Itching Ears!

The Bible is God's Word. It speaks of nothing but the truth so it will do you good to pay attention to not just READING but the STUDYING of God's word. Here's a thought from God's word.

2 Timothy 4:3
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.

Notice the words ... "men", "their", and "they." Sounds to me like consumerism. This is how the world works. Big corporations tailor their products to the needs of people. They pump in huge amounts of resource into R&D just to make sure they tailor their products to the needs of consumers, which is you and me. Their strength is in marketing, and advertising is their forte of course. Because of you and me, they improve on their products and their marketing strategies. Because of you and me, they offer discounts. Because of you and me, they build complexes and shopping malls. In fact, all the shopping malls, and advertisements, and constant upgrade of products is all because of YOU AND ME! Without us there will be no Toyota, or Honda. Without you and me, there will be no Mega Mall or KLCC, etc. We are the reasons big corporations exist today! So in this world, IT IS ALL ABOUT US! And so the saying goes ... "The customer is always right!"

This consumerist culture has made us all rather self-centered. It's about what I can get out of life for myself. We choose the college we want to study in. We choose the restaurants we want to patronize. We choose the vacation that suits us. We even choose the church we want to attend! It's all about us and what we want!

Timothy saw this basic humanistic problem centuries ago. He said, " ... 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." Here's my point. In these last days prior to the second coming of Jesus, we need to be discerning because men will not put up with sound doctrines (i.e. what is right). They want rather to hear what their itching ears want to hear. In other words, it's not about what is right. It's about what they want!

Today Christians go to church with a different concept. It's not so much about God as it is about what the church can do for them. Like consumers, they want their needs met. So church hopping is a common occurrence! If there is a new "happening" (church) they'll be a part of it. Then when a better "product" hit the market, there's where they want to be. So churches are under pressure to have to come up with better programs, better pulpit personalities, better lasers, better worship bands, better buildings, better looking youth pastors ... anything just to meet the "consumer's" needs. I am not saying it's wrong to progress, to have better building facilities and what's needed. In fact we should be growing progressively. But let's not forget these are the last days and Bible says, there will be a great falling away of Christians. Why? Because they are not after God. They are after what their itching ears want to hear.

When Jesus was ministering on earth, he wasn't impressed with crowds. People gather by the hundreds and thousands but he wasn't taken in by the crowd. Jesus wasn't a crowd pleaser. He did not depend on them. His kingdom was not of this world. In fact one day He preached a sermon and the crowd left Him! Their need for miracles were not met. Instead, they were given a sermon! So here is one bunch or unhappy consumers.

I wonder about Christians today. Why do they attend church? Why do they give of their tithes and offerings? Is it because of branding? Is it because in giving they want to receive? Are we going to church because of God, because we want to give Him glory? Or is it because we want our needs met? Is this the reason why most prayers are centered on self ... on what we want God to do for us rather than about lost sheep, about His church and His kingdom and glory? Hmmm....

Jesus spoke of a parable with regard the end times. He said, "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left (Mt 24:40-41)" One out of two is 50%. Is it a wonder that when the Lord comes back for His own (Rapture) only one is taken up? Today ... you know why. My encouragement for you today is ... prosper where God has planted you. And remember our theme ... GREATER HIM, LESSER US. The kingdom of God is not about you. It's about God and His glory! Are you a consumer or a worshiper?

Blessings.