2 Timothy 4:1-22
Timothy gets a serious charge in 2 Timothy 4. Paul instructs him to "teach the Word" because the time is coming when people will no longer want to hear the truth but will instead want to do whatever they want and get approval for it (vs. 2-4). Has this time arrived or what???
It's not always easy to be confronted with God's Truth. It's convicting and corrective. But knowing and following the Truth is a must. It is the Christian life.
So how do we keep from giving in to that "itching ear syndrome" when our actions or what we're thinking don't line up with God's Word? Tami W.
The Bible says that those who want teaching to suit their own passions will find those who will "itch their ears". I guess that's the key to avoiding becoming one of those people...don't let our own passions drive what we want to be taught. Rather, let the will and passions of God be what we want. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart". There's the key as I see it.
It all starts and ends with us taking the time to get engaged in scripture, I have found that a lot of the "itching teaching" sounds a lot like scripture and logic. Oftentimes though, these teachings are grounded in personal desires. I have seen where people make the scripture say what they want to hear (hey, i may be guilty of doing that a few times in my life). The scripture reveals God's design for life, not our desires for living. We must understand what the scripture says essentially and realize that in the Messias (or Christ), scripture is fullfilled. The written word is our guide, Christ the living word is our example. I pray that God through his Spirit will lead us into all truth. Amen
I have to keep testing it against Gods Word.This gets kinda hard for me especially lately.I'm going through something with someone and have been searching the scripture to find help in trying to handle it right,but I'm not sure which to apply.Yesterdays scrip said to avoid such people who basically are consumed with the world and here it tells to reprove,rebuke and exhort.I'm dealing with a family member which I love so of course I want to reprove but to avoid conflict should I avoid?I pray for the Spirits intervention because my "itchy ear" could run either way with this.
That time is here people do whatever they want and don't want to hear the truth.
That is a good question itching ear syndrome, made me think about when I am in the situation I should think of what God's Word says before continuing. Rebuking, reproving, when doing that no matter how they react I need to stay focused to what God says to do and not react to what they have to say. Because they won't like what you have to say.
"of making many books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the flesh" Eccl 12:12 As a Pastor I see a growing problem with believers who inundate themselves with "many books" and/or many short devotionals that while written by Christians, they are no substitute for God's Word, the only source of unchangeable Truth. The Bible is given quick mention in short quotes and then a wave of opinion based on denominational traditions, human thinking or emotion follows. The same often occurs in sermons Sunday after Sunday. This is why "Back to the Bible" is such an important mission. Only the Bible should shape our theology, not the latest best seller.
Has Apostle Paul's time arrived for what?I believe he's going to his heavenly "home to meet Jesus personally!In plain kindergarten language-he is telling us he's going to die soon!In reference to the "itchy ear syndrome",is Pauls telling us Satans "whispering in our ear" at times, saying hey go do this or that, but all of know he is our SWORN ENEMY!JOYCE MEYER whom you may know as a famed preacher also has a book out "8 ways to KEEP THE DEVIL UNDER YOUR FEET"& in it she tells several scriptures for doing it!Now I wont print down the scriptures but will tell you where you can find them.Here goes:James 1:22 / Phillipians 1:28 / Isaiah 54:17 /Ephesians 6:10-17 / 2nd Corinthians 10;4-5 /Hebrews 4:12 / Ephesians 4:27 / 2nd Corinthians 2:10-11 /James 4:7 1st Timothy 2:3 James 5:16
I agree "Back to the Bible" is a very good mission.I would say the best way to keep from giving in ,is to read the Bible daily,pray that God/Jesus will guide our every step.Praise the Lord,Amen
The thing is we hear what we want to hear and not what the word is actually saying to us through the Holy Spirit of God.
Eric R.
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."
I was thinking of this verse only this morning, in connection with the "name it and claim it" faith movement. Too often this verse is misapplied to say that God will give us anything we want.
But what I believe it says is that if we delight in Him, He will give us new desires. The actual desires of our hearts will come from Him. Worldly desires come from a heart of stone, but when He gives us a new heart, one of flesh, He will also give us new desires. As we become more and more conformed to His likeness, the desires of our hearts should become closer and closer to His own desires.
It is my constant prayer that My will would conform to His, rather than me expecting His to conform to mine.
Thank you to everybody here for their comment(s).
This is so true of today. People cotle their friends, family because they don't want them mad. I fell pray to doing just that with a step son. Then I had to step back and tell him no that is wrong. It didn't go over well but truth is important. And what we all need. Certainly P4 and Back to the Bible help each and everyone of us to do this. I enjoy Joyce Meyer too. I need to study more and get more scripture behind my belt. And thank you everyone for your comments!
Seneca,
Sorry it took so long to reply. Here are some thoughts on your question.
When we experience the blessings of knowing Christ as our Savior, two things sometimes appear to us to be in conflict: One is the urgency we feel to reach out and bring others into Christ's fold; the other is the apparent slow progress in our understanding of our own faith. I think nearly every Christian feels this tension.
We get frustrated in the urgency part, because we sometimes forget that God is the one who must do the work in the heart of our friend or family member. It is not our knowledgeable persuasion, but our genuine love and prayers for the person that will ultimately win him or her. As time goes along, we may also have good opportunities to share what we do know of God's teachings.
We get frustrated about the slowness part because we may feel that our perfect salvation in Christ should bring complete, almost instant, knowledge of Scripture. But our instant salvation simply does not bring instant maturity. Even Jesus "grew in wisdom and knowledge" and Peter tells us in 2 Peter 3:17-18 that we, too, are to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
As James 1:4-5 (NKJV) says: Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Ray
Biblical Correspondent at Back to the Bible