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| Go Fly A Kite |
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Go Fly A Kite
The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger.
I don't know about you, but one of my lifetime objectives is to constantly and continuously grow in my knowledge of God and His Kingdom. Recently I posted a short little testimony about how I got saved 4 years ago on Christmas Eve. I praise the living God for His grace and mercy towards me and I daily bow before Him in the spirit to give Him thanks. That evening the old Michael died and the new Michael was brought to life. All things in the realm of my spirit had indeed been made new.
I truly feel as though I have grown by leaps and bounds in both wisdom and in stature since that evening. Each moment of each day I grow closer and closer to the understanding that in my spirit I have the very Mind of Christ. But as I grow in the knowledge of Kingdom principles, it becomes more and more apparent that the man who thinks he knows it all, is in fact a fool, and only deceives himself. I spent 40 years of life as a fool, I denounced that title 4 years ago and therefore my one goal that I have set before myself is that each day I persist in growing in my knowledge and understanding of God. Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! Billy Graham once said, "Becoming a Christian is the work of a moment; being a Christian is the work of a lifetime". How very true. In preparing for this blog I did a quick search of the and found 169 verses that contain the word "knowledge". There were another 717 verses containing the word "know", and 222 which contained the word "wisdom". There are so very many of those verses, although I did not read each one, that speak directly to my heart and in particular to this subject. I would love to share with my readers a few of those verses and what they mean to me but for me to do that would only increase the length of this blog and I feel as though I will be long-winded enough as it is. But of all the verses, examples, and principles given in the Word of God related to knowing God, one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, was spoken by Jesus himself.
Probably the most recognized and most quoted scriptures of all times is found in John 3:16. Even those that are lost are usually able to quote that verse. But I have come to believe that many, not only lost, but also saved, have come to misunderstand what that verse is really saying. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Many read or hear this verse and the thought that comes first and foremost to their minds is that whosoever believes in Jesus will escape hell. Many think that this is the main reason why Jesus came, solely to keep us from perishing eternally. While I do in fact agree that this is true, I disagree that this is the primary reason we should believe in Him. Missing hell is a great thing, yes. And it is certainly one of the promises of God, but that's not what eternal life is all about. This verse presents a contrast. It tells us that the reason we should believe in Jesus is not so that we will not perish, yet that we should have everlasting or eternal life.
To bring that point back into the context of this blog, let's look at how Jesus later on in the book of John explains to us what life eternal really means: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Plain and simple. To the point.
Profound and truthful are the words of Christ.
Life eternal is knowing God.
I think we will spend eternity itself in this growth process. I believe that we will be students forever, even after we are in the present heaven, and then eternally when we are inhabiting the new earth. I honestly don't think we will ever stop learning. We are to rule and reign with Christ, not only on the new earth, but also in and throughout all creation. There are vast worlds which do exist way beyond what we can comprehend. Greater knowledge and new ideas will forever be required for expansion of the Kingdom.
Many of you are probably thinking of this verse right now:
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. There are quite a few other verses that speak to this same context, but I am still not 100% convinced that when Jesus comes we will have no more need for knowledge. I don't want to get too far off topic by expanding on that thought however I do present the following for your consideration: 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. This is but one example of questions being asked of God by those in heaven, and God responding with an answer. It is indicative of communication and process in heaven. It also demonstrates that we won't know everything in heaven. If we did, we would have no questions. The martyrs knew more after God answered them than they did before they asked. There is learning even in the present heaven.
Grace and peace, I think we can all agree, are precious gifts from God. But did you know that we have the ability to increase the amount of grace and peace in our lives. Not only increase them, but according to the following verse, multiply them. God is a God of increase. Division and subtraction are works of the devil, but addition and multiplication are each a benefit of growing in our knowledge of God.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, There is so much to share on this topic of growing in the knowledge of God. As stated earlier, I have chosen to make it my lifelong purpose. And please don't think I am presenting this blog out of pride, or because I think I have all the answers, or because I am implying that none of you have this same desire. We all have it. God gave us this ability to learn and renew our minds. I am simply attempting to exemplify this truth and in all honesty, encourage my own self.
I actually have a little story I want to share which will explain the title of this blog, "Go Fly A Kite". But before I do that, I wanted to post a couple of paragraphs from 2 Peter Chapter 1 that really, really speak to me today. These are from the New Living Translation:
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters,work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. - AMEN
OK, so now for an explanation of the title and how this pertains to the topic of spiritual growth. Earlier I mentioned a quote from Billy Graham. That quote was taken from his book, "The Journey". As I was pondering this topic early this morning I was reminded of a short story Billy recited and I want to share that with you here today. And I quote:
"Many years ago (so the story goes) engineers made plans to construct a bridge over a deep river gorge. The biggest problem was how to get the heavy steel cables from one side of the gorge to the other. Helicopters hadn't been invented, and the turbulent, rock-strewn river below made it too dangerous to transfer the cable by boat.
The solution? One day the engineers flew a kite over the gorge. As it hovered over the opposite shore, they deliberately grounded it, which meant the two sides of the river were now linked by a thin kite string. They then tied a slightly heavier string to one end of the kite string and carefully hauled it across to the other side. Once it was in place they tied a still stronger cord to the end of that string and pulled it across. They repeated this process several more times, graduating to a thin rope, then on to stronger ropes - until eventually they were able to pull the heavy steel cables cross the gorge and construct the bridge.....
.....Spiritual growth is somewhat like the construction of that bridge. At first our faith may be small and fragile, in danger of being swept away by the storms and temptations that buffer us. But that isn't God's will! Just as the link between the two sides of that river gradually grew stronger and stronger, so God's will is for our faith to grow stronger and stronger. God's will isn't simply our conversion, but our spiritual maturity."
Wow, what a great word picture illustrating that it is God's desire for us is to be in continuous growth. Yes, getting saved and missing hell is a tremendous benefit of being a Christian, but it fails in comparison to the ultimate benefit which is an everlasting relationship with God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son!
Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; Yes, Jesus wants us to make converts, but true disciples recognize that as only the beginning. Real fruit grows over time and it is most definitely a process. A process that I am most grateful to be a part of. First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
That's all I have time for today my friends. But know that I love you in Christ And remember, God will gladly give you more wisdom and will never regret your asking. (James 1:5) Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do. (Proverbs 4:7)
I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
Michael
P.S. - This morning as I was writing this blog I discovered that the story Billy Graham was referring to was in fact a true one. It turns out that back in 1848 a cash gift of either $5 or perhaps $10 was given to the kid who successfully landed his kite on the opposing bank of the Niagara River. Homan Walsh ended up being the recipient of that prize after failing at his attempt on more than one occasion. As a result, the first bridge over the magnificent Niagara river was constructed linking Canada to the United States. All because of a Kid with a kite!
You can read the full article here: The Kite that Bridged a River |
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| To add a comment to "Go Fly A Kite" |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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| Fascinating story Michael and well linked to the spiritual growth of a Christian, great blog Bro |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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| great story...... |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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| This is beautiful. I have been to see Niagara Falls so it makes it even more meaningful! Thanks for sharing this and bringing it to bear on our walk with Jesus. |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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Wow you have been doing some thinking this weekend...and some great research. Don't you love days where we get to dig deep...
One of the things I have known since I was little was that God was indeed multifaceted. To me the way the Bible was presented in church in the Old Testament was so different than how Christ was portrayed in the New...If both are God how does it all fit? This sent me on a Word quest and into deep study of the Word esp the Old Testament...I had to come to grips with a God that rained down fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, allowed Elisha to kill the prophets of Bael, took David and Bathsheba's first born etc., required the Israelites to kill women, children and even animals, I had to come to grips with the flood in Noah's day and the seemingly destructive side of God, I had to learn what I believe sovereignty really means...Most of those questions were answered for me a while ago but the quest for me has never stopped in the knowing of Him...seeing Him as He is...
For me that is the challenge for living for today...how do we take our lives and fit them into Gods? We have to know Him to do that AND we have to be able to rearrange some of our thought process and think outside the box quite a bit. How is it that we can come up with the concept of even flying a kite to build a bridge? How can we drop buckets to natives from an airplane? How do we get to the point of building an arc when we have never seen a boat before? How do we understand what a flood is if we have never seen rain? To me all those things speak to something outside of our wisdom outside of our normal way of thinking...it takes faith to do those things, it takes faith to act on a "crazy" idea...faith in something greater than us...Then the story begins to unfold into something we had part in but can't take the credit for...what we can take credit for is the willingness to act...we will fail at times, other will be right at times when they call us stupid and simple because to them there was an obvious failure, but the successes how awesome are those and they ultimately give God the glory which puts others eyes on Him and that is where they belong, not on us...wisdom is an awesome thing (I am not disregarding what you are saying here, I hope you see I'm just adding to it...) BUT to have but faith in God that propels us to act outside the box to me is even more noble...
I know this is already a long comment but I can't help but to reflect on the Missions conference I recently attended and to think of some things Steve Saint said about his fathers death along with that of his fathers other 4 friends...many thought those missionaries were wrong for going into the jungles, many judged them harshly and said the sacrifice of their lives was not necessary to reach that Indian tribe that had never heard of Jesus, that leaving their wives and children was not worth the cost, but once those Indians were reached and relationships formed Steve found out stories that encouraged his faith...here is one of them...Steve was haunted by the though that as his dad laid dying on the beach his dad would have thought of himself as a failure in reaching the Indians, he thought his Dads thoughts would turn to his wife and kids...and that maybe the sacrifice was not worth it...he was concerned that in his Dads sacrifice of his life he would have felt like all the people said he should...but one day Steve said in talking to the Indians they said they killed the men on the beach, but there were men in the trees they could not reach, then it hit Steve that God in his magnificence allowed his father sights of heaven as he laid there dying, and he believes that God imparted to Nate Saint the knowledge that in the sacrifice of his life his family was going to be taken care of as well as those Indians...it is a powerful story but one Steve would have never known if he had not developed a relationship with his fathers murders...faith that God is ultimately good propels us to action, and different actions than others would say we should have...Steve found this story out not as a young boy but as an adult who went to the jungle to live with the Indians and he took his own family...that story continues today and is reaching millions of people and transforming lives in the knowledge God is good, and just, and merciful, and even if it appears YOU have failed, God will not..how awesome is that!
I don't know about you but I want God writing my story, and I want to have the character to launch kites when others say I'm crazy...I want to have the character to sometimes fail, and the character to succeed then give God the glory...I want to know God and His facets enough to know when I'm being given an idea outside the box that comes from Him that it is my time to act and sometimes not worry about the ending results...Man this story has made me think today...now where is my kite! |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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Michael, I so agree with the choice to quote Billy Graham, it does take only a moment to become Christian, a moment in time. But it takes time to make that moment mean what it should mean. We as Christians fight to keep our identity as Christians every day due to the influenced all around us. Thanks for the message, it's a keeper.
Rev. Laura A. Neff The Rainbow Minister |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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Thanks Stu - That really is a cool story isn't it?
Thank you also Denise!
Gaye- I have never been to Niagara Falls, but I certainly hope to do so someday, in this lifetime. And when I do, you can be sure that this story will ring ever so clear. Bless you!
Thanks for the sub-blog Lori!- You know of course I am kidding. I always admire and welcome your thoughtful commentary. You and I differ in the area of how we came to Christ indeed. My first real experiences with reading and learning the word of God came first and foremost through the New Covenant. Sure, I had heard some of the Old Testament stories but I never felt like I was bound to them or better said, never related them to my past or present life. For that reason I believe, I have had less of a problem harmonizing God's Old Testament wrath with His New Testament grace. I can most certainly though understand why so many have difficulty correlating the two.
I do agree with you that faith is what propels us into action. The measure of faith that is given to all believers is sort of like the motor that drives our desire for greater understanding.
I too love the story that Steve Saint tells of his father and of the continuing and all important mission that has extended even into today and I love the way you speak of it.
As far as you being a character, I'll give you that! It's "kite" but it's right!
Amen Laura! - As the song goes, every day with the Lord is sweeter than the day before. Thanks for the comment. It's good to see you! |
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| December 28, 2008 |
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It is a life long process..this is exactly what Paul was teaching in Ephesians:
And I pray that you being rooted and established (grounded) in love, may have power with all of the saints, to grasp how wide, and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowlege-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Eph 3:17-19
We need to latch on to the other side and allow His divine power to flow into us and change us from the inside out. Great illustration and even better thought. For only 4 years God has given you much revelation. I am impressed not by your knowlege, but by your willingness to humble yourself and be taught by the Spirit. Praise God for you! |
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| December 29, 2008 |
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| Uh,um WOW...almost speechless....Good deep,mature stuff Michael!!!KTF |
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| December 30, 2008 |
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Thank you Todd - I too enjoyed that illustration the very first time I read it. It reminds me of the phrase "waxed great" which is used throughout scripture. Have you ever witnessed the old method of candle making? Where they dip a string repeatedly into hot wax and layer by layer of wax is added? I believe our walk with the Lord is similar to that process.
Your compliment is appreciated. Praise God for "the teacher" for I myself can boast not!
Hi Jimmie - I am so glad you enjoyed and presumably agree! |
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| January 01, 2009 |
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THIS is a blessing everyone should start the New Year out with!
Happy New Year bro~ |
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