And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel. Numbers 13:32.
The Lord commanded Moses to send men to search the land of Canaan, which He would give unto the children of Israel…. After they had spoken of the fertility of the land, all but two spoke very discouragingly of their ability to possess it…. As the people listened to this report, they gave vent to their disappointment in bitter reproaches and wailing. They did not wait to reflect and reason that God, who had brought them out thus far, would certainly give them the land….
Caleb urged his way to the front, and his clear, ringing voice was heard above all the clamor of the multitude. He opposed the cowardly views of his fellow spies, which had weakened the faith and courage of all Israel. He commanded the attention of the people, and they hushed their complaints for a moment to listen to him…. But as he spoke, the unfaithful spies interrupted him, crying: “We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”
These men, starting upon a wrong course, set their hearts against God, against Moses and Aaron, and against Caleb and Joshua. Every step they advanced in this wrong direction made them firmer in their design to discourage every attempt to possess the land of Canaan. They distorted the truth in order to carry their baneful purpose. They represented the climate as being unhealthful and all the people of giant stature….
This was not only an evil report, but a lying one also. It was contradictory; for if the land was unhealthy, and had eaten up the inhabitants, how was it that they had attained to such massive proportions? When men in responsible positions yield their hearts to unbelief, there are no bounds to the advance they will make in evil…. If only the two men had brought the evil report, and all the ten had encouraged them to possess the land in the name of the Lord, they would still have taken the advice of the two in preference to the ten, because of their wicked unbelief
Conflict and Courage p. 106
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Prayer Requests
—–Eileen was sitting up and the kids were playing and bumped into the chair. Since then she has been in more pain and is dizzy when she rolls over to get up or to go back to bed. Please pray that it is only a temporary setback. Rose
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Dear Friends,
Some years ago when we were on a trip, we suddenly heard a pop and a strange noise like someone stepping on a cat’s tail and then the camper became very loud and had fluctuating power. We stopped along the road and called a tow truck. We were in a very rural area and we had to be towed to the nearest town that could work on a camper. We were very distressed as we thought of how much time we were losing and how much money it would cost. The tow truck driver towed us to the mechanic where our insurance said we had to go. Our hearts sank as they told
us that they could not work on it until the middle of the week. That was impossible for us. We were not sure what
to do. But we have a God Who always has a solution to all problems. “Then [we] cried unto the LORD in [our]
trouble, and he delivered [us] out of [our] distresses.” Ps 107:6 The man thought of another mechanic in that tiny
town of 5000 inhabitants who might be able to get to it sooner. The tow truck driver agreed that if he could, he’d
tow us over there as part of the price of the original tow. After having called the other mechanic, he told us that the
man said he could work on it the next day. That was a little better, but still it would cause us to lose precious time.
On the way there, we were praying that somehow God would change the machanic’s mind and he would work on it
right away. When we arrived, we saw a small, run-down, wooden structure surrounded by many cars in need of
repair. Again this man told us that it would be the next day before he could look at our vehicle.
Again we prayed. God changed the mechanic’s mind! The man stopped working on the truck that he had inside
his small shop and came over to our camper and raised the hood. He told Ron to start the engine. He listened to
the noise. Then he got in and started driving around town a bit. While on the test drive, he tried various things and
when we returned to his shop, he began making the needed repairs. The clutch fan was all that needed to be
replaced. The bearings had been falling out of it and being slung around by the fan waking the strange noise.
This was something that could be fixed quickly and easily! Something that he decided to fix there and then in his
tiny, car covered yard. Soon we were on our way and praising God for His goodness!
Jesus says, “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For
every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
Luke 11:9,10 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have
kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might
remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:7-11
What a Wonderful Saviour! He hears and answers prayer! Sometimes He answers “Yes,” sometimes “No,”
sometimes “Wait awhile,” and sometimes “That would not be best for you, here’s what you really need.” Yet, how
often we are tempted to think that He only answers when the answer is “Yes.” When we receive an answer that is
different than we expect, we complain and feel forsaken. But God knows the end from the beginning. He sees the
future. He knows what is best for us. He reminds us, “I am God, and there is none else, I am God, and there is
none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” Isa 46:9, 10 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good
pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
May we trust Him with all our heart, allow Him to have full control of every aspect of our life, and praise Him for His
great mercy and tender care is my prayer.
Rose