WE ARE CALLED TO BE DOWN-TO-EARTH HIGH FLYERS!
“But they who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31
When asked recently why the Christian church in the Western world seems to be in sharp decline, a preacher replied: “Because the church has too many sparrows in it and not enough eagles!”
Sparrows , like many other birds, fly together in flocks at low altitudes and are considered to be weak and vulnerable – albeit charming members of God’s creation. Eagles, in contrast, are icons of power and strength. So let’s look briefly at some of the characteristics of eagles and what this familiar text from Isaiah teaches us about what we can become if we wait upon the Lord.
First, an eagle has absolutely no fear of its prey, no matter what the size. We too must be fearless in telling others about the love and sacrifice of God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Way, Truth and Life in this dark, sin-sick world.
An eagle looks for and flies into storms. As storms approach, lesser birds head for cover, but the eagle spreads its wings and mounts upon the powerful winds, soaring to great heights. Eagles actually use the storm to lift them. As Christians we are urged to see our trials and tribulations as means of testing our faith in God and putting our complete trust in Him so that we can achieve great things for Him even though we live simple, ordinary lives.
The eagle is known for its ferociousness, yet no member of the bird family is more gentle and attentive to its young. At just the right time, the mother eagle begins to teach her eaglets how to fly. She gathers an eaglet onto her back, and spreading her wings, flies high. Suddenly she swoops out from under the eaglet and allows it to fall. As it falls, it gradually learns what its wings are for until the mother catches it once again. The process is repeated. If the young is slow to learn or cowardly, she returns it to the nest, and begins to tear it apart, until there is nothing left for the eaglet to cling to. Then she nudges him off the cliff. In summary, ask God to teach and train you to be reliant upon His Word, active in prayer, faithful in fellowship and a servant in seeking to meet the needs of others in church and in the wider community.
Finally, eagles can fly up to an altitude of 10,000 feet, but they are able to swiftly land on the ground. The descending glide of an eagle can be anywhere from 50-75 mph. Here’s the point: Christians, and especially those in leadership roles, must be down to earth. We must be able to touch people with the Gospel message of salvation in a way that enables them to know us, enjoy being with us and trust us. The message of the Gospel speaks loudest when people see Christ in us. That’s not possible when we are10,000 feet in the air!
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The Annual General Meeting of the Gwent Baptist Association will be held at Blaenau Gwent Baptist Church on Thursday, 9th October at 7.30pm. The guest speaker will be the Reverend Dr. Craig Gardiner , tutor in Christian doctrine at the South Wales Baptist College.
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BIBLE STUDY
The Pastor will be leading a Bible study entitled “Purpose Driven Life” on a Thursday evening,
commencing on 23rd October at 7.00pm. This Bible study will continue for approximately 40 weeks.
Speakers for Sundays in October
5th: am: Pastor Peter Cho
pm: Dr Chris Palmer
12th: am: Pastor Peter Cho
pm: Gail Dixon
19th: am: Mr Mel McDonagh
pm: “ “ “
26th: am: Pastor Peter Cho
pm: Rev Richard Harrison
Diary Dates for October
Tuesday 7th: Prayer Meeting
Thursday 9th: Community Luncheon Club
Gwent Baptist Association AGM
Tuesday 14th: Silk Road Ministries
Thursday 16th: Joint Prayer Meeting
Thursday 23rd: Community Luncheon Club
‘Purpose Driven Life’ Bible study
20th – 24th: Newbridge Regeneration Exhibition
Saturday 25th: 6.00pm: Fellowship Meal
Wednesday 29th: Joint Deacons’ Meeting
Thursday 30th: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ Bible Study