Richard Ellis Talks

Guest (Male): Today on Richard Ellis Talks.

Richard Ellis: I'm trusting God. I'm walking with God. I'm listening to God. I'm doing what he told me to do, and all hell's breaking loose. I think I'm going to retreat and go back where I was where it's safe. The problem with that is you're not doing what he sent you into battle to do to keep marching and take enemy territory. You say, well, I don't want to fight. I'm tired. Take a little break and get back in the battle.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. Richard's style is unlike anyone else where he shares the life-changing message of the gospel in a way that's real, refreshing, focused, and fun. We know that life is pretty challenging these days, but these talks will help you meet those challenges head on with biblical truth, encouragement, and direction. Now, if you're not able to stick around with us for all of today's talk, you can always listen to, download, and even share this entire message with a friend right from our website, richardellis.com. So, let's jump right in with today 's talk.

Here is Richard Ellis.

Richard Ellis: The today's message is insider trading. Now, if you say, well, I don't understand what insider trading is, let me give you a few names. Michael Milken, that would be a good one to do a little search on, and sweet Martha Stewart who could do no harm, but clearly figured out a way to do some time in a decorated cell. So, you say, well, but that's not really criminal. That's not, you know, the love of money, not money, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, the book says. Be careful. You say, well, I got a way to get rich quick.

Well, God has ways of making you get poor quick, too. Okay? Turn to 2 Kings 6. Now, I'm going to read you a couple of my favorite stories, then we'll reference some stuff in the New Testament. Part of what I'm trying to do and we're trying to do as a church is help you realize that being a Christian is not some religious exercise. And you think, well, I'm going to be a better person. I'm going to be nicer to my dad. I 'm going to be a better husband. So, I'm going to go to church and I'll, you know, make some friends at church, maybe do some deals at church, and my life will go better cuz I went to church.

I'm not knocking going to church, but church is not a place you can go. You can't biblically go to church. Church is an organism. It's a family. It's a body of believers. So, it's not a place. It's a thing. And it really it turns out to be Jesus. Okay? So, when you say you want to get connected to a church, you're really kind of saying without knowing it, you want to get connected to Jesus. And when you get connected to Jesus, you don't end up with just a ticket to heaven. You end up with a way of life.

And that way of life involves daily, daily, daily talking to him, listening to him, reading his word, connecting in such a way that you are so intertwined, you are so connected that you don't do anything without asking him. And especially big decisions, you know, I had a guy the other day say this job opportunity, what should I do? I told him to pray and fast. You know, don't make big decisions without talking to the boss. It just makes sense. So, you say, well, I don't like that. I just want to do what I want to do.

And again, how is that working out for you so far? Uh, recently in a beautiful place, part of the country where a bunch of rich people end up retired and beautiful homes and beautiful, beautiful people, beautiful everything, it's beautiful. But if you stop and look at them for a while, you go, okay. So, they got all this money, they cashed out, they bought him a big old house, and they go eat every day. I'm like, is that it? It's bunch of old people eating. Now, they were eating some really good food, but is that it?

You're going to get rich and go eat and die? Now, am I knocking you having money? Let me tell you something. If God blesses you with money, it ain't to get old and just eat. Right? How are you planning to let him live in you in such a way that you serve him to the finish line? Till your last breath, chest out, hit, you know, the tape, and bam, you're done your job. All right, let's get 2 Kings 6. One story. 2 Kings 6. Now, the king of Syria was making war against Israel, and he consulted with his servants saying, so he has a little meeting, war meeting in the war room.

He says, my camp will be in such and such a place. So, he says, okay, we're going to battle. This is where my camp's going to be. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, beware that you do not pass by this place for the Syrians are coming down there. So, somebody on Israel's side goes, don't go there cuz that's where the Syrians will be. Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him and he was watchful there not just once or twice.

So, this keeps happening over and over again. Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? Who is the trader in my camp cuz I say this is what we're going to do, and somehow they know what's going on. And one of the servants said, none, my lord. It's not us, oh king. It's Elisha, this prophet on the other side. It's Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.

You think you're just whispering it in your room to your wife or somebody and nobody knows what you're saying. He says, look, there's somebody in Israel, this guy Elisha, that you can't say anything without him knowing what's going on. So, he said, go and see where he is that I may send and get him. Like I'm going to shut this guy down. And it was told him saying, surely he is in Dothan. Therefore, he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army surrounding the city with horses and chariots.

And his servant said to him, alas, my master, what shall we do? Now, why in the first place, why do you send an entire army to get one guy? This guy is a threat. Now, please listen close if you're a Christian and you're trying to do the right thing. You're going to get attacked. We have got to stop being surprised by this. Well, I'm trusting God. I 'm walking with God. I 'm listening to God. I 'm doing what he told me to do, and all hell's breaking loose. I think I 'm going to retreat and go back where I was where it's safe.

The problem with that is you're not doing what he sent you into battle to do to keep marching and take enemy territory. You say, well, I don't want to fight. I'm tired. Take a little break and get back in the battle. Elisha is such a threat, they surround the whole city cuz they know if we can stop this one guy, we stop the problem with them knowing what's going on. So, they surround the whole city. Elisha's servant says, what are we going to do? So, he answered, do not fear. Now, if you're comfortable underlining stuff in your Bible or highlighting stuff on your pad, you know, whatever you use to do this stuff, please underline stuff like this.

Why does it say don't be afraid? For those who are with us are more than those who are with them. The enemy is always outnumbered when you've got God on your side and on your inside. Greater is he who is in me than he who's in the world. Now, you say, well, I've heard these verses all my life. I'm not interested in what you've heard. I want to know what you believe because it will change the way you go into your day. You go into your day and adversity comes your way and you remember stuff like this and believe it, you go, it's going to be okay.

I'm not going to be afraid. And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see. Elisha doesn't pray, open my eyes so I can see what's really going on out there. He's afraid. Let's do him a favor. Let's open his eyes and let him see. And what happens? Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So, this army had Elisha and Dothan surrounded, but God had the army and Dothan and Elisha surrounded.

But the army that thought they had Elisha surrounded didn't know they were surrounded. You're dealing with not just a big God. You're dealing with the God. He is not just a God of the universe. He is the God. He is bigger than even the God of I stopped calling him the God of the universe. He's bigger than that. Because he's not limited to making just the universe. He's got heaven. Who knows what's out there? And I've got access to him. And what am I doing with access? Nothing. I get afraid. Why am I afraid? What can anybody do to me?

So, he opens his eyes, he sees they're surrounded even though they seem they're surrounded, they're even they're surrounded, the enemy's surrounded. So, when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, strike this people, I pray, with blindness. And he struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Now, Elisha said to them, it is comical. I mean, if you're looking for humor in the Bible, it's everywhere. So, this whole army comes down. They're blinded in some way, and Elisha starts calmly talking to them, and he says, this is not the way, nor is this the city.

Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria. So, here is the Pied Piper, Elisha, one guy leading this entire army into enemy territory. So, it was when they had come to Samaria that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see. So, now open them against so they see what's happened to them, where they are. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that there they were inside Samaria. Now, when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, my father, shall I kill let's kill them.

Shall I kill them? But he answered, you shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their master. Then he prepared a great feast for them, and after they ate and drank, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So, the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. He stopped all that mess. Now, how did all that happen? One guy connected to God, listening to God, aware of what's going on.

You say, but I don't have that kind of access. I'm not Elisha. Who do you think you are then? This guy's a prophet. I'm not saying being a prophet's not a big deal. These old guys in the Old Testament had the Holy Spirit come on them, go off of them, coming and going. I have the promise of permanent residency of the Holy Spirit inside this body. In the name of Jesus, I have access to the same God who did everything that you read about in this Bible. So, why does more stuff not happen? I don't know.

Why does more stuff not happen? What do you even believe could happen? Daniel chapter 2. Another great story, and this one's a little wild. Daniel chapter 2. Now, in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams, and his spirit was troubled. This is the king Nebuchadnezzar. And his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. So, he couldn't even sleep he's so troubled. He's having these crazy dreams. Then the king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. Now, let me tell you something.

This guy is so powerful. Look what he does. So, they came and stood before the king, and the king said to them, I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream. Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, oh king, live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation. Okay, what did you dream? The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, my decision is firm. If you do not make known the dream to me and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made an ash heap.

However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive gifts from me, rewards, and great honor. So, this king's not saying here's what I dreamt. Tell me what a dream is. He's saying, tell me what the dream was and the interpretation. You better have some game to come up with that because nobody knows what he dreamt but him, right? Therefore, tell me the dream and its interpretation. And answered again and said, let the dream tell his servants the dream, and we will give its interpretation. The king answered and said, I know for certain that you would get you're just killing time because you see that my decision is firm.

If you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you, for you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore, tell me the dream and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation. So, if you tell me the dream, then I'll know that your interpretation will be correct cuz there's no way you know the dream unless you got game. The Chaldeans answered the king and said, there is now listen to this. There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter.

Therefore, no king, no lord, nor ruler has ever asked such a thing of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. Like, dude, what are you talking about? There's nobody on earth who can do what you're asking, and it's never even been asked. It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this reason, the king was angry, very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So, the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men.

And they sought Daniel and his companions to kill them. So, they're on the way to kill Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You know that story. Maybe then with counsel and wisdom, Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king's guard who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon, and he answered and said to Arioch, the king's captain, why is the decree from the king so urgent? Then Arioch made the decision known to Daniel. So, Daniel went in and asked the king to give him time that he might tell the king the interpretation.

Then Daniel went to look at this. Then Daniel went to his house and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Those are the same names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego if you've heard it that way, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. And then a simple verse, look at verse 19. They appeal to God and say, God, okay, he's asked for a crazy thing. We're asking for your mercy. And in one verse, then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.

What kind of God is this? Who can reveal a king's dream to a guy? And we'll see in a minute the interpretation. You say, well, again, you're talking about Daniel. Let me tell you something. These are just people. Don't be putting people unless it's Jesus up on a pedestal. These are people. You got the same Jesus living in you, I got living in me. Same Holy Spirit, if you're a Christian, same Holy Spirit living in you, I got living in me. Do not say you're limited. You're only limited by what God chooses to do through your life.

And sometimes what he chooses to do through your life is limited by what you're willing to let him do through your life or ask him to do because he is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above anything we could ask or think. So, ask or think something. You say, what are you talking about? It's something called faith. Well, I don't think God could use me that way. Well, don't be shocked if he doesn't use you. You don't even believe it. Keep reading. So, Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Wouldn't you? Wow, he just showed me what the king dreamt.

Dreamed or what what is it correct, dreamt or dreamed? You don't know either. Keep reading. Daniel answered and said, blessed be the name of God forever and ever for wisdom and might are his. And he changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings and raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things. He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. That's who you're dealing with. My God is a big God. We don't have words. We don't have adjectives.

We do not have capacity to describe him in his greatness. You are going to be shocked to death as I will when we drop dead or Jesus returns and we discover how great our God really was and is. You'll need a new body because it 'll take your breath away on the old one. You wouldn't be able to look on him. You wouldn't be able to see him. It's too much. And those of you say, well, I don't even believe there's a God or I'm not going to trust this God you talk about. I'm going to do it my way by myself.

You'll see him, and the book says that whether you trust him on this side or not and yield your life to him or not, the book says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So, here's how this works whether you believe it or not. You say, I will not confess that and I will not say that. You may not on this side, but I will guarantee you something. You will. You will bow before this God, and you will say he is Lord.

It will be too late then. You better say it now or it will be too late then. All right, keep reading. I'll try to read fast. Therefore, Daniel went to Arioch whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him, do not destroy the wise men of Babylon. Take me before the king, and I will tell the king the interpretation. Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said thus to him, I have found a man of the captains of Judah who will make known to the king the interpretation.

The king answered and said to Daniel whose name was Belshazzar, are you able to make known to me the dream which I have seen and its interpretation? Daniel answered in the presence of the king and said, the secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king, but there is a God in heaven. That's what the book says. There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed were these.

As for you, oh king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed about what would come to pass after this. And he who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be. But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretations to the king that you may know the thoughts of your heart. And he proceeds to tell him what he dreamt and what it meant. And I'd encourage you to go. I'm not going to take the time to read this whole dream, but go down to verse 45.

In as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountains without hands and that it broke in pieces, the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure. Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded they should present an offering and incense to him. The king answered Daniel and said, truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets since you could reveal this secret.

He has to be the God of gods. Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many gifts and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Also, Daniel petitioned the king and set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon, but Daniel sat in the gates of the king. Okay, this is what's supposed to be going on. We are as Christians are supposed to be living such extraordinary lives that people look at us, listen to us, watch us, interact with us, and all they can come up with is your God is the God.

Your life is so extraordinary whether you suffer or whether you prosper, your attitude is completely different. You have joy when no one would have joy. You have peace when it's not possible, and the peace you have passes all understanding. It's not even explainable. So, your life is so extraordinarily different that there is no explanation but that you are hooked up to God himself. And when that is the case and that is your reality, then giving a reason for the hope that's within you is so simple. And when people hear of him and see him in and through your life, they want a piece of that.

People should be drawn to us because they are drawn to the God who lives in us and through us and want to know who he is. Now, you say, well, wow, I got a long way to go cuz nobody asked me Jack about Jesus. When's the last time somebody said, dude, what's up with you? What have you got? How do you live this way? How do you not freak out? Why are you not afraid? What is your answer? Your life has to be proof of something. Not that you're a nice religious person. If the light is on, it's going to come out.

Maybe one more. 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2 verse 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory which none of the rulers of this age knew, for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed them to us through his spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God, for what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him.

Even so, no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. You know what? I'm a Christian. I have the spirit of God living in me. You go back and read that story of Daniel. What did they do? They all got four of them that looks like in a room and prayed, God, have mercy on us. And that night he sees the vision and goes and tells him what it was. It's not that hard. He couldn't have come up with that on his own. He was asking and listening. I'm trying to get you to even have a category for some exciting God things happening in your life.

I'm not saying you shouldn't be excited about having your ticket to heaven. This is bigger than a ticket to heaven. It's every day, every day, every day. One last comment I'll make will then I'll read it. Revelation chapter 1 verse 1. Listen to this. The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show his servants the things which must shortly take place, and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ to all things that he saw.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near. It's unbelievable insider trading, the book of Revelation. If you're nervous about the future, go read Revelation. This is what's going to happen. You say, well, you're crazy. You believe that? Absolutely I believe it. How much more stuff is he going to have to show up and show you? It prophesies Jesus born of a virgin. He's born of a virgin. He's going to die on a cross. He died on a cross.

I mean, what does he got to come up with? Going to be born in Bethlehem, born in Bethlehem. So, when God reveals something and puts it in print, I believe it. You read the book of Revelation. That's what the end's going to look like straight up. I don't know if it'll happen in my life, but you know what people say, well, are you premillennial, amillennial, post, you know, whatever all these things are do. I don't know. I got people that have opinion on all sides of that. Nobody can prove anything till it happens. I'm not going to argue all that with you.

My belief is that I am going to be ready if it's today. If he comes back today, I'm ready.

Guest (Male): Before Richard comes back to wrap things up for us today, I'd like to share a couple important things with you. Let me encourage you to take a minute and check out our website, richardellis.com. You'll find today's talk right there in the talks page along with all of Richard's audio and video messages. You can even forward them to a friend so they can hear them, too. You'll also find the prayer wall to add your prayer requests, a link so you can connect with us, the contribute page for you to be able to give to this ministry, all of our social media links and much more.

So, check it out, richardellis.com. And Richard's back now to wrap up today's talk.

Richard Ellis: Insider trading. Here's the best insider trading I've ever done. I traded my old life for his new life, and I asked him to move in. And then we make a deal. We have to do this on kind of a daily basis where my insider trading is, I'll trade my spot on the throne and let you sit there and you run it today instead of me. And that's the best deal I've ever made. It should be illegal. It's not fair to have God living in you and through you, to warn you, to guide you, to show you, to stop you, to move you.

Being a Christian should be completely illegal. It's just not fair cuz I don't just have God on my side. I've got God on my inside. And that has made all the difference.

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