Richard Ellis Talks

The thing about goodbyes is that you never know when they'll be your last. That's why it's important to leave on good terms wherever possible. The good news is this: for all who put their trust in Jesus, we can rest in the promise that we'll see our fellow Christians again one day in heaven, and so it's never really "goodbye".

How we live as believers is a direct reflection not only of our own character, but of God's character. And the company we choose to keep will rub off on our character for better or for worse. God implores us to show gratitude in all things, not to spend our time complaining and spreading negativity. Let's choose to walk in both obedience and thankfulness and reflect Him well to the world around us!

As "baby" Christians, it's natural that we'll be needy for a season and make some messes along the way! But at some point, we have to gain some independence or we won't be able to grow spiritually. The goal of discipleship is for us to get to a place of maturity where we can then make disciples of other people and help them to grow from infancy, too.

Since the beginning of time, both the devil's tricks and our own sin have remained virtually the same. The tactics and methods might look different from generation to generation, but sickness is sickness, and sometimes it seems easier for us to hold on to our illness than to give it up and be made well. Jesus offers us healing -- all we have to do is accept it.

The most important relationship we'll ever have is our relationship with God. The upside of reconciliation with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, is that He can begin changing us inside. And the more He fills us inside, the more He flows through us to the outside and impacts the world around us, too.

As Christians, we're not residents of this world -- we're just passing through. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, our citizenship in Heaven is secured, and this life is just a waiting room until the day we're called home. It's important for us to make the most of our time here by fulfilling God's purpose for our lives, but it's equally important that we keep our eyes fixed on eternity knowing that's where our priorities lie.

A big part of trusting God with our lives is trusting Him with our money. When we live in complete surrender, the Holy Spirit prompts us to be generous to others in those moments where we see a need. Instead of clinging to what we have with clenched fists, let's realize all the blessings God's given us and then open our hands to share all that we've received!

You've probably seen those condiment bottles that caution, "Shake well before using". But have you ever considered that God does the same thing with us? Sometimes He needs to shake us up, either to get us out of our comfort zone or to humble our ego, before He can use us to accomplish His work. Throughout our life there'll be circumstances that make us wonder why He's putting us through so much hardship, but when we trust in Him even as we face those moments, He can mix us up and pour us out in much more powerful ways.

Jesus modeled His relationship with His Father throughout the Gospels when He would ask God's guidance or approval before stepping out on His own. If the Son of God saw the importance of trusting and obeying His Father, how much more should we, joint heirs with Christ, also learn obedience?

God gave EVERYTHING to offer us the opportunity to become His kids. He sent His only Son to die on our behalf. And the only thing He wants in return is...us. Accepting His free gift of salvation means stepping into a relationship with our Heavenly Father that is always growing and maturing, but in order for us to draw closer to Him, we have to be willing to give Him our time.