Salvation Is About Relationship

Posted on November 12, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo Credit: http://servingjoy.com

 

Remember, salvation is not about a transaction as much as it’s about relationship. For example, if we think we are happily married because we went through the ceremony, and that things should always be wondeful because we are “married,” even if we know the date of that event, then we miss the entire point of faith in Jesus!

An event in the past, while a starting point, is NOT today and it is not the recipe for connection and communication, partnership and plenty in your relationship. Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, prayed these words …

“And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.” (John 17:3, AMP)

I quoted from the Amplified because the word to “know” is ginosko in the original Greek language. The definition of that word means to learn “to know a person through direct personal experience, implying a continuity of relationship—‘to know, to become acquainted with, to be familiar with.’ “ (Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. 1996).

So, as we move forward into the final weeks of our reading of the entire Bible, I would like you to concentrate on the answer to these questions as you listen to God’s Words …

* D0 I know the Lord through direct personal experience?

* Do I have a continuity of relationship with the Lord?

* Am I so acquainted with the Lord that I am familiar with Him, knowing and understanding His way (Jeremiah 9.24) when they play out in my daily life?

These are not, of course, surface questions like …

* Do I attend church?

* Do I call myself a Christian?

* Do I pray?

* Do I read the Bible?

These are questions that deal with the core issues of relationship …

* Do I listen to the Lord when He speaks through His word?

* Do I seek to understand what He says?

* Do I change my lifestyle choices to be pleasing to Him?

* Do I seek to please Him in all my ways?

* Do I alter my agenda to make Him my number one priority?

If you can answer these questions with conifdence, if you can say, “He is my closest and most trusted friend and I do what He tells me to (John 15.14) regularly and consistently,” then you should plunge ahead in this reading with excitement!

God wants to lead and guide you as your Shepherd, always leading you on the best pathways for your life (Psalm 32.8, NLT)!

 

What are your thoughts?

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Hope For Today – Thank God For All He Has Done!

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith
Photo Credit: https://medicalhumour.wordpress.com

Since life goes by so fast, few of us stop and take the time to recount where we have been recently and what God has done for us.

I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today about Thanking God for all He has done!

Click the play button below to listen to this short message and allow the Almighty God fill you with Hope for Today! 

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Studying 1 John 2:2!

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo credit: https://www.biblestudytools.com

Editor’s note: We have been away from our study in 1 John for awhile … so, you can catch up with this study here. We step back into our study today – and will continue through this study each and every Tuesday.  

We are so glad you are back! Today we open our Bibles to the second chapter of the Apostle John’s first letter to the disciples in his church as we study of what it means to walk in the faith by walking with Jesus here on the Transformed Podcast!

I’m your host Mike Powers 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 second chapter of 1 John, remember we have discovered from chapter one that fellowship with God, the Father can only be maintained by recognizing our daily sins, honestly confessing them quickly and forsaking them as they are revealed to us.

Now, building on that foundation, John explains that to know God and the power of His love is impossible without practical observance of His Word, which means that we must seek to walk as Christ walked, in love toward our fellowmen and in separation from the things of the world.

Let’s listen in as Dr. Matthew Lee Smith teaches his seminary students how to know God and the power of His love in our daily lives …

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Hope For Today – Be Thankful In All Circumstances!

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo Credit: http://knowyourmeme.com

 

Have you noticed how easy it is to catch the “crabby virus” these days? One simple encounter, someone belches their bile all over you and, before you know it, YOU are crabby too!

I’m Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today about being thankful in all circumstances.

Click the play button below to listen to this short message and allow the Almighty God fill you with Hope for Today! 

 

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Studying 1 John 2:1!

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Photo credit: https://www.biblestudytools.com

Editor’s note: We have been away from our study in 1 John for awhile … so, you can catch up with this study here. We step back into our study today – and will continue through this study each and every Tuesday.  

We are so glad you are back! Today we open our Bibles to the second chapter of the Apostle John’s first letter to the disciples in his church as we study of what it means to walk in the faith by walking with Jesus here on the Transformed Podcast!

I’m your host Mike Powers 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 second chapter of 1 John, remember we have discovered from chapter one that fellowship with God, the Father can only be maintained by recognizing our daily sins, honestly confessing them quickly and forsaking them as they are revealed to us.

Now, building on that foundation, John explains that to know God and the power of His love is impossible without practical observance of His Word, which means that we must seek to walk as Christ walked, in love toward our fellowmen and in separation from the things of the world.

Let’s listen in as Dr. Matthew Lee Smith teaches his seminary students how to know God and the power of His love in our daily lives …

 

 

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The Reason We Go Astray …

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

It’s amazing to me how many times I find myself “off track” in the priorities God has laid down for me. There is no doubt that I want His best and I want it sooner than later. Then, it takes so little to cause me to “rabbit trail” away from those things.

Jesus talked about the sources from which people go astray and I think they resonate with us when we are honest. He pointed out two specific causes …

“Yeshua answered them, “The reason you go astray is that you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29, CJB)

  • I am ignorant of the Old Testament

So much of the heart and hope of our Father in Heaven is revealed in the Old Testament (3/4 of our beloved Bible is Old Testament). When we lack the depth of the journey of God with His people in the Old Testament, we miss the understandings of how He feels, thinks, responds, rejoices, and – yes – gets irritated with people.

Such ignorance of how He walks with His people in virtually every conceivable situation – from reverence to rebellion, creation to captivity – leaves us with understandings that change how we move forward today, in our personal paths. They focus us on the bigger picture – the reasons why I am here at this time in this place, by His design and will.

Am I rereading (or reading for the first time) the travels of God with His people long ago?

  • I am ignorant of the power of God

This is where the Old Testament shines. God has done so many powerful exploits that are recorded … the creation of the universe ought to get our attention. Since He never changes, we can see, grasp, and – hopefully – absorb into our DNA, His power that is shed repeatedly on behalf of His people.

Banishing the doubting Thomas theological position that God won’t do it again, today, we see time and again that God moved for those who trusted Him. As I reread the journies of the people of God in the Old Testament, I am reassured of God’s love, of His daily interest, and His willingness to intervene in my little segment of life right now.

Are you reading the Old Testament or are you wandering?

Are you trusting the power of God or are you going astray?

 

I’d love to hear what you have to say! Share in the comments below.

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Hope For Today – God Will Strengthen You and Help You!

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

 

Maybe you are in the midst of a valley right now – financially, relationally, emotionally, physically. It might even be the result of your own doing. Whatever the reason, here you are … struggling, suffering, and sinking. You’re wondering, “Where’s God?”

This is Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and I want to share some Hope For Today because God will strengthen you and help you!

In (Isaiah 41:10, NLT) God Himself gives us Hope For Today when he says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Fear dominates, doesn’t it? It’s like a thousand zombies reaching out to destroy us in the dark. And all we seem to be able to do is retreat … slowly, daily, continuously. And with the dread comes depression.

Overpowered and incapacitated we fall on our knees and cry out to Jesus! And in that moment of surrender and humility, God replies … “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Has it been so long since you’ve experienced victory that you think that it isn’t possible? Trust me … God will strengthen you and help you! Cry out to Jesus right now! Shed tears, unburden your pain … He will hold you up! He will bring you victory!

 

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 Eagles In Leadership . org; that’s Eagles In Leadership . org.

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Upgrading Our Prayer Life!

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

“Yeshua answered them, “Yes! I tell you, if you have trust and don’t doubt, you will not only do what was done to this fig tree; but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Go and throw yourself into the sea!’ it will be done. In other words, you will receive everything you ask for in prayer, no matter what it is, provided you have trust.”” (Matthew 21:21–22, CJB)

When I read passages like this, I stand back in silence. I’ve never moved a mountain by speaking to it. I don’t have any official historical record of anyone else doing it. So, how am I to take such verses … I take them by faith and realize that Jesus is trying to pull us UP into a new level of faith. Remember, (check it out please) that He had just shriveled up a fig tree because it didn’t have any breakfast snacks for the One who gives life to all.

Therefore, Jesus powerfully shows that, despite what I’ve read by a lot of doubting Thomas theologians, Jesus meant what He said. In fact, He repeatedly sought to encourage His disciples with the prompt, “You’ll do greater things that I have.” Thus, it’s time to upgrade my prayer life with a boost of faith! Would you join me?

Two things pop out here to me …

  • If I have trust and don’t doubt.

Ah, there’s the rub. I often doubt that God would even want to give me what I ask for. I’ve been taught by the faithless for so long – it started when I was young and continued through my “formal education” when my professors kept talking about how this was a “metaphor for faith” and not literal. As I read comments from others “wiser than I am,” I see the same lack of faith. Doubt seems to be ingrained in much of the teaching of those who can’t get anything to happen in their prayer life.

But, Jesus calls us to put our trust in Him and our Father in Heaven. That requires us to refocus on His character. He didn’t make us so we could constantly focus on our sniveling sinfulness. Are we sinful? Sure. Does a good father keep the focus of their child on their failures or on a future filled with hope and possibility? The latter is the human tendency of a good father, and so it is for us with our Father in Heaven. So, trust Him more every day, as Jesus had already sought to ingrain in His followers:

“So if you, even though you are bad, know how to give your children gifts that are good, how much more will your Father in heaven keep giving good things to those who keep asking him!” (Matthew 7:11, CJB)

  • I will receive everything I ask for in prayer, no matter what it is, provided I have trust.

What? Talk about something that scares me … this is it! EVERYTHING? Yes, the Greek for “everything” means “everything.” So, what am I asking God for? Have I become so doubt-filled that my prayer list (do I even have one) is littered with the inconsequential or infinitesimal?

Another problem I have is self-centeredness when it comes to prayer. God longs for us to move His Kingdom forward. He waits for us to pray for those around us in need. Am I doing that?

This is a powerful promise: “You will receive everything you ask for in prayer, no matter what it is, provided you have trust.” 

Am I treating this promise with the power and sincerity it deserves? Am I trusting God to do GREAT things through me? Do my prayers reflect that? Have I figured out how much God has authorized and entrusted to me? Doesn’t that enliven my spirit and strengthen my faith?

Truly, it’s time to take His words to Supreme Commander Joshua Nunson seriously:

“Yes, keep this book of the Torah on your lips, and meditate on it day and night, so that you will take care to act according to everything written in it. Then your undertakings will prosper, and you will succeed. Haven’t I ordered you, ‘Be strong, be bold’? So don’t be afraid or downhearted, because Adonai your God is with you wherever you go.”” (Joshua 1:8–9, CJB)

 

What do you say? What are your thoughts? Post them below! Encourage others!

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Hope For Today – God Gives More Grace!

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Pride. It gets all of us into problems every week. We know we are right, why can’t others see what we see? And when they don’t, we often push too hard and, in the process, show we are more interested in our own opinion than the person we are talking to. Injured feelings, strained relationships, and broken hearts often trail in pride’s wake.

This is Dr. Matthew Lee Smith and, if you feel the pain of your own pompousness, I want to share some Hope For Today because God wants to give you more grace!

In (James 4.6, NKJV) the brother of Jesus gives us Hope For Today when he says, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

A friend of mine recently told me he was sick. When I asked what he was suffering from, he said, “Foot in mouth disease.” While I laughed then, I have to admit I know this plague all too well.

In the quiet moments before you fall asleep, as the darkness takes over, do you rehearse your biting words … words that were meant to “put people in their place?” Been there, done that. Have the relational scars to prove it.

While God resists us when we’re proud, all it takes is a bowed knee, a repentant heart, and a humble request for forgiveness to make things right with God – a set of actions that, when repeated to those we have injured, often brings more grace than we could 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 Eagles In Leadership . org; that’s Eagles In Leadership . org.

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