Itching Ears

'Don't say such things,' the people respond. 'Don't prophesy like that. Such disasters will never come our way!' Should you talk that way, O family of Israel? Will the LORD's Spirit have patience with such behavior? If you would do what is right, you would find my words comforting...Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, 'I'll preach to you the joys of wine and alcohol!' That's just the kind of prophet you would like!"  Micah 2: 6,7,11 (NLT)

 

The children of Israel rejected the message God sent through the prophet, Micah. They refused to believe that God would punish their rebellion. Micah points out that, if they would face the truth about themselves, they would not have to fear what God had to say to them. But, in their disobedience, Micah suggested that a prophet who preached "the joys of wine and alcohol" would suit them perfectly.

Does this sound familiar? Read what Paul said to Timothy on this very matter:

" For the time will come when people 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 and turn aside to myths."  2Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV)

Many people today prefer a softer message--something uplifting. The call to repentance is often viewed as harsh--preachers don't like preaching it and church members don't like hearing it. Yet this is exactly what is needed. Pray for our pastors to have the courage to confront sin, even if it means offending some of their members.