I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today to encourage you on how to produce thanksgiving in the hearts of others.
Hope For Today is a part of the ministry of Eagles In Leadership. If you would like to know more about the hope God gives and His abundant life through Jesus Christ, I would invite you to check out our website: EaglesInLeadership.org.
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“Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.” (Genesis 17:23–24, ESV)
Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house … that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old. Excuses are a dime a dozen these days. In reality, they are the lies we tell ourselves when we simply are in rebellion to the plan before us.
Abraham, the Father of Faith, knows no such imperfection in his character. Once God declares His will and explains the direction has never changed, despite the living, breathing child of doubt standing beside him, Abraham pivots and obeys.
Character is seen in swiftness and boldness, in obedience and in cost. Surely, Abraham had to deal with his failure and his misjudgment as to how God would accomplish this daring plan – a child would be born from his body – and that was with Sarah! Wow!
Now, not willing to make a second mistake, he returns to his character – faith acts. And, without delay, “that very day, as God had said to him,” he circumcises his entire male household. There would be pain. There would be hesitancy in the heart of the normal man. Not in Abraham. Not even his age stood in the way of God’s plan … “Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.”
In the grand scheme of your life, can you say that you choose to obey over delay? Now, be serious, and write down five things you have done that God has told you to do … painful things … things that cut into you. Finances realigned to include generous giving? Scheduling reworked to make room for God? Relationships dropped or added? Rebellions abandoned? Disciplines added?
God longs to bless you. He blesses the person of faith. As Jesus has said, “According to your faith be it done to you.”(Matthew 9:29, ESV) Since faith acts, what do you need to do to demonstrate your faith today? Are you just one obedience away from God’s blessing?
Faith Filled Fridays hope to boost your trust in God and accelerate your daring and courage in everyday life. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each encouragement out of a heart that has known both great joy and great loss – his wife of 38 years, 5 months and 2 days was promoted to Heaven on November 11, 2017. Through every experience, God has proven Himself more than faithful and trustworthy. He welcomes your comments below.
“Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the slave girl of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:34–38, NASB95)
And Mary said, “Behold, the slave girl of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.”What’s your reaction when God calls you to do the impossible? Are you stunned? Like Moses, do you tell God you just don’t want to? How would you react to God’s next assignment if it meant embarrassment and ridicule?
Mary had to know the implications of such a reality – growing up in the small hamlet of Nazareth with all those distinct personalities. There, people had nothing better to do than to be in everyone else’s business. Gossip was the social media of the day.
So, despite the impending deluge of innuendo and finger-pointing, judgment and criticism, Mary chose without hesitation to accept the mission of God set before her. That is what a disciple of Jesus does. They trust God despite the difficulty. They know God never asks us to do anything that doesn’t have a purpose.
Perhaps one of the great truths of following Jesus is that the greater the personal pain the greater the Gospel gain. When God asks, He has a purpose we often can’t comprehend. Mary was blessed with an inkling of what God was up to: “The holy Child shall be called the Son of God. “While she may not have understood all the ramifications, she truly understood some of it. Just read her song (Luke 1:46-55).
As you contemplate the mission God has been asking you to do, I wonder if you might be honest enough to admit your response to God right now. He knows, by the way. Are you hesitant or are you excited? Is it scary? That’s ok. Does it launch you into the unknown? God is already there. Since God asked, He is up to something using you!
Train Them Thursdays seeks to wed the Great Commission directive of Jesus with the practice He employed while on Earth. Each nugget is meant to encourage the reader with a “can-do” spirit to realize that discipleship is something each person is both capable of and empowered to accomplish. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each thought and they flow out of decades of his tried and true field-testing in multiple settings from rural to inner city. He welcomes your comments below.
“So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: HIS NAME IS JOHN. And they were all amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.” (Luke 1:62–64, HCSB)
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.There are times when our doubt causes God to sideline us. He chooses to silence us in order to allow us time to reorder our priorities and rekindle our faith.
For Zechariah, father of the newly birthed John who would become the Baptizer, his nine-month seclusion came to an end when he declared by faith the name of his new son! Has there been a time when you have doubted God could or would work? Do you know the season of silence that we speak of here?
For those of us who have traveled along the road of regret for questioning God, we know what Zachariah did so long ago: Faith flows from the abundance of the heart. When our hearts are cool to the ability and willingness of God, nothing good happens in our lives.
Stepping into the presence of God through His word on a daily basis can feed our faith and intensify our willingness to trust Him, even in the absurd. Nine months without a word. Can you imagine Zechariah’s frustration? Can you feel the torture to his soul? Can you empathize with his regret?
Being a willing worker for God – a leader if you will – is all about stepping up and stepping out when and where God says, “Go!” And once we rewire our souls and realize that we must not only rekindle our faith but keep it blazing because we never know when God is going to arrive or what God is going ask of us, we have found the path of life! And on that path there is joy, abundance, and peace.
Zechariah’s explosion of praise can be ours. We just have to fan the flame of faith by opening the Word, trusting that the God who spoke and acted will speak and act just like that all over again in our lives. That’s what leaders do. That’s what they depend on. That’s why they are leaders. That’s who God is making you to be! Embrace it!
Willing Worker Wednesdays are dedicated to explaining the core realities of servant leadership – the Biblical principles and methods used by God’s faithful people throughout time. They further reflect the lifestyle of Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords as He walked on this earth announcing the Kingdom of God had arrived. These brief lessons are written by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, and come from his extensive ministry within the local church, in higher education, in church consulting and as a Biblical author and leader. He welcomes your comments below.
“In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. And Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth had dried out.” (Genesis 8:13–14, ESV)
In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth. Unless you love math, you probably missed this when you read it. Noah and his family had been on the ark for ten and a half months! Can you imagine the stench? Can you feel the claustrophobia?
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to be trapped. I don’t like to wait. And I surely don’t like animal smells. So, everything about this situation goes against who I am, except, of course, the fact that this was the ONLY way God was rescuing Noah and his family.
And there it is … isn’t it. Often we are called on to wait. To sit. To work. To deal with the stinky situations while God unfolds His rescue plan for us. And, we have to admit, that often we complain about the method of rescue more than we appreciate the fact that we are being rescued. Guilty here. How about you?
Often God stages our rescue in a messy manner. We were hoping for the limousine and God sends a donkey, so to speak. We wanted fanfare and God gave us a job that makes us work hard. We thought it would be filled with happiness and God makes us go through the valley. To be honest, God seldom rescues us according to our imaginations or fantasies.
Today, as you think about your mess, realize that one day you will have a message. And God is setting you up to share it is the following way “I thought God would … but this is what He did!” God prefers to do things His way. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. He is the way maker.
Our task is simple: Trust and obey. Wait patiently on His rescue. Trust in His character. Expect something to happen. And don’t give up! In the midst of your situation, God is working your rescue. Be thankful and praise him in the mist of the stench … soon you’ll be released!
Turn-Around Tuesdays are designed to bring hope and help, insight and encouragement to those of us who are simply overwhelmed by the flood of problems life throws at us. No one is immune to trials and troubles, but God has a way of lifting us from life’s torrents. Each short thought is written by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, and comes from his life-journey with the God who never leaves us or forsakes us. He welcomes your comments below.
“In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.” (Genesis 4:3–5, CSB)
The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Raising our children to understand what God loves and what He requires is key to our magnificent marriage. Like John, every parent wants to be able to proclaim, “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.” (3 John 4, CSB)
So, why do so many parents neglect the spiritual growth and nurture of their children? I mean, they make sure they’re signed up for every conceivable activity and experience on the planet. Why not deeply ingrain in them the one relationship that will ensure they get off the planet alive and well?
Cain and Abel suffered from what most children born into a spiritual home today do: Parental neglect. When children have no root structure deep in a relationship with God Almighty through Jesus Christ and are devoid of the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit, their lives run amok. Heartache and heartbreak are the natural results of a life lived apart from the supernatural transformation and inspiration of the God who created and loves them.
When our children know and understand that God loves them and only wants the best for them, they flourish in His favor – the smile of His face over their lives. As parents, our marriage flourishes because we are able to invest in one another. We aren’t pulled in ten different directions because of this catastrophe and that rebellion.
Marriage is designed by God to be magnificent. Of course, it will be a lot of work. Living with another person is a recipe for tension. Adding to that mix with four, five, or six children multiplies those difficulties unless you both choose to work with God and lead those lives well. In the management of your home, working together, your marriage will blossom in new dimensions you’ve never imagined!
Magnificent Marriage Mondays are helpful hints, clues, ideas, and solutions for the child of God who is looking for a spouse, in a relationship with someone, or are already married. Each post seeks to bring help, hope, and honesty to your life and make the rest of your life, the best of your life. They are written by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, and come from his 38 years, 5 months and 2 days experience with his wife, Melodee, who was promoted to Heaven on November 11, 2017. He is currently seeking God’s will for his new life partner. He welcomes your comments below.
I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today to encourage you: Don’t Give Up because God speaks Hope For Today when he says in 2 Chronicles 15.7, (CSB) from the distress of His people in the Old Testament …
But as for you, be strong; don’t give up, for your work has a reward.
Hope For Today is a part of the ministry of Eagles In Leadership. If you would like to know more about the hope God gives and His abundant life through Jesus Christ, I would invite you to check out our website: EaglesInLeadership.org.
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“And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.” (Genesis 17:18–19, ESV)
And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” God said, “No.” If you have ever tried “to help God out” in establishing His plans for your life, you know what it is to fail. Abraham had sought to bring about God’s words through logic and common sense. Since he and his wife were well past childbearing, what harm could come from a surrogate mother? And, thus, Ishmael was born from an outsider to their wedding bonds.
Now, 13 years after that failed experiment in spiritual reasoning, Abraham’s love for his son of surrogacy pushes God to embrace the child of doubt. And God wasn’t having anything to do with it.
You see faith is about trusting God. Central to that trust is listening to and working with the revealed words of God. His plan unfolds by the declarations He makes. And, contrary to our limited vision and understanding, God has no limitations! He is able – to do whatever He chooses, wheneverHe chooses.
This is perhaps the hardest issue for us as disciples to get our minds around. God is able to do anything. He can change everythingat anytimeHe chooses. And there’s the rub. Welimit God so often by our moving forward when we should wait and then trying to coerce God to accept our short-sighted, powerless attempts to bring about what we perceive to be His will for our lives.
Today, as you stop and drop to your knees in prayer, do a quick inventory as you pray these words, “God, where have I tried to “help you out” and messed things up?” God will answer. And, when He does, roll your sin onto His compassion and ask Him for the forgiveness you need to clear the guilt and soften your heart.
At that moment, God will be able to use you afresh for His glory as He returns you to His plan, which hasn’t changed at all – even 13 years later as Abraham had discovered! God wants to unveil the fulfillment of His promise in your life – and it will be huge when it arrives!
Faith Filled Fridays hope to boost your trust in God and accelerate your daring and courage in everyday life. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each encouragement out of a heart that has known both great joy and great loss – his wife of 38 years, 5 months and 2 days was promoted to Heaven on November 11, 2017. Through every experience, God has proven Himself more than faithful and trustworthy. He welcomes your comments below.
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”” (Luke 1:30–33, NASB95)
Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will …Discipleship is about drawing closer to God, obeying His will and whim, and enjoying His favor. However, most people fail to comprehend that once God has favored a disciple, there is often a task, a mission that He sends that one on.
For Mary, a child of God who had brought a smile to God’s face (the meaning of favor), the announcement of God’s favor came with a plan to be used for God’s glory. You see, favor is bestowed upon a person when they have been pleasing God. Once we choose to please God with our lives and live that pleasure, God knows we are ready to be used by Him for a mission that is on His heart.
Apparently Mary had pleased God immensely. While there is no record of anything that would indicate the pleasure God had in her, parents can comprehend some of the missing details. As a child chooses to set the table without discussion or take out the trash without complaint, or offer to help when there’s a dirty job being done or come alongside a sick parent, each of these actions are statements of a heart that understands and loves.
We reward children who are so gracious – grace-filled – to step up and step in when life needs to be done. And, so it is with God. Throughout the pages of our Bibles there are countless examples of God noticing, nodding, blessing, and launching another of His children on a specific assignment. This assignment is always an indication of His heart. He knows the one assigned is ready, capable, and willing to do whatever it takes to complete the task.
Today, I wonder if you will do a quick inventory. Are you serving God with pleasure, from a joy-filled heart of gratitude? If so, know that God’s smile over you is growing and soon He’ll break in with blessing!
Train Them Thursdays seeks to wed the Great Commission directive of Jesus with the practice He employed while on Earth. Each nugget is meant to encourage the reader with a “can-do” spirit to realize that discipleship is something each person is both capable of and empowered to accomplish. Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, writes each thought and they flow out of decades of his tried and true field-testing in multiple settings from rural to inner city. He welcomes your comments below.
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Hope Enabler is the real-life story of one Christian parent’s struggle with a runaway child and the hope that God enabled her to have during the darkest moments of that struggle.
