Transformed #299: Taking Care of Your Future!

Posted on January 1, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Thrive Or Survive? Do you want the rest of your life to be the best of your life? While life itself can be hard, painful and marked by battle scars and bloody bruises, God longs for our lives to be significant and rewarding. What we live for and how we live our lives determines whether we just survive the storms of life or thrive in the unpredictability of tomorrow’s events. This series of Biblical studies unlocks the four key elements to thriving the way Jesus wanted us to!

Taking Care of Your Future! 

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” (Joshua 1:8–9, NKJV)

Success is God’s secret to our lives! While so many people think that God is mad at them, the reality is that God is mad about them! God longs for us to thrive, not just survive. Thriving is about the path we choose to take daily, the choices we make hourly and the faith we hold clearly. This Biblical study unlocks the key to God’s wisdom and shines light on the way of His benevolent hand so that we thrive!

Click below for the video!

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Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

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May the coming year be filled with the prosperity of God’s love!

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it.

For THEN you will make your way prosperous, and THEN you will have good success. Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” (Joshua 1:8–9, NKJV)

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Transformed #298: Celebrate His Entry!

Posted on December 29, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

It’s Christmas!

I love Christmas … I love giving gifts! I love the joy that God gives. I love the hope we have because God sent Jesus to us!

I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to remind us that Jesus has come to bring us peace with God!

Christmas reminds us God wants to break into our daily lives, remove our fear of Him, rescue us from our sin, ourselves and the spite of others, take the confusion out of finding Jesus and give us peace on a daily basis!

Let’s look into it. The Christmas story in Luke 2 from the English Standard version. 

Click below for the video!

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Questions for the New Year

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Which world am I living for?

As the calendar counts down its last days of this year, I stop as I always do and ponder a few questions that help me refocus. As Paul so clearly told us, “When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4, ESV) This verse reminds me again and again, Christ is my life!

With 2017 just hours away, these questions help me stay focused on Christ who is my life!

  • What has God taught me from His Word?

As I look over my journal and my Bible, I review the key things that God has been talking to me about across the past year. What are the key thoughts or themes God has brought to my attention? Have I made the changes yet, or do I need to make changes in my lifestyle starting now? What do I need to do?

  • What have I been too stubborn to do this past year?

Over the course of the year, we all have had areas where God has been prodding us to move forward but we have resisted. This is the question that causes me to see where I have been my obstacle to all that God wants to shower upon me. Honestly answering this question allows the breakthrough I’m seeking to occur in the New Year.

  • What is God nudging me to become in the New Year?

Doing leads to being. When I want to become something, I have to do something to get there. Whether that is losing weight, exercising and eating right to become healthy or opening God’s Word, obeying His commands and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit so that I draw near to Him (James 4.8), I have to do if I want to become something new and fresh. And God is in the new and fresh business! (See Revelation 21.5.) So, what is God nudging me to do? I ALWAYS start my answer with (1) Reading His Word daily – that is THE source of His will and direction. Then what else? I write it down and then put it on my calendar!

  • Which world am I living for (really)?

This is a new question this year. So much of my life is lived in this world … survival and existence issues. This is the question I have been wrestling through for the past few days. How does a life lived for THIS world look? What differences are there in a life lived for eternity? What do I need to change to make my life more eternal-focused and less-worldly focused?

I wanted to share these with you in hopes you would find them of value and prepare you for what I believe will be an amazing year ahead!

Doc Smith

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Merry Christmas from Eagles In Leadership!

Posted on December 24, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith
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Merry Christmas from Melodee, Matt and Mike! Your Eagles in Leadership team

 

“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” (Luke 2:10–14, ESV)

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Transformed #297: Celebrate His Compassion!

Posted on December 22, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Bullies will be around until we step into eternity … 

For every victory, we need someone – a Champion – to take out our bully. The greater the bully, the greater the Champion needed.

So many people need a Champion today … someone to take out the bullies in the world!

In the time of the birth of Jesus, there was a real big bully … Caesar Augustus. Consider that when this is written, the people of God are …

  • A conquered people by the Romans
  • A harassed people by the military
  • An abused people by the soldiers

Into this mess, 

Mary tells us this Christmas, Jesus is our Ultimate Champion!

Mary cries out …

“For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49–50, ESV)

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Transformed #296: Celebrate His Peace!

Posted on December 13, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

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The Transformed Podcast and Video Teaching Ministry features Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Woodland Drive Baptist Church, Visalia.

 

 

 

Celebrate His Peace (Christmas 2016)

It is an amazing story that has been told for over two thousand years. On that first Christmas night, God sent his own son to earth in the form of a baby to offer us the gift of peace – a relationship with Him. God with us; Our source of peace and so much more! This Christmas, join us at Woodland Drive Baptist Church to learn more about the Christmas story and how God’s peace can be yours throughout all of 2017!

 

Celebrate His Peace (November 27, 2016)

Peace – we are all looking for it! The reality is, as we have learned from this past election cycle, peace is FAR from the hearts of Americans these days. And while the pointy finger of blame is flying, the Bible tells us why there is no peace:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14, ESV)

If we learn nothing else this Christmas, let us understand that:

Peace is found only through God’s Son, who came to Earth to gift us with the one thing we do desperately need and want!

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Walking By Faith or By Sight?

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

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All this past week I have been thinking about this verse. Perhaps I should say, I have been thinking about the reality of this verse. And maybe its been longer than the past week. Either way, what does “walking by faith, not by sight,” look like?

In the midst of my ponderings, I have come to the following conclusions. See if they don’t resonate with you.

  • Much of my complaining is related to my “walking by sight.”

Let’s be honest, when I complain its because I have taken my eyes off of the Lord and put them back on myself. Like Peter, I’m taking a plunge into self-pity. Whining is the evidence of my walking by sight.

  • Choosing to please me instead of sacrificing for others pegs me as “walking by sight.”

After all, selfishness is the highest form of “sight-walking” for me. It involves taking my eyes off of the Lord who sacrificed his life for me and putting them back on my situation and somehow thinking I’m at Burger King: I deserve it my way!

  • Being intentional about doing what’s best for the Lord and His family shows my compass is pointing to faith once again.

You know the scenario all too well, as do I. We all ask all too often as Americans, “What’s in it for ME?!” While this is natural, it is not spiritual. We are told to have the mind of Christ (Philippians 2.1-11) who did not focus on what was in it for Himself, but he chose to give away everything – no matter the cost, even His brutal murder – so that He could forward the work of God.

When I choose to set aside my desires for His Kingdom, when I decide that there is something more important than my preferences, THEN I am walking by faith. As I was reminded this past week:

“For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:24, ESV)

Faith walks into the sacrifice for the benefit of others. Faithlessness walks by sight, feeding my desires, my pleasures and my benefits. These two are constantly different, easy to see and always my challenge. What say you?

 

Eagles In Leadership is a consulting, training ministry targeted to the next generation. Developing young eagles is our passion as we “Encourage Achievement in Godly Leaders by Emphasizing Servanthood.”

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Discerning Hearts Through Questions

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

questionmark_fullOften, as servant leaders, we try to be nice. And that’s a good thing. But, there are some nasty people in our lives, and they don’t all come with signs around their necks saying, “I’m nasty!” or “I’m out to get you!”

So, what is a good way to discern between the genuine and the malicious?

Questions Clarify Motives

When Jesus was trying to gather what was in the heart of the questioner, he simply asked them questions. This is a great method for all of us. Notice …

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”” (Mark 10:35–37, ESV)

“And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”” (Mark 10:51, ESV)

I have discovered that questions to me have different motivations and I need to clarify what is being asked OF me before they are responded to. Using Jesus’ response, “What do you want me to do for you?” is a great way to hear the heart of another (Mark 10.36, 51).

Questions Reveal Motives

In another encounter, Jesus was being challenged (as he often was by so-called, “religious authorities” … if you’ve been in ministry for long, you know the type). In order to expose the true nature of their request,

“Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:29, ESV)

The wisdom of this method allowed everyone around (hypocrites love to “test” the servant leader in public so as to expose them to ridicule) to see that the question wasn’t genuine. It was a trap.

In my experience answering those who pose questions to us with focusing questions allows us to discern motives and see teach ability (or lack thereof) in the questioner (Mark 11.27-33).

As you lead like a servant today, remember: Not everyone is pleased with you. Motives and suspicions can be exposed. However, many just need something to make their lives work. Clarifying questions can help us get them exactly what they need.

Serve well today. Follow the model Jesus gave us.

What say you?

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Studying 1 John 1.10!

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Liar - Never Know Where You Stand

Welcome back! We return to our study of what it means to walk in the faith by walking with Jesus today here on the Transformed Podcast!

We are here to guide you through this intensive, verse – by – verse study of one of the Christ-follower’s most life-changing Biblical journeys!

As we open the first chapter of 1 John, remember that this small letter was written as a discipleship manual for those in the Apostle John’s home church while he was away. While we don’t know for sure, it is possible that it was written while he was in exile on the island of Patmos for his bold and daring faith. As John writes, he calls his flock, and every one of us, to live boldy and unashamedly for Jesus in these last days.

In this first chapter of our study, we come to see that fellowship with the Father, has been made possible through the incarnation of Christ, the eternal Word. It can only be maintained by walking in the light, which means recognizing our daily sins, honestly confessing them quickly and forsaking them as they are revealed to us. This is faith in Christ who was crucified as the remedy for our sin.

Let’s listen in as Dr. Matthew Lee Smith teaches his seminary students what it means to truly walk in the faith by walking with Jesus.

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