When People Won't or Can't Listen to Sound Instructions

2 Timothy Chapter Four:

2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

This passage haunts me. It sounds so much like the time and days we live in right now. Paul was about to die a martyrs death. He was abandoned for the most part. Uncomfortable.

Yet his concern was the lack of sound doctrine and the itching ears teaching that was everywhere abounded.

I have of late been in the same place as the Apostle Paul seems to be. I find much of what is preached and taught to be elementary, surface and pursuing myths. Or vain attempts to extract some "Truth" from going DEEP into obscure passages of the Bible. The reality of fulfilling our mission, our destiny on this earth is lost in the noise. We are inward focused. Enjoying the ride but without adding to the passenger list. When the commission is GO YE...we are more Here am I... but don't send me. Instead we are stuck on study and teaching. Good in preparation, poor in execution. Too many presuming on God to teach.

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. James 3:1

There is a message urgently needing to get out. It is not a message of the world getting better, it's a message of HOPE in a God who redeems one soul at a time and the world becomes a better place. I am able to absorb the news all around me. If you beleieve that the world is getting better all the time, you must get a different feed than the rest of us.

2 Timothy chapter Three:

¹ You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! ⁶ They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of^[a] vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. ⁷ (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.)

They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith.

everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

Paul was being pessimistic, didn't see the world as getting better, thought there was a hard road ahead for those who follow Jesus. I agree with Paul. We as leaders have NOT told those for whom we are responsible the truth about the days ahead. It is too hard to say, things are going to get rough. Stand strong, for if you faint not, in due season you will reap. People instead want quick and easy outs. It's not possible. We are afraid that if we tell the truth, our members will leave...along with their tithe. So we adjust the truth:

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 5:20

Those who place other people's heads in the sandbox of the Church to avoid facing what is about to happen are guilty of calling evil good.

Father's intentions toward us is to be found to that day. Isaiah chapter 55:

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”

It is to establish the peace of God and the fullness of the Kingdom in your mind, heart, Spirit. That in the warfare you will have peace. That in the times of trouble you will walk in confidence. That in the tests to come you will pass without breaking a sweat.

That is what his purposes for you. Even when thornbushes and briers appear..you will walk in freshness. If you have people you care about, help them to understand that days ahead will be as the Apostle Paul wrote of at the end of the Letters to Timothy. Worse and worse..but JESUS gets better and better. That's as it should be. If you have ears to hear..hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying. If you read this and it's not clear to you what the Spirit is saying...you need an ear transplant. You are listening to the wrong voices.