Welcome to "Fan the Flame" Friday.
This is a weekly post that will be "short and sweet" (kinda like me...)
Just a word and a phrase, a sentence or a question...just a little something to "fan the flame" of your creativity!
Today's word: knowing
What is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God?
How does knowing God change our perspective on things?
What are some obstacles to knowing God in your life?
Let me know what you think!!
"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him." (Philippians 3:8-9)
"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:6-7)
BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
I would say knowing about God is having awareness of His existence and His character but knowing God has to with having personal experience that moves beyond what one has heard told by others.
ReplyDeleteOoooh good one and good questions. I will be coming back to read responses on this one.
ReplyDeleteI think it's similar to the differences between believing IN God and believing On God. Many people claim to know Him when they really just know about Him. (In fact, I think that too many folks don't even know all that much about Him either. Do know about Him, you have to know the Word, IMO.)
To me, knowing God is experiential. You know God by abiding with Him. In comparison; Since my hometown is a small one, and my (earthly) father was kind of larger than life, it isn't uncommon for someone to comment about a current event or something happening at his former plant and tell me what "Big Dave" would think about it. Far more often than not, it's not really what Big Dave would think at all. They just knew the public man. I, however, KNEW the man.
Hope that makes sense.
"What is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God?" Knowing about God originates from the head while knowing God begins in the heart...
ReplyDelete"How does knowing God change our perspective on things?" Knowing God reveals that it's not all about me, but all about Him and bringing glory to God...
"What are some obstacles to knowing God in your life?" Pride, fear, and doubt...and procrastination!
Totally agree with Karen.
DeleteGreat food for thought. I believe 'knowing' is 'understanding' and that there are some things we will not know/understand about God and why/how He does what He does...maybe not until we reach Heaven.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't shake my faith because what I DO know about him is enough to sustain me through what I don't know.
Does that make sense? Ha!
One obstacle to knowing God is being too focused on self. We can't do the two at the same time. When we focus on Him we get to know Him more and more.
ReplyDeleteWell, knowing about God is head knowledge while knowing God means having a relationship with him.
ReplyDeleteI think it makes all the difference in the world. If I just knew about my family, but didn't actually "know" them, I would have a totally different relationship with them. Perhaps no relationship at all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Charlotte
Hi Sharon! Beautiful sentiment and very thoughtful. I have to agree with Charlotte. Sometime I think many people are so self centered it is hard to get up close and personal with the Lord! I try to be humble but sometime it is really difficult. SO many people I work with are so arrogant!
ReplyDeleteI like this Sharon...'cause it reminds me of me and my kids. We know each other so well before we get the words out the other one finishes the sentence. Knowing is total connection. Knowing is one with Him. That's the best.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a gentle week.
What is the difference between knowing about God and knowing God?
ReplyDeleteOne is all about head knowledge - knowing facts. The other is all about heart relationship - knowing AND loving a Person.
How does knowing God change our perspective on things?
It ought to change EVERYTHING! The more we know God, the more we can look at things from His perspective. And His perspective is so much more wide-range than ours. God is concerned about eternal matters - and He takes the long view on life. We can get so caught up in the immediate daily junk, that we forget what really matters. Knowing God can stabilize us, strengthen us, and sanctify us.
What are some obstacles to knowing God in your life?
Ah, how much time do I have? Mostly worry and a lack of trust hinders me. When I am fighting for control, my relationship to God is hampered. You can only know someone when you have good communication with them, when you spend time with them. When I'm worrying, I'm not doing a lot of talking, and I'm spending time with distractions.
Be gone, worldly things - I WANT GOD!
GOD BLESS!