Do Not Satisfy Your Itching Ears

Scripture: In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:1-4 NIV

Observation: Paul is giving final instructions to Timothy in closing this letter.

Application: Is the bible full of prophecy or not? Prophecy fulfilled and prophecy yet to be or is it just a book full of coincidental occurrences? Believers know the answer! Obviously, in this short writing I can’t go into much detail of prophecies made and fulfilled, there are far too many. Some scholars claim that Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection alone fulfilled around 100 Old Testament prophecies. But I think that in today’s reading from 2 Timothy 4, it’s interesting to note what Paul said, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3,4 NIV Hello! That’s right out of today’s headlines: “Another Hollywood Elite Found Another New Religion…blah, blah, blah” I don’t think Paul was actually considered a prophet but he sure spoke prophetic truth here. I like to pick on Hollywood, they’re so easy. Look at what Paul said, ” they will get people to feed them what they want to hear, turn from truth, and accept any myths they can lay hold of.” That pretty much sums up the lot of them, but they aren’t alone. The world is rife with non-believers, and immature Christians that can easily be swayed. We should take heed and see the truth of Paul’s words. If we don’t we run the risk of falling into the same traps that actors, actresses, and intellectual elites gravitate towards. I believe that we must know the truth that in the last days many false teachers will come forth and people of influence, like those mentioned will encourage non and immature believers to stray from belief in the one true God.

Prayer: Father, I know that these are the last days, the proof is all around. I ask in Jesus’ name that you protect my wife, my kids, and me from the evil influences that are so prevalent. Help us to keep our eyes focused on you. Amen

Doug