THEME: UNIVERSITY OF EAST AFRICAN BARATON “ECD - Youth Congress/Retreat” 22 nd -27 th Dec. 2014 Pr. Ezra Okioma Pr. Ezra Okioma SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE

THEME:

UNIVERSITY OF EAST AFRICAN BARATON

“ECD - Youth Congress/Retreat”

22nd -27th Dec. 2014

Pr. Ezra OkiomaPr. Ezra Okioma

SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE

Higher than the Highest

FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE

Our Expectation

A SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT

“A Bible-based Revival

Movement In Which Every Student Is A Witness For

Christ”


EXCELLENCE

Academic Excellence

Combined With Spiritual

Excellence

Excellence: An Adventist Principle

Sons and Daughters, p. 348

“Higher than the highest human

thought can reach is God's ideal for His children. He

wants our minds to be clear, our

tempers sweet, our love unbounding. . .

Our Methodology

SIMPLICITY

“Your success is in your

simplicity. As soon as you

depart from it your power is

gone” (2T 608)

Our Motto“TAKING HIGHER

EDUCATION HIGHER”

True Education Must Lead To the Most High

DistinctionDistinctionFirst ClassFirst Class

ExtraordinaryExtraordinarySuperioritySuperiorityOutstandingOutstandingUnsurpassedUnsurpassed

OutshineOutshineNotableNotable

Excellence

Why Pursue Excellence?

The Need for Excellence1. God Is A God of 1. God Is A God of

ExcellenceExcellence2. People Everywhere 2. People Everywhere

Expect itExpect it

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

http://www.wildnatureimages.com/BaldEaglePhotos.htm


# 3People

Respect & Reward

ExcellenceDoctors, Lawyers, Scientist, Mechanic, Restaurants, etc.

Excellence is often thought of in light of academics or athletics. An excellent

student often has certificates, degrees, awards,

even a good paying job to prove their level of academic

excellence.

Excellence

Excellence

An excellent athlete has awards, medals, trophies, even a position on a professional sports team that shows how excellent an athlete they are.

D. Rudisha

Proverbs 22:29“Do you see a man who excels in his

work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown

men” (Proverbs 22:29; NKJV).


#4Because

God Demands Excellence (It is not

optional; it is an obligation. To

refuse to excel is disobedience or

sin)


#5. Because God Demands Excellence

--Only skillful workers to build OT temple (Exo 31:1-6). --Worshipers forbidden to take substandard offerings before God (no lame or defective animals, spoiled grain, etc.). Lev 1:3-4; 2:1: Exo 23:10; Deut 18:4. --We are to “Honor the LORD with . . . the firstfruits of all your crops (Pro 3:9-10).

God Demands Excellence

To impress upon us the demand for excellence, the Bible has given us

some symbols or objects of excellence.


FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE

Today’s Message. . .

The Symbol of Excellence



What Is A Symbol?

Something that stands Something that stands for or represents for or represents something else, something else,

especially an object especially an object representing an representing an

abstractionabstraction





A Unique Symbol of Excellence

An Eagle is;

We Are Eagles“My people of Africa, we were created in

the image of God, but men have made us think that we are

chickens, and we still think we are, but we are eagles. Stretch

forth your wings and fly! Don't be content

with the food of chickens”

J.K Agrey



WHY BE A CHICKEN? When You

Can Be An Eagle

From Excellence of Eagles



To Eagles of Excellence

Scripture

Readings:

Proverbs 30:18-19

Isaiah 40:31

18 There are three things which are too wonderful for me, Yes, four which I do not understand:19 The way of an eagle in the air,The way of a serpent on a rock,The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,And the way of a man with a virgin (woman).

Proverbs 30:18, 19

PROVERBS 30:18, 19

1. THE WAY OF AN EAGLE IN THE AIR1. THE WAY OF AN EAGLE IN THE AIR2. THE WAY OF A SERPENT ON A ROCK 2. THE WAY OF A SERPENT ON A ROCK 3. THE WAY OF A SHIP IN THE SEA 3. THE WAY OF A SHIP IN THE SEA 4. THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A YOUNG 4. THE WAY OF A MAN WITH A YOUNG WOMAN WOMAN

(i) They cover air, land, and water. (i) They cover air, land, and water. (ii) They involve birds, animals, an inanimate human invention, and (ii) They involve birds, animals, an inanimate human invention, and human beings. human beings. (iii) The first 3 are alone, the fourth is a couple. (iii) The first 3 are alone, the fourth is a couple. (iv) All four things are graceful, yet incredibly complex and (iv) All four things are graceful, yet incredibly complex and

intricate.intricate.



We Shall Focus on the Way of An Eagle In the Air.

HOW IT SOARS HIGH IN THE

AIR

But those who wait on the LORDShall renew their strength;They shall mount up with wings like eagles,They shall run and not be weary,They shall walk and not faint.(New King James Version)

Isaiah 40:31




Can Be An Eagle

In Every Culture Birds Reflect Certain Human

Characteristics PERSONALITY OF

BIRDS What picture comes to mind when we say a person What picture comes to mind when we say a person is a . . .is a . . .

--Parrot--Parrot--Vulture --Vulture --Peacock--Peacock

- Dove - Dove -- Raven or Crow -- Raven or Crow

--Chickens--Chickens

What picture comes to mind when we say a person What picture comes to mind when we say a person is a . . .is a . . .

--Parrot--Parrot--Vulture --Vulture --Peacock--Peacock

- Dove - Dove -- Raven or Crow -- Raven or Crow

--Chickens--Chickens

What About the Eagle? (What

Characteristics Come To Mind?)





Unique Qualities of Eagles





Keen, Binocular

Vision

Can see a 3 cm object. Can spot a mouse 5 miles away







Very Strong





SWIFT & UNWEARY Wing span: 5-8 ft (1.5-2.5m);

Speed: 200 km/hr.

Dist.: 900 miles (1500km) South of Greeland

Weight: 8-13 lbs(3.5-6 kg)

A Universal Symbol of Excellence

For centuries the eagle has been a great

icon of companies, institutions, and nations.





In 1782, Eagle Chosen As Nation

Bird of USA

Russians Russians Austrians Austrians

Poland Poland Moldova Moldova Romania Romania Serbia Serbia

MonteneMontenegrogro

EAGLE: Emblem of Nations



KENYA

The Way of An Eagle

I. We Are Eagles; We’re I. We Are Eagles; We’re Not ChickensNot Chickens

(I will focus on the identity of eagles)(I will focus on the identity of eagles)

II. We Must Soar; We II. We Must Soar; We Musn’t Just FlyMusn’t Just Fly

(I will show what it takes for eagles to (I will show what it takes for eagles to soar)soar)

I. We Are Eagles; We’re I. We Are Eagles; We’re Not ChickensNot Chickens

(I will focus on the identity of eagles)(I will focus on the identity of eagles)

II. We Must Soar; We II. We Must Soar; We Musn’t Just FlyMusn’t Just Fly

(I will show what it takes for eagles to (I will show what it takes for eagles to soar)soar)

Part I

I. WE ARE EAGLES, NOT CHICKENS

• Because we are eagles, the Bible Because we are eagles, the Bible makes at makes at least 25least 25 references to references to eagleseagles (29 in the NIV, 31 in the (29 in the NIV, 31 in the NLT, 32 in NASB and 34 in KJV NLT, 32 in NASB and 34 in KJV and YLT; ). No other bird has that and YLT; ). No other bird has that much reference in Scripture. The much reference in Scripture. The Bible only speaks of Bible only speaks of chickens chickens onceonce (Matthew 23:37). (Matthew 23:37).

1.1.Eagles Eagles Strive for the Strive for the

BestBestChickens Settle for Mediocrity

I. We Are Eagles, Not Chickens



Eagles Strive for the Best

LONGEVITY, FOOD, & HOME







Nest: 20 ft (6m) Deep,

9.5 ft (3m) Diameter; 1-2 tons (1800 kg) Weight

Eagles Strive for the Best Eagles Strive for the Best

LONGEVITY, FOOD, & LONGEVITY, FOOD, & HOMEHOME



We must excel at school, work, church, home,

community. Don’t just seek for a job, create one. Don’t just settle for a

salary as an employee; seek to make profit as an

employer

Pursue Excellence

Eagles live longer and Eagles live longer and excel because they feed excel because they feed on fresh prey. (Vultures on fresh prey. (Vultures eat dead animals.) If we eat dead animals.) If we

are to excel, we also are to excel, we also must steer clear of must steer clear of outdated and old outdated and old

information. We must information. We must always do our research always do our research

well.well.

2. Eagles 2. Eagles Have Keen Have Keen

Vision Vision Chickens Are Shortsighted


27 Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high? 28 On the rock it dwells and resides, On the crag of the rock and the stronghold. 29 From there it spies out the prey;

Its eyes observe from afar.

Job 39:27-29





Keen, Binocular

Vision

--Eyes like zoom lens on camera or binoculars--Scope of Vision is 275 Degrees; See Front, Back, and Side--Second Eyelid

--Vision, not the same as sight--Without vision we perish (Prov 29:18)--See as God sees; eternal, not temporal--PURPOSE--Son’s bird gift to father



Have Vision or Purpose

A sense of where you are, where you are going, how you are going to get there and what you will do after you get

there.” The ability to see above and beyond.

““The greatest The greatest tragedy is to tragedy is to

live a life live a life without a without a vision or vision or purpose”purpose”

3. Eagles Are 3. Eagles Are FocusedFocused

Chickens Are Easily Distracted




Focused Keen eyes and every part of body focused on prey.

--Eagles focus on their mission. --Have a singleness of purpose. --It will stubbornly refuse to deviate from its goal.



--Refuse to be deterred by our critics.

--Ignore their attacks and negative criticisms.

--Don’t be deviated from your purpose.

--Refuse to be hurt or bitter by what they do to you (African “PHDs”.

--Soccer attack, Mango trees

--Avoid envy & jealousy (Aesop)



Just “One Thing”Psalm 27:4--One thing have I desired of the LORD, Mark 10:21: [the Rich Young Ruler] One thing thou lackest: Luke 10:42—Martha: one thing is needful: John 9:25: --Born blind: one thing I know Philippians 3:13: Paul: one thing I do,

4. Eagles 4. Eagles Wait Wait

PatientlyPatientlyChickens Rush & Are Rash



Isaiah 40:31

They Wait

Patiently--Roost for hours above a rabbit hole, snake hole, or a place where a fish or bird had disappeared. --It will wait and wait, sometimes for hours on end. --Then when the prey rears its head, eagle strikes like lightening or bullet





--Patience in our age of fast foods and quick fixes, microwave, and overnight express. --Instant coffee, instant food delivery, microwave, email, instant messaging, etc.--We’re too impatient to wait for anything and too lazy to work long and hard to make it better.--Fruit that takes time to ripen tastes best

Patience Is Key



5. Eagles Have 5. Eagles Have Fun; Have Sense Fun; Have Sense

of Humorof HumorChickens Have No Joy; Always

Gloomy


They Have Fun

--They often soar and wheel about the sky, diving and zooming through the clouds for the sheer fun of it; Air-show of Air-force planes.--Tease their preys





--Take life a little easy. Have a sense of humor--Don’t go through life with long, moody and sad faces.--Baptized in lemon juice --A merry heart—a joyful heart, or laughter—is as good medicine (Proverbs 17:22). --72 muscles to frown and 14 to smile--Age: More than 50 years--Joy, fruit of Spirit--Sing for joy. Share your testimonies. Be thankful.

Joy, Fun, Laughter



6. Eagles Dare 6. Eagles Dare to Stand Aloneto Stand AloneChickens Move with the Crowd


They’re Not Afraid to Be or

Go It Alone

--They’re not chickens--depending chicken friends. We eat chicken food, dress like chickens, involve

ourselves with chicken relationships, and only have

chicken dreams.----They resist negative peer

pressure.





-Don’t become spiritual chickens--Resist the dependency syndrome. --Resist the glorification of a culture of dependency--Don’t worry what people think; for rarely do people think! --Refuse to be blind slaves of public opinion.--Resist the peer pressure to conform.

Dare to Stand Alone



7. Eagles 7. Eagles CommittedCommitted to to their Matestheir Mates

Chickens Lack Moral Integrity


Committed to their mate for

life.

--Purity, integrity, fidelity, etc. --No promiscuity--Avoid divorce.

Fidelity, Committed



Part II

II. WE MUST SOAR, WE MUSTN’T JUST FLY

• What makes eagles to soar? How do they What makes eagles to soar? How do they get their “flight training”? Where do they get their “flight training”? Where do they get their “flight instruction,” and how do get their “flight instruction,” and how do they develop their “operational skills”? they develop their “operational skills”?

• Pilots undergo intensive training (recruit Pilots undergo intensive training (recruit qualified candidates, an initial test, qualified candidates, an initial test, intense ground and air training, periodic intense ground and air training, periodic training for new challenges and improve training for new challenges and improve their operational skills). What about their operational skills). What about eagles?eagles?

1. Eagles Are 1. Eagles Are Born EaglesBorn Eagles

II. We Must Soar, We Mustn’t Just Fly

Be Born An Eagle

Chicken cannot soar. Because it is not the nature of chickens or turkeys to soar.

You can recruit qualified chickens and give them flight instruction on how to soar. But it will never happen.

They don’t have the physical nature (feathers, wings, etc.) to soar. The most you’ll get from them is fluttering and flapping of their wings. Chickens can get all the PhDs they want, but it will not make them soar



Many of us are trying to be eagles, but we don’t have the constitution—what it takes to be an eagle. To soar as an eagle, we must have the mindset—the attitude—of an eagle. It all begins with the mind. We are what we think. (“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”).

The good news is, through the enabling power of the Spirit, every person can be an eagle. We can be changed from our chicken behavior to eagles. We can all excel in whatever we do, so long as we have the attitude of an eagle.

Be Born Again

2. Eagles 2. Eagles Break Their Break Their

ShellsShells


The First TestThe life of a soaring eagle begins with struggles inside their shells.

--Before an eagle is even born, they actually have a small tooth on their beak and that helps them to break out of the egg shell.

--If anyone tries to help that baby eagle to escape, it will probably not survive because breaking through the egg shell is the tenacity and the fight that the eagle needs to make it in life

If the baby eagle does not break through the shell, it will become smelly and hot inside.



Difficulties and trials are often the best training ground to prepare us for great responsibilities in life.

People who have never had difficulties or problems tend to be very shallow.

No diamond or gem has ever been polished without friction. It is the irritation in the oyster that produces the pearl.

Difficulties & Trials in the

Obscurity of our Shells

In every disappointment, in every sickness, in

every bereavement, there is a call from

the Lord to each one of us – “Rise and fly. Get your feet towards home.” Every tragedy is a summons to rise

and fly

3. Eagles 3. Eagles Move Out of Move Out of the Comfort the Comfort

ZoneZone


Stirring the Nest



11 As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings, 12 So the LORD alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him.

Deuteronomy 32:11-12

Learning To Fly



God Sometimes Stirs Our Nests So that We Don’t Get Too Comfortable



Financial Crisis

Jobs /Education

Health

Relationships/Marriages

Family/Children

Business

We must gain from out pain. Difficulties and pains are excellent motivators for us to soar. Without problems—without the stirring of the nest—we can be crippled in our nests.

Sometimes the Lord permits affliction in our lives to urge us forward. Trials are opportunities for us to grow.

Let trials move us out of our comfort zones

The Stirring of Our Nests



4. Eagles 4. Eagles Have A Sense Have A Sense

of Timingof Timing


Sense of TimingEagles don't fly, they soar. Other birds make a great commotion by fluttering. They're trying to get somewhere, but they just flap around. Eagles have another way.

Often the eagle will sit on the nest or on a rock ledge ready for flight. But instead of taking off, they wait and wait. --for the right thermal currents.

1. Because they use the available resources wisely, they rise quickly and smoothly up into the air. 3. It is more on the waiting that leads the eagle to soar.4. If you utilize the thermal and wind currents, you’ll soar. But if you try to flap your way through the skies, you’ll soon be exhausted, perhaps even be dead.

Don’t Just Flap Your Wings

Around; Soar



Use Time Wisely

Use Technology

Use Available Resources

Use the Currents of the Spirit• Spiritually, many of us are trying to flap Spiritually, many of us are trying to flap

our wings to heaven (the fruitless efforts to our wings to heaven (the fruitless efforts to work our way to heaven). We need to rely work our way to heaven). We need to rely on the enabling currents of the Holy Spirit. on the enabling currents of the Holy Spirit. Let us allow the wind of God’s Spirit take Let us allow the wind of God’s Spirit take us to new heights. Let us be sensitive to us to new heights. Let us be sensitive to the movings of the Spirit on our hearts. the movings of the Spirit on our hearts. When we respond, He will take us to new When we respond, He will take us to new heights. heights.

5. Eagles Ride 5. Eagles Ride the Stormthe Storm


Not Afraid of StormsNot Afraid of Storms

It locks its wings in such a position as to allow the force of the wind to

lift and carry it. Many birds are afraid of storms. When they sense a storm coming their way, they fly off as quickly as possible. But sometimes birds cannot fly

fast enough to find shelter from the storm. No matter how hard they fly, some times birds get caught in the storm and many die. Not so with the

eagle.



Not Afraid of Storms

The stronger and more boisterous the

storm, the higher the eagles soar. In

fact storms actually increase its speed. The eagle has no ability to stop the

storm, but it has the ability to fly above

the storm.

Don’t Fear Them

(Don’t Complain or Fret)Let’s take the winds of

adversity and turn them into

opportunities. We shall fly faster and higher than ever

before. Let’s make lemonades out of the

lemons of life.

“Opposing circumstances should create a firm determination to overcome them. The breaking down of one barrier will give

greater ability and courage to go forward. Press with determination

in the right direction, and circumstances will be your helpers,

not your hindrances.(E.G. White, Messages To Young People, 99-

100).

6. Eagles 6. Eagles Renew their Renew their

StrengthStrength


Eagles Also Get Tired, Wounded, & Old

Like all other creatures, eagles have

weaknesses. They make mistakes, misjudge

distances, miscalculate dives. They grow old

and weak. Falling victim to such perils can leave them with

broken bones, weakened bodies, and

rendering them incapable of the soaring

qualities.

How Do Old, Tired, & Wounded Eagles Renew Their Strength?



What About What About Us?Us?

--There are times when --There are times when we are dry stale, we are dry stale,

depressed, weak and depressed, weak and defeated.defeated.

-- The world sometimes -- The world sometimes deals us a bitter blow. It deals us a bitter blow. It will ruffle our feathers will ruffle our feathers

so to speak. so to speak. --We may have lost our --We may have lost our

confidence, and our confidence, and our dreams may even dreams may even

explode in our face. explode in our face. --We sometimes fail and --We sometimes fail and

fallfall


Isaiah 40:31

NEWSTART“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew

their strength.”



Nutrition

Exercise

Water

Sunshine

Temperance

Air

Rest

Trust in the Lord

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! . . . .And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:1-6


Isaiah 40:31

7. Eagles Are 7. Eagles Are Not Afraid To Not Afraid To

DieDie


Eagles always die with their feet fastened on solid rock and their faces facing the sun.



We also must not be afraid of dying. Fear—especially the fear of death—is one reason why we don’t soar. Those

not afraid to die, are those who accomplish their mission in life—whether good or evil (Communists,

Terrorists, suicide bombers, Indian nationalists, etc.)

We are eagles. We must not fear death. When we have

done all that we’re supposed to do in life, when we have accomplished our mission,

we also must go to the mountain top and, by faith, look at the sun—the Sun of Righteousness. And with our feet firmly planted on

the rock—the Rock of Ages—we must face death with

hope.



Eagle Christians Always Die In the Hope of the

Resurrection





They die in hope because they believe that one day soon,

the Lord Jesus Christ will come for His eagles, and they will soar with Him

to Heaven.

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. [SOARING WITH CHRIST] And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17



He Will Surely Carry UsHe Will Surely Carry Us

ON EAGLE’S ON EAGLE’S WINGSWINGS




Can Be An Eagle

A Unique Symbol of Excellence

BEGIN WITH HIM:

He Is the He Is the Key to Key to

ExcellenceExcellence

Documents

THEME: UNIVERSITY OF EAST AFRICAN BARATON “ECD - Youth Congress/Retreat” 22 nd -27 th Dec. 2014 Pr. Ezra Okioma Pr. Ezra Okioma SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE