Do Your Ears Itch?

You have all probably heard the word sensationalism. Do you know what it means? Here’s the definition:

To use exciting or shocking stories at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement.

The news media today continually uses sensationalism to get the attention of the viewers . . . in order to get ratings, because the higher their ratings, the more they can charge for advertising, and the more money they make.

If you peruse the internet and look over the headlines for the news, you will notice the word “shocking” is used continually. Why? Very simple. To get the reader or the listener’s attention.

Our society is saturated with sensationalism. That’s because the masses are always looking for something new and different.

In 2 Timothy 4:3 the Bible warns against this:

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.

That’s dangerous. Do you fall into this category?

You need to do a reality check. Are you only motivated by something new and different? Do you continually run to conferences that teach something new and different? Are you always looking on the internet for something new and different?

If you are, you are in danger of falling into the category of “having itching ears, not able to endure sound doctrine.”

I have an acquaintance who is always talking about what the leading Christian teachers on the tube are saying, but not once has he ever mentioned that he is reading his Bible.

Beware! Some of the leading Christian on television are using sensationalism to draw viewers.

How do you know they are right, that they are preaching the unadulterated Word of God? Well, if you don’t read the Bible for yourself, you don’t know, and before you know it you will be off the track on some tangent that will warp your character and your Christian growth.

For some years I have noticed a trend in the body of Christ that really bothers me. Though our primary focus should be winning the lost, there are few, if any events whose purpose is to win the lost.

I have been very grieved with this trend in which Christians are always running to see the popular Christian buzz, someone who has gotten the latest revelation from God. What are we, a bunch of conference junkies?

On one occasion I was asked to speak to a gathering of pastors. Like a voice in the wilderness, my cry was, “You Christians are always having a big party, running to the latest and greatest conference. Run to the woods!”

The woods is where you can get alone with God, spend time with Him and hear His voice. The woods is where I would personally run to nearly every day when I lived in Minneapolis and was doing a heavy schedule of outreach events. I had to run to the woods in order to get close to God and recharge my empty soul. If I hadn’t done that, I would have burned out in the middle of my responsibilities.

For years I have been urging Christians to get alone with God for a period of time every day. Learn to sit quietly in His presence, soak Him in and listen to what He says to you.

When I went to St. Paul, Minnesota after high school to attend Bible College, a friend took me to a small church in south Minneapolis where I learned about the gift of prophesy. God began moving on me with this gift and the faithful pastor guided me as the gifting grew. Over time I was regarded as someone that operated in a solid gift of prophesy. Soon, I found that people were coming to me to get a prophesy, or an answer from God.

This is dangerous. It is like going to the vending machine, putting in your money and getting your answer.

GOD IS NOT A VENDING MACHINE!

Christians want an instant answer to everything because they won’t put in the time in prayer and Bible reading, being alone with God in the quiet place on a regular basis.

Many of these Christians don’t want God that much. They don’t thirst for Him. They don’t want Him for Him. They only want the answers that He can give them so they can hurry up and get on with their busy and careless lives.

If you come to God and you want fast answers, but you don’t really want God out of love for Him, don’t you think He may be hurt and offended by your attitudes and motives?

God’s Word, His love letter to you, weighs your motives. Hebrews 4:12 NKJV says,

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

He may not always give you and answer. If you got your fast answer every day, why would you need God? You would just need the vending machine.

Having gained the reputation of a reliable prophet, I felt a lot of pressure to produce and answer. But God does not always give you a cut and dried answer. Most of the time He wants you to trust Him, walk it out, seek His fellowship for yourself. If you get addicted to the vending machine, you may never know God personally . . . and that would be a tragedy!

FYI

We have a total of about five projects on the horizon. Most recently I produced a new promotional video for Jesse Paul Smith, our school assembly speaker. We plan to promote school assemblies in the coming months. Recently, I have had two new inquiries for school assemblies. Below you’ll see Jesse reading a story to the kindergartners at the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school where we did a recent assembly. This was not planned, but the teachers asked if he would read for the little kids.

Jesse’s powerful message gives hope and is a great confidence builder for students. The response was exciting as the school asked us back in September.

Due to your generosity, the cooling system on our car is now fixed and we can travel again. PTL! We need to now fix the cracked windshield and replace the ball joint, about $1000 in repairs.

Our new music CD has been on hold in light of these other projects we have been working on, but it is very near completion. For this project also, we will need additional financing which continues to be the biggest challenge we face.

Please consider a contribution this month. We would love to hear from you. If everyone participates in the initiatives God has given us, together we can reach our goals. Every contribution makes a big difference!

In His Service,

George and Lorraine Halama

All contributions are tax deductible.

Cover photo taken by Lorraine Halama

Photo of Jesse with the children at Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig School was taken by a school staff person