HEARING In Mark 7:31-37 we read of a miracle Jesus did in the healing of a man who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech.  Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears, and then Jesus did spit and did touch the man’s tongue. Showing His authority, Jesus simply said “Be opened;” and it was so.  It is interesting to note that this man’s friends wanted their friend to have the ability to hear and speak.  The man himself wanted to hear and speak.  Sadly, today there are multitudes who do not want to hear.  Their ears and our ears at times become dull of hearing.  We, today, have overkill of information.  There is so much information in our mass media that we are tempted to just shut down at times. Today more than ever we have a  tendency to develop selective hearing.  This often begins for most of us in the teen years.  Some of us never outgrow this unhealthy habit.  In Hebrews 5:11 the context is    speaking about the person of Melchizedek and how he relates to Christ.  Apparently to the Hebrew writer, some Christians had   become dull of hearing and were not wanting to listen and learn. Hearing really is the first step to both understanding and obedience.  Sadly, Jesus observes His audience in John 8:43 as already having their minds made up. Jesus says, “Why do you not understand My speech?  Because you are not able to listen to My word.”  Many today do not want to be confused with the truth. People are tempted by Satan to devalue the awesome power of the listening ear.  Satan then and today tells people they are too busy and that they don’t have time to listen. Jesus invites people then and now to use the gift of hearing that God has given to them.  When people choose to devalue or not appreciate the ability to hear good news, then on judgment day such individuals will give an account to Jesus for tuning Him out.  Jesus says six times “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mt. 11:15, 13:9, 43; Mk. 4:9; Lk. 8:8, 14:35).  In the Revelation Jesus gives the admonition to the seven churches as to each of them in Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22 by saying or reminding them that if they really have ears to hear with, they are to use them.  Pay attention, learn, repent or change. In times past  (before the cross), God overlooked some things particularly   regarding the Gentiles but NOW God commands all men everywhere to repent (Ac. 17:30).  Unfortunately, the majority of humanity is not listening.  There are   supposed to be one to two billion Christians on the earth among those who keep tract of such numbers.  By far the majority of these are not hearing.  They are not listening to the whole counsel of God (Ac. 20:27).  Most choose to have selective hearing and choose to listen to their religious establishment just as they did in Jesus’ day.  These who Jesus calls hypocrites have a lot of religious trappings; but, sadly, their hearts are far from God (Mt. 15:3-10).  They didn’t see it in Jesus’ day, and much of the same is still going on.  On judgment day souls will be lost simply because they purposefully choose not to hear what God has said through His Son.   All Christians, not just preachers, have the responsibility to get the gospel message out to all the lost.   The lost won’t hear without a declarer or proclaimer.  This one is spoken of as a preacher in Romans 10: 13-17.  Don’t think of the preacher as a unique one who alone has this charge.  That is not what this passage is teaching.  All in Christ, men and women, can have feet that are beautiful to the lost and who declare the good news gospel that brings peace between God and man.  This gospel is spoken of as the faith.  This faith is available to all who choose to hear THE WORD OF GOD.  I hope you got that.  All need to hear the word of God!  We need not to hear church authorities, popes, pastors, or preachers.  All need to listen to and hear God!  We need to “let God be true but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4).   Directly through His inspired and preserved word, God Himself wants to, can, and does speak fairly and equally to all.  Jesus says this in John 6:45, “It is written in the prophets, (Isa. 54:13)  ‘And they shall ALL be TAUGHT BY GOD.’  Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”   Sincere churches, popes, pastors, and preachers, can and often times do miss it.  God never does.  He is always right on target, and He makes no mistakes.  He needs no man to apologize for Him or to modify what He has revealed, preserved, and protected. There is a blessing given in the Revelation to those who will choose to read and HEAR the words of that prophesy (Rev. 1:3).  This blessing is given to us if we will choose to read what might be the most difficult book of inspiration.  How much more will we be blessed if we choose to hear God’s message which is clearer in other parts of the Bible.?   God’s word is TRUTH (Jn. 17:17).  God’s TRUTH frees man from sin and the sincere doctrines and commands of unauthorized and uninspired men.  Unfortunately, today the majority of humanity is still listening more to someone other than God.  They get more excited over church leaders than they do the crucified one.  They are not listening.  Please prayerfully consider the admonition of James 1:19.  “So then, my beloved brethren, let EVERY MAN BE SWIFT TO HEAR, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”