Richard Ellis Talks

In a world of 24/7 news and social media, it can sometimes feel impossible to not get caught up in criticizing those in leadership. But as Christians, we're called to pray for all who are in authority -- whether we voted for them or not. Instead of complaining about the way things are being run, let's try getting on our knees, praying for those in charge, and trusting that God is ultimately in control.

Jesus left His disciples with the Great Commission -- the directive to go and spread the Gospel throughout the whole world. But do you know what's even more amazing? The same power that was in those disciples, who took the Gospel to the ends of the earth, is also in us when we choose to follow Jesus. We're not meant to keep what He's done for us hidden; we're meant to share the Good News, and share it far and wide.

When we become Christians, we put our old life to death and begin a new life in which we submit to the Lord. But we often struggle to leave our sin behind in the process. Our flesh reminds us of the sin that we're "missing out" on, but when we hold fast to Jesus and learn to resist the temptation, we begin to miss the sin less and seek God more.

It's easy for us to get caught up in our lives, just doing our own thing. But sometimes, God comes along, calls us out, and stops us in our tracks. And when the Lord uses something to get our attention, we'd better take notice and follow where He leads!

The world is filled with wolves in sheep's clothing -- and that includes in the Church. As Christians, it's important for us to always be discerning. Many churches today concern themselves more with pleasing a culture that's rooted in sin than with pleasing Jesus. That's why we need to pay attention to those who come into our church family, and those who lead within the Church, too.

The world is full of generally-accepted beliefs that are completely countered by Scriptural truth. No matter how much we've been told something, or how fervently we want to believe it, the fact remains: if it doesn't match up with what the Bible tells us, it isn't true. Before we can engage in productive conversations in our world today, we have to first be grounded in the truth of God's Word.

The more we understand that it's only by God's grace that we're part of His family, the more humbled we feel. And with that humility comes a desire to share the Gospel message with others. As we draw closer to Jesus, we realize the diversity of all those whom He calls His children, and that we're all brought together in unity because of Him.

The Bible promises that we'll have trouble in this life. But God has a bigger plan for us -- and out of our mourning comes His glory. Only He can provide the kind of lasting joy that persists even when tragedy strikes. And when He puts that gladness in our hearts that those around us may not understand, nothing will be able to steal it from us.

It's all too easy for us to make judgments about other people when we're ignorant about their lives and their backgrounds. But that's not a justification for us to stay ignorant. Instead, let's seek to learn from and about others so we're better able to share the Gospel with them in ways they can understand.

If you are not for Christ, you're anti-Christ. Scripture makes it clear that there's a distinct line separating those who proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, and those who don't. There's no room to be on the fence; either we live for Him, or we live against Him.