Richard Ellis Talks Richard Ellis

If there's "nothing to" the Gospel, then why do lives continue to be changed by it every day, more than 2000 years after the death and resurrection of Christ? Even in the New Testament, we read that in the early Church, religious leaders tried -- and failed -- to shut down the movement of the Gospel, with the end result being the strengthening of believers. There's something to be said about the work that God's done, and continues to do, in changing lives daily through the power of the Gospel.l

 

People often have no problem believing history books, while simultaneously doubting the authenticity of the Bible. But as Christians, we have to put our faith in the truth of Scripture, believing that Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. Our sinful self was crucified with Christ, nailed to the cross with Him, and because of that truth we have the freedom to walk forward in new life.

Following Jesus isn't about acting like Him; it's about having Him live inside us. The more we get to know God through relationship with Him, the more we become just like our Father.

Our earthly fathers play a big role in how we perceive God as our Heavenly Father -- for better or for worse. They can have a lasting effect that echoes into adulthood, and they can cause us to hold onto our past even once we've been born again in Christ. But when we choose to follow Him, He doesn't just make us an "improved" version of our old self; instead, He makes us brand new.

The story of Ruth is a beautiful illustration of what it means to truly trust and obey God. Ruth's loyalty to Naomi and obedience to the Lord set in motion a series of events that would one day culminate in Joseph -- Jesus' earthly father -- being born into their family line. No matter how crazy it may seem, we're always better off for trusting God, even if we don't know what that will entail.

The devil's only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. We can never let our guard down, but have to always be on alert for his schemes. In order to fight the enemy, we have to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus each and every day; it's in our obedience to Him that we find abundant life.