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.
Many years ago I used to work in retail, and because of this, I spent a lot of time in close proximity to customers. One day I showed up for work and did my normal routine, I hung up my jacket and put away the rest of my things in my locker. But when I walked by my boss, his eyes got as big as hens’ eggs, and I watched him as he went over to his desk and began searching frantically through one of the drawers. A few moments later, he produced a small can of deodorant, and with a big grin, he quickly threw it at me and said,…” This is something that you are going to need if you plan on selling anything today, you little stinker!”
This reminds me of Christian Life.
Many employees would probably have gotten pretty offended if this had happened to them, but the truth is that my shirt was pretty tough smelling, and the manager was honest enough to warn me about it. A lot of people don’t want to hear the truth but it is only when you hear the truth that you can ever change things in your life. Likewise, it is only when we hear Biblical Truth, that we can ever change the things that are displeasing to God. Just like listening to your dad, we must open our ears to the Heavenly Father, because only those who are of God are going to hear God’s words.
John 8:47 (KJB) He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
God’s Word is a Sword of Truth, and when you get pierced by it, it’s going to hurt. Criticisms and rebukes will oftentimes be rejected simply because of one’s own prideful disposition, but rather than being offended by what we hear, we must learn from it, and humbly allow ourselves to be corrected by it, because only then will we ever become pleasing unto God.
Hebrews 4:12 (KJB) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
In order to mature in our faith, we must humbly open up our ears to the corrections that are found throughout Holy Scripture. It might not feel very good, and it might be downright embarrassing, but just like a dad corrects his child, we must endure the correction and teachings of the Heavenly Father.
Hebrews 12:5-11 (KJB) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
The disciples of Christ gladly listened to Jesus so they could grow in their faith, but He warned them about others who would not receive the things that He was preaching. But those who cannot hear the Truth, cannot be converted to the Truth, and thus will abide in their sinful and depraved condition, only to be cast away at the judgment.
Matthew 13:15 (KJB) 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.
In order for any of us to change and improve our lives, we first must accept the truth, no matter how difficult it may be to hear. When we do this, we are allowing ourselves to undergo a process of sanctification, whereby we are purified by the truth through daily application and sincere obedience to the will of God
John 17:17 (KJB) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
It’s really not that difficult to discern a genuine child of God, because only the true sheep of Christ are going to receive His words and listen to the men that God used to write the teachings of Holy Scripture.
1 John 4:5-6 (KJB) 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.
Many of us might not know the way to a particular store in town, so we will listen attentively to the directions that are given to us by our neighbor. Likewise if you really want to find your way home to heaven, we must open up our ears to the directions that are given to us in God’s Holy Word.
John 14:6 (KJB) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 18:37 (KJB) Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Sadly, there will be many people who get baptized and become a Christian for a period of time, but because of their own disobedience and lust for other things in this world, they will eventually turn away their ears from the truth of scripture.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (KJB) 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.
John 8:43 (KJB) Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
So, before a change can ever happen in your life, you will first need to humble yourself by opening up your ears to.the truth. You will have to empty out your pride and cast away any ego, because each of us at one time or the other, has played the part of,…….
…….The Little Stinker
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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