Deuteronomy 8:2
“You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Remembering all the way in which the Lord led you is knowledge of the facts. Facts alone do not constitute faith. Hebrews 11 tells us “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.” Faith is believing with your heart. It is knowing in your gut even without facts to back up the feeling.
I took a course a number of years ago called Evangelism Explosion. Their teaching was that head knowledge of Christ alone was not enough. You needed to have Christ in your heart. I understood that concept. You see, I knew about Jesus. I knew He was a good man. I knew the stories about things He did. But I did not believe He was the Son of God nor that He did those things for me. When you have Christ in your heart, you just know things. And you know that you know that you know. It is a feeling. There is certainty. I did the studies. I learned the Bible verses. I invited Jesus into my heart to abide with me. He has been my faithful Friend for seventeen plus years. It brings me to tears when I ponder Him laying down His life for me, His friend. I now have Him in my heart.
Here is my dilemma. I was able to move Christ from my head the eighteen inches to my heart. I love Him. I believe in Him. He has my faith and trust in almost every area of my life. There is one challenge. I don’t always believe He will do things for me. I guess I doubt His love for me. Who am I the He is mindful of me (Psalm 8:4). I doubt that I am worthy of being a Child of God. Although Christ resides in my heart now, I do not have a full understanding of who He is to me and who I am to Him. I lack head knowledge. I cannot comprehend all that I can do in Christ for His glory. I let the enemy distract me from the power I have received. How about you? Are you falling short of the destiny put in you by Christ?
God needs to be in every part of us. He moves from head to heart as your faith grows. Your faith can also help share Him with your head. He needs to be in both places for you to fully achieve all He has set out for you to do in His name. I am not sure how to make that happen yet and so I will pray for me and for you. I think this will take some knee walking like my friend Andy says. Here goes!
Lord, here is Your servant needing Your guidance. I have You in my heart. The evidence of that is Your fruit overflows from me to those around me. I know You are in there. And yet I struggle with letting go and letting You control every part of my life. The accuser tells me that I am not good enough. Help me to listen to the voice of the Shepherd. I know Your voice. Help me to listen to the voice of truth alone. Father, I pray for those who will read this message. I pray that You will guide them and love them as You have loved me. Let them hear Your voice as well. Clarify their thinking to focus on You and ignore the lies that they are not worthy. They are Your children and heirs to the Kingdom. Please remind them of Your love for them. Help us all to come to full head knowledge of all we mean to You. In Jesus glorious name I pray! Amen!
Prayer for God’s Guidance Anonymous www.beliefnet.com
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.