Richard Ellis Talks Richard Ellis

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.

History reveals time and time again that there are consequences for our disobedience to God. Continually making the choice to do the right thing often isn't easy, but it's always right, and our choice to obey will pay off in the end.

Do you remember how the Flintstones would get in their "car" -- and then have to use their own manpower to make it move? Too often, we try to live a "Flintstones" kind of spiritual life; we believe we can do things in our own power instead of relying on the power of God. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside us as believers, and we have the ability to tap into it at any time.

The Christian life is about doing the work of God together with the people of God. We're all members of His family, joined together to bring glory to Him in this life. Being part of the Church isn't just about what we get out of it, but what we bring to it. And learning to love those we don't always like or agree with -- believers and nonbelievers alike -- can only be done through Christ.