Which is more important?

[Iryssa]

I'm sensing that I'm aggravating you a little here, so after this comment I'll drop it. But at the beginning of the story it has always struck me, that initially Job's friends were doing exactly what we are called to do in the body of Christ. Job loses everything, falls to his knees in worship and his friends sit with him in silence to mourn with him and comfort him for 7 days. Because they had no inspired divine answers.

I went to the home of a woman who lost her husband Friday this morning. He didn't attend church and so I was called in because of this lack of connection to the church. She had just come from dialysis. The deceased's brother was taken to the hospital earlier in the week.. Have you ever listened to the things that people say to each other at a moment like this thinking that they know the mind of God? I held her hand and looked her in the eye and told her only what Scripture says, somewhere somehow God will get glory in this event. I will be praying for you and I would like to pray with you now if you will allow me...If you will allow me I would like to hold your hand through this chapter of your journey. I want to earn your respect as a friend. She responded and the whole room became suddenly very focused on loving each other instead of trying to rationalize why this had happened. Elihu was not a bad person, just not a guided person. Like a person who would attend a crucial moment like I did and preach to someone who needs a touch of compassion instead of a one sermon fits all type of application.

I think there is a time for weeping with someone and a time for speaking strong words to them. Sometimes, strong words are more effective than holding someone's hand. Certainly, I agree that you did the right thing with that woman, but Elihu knew Job better than either of us, so I would assume that he had a better grasp on what Job needed than we do. God was even stern with Job at that time! As for not being "guided," I see no evidence that he did not have the Spirit guiding him. Like us, I'm sure there were times when he wasn't really listening properly, but I see otherwise at other times.

[David from New Bern]

I think it looks like you're yelling when you use big type like that

I have a vision problem, so when you type small, it is like you are hiding something

[Iryssa]

I have a vision problem, so when you type small, it is like you are hiding something

[mike2]

See, the reason I think that they are equally important is because you don't get anywhere with an experience unless you have at least some idea of what you're experiencing. Would Saul have had the same experience if he did not also have his knowledge? I don't really think so. His knowledge was given a truer meaning when he experienced Christ, but the "truer meaning" would have had no meaning at all if there was nothing to give meaning to (I hope that makes sense...it sounded more concise in my head). Without knowledge, even in the barest sense of the word, experience would have no meaning. Without experience, knowledge would have no purpose. (and I hope I don't look at that explanation later and go "good grief, that doesn't express it in the slightest," because right now that seems like a pretty good expression of what I believe)

Romans tells us that we know of God from all things around us

Everyone knows of God

Everyone does not know God

Saul did not know Jesus

Saul knew of Jesus

In the sense you are talking I agree,

except , we already have the knowledge, and in order to make our rlationship with God real

we need the experience

[Iryssa]

In the sense you are talking I agree,

except , we already have the knowledge, and in order to make our rlationship with God real

we need the experience

Except? That's pretty much exactly what I meant when I said "Without experience, knowledge would have no purpose."...you put it much more precisely than I did

[mike2]

In the sense you are talking I agree,

except , we already have the knowledge, and in order to make our rlationship with God real

we need the experience

Except? That's pretty much exactly what I meant when I said "Without experience, knowledge would have no purpose."...you put it much more precisely than I did

Yes, we already have knowledge, the bare minimum knowledge to recognize God.

But that is a different knowledge than that recquired to defend our belief as a saved person.

I believe we have to have an experience with God before we will pursue and trully understand that knowledge

[mike2]

I think I am having difficulty articulating exactly what I mean

[mike2]

Hi David from New Bern,can you hear me?

[David from New Bern]

I think I am having difficulty articulating exactly what I mean

I guess you don't have the knowledge to express what you experienced

[Iryssa]

I think I am having difficulty articulating exactly what I mean

Nah, you make perfect sense...and I agree completely