20-09-23 What are the benefits of Knowing God vs Knowing about God

Knowing God…
JEREMIAH 6:16
PHILIPPIANS 3:7-14

Knowing God…
Facts:
One can know a great deal about God without much knowledge of Him.
One can know a great deal about godliness and what it takes to be successful in life without much knowledge of God.

Why study on knowing God?
“Studying the bible just to get answers to life questions or to make us happy or so we can defend our point of view, only leads to pride – because knowledge of the bible and principles alone puffs up.” 1 Cor 8:1-3
Our bigger purpose for bible study should be to understand God’s truth and to be conformed to it, rather than simple head knowledge. Jer. 9:23-24

God’s desire for us all..Why are we here?
Jeremiah 9:23-24; 31:33-34
Hosea 6:6; I Chron 28:9; I John 2:3; 3:6
John 17:3
Luke 10:22 (except the Lord reveals Himself)
Numbers 12:7-8; Jm. 2:23; Is 41:8 God wants us to be His friends.

What does it mean to know God?
“KNOWING GOD” IS MORE COMPLEX THAN “KNOWING ANOTHER PERSON”.

WHY? “DID YOU KNOW THAT THE MORE COMPLEX THE OBJECT YOU WANT TO KNOW, THE MORE COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT IS THE KNOWING OF IT”. SEE PROV 30:18-19

Knowing God involves:
Learning about God 2 Tim. 3:16; Jer. 6:16
Inspection and exploration. Rom 1:20-22; Ps 19:1
Revealed secrets – people and God keeps secrets- you do not know all that is someone’s heart. Thus, the quality and extent of knowing depends more on them than on us. It is them who decide whether we are going to know them or not. Deut. 29:29; Prov 25:2; Matt 13:11; Acts 17:26-27; 1 Cor 2:6-15
Experience or prior acquaintance – one cannot know another person until one knows not merely his/her past history but how he/she is likely to react or behave under specific circumstances.
Deut. 32:7; Luke 16:29; John 5:39; John 5:46-47; Isaiah 8:20

Philippians 3:7-14
Once you become aware that the main business you are here for is to know God, and Jesus as Lord, most of life’s problems fall into place of their own accord. If you don’t get an understanding of this primary purpose, then life can seem like a bad joke at times and circumstances will make life not worthwhile…
When people know God, losses and “crosses” cease to matter to them; what they have gained simply banishes these things from their minds. Knowing God places life in perspective…

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?
The people that know their God have great energy for God and do exploits. Daniel 11:31-32; Micah 5:7-9 They will be bold and take risks (Dan 1:8-16; 6:10). Those who know their God are sensitive to situations in which God’s truth and honor are being directly or silently jeopardized, and rather than let the matter go by default will force the issue on men’s attention and seek thereby to compel a change of heart about it – even at personal risk.

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?
The people who their God are people who have energy to pray for God’s cause. Dan 9:2-3

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?
Those who know their God have great thoughts of God. They have a tremendous sense of God’s majesty, even in the midst of trials. Dan 2:20-22; 9:4,7,9,14.

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?
Those who know God show great boldness for God. Acts 5:29; 20:24

What other effects does the knowledge of God have on a person?
Those who know their God have great contentment to God. There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life and forever. Dan 3:15-18; Rom 5:1; 8;