Itching Ear Syndrome

Why did I put this as a title?  Well it is like this, it seems like many people put up with things that shouldn’t be taught in this day.  It seems like preachers or teachers can say almost anything and many people will drink it in like it is all living water.  It seems like many people want to hear mostly what makes them feel good, whether it be true or false doctrine.  Some of your inspirational speakers have the largest congregations because they speak what people want to hear and not what they need to hear.  What we seem to have is a famine of God’s Word and it is not like we have a shortage of the Word of God in our country, but it seems like instead of reading and studying for ourselves and trusting the Holy Spirit to help us we are depending on someone else to teach us.

Read what Jesus said in John 8:31-32, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Think of this, who is the true teacher, is it the pastor or a Sunday school teacher?  No, the true teacher is the Holy Spirit.

Read John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the Lord never anoints anyone such as a preacher or a teacher, sure He does, like I have said so many times the Lord doesn’t always call the equipped but He always equips the called!!  I think you and I know that there are some preachers and teachers that may have never been called, or if they have been called they may have wandered off the narrow path and need to get back on it again.  I want you to know that this isn’t a Tidbit just to tear people down, on the contrary, it is to make people aware of teaching and preaching that does not line up with the Word of God and to encourage believers to read the Word and pray, asking the Holy Spirit to teach them the truth and to lead them into all truth and to keep them from deception.  

There are a lot of things that you and I hear that sounds good, but are they true?  The only way you can really know is by spending time with the Lord and reading and studying His Word and being connected to the Lord in prayer.  Then on the other hand sometimes you may even have this problem; you may be expressing a truth to someone but all you may hear is that you talk too much, or I don’t believe you but in all reality they may have a problem with listening.  We live in a time where many people we may talk to don’t want to hear the truth because it is to convicting for them or they just want to hear things that make them feel good, but that’s not biblical either.  If all we hear are the things that make us feel good, or make us feel good about ourselves, then we may never be convicted of our sins and we may feel good about ourselves but be separated from the Lord.  I know that any true believer would never want to hear these sad words when you stand before the Lord someday, “Get from Me, I never knew you.”  

It seems like we are living in the times that Paul wrote to Timothy about in his second letter, in 2 Timothy 4:1-4, please read this, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

We have a responsibility and the resources to live a holy life, but if we neglect them by not using them then shame on us.  Enough said, I hope this has been a blessing and an encouragement to you.  The Lord loves us and has provided a way that we can be set free of the grip of sin in our lives and the lies of the enemy.  Just get a hold of this; that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, if we are truly born-again and He is worthy of our praise, praise you Lord!!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!