Richard Ellis Talks

Discipleship is critical when it comes to the Church -- because without it, all we're left with is a bunch of born-again spiritual orphans with no one to look after them. Every Christian is commanded to make disciples who will grow spiritually and be able to disciple others in turn. As believers, God will call each of us to seek out someone new to the family of God to take under our wing, and pour into their life in a way that helps them mature to a position of doing the same for someone else.

We're surrounded by bad advice everywhere we look. Yet God promises to give us wisdom if only we seek Him! When we follow His direction for our lives, He can use us to grow His Kingdom by reaching others.

When Jesus was on earth, He brought His disciples to a mountaintop -- and there, He unveiled His glory and met with Moses and Elijah to be encouraged for what He was about to face on the cross. If Jesus Himself sought encouragement, how important must it be for us to encourage and be encouraged ourselves? The light that shone through Christ Himself is inside all those who follow Him -- and if we let Him, He can use us to bring others from darkness to Light.

The Bible is clear in its instruction that we're to work at living in peace with one another. And that includes being quick to resolve issues and to let go of our offenses and our pride! Not everyone is willing to live this way -- but in order for God's family to function the way He intended, we have to put aside our differences and make every effort to seek resolution.

Every moment on earth could be our last. None of us have any idea when God will say our time here is done. That's why it's so important that we don't waste it! We have to choose to obey God -- not just every year, every week, or every day, but every second of our lives -- so that He can work through us to reach as many people as possible.

The devil's only mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. He spends every moment plotting to keep us trapped in the snares of sin. There's life after death -- eternal life with God -- but so many people don't even know it exists, or believe they have a chance at that life. It's our job to fight against the devil's lies and spread the Word during our time here on earth so we can help other people to get out alive.

Salvation secures us from being lost and separated from God forever. But our spiritual journey doesn't end there! When we give up our lives for the sake of following Christ, we gain heavenly rewards that can never be taken away.

Ever heard the phrase, "Do as I say, not as I do?" The Bible is clear in calling out hypocrites who teach one way to live, and then live out something completely different themselves. It doesn't matter how we look or act on the outside if on the inside, our heart isn't right with God -- and when we have a genuine relationship with Him, it'll be evident in the spiritual fruit that's produced in our lives.

Scripture chronicles three different ways that Jesus was raised: by His parents throughout His childhood, on the cross when He was crucified, and from the grave when He triumphed over death. It was for our sin that He was born, died, and resurrected -- the question is, do we raise Him up in our daily lives by sharing the Good News of salvation with the rest of the world?

When Jesus came as the Savior of the world, God chose to announce His birth in incredible and miraculous ways. But Jesus promised to come back one day, and in the meantime, God uses us to announce that He'll return. While we wait with expectation for that day to come, we have a responsibility to share the Gospel with others so that their lives might be changed by His love, too.