Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: When I'm feeling I have doubts about whether God cares about me and I open the scriptures, he says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Then what is the truth? Whether I doubt it or not, the truth is I can know, no matter what I'm feeling, he will never leave me or forsake me, and that is the slab I land on.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. Thanks for allowing us to share this time with you. You may be stuck in traffic or stuck in life. Either way, today's message is going to help you get on the right track as you learn how much God loves you right where you are.

Richard's unique style checks all the boxes with a lot of hope, insight, truth, and of course, humor. Today's talk with Richard will get our conversation started, but we want to keep it going with you, so let's stay in touch through our website, richardellis.com. But right now, let's go ahead and get right into today's talk. Here is Richard Ellis.

Richard Ellis: The title of today's message is "Beyond a Doubt." Sooner or later, if you live life long enough, you're a Christian long enough, you start doubting stuff. And if you're not a Christian, I have no idea how you make it. All kind of things creep in there. But even as a Christian, is there even a God? Or as a Christian, am I really saved? Am I really a Christian?

Let me just give you a little parenthetical statement here about that. If you are a Christian and you go back to living like hell, the devil will use that to beat your brains in because scripturally, if you're not bearing fruit, you may not be that kind of tree. So he'll come after you and work you on that point.

Can I trust the Bible? People's argument is, "Oh, it's written by men." This is not a book written only by men. This is a God-breathed book that he used men to write, but they didn't come up with the stuff on their own. So when somebody comes to me and at least they'll say, "Well, yeah, I believe there's a God," then my comment usually is, "Don't you think he could get a book written? Don't you think he could protect this document that he is going to present and say you can trust this?"

The whole issue of suffering—I've seen a certain amount of suffering in my own family, and some of that ongoing. I'm like, with my mom when she was so sick, "Okay, what are we doing here?" So am I doubting his goodness, his faithfulness? I've just got questions. I understand.

And then I think maybe we've all had some questions about praying. "Am I getting through? Is there something in my life keeping me from getting through? Does he hear me? Does he care? Okay, yeah, he cares." And so you have doubts. And then tons of people ask me about, "Am I doing God's will? What if this is not what he has for me?" I would worry less about what you do and be more concerned about who you are.

Go to Genesis 1. So this is where having less issues with doubt starts. Genesis 1:1 says what? "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." So what you say, what you believe about the first four words of that verse determine your whole worldview. If it's "in the beginning God," then that dominoes into, "If there's God, there's good. If there's good, there's evil." Everything comes out of that. If you say, "Well, I don't believe there's a God," then this book says you're a fool. And you say, "Well, I don't believe this book." It's still true whether you believe it or not. Truth is truth whether you believe it's truth or not.

So if you start with "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth," I think it's very fascinating we have finally, after thousands of years, seen the dark side of the moon. So if we're all that—two trillion galaxies—we've barely left the neighborhood. And God sees it all, knows it all. Where you get in trouble on the doubt thing is you start with you, I start with me, my situation, my head down, get all wrapped up in what's happening instead of looking up.

Everyone—I did this the other day, it was middle of the day—I went out in my yard. The dogs were out there with me, and I lay down in the grass on my back. The dogs lay down next to me. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was dead. And you just lay there and look up and just think about who he is. Not what you're not, not what your questions are, not all focused on that, just what in the world? We don't even know if there's another planet that has an atmosphere like ours.

This protection that we have, where we have oxygen, we're just the perfect distance from the sun. Too far away we freeze, too close we burn. It's all coincidence? You're a fool. You're a fool. But when you start with him and work down, you've got a shot at making it. Now, that doesn't mean you still won't have questions.

Now, look at Genesis 3:1. This will mess you up. This is the devil's oldest trick, and he's still using it. Genesis 3:1: "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman"—this is the question—"Has God indeed said?" So you find out what God says in his word, what he's communicated to you by his spirit, and you say, "I know this is true." And the devil says, "Really? Is that what he said?" And the question here is, "Has he indeed said you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

So you say, "Well, I never question scripture because I don't know any scripture." And that's a lot of times where your doubt comes from. You don't have a slab to land on to say, "This is what he said." So when I'm feeling I've got doubts about whether God cares about me and I open the scripture, he says, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Then what is the truth? Whether I doubt it or not, the truth is I can know, no matter what I'm feeling, he will never leave me or forsake me, and that is the slab I land on.

You say, "Does that change how you feel?" Maybe not immediately, but eventually, if you hold on that slab, you're going to weather that storm and you go, "What was I thinking?" I mean, anybody have panic attacks? I haven't had one in a little while, but man, I have every once in a while. I don't even know if it is technically a panic attack, but I just freak, just oh my gosh, and just spinning in my head and anxious. And then I go, "Where does this come from?" It's just an attack, right? The enemy trying to get me all worried about stuff and "you're not going to make it," and "what if this doesn't happen?"

Go to Matthew chapter 14. So in Matthew chapter 14, not to read this whole thing but just the skip-the-rock through it, John the Baptist had been arrested. Some chick dances at a party, and he is beheaded. That's a pretty short version. She could clearly really dance.

So, verse 10: "So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus." A beheaded body. You say, "Wow, that's crazy." This happens all over the world, people beheaded for their faith, and they go pick up a body because where's the head? God can deal with a body.

When Jesus heard it, he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself. This stuff for some reason is very intriguing to me. Jesus hears that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been beheaded. They've gotten his body. He loves his cousin. He's the one that proclaimed that he was coming. And now he's dead. And Jesus apparently gets in a boat by himself and goes to some deserted place just to be alone with his Father.

Sometimes you've got to get away. And if you don't figure this stuff out—I'm not saying it's good to be by yourself all the time—but sooner or later you better have a place you can go and have a little talk with Jesus, or you won't make it as long. And even Jesus needed this processing, apparently, tied to following what happened to John the Baptist.

But when the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out, he saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion for them, and he healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him saying, "This is a deserted place and the hour is already late. Send the multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." So he's like, "No."

Down in verse 19, they've got five loaves, two fishes. He looks up into heaven, blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes. They were filled, took up 12 baskets. Verse 21: "Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children."

So just this one story. What is God going to have to do to get your attention? They all know there's no food out there. Five loaves, two fishes. He blesses it and kaboom, it just starts multiplying miraculously. This stuff's not possible. You say, "Oh, it was a trick." It's not a trick; it's a miracle.

And when he had sent the multitudes away, verse 23, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Again, by himself, praying. Now when the evening came, he was alone there, but the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

So he sends the disciples out in the boat. Verse 25: "Now in the fourth watch"—which would have been between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning of the night—"Jesus went to them, walking on the sea." Again, I personally do a little research on this, I'm like, "Okay, so what's the point of this? Why is Jesus walking on the sea? Why didn't he fly out there?" Either way, you can't walk on the sea, right?

So you would think if they look out there and see Jesus in a storm that they're afraid in, and he's walking over these waves like it's just solid ground, you go, "Who is this? It's God." And then you've got to back up and say, "Well, what do you mean he walked on the sea?" This is the same Jesus, the Logos that John 1 talks about, that is the word. And words are spoken and a universe appears. It didn't take God a billion years to create the universe. All he's got to do is say, "Universe." Boom! Universe.

Two trillion galaxies. Boom! And this tiny little, not even a speck of a planet, only place there's vegetation, only place with life. And he goes, there's no—he's got to be thinking there's no way they can question whether I'm real because look at this. It's not possible. We go, "No, you've got to do something else. Do another trick, do another miracle."

And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled saying, "It is a ghost," which would be a logical thing to guess. And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them saying, "Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid."

And Peter answered him and said—now I don't know where this comes from, everybody's geared differently—there's 12 guys in the boat apparently, and one of them in a storm sees Jesus coming, and Jesus says don't be afraid, and he comes up with, "Well, if it's you, Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water. Call me out there. I'd like to walk on some sea." Does that even enter my mind? If Jesus can do it, maybe I can do it, maybe I'm supposed to do it. And as it turns out, he could—until it falls apart. And look where it falls apart.

So he said one word: "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. He is doing it! Everyone's in the boat, Jesus out here in the water, Peter's out of the boat walking to him in the water. Everything's great—a little crazy, but great. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out saying, "Lord, save me!"

So what happened to Peter? He took his eyes off of Jesus. He got to looking at the storm, thinking about how there's no way I can be out here. He was afraid, began to sink. You'd be amazed what you can do if you'll keep your eyes on Jesus. And you don't get out there and go, "I can't walk on water." He says, "Yes, you can. You're walking on water." "Yeah, but I can't." "Yes, you can. I told you. You said if you want me to come out there, come, and I told you to get out here and you're here and you're doing it. Why all of a sudden is the wind and all this—you're afraid and that's why you're sinking?" What could we do if we just kept our eyes on Jesus and kept walking?

So he says, "Lord, save me." And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him—now this is brutal. Not, "Are you okay?" "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" So ultimately, why did he sink? He doubted. "I can't do this."

How many times raising kids have you said to a kid, "You can do this." "I can't do it, Daddy. I can't do it." "You can do it." "I can't, Daddy. I can't do it." "Come on, well, you can do it." And then you encourage him, you stay with them, and then finally they do it and go, "I can do it! I can do it!" Nothing like that. And you know they can do it. They just don't believe they can do it.

So while we're on this little piece right here, what has God told you to do and called you to do, and you have said, "Okay," with the Peter story, "Okay, I'm in"? And you embarked doing what he told you to do, and then you started looking around and went, "I can't do this," and you started sinking and you quit. Anybody like that?

So Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, and by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, I pray protection on these people. The enemy has attacked them, lied to them, told them they can't. But you have called to them from the deep, and they probably started walking and got afraid and doubted whether it could be done. Help them see like never before that this is not about what they can do; it's about what you can do through them.

So raise these people up, Lord. Remind them of who you are and who you're trying to be in and through them, and move this army forward wherever they were headed before, whatever you intended for them, move it forward. And we thank you in advance. In Jesus' name, amen.

Verse 32: "And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'" It's him. Matthew 28:16: "Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee"—this is after Jesus been raised from the dead—"to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted."

Now, I'll get in a minute to Thomas. This is not just about Thomas because this is—it doesn't say but Thomas doubted. It says but some doubted. So if you need some encouragement, you've got Judas has committed suicide, he's gone. They haven't appointed Matthias yet. There's 11 of them left. They have seen all of it. They have seen him do all the miracles. They have seen him die on a cross. They have seen him buried. They have seen him raised from the dead—all of it. And yet, they're worshiped him and some still doubted. Stop quitting just because you've got doubts.

He says, well, how do you just move forward with doubts? You keep moving forward. How many people are married and you doubt whether the other person loves you anymore? You keep loving them. Well, you can't move forward that way. Yeah, you can. You're in a covenant relationship where you do what you're supposed to do. Well, what if they don't come back? You can't control that stuff, but you can keep doing what you're supposed to do, be who you're supposed to be, and go forward. And I'm telling you along the way, he'll clean up your doubts and you go, "Wow, that was crazy. But you know, Lord, thanks for being patient with me. I trust you. I got it. I see you're showing up again."

Mark chapter 9:17: "Then one of the crowd answered and said, 'Teacher, I brought you my son who has a mute spirit. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, he foams at the mouth, nashes his teeth and becomes rigid. So I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out, but they could not.' He answered him and said, 'O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.'"

And my question would be, how long does Jesus have to live in your physical body and take care of you before you finally trust him? Then they brought him to him. And when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.

So he asked the father—now this is—you think there's no humor in the Bible? This is terrible, but it's kind of funny. He's wallowing, foaming at the mouth, and Jesus asks the father, "Well, how long has he been—this has been happening?" Dude, heal the kid! Don't have a conversation about what's happening. "How long has this been happening to him?" He said, "From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."

Not, "you can do something," but "if you can, help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!" How many of us scream that from time to time? I got that one. Lord, I believe. It's like the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. I believe, but you've got to help my unbelief because for some reason, I'm questioning, I've got doubts, I don't know if we're going to make it or not.

I've shared before, Rebecca and I almost didn't make it past year seven. She wasn't happy. She wasn't happy with me. She's not here today; she's with one of my daughters, so I can say a lot of things. Although she's watching, hi, sweetie. I don't think—she'll tell you—she didn't like me. I think she loved me still, but I wasn't even sure of that. And I was like, "Okay, Lord, I'm not going to leave the woman, but this is getting rough. Intimacy out the window."

It can get rough. And you have days where you're like, "Okay, Lord, I'm hanging on, but I'm barely hanging on. You've got to help me." And you know what he does? He helps you. So I'm not up here talking about stuff I don't know anything about. And if you follow Jesus, it isn't always going to be great. If you truly follow Jesus, you will suffer.

And then in those suffering times you say, "Well, Lord, you say you love me, you won't leave me—all this stuff I see, you love me. Why am I suffering? I can't be suffering and then you still love me. You wouldn't let this happen." And then you start doubting whether he loves you. Don't doubt that he loves you. It cost him his Son to get you. Why would he abandon you when it cost him so much? So if that's all you can get out, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief," then get that out.

Luke 24. This is the story about the two guys on the road to Emmaus. Verse 38: "And he said to them, 'Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts?'" Jesus has been raised from the dead. The people are saying they've seen him. They've seen him personally, but they still got doubts.

Go to John chapter 20:19: "Then the same day at evening"—this is the day that Jesus is raised from the dead, not even 24 hours after it happened—"being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'" He's not coming in out of doors; he's just appearing. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side—which I think is still so interesting.

You would think that if Jesus is dead and he's been raised from the dead and he appears in a room, you think that would be enough. They're not asking to see anything, by the way. He appears, there they are, says, "Peace be with you," and then he showed them his hands and his side. Somebody shows up and claims to be Jesus, check their hands and their side because if that ain't there, it ain't him.

Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came—for whatever reason. Something about being in the room when it happens. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." Now you think ten other men that you have spent three years with, all the miracles, and they all say, "We have seen the Lord."

So he said to them, "Unless I see his hands and the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." You got to see him, I guess you got to touch him, but whether you did it or not, I've got to see his hands, the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, and I will not believe.

After eight days—now look at Jesus here. This is not he hears Thomas, "Oh, unless I get to do this, I won't believe. Well, I'll just run back over there just to poof, appear again and go, 'Hey, it's me.'" Oh, no, no. You're going to wait eight days. That's what you're going to do. Well, what's that about?

Why can we not believe someone else? See, I know people that are not believers and they're surrounded with believers, and everybody's telling them there's no way but Jesus—the way, the truth, the life, nobody comes to the Father but by me. Everybody's saying the same thing, and they go, "Well, but I don't believe it. I can't believe it. I won't believe it."

So eight days later, look what happens. After eight days his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, "Peace to you"—again, he always leads with that. Then he said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here and look at my hands."

Now, how does he know that's Thomas's issue? He was not in the room when Thomas said all that; he had already left. He knows what your issue is. He knows where your struggle is. He knows what your doubts are. So don't be surprised that he doesn't show up asking questions; he shows up addressing the answers you're looking for.

He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here and look at my hands. And reach your hand here and put it into my side"—physically put your hand up in here where I was pierced for your transgressions by a soldier's spear. "Do not be unbelieving but believing."

And Thomas answered and said to him—and the sooner you get to this, no matter what your issues are, the sooner you get on with your life—he says, "My Lord and my God!" He's the boss of me, and he's my God. Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." And that is everyone of us who are believers.

Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. I do not have to have him show up here physically and see his hands and put my hand in his side. I have no doubt today—I have no doubt. Maybe some doubts creep in, but today I have no doubt that he is more real than the universe and that one day I will see him and I will see those nail prints. I don't think I'll have to put my hand in his side, but if he says knock yourself out, I will. But I don't need to see him to believe.

Guest (Male): We'll get back to Richard in a moment to close out today's talk. But first, I want to share something with you about the program. Our mission is actually very simple: to take the planet. So it's our prayer that these daily talks from Richard aren't something you only hear and enjoy, but that they inspire you to share with others.

Together we can do this. The message of the gospel is something everyone needs to hear, and that's why it's a huge priority to us. And you can join us in this important mission. Call us at 855-6-RICHARD to say you're in, or you can get on board with us through our website, richardellis.com. Well, here's Richard with some closing thoughts for us.

Richard Ellis: And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in the book in this book. But these are written—so why does he explain to you then here why are these things recorded in the Bible? "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name."

So I beg you, I implore you, I beseech you—whatever word you want to use—in Jesus' name, believe. Not just that there is a God, but that he loves you and Jesus is who he says he is, and he died on a cross for you, was buried and raised from the dead for you. You say, "Well, I just don't believe all that can be true." Just weather the doubt and say, "I can't explain it all, but I'm going to take a step of faith."

Guest (Male): This has been Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. The message of the gospel is one we take very seriously in our mission to reach the planet, and you have a vital part of doing that along with us.

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