Tickled Ears
By George J. Stroh
September 2, 2014
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
Victoria Osteen, wife of "mega-church" preacher and New York Times best selling author Joel Osteen, recently told the folks at their Lakewood Church that obedience, worship and church attendance is not for God but themselves; "I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we're not doing it for God--I mean, that's one way to look at it--we're doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we're happy. So, I want you to know this morning: Just do good for your own self. Do good because God wants you to be happy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you're not doing it for God really. You're doing for yourself, because that's what makes God happy. Amen?"
This is obviously a very foolish, heretical and completely unbiblical doctrine; ...Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31). But maybe even more disturbing is that when she had finished speaking, thousands of Lakewood Church congregates cheered as her husband and their so called "Pastor", Joel Olseen, stood smiling next to her on the platform. There were undoubtedly also millions of others watching this on TV, ignorantly agreeing with this blatantly false doctrine.
The Apostle Paul warned the churches that the time would come when people will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. His prophecy is certainly fulfilled today in many churches in America. People want their ears tickled. They want to be entertained. They want to feel good about themselves. They want the messages from the pulpit to be short, entertaining (tickled ears) and all about them and their needs because "that's what makes God happy!"
But those of us who truly know and love the Lord must continue to resist the schemes of the Devil, his false teachers and their false doctrines; In pointing out theses things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. (1 Timothy 4:6) Maranatha!
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