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May 23-29, 2009
What Are You Spreading?“And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored” Each day we have the opportunity to choose what we spread. What we spread is a clear indication of what’s really in our hearts and heads. Jesus says, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). We can say we have faith, but if we spread unbelief and negativity then we deceive ourselves. As people of faith, we have the privilege and responsibility to spread faith – to speak words that call attention to the power and faithfulness of God. This is a tall challenge. To magnify God, we will have to resist ingrained tendencies to minimize others. We will have to choose self-control over what James calls the most unruly member of the body, the tongue. We will have to consider the power of our words to build people or bury them. The words we speak can build or bury us too. God does not honor negativity or bad reporting. He honors faith. Ten of the twelve spies never saw the Promised Land. We can’t even remember their names although clearly spelled out for us in Numbers 13:4-15. We only remember the names of Joshua and Caleb, the two who gave a good report. Scripture says they had a different spirit and followed the Lord wholeheartedly (14:24). May this description characterize us. Let’s offer ourselves as mouthpieces for God’s honor. As a new day approaches, may the way we speak be new, fresh from heaven. As Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32). For more good reports,
Weekly Financial ReportWeekly Need $4,829
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