Richard Ellis Talks

As believers, we serve a God Who's always in control no matter what the circumstances. Because He's alive, He hears, sees, and understands our problems, and His plan always prevails! Our responsibility is simply to live a holy life, acceptable and pleasing to Him.

When a person becomes a child of God, they become part of His family! And like any loving parent (only more complete, perfect, and unconditional!), God wants to provide everything we need to live a life of hope and purpose.

Let's be honest. Sin is satisfying - in the moment. Because it's filling a sin-nature desire that we've given in to. But it's very destructive to the God-nature within us. So when we're tempted by the momentary pleasures of sin, let's let God rescue us. It's for our good and because He loves us that He's willing to do that!

Because of the deep emotional scars that it brings, one of the most difficult things to forgive is sexual sin, whether it means forgiving someone who sexually harmed us, or forgiving ourselves for committing a sexual sin. The only one who can bring true sexual healing regardless of the past is Jesus!

Is there something in our life that has a grip on us so tightly, that we're a "slave" to its power and influence? If that thing (or person) is Jesus, that's a good thing! If it's anything else, that's not a good thing, and it's time to reevaluate why it has such a grip on us.

The prodigal son parable gave Jesus the opportunity to show us a picture of God the Father anxiously waiting for us to come to Him, no matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done. There's nothing that'll ever keep Him from loving us and accepting us as His child!

There's a huge difference between positive thinking and powerful thinking. Powerful thinking's based on what God can do in and through us because of the Holy Spirit taking up residence within us! When the believer realizes this truth, there's nothing to fear!

It's one thing to live like a Christian, and a completely other thing to live as a Christian. The very word means "Christ in me." Jesus is God's  once-and-for-all sacrifice for our self-caused separation from Him. He tasted death so that we can taste life!

Trust means believing someone because they've earned our trust due to past situations. Faith means trusting God for what will become clear in the future.  That "oooh" moment in Heaven will happen when, because of our faith, He's earned our trust here on earth!

As a believer, we have the Spirit of the living God abiding within us! We have His power to lean on, to help us share His salvation message to others, in hopes that they'll avoid hell. Are we just a "carrier" of the Good News, or are we a "donor"?

Sometimes, if this is what it takes, God allows a person to get to a place (physical, emotional, spiritual...) where we don't want what we want anymore. Then we decide in our heart that it's time to give Him our ALL!

For a believer, sin should bring with it a "shame" that hopefully lead us to repentance. It's when we repent that God can really change our hearts!

The Bible's Ruth is a great example of what it means to trust God and obey. Her loyalty to Naomi and obedience (through trusting God) to what she said led Ruth to marry Boaz, which then fed the family line down to Joseph, the father of Jesus, the Savior of the world!

The sin of adultery (it's not limited to just the physical act!) is rampant, even with Christ followers. But Jesus' blood can cover EVERY SIN with His cleansing forgiveness! It's NEVER TOO LATE to seek His grace and mercy, and begin to live a Godly life, honoring Him with our thoughts, intentions, and actions!

We can't earn an invitation from God to be with Him forever. Yet, because Jesus covers us in His righteousness, we're invited to come. Responding to His invitation allows Him to then come into our heart and change us from the inside out!