Are you thinking about your problem, your situation, your hurts and the pain you have              in your body all the ti

         2. Or are you thinking about how good God is and how blessed you are? That you have a                strong healthy body and a sound  mind. You and I have the mind of Christ.

          3. Fix your eyes on the solution, and not the problem.

           4. Decide to think, act, and react like Jesus did!

 II. Wil you believe the report of the Lord-Isaiah 53:1-12, NKJV:

III. An example in the Bible of a good report ant a bad report is found in Numbers 13 and 14:

     A. Moses sent out the spies as the Lord had commanded him to do.

          1. Number 13:1-3: 17-20

            2. Numbers 13: 26-27

     B. Bad Report: Moses sent out the spies

             1. The grapes they brought back were huge, It took to men to carry them on a pole.

               2. But in Numbers 13: 28-29. 31-33.

                3. They had a grasshopper mentality. They felt small and unable to go in and                                     possess  the land God had promised them. They brought back a bad report!

    C. The Good report:

           1. But Caleb and Joshua brought back a good report.

             2. Numbers 13:30:30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us                     go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

               3. But Joshua spoke up and believed that they could conquer these its with the Lord’s                     help. Refer to Numbers 14:6-9.

    D. Most of the people complained about the leadership of Moses and Refer to Numbers 14:          1-4.

    E. Moses and Aaron fell on their faces and prayed to God Almighty! Numbers 14:5:” Then              Moses and Aaron [b]fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the            children of Israel.

 IV. The people wanted to stone the leaders Moses and Aaron, but the glory of the Lord saved them. Numbers 14:10:” And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared appearedappeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.”

 V. The punishment for their rebellion or consequences of disobedience:

          1. That generation would die in the wilderness and the next generation would go into                     the promised land along with Caleb and Joshua.

          2. Read Numbers 14: 26-38