Magnificent Marriage Monday – Treating Our Wives As Less Important!

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

 

“When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me but let you live. Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.”” (Genesis 12:11–13, CSB)

 

Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account. So often we see it: Men who think about themselves more than they do their wives.

Of course, Abram didn’t have the benefit of Paul’s words, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.” (Ephesians 5:25, CSB) We do.

Self-sacrifice is a hard concept for most people. We are raised in a “me-only” culture. We think about ourselves all the time. Every advertisement reminds us to get something for ourselves. In a world filled with the selfish, selflessness is a strange thing. Perhaps it always has been if Abram is any example.

When we read the context of Abram’s request of his wife, Sarai, we realize that while sounding reasonable, he’s only interested in saving his own skin. Now, to be fair, if Abram died, everyone with him – including his wife – and everything he owned would become someone else’s.

However, as men, we must stand up and defend our wives. We have to sacrifice, even our lives if necessary, to protect them from abuse and misuse, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her.

Every woman dreams of her “knight in shining armor” who comes to her rescue and protects her from any and all attackers. THAT is the Biblical model, the example of Jesus.

The words we use. The choices we make, especially in the hard times, expose our love – or lack of it – for the one we have promised to love and cherish till death do us part!

Now is a good time to ask a couple soul-searching questions. Questions like these can change the direction of a marriage: Do I put her ahead of me always? How do my choices reflect that?

 

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.

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Hope For Today – I Make All Things New!

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today about the fact that wherever God is, He makes all things new!

 

Check it out at the link below. Click the link below to listen. 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.

Check out the free resources for Bible reading here!

Just push the media button below to hear this encouraging message!

And, if you are so inclined, sign up for more encouragement through notifications (UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE WEBSITE) of other blogs and podcasts while you are at the Eagles in Leadership​ website.

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Faith Filled Friday – Pre-Determined Doubt!

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ”” (Genesis 20:12–13, ESV)

“This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, ‘He is my brother.’” Sometimes we have infected our spirit with a pre-determined plan to doubt God. We make it seem logical, rational. But, in reality, we rationalize our faithlessness. I often say, “When we rationalize, we tell ourselves rational lies.”

Abraham set a protocol of doubt in place early in his life that his growing faith hadn’t shook loose by this point in his life. And, though he had negotiated with God face-to-face, he still didn’t grasp the enormity of God’s admiration for him.

That is so like how we are. When we trust God and serve him consistently for years with an obedient and instant response, God draws closer to us with each passing month. As brother James said, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, ESV)

Abraham chose to stay trapped in his early-married mistrust of God. This often happens to us. Faith grows to a point, but we must be willing to unshackle it from the chains of our past to let it become all God longs it to be for us.

This is a good place to remind us that faith is just our willingness to talk with God and share everything with Him. Then listen to His responses and obey whatever He tells us. Whether He just explains what’s happening in our lives from the Proverbs of Solomon or gives us directions from the words Jesus preached on the Sermon on the Mount, God simply wants to lead and guide us into the abundant life Jesus promised us (See John 10:10). Faith follows God’s will.

Our faith believes that what God says He means. That He is good to us because He is good. That’s His nature. And so, faith chooses to reject our pre-determined choices of distrust and embrace wholly and completely the God whose heart is summed up in these words:  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

 

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.

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Train Them Thursday – Following the Spirit’s Leading!

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God.” (Luke 2:25–28, NASB95)

 

And he came in the Spirit into the temple. How do you live your life? I mean, what drives you or leads you? For some it is money. For others, fame motivates them. Still, others are driven by the desire for power. Some have a more noble heart and want to help some segment of humanity. What leads and guides you each day?

Simeon was guided and led by the Holy Spirit. As his day unfolded, as he went about his daily chores, he was sensitive to the leading of God through the Spirit of God. Like a COM channel in the ear of a secret service agent, when we are tuned in to the Spirit of God we have constant access to the directions and directives of the Almighty. Being “on mission” is so much easier when we can hear God’s voice in our heart and spirit.

Simeon already had insider information. “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” Can you imagine that! God told this disciple that he would see what generations of godly had died longing to see.

So, with expectancy and sensitivity, Simeon walked through life at the whim of the Spirit of God. Always listening, always adapting, always obeying the promptings of the Indwelling One, Simeon kept his eyes searching for the Lord’s Christ. How many days had passed since that announcement of the revelation? Would it be today?

And here he was, on the appointed day, in the Temple, as Joseph and Mary “brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God.”And then, nudged by the Spirit, Simeon explodes in praise to the God who guides! Are you tuned in to the leading of the Almighty?

 

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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Willing Worker Wednesday – Unwilling Workers Are Easy to Spot!

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”” (Matthew 2:7–8, HCSB)

 

Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him. Have you ever wondered who around you really is a servant leader? Has it ever bothered you that there are often a lot of people on the team and yet, only a handful of people are doing the work?

The Pareto Principle states that 80% of the work will be done by 20% of the people. And, while this is unfortunate, it is all too often accurate. You see, when the standards are low, everyone pretends to be important and involved. However, reality shines through, no matter what people profess.

Herod here in our passage feigns devotion. However, as the account unfolds, we discover that his only interest is to eliminate the competition to his throne. He’s a pretender. And, if we investigate the scenario a little, we will discover how to unmask the actors when it comes to servant leadership.

Now, before we do that, some will ask, “Should we be unmasking these people? Isn’t that judging them?”And the answer is, “We all inspect fruit before we buy it at the grocery store or the fruit stand. Putting people into leadership over God’s people is so much more important than buying apples and oranges, isn’t it?”

And so, how do we discern who is a genuine servant leader? Herod shows us how to do this in his response. He said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find Him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship Him.”

Herod was unwilling to go and look. He was too busy to go see the new king. A dead giveaway to pretenders is their unwillingness to get involved. They want you to do it and report back with the result (usually to take credit for them).

Not adding fake followers to your leadership team prevents a world of hurt in the long run. Avoid the pain by being discerning!

 

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.

 

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Turn-Around Tuesday – Old Age Is An Excuse!

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan.” (Genesis 12:4–5, ESV)

 

Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Some people love to use their age as an excuse out of the will of God for their lives. We hear it all the time. “”I’ve put in my time, let the young people do it!” Such an attitude permeates the hearts of many men and women who, instead of finishing well are finishing poorly.

Laziness is a character trait that being older cannot erase. God calls whom He will, when He will, for what He wills. He has little respect for the easy chair recliner and the person who is more interested in selfishness that service.

So, Abram at 75 and Sarai at 65 pack up everything and everyone and trudge out of Haran headed to only God knows where. While this must have led to many interesting discussions throughout the household, when we stop for a moment we realize we should be able to relate. After all, aren’t we on a journey of faith as well? Or are we?

God has called each one of us to “walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV) And, therein may lay the problem today. If we haven’t lived a life of faith for decades, it would be near impossible to do so at an old age, wouldn’t it? I mean, we are probably familiar with the old cliché, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Abram shows us that the life of faith must be something we embrace daily. We must choose to do what God had declared – now. There are no tomorrows when it comes to the commands of today. God looks for those who obey. And to those who obey God gives abundant life … albeit in the midst of an incredible adventure as well.

As you think through these thoughts today, let me press you to ask the hard question right now. “Am I actually walking by faith or am I clearly walking by sight?” Do you choose to step out and trust the One who knows the future or do you play it safe? Trusting God means risk!

 

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.

 

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Magnificent Marriage Monday – Your Wife, Your Life Are Precious To the Lord!

Posted on December 31, 2018 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“And I will require a penalty for your lifeblood; I will require it from any animal and from any human; if someone murders a fellow human, I will require that person’s life. Whoever sheds human blood, by humans his blood will be shed, for God made humans in his image.” (Genesis 9:5–6, CSB)

 

I will require a penalty for your lifeblood. While we take so much for granted these days, we should never take the sanctity of the life of our husband or wife lightly. God has a death penalty in place for those who would abuse and take the life of our spouse. He treasures them very highly, as should we.

When we think of how precious the life of our life companion is to God, it causes us to pause and ponder how we can honor this one whom God has united us with. How can we adore them and value them with the depth of importance God has placed on them?

Honor is a river that flows in abundance once released. From honor come love, devotion, and adoration. We prize, value, treasure and cherish our “other half” each day as a result of our respect for them. But how would we put such esteem into daily practice?

God surely wants us to hold our spouses in high value. That would start with the overflow of our hearts as heard in both what we say and how we speak to our mate. As Jesus said about each one of us, “A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” (Luke 6:45, CSB)

Not only are our words powerful indicators of our feelings for our spouse, but so too are our actions. Just one look at our homes and we can tell whether we are honoring our spouse or not. As Solomon wrote so long ago, “Because of laziness the roof caves in, and because of negligent hands the house leaks.” (Ecclesiastes 10:18, CSB)

Bringing honor to our partner is a daily thing. And, to be honest, whether it flows or not is as natural as it’s source: our hearts. So, today, take a little time to evaluate how you are doing when it comes to honoring your life partner. Check your words and their tone. Look at your actions and your diligence. Hold their life precious.

 

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.

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Hope For Today – A New Year, A New Gear

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today about expecting God to do far beyond all we can ask or imagine!

 

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.

Just push the media button below to hear this encouraging message!

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Faith Filled Friday – A Half-Truth Faith

Posted on December 28, 2018 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”” (Genesis 20:1–3, ESV)

And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.”When fear grabs one’s heart, faith is no longer near. When God is near there is nothing to fear.  Fear causes us to lie, to shade the truth, to tell half or part of the truth and wrap the rest in deception.

Thus Abraham, the man of faith, reveals his weakness. He fears what others may do to him. We all have certain places where our faith can falter more easily. When we come up against certain people or situations, we struggle with holding firmly to our trust of God.

We ask ourselves in the deep recesses of our soul, “Will God take care of me here?” Does He love me that much?” And then comes the inevitable feelings that we are so undeserving. God won’t care for us. And while we do not deserve the mercies of God, THAT is what motivates God to act for us when life is beyond our control, which is pretty much all the time.

So, Abraham fears what might happen – that he, his family and all who are with him might be wiped out or enslaved. When questioned pointedly by King Abimelech, “Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.”“And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.”” (Genesis 20:10–12, ESV) While true, it was still a lie that he knew could help him.

And this is the point. A half-truth faith reflects a fear-filled heart. God “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20, ESV) Our task is to trust God, tell all the truth in love, and let God work out the details. His mercies are new every morning. He loves us so much!

 

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.

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Train Them Thursday – The Blessed Life!

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”” (Luke 2:22–24, NASB95)

They brought Him up … to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Being a disciple doesn’t mean you will have a lot of money. Consider the requirement in the Law given to Moses after the customary forty days of purification for Mary was completed. “‘When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one-year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.” (Leviticus 12:6, NASB95)

However, a whole lamb could be a financial hardship and for the young couple who had extended their stay in Jerusalem more than six weeks after their arrival for the census, Joseph was about broke. But God is gracious and had already thought about such a scenario 1,400 years before with the giving of the requirements for this ceremony:

“‘But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ”” (Leviticus 12:8, NASB95)

Being the earthly stepfather of Jesus should have come with an extensive benefits package and a generous salary, one would think. However, in a move that would shame a lot of contemporary theologians and preachers, we find no such prosperity for the family of the King of kings.

Jesus Himself would explain why three decades later when He said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20, NASB95) Joseph and Mary, in those early days of Jesus’ life on earth, experienced the blessed life, the poor life. Perhaps you are blessed to follow Jesus today. Consider the company you’re in!

 

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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