Richard Ellis Talks

There are moments when we find ourselves wrecked by our own choices, and there are moments when we face trials and tribulations even in the midst of absolute faithfulness and obedience. But no matter what circumstances we're in or how we got there, God can use them -- and us -- to do miraculous things. When we trust Him through the tough times instead of complaining about the situation, we demonstrate the hope we have in Jesus to an otherwise hopeless world.

When we give our lives to Christ, God declares us holy and blameless in His sight. Yet often, we'd rather go back to our old sin than live in the freedom God's granted us. He's capable of restoring us and making us spotless from our past mistakes, but we have to be willing to allow Him to change us from the inside out.

A life lived in obedience to God will always be accompanied by suffering, especially when it comes to fighting the temptations of this world. But we are not a people without hope. Scripture promises us that no matter the struggles and pain we trudge through on this side of Heaven, all will be restored and made perfect in eternity.

Getting saved doesn't equal a life free of suffering and pain. In fact, Jesus said that if we want to follow Him, we have to take up our cross daily to do so. When we choose to pursue a Christ-centered life, it's inevitable that we'll experience earthly trials -- but it's nothing compared to the abundant life that God promises us for all eternity.

At some point in each of our lives, God gives us a calling. Yet so many of us choose to ignore it. We're afraid that if we follow what He has planned for us, we'll lose our lives in the process, instead of recognizing that we've already lost them when we miss out on what He has in store. The impact one life can have on the world when yielded to God is remarkable -- all we have to do is answer the call.

Our lives are often the "Bible" that other people are reading, and what they find in its contents may be the deciding factor in whether they choose to meet Christ. That's why it's important that we allow ourselves to be authentically flawed instead of trying to pretend like we have it all together. When we're honest about the fact that we never stop growing and learning in our walk with God, they begin to see that being a follower of Jesus is about process, not perfection.

We live in the information age. We can access just about anything we want, at our fingertips and at a moment's notice. But God's timing doesn't always result in instant gratification. Sometimes, having too much information isn't in our best interest; that's why God puts us on a "need to know" basis where we can learn to trust His plan for our lives and walk by faith.

Just because we're saved as Christians, doesn't mean our lives will automatically transform overnight. We can easily remain in denial if we choose, surrounding ourselves with people who will tell us we're doing fine and don't need to make any changes when we decide to follow Jesus. But He didn't save us so that we could stay stuck in our sin; He saved us so that we could experience the joy of a constantly-growing relationship with Him.

1 John 4:19 tells us, "We love because He first loved us." The Bible tells us that nothing we do will have any value if it's not motivated by love. If we want to represent the unconditional love of Christ, we have to allow Jesus to reign in every aspect of our lives.

Nothing in this world will fulfill us like Jesus can -- but that doesn't stop us from trying to find alternatives. Whether it's alcohol, drugs, money, sex, food, or some other crutch, we turn to all kinds of earthly temptations in hopes that it will fill the void. The only One who can satisfy the heart is the One who made it, and the love, joy and peace He brings to us is proof to everyone around us that we have something they need.