Transformed Episode #156 – Jesus, Name Above All Names!

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Easter Web slider - Jesus name_above_all_names_by_jcrod-d493yuy

Welcome to the Transformed podcast.

We begin a new study today entitled, “Jesus, Name Above All Names!” This first lesson was taught on Easter Sunday this year by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California.

To really know God, you must get to know Him by name. The names of God in Scripture are really a self-revelation of God in His nature and attributes. The sheer number of such names and titles in the Bible suggests something of the immensity of God. The Bible identifies more than 700 descriptive names and titles of Jesus Christ.

What is Jesus really like? Can we trust Him? Why is He the only way to Heaven, the only spiritual truth and the only source of abundant life? We will consider His attitudes, actions and accomplishments – all of which will answer life’s greatest questions about Jesus!

As we open our Bibles to Philippians 2, let’s listen as Pastor Smith teaches us about Jesus, the name above all names!

 

With that final prayer of thanksgiving and surrender, Dr. Smith begins our study on “Jesus: The Name Above All Names!” Our deepest hope is that you will grow to know Jesus in a much more personal, intimate manner so that you can imitate Him before others in your world.

Perhaps you would you consider sharing this message with a friend? God longs to release the captives of our culture into the freedom of faith. Thank you!

If you would like to explore how to enjoy a deeper life with Jesus, one that God is pleased with, Dr. Smith writes a weekly blog to help you do just that!

Becoming Like Jesus is a chronological walk with Jesus through His life and ministry. This weekly blog is built around the premise that Jesus lived a transparent life with His disciples so that could imitate Him. Becoming Like Jesus helps you become the hands and feet of your Master, the Lord Jesus, in your daily life.

You can subscribe FREE of charge to Becoming Like Jesus at the Eagles In Leadership website by clicking the appropriate link on the right hand side panel of the Eagles In Leadership website.

Today’s episode was recorded live in El Segundo, California and edited by Ryan Longsworth in Los Angeles, California.

And now, until next time, we’re praying that you would be filled with the love of God so that you can demonstrate His love to the lost and dying in your city! God bless!

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Work the Works of God!

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Motives

 

It is cynicism and fear that freeze life; it is faith that thaws it out, releases it, sets it free.

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

Why are you seeking Jesus? At the center of your life quest, what really drives you? The answer to this question will reveal your heart’s direction. Our purpose for living is revealed in why we follow Jesus. When we boil our motives down, they come into one of two groups. There is the group of motives that orbit “me” – my wants, my needs, my world. The other group navigates around “Jesus.” For the first, we are the sun and Jesus is another planet in our solar system. For the later, Jesus is the center of our universe.

Jesus knows why we seek Him. As the crowds found Jesus long ago, so men and women still look for Jesus today. In Capernaum Jesus knew the motives of each person and sought to turn their motive from selfish needs and greeds to the selfless Son of God.

“Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”” (John 6:26–29, NKJV)

We imitate Jesus when …

  • We trust God so much that we live our lives in faithful obedience to Him through the love and leadership of His Son, Jesus.

Everlasting life is in the balance. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:25–26, NKJV)

 

© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.

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Transformed Episode #155 – How to Pray For Money!

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

How Money Works slider

Welcome to the Transformed podcast.

God loves His children and longs to meet their every need. So many people today have a shortage of finances when it comes to their daily needs. God encourages us to ask for the resources we need to meet our needs.

We are wrapping up our study on, “how money works according to God” today. In this final lesson, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California will explain to us that before we pray for money, there are 7 questions we should ask and answer to God’s satisfaction. Once our answers please God, we can be assured our request will be granted.

As we open our Bibles, let’s listen as Pastor Smith tells us “how to pray for money!”

 

With that powerful prayer of confession and faith, Dr. Smith concludes our study on “how money works according to God.” Our deepest hope is that you will apply the principles and Bible verses you have heard so that God can trust you with greater riches.

Perhaps you would you consider sharing this message with a friend? God longs to release the captives of our culture into the freedom of faith. Thank you!

If you would like to explore how to enjoy a deeper life with God, one that God is pleased with, Dr. Smith has written a daily devotional book that will help you do just that!

In His Presence is a detailed look at walking with God through life’s ups and downs. Built around the premise that God welcomes you into His presence with joy and pleasure, In His Presence helps you see that the life of abundance can only be enjoyed when we take everything to the Lord and walk every day at His right hand.

You can order a copy of In His Presence from Amazon by clicking the link on the side panel of the Eagles In Leadership website.

Today’s episode was recorded live in El Segundo, California and edited by Ryan Longsworth in Los Angeles, California.

And now, until next time, I’m your host Mike Powers, praying that you would be filled with the love of God so that you can demonstrate His love to the lost and dying in your city! God bless!

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Caring For the Sick!

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Holding Hands with Elderly Patient

Photo Credit: fvdb.wordpress.com

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if he or she were going to be dead by midnight.  Extend to them all the care, kindness, and understanding you can muster, and do so with no thought of any reward.  Your life will never be the same again.

~ Og Mandino

Perhaps you are in a rush. You’ve had a busy night and haven’t had a wink of sleep. You have your own problems swirling around and you have been stretched to the brink of a breaking faith … and now, the phone rings, there’s a knock at the door and one of your children screams out in pain.

As the disciples finally get to shore that early morning after their stormy night on the Sea of Galilee, eleven have demonstrated themselves faithless and one man, a soggy Peter, is demoralized by Jesus’ rebuke of his “little faith.” Thoughts are on home and bed when they are swamped by a faith-filed crowd of followers with more needs than any of them could consider meeting … especially in their weakened and defeated condition.

Into the fray walks the compassionate Jesus, touching each one with the hope and healing of Heaven.

“When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.” (Mark 6:53–56, NKJV)

We imitate Jesus when …

  • We walk into the fray of needy and broken people with the hope and healing of Heaven.

Despite the problems, pressures and pain you are in, the Jesus in you via the Holy Spirit cares for those around you more than you can ever know. Drawing on the power of God through the Spirit, walk into the fray and touch those who are in need with all you have – the hope and healing of Heaven!

Pastor Matt

 

 

© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.

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Transformed Episode #154 – You Mean God Puts Money in People’s Bank Accounts?

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

How Money Works slider

Welcome to the Transformed podcast.

The Word of God provides a road map and contains everything we need to know in order to enjoy success in our personal lives, including success in our finances.

When God can trust His subjects to act as good stewards by receiving His blessings and provision and using them to advance His kingdom, He is motivated to give more.

In this study, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California shows us God loves to care for His children and will reward them with abundant material possessions when they obey His Word through faithful action.

As we open our Bibles, let’s listen as Pastor Smith answers 4 questions that unlock the generosity of God upon His people.

 

It is our sincere hope that you prayed that prayer of hopeful expectation. God is looking for men and women who act on their faith. We know from personal experience that when we obey God, He rewards us. Our prayer for you is that you follow through on this lesson so you can enjoy the material blessings of God!

Perhaps you would you consider sharing this message with a friend? God longs to release the captives of our culture into the freedom of faith. Thank you!

If you would like to explore how to enjoy a deeper life with God, one that God is pleased with, Dr. Smith has written a daily devotional book that will help you do just that!

In His Presence is a detailed look at walking with God through life’s ups and downs. Built around the premise that God welcomes you into His presence with joy and pleasure, In His Presence helps you see that the life of abundance can only be enjoyed when we take everything to the Lord and walk every day at His right hand.

You can order a copy of In His Presence from Amazon by clicking the link on the side panel of the Eagles In Leadership website.

Today’s episode was recorded live in El Segundo, California and edited by Ryan Longsworth in Los Angeles, California.

And now, until next time, we are praying that you would be filled with the love of God so that you can demonstrate His love to the lost and dying in your city! God bless!

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Faith Doesn’t Look At Circumstances!

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

circumstances

Photo Credit: halyork.blogspot.com

Faith is about confronting challenges and trusting God to overcome any obstacle. It is acting on God-given dreams and visions. ~ Kirbyjon Caldwell

You know the feeling when you step out by faith and get clobbered by reality. We all have had a situation or time in our lives where we went forward with God and then met with incredible obstacles. For some of us that scenario was too much and our faith folded.

At the core of a faith step is the reality that life isn’t going to get easier immediately. When Jesus calls us to follow Him, it is often into territory and circumstances that are difficult and impossible – that’s why we need faith.

When Jesus called Peter out of the boat to walk with Him on the water, the storm was still raging! That is how God works. He calls us out of our comfort and into the storms of life. What we do next determines our outcomes.

“So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”” (Matthew 14:29–31, NKJV)

We imitate Jesus when …

  • We step out by faith understanding the storm isn’t going to stop raging immediately.

Peter’s initial step of faith wasn’t followed by ANOTHER step of faith. He failed because he looked at the storm and stopped looking to Jesus. Faith keeps its focus on the person of Jesus and believes His word over all obvious impossibilities. Will you keep stepping forward by faith, or will your faith fold and find you drenched in the storm you are seeking to walk out of?

Pastor Matt

 

 

© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.

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Transformed Episode #153 – Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader When it Comes to Money?

Posted on April 14, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

How Money Works slider

Welcome to the Transformed podcast.

5th grade math … many of us have long since graduated from addition, subtraction, division and multiplication of three to seven digits. Using these skills, a 5th grader understands how to count their income, apply that income to their basic needs and account for their expenditures mathematically.

In this study, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California shows us God doesn’t view riches or poverty as permanent conditions in the life of an individual, family, church, or nation. They are variable, and they are related to higher purposes that God achieves through them.

As we open our Bibles, let’s listen as Pastor Smith explains the 4 phases in God’s cycle of riches and poverty for every disciple of King Jesus.

 

We hope you prayed that prayer of confession and request along with Pastor Smith. It is our sincere hope that you will enjoy the contentedness God is seeking to impart to your soul through the tests and blessings He gives to you.

Perhaps you would you consider sharing this message with a friend? God longs to release the captives of our culture into the freedom of faith. Thank you!

If you would like to explore how to enjoy a deeper life with God, one that God is pleased with, Dr. Smith has written a daily devotional book that will help you do just that!

In His Presence is a detailed look at walking with God through life’s ups and downs. Built around the premise that God welcomes you into His presence with joy and pleasure, In His Presence helps you see that the life of abundance can only be enjoyed when we take everything to the Lord and walk every day at His right hand.

You can order a copy of In His Presence from Amazon by clicking the link on the side panel of the Eagles In Leadership website.

Today’s episode was recorded live in El Segundo, California and edited by Ryan Longsworth in Los Angeles, California.

And now, until next time, we are praying that you would be filled with the love of God so that you can demonstrate His love to the lost and dying in your city! God bless!

 

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Faith Steps Out!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Faith Steps outPhoto Credit: vimeo.com

Faith has nothing to do with human logic, mathematics or what we can see, hear, fell, smell, or touch. But it has everything to do with how God operates! Faith disregards the obvious facts and trust that God will do the impossible. ~ K P Yohanan

Sometimes God simply asks the incredible, the ridiculous, the impossible! When we read his Word, we are often tempted to say to ourselves, “That can’t be what God means!” However, the Bible accurately records the words of God and His Son, King Jesus. And yes, often the requests of God break the borders of our current reality.

Such is the case of Jesus calling Peter to get out of the boat onto the storm tossed Sea of Galilee (from which He was standing on)! Often we limit our possibilities because we look at life through our all too human understandings. Peter saw Jesus on the water and realized it MUST be possible to walk on water, despite the fact that his entire life as a fisherman told him otherwise.

“And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” (Matthew 14:28–29, NKJV)

We imitate Jesus when …

  • We step out in obedience to God’s will and whim despite all visual and mental objections.

If we can “see” life through Jesus’ eyes and trust His character as expressed in His words, we will experience life in the abundant! God longs for you to enjoy all that He has for you. However, in order to receive what He is giving, you will have to step out of your boat, despite the storm all around you, and obey what Jesus says. Are you ready and willing to enjoy the supernatural life?

Pastor Matt

 

 

© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.

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Moody Pastors Conference 2013 Discount

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

We are pleased to offer you a per person discount of $50 for Pastors’ Conference 2013. The conference will be held on campus in Chicago from May 20-23, 2013.

Details on the conference can be found here.

Speakers and musicians can be found here.

This discount would apply to any registration type. (It does not apply to spouse meals or the wives mini-conference). This code MUST be entered when registering; it cannot be applied retroactively.

Our discount code for the event is: EAGLES2013

This promotional code and it is now active and you may register here.

It is essential that we spread the word of this discount. In order to receive any discount in future years, Moody will require at least 50 gentlemen to register using this code for this conference. So I am asking you to send this information to every pastor you know that MIGHT possibly have an interest in the conference SO THAT we can continue to offer this discount again in the next years!

Thanks for your help in this matter. I look forward to seeing you and your friends in Chicago in May 2013.

 

Matt

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