In Jeremiah chapter 23 we see that Israel listened to the false prophets because those prophets tickled their ears. To have your ears tickled is to hear things that please and appeal to our carnal or fleshly nature. Jeremiah warned of God’s anger with sinful Israel but they would not listen. Do we take heed of God’s word, his whole word or are we selective, hearing only our favorite words? If we want to move on with God and be all he wants us to be he will need to change us and chasten (to discipline or instruct) us with his word (Rom 12:2; Heb 12:5-11).

Often, we pray but the results don’t come or we make decisions and they prove to be the wrong ones. We must hear from God with our spiritual ears not just our physical ears and minds and be changed (Matt 13:14-16; 1 Cor 2:14). We need to humble ourselves and repent (1 Peter 5:6), plough up the fallow ground of our hearts (soften our hearts toward God; Jer 4:3). God’s word can break and change us if we let it (Jer 23:29), but we have to allow this to happen. To fail to submit to God in this way assigns us to the status quo, mediocrity and frustration. To allow God to change us maybe painful, but it leads us on to his highest and best: “above all that we ask or think” (Eph 3: 20-21; KJV). Wow, I want that, what about you? Let’s press into God’s word and let him change us; nothing held back.