RTW 2023

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.

‍2 Timothy 4:3

“Endless curiosity, an insatiable desire of variety; and they get their ears tickled with the language and accent of the person, abandoning the good and faithful preacher for the fine speaker.” – Adam Clarke

“This also shows that if we do want to hear God’s word, God is doing something wonderful in us. Left to ourselves, we would rather do it our way, but God changes our heart in wonderful ways, giving us a desire for His word.” – David Guzik

• Which do I prefer ear scratching preaching, or healthy heavy-duty real truth?
• The more we scratch the itch, the more it itches, right? So, it makes perfect sense that the more we listen to light, frivolous, and truth-free preaching the more we want, like it, and resonate with it.
• An itch is an indication that something isn’t right, a signal, or a warning. For a Christian, the answer to the itch is prayer and yielding to the solution the Holy Spirit suggests.
• Because the Church has gotten accustomed to “ear scratching” preaching, we are now offended by real truth.
• How do I respond to “healthy, free-from-error” truth?

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Paul described Alexander the coppersmith as having shipwrecked faith in 1 Timothy 1:19-20 and now he accused him of bringing harm against him.

Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him, for he fought against everything we said.
2 Timothy 4:14 -15

It’s possible he made up accusations against Paul.

“Informers were one of the great curses of Rome at this time. And it may well be that Alexander was a renegade Christian, who went to the magistrates with false information against Paul, seeking to ruin him in the most dishonourable way.” – William Barclay

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Allow it (God’s Word) to teach, correct, and train me.