Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: A lot of times we push so hard to pain and suffering in this world. "You will have tribulation. I've overcome the world." All these things are true. But instead of expecting a boom in our lives in a good way, we think God is constantly on the verge of lowering the boom on our lives.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Richard Ellis Talks with Richard Ellis. We're so grateful you tuned into the program. Richard wants to share with you some encouragement, words of hope, and probably a laugh or two. And in today's complicated, busy life, that's exactly what's needed.

Richard's talks are always straight from the Bible, filled with truth. Now, you may not be able to hang out with us for the entire program, but you can always pick it back up at our website: richardellis.com. In fact, you can find all of Richard's talks right there waiting just for you. richardellis.com. So, with today's talk, here's Richard Ellis.

Richard Ellis: The title today's message is "Boom." I've noticed in my life in the last few years that when somebody tells me something good, some great news, I usually respond with "Boom!" Even in text, my girls will send me something and I text "Boom." So for some reason, "Boom" must be big.

Let me read you the definition, part of the definition to "Boom." To move with a resounding rush or great impetus. It also can mean to progress, grow, or flourish vigorously. And there's my question for you today. A lot of times we push so hard to pain and suffering. "In this world, you will have tribulation. I've overcome the world." All these things are true. "Marvel not that the world hates you." All these things are true.

But instead of expecting a boom in our lives in a good way, we think God is constantly on the verge of lowering the boom on our lives. And some of this comes from our childhood in many cases. Some of it's what we think about ourselves, what we believe. And someone told you, "Well, you're fat, you'll never be able to do anything. You're lazy, you'll never accomplish anything. You're just nobody. You're poor, you can't do anything."

"You're Black, so you'll never be anybody. Or even if you are someone, it's not a fair race because the gun will go off and they'll say, 'Wait, wait, wait, wait,' and then, 'Okay, see what you can do.' You're Mexican, you're Asian, you're whatever you are, you're something. You're not beautiful, you're too beautiful, you're whatever you are." And so you believe all this stuff. And so you kind of are fatalistic in your approach to life and think, "Well, you know, I'm just lucky to be alive."

Or if you're a Christian, "Well, I got my golden ticket to heaven, so I better not do anything or try anything because that's about the best I can do." What if there's more? What if God literally lowered the boom on you in the best of ways? You know, what if God really wanted to do something in your life and you just couldn't handle it? Are you afraid of the favor of God?

What if he actually said, "You're up. I am going to bless you. I'm going to do amazing things"? And I'll read you some verses to this effect. What if he picked you? I don't know that it's that he's picking or not picking people. Some people can't handle it because part of your shtick, part of your life may be, "Oh, well, woe is me because I am this or that, or I've got diabetes, or I've got whatever." I hear all kind of stuff. "And I could do something, but here's my excuse."

And let me say this as strongly and as gently as I can say it. I am sick and tired of your excuses and my excuses. Joseph in the Bible had been to prison and became Prime Minister of Egypt. What is your excuse? Paul had been to prison, wrote half the New Testament. You say, "Well, he went for different reasons." He still had a history. "Well, my marriage has failed," or what is your excuse? Why can you not succeed? You say, "Well, I'm just better at being a failure." Obviously, you've perfected that, maybe. Win for a change. Sound like a foreign idea?

Let's read some verses. Genesis chapter 39. I mentioned Joseph. Other than Jesus and my uncle, who I never knew—died when he was 20-something years old preparing to be a medical missionary, and Jesus took him home. I don't understand that. Looking forward to meeting my uncle Neal. I'd like to play a round of golf with Joseph. I'm sure he plays golf. He's been there a while to figure out how to do it.

Joseph, not a preacher, some kid, tough life. Go read the story of Joseph. Not a single verse of Joseph complaining. You're not going to succeed yakking and complaining at God and everybody else. You won't make it. Stop blaming everybody else like Adam and Eve did. Enough excuses. Joseph was in a situation and he kept moving. Almost killed by his brothers, sold into slavery, runs this guy's house, gets accused of something he didn't do, ends up in a prison.

These verses in Genesis 39:20. Joseph had been accused of trying to attack his master's wife, Potiphar's wife. And even Potiphar knew he didn't do it. "Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and he gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison."

Now, let me tell you something about if you're a Christian, here's the deal. God is not with you. He is in you. If you think "God with you" is a big deal, imagine him in you. What is not possible if God himself lives in you? What can you not overcome? If Jesus is in your life, if he runs your life, anything that he could overcome, now you can overcome. And he overcame everything. There is no excuse.

You say, "Well, you don't understand." You don't understand my deal either and the excuses I make. You say, "Well, I'm just an addict and I just can't help myself." Then get some help. Keep reading there. "The Lord was with Joseph, showed him mercy, gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority because the Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper."

What if that was a verse applied to your life? You know why it may not apply to your life? Because you're so busy distracted chasing everything but God, you screw everything up. What if that was you? And could that be you? Go to Joshua chapter 1. A few pages. I'm trying to go left to right, as usual. Joshua chapter 1. Moses is dead, and Joshua's about to take over everything. Joshua 1, verse 1.

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, 'Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness of this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, go to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.'"

You say, "Well, but he wrote that to Joseph." Let me tell you who I'm dealing with. I'm dealing with a Jesus who got nailed to a cross, shed his blood, slaughtered, beat within an inch of his life, was buried and raised from the dead. I'm dealing with a Jesus, my savior, who laid his life down for me. I don't believe for a second he wants any less for me. Why would he want less for me?

You say, "Well, but what if he picked suffering for you?" Then I'll succeed at suffering, and I will thank him and I will praise him anyway. And I will trust him. You say, "Well, if God blessed me, it'd be easy to trust him." You know what? It's not true. Part of the reason God does not bless some people is that they don't trust him when things suck. So when there is success, if you didn't trust him on one end, what do you believe?

I didn't know for 20-something years, and there's a verse in the Bible that literally says God is for me. You know what? I believe that now. He's for me. You say, "Well, you're not right all the time." That's not the point. My girls aren't right all the time, but you know what? I am for them. To the death, I am for my girls. It doesn't matter what they do. I'll die for them even if they're idiots, right? Because they're my kids.

You got to get it in your heart and in your head that he is for you. He loves you. He sent his son to die for you. What is it going to take for you to believe that he cares about you? He wants the best for you. And if he's got to let something happen to teach you something, you're going to have to go with that. Little kids don't like being in time out. Neither do Christian people. But stop complaining and say, "Wow, I was wrong. God, you were right. The chastening is appropriate. Thank you for that. Teach me something. Help me see what you're trying to do in and through my life. And if it involves suffering, I'll go with that."

I'll read you verses about this in a second. Where was I? Joshua. Verse 5. "No man will be able to stand before all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." You have to know that's true. In the darkest moment of your life, he will not leave you. He will not forsake you. You've been there, you know it. And if you haven't been there yet, you'll find out. When everyone ditches, he will not leave you.

"Be strong, of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go." Get in the scriptures. You're not going to prosper without the word of God.

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth. You shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." What's he got to say to us for us to believe this stuff?

Go to Job chapter 1. I'm not going to read the whole Bible, but just a few verses. Job chapter 1, verse 1. "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil. And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. Also, his possessions were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large household, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the East."

So he's successful. He's got everything. It's possible that you can have everything, be successful, and lose everything and get it back. Go to Job chapter 42. If you go read the whole thing about Job, God basically authorizes hell itself to come down and take everything but his life—his health, his family, his possessions. Can't take his life or his wife.

Job 42:10. "And the Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends." So even at the end, after all of this, Job is willing to pray for his friends. That triggers God restoring everything. "Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then all his brothers, his sisters, those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the Lord had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters."

You say, "But he still lost all that." But God is capable of restoring. Keep trusting him no matter what. Now I get it, and I'll read you these verses in a minute too. Sometimes it goes horribly wrong. There are Christians in the world today, children of Christians being beheaded, catastrophic stuff happening. They won't own thousands of camels and sheep and all that. I get that. But it's possible that God may want you to prosper in some way and you are the one withholding that.

Psalm 1. Turn there, just a few pages to the right. And ask yourself, "Is this me? Do these verses describe me?" Psalm 1:1. "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly." Do you walk in the counsel of the ungodly? If you do, you're probably not going to be blessed. Get away from these people that are jacking your life up. "Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper."

Gosh, it just seems like it'd be a great life. What is wrong with us? It's the recipes, it's all through the Bible. You want to cook up a better life, read the recipes and do this. Now, am I telling you that all hell is not going to break loose anymore, you won't ever be broke? No, I'm not telling you all that, but I'm telling you there might be an upside to this life that you're missing.

Jeremiah 29. My mama used to write me letters and she'd put this reference in there. Some of you know it by heart, and some of you need to know it by heart, and some of you need to underline it. Now, some people—and I get this—you say, "Well, you're reading Jeremiah, this verse, these verses were not written to me personally." I get that. But if you start arguing with what the scripture says, where God says something to somebody else and you can identify and say, "I've been chosen. I'm holy, blameless. Jesus died for me. I get that. I am his child." Is God going to do something better for you than me? Does he care more about any of his kids? I don't think so. I don't think he's withholding any good thing from anybody.

But look what it says. "For thus says the Lord," verse 10, 29:10. "For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

I didn't have a clue that God thought anything about me at all really. I thought I was just some trouble kid, and if I got out of line, he's going to whack me over the head with a stick. And if I did the right thing, it didn't count anyway, just stay out of trouble so you don't get hit over the head again. I didn't think he was sitting around thinking about me. God's been thinking about you before the foundation of the world because he knew you'd live, you'd need a Savior. They decided for Jesus to be sacrificed before anything was created. It's about you. It's about me. He's thinking about you.

What is he thinking about you? You say, "Well, he's probably thinking terrible things because I'm a complete loser. I came to church, but if you only knew what I'm really doing." Then stop doing that. Go to Ephesians chapter 3. We're almost done. Now please go study these verses. Read these verses, meditate on these verses, and look at how he is described. Ephesians 3, verse 20.

"Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think even, according to the power that works in us, to him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." To him who is able to do what? Exceedingly abundantly above anything that we could ask or even think. He can do more than you're even thinking he can do. Who is this God? And you say, "Oh, but he couldn't do this or that." What are you thinking? You've got to believe. You've got to say, "God, help me see who you really are."

Philippians 4. Go there really quick. Now, this is Paul, and this is worth looking at these verses because he says some astonishing things and gives you a wide range. Philippians 4, verse 11. And he says, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content." Now listen to me before we read any more verses. If you are not content with very little, you will not be content with very much. It will never be enough. You say, "Oh, I'd like to make a run at that." And sometimes part of God's mercy and his grace and his wisdom is he doesn't give you things that would destroy you.

Okay, keep reading. "I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased." The word "abased" here means to depress, figuratively to humiliate in condition or heart, abase, bring low, humble yourself. You ever been that low? Like so busted you are humiliated in your state? Paul said, "I've been there and I know how to be content there."

So he says, "I know how to be abased and I know how to abound." And the word for "abound" is way at the other end of the spectrum. It literally means to superabound in quantity or quality, be in excess, be superfluous. Also, have more abundance, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase. So he says, "I know how to be content. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound." And for a lot of people, they can't have superabundance and be content because they get this and they want this. The superabound is not enough. They got to have more.

If God blesses you crazily, blesses you, you have to understand you don't own anything. You are a steward. You're not supposed to be hoarding all this. So God says, "Okay, you're doing the right thing. Here we go. I'm going to bless you with X." And you go, "Aha! Now I can go buy all this stuff for..." and you get crazy. Does it mean you can't buy anything? Here's what you can buy. You only buy what he gives you permission to buy. It's so simple.

You say, "Well, I know a really godly man and he has 150-foot yacht." Well, did God give him permission to buy that? I don't know. I'm having trouble running my own life. What if God didn't authorize him to buy that? That's not your problem. You probably have a problem with covetousness and you're not content with what you have, so you're wagging your finger at him. Why don't you let God deal with him and you and God figure out your life?

And people think, "Well, if I start doing this, I'll never have anything." Read it with me. "To him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." Give him a shot at your life. That's just part of this verse, okay? Keep reading with me. Philippians 4. "I know how to be abased, I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full." And the word here "be full" means to gorge, supply food in abundance, feed, fill, satisfy.

One end of the spectrum. "I know how to be full and to be hungry." Look that one up—starving, nothing. "Both to abound and to suffer need." And then everybody jerks verse 13 out of its context. The context of verse 13 is this: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." You don't just need his strength to be abased, to have little. You need the same strength to have much because if you're not careful, you'll accumulate and then you start trusting in uncertain riches as the scripture describes them, and then your life's a mess instead of being a steward of it and getting all caught up in what you've got. You start buying stuff, and sooner or later the stuff you think you own owns you. And then you're in trouble.

Hebrews 11. And then I think we'll be done. Hebrews 11. What's it about? Faith. And he gives all this description and I probably have erred on the side of swinging to the last part of the chapter because if you the first part of the chapter's all these amazing miraculous things happen to people of faith. Let's start at the end and then we'll go back.

Verse 35. One of the amazing things he cites here is women receive their dead raised to life again. And then the word "others." "Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and the chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and in mountains and dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us."

So the list includes horrific stuff that can happen to you. Okay, listen, listen. If horrific stuff happens to you as a Christian and God allowed it and you trust him through it, that's one thing. Stop bringing it on yourself. Not everything that happens to you is God doing it to you. Some of it is God allowing you, if you want to do a fool thing, he will let you. The whole reaping and sowing. You say, "Well, I'm reaping what I've sown." That's the most powerful principle almost on the planet. If you can sow crap and reap crap, you can sow something good and reap something good. Change what you're sowing. You'll change what you're reaping.

Go back up into Hebrews 11. Go down to like verse 5. "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to believe him, for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and what else? That he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him."

Now, I'm not going to God and say, "Oh, God, I want such and such a car and a place to live," all that. I mean, certain things you need. I'm after him. And if he decides to bless you with something else, say thank you, be content. And if he takes it away, say, "Okay, God, I'm cool with that too. You're not going to leave me, so I'm going to be okay no matter what." And sooner or later, I'm dead and I'm out of here anyway, or you come back and we're all out, so I don't have anything to worry about.

It takes faith to do it God's way. And the faith is in him. The faith is in what he says. You've got to start believing what the scripture says about you and about him and what's possible. Not just in your head, but really believing it and then acting and living as though you believe it's true and seeing it happen.

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: Go down to verse 32. "And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again."

And then he goes to others. If God puts you in the "others" category, be content. But if he also rescues you and blesses you and prospers you, whatever he does, then thank him for that and be okay with it. You don't have to be embarrassed for God blessing you, if it's really him that's blessing you. You can always tell a messed-up person because when God blesses somebody else, if you see them rejoicing because the other person's rejoicing, that's a healthy person. If they start going, "Well, I know they've got that, but there's probably sin in their life somewhere. Just not fair." Now it's you've got the problem. You don't know all that.

So what's this about? Be able to receive some boom in your own life. Don't get caught up with it. Stay caught up with him. But if you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength, then that means you ought to be able to have nothing. You also ought to be able to have something and still be content and still be healthy and still be okay. And I'm not just talking about stuff. I'm talking about what God may have for you to be and do that is exceedingly abundantly above anything you could ever ask or think. What is he telling you is possible and you've put a lid on it because you've got some excuse?

Guest (Male): Thanks for tuning in today to Richard Ellis Talks. We all have busy schedules these days, so it means the world to us that you would take this time to listen. Richard would love to know how today's talk has touched your heart, so give us a call at 855-6-RICHARD. 855-6-RICHARD. You can also share your story with us at our website: richardellis.com.

One last thing. Richard Ellis Talks is a daily program that is always expanding to reach the world with the good news of the gospel. But it also has daily costs. And being a listener-supported program like ours means we rely on the financial partnership of our listeners, which means you. We believe that these talks with Richard are making a difference in your life, so this is how you can make a difference to ours. You can contribute by calling 855-6-RICHARD or at our website: richardellis.com. Thank you for your generosity. God bless and thanks for listening to Richard Ellis Talks.