Issue 13 - Day 3

2 Timothy 4

2 Timothy 4:3-5
3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5)  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

From the perspective we have been seeing this week on Timothy, in the last days people will be a problem! This time the problem is that people do not like to be challenged. It is far easier to find, and listen to a preacher who is full of great stories. Recently I heard a good preacher whose message was encouraging, and it was great to hear how God had been blessing him. Unfortunately there was no challenge in anything he said.

Any time you hear a sermon, listen carefully to the words of the preacher. Take notes of what scriptures he refers to, and what blessings, promises, warnings and challenges he brings from the word of God. Afterwards go and read those scriptures for yourself and check that he wasn’t taking them out of context, and that they do actually say what he said. Everyone has off days, and not everything that is preached applies directly to us, but if he is never challenging anyone, and if you do not feel uncomfortable because as a result of listening you have to change, then you have found someone to scratch your itching ears, instead of a source of sound doctrine!

Finally, do not rely on preachers to reach the lost. Any sermon, no matter how challenging, will be delivered within the walls of a church. Lost people don’t usually go to church, if they did they would probably not be lost. You are the only one speaking to your friend so share the gospel with them.