2 Timothy 4:1-4
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 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.
Personal Challenge...
In many of the Christian research circles today the term "consumerism" has been applied to those people that attend their church to be entertained, served, delivered what they want to hear the way that they want to hear it. They are consumers. Who would have known that Paul was exhorting Timothy to be prepared for this 2,000 years ago. One of the things that I have come to appreciate in the Orthodox Church is that our liturgy is the same one that has been delivered for nearly 1,600 years. It is not up to me to want something that tickles my itching ears or makes me feel good all over, but it is up to me to step into the traditions of my Church and meet God there. That is where true worship is found. This passage reminds us, actually commands us, very boldly to stand firm in the truth of the Church and to be ready to share it at any time.
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