Good Reports...

I always enjoy hearing a good report, how about you?  I have a very good friend back in Santa Rosa that loves to call me whenever he has good news of God’s hand in answer to prayer in the lives of those he prays for.  He is a part of a couple prayer groups including one that has members from all around the country.  Once a month they have a conference call and pray in unity for whatever concerns the Lord places on their hearts.  Many times John will call me so that I can add my prayers to theirs.  Then he will joyfully call me back when the answers present themselves.

It always excites me to hear the various miraculous ways in which the Lord will move in answer to many of these prayers from new jobs, to healings of physical conditions, favor from men or attitudes turned around as well as lives given to the Lord!  The Apostle Paul seemed to have had this same kind of pleasure as he wrote to the Colossian church of his thanksgiving over hearing about the faith and love that the people there were consistently walking in. (Colossians 1:4)   He explained that they lived this way because of the expectation or hope they had “in the Good News which is the message of truth.” (Colossians 1:5 - God’s Word ©)

In his next breath, Paul continues saying, “This Good News is present with you now.  It is producing results and spreading all over the world as it did among you from the first day you heard it.  At that time you came to know what God’s kindness truly means.” (Colossians 1:6 - God’s Word ©)  The thought of “knowing” God’s kindness infers an intimate, experiential, working knowledge of His grace.  In other words, it was more than just a passing familiarity with God’s nature.  According to verse four they had made that “knowing” an active part of their lives as demonstrated through their actions of love and faith that was empowered by their trust in the truth of God’s Word.

It is kind of a dreary and rainy day today in North Carolina.  When I went into the bedroom to help my wife get up a few hours ago, it was dark in the room and very tempting to be depressed with the outcome of the day.  On top of that, my wife was already awake, a bit glassy eyed and was shaking more than normal.  With all that evidence I had a decision to make.  Was I going to go with what I saw before me, or choose to trust in the truth of God’s Word?

Well, I’ve come too far in all this to give in to things that might present themselves as contrary to God’s Word!  So I opened up the blinds (which really didn’t help much with the cloud cover and rain…) and I began to joyfully express aloud Psalm 118:24 declaring, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!” (KJV).  Then I sang a quick good morning song (remember the movie “Singing In The Rain”?)  and jumped right into our daily healing confession sheet.  And even though it didn’t cause any immediate change in her countenance, it sure made me feel better and gave me the fortitude to go on!  After a while she did calm down and even cracked a little smile!  Then we went into the kitchen where she ate a good breakfast.

So there you go!  Another example of how hearing a good report from the truth of the Good News of God’s Word can turn around a situation that the enemy of our souls would love to use as a stumbling block for you or me.  When you think about it… you and I don’t really ever have a good excuse to get down as we always have the truth of God’s good report handy (hopefully) in our hearts or as close as our Bibles! 

So take advantage of this advantage and join in with me in rejoicing over the Good News that God has prepared for you today within the truth of His Word.  It truly is the day that the Lord has made… so choose this day, this moment ,to rejoice and be glad in it!  Have a terrific week.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What GOOD REPORT am I expecting today?”