Knowing of God vs Knowing God

Hello Hello everyone!! 

I trust everyone’s day is going well and if it’s not, there is still time to turn it around.  It’s interesting that Analise talked about Matthew 7 because I have been reading through Matthew this month and God has seriously been revealing some things to me.  So what I am going to talk about today is going to complement what Analise said about having a relationship with God. 

I like to put it in these terms though: being a follower of God and not just a fan.  God has sooooo many fans.  There are plenty of people who know about Him.  They know He walked on water, and turned water into wine, and healed the sick and the blind.  When you think about it though, what does that really say about the heart of God?  Knowing OF God and knowing God are two very different things.  If I were to ask you, “Do you know who Michael Jordan is?” You would most likely say, “Yes.  He was and will always be one of the greatest basketball players to ever play in the NBA.” Or “Yeah.  He was in Space Jam” etc.  But how do those descriptions speak to who Michael Jordan actually is?  In the same way, knowing miracles that God performed and being able to quote the Bible doesn’t mean that we know God.  It means we know of God.  One of the best ways to get to know God is answered in the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13: 1-9.  I will just summarize it, but it’s really good to read it for yourself.

A sower went out into the fields to sow and as he was doing so, some seeds fell beside him onto the ground, some fell on stony places, some fell among thorns, and some fell among good soil.  The birds came and ate the ones that fell beside him.  The ones that fell among stones ceased to grow because there was nowhere for the roots of the seeds to rest, and the ones that fell among thorns grew, but were choked by the thorns before they really had a chance to experience life.  But, the ones that fell on the good ground grew and continued to grow. 

Here is the parable explained from Matthew 13: 18-23:

The seeds that fell beside the sower are like those who hear the Word of God and misunderstand it or don’t seek to understand it. Satan comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in his/her heart.  This is the equivalent of those who go to church, listen to the Word of God, and then just go on about their day, not seeking to confirm what they have heard of to dive more into His Word so that they can understand it.

The seeds that fell on the stony ground are like those who hear the Word of God and immediately become happy and they’re so excited and ready to live for God, yet they build this excitement on something other than God.  And when the hard times come, they turn away.  Maybe you did badly on a test or a family member died.  But instead of trusting in God, this seed chooses to turn away. 
***This is Satan’s time to shine y’all.  When times get hard, that is when we need to trust God the most.  We need to talk to Him more, and to read more of His Word because if we don’t, we make it sooo easy for Satan to swoop in and separate us from God.

The seeds that fell among the thorns are the worst of all.   They represent those who hear God’s Word and they understand God’s Word, but they choose not to listen.  Ezekiel 33:31, "They come unto Thee... and they sit before Thee... and they hear Thy words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after [other things]." They choose the riches of the world and all of the temporary pleasures it has to offer rather than choose God and so they do not grow for long.

The seeds that fell upon the good ground are like those who hear the Word of God and understand it.  These are the ones who are seeking a relationship with God and not looking for a quick fix or relying on God only when they need something from Him.  These are the ones who are chasing after God’s own heart.  They want to know who God is, not just know of Him.  And most importantly, they truly LOVE God. I am talking about that agape love, the one that is unconditionally pure and that which we completely give into. 

In short, the only way to get to know WHO God is is to LOVE Him first, and from this, everything else will follow.

Do you LOVE God? I mean really love Him.  Here are a few scriptures that explain what it means to LOVE God:

1 John 5:3-4
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.  And His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world –our faith.”

Matthew 22:37-38
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.”

Matthew 16:24: "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Time to get those running shoes on and start running after God.  The best part about it is that He’s not running away from you, but there waiting for you. 

Have a great weekend!! :D