MY FRIENDS, DO WE HAVE ITCHING EARS?

Dec. 3, 2015

MY FRIENDS, DO WE HAVE ITCHING EARS?

My friends, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. 

In addition, they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry…. (2 Timothy 4:1-22)

Itching ears. “those who “will not endure sound doctrine,” …..Because of their perverted “lusts” these shallow-minded hearers “itch” for fanciful interpretations of Scripture with which to gratify their curiosity and personal “desires.” They are interested only in those portions of Scripture they can construe as promising them peace and security.

They neglect the stern demands of “sound doctrine,” which cut deep into a man’s soul. They have a superficial desire for religion, but only for so much of it as will not disturb the routine of their perverted lives.”(SDA, Bible Commentary pp348)

As we continue to look at the “breaking news” of the day I would hope we are forever on our knees as we search the scriptures daily while asking the Lord for directions and understanding. In addition, we must remember the  “parable of the fig tree.

When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh” Matt. 24:32 (KJV) His coming is near, and all prophecies about end time events are being fulfilled. But the question we must ask ourselves, are we seeking God’s presence and listening to His voice or do we have “itching ears”?

Are we only “interested in those “portions of Scripture that promise us peace and security,” sermons and ministers who only tell us  “Peace, peace! When there is no peace.” Our Savior has told us what to look for right before His second coming so our focus must be on “Lord what must I do to be saved”?

What is Your will for my life? And what must I do to keep from having “itching ears”? My friends we cannot fool God, He knows the sincerity of our hearts. So today He is asking us to give it all to him, not just a portion of our time, talents and money.

God needs our all, He needs us “to always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill our ministry.” And ask God, what do you desire my ministry to be? Remember, we are all leaders in God’s army.

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” 1 Cor. 12:4:7 (NKJV)

Our Savior needs workers today, the Spirit is not here to entertained us but to guide us in all truth and understanding. Our only purpose is to serve Christ. In addition, as our faith, responsibility and endurance grows. Our reward will not be of this world.

But when we hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord and then.”

“God will wipe away all tears from our eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Matt. 25:21 (KJV) Rev. 21:4 (KJV)

Every excuse we may give as the reason we cannot serve Christ, was challenged and answered at Calvary.