Richard Ellis Talks

Richard Ellis: No matter how many times I see somebody get saved, I’m telling you, it still messes me up because I realize I have no power except the power of the gospel. I cannot save anyone, I cannot talk them into it, I cannot convince them, I’m not eloquent enough, there’s no fancy story, emotional story, nobody gets saved unless Jesus saves them.

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 "Takers." A taker: Urban Dictionary. I don’t always use a lot of Urban Dictionary definitions because it can be tricky. A taker in the Urban Dictionary is one who is always taking from others, similar to a mooch or chiseler. In most cases, takers aren’t stealing, they are just taking advantage of the hospitality of others without reciprocating or saying thank you. That’s a taker.

Turn to Job chapter 2. Now, where do these messages come from? I spend most of my week with people, sitting down with people. And you lay out, as I will some of these scriptures today, and you tell people, "Okay, you want your life to change." So you explain to them what it’s going to take for that change to happen. And they kind of look at you, and as it turns out, there’s not many takers. But as it turns out on the other end, that’s almost all there are, is takers.

I’m not going to read you the whole story of Job, but God brings Job up in some meeting somewhere in the heavenlies, and I keep saying this over and over: "Lord, please do not bring me up in these meetings." You may like me, but don’t like me that much. Don’t bring me up in these meetings. And He says to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?" And then all hell breaks loose on Job, literally. And his livestock, barns fall in, he loses all of his children. Just catastrophe.

And then you find out why God picked Job. His health is taken away from him, but God says, "You can’t kill him." And he’s down to himself and his wife. And look at Job 2:10. So she’s saying, basically, "Curse God and die," like, "What’s wrong with you? This is a nightmare." But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks." You've got to have something there just to even get that first phrase out. You've got to be leading in your house to say that.

"Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips. I am not going to say these things. Now, it gets tough out here. It’s hard. Things happen, and I can’t do this anymore. And what do we literally say? "I can’t take this anymore." So a lot of us are takers. We want the blessings of God, and I’ll read you about that in a minute.

So we want God to keep it coming. But then when something swings the other direction, we say, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I can’t take this anymore. What are you doing? You’re supposed to love me, you’re supposed to care for me, you’re supposed to be kind to me, merciful and bless me. What is all this mess?" And Job sums it up: "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"

Okay, so you say, "Well, I’m in an adversity situation." You can take it. You say, "How do you know that?" Because I’ve got scripture that says He will never hit you with more than you can take. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. So you’re not going to be hit with any temptation or any situation that with Him, you can’t weather the storm. You say, "How do you know that?" Because what kind of God would He be if that weren’t the case?

You say, "But I can’t carry this." No, you can’t carry it alone. That’s what you can’t do. You say, "But I don’t want to talk to God about it, I’m angry at God." Well, then try to carry it by yourself. You’re going nowhere. You’re going absolutely nowhere. And then when you finally yield and say, "Okay, Lord, I trust You, I thank You, I don’t know how we’re going to do this, I can’t take it by myself, but I know You can take us wherever You need to take us. So here we go." And you’d be amazed what you can survive. More than survive.

Matthew 7. Now, I don’t say this, what I’m about to read to you, I do not say this and I’m not reading this in a discouraging way. I’m just telling you this is what the scripture says and this is just a fact. And this is part of what is so challenging about continuing to push and to say to people, "Look, you've got to keep moving, you've got to keep growing, there is more to this life than just being a ticket holder." He’s got more, right?

But what does Jesus say? Matthew 7:13: "Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." That leads to destruction. Wide open, here we go. He says, "Don’t take that way, take the narrow gate." Verse 14: "Because narrow is the gate," He goes back to that again, "narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." The broad way, easy to find. The straight gate, tricky.

Now, you say, "Well, I made it through the straight gate, Jesus is the way, I made it through the gate." Baby, you got through the gate, now you've got to stay on the way. You've got to stay out of the way to stay on the way. So we think, "Well, I found the Jesus gate and I got through the gate and we’re all good." And He says, "No, I’m not just the gate, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life, I am everything you need. You've got to stay connected to Me." And how does it turn out? There are few there be that find it.

It doesn’t say nobody finds it. But what are you looking for? "I’m looking for ease, I’m looking for pleasure, I’m looking for fun. I want God to take care of me, but if He comes to me and asks me for something, I’m out. He can’t require anything of me. I thought it was all mercy and grace and free. Free, free, free, free, free." Some commercial about that out there.

Luke 9:23. Now, these are the verses, and people memorize them and underline them and can quote them. This is the stuff. So Jesus came along and said, "I can save you. I can save you. You've got to trust Me completely." Quick story. An Ethiopian man showed up in my office the other day with some white dude that he had, it turns out, this Ethiopian church in Garland had done an outreach. They got out-reaching.

And this Ethiopian Christian met this white dude and didn’t have anywhere to take him because the Ethiopian church service was in Ethiopian, the youth service had some English, he didn’t know where to take him. So he started calling people on the radio that he listens to and couldn’t get to some of them. And he called, made an appointment, and I met with them.

So he sits down, there we are, and I explain the gospel to this white dude, 40-something years old, had been sober for six years, intense life. And shared the gospel with him, the three of us sitting there. He prays and becomes a Christian. So you say, "Then he’s all good." Yeah, he’s going to heaven. But what if you don’t die? Now, if you just got your ticket, boom, and you’re dead, then what are all these verses about?

There’s a chance you might live and clearly you are, because you’re still listening. So now what? Ticket holder is nice, it’s the beginning. Born is nice, it’s the beginning. Growing, maturing, doing the deal. So you say, "Oh, I don’t even want to hear these verses." Here it is, Luke 9:23: "Then He said to them all, if anyone desires to come after Me, you want to follow Me? Okay, here’s how you do it. Let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me."

And that’s where straight is the gate, not many takers. I don’t want to deny me. I joke around about Twizzlers and Red Vines and all this mess. If I get me a tub of those Red Vines, whoo, they are gone, they are gone, they are gone, they are gone. Because you don’t have to open any packages, you just pop a top and here we go. And even if the Holy Spirit says, "We’ve had enough Red Vines for ten minutes," my flesh says, "Oh, that’s what you think."

So what’s your deal? I’ve got other deals. So you say, "Well, I can have a glass of wine, or two, or three, or four, or five." What is all that? Well, I’ve got to feeling good and I don’t want to deny myself, right? So this is where it gets tricky. You ask somebody if they’re a Christian, they can answer that question. Ask them this: "Are you a follower of Jesus?"

You say, "Well, is there a difference?" You can be a Christian without being a follower of Christ. You can’t be a follower of Christ without being a Christian. And it’s going to take you somewhere else. Because if you’re following Jesus, you’re going where He’s going. And He says, "Hey Richard, we’re going over here and we’re going to talk to these people." I go, "Maybe you are, but I’m not." And guess what? "You riding. This is My body. This is My mouth. And we’re not talking to these people."

You break it down that way, that sounds pretty crazy. But we take control back because we don’t like what He wants to do. We don’t want to deny ourselves, we don’t want any suffering, and so I’m out. Not many takers. Now, I will tell you, every day of my life is not lived this way 24/7. I’ve got moments still. I am trying to minimize the moments more and more and more.

Because even with some suffering along the way, my life is so much better His way than it could ever be my way. I want more of His way. Even if it costs me something, it’s better His way. Because you see things you would never see unless you followed Him. And if you check out and say, "I’m out," you’re not there.

John chapter 6. So Jesus has fed thousands of people with a lunch. And these people are like, "Oh my gosh, we got the guy. Like, we don’t have to stay listen to the word and He’s going to feed us." And this is amazing. So John 6:22: "On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone."

"However, other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks. When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they got into boats and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus." So they’re after Him. "And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, Rabbi, when did You come here? How’d You get here? Because we didn’t see You get a boat."

"Jesus answered and said to them, most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. You don’t want Me because of anything else but the food. You just here for more food, more miracle food. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

So He’s got people following Him around for the food. You know what? They don’t last. And if you keep reading this chapter, He starts really teaching and it says, I think down in verse 6:66: "From this time many of His disciples ceased to follow after Him." And I’ve always thought it very interesting that John 6:66 is that. And He looks at the twelve and He says, "Are you out too? Will you also leave Me?" And what did Peter pipe up and say? "Where are we going? Where are we going to go? Because we believe that You’re the Christ, the Son of the living God."

So Acts 20, verse 35: "I have shown you in every way by laboring like this that you must support the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive." So if you decide you’re going to be not just a taker, but you’re okay, "I’m in, I’m a taker, I’ll sign up." As you mature, as you grow, it starts to shift. And all of a sudden you realize, "Wait a minute, I’ve got so much abundance, I’ve got so much overflow, I’ve got so much more than I need." It shifts from taking in to passing things on.

This is, if you’ve never heard this, this is extraordinary. If you go in the book of maps, it’s usually in the back of your Bible, if you’ve got a fancy Bible you’ve got maps. In the back of your Bible there may be a maps. And if you look at a map of Israel, the river Jordan flows from the north to the south. And it gets to the Sea of Galilee and it dumps into the Sea of Galilee. And the Sea of Galilee is just a big lake, they call it a sea, it’s a big lake, beautiful lake. Sea of Galilee, the water flows in there.

Then it flows out of the Sea of Galilee on the south, the bottom edge, and continues. And guess where it goes? To the Dead Sea. So a few miles north you’ve got Sea of Galilee: vibrant, fishing, sailing, just life. And a few miles to the south, all that water dumped into the Dead Sea. And why is it called the Dead Sea? Because it is dead. If you get in there, you literally can’t sink, you float. You just sit there, there’s so much salt in the water you just float. If you shaved and cut yourself, you’ll pay. It’s not a good. It’s dead. Death, death, death.

Why is that the case? And it’s literally in the geography of Israel. That if life flows in and then through and out, you have life. If life flows through and to but not out, you have death. So you say, "Well, what’s wrong with my life?" I don’t know. See if anything’s going out. Are you just a taker? Sooner or later, takers that get in on Jesus’ real deal get so full they overflow and all of a sudden they are givers.

What’s God going to have to give you before you’ve got enough and where you’ve got enough to give something away? Two-year-olds: "Mine!" Go in a room with a two-year-old playing with toys and try to take one of a thousand of their toys. "That’s mine! Mine!" Let them grow up a little bit and they’ve been taught to share. "Oh here." They’ll hand another kid a toy. You can’t play but with one toy at a time. Maybe two, you’ve got cars racing each other, but I mean, that’s it.

Okay, go one more. 1 Timothy 6. Let me talk about garage sales really quick before we read this. I’m going to give you a thought: pre-garage sale. Walk through your house and all your junk and all the stuff you’re about to sell for a dollar. "Will you take a dollar for that?" Okay. You’re going to spend all that time and effort. Walk through your house and say, "Lord, should I just give all this away? I could make 600 bucks."

What if you could bless a bunch of people way more than getting 600 bucks? People who have nothing. "Well, I’ve got extra this, extra that." Some people don’t have extra. So you start asking around, "Hey, you know anybody?" Every once in a while we have a homeless person in a shelter, they get a place to live and they say, "I’ve got nothing." And you know what? People respond. People with a brain respond.

Now, here’s how you know you’re in trouble: "Well, she seems real nice, he seems real nice, but my stuff is probably too nice for some homeless person’s first apartment. Really. I could get more because you know, we don’t be needing to give fine things." What’s Jesus been doing to you all these years? Throwing you bones? Blessing, blessing, blessing. Not just food and clothing. Abundance. And then we hold out on Him. And we wonder why people don’t even know we’re His kids. Your daddy doesn’t act this way. I don’t know who you are, but you say He’s your daddy, but that’s not your daddy.

Okay, 1 Timothy 6, verse 6: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition." I don’t want anything to do with all that.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." And then he says, "But you, O man, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness."

Go down to verse 17. He circles back around. "Command those who are rich in this present age." So and by the way, you say, "Well, you’re dogging rich people." The Bible doesn’t dog rich people. The Bible goes after people who have a love of money. It does not say money is the root of all kinds of evil, it says the love of money. You've got a love of money, you cannot worship God and mammon. You've got to pick a lane.

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share." So that’s how a rich person ought to operate. You’re ready, ready, "I’m ready! Okay Lord, who are we giving to next?"

If I picked five random people in here and I said, "I’m going to give each of you $10,000 and your job, you can’t spend any of that money, you've got to give it away this week. You've got to pray about it and give it away." You’d either have a blast or every time you handed a bill out you’d go, "Oh my gosh, what could I do with this money?" It ain’t your money, so you couldn’t do anything with it. Don’t go spending God’s money. That doesn’t go well.

"Let them do good, that they may be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share." Americans are so competitive. You hear a need: "I got that!" "Wait, no I can help." "No, I said it first! I got it, I got it, that’s mine!" We ought to be fighting to try to help people. Be first in that. "I can meet that need. We’ve got one of those. We’ve got two of those. We’ve got three of those."

Okay, just a couple more and then we’re done. Acts chapter 2. So let’s go back to the beginning of the process. Let’s say you’ve jacked your whole life up. Maybe you’re not a bad person, maybe you’ve done some stupid things, but somehow God has come to you and you just know: "I’m in trouble, I’m empty, it’s not working, I’m chasing people, things, places. I just think everything else is going to fix it and no matter where I go, how much I make, all this, it doesn’t work. I’m empty." And you say, "Okay God, I need You." And He gives you faith.

Here’s what it sounds like from scripture when you get to that place. Acts chapter 2, the day of Pentecost came. This is when the Holy Spirit shows up. And verse 36, Peter is, preached this amazing sermon. And he says, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." He’s the boss, He’s the Messiah, He’s the guy.

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?" I’m a taker. I’m in. That’s who I need. No matter how many times I see somebody get saved, I’m telling you, it still messes me up because I realize I have no power except the power of the gospel. I cannot save anyone, I cannot talk them into it, I cannot convince them, I’m not eloquent enough, there’s no fancy story, emotional story, nobody gets saved unless Jesus saves them.

But if you hear His voice, if today you hear His voice, do not harden your heart because it’s not going to get better. You may have challenges by choosing Him, but it will not get better without Him in this life or in the hereafter. Because when you pick Jesus, you go from serving an undertaker to serving a caretaker. Because the enemy is out to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life and have it to the full." You've got to pick a plan.

And these people heard the gospel, and what do they say? "What do we do?" Go to one more. Acts 16. And this is a story about Paul and Silas in prison, singing at midnight. The jail’s busted wide open and the keeper of the prison thinks everybody’s escaped. Verse 27: "The keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.

But Paul called out with a loud voice, saying, do yourself no harm, for we are all here. Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said." So this whole experience caused what to happen to the jailer? "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? I’m in. I’m a taker. I’m tired of taking and it not working. What do I do?"

So you say, "Okay, that was his question. What was the answer?" This is the answer: "So they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized." Not because one man believed, but because they all believed.

Guest (Male): 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.

Richard Ellis: Now, I don’t know where you are. I don’t know in the process of all we’ve talked about. But let me talk a minute to somebody who doesn’t know Him personally and you know it’s not going to get better and you know God is right there. And He’s talking to you, He’s trying to get your attention. People you know, people have prayed for you, talked to you about this.

You cannot just say you believe there’s a God. The demons in hell believe in that and tremble at His name. This is about believing and receiving and saying, "Yes, I’m a taker in the sense that You’re offering eternal life free of charge, abundant life free of charge. I receive that. I’ll take it. I want it personally."

You say, "Well, how do I do that?" Here’s how: a simple prayer. And if you’re in the room or beyond, pray this with me right now. God, I know that I am a sinner. I need Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to pay for my sins and to offer me eternal life as a free gift.

I believe He died for me, was raised from the dead. I accept eternal life, I accept the forgiveness of my sins, and I receive You into my physical body. I ask You to move in and take over my life. Not just a ticket holder for heaven, but a life between here and the hereafter.

Thank You for loving me, for saving me, changing my heart, changing my destiny, my destination, my past, my everything. Like being born a second time. Now that You live in me, I ask You to live through me in such a way that people who see me will see You, people who know me will know that I know You, and my life will reflect You, my Father, You, my Savior. And it’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, amen.

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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