Richard Ellis Talks

Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would ultimately betray Him one day. Yet He still allowed him to get close, and served him to the very end. The devil knew he couldn't get into Jesus, so he got as close as possible -- yet even in that, Jesus gave us the ultimate example of what it means to love and serve our greatest enemies.

We live in a world that claims all truth is relative. But there's only one Truth, and His name is Jesus Christ. His Gospel is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, and it's our job to be bold and speak it lovingly to those around us.

Ever had a jug of milk that went sour because you chose to let it sit in the fridge and go bad instead of dumping it out? Often, that's what happens with our sin: it's easier for us to ignore it than to get rid of it. But God is our provider, and He'll never let us be empty. When we let go of the sinful nature we cling to, He's faithful to fill our lives with His blessings.

As newly born-again Christians, we're like infants in our faith: learning everything for the very first time. And that's okay! But sooner or later, we each need to grow up spiritually in order to be functioning, healthy members of the body of Christ. The more we grow, the more we realize that the Church isn't all about me -- it's all about we.

You've probably heard the term G.O.A.T -- Greatest Of All Time -- tossed around when it comes to describing the accomplishments of famous actors, athletes, or musicians. But the Bible clearly tells us that the actual G.O.A.T. was, in fact, a Lamb: the Lamb of God. Jesus was, is, and forever will be the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Greatest Of All Time. The only question is: what are we going to do about it?

As followers of Christ, we're called to be witnesses and to testify about what God's done in our lives. Scripture tells us that if we're not reaching out to other people with the Gospel, we're not walking as closely with Jesus as we could be -- or should be. We need to not only be attentive, but also willing to listen for and obey the Lord's promptings.

Jesus told His disciples on more than one occasion that He would die and be raised from the dead -- yet when it ultimately happened, they were still in shock and disbelief. Two thousand years later, we know that unless Jesus comes back before our time is up, we're all going to die one day. God calls us to repent and be saved before that day comes, and He's prepared to send us wake up calls through various trials if that's what it takes to bring us into relationship with Him.

We celebrate a holiday every year that's dedicated to the practice of giving thanks. But do we take time on a regular basis to thank -- really thank -- God for all He gives us? Everything we receive can be traced back to Him, and He's the provider of our every need.

We can tell God, "whatever", throw caution to the wind, and live a life enslaved in sin. Or, we can tell God, "whatever", surrender to Him fully, and open ourselves up to be used in whatever way He sees fit. And when we choose obedience to Him, we get a front-row seat to see Him do extraordinary things in us, through us, and around us.

Be honest -- have you ever seated God on the throne of your life, only to unseat Him when you feel like you can do a better job? Surrender is hard, and we like to think life will go more smoothly when we take over control. But in the end, we'll all submit to His Kingship in one way or another; instead of playing a game of thrones, why not yield to Him and experience life to the fullest?

Racism isn't a government problem or a culture problem -- it's a Church problem. It's our job as Christians to treat all believers as family; there is no distinction between brothers and sisters. No matter our differences, love triumphs over all things in the body of Christ.

Haven't we all wondered what life after death will be like? The Bible guarantees that we'll be in one of two places: for those who choose Christ, it will be heaven, and for those who deny Him, it will be hell. We can't just spend our time here being content to ride out this temporary life; we have to make a conscious choice to either own heaven as our home, or be left only ever imagining what it would be like.

Jesus died because He wanted us -- and we have to be willing to be wanted in a different way, for His sake. People hated Jesus for the truth that He spoke, and people may hate us for speaking about the difference that He's made in our lives. But Jesus didn't back down, even when it ultimately led Him to the cross, and we have to be prepared to sacrifice everything for Him.

Being "good" isn't bad -- it's just not good enough. The Bible's clear that the only way for us to be redeemed from our sin is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. We're all born into sin, and we must all be spiritually born again in order to be saved.

Through Christ and His sacrifice, we're made righteous and whole in Him, and we're given the ability to stand in the gap for someone else through prayer. We all know someone who doesn't know God and who's experiencing a world of hurt without Him. As Christians, it's our job to advocate on their behalf before the Father.