More Heart Knowledge

A lot of people have head knowledge. They may be a history major, car enthusiast, or art expert. If you dig enough, read enough, and spend enough time learning about something, it won't be long until you have a good amount of knowledge. Nowadays, it's easy to find information on things of interest. The worldwide web and YouTube has articles, blogs, information, and videos on anything you can think of. At the click of a button, we have access to anything we want to learn about; we do not lack books, knowledge or information. But I find that many of us, including myself, lack heart knowledge. You see, you don't have to be a Christian to know about God. Atheists and Agnostics know about God, or have at least some knowledge. How do you think they've come to the conclusion that they don't believe in God or that God exists? Heck, even demons and the devil know God! Though they don't follow God, they believe in Him; they know He exists. A believer of Christ or not, we are almost the same when we lack heart knowledge.

Head knowledge can only get a person so far, but it doesn't have the sustaining power. I've seen some Christians believe in God until their very last breath, and other believers fall away after a few years. So, what's the difference? I believe there are many factors, but having heart knowledge of God is one of the major reasons someone stays with the faith. Before we go any further, I want to tell you a quick story.

A woman and her husband devoted their lives to the Lord and in serving Him. They lived overseas for many years, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving the mission. Then one day, the husband unexpectedly went home to be with the Lord. Understandably, the woman was a wreck. Her heart was shattered into a million pieces, and she mourned the pain and loss, like any grieving widow. To my surprise, she questioned her faith after the death of her husband. It wasn't a Why did you let my husband die? or Are you really a good God? She literally  questioned God's existence. She stated it was easy to believe in God, alongside her husband. She may even have been relying on his faith as her own. After his departure, she didn't know if she really believed in God. She didn't have her own relationship with Him, and only prayed with her husband. This was mind blowing for me to hear. She had witnessed thousands of people being saved and giving their lives to the Lord, she witnessed many miracles, people healed and delivered. She even had her own testimonies of God providing or making a way when one could not be seen. I was having a hard time with this, and grappling her statement of unbelief. Her husband was a godly man and true servant of God; but now, she had to face whether or not she believed in God. I am not ridiculing this woman, and I can't even begin to imagine what she is going through. After much pondering, I have come to the conclusion that she did not have very much heart knowledge of God. She saw, heard, and knew God worked, but she never felt it, or knew it in her heart.

Head knowledge and heart knowledge are very different, and I am not saying that we need to choose one over the other. My point is that by having heart knowledge, in addition to head knowledge, it will further sustain us and be our anchor, in our walk with God. Think about some major decisions you've made in your life. When you married your spouse, did you just have head knowledge that they loved you or did you know it with all your heart? Would you make a life-altering decision just because you thought you should? I don't believe so. I'm not talking about decisions simply instant gratification or out of desperation, I mean big, life-changing, all-or-nothing decisions. The Bible says, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21); not that it doesn't say, where your mind is. My husband and I moved across country, left everything and everyone we knew to pursue our vocational desires. We didn't just do it because we thought it was a good idea, we did it because we believed with all of our heart that God wanted us here. Do you think God gave Jesus to die for our sins just because He thought it was a good idea, or was it because He loved us with all of His heart? Did Jesus willingly die because he thought he should, or because he felt it deep in his heart?

I don't think many of us will last on this walk with God with mere head knowledge; it's doesn't provide long term results. If someone is crafty enough, they can persuade you otherwise. Just like the serpent and Adam and Eve. How do you think salespeople make money? Have you ever had buyer's remorse--bought something that you regretted? Someone made you think you needed something, when you really didn't. This isn't so different than our belief in Christ. If someone really persuasive gives you a 100 reasons as to why God doesn't exist, would you remain in faith? Or if some tragic event happens to you, can you still praise God and believe He is truly good? I'm not so sure we could. We need to know God deep in our hearts so then we will have our own personal knowledge and understanding, that no one can take away. Heart knowledge keeps the fire in us burning for the Lord. All of us could use some more heart knowledge, and that is my hope for you today, to endure and finish the race in following Christ.  Be strong and take heart,  all you who hope in the Lord  (Psalm 31:24).

Head knowledge about God, without heart knowledge, isn't enough to nourish and preserve our faith. I believe the Pharisees and teachers of Law had a lot of head knowledge, but did that save them? Jeremiah 29:13 says  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart  and Proverbs 3:1-2 says  do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.  Let us ask God for more heart knowledge; a knowing of His unconditional love for us and His plans to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future. To know in our heart His desire to forgive and restore us. I believe that you are all sincere in your faith and want to grow in Christ, or you would not be reading this. God wants each of us to know Him, in both our minds and hearts. Romans 5:5  hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father,

You are lovely and wonderful! Full of love and compassion, kindness and grace! Lord, thank You for this message and for all of the readers. Thank You for everything You've done for us. Father, we desire to grow in our faith and our relationship with You. We desire and need You to sustain us. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will help us to endure and persevere in our walk with You. Give us a personal encounter with You. Not just head knowledge, but heart knowledge we cannot deny. Speak to us in Your truth, and fill us with your love. May we know without a doubt, who You are and what You've done for us. Give us heart knowledge of Your love for us, and what You think of us. As people pray for us, as we worship and sing, as we study Your word, fill our hearts with more of You so that when hard times come, we can stand firm in our faith. We give You praise and thank You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Prayerfully,

Pam