Itching Ears

  

2 Tim 4:3,4–For the time will come (which is now) 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 (NIV). 

Looking at this scripture I think to myself, "Some things never change." I think we've all asked a question that we didn't like the question to, and we'd ask the same question again only phrased differently. Hoping that the answer would be different.

It's only natural to surround yourself with people that think or believe the same way you do. But what if your wrong? Decisions always have consequences. The Scribes and the Pharisees surrounded themselves with each other. They studied the law and outwardly practiced it. They looked good and smelled good. They really believed they were beyond reproach. I am sure that at different times in my life, I looked and behaved just like a Pharisee.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,  there are few who find it." 

So why is it so hard to find? I think a lot of it has to do with so many churches falling away from teaching the truth of the gospel. We are in an age of self worship. We tell people to come to Christ and they'll feel better about themselves. Trust Jesus and all your troubles will go away.

Truth is not what people want to hear. 2 Timothy spells it out clearly that "They will turn their ears away from the truth."

John MacArthur wrote,"Jesus called for total and absolute self denial-- admitting that we are worthy of nothing, should be commended for nothing, and that nothing in us is worth salvaging- and that is a lot less popular."

Christ Crucified, Raised from the Dead, Sitting at the Right Hand of God. That's what I want to talk about!!