Echoes Into Eternity - Getting Your Wings

I entered Naval Flight School in September 1973 at Pensacola Naval Air Station. There were six weeks of ground school where we covered aeronautical principles, weather, aircraft systems, navigation, and defensive driving. Then we went to VT-1 (Training Squadron 1) at Saufley Field where we began flying the T-34 single engine trainer. My first flight was on November 14 with my instructor Lt Barnes. I flew 11 flights learning how to land, fly acrobatics, and basic navigation until they deemed me safe for solo, and finished Primary Flight Training  eight flights later.

Next was a long drive to Kingsville Texas for Basic Jet Training at VT-23. The Naval Air Station at Kingsville is south of Corpus Christi and north of Brownsville in a desolate land called South Texas, where there were cows from the King Ranch, cactus, mesquite trees, authentic Mexican food and little else.

 After three weeks of aircraft systems training for the T-2 Buckeye, a twin engine jet trainer, I made 95 flights from February 28 to August 14, 1974, where I learned how to fly in formation, fly in instrument conditions where I could not see the ground, instrument navigation around the state of Texas, ground controlled instrument approaches to landings,  firing 50 caliber machine guns into a banner towed by another airplane, more acrobatics, and flying at night. The most inspiring event in the T-2 was my first four landings on the USS Lexington on august 14^th.

 

 

Then I moved to the next hanger for Advanced Jet Training at VT-22 to fly the TA-4 Skyhawk, an incredibly maneuverable jet that would roll 720 degrees a second! From September 23 to April 3, 1975, I few 100 flights in this very sweet aircraft. We flew instruments day and night, more formation flying with acrobatics, low level visual navigation routes all over texas, tactical fighter formation flying, air combat maneuvering (dog fighting), weapons delivery with rockets and bombs and a 20 mm cannon that we targeted a school bus with a microphone that would record our hits. Again we went our to the USS Lexington in the Gulf of America, for 12 more landings.

With 214 flights and a total of 320 hours flight time, 43 hours of actual instrument time and 33 hours of night time, 16 carrier landings, and 15 catapult takeoffs, I received my Wings of Gold.

 

 

I was now a certified Naval Aviator.

As satisfying as this accomplish was, we all knew that getting our wings was really only the beginning of our training. Most of us realized that we knew enough to be dangerous, but we had not experienced all the situations that we would encounter in our careers as airborne warriors defending our country. The next few years would provide us with those moments where we would truly understand the limitations of our aircraft and ourselves. We would learn the tactics that would make us successful in battle against our well-equipped enemies. We would develop relationships with our fellow aviators that would provide the guidance and support that we would need to navigate complex situations in the air and within ourselves. Many of these would be life-long relationships that became very personal.

This portion of our training was possible because of the expertise of our more experienced aviators that we would be serving with, and we knew that we would learn the skill and knowledge in a gradual manner as we embarked on missions and further training exercises.

With the new weapons systems of our enemies, it was essential that we advance in our abilities as Naval Aviators if we were to survive battles or our rigorous training flights.

Ultimately our abilities and confidence to accomplish the mission would grow, and the flights would become more pleasing in a professional sense as well as the esthetics of flying high performance jets at low altitude over mountainous terrain at night or day at 400 plus knots.

I believe it is the same for a Disciple of Christ.

So did the Apostle Peter, who wrote this to his disciples toward the end of his ministry on Earth.

Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: ²  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

 ⁴  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

 ⁵ Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶ and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷ and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.

⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 ⁹ For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹ for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

¹² Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. ¹³ I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 2 Peter 1:1-13

 

These are some phenomenal statements that Peter is making here regarding our spiritual growth and our maturing as disciples. If we can understand these concepts and accept them, and then apply them to our lives, great things will happen.

Here is the starting point:

“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness,” v.3

Spiritual Maturity is probable.

God has given us all we need to grow. Contrary to what we may feel, we can change. Deep hurts can be healed. Our attitudes can become like those of Christ.

In other words, we have no excuses. He has provided the path and the power through His Holy Spirit that is inside us, to change us into His Sons and Daughters who will rule for eternity with Him. Spiritual growth is not only possible, but with the Holy Spiritual and our obedience, its is probable.

As we regard our own issues and those of others, can we accept this statement? Can we believe God and move forward or do we dwell in our attitudes of the past?

Principle: God wants us to know that we can become what He wants us to become.

 

⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing,´v.8

Spiritual Maturity is gradual, step by step.

Remember what Peter told his disciples in his first letter?

¹ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all  slander, ²  like newborn babies, long for the  pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³ if you have tasted  the kindness of the Lord. 1 Peter 2:1-3

When we are ‘born from above’ and receive the Holy Spirit, and now have a conscious connection to God, we are like newborn babies, immature to spiritual life. We must grow in a natural manner as we are in an environment that feeds us.  Paul helps us understand that this maturity will be developed by our church leaders who have been given by the Holy Spirit special abilities to help us grow.

¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
¹⁴ Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:11-15

As impatient as we may be, we must understand God’s process that is gradual, yet powerful.

It like the root of a ficus tree that I have seen pushing up sidewalks and cement decks as well as foundations of homes. I have a ficus tree by our house, and as it grew, we had to place it in a pot to control the root structure that was pushing up our pool deck. The ficus begins its life as a seed, then a sprout, and eventually a huge tree that is more powerful than cement structures.

Likewise we begin with a small seed of God inside us, that will grow gradually and powerfully.

It is a daily walk, one step at a time.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,  factions, ²¹ envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Galatians 5:16-25

Principle: Spiritual Maturity is gradual, one step, one issue at a time.

 

¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹ for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Spiritual Maturity is a Necessity.

Our growth in an indicator of the Spirit of God working within us.

We are saved by faith alone and there is nothing that we can add to that by what we do. But as James said, if we have faith, then we should have actions that follow our faith.

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵  If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
¹⁸  But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that  God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? ² James 2:14-21

Jame is a functional thinking Jew. For him, faith has to be functional if it actually exists.

It is essential that we have the goal of spiritual growth in our daily walk with Him.

At the end of the section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus fully explains certain aspects of the Law, he finished by saying;

Therefore  you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

The Greek word for perfect is ‘teleios’.

téleios; goal, purpose. Finished, that which has reached its end, term, limit; hence, complete, full, wanting in nothing. Figuratively, in a moral sense, of persons, Specifically of persons meaning full age, adulthood, full-grown, of persons, meaning full-grown in mind and understanding.

Principle: God wants us to grow up and become fully mature.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,

 

Spiritual Maturity is Functional.

It results when we are diligent in our efforts to mature and willing to supply our time and energy toward maturity.

Diligence: spoudḗ; to speed, urge, hasten, press. Speed, haste, earnestness, diligence, zeal. Earnest Effort.

Supply: epichorēgéō;), to furnish, give. To furnish upon, i.e., besides, in addition, to supply further, to add more unto. With the acc., furnish abundantly

Spiritual Maturity requires an investment on our part of our time and resources.

What are some of the Earnest Efforts  of Investment on our part that will result in our Spiritual Maturity?

 

1) Spending along time with God, and getting to experientially know Him.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:2-3

Knowledge: epígnōsis; to recognize. It is more intensive than gnṓsis (G1108), knowledge, because it expresses a more thorough participation in the acquiring of knowledge on the part of the learner; Experiential Knowledge, something learned from experience.

By reading His Word, by conversing with Him (talking and listening) and hearing others talk about their experiences with Him, God becomes more personable.

 

2) Having friends who you allow yourself to be open and vulnerable with them, who speak into your life, often noticing things about you that you are oblivious to.

Viable relationships need to be current. We all have friends we knew, but as the years pass with no interaction, we realized we really don’t know them anymore. Having friends who know you, love you and are willing to speak truth to you about your attitudes and behavior is essential to Spiritual Maturity. We cannot be Long Ranger Christians, traveling through this life alone.

One of the qualities we are to be diligent to possess is ‘brotherly kindness’.

“and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

Brotherly Kindness: philadelphía; one who loves his brother. Brotherly love. In the NT, used of the love of Christians one to another, brotherly love out of a common spiritual life.

 

3) Willingness to submit all expectations and areas of your life to God.

When things get uncomfortable, when we are suffering oppression and aggression from others, when things don’t go according to our plans, when we find ourselves persecuted by others, these are times to allow God to be God, and rest assured that He knows our situation and He cares (the Hebrew concept of Joy), and obey the things He tells us to do, regardless of how we may feel about that at the moment.

self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

These three characteristics deal with situations that occur that are outside your areas of comfort, desire or safety.

self control: egkráteia: temperate, self-controlled, composed, restraint, self-discipline

perseverance: hupomonḗ; to persevere, remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance as to things or circumstances. Hupomonḗ is associated with hope (1 Thess. 1:3) and refers to that quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.

Godliness: eusébeia; devout, godly. Devotion, piety toward God. Godliness or the whole of true religion, so named because piety toward God is the foundation and principal part of it.

Principle: God want us to take practical steps toward Spiritual Maturity which include increasing our experiential knowledge of Him through our time with Him, having dear friends who we allow to speak into our lives, and being willing to suffer hurts and offenses while still being obedient to Him.

Finally

Spiritual Maturity leads to an incredible eternal future.

⁹ For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

Remembering what Jesus has done for us, and what awaits us, is the motivation to remain on the path and persevere to receive all that God has for us.

Paul said it this way to his friends in Ephesus:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

Love: agápē; Love, affectionate regard, goodwill, benevolence. With reference to God's love, it is God's willful direction toward man. It involves God doing what He knows is best for man and not necessarily what man desires.

Four Dimensions of the Love of God toward us:

Breadth: There is no sin that is not forgiven.

Length: His love is for eternity- it does not end.

Height: His love takes up into His throne room, where we are seated with Him.

Depth: He went to the depths of Hell to redeem us.

 

Principle: Once we understand the dimensions of the Love of God, we will be motivated to pursue maturity.

 

Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. ¹³ I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 2 Peter 1:1-13

Therefore,

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25

We wear our wings for the rest of our life, whether they are pinned on our shirt or in our consciousness of what God has accomplished.

They stir us up as a way of reminder.