Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Long before the invention of modern hearing aids, people who were hard of hearing would carry a funnel-shaped device with them that looked very much like a little trumpet. Whenever they encountered difficulty hearing someone that was speaking to them, they would hold it up to their ear so they could listen to what was being said. Using the same principle as cupping your ear, an ear trumpet would collect and focus sound waves and then redirect them into the ear canal. They were made out of many different things but most commonly, out of wood, snail shells, and even animal horns. In recent years, they have been replaced by the modern electric hearing aid for those who can afford them, which are a lot smaller, and easier to carry around.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
A hearing aid can help somebody to hear better, but that doesn’t always mean that they are going to actually listen to what is being said. Those who are Spiritual will open up their ears to the teachings of scripture, but those who won’t, are only proving that they are not of God.
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
We are passing through a dark period of history when many people who profess to be Christian have turned away from the one true faith that was once laid out in the original teachings of Holy Scripture. It has mutated into a false form of Christianity, and like an unfaithful bride, they have become disloyal to the teachings of Christ. This is actually a fulfillment of biblical prophecy, as they refuse to open up their hearts and minds to the truth and be converted.
Matthew 13:13-15 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Many people who claim to be followers of Christ are dull of hearing. This means that they show a complete lack of interest in scriptural teachings and are slow to consider and understand the requirements of our faith. Some people can sit very religiously in a church service twice a week, but that by itself does not mean anything unless they apply the things that they have learned to their daily lives. To truly hear God’s Word goes much deeper than just hearing it with your ears, because in order to enter into eternal life, we must hear and obey it from the heart.
Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
How many of you have told your children to complete a certain task after school, but when you finally got home from work, you realize that they never did it at all. They sure looked attentive when you told them what to do at the breakfast table! They even nodded in the affirmative that they would get it done, but the truth is that the task was never completed. What’s the old saying, in one ear and all the other? When you hear things with your heart you will lovingly pay attention because they are very important to you.
How many of you have taken a class at college, but after the lecture you couldn’t remember anything that was said. You had listened with your ears but your heart was nowhere to be found in that room. This is because your mind was preoccupied with other things, and you were dull of hearing. Likewise, people can hear the teachings of scripture, but unless they hear it with their heart, they are never going to submit to what it says. This is why the blessed Apostle James warned the church to be doers, rather than just hearers alone.
James 1:21-25 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The Lord mentioned that some people will hear the Word of God, but other things will become more important, and they will completely forget about what they are supposed to be doing.
Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Anyone who claims to be Spiritual is going to open up their ears to the teachings of God.
1 John 4:5-6 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
There have been many times that I have spoken to crowds about certain aspects of the Christian Life, but a lot of them got up and left, simply because they would not accept the teachings of scripture. A lot of people don’t want to listen to the truth because a lot of them don’t want to repent of their sins. They want to claim to believe in God, and keep certain aspects of their faith, yet at the same time turn away from what God requires them to do.
2 Timothy 4:1-4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The Lord spoke about these same types of people who claim to believe in Him, but they never truly repented and did the will of God from their hearts.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Our faith is one that must be learned, so for those who have ears, let them hear! In order for any of us to become loving and obedient children of God, we must listen to the teachings of scripture with our hearts, which is a place that is far deeper than you will ever be able to reach, by using a hearing aid, or…
…….The Ear Trumpet
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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