Think, Believe, or Know

For much of my life I had a testimony of that life. I had things I thought. I had things I believed. And, I had things I knew! For many years I found myself satisfied with my way of thinking, as I had no reason to change. Then one day, My Friend explained the difference in each way of thinking and expressing myself.
Basically I was told; if I think something, I’m giving my interpretation of that thought. If I say that I believe something, I’m saying that I agree with something that has been spoken or written, but I still leave room to question. If I say I KNOW something, it is something beyond question! It is as positive as the sun coming up in the morning! It is something directly related to God! It is beyond question! It is beyond interpretation! It is truth! It is faith!
You may wonder how I got to where I am today. I will try to explain my journey to you. Soon after I learned to talk I started asking questions and listening closely to those answers. Later I found that many did not want to “waste a lot of time answering little kids questions!” Others had other “more important things” to do than bother with “foolish” questions. A few would say “Bob, come on over and sit a spell and talk a spell.” They were the ones that I learned the most from, they taught me how to listen. They were ones that took the time to answer questions that were important to me!
My problem was that I was beginning to feel that most of the world was trying to put me in a bubble not of my making. Then one day, while skipping home from Sunday school I remembered something the teacher had said! He had told me that My Father in Heaven was always at my side! He told me that I never would be able to see Him, but if I had faith I would know He was there.
I had no idea what that faith stuff was, but maybe I could believe My Father was always there. At first, occasionally I would reach over and try to touch something or look down to see if I could see a shadow. I found that I could do neither! But, I knew I had a special feeling just knowing something was there! In my heart, I knew He was there, but what could I do with Him?
About that time I had a friend, another little boy that I played with. This little boy could not talk. While we were playing together, I noticed that when I would talk to him he would smile and if I ask a question he would shake his head in answer. I told this friend many things because as I talked he would smile.
This made me wonder if my other silent friend would like to be talked to. I started talking to Him as well; I told Him all kinds of things, just like I would to any other friend. Then sometime later I noticed that I had dropped the prayer talk and was addressing Him as My Friend.
One day much later, I happened to think about my silent little playmate and thinking about him shaking his head in answer to my questions. I started wondering if my other silent friend would answer too? But I could not see Him!!!
For many years I had been talking to that friend, but I never had ask a question because I had no idea how that unseen friend would or could answer! And, if I got NO ANSWER could I ever be sure again that He was really there? How could I ask a question of someone that I have been accepting as fact throughout most of my life, and suddenly have a shadow of doubt?
I decided that it was time! I had to know! Then I started wondering many things; was I prepared for an answer? Dare I ask? How should I ask? Am I worthy to ask? Can a common person like me ask a question of My Father in Heaven and even expect an answer? For a while I was afraid to ask!
Then I jumped in with both feet! I ask my question! Since I had been addressing Him as My Friend for years that was how I worded my question! My question was “My Friend, if I ask you a question, can I expect an answer?”
In a short moment I received my answer! It was not in the booming voice from Heaven that many would expect! It was ONLY ONE WORD! That word as it was placed in my heart was a “YES!”, and it was as soft as a meow from a pussy-cat!
Since that day, I have had many conversations with My Friend. Many were no more than chit chat conversations that one would have with any other friend. But others were words that needed to be written accurately, word for word, and then dated, words that should be read over many times. Over the years I have accumulated pages and pages of those answers to my questions.
One day I asked My Friend if I ask too many questions. His reply was; if you don’t ask questions how can you expect answers. I must add I don’t look upon myself as anything special, I’m not a minister, a prophet, an anointed person, or a chosen person, I’m Just Bob, just someone that has learned to hear my God’s answers when He speaks to me!