Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: If you are not producing, if God is not producing in and through your life, multiplying what he has given you, you're not having an impact. You are just sitting on your butt thinking that's it. This could go terribly wrong for you.

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 "To the Max." I had a horrible experience recently. I did a wedding in a location and this place where the wedding took place, they didn't allow the people who were visiting there or lived there to use cars. Now they had construction vehicles on the property, but if you were there living or visiting, you had a golf cart. It couldn't be a gas golf cart. So they provided us with this golf cart, an electric golf cart, while we were there.

I get in this golf cart and put my foot down, thinking I'm going to go somewhere. It has got a governor on it, and that governor is set at 17 miles per hour. You say, "How do you remember that?" Because I stared at that number forever. Now, there were other residents who had fancier golf carts who somehow had theirs tweaked to 20 miles per hour. And then there were the 25 people and they were flying by me and I thought I would never get out of that place.

I started asking people, "Do you know how to adjust the governor on this electric golf cart?" Because I was going to do something to not go 17 miles per hour the rest of my life. They kept telling me it's electronic; when you put the key in, they do something. I finally gave up. I was so glad to get home and get back in my car and do 30 miles an hour.

What did I know about that golf cart that I was in? 17 was not to the max. And what did they know about people who they rented these vehicles to? That if they did not have a governor on it, somebody would get killed because they would take off and do whatever. So here is kind of where we're going today. You have a governor on you.

If you're a believer, you have someone living inside of you that sets the pace. He is the pace. A lot of times you hear people pray, "Oh, God, be with us." I get what they mean. As a Christian, God is not with me; he is in me. That is completely different. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit came on people, but when you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit of God comes in you. So that can never change for me.

Am I trying to push it to the max? That's not what he has asked me to do. I'm trying to overstep. I'm not trying to go too slow, backslide, but there are opportunities out there. I have a window of opportunity called my life. You have the same window of opportunity. The question is, what are you doing with it? And is he the one governing your life, or have you somehow hijacked the system and you're in control?

Let's start in Ecclesiastes chapter 9. Ecclesiastes 9:10 says this: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." So whatever you're going to do or let God do in and through you, you have to get about that now. It's not about, "I'm going to wait until I get to heaven and then I'll work there." That's not how it works.

Matthew 25. Now I'm going to read you a bunch of verses out of Matthew 25. This may not all be pleasant. When I felt led to use this passage, the more I got into it, the more unpleasant I realized. It doesn't mean it's going to be unpleasant for you, but for some of you in the room and beyond, it may be a little unpleasant, and you'll see why in a minute.

Matthew 25:14. This is Jesus speaking. He says, "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one." So one gets five, one gets two, one gets one. "To each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey."

That little phrase in verse 15 is very important: "Each according to his own ability." You say, "Am I a five-talent person, a two-talent person, or a one-talent person?" I don't know. But what you'll see at the end of this story is you better figure out where you fall in this and do something with the talent, with this thing that God has given you, or you could be in trouble. It could reveal something about you that you didn't know and you're going to be upset about.

Different amounts given. God entrusts according to capacity. So when you meet someone who is a five-talent person, you say, "Well, you might not even recognize that they have more to manage." And you say, "Well, I'm just a two-talent person or a one-talent person." You say, "Are they better than me?" It's not about anybody being better than anybody. It's about capacity.

If God gives you more, he is going to expect more. You say, "What does that mean?" That means exactly what it says. You say, "Okay, Lord, do I have capacity to accomplish great things?" And he says, "Yes." And if you're not accomplishing great things and you know you have capacity for that, you will have to answer for that, and it's not going to be pleasant. So let's keep reading.

"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents." So he doubles his money. "And likewise, he who had received two gained two more also." So immediately they realized the master has given me this to manage. Five turns into ten; two turns into four. "But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord's money."

"After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.'" In other words, he's been a tremendous steward. He has doubled what he was given.

His lord said to him—you hear this phrase and people say, "Oh, yeah, I look forward to hearing this." This is the context of this phrase. What did he say to him? "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." That's the context of doing something with what he has given you.

What he can do in and through you compared to what you can do or I can do in and through me by myself—I hate to even use these words before I read it—it's exceedingly, abundantly above anything you could think or ask. You say, "Well, you don't understand, I was born poor," whatever, Mexican, Black, white, white trash. See, that's what the enemy will tell you. You just born white trash; you got no shot.

Here's what you got to say to him if it's true. "You're right, I was born white trash, but I was reborn no trash, brother. That's over, right?" Your excuses are not going to hold up when you see Jesus. Because if you read this book, it's not a book of excuses. It's a book of answers, of how you move forward and find out what God can do in and through you if you just get out of the way and let Him.

So the first guy: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." He also who had received two talents came and said, "Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them." His lord said to him—what did he say? The same thing. "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."

Neither one of them did he say, "Well, nice try, but your buddy here, I gave him five, he turned it into ten. I gave you two, you only turned it into four. Sorry, nice try." No. They did the best they could with what they had and got the same answer. Now this is the sad part. God help you if you're in this category. So I highly recommend you listen. Because there are a lot of people that attend churches, gatherings of churches, possibly in this room.

I don't think we have that many, but there are people who think they are a servant of the Lord. Here is how he flushes this guy out. "Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'"

In other words, he dug up the one talent that he had hidden and done nothing with and says, "You're a hard guy, reaping where you don't sow. So here's your talent, just giving you back what you gave me." He did nothing. But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed."

"So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. If you had just deposited it instead of burying it in the ground, you would have put it in a bank, at least I would have some interest on my money. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents."

So the guy who did nothing, give it to the guy with ten. And then verse 29: "For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." Have you ever looked around and thought, "Why does that person have seemingly, maybe not more stuff, but more impact, more responsibility, more influence in the world?" You say, "Why is that?" Maybe they have done something with what God gave them and He has given them more because it's not that they trust Him, He's figured out that He can trust them.

So are you the kind of person that God would put in a place of authority and responsibility and say, "Okay, I trust you with what is mine, do something with it," and you say, "Yes, sir, thank you, sir, and here you go." Or are you burying what He gave you? Now look at verse 30. This creates a lot of consternation for people. "And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

What happens to the third servant? You say, "Well, it sounds like he didn't make heaven." Okay. How did he not make heaven? The servant represents, this last servant represents those who claim to serve God but never truly yield their lives in faith or obedience. Now forget everybody else around. This is you and Jesus. Where do you fit in the story?

Because according to the story, if you are going to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant," you are doing something with what he has given you instead of burying what he has given you. In this case, the third guy turns out he's a servant, but he doesn't make it. Now you say, "What are you saying? Are you saying that I'm not going to make it?"

I am telling you that sooner or later—I'll give you the prodigal son, and he left and came back, but he came back. If you are not producing, if God is not producing in and through your life, multiplying what he has given you, you're not having an impact, you are just sitting on your butt thinking that's it. This could go terribly wrong for you.

You say, "Well, but I attend church." Okay. Churches are filled with lost people who end up in hell. There's going to be a difference in your life if He is in your life. You say, "Well, I was told if I just became a Christian then there's grace, it will cover it all and I'll just roll." That is true. But this is also true. If a person genuinely says, "God, I'm a sinner, I believe Jesus died on the cross, buried, raised from the dead, I accept your payment in my behalf, come live in me and through me," your life is going to change.

You say, "Well, what if you go back?" If you go back to the old life, here's something about being born again, but when you're born again, you're born into the family of God. He is your Father. He is a Father that loves you more than anybody else has or ever will. And if you disobey, when I disobey, He chastens those that He loves. He will discipline you. He will get your attention.

So you say, "Well, there's nobody chasing me around with a belt, you know, spanking me." Maybe you ain't in the family. I don't ever remember going down the street with my spoon spanking the neighbor's kids. That happens in some neighborhoods; I understand that. So you say, "Well, I'm a Christian." Okay. Where's the evidence? "Well, what do you mean, where's the evidence? I'm a Christian."

Where's the evidence? James says straight up, faith without works is dead. So I have gotten this from somebody who has attended this church, sent me a deal and said, "I heard you say something about that you believe that once saved, always saved." I do believe that. I don't think you can get unsaved. I would just question whether you got saved in the first place. There's your problem.

Now, I have people in my life that I have personally shared the gospel with. I prayed with them. I saw tears. They became a Christian. And it's taken a little bit too long for the fruit to come out on these limbs. And it makes me a little bit nervous. You say, "Why are you nervous?" Something's supposed to change. Something is supposed to happen.

If they lock up, He will discipline them and get their attention, and then they will repent and it will kick in and something's going to change. If you say you became a Christian 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago and nothing has changed, you better have a little talk with Jesus and say, "Could you please confirm to me that I am your child, or am I not even in the family yet because nothing has changed?"

1 Corinthians chapter 2. 1 Corinthians 2:1: "And I, brethren"—so this is Paul writing to Christians—"when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling."

"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing."

"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"—and he quotes Isaiah 64:4—"listen to these verses, and these verses are not applied to heaven."

"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." And Isaiah 64:4 says, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him."

So if you are a Christian, the book says—you think, "Well, I've seen everything that God can do." That's not what the book says. "Eye has not seen." What He has capacity to do, you have not seen, nor ear heard. You haven't heard about it, nor have entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him.

So what is He trying to get done in and through you that is beyond anything you've seen, heard, or even imagined? And do you have any interest at all in getting in on that? We live in a world of what we can see and what we can dream up. What if God has something you've never even considered? You say, "But how's He going to do that through me?" That's how He's going to do it, through you.

The Bible talks about we have this treasure in earthen vessels, clay pots. So what if He's trying to accomplish something extraordinary through you? And whether it's sin or unbelief or you just don't have people teaching you these things, and one day you wake up and go, "Okay, God, whatever you got, let's go." And then you just hold on for dear life, because when you say, "Let's go," He goes.

It's not that you can change the world; it's that He can change the world through you. And you got to stop listening to lies. You got to stop listening to people say you can't. Why don't you let God decide what you can't do? If He gives you five talents, you turn it into ten; two, you turn into four. You get ten, He takes one from somebody and gives it to you.

Whatever that's all about, I don't know how much you got and what your abilities and capacity are. But if you say, "Lord, I don't even know what my capacity is, but you live in me like everybody else and whatever I have the capacity to do, let's go." Verse 10: "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." So this "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."

Every once in a while somebody says, "Are you going to retire?" I don't even know what that means. You're going to run me off before I quit, because you don't sit down until you're done. Jesus sat down when He had done what He had come to do. He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Who told you to sit down? "Oh, I'm old and I'm going to do whatever with the rest of my life." Who told you that?

What if God has been preparing you your whole life for something that's going to happen in the two minutes? And most of the game gets played in the fourth quarter, two minutes anyway. Verse 11: "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. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

Ask Him what came in the package. I saw some video, you may have seen this, and this lady standing talking. She says, "I have an all-inclusive marriage." And I was like, "What is she talking about?" And she started saying, "We go on a trip, I just show up. He's booked the cars, the rental cars, the flights, the hotels, right? My wife's doing this."

Now let me tell you what I think about that. This is the way I was raised. As it should be. My job is to take care of the bride, right? As it should be. That's not her problem. If you've been given a job of managing a queen, what would that look like? Too many men trying to be kings and forget.

Now, if that's how—and I can be selfish, she can fill in all the gaps, I understand that, so please do not talk to her after the service—but stay with me in what I just read you. If I was raised, my father taught me to take care of my bride, Jesus takes care of His bride. He is trying to bless you and we hijack His attempts by going, "Oh, whatever, dude, I got something better. I'm going to go back to meth. I'm going to go back to sex. I'm going to go back to porn. I'm going to go back to stealing. I'm going to go back to lying. I'm going to go back to whatever I was doing. F-you, God, I'm out."

And I'll get a letter about that, I'm sure, but instead of going, "What am I doing? This Jesus gave His life for me. He died on a cross, shed His blood, buried, raised from the dead to make eternal and abundant life possible, and I'm not even inquiring as to what comes with this all-inclusive salvation."

Can you do better for you than He can do for you? We think that. You can't. We just don't know how He operates. I could not possibly be better to me than He is to me. He is so kind, He is so faithful, He is so patient, He is so merciful. He doesn't quit on me; He doesn't give up on me.

Go to Ephesians 3:20. Gosh, you should—if you underline things in your Bible or you memorize, meditate on stuff—man, make this one of them. Look at this statement: "Now to Him"—capital H Him—"who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, 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."

You are dealing with a God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. So you go to God and you ask for something. He goes, "Oh, nice shot. If you knew what to ask, I can do more than you're asking for, more than you're thinking about. Why don't you run at me with something that you think is impossible?"

So supposedly according to this, there is power at work in you and through you if you will get with the program. Just a couple more. Philippians 1. This is a good one. This is a little bit of encouragement for you if this has felt like a beating. Philippians 1:1. Paul and Timothy, both of them writing to the Philippian church.

"Bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing."

Now this is—I'm directing this to anyone in the room or beyond that you are a Christian. And I'm reading this out of scripture, saying that I am confident of this very thing: "That He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." He finishes what He starts. Let Him finish. Let Him do what He's trying to do so that you can get on with Him doing what He's trying to do, not just in you, but through you. Exceedingly, abundantly above anything you ever ask or think.

"Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers with me of grace."

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 reach 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: All right, let's end on this one. Hebrews 12:1: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses"—and that's referring back to Hebrews 11 with all the people of God that have gone on before us. And by the way, that great cloud of witnesses, they are not audience, they are not spectators. Those are people who have run the race, finished the race, and are in the stands cheering you on to run the race and finish the race.

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

So you run with endurance to the max. What is to the max? It is as fast and hard as Jesus wants to run. It's not you dragging Him; it's you walking in the Spirit at His pace, going where He sends you. And by the way, you're not competing with anybody else. Run the race that is set before you. You don't look around and go, "Oh, they're getting more done."

Maybe they have five talents, you got two. Get off of that. Do something with what you've got. That's what you'll answer for. You say, "Well, I don't understand what you're talking about." You're not going to get any of this done without Jesus on board. And it's pretty simple to do, almost too simple.

You say, "God, I'm tired of living my life my way. I'd like to live it to the max, Your way. I've been maxing it out my way, and it's not working." So here's what you do. Jesus, I'm a sinner. I believe that You died on the cross, buried, and raised from the dead to pay for my sin. I accept the forgiveness of my sin, the gift of eternal life. I ask You to come live in me, through me, in the person of the Holy Spirit. Fill me. Change my life. Use my life. Help me get out of the way and stay out of the way, and let You do exceedingly abundantly above anything that I could ever ask or think.

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. If you've been encouraged by these talks with Richard, be sure to tell someone about the change they've made in your life.

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