know – 1 to be well informed about 2 to be aware of 3 to be acquainted with 4 to recognize.

“An enormous amount of damage is done in the name of Christian living by bad Bible reading. Caveate lector, let the reader beware.” Eugene Peterson

“You never step into the same river twice.”
Heraclitus (Greek philosopher)

This morning I fished the tail waters of Lake Taneycomo. I’ve been fishing here since Monday. I’ve been coming to Branson and fishing this lake for more than 15 years. I have fished it with live bait, Power Bait, rooster tails, Rappalas, salmon eggs, corn, cheese, and so much more. I’ve fished it from a boat, from the shore, and wading. I’ve read all the material I could get my hands on and talked to everyone who might have any knowledge that I thought might help me land more and bigger fish. I have done my homework.

But until this morning, there was something about this body of water and about wading and fishing in general that I had never realized. Early in the morning, while the fog still glides close to the surface of the water, (if the moon is close to “full”) the moonlight illuminates the fog and acts as a light source. Once your eyes adjust, casting and retrieving is relatively easy. But you can only acquire that knowledge if you get in the water long before sunrise and the moon is in the proper stage.

Something else I learned today; if you are wading, you must stay back away from the swiftest water or your legs and torso will make too much disturbance and the fish will shy away from your area.

I also learned that, if you fish after midnight on a full moon, the large brown trout will hit countdown plugs – hard!! It was incredible. You should experience it!

“In the Western world, we make a distinction between knowing and doing. But there is no such distinction in ancient Jewish thought. Knowing was doing and doing was knowing. If you didn’t do it, you didn’t really know it. Knowledge isn’t enough. Truth must be translated with your life.” Mark Batterson – Primal

In light of that truth, do I know the scripture? Do I know God? How drastically would my world change if I did?

“I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 2Tim. 1.12b

“The truth is that most of us are already educated way beyond the level of our obedience. We learn more and do less, thinking all the while that we’re growing spiritually. The goal of knowing the Bible is knowing God.” Mark Batterson – Primal

I had to immerse myself in the river to truly begin to know it. The same is true with God. Wade in!