Richard Ellis Talks

The Israelites wasted 20 long years because they chose not to repent and follow the Lord. They only brought more consequence on themselves in the end. Often, we're like the Israelites: we procrastinate on our repentance, and God allows consequences to come our way in order to draw us back to Him.

How amazing is it that God wants to use you and me to reach people?! But in order to do that, we have to be willing to see past the "impossible" and believe in Him to make all things possible. There's no better time and no greater opportunity than Christmas to step out in obedience and boldly proclaim the Gospel - let's trust God to give us the words and the courage we need.

God gave up His one and only Son so that we could be offered the gift of eternal life. All He asks is that we offer ourselves to Him in return. Scripture teaches us to surrender our whole lives to the Lord, and then to stand back and watch the amazing things He can do with us.

In a time when people have never owned more stuff, we've never been more owned by our stuff. So we tend to get uncomfortable when we read Jesus' charge to us to care for the poor, particularly when it requires self-sacrifice. It might not sound appealing to part with our things, but things should always take a backseat to people -- especially when those people have the potential to become brothers or sisters in Christ as a consequence of the love, compassion, and generosity we extend to them.

God called Mary to bear His Son -- a task so monumental and "impossible" that there's no way she could have followed through unless she had faith. She trusted God to do what He said, and to equip her with everything she'd need to fulfill His purpose for her. God calls us to that same kind of obedience -- the kind that requires our dependence on Him -- and when we rely on Him, our faith not only grows, but we become a living, breathing showcase to the amazing things that only He can do.

God literally worked out the impossible in order for Mary, a virgin, to conceive and give birth to His own Son. So why do we doubt that He can work out the seemingly "impossible" things in our own lives? When His Spirit lives within us and we walk in obedience, He fills us with the power to accomplish His plan and purpose.

God told four different people about His plan to send His Son to this earth in order to save all those who believe in Him from their sins. And in doing that, He gave hope to humanity. Because we have the Holy Spirit living inside us, we now have the responsibility and the privilege of telling the world what He's done for us and for them.

Mary was chosen to carry the Son of God, to give birth to the Savior who would come in the flesh to save us from our sins. She trusted God's promises, and because she allowed the Holy Spirit to work through her, He fulfilled them. As Christians, the same Holy Spirit dwells in each of us -- and when we trust God for His promises, it impacts not only our own lives, but the world around us.

God answered Zechariah and Elizabeth's prayers to have a baby -- but He did it within His perfect timing. He had a plan for that baby far beyond what anybody could see: John the Baptist would grow up to pave the way for God's own Son. Our prayers might seem repetitive, and it might even feel like they're falling on deaf ears. But God not only hears, He answers, and our only job is to wait on Him and trust Him in the process.

When we're disconnected from God, we're prone to spiritual attack. We have to connect with Him on a daily basis in order to prevent attacks on our hearts by the enemy. To do that, it's crucial to remain in God's Word and to be in regular fellowship with other believers.