We have heard a lot about “Fake News” these days. Information or even misinformation gets passed on as news with the desire to cause a certain effect, often to sway public opinion in a certain way.
This practice is not new. The Israelites ended up wandering in the wilderness for 40 years because of the effect of news about the land of Canaan, given with a negative slant. Ten of the spies that reported on the Promised Land gave a bad report, and the whole congregation rebelled against God’s plan. The ten spies influenced people with fake news, news that was flesh-based and faithless.
Moses had instructed the spies to bring back a report of the land, its people, its cities, and its fruit. With that instruction the following was included: Num 13:20, “And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land…”
They were to present the news about the land “And be of good courage.” Instead of fake news, or fleshly news, they were to present the news with the attitude of faith, or “faith news.”
We should look at circumstances in life from the perspective of faith. We also should try to encourage others to go forward in faith regardless of the obstacles.
How we present things can make a difference in the lives of others. We should speak words that encourage one another to faithfulness, as the Lord inspired the Apostle Paul to write in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Let’s be reporters of Faith News.
Pastor Jim Whitman
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