If you listen to much Christian media, you will almost certainly come to the conclusion that these are the days Paul warned about when he said, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4
It’s frightening how much false doctrine and questionable teaching there is out there. Many times I listen to a sermon over Christian radio and the content sounds eerily similar to a self-help book.
This morning in my Bible reading, I read the following in Jeremiah 23:21-22: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings.”
And then in verse 29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”
What a sacred trust it is to be one who speaks to God’s people on His behalf. Oh that the Lord would flood our pulpits with messages aflame with fire from heaven that will turn us back to Him. Lord, give us men who will stand in Your counsel until they have received a real word from God.
But how shall we respond to such a word? Are our hearts tender and bendable before Him? Are we open to the searching work of His Spirit as the Word is preached? Oh God, let the fire of Your word burn away the dross. Let the hammer of Your word pound away the hardness of our hearts.
Send us a real word, real repentance and make us real disciples.
I think you were questioning some of the sermons you were hearing due to their self-help book ways then toward the end of your post you implied that the problem was in you and not having a tender heart to hear.
Can i offer a different suggestion? Have you prayed to God for discernment? In the new testament , i believe in Corinthians Paul talks about prophesying, remember anyone can prophesy which means a person is speaking the words God has told them. However Paul also talks about discernment being how we as Christians tell apart false teachers, through the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah isn’t speaking of prophets who are teaching the people what they have heard from God. God said He had not sent those prophets and he had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied anyway. Our generation is not the first to have false teachers, but we do seem to have an abundance of them. We have a great need for the word of God. But having been accustomed to marshmallow fluff, how will we receive the fire and the hammer?
I hope I have clarified what I was trying to say. Thank you for stopping by.
Amen,amen,amen!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well said indeed,that to is also my prayer for God to help his called & chosen one’s wait to hear from him and him alone. It’s time out for doing and saying anything unless we’re sure we’re heard from God,because people souls are at stake. Help us oh God to humble ourselves before you and to yield to your Holy Spirit,please Father help us.Amen
Good post Loren have a lovely evening.
Love you
Pttyann, your comments are always so encouraging to me. Thank you so much.
And what a wonderful compliment to be mistaken for Loren!
Blessings to you sister.
nodame08October 28, 2009 / 3:23 am
Hi Eirene,
I understood where you were coming from, but thank you for making sure I understood what you were saying. I guess I take a slightly different stance.
Where i understand that there will always be false teachers, and we are living in a time of many false teachers I like to focus on making sure I can discern those false teachers. I don’t want to be led away from God but toward him. So that is why discernment, at least for me is so important.
Of course it is important how we receive good teaching, our God is a consuming fire as it says in Hebrew and for me that discernment is crucial in how i will receive.
He is my Delight 
I think you were questioning some of the sermons you were hearing due to their self-help book ways then toward the end of your post you implied that the problem was in you and not having a tender heart to hear.
Can i offer a different suggestion? Have you prayed to God for discernment? In the new testament , i believe in Corinthians Paul talks about prophesying, remember anyone can prophesy which means a person is speaking the words God has told them. However Paul also talks about discernment being how we as Christians tell apart false teachers, through the Holy Spirit.
Hi nodame08,
Jeremiah isn’t speaking of prophets who are teaching the people what they have heard from God. God said He had not sent those prophets and he had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied anyway. Our generation is not the first to have false teachers, but we do seem to have an abundance of them. We have a great need for the word of God. But having been accustomed to marshmallow fluff, how will we receive the fire and the hammer?
I hope I have clarified what I was trying to say. Thank you for stopping by.
Amen,amen,amen!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well said indeed,that to is also my prayer for God to help his called & chosen one’s wait to hear from him and him alone. It’s time out for doing and saying anything unless we’re sure we’re heard from God,because people souls are at stake. Help us oh God to humble ourselves before you and to yield to your Holy Spirit,please Father help us.Amen
Good post Loren have a lovely evening.
Love you
Sorry Eirene for calling you Loren,you both write so much alike and I didn’t look at the top,Sorry.
Pttyann, your comments are always so encouraging to me. Thank you so much.
And what a wonderful compliment to be mistaken for Loren!
Blessings to you sister.
Hi Eirene,
I understood where you were coming from, but thank you for making sure I understood what you were saying. I guess I take a slightly different stance.
Where i understand that there will always be false teachers, and we are living in a time of many false teachers I like to focus on making sure I can discern those false teachers. I don’t want to be led away from God but toward him. So that is why discernment, at least for me is so important.
Of course it is important how we receive good teaching, our God is a consuming fire as it says in Hebrew and for me that discernment is crucial in how i will receive.
^.^