In Touch - Sept. 24, 2009

Matthew 7:24-27  

Believe it or not, many people in the church make a conscious decision to ignore God's truth. You may ask, "Who would do such a thing?" Chances are, you know someone who already has.

Think about those Christians who say, "I am never going back to that church again. All the pastor talks about is sin, sin, sin." Or, perhaps the issue is "money," or "faithfulness," or maybe even "the cross." When we are listening to the man and not to the God who sent the message, it is easy to get irritated with a preacher's persistence.

If you find yourself reacting this strongly to a godly pastor's preaching, then you ought to take an honest look at yourself. Is there a particular sermon topic that "pushes your buttons"? Why is it that you don't like to hear about tithing, for instance? Maybe the reason is that you know your finances are not under the Lord's control. And when that happens, the natural human response is to get away from the conviction.

This is why so many people seem to run out the back door of the church—they simply can't take it anymore. They have made a decision to close their ears to God's Word, and, therefore, they cannot bear to listen to it.

In Matthew 7:26, Jesus comments on people who hear the Word but do not act on it. He compares them to a "foolish man who built his house on the sand." Do you want to be "foolish" in the Lord's eyes? Of course not. Instead, be a believer whose mind is set on becoming more like Christ.  

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org
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Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.