This is maybe a little bit more of an abstract question than we normally get, and it comes

from two different listeners, Mark writes in to ask this.

Pastor John, I'm an analytical thinker and have in the past devoured your books, call

me a Piper groupie.

I find myself intellectually satisfied and yet spiritually lacking in my heart.

I believe and understand and am thrilled by what I read, but it just isn't mine.

I haven't experienced it as my own.

I figure I need to seek Jesus myself in prayer and meditate on the Word and not just read

about it.

You are certainly analytical, but you have made biblical truths your own.

Can you comment on how to move beyond unapplied analysis and related to this, Chris emails

and to ask this?

Many times I feel I know a lot about God instead of knowing God, Pastor John.

Am I missing an intimacy other Christians have?

Well, let me take those together because I think, Tony, that at least they sound to me

like they're very, they're coming from the same place.

My answer is to use the words of Chris's question.

Yes, you are missing an intimacy that some, and I'm say some other Christians have.

They don't always have it.

They have it now, maybe, but they may not have it tomorrow.

You have something that they, some of them, don't have in your grasp of Scripture, and

the point of saying both of those, that yes, they have something you don't have, and yes,

...