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.

The devil is always working around the clock to sucker us into his schemes. The reason we stumble and fall, time and time again, is because we keep falling for the same tricks he's always used. As followers of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us and guiding us away from the enemy's traps -- but it's up to us to obey God's prompting when He tells us to stay away.

God sent Jesus to live perfectly, die for us, rise again, and defeat sin and death. He did His part so that we could have eternal life. Our part? It's simply this: accept the gift and live in obedience to Him.

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. 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.

God is all about using imperfect families to carry out His purpose in the world. When we decide to follow Jesus, we get to share that with our families and set a new example for the ones we lead. Choosing Jesus means two things: 1) we're automatically part of His family, and 2) no matter how chaotic your family might be, God can still use it to make a huge impact across generations.

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.

Throughout the Bible, there are stories of people who felt overwhelmed and wanted to quit the tasks God had given them. We all have those moments when we’re ready to throw in the towel, but God is still working. Even when we feel like we’re done fighting and struggling, He is never "done" with us.