The Rock Church

Tag Archive: satisfy

  1. Itchy Ears

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    “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” — 2 Timothy 4:3–4

    We live in a remarkable age! With my phone, I can listen to or watch podcasts, videos, reels, and music from around the world. Individual results may vary, but studies find people spend:

    • 33 minutes per day on Facebook
    • 34 minutes per day on Instagram
    • 49 minutes per day on YouTube
    • 54 minutes per day on TikTok
    • 148 minutes per day on Spotify

    The point is obvious: we are consuming an incredible amount of content day to day. And in many respects, it’s incredible! I can listen to people discussing culture, sports, and politics. Also, I can listen to science, the history of the Bible, theology, etc. In fact, I can mow the lawn and learn the Bible. Not only that, but I can always enjoy hours of music.

    However, I recently read the passage above. And it surely lands differently in light of the hours we spend consuming digital content each day. The phrase “to suit their own passions” reminds me of our algorithm-driven, carefully curated feeds. Myths stand in contrast to the truth of God’s Word.

    Pondering

    Some questions to ponder as we make decisions about the content we consume daily:

    • There is freedom in Christ. But am I constantly replacing the Word, preaching, and worship with something else? In other words, does my content dull my affection for God’s truth?
    • Is this perhaps satisfying some sinful desire in me?
    • Will this content fill me with the Fruit of the Spirit? Or am I angry, fearful, or anxious after I consume it?
    • Does the content I consume reduce my appetite for meaty things like the Word or worship? Think about cotton candy versus a well-balanced meal. Do I find it harder to digest the parts of the Bible our culture doesn’t like?
    • Will my content merely make me feel good, or does it specifically feed my soul?
    • Am I painting myself into an echo chamber?
    • And finally, does the amount of digital content I consume leave room for the other things the Lord has called me to do?

    Questions I am pondering…

    Josh

    Posted in A Word from the Pastor by

  2. But Let the One Who Boasts…

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    But Let the One Who Boasts… — a word by Pastor Steele Croswhite from The Rock Church in Draper, UT. "but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord,"

    “This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.” — Jeremiah 9:23-24

    Without a doubt, we live in a culture full of boasting, don’t we? There is no need to go further than our phones, computers, news feeds, billboards, television, radio (or even our mirrors) to see how prevalent boasting is.

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