Scratching the Itch

…unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart…
(Jeremiah 23:17)

This passage in Jeremiah 23 deals with false prophets. They would cry peace when there was no peace. They spoke a vision from their own wicked hearts, not from the Lord. This has been going on for ages, as this passage points out, and so it continues today, and if the Lord tarries, we will see it tomorrow.

Paul warned Timothy – 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 (2 Timothy 4:3). Martin Luther, in the 92nd of his famous 95 theses, echoed the same sentiment in his day, declaring, “Away, then, with all those prophets who say to the people of Christ, "Peace, peace," and there is no peace!” Think of the prophets of today and their “prosperity gospel”. Isn’t this what we are seeing?

We may be so far gone and our consciences so seared that we seek signs wherever they may be found. We can be deluded to such a degree that we will be ready to accept almost anything that has a semblance of truth, especially when we believe that it is our circumstances that need to be fixed, not our heart. We are led to believe that if we are in God’s will, that we will not see trouble. And we believe that if we are in comfort then we must be in Christ. The Bible declares otherwise: In the world you shall have tribulation (John 16:33). Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

The Lord chastens all those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:7). We won’t get on with God by seeing signs and doing miracles, but by believing the right things and acting in accordance with those truths. And one great truth that is neglected by the merchants of the microwave miracle is the fact that as Christians we are called to suffer (Romans 8:17 / Philippians 1:29 / 2 Timothy 2:12). Even Christ learned obedience by His suffering, not by His signs (Hebrews 5:8).

The peace that we have is in Christ, not circumstances. We must remember that the goal is not our comfort, using godliness as a means of gain, but contentment, knowing that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). But godliness with contentment is great gain (2 Timothy 6:6). Having been “hooked” on signs and wonders, a believer is in danger of being taken captive by the signs themselves, and does not realize the deception that is taking place. They are scratching the itch, but the rash is still spreading.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©