1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

How are we doing with that? Do you understand your brother’s doctrine? Has he shared his thoughts with you? Has he exposed his heart to you? Have you done the same?

We sit in church listening to the same sermon but do we discuss it? Do we hear the same things? Do we see more or less than what was said? Do we have life experiences to draw on about the message?

All that takes time doesn’t it? The time we have left after church before we return home is limited and we are social at best. Being social is important. People need to know you care. But what about weightier matters? When do we have time to share our doctrinal issues and concerns? It is easier to just assume that because we sit together and hear the same message that we are in agreement. But are you?

Our church is once again about to embark on small groups once again. Perhaps we will have a new design, a new focus, new leadership but the same thing will determine success or failure as any and all attempts of the past. Time. We have to make time for one another.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

2 timothy 4:3 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;

A subtle little point here is the issue of the listener who heard sound doctrine, but turned away from that soundness. Hearing is not believing. Hearing is not doing. Sooner or later those who fail to believe, because they have heard the truth, turn to hear those who will not offend them. They will give vast amounts of support to anyone who will make them feel good about themselves. While they appear to get what they want, the end is the same, they are used for sinful purposes.

No one likes to think they are used. But the truth is we are all used. I am used of God to serve His will. I don’t mind, I prefer that to the alternative. People are used for less than sinister designs, but if God’s will is not being served, then who’s?

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon literally means anything you treasure that is not God. Jesus spoke to this in verse 21 identifying the treasures of the heart. It does not have to be money but money is a common theme when we look at how men use followers with itchy ears. Those men need money to spread the false doctrine. It is self-serving but masked in a cloak of false doctrine. They call it seed money, faith offering, tenfold blessing and use the scriptures to twist false doctrine in itching ears to use the listener.

Deuteronomy 28:27d with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

Wounds never heal by scratching the itch.