Richard Ellis Talks

"Getting ahold of that for which Christ has gotten ahold of you". The Lord has claimed us as His own, just like He did the heroes of those inspiring Bible stories! Remaining faithful to God and choosing to be obedient no matter what, is how we can honor Him the most!

We're not meant to "do life" alone. That's one of the primary reasons God created the Church - so believers have a support, encouragement, and accountability system in place.

A very important part our growth in Christ is discipleship - as both a "student", and a "teacher". We should be seeking out a new believer who we can pour into their life. At the same time, we're never too far along in our own faith-walk to learn from a mature believer who can pour into our life!

We're born with a selfish nature. But in our creation, God left a hole, a spiritual empty space, that can only be filled with Him. And when we're filled with Him, submitting to Him and forsaking what's unhealthy in our lives, He can produce good spiritual fruit!

Walking in God's truth means being a doer of the Word and not just a hearer. When we actually apply what we read in the Bible, not only does it benefit our own walk, but it also encourages others, that walking in God's truth can change their life as well!

We don't have to face our greatest challenges alone. We can turn to God for hope, because He's given us His power through the Holy Spirit to overcome anything!

God's family isn't filled with all the same type of people. We're all different from each other, but that's what makes the word "unity" so powerful. Let's remember to keep reaching out to those different than us, because they're just as precious to God as we are!

God's our Father, and He's got our best interest in store. So before making the biggest human relational decision of our life, let's make sure our relationship with our Father's where it needs to be! That way, He'll lead us properly.

After our relationship with God, marriage is the most important relationship in our life, and should be treated as such. It's a gift, so commit it to God and ask Him for the strength to stay committed to each other for life!

Next to making an eternal commitment to follow Christ, the next most important commitment is marriage. And it's the same at the wedding altar as it is when we become a Christian - we "forsake all others". When God brings two people together, He can give them the strength needed to keep the marriage intact and thriving!

The  "in sickness and in health" part of the wedding vows means more than you'll make sure there's enough Kleenex or Nyquil during a cold! It's committing that no matter what the future holds, even upon receiving the dreaded test results news from the doctor, that you're there for each other for the long run.

While hardships can strengthen a marriage relationship, sometimes we can avoid financial difficulty if we'd just make wise decisions. When we trust God for His provision, and be good stewards of what He gives us, we can live in peace and contentment.

Prayer is our daily lifeline! It's our communication channel with our heavenly Father and how we can grow in our relationship with Him. Along with the truths in the Bible, it's also a powerful weapon against the enemy when he attacks the children of God. Always remember: "Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world!"

A reality of life is that when trials and tough times come, marriages can take a hit. But those are the times when we can decide to cling to God, and to each other. Let's commit to rely on God when things are both better AND worse!

In the right, God-approved dynamic (sex within a marriage covenant), there's a spiritual intimacy that goes beyond the physical intimacy. When God's the center of each spouse individually, think how wonderful it'd be when He's the center of your marriage too!