June 19, 2013
Belief is truth held in the mind; faith is a fire in the heart.
~ Joseph Fort Newton
Faith in Jesus isn’t an app we can turn on and turn off when we want to. Faith is an absolute calling to the Person, to His agenda, to His will, to His leadership and to His kingdom. That calling is absolute … resolute. Repeatedly during His earthly ministry, Jesus called His disciples to a greater and higher trust in His words and will.
As the crowd begins to thin at the synagogue in Capernaum long ago, Jesus’ discussion about the eternal is more than many of those who have been loyal to Him can stand. As He declares the need to participate in the Passover Meal, Him being the focal point as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, the Jews begin to react en masse …
“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.”
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:60–66, NKJV)
We imitate Jesus when …
- We accept that He calls us to hard things that will take all of our commitment, all of our loyalty and, at times, all of our tenacity to trust Him, despite the difficulty of that call and command.
There in the worship center that day in Capernaum, the bottom line of walking with Jesus became clear. Either “Christ … is our life …” (Colossians 3:4, NKJV), or He is not. Despite the confusion or the conundrum, regardless of the difficulty or the displeasure, Jesus is Lord, or He is not. For many of those in Capernaum that day long ago, Jesus was not.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Jesus bids a man come, He bids Him come and die.” Truly this is the call of faith. We “deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.” This is Jesus’ pathway to the eternal, abundant life He speaks of. (Matthew 16:24-25) Any commitment of lesser strength causes one to go back to the old life and walk with Him no more.
What shall it be today? Is He worthy of all my commitment, all my loyalty, all my life? Or is Jesus just an app I pull out when I need some help and close when the situation passes?
© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.
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June 16, 2013
Welcome to the Transformed podcast.
So why is Jesus so important? Don’t all religions pray to the same God? Aren’t all faiths equally valid?
In today’s study, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California shows us that Jesus explains the 7 provisions of Jesus that set faith in Him apart.
From His own lips, Jesus sets Himself apart from all other religious people, declaring that He is the only way to a personal, real relationship with God Almighty.
As we open John 10 today, we discover that for the connected disciple of Jesus, life is radically different!
As Dr. Smith concludes with that prayer of gratitude, 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 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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June 12, 2013
But what is eternal life? Is it eternal self-esteem? Is it a heaven full of mirrors? Or snowboards, or gold links, or black-eyed virgins?
No. Jesus tells us exactly what he meant: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). What is eternal life? It is to know God and his Son, Jesus Christ.
~ John Piper
Eternal life … what is it and what do we do to get it? While evangelicals and conservatives love “salvation formulas and prayers,” Jesus knows nothing of such simplicity. Jesus is longing for something much deeper, more sincere and abiding.
At the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus’ discussion with the Jews has escalated to the eternal in ways few could comprehend. In speaking to them about who possesses eternal life and who does not, we read …
“Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”” (John 6:53–58, NKJV)
We imitate Jesus when …
- We consume His flesh and blood, participating in the very celebration of His death through the communion service He initiated.
“Christ … is our life …” (Colossians 3:4, NKJV) Is He? Does He so captivate our waking moments and possess our plans and goals that He is truly our life? This is what Jesus is explaining. He is so committed to us that He died on the cross, giving His body and blood for our eternal redemption and relationship.
Now He asks if we feel the same way about Him. If we do, we will participate in the Passover Meal, the sacrifice of His life, the death of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The bread represents His body. The cup represents His blood. The ceremony represents our faith commitment to Jesus alone – there is no greater call or purpose.
And who would complain about such commitment? After all, every married person expects nothing less of his or her spouse. Why would it be any different from the Bridegroom of the Church?
© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.
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June 6, 2013
Transformed spoke recently with Daniel Henderson about prayer and its centrality to the life of the disciple and the Church of the Lord Jesus.
As a Senior Pastor for over two decades, Daniel Henderson brought prayer-based revitalization to several mega-churches. Today he is dedicating his full-time efforts to help congregations across the country experience renewal and turn-around as he speaks to thousands each year at conferences and prayer events. He is President of Strategic Renewal, which exists to ignite personal renewal, congregational revival, and leadership restoration for Christ’s glory.
You can learn more about Daniel and Strategic Renewal on their website.
Transformed highly recommends the work and ministry of Daniel Henderson and Strategic Renewal.
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May 31, 2013
Photo Credit: slicedbreadmag.com
Saving faith is the cry of a new creature in Christ. And the newness of the new creature is that it has a new taste. What was once distasteful or bland is now craved. Christ himself has become a Treasure Chest of holy joy. The tree of faith grows only in the heart that craves the supreme gift that Christ died to give: not health, not wealth, not prestige, but God!”
~ John Piper
What’s your favorite food? I love steak! What do you love? Now I know that I can’t eat steak at every meal – it’s not good for my heart. However, it is a wonderful treat. When I get real, I have to admit that we eat more of the “staples” than the luxuries in life. Beans and rice are commonplace at our table.
As we join Jesus, he continues his debate with the Jews on the beach in Capernaum. They are talking about the issue of who He is and how He is connected with the gift of eternal life. As the discussion unfolds, Jesus says …
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”” (John 6:47–51, NKJV)
We imitate Jesus when …
- We trust that Jesus is the mainstay of our lives, the nourishment of our souls and the key relationship we have from Heaven for life abundant and eternal.
Relationship – it is what Heaven and eternal life is all about. It is all about enjoying and loving Jesus. When Jesus uses the metaphor of eating the bread (his flesh) he is speaking of him being our life source. We feast on his presence … as Paul tells us: “Christ … is our life …” (Colossians 3:4, NKJV)
When Jesus is your life, he is the source of your life. You can’t exist without talking with him throughout the day. You can’t make it through the week without his guidance and wisdom. In those times of struggle and distress, you would simply lose it and give up if it wasn’t for the reassuring words of the One who loves us and gave his life for us as he constantly whispers in our ear.
Jesus came from Heaven to bring hope and help, to rescue and reconnect us to himself. When Jesus is the “staple” of our life, he gives us all we need for life and godliness.
© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.
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May 29, 2013
Transformed recently caught up with Dr. Jason Lisle to talk about the importance of our origins as a species. In this clear and encouraging discussion, Dr. Lisle shares how we, as God’s people, can have great trust in the Biblical record of our beginnings, as Genesis reports it.
Dr. Lisle is a Christian astrophysicist who writes and speaks on various topics relating to science and the defense of the Christian faith. He graduated summa cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan University where he double-majored in physics and astronomy and minored in mathematics. He then earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in astrophysics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Lisle specialized in solar astrophysics and has made a number of scientific discoveries regarding the solar photosphere, including the detection of giant cell boundaries using the SOHO spacecraft. He also does theoretical research and has contributed to the field of general relativity.
Since completion of his research at the University of Colorado, Dr. Lisle began working in full-time apologetics ministry, specializing in the defense of Genesis. He has written a number of articles and books on the topic. His most well-known book, The Ultimate Proof of Creation, demonstrates that biblical creation is the only logical possibility for origins. Dr. Lisle wrote and directed the popular planetarium shows at the Creation Museum, including “The Created Cosmos.” He now works as Director of Research at the Institute for Creation Research.
You can follow Dr. Lisle on his blog. He would encourage you to check out their ministry to youth and college age as well at Your Origin Matters. He is also on staff at the Institute for Creation Research.
Posted in Creation Research, Transformed No Comments »
May 26, 2013
Welcome to the Transformed podcast.
Is there more to life than consuming and existing?
Can we ever know what is right? Can we ever know how to proceed in this life?
In today’s study, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California shows us that Jesus provides Himself to us as our “GPS system” for life’s trials and troubles.
This study is designed to help you know Jesus intimately, to grow in a personal relationship with Him. We are not interested in acquiring information about Jesus alone. We long to know Him better … to grow closer to Him … to enjoy a personal relationship with Him.
As we look into His claims from John 8 today, we will discover that Jesus longs to give us the benefit of His wisdom and the guidance when life grows dark and the storms threaten to destroy us.
As Dr. Smith concludes with that heart-felt prayer, 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 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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May 24, 2013
To disbelieve is easy; to scoff is simple; to have faith is harder.
~ Louis L’amour
Faith in the unseen. For some it is impossible. For others, it is a desire. For those who know God, it is a daily reality. Craig Brian Larson says, “Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.”
As Jesus sparred with the Jews on the beach that day long ago, one can see that their hearts were struggling with faith. As is so often the case, their theology wouldn’t allow them to see spiritual reality. They were trapped by their tradition.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” (John 6:44–47, NKJV)
We imitate Jesus when …
- We believe that Jesus is come from God as His Son, the Giver of everlasting life.
The great struggle in life is to trust the Lord Jesus as God. When you move past this fact, life turns into a supernatural sensation of spiritual possibilities! No longer are you confined to the bounds of humanity. Now, life takes on a new dimension – an extraordinariness that breaks the chains of the mundane and meaningless.
This new life is one of an intense, personal relationship with the God who teaches His people personally, for He lives within them. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the gift given at our surrender and submission to the offer of everlasting life from Jesus (Matthew 16.24-25), leads, guides, instructs, explains, warns and directs us away from danger, into God’s provisions (Psalm 23) and ultimately to our home in Heaven.
Trust … it may be hard, but it is essential to life with Jesus. What restrains you from stepping out in total submission and surrender to His love and leadership? Isn’t that obstacle something that you should remove right now? After all, the supernatural life awaits you!
© 2013 Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. All rights reserved. Not for resale.
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May 22, 2013
We are excited to share our conversation about Church Leadership with Greg Atkinson! Greg is a passionate pastor, church leader, coach, trainer and author.
Don’t miss Greg’s FREE eBook offer at his website.
Greg has been writing, speaking and training thousands of Church leaders since 2000. In late 2003, Greg launched MultisensoryWorship.com (mSw) – a website geared to encourage, network, resource, and equip Christian pastors, media ministers, artists and worship leaders – after having served the previous 11 years as a worship pastor himself in the Carolinas and Washington DC.
Greg has a degree in church music with a minor in religion and has done graduate work in worship, leadership, communication and church planting. He helped create, develop and lead WorshipHouse Media, while serving as Director there until the summer of 2006.
Greg is now the Campus Pastor at Forest Park Carthage (a multi-site church in southwest Missouri) and lives with his wife and their three children in Carthage, Missouri. Greg can be reached at greg@gregatkinson.com.
Eagles In Leadership heartily recommends you avail yourself of Greg’s resources and his ministry.
Posted in Interviews, Transformed 1 Comment »
May 19, 2013
Welcome to the Transformed podcast.
Is there more to life than consuming and existing?
In today’s study, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Lead Pastor at Pacific Baptist Church in El Segundo, California shows us that Jesus affirms that there is so much more to life and that He is the source of that abundant life!
This study is designed to help you know Jesus intimately, to grow in a personal relationship with Him. We are not interested in acquiring information about Jesus alone. We long to know Him better … to grow closer to Him … to enjoy a personal relationship with Him.
As we look into His claims from John 11 today, we will discover the audacity of this One who claims to give purpose and meaning to life AND victory over death itself!
With that final prayer of repentance and request, Dr. Smith wraps up our study on “Jesus: Our Life Giver!” 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 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!
Posted in Transformed No Comments »
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