Richard Ellis Talks

When we invite Jesus into our lives, the transformation that happens within us should be reflected to the world outside us as we become instruments of His workmanship. Everywhere we go, there should be a noticeable difference between the light that's in us and a world that lives in darkness -- and we're not meant to keep that light to ourselves.

God used John the Baptist for the sole purpose of preparing people for the coming of Jesus. When we're fulfilling our purpose in life -- not seeking our 15 minutes of fame, but looking for ways to direct others' attention to Him -- we won't receive the glory for our actions, but He will.

In this world, it's hard to wrap our brains around the fact that God is good in the midst of so much bad. We struggle to reconcile the immense suffering we face with what we hear and read about a loving and almighty God. But that same God who loved us enough to send His Son to die for us will not abandon us to suffer needlessly -- we just have to trust in His plan.

The easiest and most accurate way to find out what your heart is truly devoted to is to look at your finances and see where they're going. God promises to take care of us in all of our needs, but we have to trust Him and let Him be Lord over our whole lives, including our money and the ways we use it.

We look to everything this world has to offer -- including food -- to fill us. And if we're not careful, trying to fill ourselves with too much of anything can turn to an act of sin. We overindulge out of a desire to fill the emptiness we feel inside, but Jesus is the only One who can do that. When we allow Him in, change starts happening from the inside out.

When you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you. We're often guilty of pointing fingers at others for their "obvious" sins while hiding sins that nobody likes to talk about because they make us uncomfortable. Gluttony is addressed specifically in the Bible as a sin, but we forget this when we sit down at a table full of food. Some of us need to spend less time judging others and more time seeking accountability from someone we trust to help us clean out our own cupboards.

Just like the delicious food we enjoy at a holiday meal with family and friends, God's Word is full of all the "fixins" for our walk with Him. His table is set and there's a place for us. Come, taste and see that He is good! 

What has God put in your life to protect you, that you're hardheadedly and stubbornly trying to destroy? He can use seemingly obscure things to get our attention, just like He did with Balaam and his donkey. If we're so focused on getting that "thing" out of our lives, we'll fail to see how it's protecting us.

There are basic -- but essential -- concepts to which the Church needs to hold fast in order for it to stay healthy and continue to grow. Discipleship, servant leadership, worship, community, and evangelism are just some of the key tenets of church health. Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God by spreading the Gospel and increasing His Church.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "comparison is the thief of joy." God made us for His work, to be molded and shaped into whatever vessel He wants to use. Instead of comparing ourselves to other people and being jealous of how God's using them, let's focus on allowing Him to work in us and through us in order to bring Him all the glory.