The Search for Knowledge

                                                                                   

Aloha Dearest Family.

                     Years ago, I saw a Martial Arts movie called Circle of Iron (1978). It is about a young, arrogant fighter named Cord who goes on a quest to earn the right to look into the “book of enlightenment.” This book is said to contain all the world’s wisdom and knowledge. During his travels Cord must defeat several opponents in hand-to-hand combat to earn the right to look at the book. After many trials, he finally reaches the island where the book is kept. He is given the choice to stay and guard the book without gazing inside or open the book. Cord decides to open the sacred book and what he finds is that each page is just a mirror. All of the hidden wisdom of mankind was – in himself?    

         The ancient religion of Gnosticism boasted of having a secret, hidden “knowledge” that only the most devout followers could attain. But in reality, this knowledge was just the wisdom of men-which is basically worthless. The quest to find the secrets of life has been going on for thousands of years and mankind is still searching. Maybe he’s been looking in the wrong places.

                 In James chapter three, man’s wisdom is described as “earthly, sensual and devilish” (James 3:14-16). This type of wisdom produces bitter envy and strife. But God’s wisdom is described as:         

         “…pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (Verse 17)

                  Man’s knowledge is supposedly based upon facts. But facts can change over time. God’s knowledge is based upon eternal truths and therefore cannot change. A knowledge of God and His ways will not only have countless benefits for you today, but also in the life which is to come.

                   “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6a)

 God says that His people were being destroyed because they lacked knowledge. What kind of knowledge were they lacking? A guarantee you this was not a lack of knowledge about fashion, music, social media trends or political view-points. The knowledge that He is speaking of is a knowledge of their own God. 

                 “Hear the word of the Lord, You children of Israel, For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.” (Verse 1)

  This is what was causing their downfall. They did not know God and worse yet; they did not search for Him.

             God is the fountain of living waters, the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Why would anyone not want to pursue this knowledge? In truth, it is better to rely upon the infinite, spiritual realities of an eternal God than the limited, many times flawed, ideas of finite man.

                  No one knew God better than His son and Jesus came to make his Father known to the world. In one of his last prayers on earth, he prayed:

                 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they (the apostles) know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” (John 17:25 and 26)

  Jesus Christ wanted his followers to know the Father the way he knew Him. This is the great joy of the Christian life. We have the awesome honor and privilege to come to know the Creator of the Heaven’s and the earth as our Abba, our Daddy. This knowledge is the greatest treasure of all. This is available to us today because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. He gave us free and unlimited access to God Almighty.             

         Many of the prayers addressed to the first-century church, were about requesting that the believers being filled with a knowledge of God.              

         “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,” (Colossians 1:9)

         “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (lit up)…,” (Ephesians 1:16-18a)

  Why is this important? God does not want us to be ignorant; He wants us to know the score in life. Remember that God said that Israel were being destroyed because they didn’t know Him. God wants us to prosper in every category of life and when we meditate on God and His Word, we can.  Finally, we want to know God so that we can more fully trust Him. When we put our trust in man’s knowledge, ideas and opinions, we will be like a scrawny, desert shrub, always thirsty for water but never getting enough. But if we put our trust in God, we will always be nourished, always be protected and always be producing fruit.

                                      Love Always, Ray

                  “This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23 and 24)