Wanting to Have Their Ears Tickled

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Wanting to Have Their Ears Tickled

We probably all know someone  who is full of the latest juicy tidbits  of gossip.     They are so excited  about spreading their “news” — the things they claim  to  “really”  know  to be true,  and yet,  turn out to be vicious lies.     Their excitement seems contagious  as many lean in closer,  so as to not miss a word.

That same sort of thrilling excitement  often takes place  in what seems to be  the ministry  of the gospel  of salvation.     The preacher of so-called “good news”  is filled  with enthusiasm  and all sorts of new ideas.     The people flock to his church  because they love hearing something new  and they like the passionate energy  of the people congregated.     There is no shortage  of these sorts  of gatherings.     In 2 Timothy 4:3,  the apostle Paul wrote  about this sort of preaching.     He sadly said,

For the time will come  when they will not endure  sound doctrine;  but wanting to have their ears tickled,  they will accumulate  for themselves teachers  in accordance  to their own desires.

Those people have a problem.     They don’t love  the truth.     Rather,  they prefer “teachers in accordance  to their own desires.”     They love all the hoopla  and excitement  of hearing something different  rather than what is actually in God’s word.     God’s word seems  too hum-drum.     So,  instead of taking time  to read and study the Bible,  they spend most of their time learning  about all the new doctrines  that are supposed to give them happiness  and success  on this earth.     They devoutly follow all sorts  of other teachers  of the proposed  “new gospel”  that is supposed to be  better  and more enlightening  for everyone.

Bottom line?     They don’t love God’s  “sound doctrine”  [ sound teachings ] as handed down  to us  through God’s prophets and apostles.

Jesus had the same problem  with the Pharisees.     When they were off  on their own tangent  about what they wanted  to consider a better religion,  Jesus said to them  in Mark 7:6-7,

Rightly did Isaiah prophesy  of you hypocrites,  as it is written,

‘This people honors Me  with their lips,   
But their heart is far away  from Me.    
But  in vain  do they worship Me,   
Teaching as doctrines  the precepts  of men.’

What’s the sense  of worshiping God  in vain  with all sorts of hypocrisy?     If we want  to prefer the  “precepts of men”  to the doctrines  of the LORD,  aren’t we short-changing ourselves?     The Bible is available  to all.     What good does it do us  to disregard  the words  of God Almighty  and  follow someone  who has purposely  changed God’s word  to suit his fancy?

Do we really want our hearts  to be far away  from God Almighty,  our Creator and Savior?     If so,  why?

The Bible tells us repeatedly,  in no uncertain terms,  to stay away  from all false doctrines  and to expose them  for what they are — lies  that will take away  our salvation  in Christ Jesus.     If we have any love and respect  for God — and for ourselves — let us firmly stick  to the truths  as expressed  in God’s word.     We’ll be glad we did.

Rejoicing  in what God teaches us,  we exclaim,  “Hallelujah!     LORD,  You have handed Your word  to us  down through the ages.     Give us the sensibility  and discernment  we need  to stick  to Your word,  instead of some man’s fabrication of it  that leads us away  from Your eternal truths.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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