Richard Ellis Talks

--Richard Ellis--

Today on Richard Ellis Talks, you say, well, what do you want, success or you want me? You want what you want, go get it. But if you're going to come to me and ask me to do something, I want to do what I want to do, and what I want to do is the best thing for you, so ask me for my will to be done, not yours. Jesus had to go through this.

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.

The title of today's message is, can you hear me now? If you've ever been on a cell phone, you know that at some point you make connection, and you think someone's hearing you, and then every once in a while there's these situations where you're talking, talking, talking and it discover five minutes or three minutes, or whatever it is later that the person you were talking to was long gone, you've been basically talking to yourself, because they can't hear you anymore because they've you've lost them.

You just want to cry out to God sometimes, can you hear me now? What does it take? What do I have to ask? What do I have to do? What am I missing here? Can you not hear me at all? Not just now, just not at all? No matter what facade we put up, no matter how much we have it together, sooner or later things get so rough that we're going to pick up that phone so to speak, that prayer line. And we get on that thing, and we start talking, and fortunately, it's only when things go bad.

It's like having a kid at college or something that calls you when they need money. And every once in a while as a mom or a dad, you think, you know, why are you calling me when you need money, or a kid who's not in college, they're just off gone, maybe a single mom now, or a son off in another city working and they get in trouble and they call home and say, hey dad, I'm in trouble, I'm sorry and kind of humiliated to call you in, but I need some help.

You know what that dad or mom really wants is a call all the time when things are good. And communication all the time, just a relationship. And I think God puts up with it with us, but ultimately what he would like is for us to talk to him when things are great. Just call him and tell him what a great dad he is. And how much we appreciate him. Don't need anything, just call to see how you're doing.

And sometimes God is the same way, he just wants a relationship. And this prayer thing is we'll see hopefully after today, a little bit more clearly, is it's out of a relationship. It's not a foxhole thing. If that's what it takes, and all of us got stuff, and part of the reason you're maybe even listening today at all, is that something's gone haywire and your plan's not working anymore. And so you're crying out to God, can you hear me now?

Because I got something to talk to you about, and I need some answers. Now, I want you to start with me, if you would, over in Psalms 66. Let me just read you some of this. Verse 16 and following. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and that's where this starts. All you who fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my soul.

I cried to him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. Did you hear what he says? The Psalmist says, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. You go in and just blatantly say, you know what, God, I'm here. I have no intention whatsoever of dealing with my sin, but I want what I want now. Let me have it.

And the Psalmist says, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me. He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. Proverbs 15:29. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Matthew chapter 7, verse 7 and following.

Jesus is speaking here. And he gives three what we call imperatives, they're commands, these are not optional things. He uses three words and he's telling us to do these things. And verse 7, he starts out by saying, ask, and it will be given to you. And this word for ask is a command, it's an imperative that really means keep on asking. Keep on asking, and it will be given to you. Seek or keep on seeking and you will find. Knock, or keep on knocking, and it will be open to you.

It is an imperative, what's the imperative? It's ask, it's come to me and crave for me or beg me almost, or call for, it's like, God, you got to do something. And it's terrible that we have to have circumstances get us to the place where we ask this way. But keep on asking, he says, don't go away, keep on asking and it'll be given to you, seek.

This is not a nice polite, could you help me? It is a coming at God, asking him, seeking him. And he says if you seek, you'll find, if you knock, it will be open to you. It's this, let me in. I'm not going away. Open the door. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Now, look at the category he gives here. Or what man is there among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Now, the illustration that he uses there are simple things like bread and fish, basic necessities.

And so many times we come to God and go, I feel led to ask God for a hummer from time to time, you know. Now, see, how absurd is that, a hummer compared to things like, Father, thank you, give me this day my daily bread. Most of the planet prays and comes to God every day. We've got people that we support on the mission field, who would share with me stories that their task for the day was to find a meal.

And if they found that meal in the refugee camp, would be to go find the next meal. And if they'd have to go, all the men would go into the forest somewhere and try to find some wood to cook whatever they found. And it was literally daily bread. And you say, Father, I'm your child, I'm asking, I'm seeking you, I'm knocking. You got to take care of us. And it's not about frivolous things.

Although I think God doesn't mind when we ask, but I'm telling you, the older you get, the less frivolous these things will become. And you'll focus in and try to say, God, what do you want me to ask for? As we'll see when we get deeper into this. Go over to Luke chapter 18, we'll start with verse 1. This is Jesus again and he it says, then he spoke a parable to them, that men ought always to pray and not lose heart.

He says, don't lose heart. Don't give up. You say, but I'm asking God for something and it's not happening. Then what are you going to do? What are your options? Where am I going to go? I got nobody to ask, but there are certain things going on. We've got people involved in this church or here today, literally, who have physical things going on. The doctors say there is no hope. I got no answers for you.

Who else is going to do it if the best doctors on the planet happen to be in this country and they tell you, you don't have any hope? You better have a God that can do something, or you're just going to sit there and die? And even if he does nothing and you get worse, and teach people how to live and if necessary, how to die. So you can have impact getting healed and glory to God for that when that happens obviously, but you can have an impact when you get sick and die and glory to God for that too, because people need to know how to do both.

So he spoke a parable to them, men always ought to pray and not lose heart. And this is the parable, saying, there was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, nor regard man. He didn't fear God and didn't care anything about people. Now there was a widow in that city, and she came to him saying, this is important what she came saying, get justice for me from my adversary.

This widow was defenseless. She had no man, no one to defend her, and she would go to this judge and there was somebody who was doing her wrong. And she went to this judge and say, what, get me justice from my adversary. This is not right. It is not fair. The life that I am subjected to and the problems I have, I have an adversary and it is your job to intervene.

But this guy does not fear God and doesn't regard man, even this widow lady. And he would not for a while. It says this judge wouldn't pay attention to this widow for a while. But afterward he said within himself, though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me, I'm going to avenge her. I am tired of hearing her. I got to get rid of this widow lady.

And it's not because I fear God, it's not because I regard any man, including this woman. I am tired of her. I am going to give her what she wants, take care of this situation to get rid of her. Because she troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. Now, look at what Jesus said in verse 6. Then the Lord said, hear what the unjust judge said.

What did he say? She's wearing me out. And shall God not do what? Avenge his own elect who cry out day and night to him, though he bears long with them. Now what is the context? There is an injustice. There is something that has to be changed. Something's going on in a situation and you say, God, this is not right. You know it's not right. I know it's not right. This situation sucks. Something's got to happen.

And you're God, and you know I'm your child, and I'm coming to you like this widow and I'm going to wear you out until what? You do the right thing and intervene in my situation and avenge me. Because there's an injustice. Now do you see that? It's not just wearing out about anything here, though the principle applies there to keep coming in the other passage we looked at. But here specifically, if you're a single mom, if you're a single dad, if you're in some legal battle with a boss or an employer or something that's just not right going on and it don't matter how many attorneys or who you hire, or what you do, you're not getting justice.

Go harass the judge about it. And talk to him about it. Complain to him about it. And say, look, I'm not going away, God. My situation is not changing, I don't have the power to change it. I'm as defenseless as this widow. You got the power. Do something. Now God didn't get tired of us. He uses this example though. He says, and shall God not avenge his own elect who cry out day and night to him, though he bears long with them?

I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth? Now, what is it that you want God to do so bad that you are wearing him out? Look what it says, day and night. You cry out to him day and night. I'm not talking about, you know, God is great, God is good, you know, we thank you for this food, guys.

I'm talking about climbing in a closet somewhere. And if it's your mama, if it's your marriage, if it's your body, if it's your health, if it's your mind, where you get in there, close the door and say, can you hear me now? I am not leaving you alone. I'm here tonight, I'll be here tomorrow, I'll be here tomorrow night. I'm not going away, God, do something. And it says speedily he will intervene.

You got to go at him with this stuff. John chapter 14, verse 9. Now, this whole relationship thing when it comes to prayer and people's misconception that I just show up and God's, you know, just going to do whatever I say. And there are scriptures that imply that if you just ask for something, you'll get it. That's it. But you cannot jerk these verses out, you have to look at them in context.

The context of the whole scripture, the New Testament alone, for instance, John 14, verse 9. Jesus said to him, have you been with me so long and yet you have not known me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, show us the Father? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? Now, look at this next phrase.

The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on my own authority. But the Father who dwells in me does the works. Jesus says, I'm not just rattling off this stuff. The Father is working in me and through me. I communicate with him on a daily basis. And the things that I'm doing, it's the Father doing through me. And he is showing us a way to live where we communicate with God every day, all day.

We don't make a move, we don't do anything without his permission. And he's not just randomly going through some town, healing this and that and doing this and that. It's the power of God in Jesus' life as well because there's communication. And as he said, but the Father who dwells in me does the works. Verse 11, believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.

Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also. And greater works than these he will do because I go to my Father. And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do. That the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. Okay, God, in Jesus' name, heal my mama. Can you hear me now?

Now, what is the emotion there? My mama is sick. I don't want her sick. In some ways it is selfish. It's I don't want to lose somebody or my motives pure. Is it really that I want God's will done in any of these lives, or is it just I don't want to hurt as a result of seeing their pain? You're going to have to hammer that one out with God before you go asking for something and say, you know what, God, more than what I want you to do, I want you.

I want a relationship with you. I want to know that when I pray and whatever I say, it's coming out of your heart, the way Jesus asked for stuff. I want you, God. Help me not be selfish. Help me ask for what's best for the person, but beyond that even, what is your will? How are you going to discover the will of God without spending time with God in his word and prayer and and relationship with him?

Look at John chapter 15, verse 1. Jesus talking again. He says, I am the true vine and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you.

What is he saying here? Stay connected. Like a vine and a branch have to stay together for the sap, the fluids to flow through there and and push out and bear fruit. He says, you've got to stay connected to me. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. Now look at verse 5. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. Verse 7, If you abide in me, you understand this connection, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples.

What is the ticket? It's abiding in him. When you're connected to him and his life flows through you and that's what bears fruit, you're not just going to be asking for random stuff. It comes out of that abiding relationship with Christ. Where God speaks to you and reveals things to you and as we'll see in a minute, even tells you what to pray for. Go over to First John chapter 3.

The context here in First John is loving one another in the relationship we have, that the world is going to hate us in verse 13. Verse 15, if we hate our brother then we're a murderer, just talking about these relationships. Jump down to verse 18. My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the faith and shall assure our hearts before him.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Obedience is tied to answered prayer. Now, what do you do with this?

Somebody comes along and says, well, God would have answered your prayer, but as the Bible says, there must have been sin in your life and that's why you didn't get an answer. That is not why you didn't get an answer. They may be thinking the only answer was healing. And so if you didn't get the only answer they think is an option, because you didn't get the answer they thought was God's will, now there must be sin in your life.

And there are people that get completely ripped apart as a result of this kind of teaching. There is something here though, about obeying because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. When you are keeping his commandments, you're in the scripture, you're spending time with God, you're trying to please him. If it's not about pleasing me, it's about pleasing him, it changes even what I ask for.

I've spent enough time with him, there's enough relationship, that I kind of know who he is and where he's going and what he wants. And there's some direction in the process of even asking. Look at First John chapter 5 and this is going to get clear hopefully as we go through these. I mean, this flat out says it. Verse 14, Now this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

Guys, this is the ticket in my opinion. The key is, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him. So if somehow we could figure out a way to sneak into God's back room somewhere and read his little list of things he wants to give us, and then sneak back out to the throne and say, hey, how about giving me this?

And he goes, wow, what a coincidence. That's what I was going to give you anyway, glad you asked, and here it is. Well, that was easy. Instead of going, well, how about this? Well, if you can't give me that, how about this? And negotiating. Stop the madness and say, God, I don't even know what to ask for. But I know every time I ask for what your will is, that happens and things go a lot smoother.

I don't waste all this time bothering you and spending my life, spinning my wheels, asking for things that aren't going to happen. So God, what do you want me to ask for? You say, well, I'm not interested in that, that'll take too much time. I just want what I want, when I want it. I don't have time to talk to God all the time. I got a life. Oh, really? What kind of life have we got without talking to him?

Now look at Romans chapter 8, and I hope this is very helpful, this is where we're going to end up. And I want to start in verse 18 and read a few of these verses down, just for context sake. Romans 8:18 and following, here we go. For I consider that this is Paul writing to the church at Rome, the Roman Christians. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

He says literally the universe is waiting for this mess to be settled once and for all. Not that Jesus didn't settle it when he died, was buried and raised from the dead. Everything went down there, but the actual culmination of all of it when God says enough's enough, it's over, literally the creation itself groans and aches and moans, waiting for this to happen.

Keep reading down with me. Even we ourselves groan within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. In other words, you hold on, you can't see it yet, but you know it's coming, so you persevere until you get there.

All right, then look at verse 26. Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought. You ever feel this way? What am I supposed to pray? And he spells it out here. He says the Spirit, the Holy Spirit here, helps us in our weakness, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Now some people take this and turn it into prayer languages. Let me tell you something, it's the Spirit doing it. Groanings are just that, the creation groans, physically we groan. So it's the Spirit doing the groaning. It's not about you having some prayer language, I cannot find that in the text. So there are times when I'm praying and you're praying and you don't even know you're praying because the Holy Spirit says, I know you're weak.

And you don't know what to pray for, but I do. Now, why is this so huge? Look at the next few verses. Now, he who searches the hearts, knows what the mind of the Spirit is. So God and the Holy Spirit connect, they know each other, he knows the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to what? The will of God. The Holy Spirit never gets it wrong.

You say, well, then what am I going to get? I don't know what I'm asking for. What you're asking for is his will to be done, so what you're going to get is his will and that ought to make you happy. You say, well, my will was not for my wife to die. My will was not for my kid to die. My will was not for this business to fail. My will was not for starting a church, maybe, and the whole thing falling apart.

I know guys that that's happened to. You say, well, what do you want? Success or you want me? You want what you want, go get it. But if you're going to come to me and ask me to do something, I want to do what I want to do, and what I want to do is the best thing for you, so ask me for my will to be done, not yours. Jesus had to go through this. You know you're about to die in a matter of hours.

You go to a garden with your best buddies on the planet. Take 11 of them with you, three of them a little farther. Tell them to wait and watch with you. You go and you pray, and you say, God, if there's Father, if there's any way around this, if there's any way this cup can pass from me, let's talk about that. But not my will, your will be done. And three times he goes in there and gets what? The same answer.

And finally, that's it, that's all he needs. You say, but what if it doesn't come out good? It can't come out bad if it's his will. And even if it does come out bad, look at verse 28. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. You can't go wrong. And even when you think it's going wrong, you say, Father, I praise you and I thank you anyway because I need you more than I needed what I thought I needed anyway.

And if this is your will, so be it. And I wouldn't have come to you in the first place if I didn't need you. And I see I need you more now than ever because it's going to be a tough road. But I'd rather go the road of your will and suffer through anything than to have it my way and get all off maybe and your will not be done and you don't get the glory from whatever it is.

Richard will be back in a moment to wrap up today's talk. But first, I want to share a couple thoughts with you. Let's be honest, real life isn't about living some highlight reel for others to see. Most people have deep hurts, questions and struggles. We get it, and want to help you in any way we can. So let's keep this conversation going. Give us a call at 855-6-Richard, or connect with us at our website richardellis.com.

You can even put in your prayer request right there on the prayer wall so others can pray for you as well. Call us at 855-6-Richard or online at richardellis.com. And now let's get back to Richard with a final word on today's show.

Be patient, but be persevering. Don't lose heart. And more times than not, guys, I'm telling you, I am discovering my own life. I don't know what to pray for anymore. I don't know what his will is. But if that's what we're after, you say, Father, I'm trying. I'm not saying much to you, but I am here in your presence. I am here to worship you, to get to know you.

And I'm reading your word and I'm singing little songs to you. I'm doing everything I got. I give some money, God. If you want me to give less, I'll give less. If you want me to give more, I'll give more. But God, I am yours, everything I have is yours. I'm committed to you. Talk to me. Can you hear me now? This has more to do with connecting with God, having a relationship with God and out of that, the Holy Spirit moving through your heart and your life, and let those two hammer it out and finding out what the will of God is and do that.

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.

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