Richard Ellis Talks

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there's a season for everything, and that God's made everything beautiful in its time. That's never more true than when it comes to the life of each and every precious child He's created. As we get older, the ticking "biological clock" causes a lot of anxiety and heartache for those who long to have children. But instead of being so focused on becoming parents that we'll do anything to make it happen, it's important to slow down and trust God's plans are perfect rather than jumping ahead of and outside of His timing.

Sin has no preference when it comes to age -- and no matter where we're at in life, it always has consequences. It's common for both men and women to experience a midlife crisis when they get bored with the life they have and they chase after more pleasurable things. In these seasons, it's as important as ever to not get distracted by the world, but to stay focused on God -- He's the only One who can provide lasting satisfaction.  

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, a number of physical consequences followed. Among these was the fact that men would be destined to "toil" or work the earth, and women would experience pain in childbirth. Menopause is an indirect result of sin in Eden, and every woman's going to face certain physical changes that come with age. When that time comes, husbands also have to adjust to a new stage of life -- but God can provide the patience it takes to endure with love through this season.  

As Christians we often chase after the "mountain top" moments and spiritual highs that we experience when we hear a good sermon or a powerful worship song. The problem with situational mountain top moments is...sooner or later, they always end. But the reality is, if you've met Jesus, you've had a true mountain top experience, and if you stay connected to Him and live in His Spirit, you never have to come down off the mountain!

How well we control what comes out of our mouths is a pretty good indicator of how well we control all other aspects of our lives. The Bible tells us that our mouths clearly depict who we truly are. As ambassadors of God's love, let's strive to tame our tongues and to reflect the image of Christ through the words we say!

Sometimes it feels like God isn't listening to us -- like we speak and all we hear back is the echo of our own prayers. But often, God's answer to our prayers can be found by looking in a mirror! He wants to use us as His hands and feet, to go out and make a difference in His name. Instead of asking why He's not doing anything to solve the injustices of the world, maybe a better question to ask is: how is He calling me to be part of the solution?

Psalm 103:12 says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." So if God chooses to forget about our sin once we've confessed, repented, and received His forgiveness...then why don't we forget it, too? Instead of wearing the guilt of our past, He wants us to shed it, move on, and not let it define us any longer!

Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for the least of His brothers and sisters, we do for Him. Yet how many times do we pass up the opportunity to serve those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, or imprisoned -- and in doing so, pass up the opportunity to serve Christ? When we allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, He opens our eyes to recognize "the least of these" -- often perfect strangers -- as Jesus Himself, and to serve them with the same love and compassion as He first showed us.

When we feel ourselves getting swept up in and overwhelmed by the trials we face, the best thing we can do is look at our lives in perspective to God. He's the beautiful Creator, the Almighty Savior, and He's bigger than all of our circumstances. Our lives are about so much more than the here and now -- we're given hope and the promise of eternity in Heaven with our Lord.  

When it comes to following Jesus, there's no going halfway. We've got to be willing to lay everything down in order for Him to shape us and use us for His glory. And to do that requires trust -- trust that God's plans for us are good, and that His purpose for our lives is greater than anything we could dream up for ourselves.

One of the greatest lessons Jesus ever taught His followers was the importance of serving others. It's why, the night before He was crucified, one of His last acts was to wash His disciples' feet. Even knowing that He was about to die, Jesus still chose to serve. While it's easier to be served than it is to serve, following Christ leads to genuine faith, genuine faith to obedience, and obedience to a life of a service!

We've all had those moments in life where we think, "that'll happen when pigs fly!" But when God says He's going to do something, there's no doubt about it: He will follow through. So when Jesus said He'd never leave us or forsake us, we don't have to wonder or question His ability. If God's promised to equip us with all we need, we can trust that He'll do whatever it takes to make that happen -- even if it means making pigs fly!

It's not a very flattering title, but according to the Bible, we're all losers! Jesus tells us that whoever tries to save their own life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for His sake will find it. Without Christ, we're losers -- yet God offers us the ultimate prize of eternal life anyway, just because He loves us that much. Instead of chasing glory and satisfying our own pride, let's live to make His name known by glorifying Him in everything we do!

You've probably heard of the theory that there are "six degrees of separation" in the world -- six or fewer steps separating us from every other person on the planet. But if you think that's pretty amazing, think about this: there are zero degrees of separation between you and God's love! Scripture tells us that there's nothing we can ever do to make God love us less, but that doesn't mean we should take advantage and live separated from His will for our lives. When we live out the love that's in us, God not only changes us, but He changes the world through us.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they introduced evil into the makeup of humanity. We're inherently sinful, but when we invite Jesus into our lives, we're sanctified, made pure and holy because of Christ living in us. God's plea is that we'd live in the goodness that He intended for us, but the only way to do that is by repenting from our sin and submitting ourselves in obedience to Him.