Richard Ellis Talks

God went all in to save us. Why would we expect to do anything less than go all in and give Him our lives in response? He holds all the cards -- the only winning strategy in this life is to bet everything on Him knowing He'll take care of us every step of the way.

Sometimes the worst harm we can do is to sit down and keep quiet when we should stand up and speak out. That's especially true when an opportunity presents itself for us to share our faith with others. God wants to use you and me to reach people for His Kingdom. Let's be ready to give a reason for the hope that should be evident in our lives.

Genealogy has become increasingly popular with the advent of modern technology that allows us to trace our DNA back through time. In the same way that we can see how the choices made by previous generations still impact our earthly lives today, we can also see the spiritual impact of those who have gone before us. It's not only important for us to live in obedience to God for our own benefit -- it also makes a difference to other believers both in the here and now, and in the generations to come.  

God made the Church to be His Bride by loving her enough to die for her. Do we, as the Church, respond accordingly in love? Foreplay is used to lead to intimacy in marriage, but in a spiritual way, it can be used to lead to intimacy with God. We need to give Him our time and attention, in worship and prayer, showing that our heart truly loves the One who first loved us.

Have you ever known somebody who has gone through unimaginable hardship, yet they exude complete and absolute joy? It's impossible to be void of joy when we're walking in the presence of God and living in true relationship with Him. That doesn't mean we're free from experiencing sorrow and suffering -- it means that no amount of sorrow or suffering can rob us of the joy we receive from Him.

There's no way to sugarcoat the truth: we live in a dangerous world. Not only do we face physical struggles constantly -- we face spiritual battles every day. The Bible tells us to hide ourselves in God and He'll cover us. He's faithful to protect us from the attacks of the enemy when we call on His name.

When we give God our lives, He gives us so much more in return. He allows us the privilege of partnering with Him to change the world for His glory. We only need to read Scripture to see how He provides for those who trust in Him: He offers the Bread of Life -- Jesus Himself.

We sometimes talk about being a "yes" person like it's a bad thing. But when it comes to our walk with the Lord, giving our "yes" to Him is not only a choice we get to make, but the biggest privilege we could have. If you've said "no" until now, make this the moment to give Him your "yes" -- and never underestimate what He can do with the willingness of His people when we make ourselves available to Him.

Sometimes, we allow the outside noise of the world to drown out God's voice because we're afraid of what He's trying to say to us. Other times, we just plain get distracted. Regardless, when we stop to listen and He tells us what to do, it's our job to respond with immediate obedience. Listening only makes an impact when it's followed by action.

Some people heard the stories of the Bible before they were even out of the womb, and they grew up knowing the Gospel message by heart. But for many others, the words of Scripture are brand new. If we're in the first group, may we never make new believers feel stupid, but always be ready to graciously answer questions and help to teach; if we're in the second group, may we never stop asking questions or lose excitement about the miracle of the Gospel!

Do you want to hear some really, really good news today? The same God that parted the Red Sea, raised Jesus from the dead, and rescued Paul from prison works on behalf of you and me. God may allow suffering, but He always has a plan to bring us through suffering.

If you've ever been a film junkie, a sports enthusiast, or an avid supporter of a musician or band, you know that there's a difference between being a "fan" and being a "follower". We can all be fans of Jesus without ever actually obeying what He told us to do in order to follow Him. We can choose to be Christians who believe for the sake of salvation and continue to go about life as we please, or we can accept the exciting and fulfilling invitation Jesus extends for us to follow Him.

The miracle baby whose birth we celebrate on Christmas grew into the Savior Who took our sins to the cross. But in between birth and death was the life of a boy wonder! Mary and Joseph walked obediently in God's will and raised Jesus to fulfill God's plan for Him. In the same way, the Lord asks us to respond to our Savior by walking in obedience and surrendering our lives to Him.

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus' birth, but in a way, it's also a reminder of His sacrifice. Just as He was wrapped up in swaddling clothes as a baby when He was first declared the Messiah, He was later wrapped and buried after His death -- a death He died all so that we could have eternal life. God offers us the gift of salvation, wrapped up in His Son -- and all we have to do is reach out and receive it.

For centuries throughout Old Testament times, the people waited on the promise that a Messiah would come. During that period of waiting, the Israelites experienced a lot of darkness before the Light of the World arrived. Like them, we all go through difficult seasons, but when we cling to the hope we have in Christ, He brings light to the darkest corners of our lives.