Richard Ellis Talks

We've all heard the saying, "So close, yet so far." The Bible's clear that no matter how many good deeds we do, it will never make us "good enough" to save ourselves. Whether we try to make up for our mistakes with good actions or even believe that we don’t have sin in our lives, we're all physically born into sin and must be spiritually born again through Jesus Christ to be saved.

When Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins, He stood in the gap between us and God. Through His sacrifice, we've been redeemed, and now it's our job to stand in the gap for others through prayer. When someone doesn't yet know Christ, it's our responsibility to intercede on their behalf by praying for the Lord to protect them from evil.

When we ask God for something according to His will, He promises to answer us -- but in His timing, not ours! It's easy to get impatient when God takes a long time to answer our prayers, but what we often don't realize is that there are spiritual factors in play that we can't see or understand. Scripture encourages us to keep asking God no matter how long it takes -- because if we're asking for things He's put on our hearts, He'll answer in His perfect time.

In the Old Testament we read that the Israelites turned from God to find satisfaction in other things, only to come up short each and every time. We do that in our own lives, don't we? We build our own cisterns to hold water that falls through the cracks and holes of our own making, while God -- the fountain of life -- is waiting to fill us up all along. The only satisfaction we can ever find is in God alone.

Ministry is messy. Why? Because people are people, and we've all got a mess or two! Everybody has wounds, whether they're physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual, and as Christ-followers, we're called to take compassion on others and help them get cleaned up -- no matter how messy the process. Jesus teaches us to put aside all prejudice, roll up our sleeves, and jump into His work as He uses us to reach those who are broken and hurting.

We all have days when we want to tear our hair out, throw something, or even just scream because we're so frustrated and overwhelmed with this journey called "life"! But the Bible tells us that when we change our perspective, we begin to view our troubles as joy because we remember God's promise to use all things for good. We're able to look back, not only in our own lives but in the stories of Scripture, and see for ourselves that God's always faithful -- and that's worth screaming about in a whole different way!

At some point, we'll all face situations where we have to choose between standing up for Jesus and backing down in the face of pressure. There's strength in numbers, and when it's time for us to take a stand, we've got to be willing to ask for help from other believers. At the same time, we also have a responsibility to stand behind other believers and support them when it's their turn to stand firm in their faith.

 

Make no mistake: evil exists in this world. And sometimes, we experience such horrible events and situations in our lives that the only way to describe them is exactly that -- evil. But just like God used the worst possible circumstances in Joseph's life to save an entire nation, He can take anything we experience or endure and use it to bring good for His glory.

What should we do when we feel bound by the weight of our sin or the sin of others? Saint John Chrysostom, an Archbishop of the early church in Constantinople, once said, "Fasting of the body is food for the soul." God calls us to fast and pray in those moments when we feel burdened, so we can more clearly see His work in our lives and in the lives of those we love. It's not a secret formula that'll automatically give us the answers we're seeking -- but it's a great recipe for our walk with Jesus!

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 21.5 million adults in America struggle with substance abuse or addiction. Others are addicted to gambling, pornography, or stealing. Still others may experience addictions that seem harmless on the surface, but have negative consequences when not managed: addictions to eating, shopping, exercise, and more. The only way for any of us to be freed from our addictions is not to just get sober -- but also to get clean. Jesus is the only One who can truly clean a person's life up, and so He waits for each of us patiently, asking, "Do you want to be made well?"