A sign seen in a bar (not by me) said: "If ignorance is bliss, why are there not more happy people." I do not think the originator of that line was emphasizing happy people but ignorant people. Most ignorance, however, is curable. It just takes more effort for some. Therein lies the problem. Effort. Discipline.
A disciple is a learner, a student and, in our churches, too many people are not willing to be disciplined. Historically, churches have had Sunday schools and worship services where the Word of God is taught. But, alas, in our age of visual stimulation, if we do not see it in living color, we do not listen. People are migrating to churches where they can have their senses stimulated. It does not feed the flock, but it gets the crowd; therefore, too many preachers have turned the pulpit into an entertainment center in order to make people - happy! Ignorant, but happy.
Communication with God is two-fold. In prayer we speak to Him. In preaching we hear from Him. Beginning with the prophet Ezra, God's word has been read to the assembly and the man of God has given the sense of it. "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." (Nehemiah 8:8). We are not communicating with God without both prayer and hearing His word preached.
We are also selfish. We do not want God's will, we want our own will. Too many so-called preachers have turned to psychodrama or psychotherapy to pacify the unlearned into thinking they are fine the way they are. God has ordained the preaching of His word so "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." He did not ordain comedy nor psychotheapy for this purpose. These tactics may keep us happy, but ignorant. So many in the church are acting like children, are uncertain of Biblical truth and led into deception by unscrupulous men. Their souls are too important for a preacher to neglect the feeding of the flock. How else are they to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ? "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)
A disciple is a learner, a student and, in our churches, too many people are not willing to be disciplined. Historically, churches have had Sunday schools and worship services where the Word of God is taught. But, alas, in our age of visual stimulation, if we do not see it in living color, we do not listen. People are migrating to churches where they can have their senses stimulated. It does not feed the flock, but it gets the crowd; therefore, too many preachers have turned the pulpit into an entertainment center in order to make people - happy! Ignorant, but happy.
Communication with God is two-fold. In prayer we speak to Him. In preaching we hear from Him. Beginning with the prophet Ezra, God's word has been read to the assembly and the man of God has given the sense of it. "So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." (Nehemiah 8:8). We are not communicating with God without both prayer and hearing His word preached.
We are also selfish. We do not want God's will, we want our own will. Too many so-called preachers have turned to psychodrama or psychotherapy to pacify the unlearned into thinking they are fine the way they are. God has ordained the preaching of His word so "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive." He did not ordain comedy nor psychotheapy for this purpose. These tactics may keep us happy, but ignorant. So many in the church are acting like children, are uncertain of Biblical truth and led into deception by unscrupulous men. Their souls are too important for a preacher to neglect the feeding of the flock. How else are they to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ? "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)
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