It’s no accident that a long section of Ephesians about unity starts off with a command to remember. Forgetful Christians do not experience true unity, and do not carry such unity into the world. We must be a remembering people...together.
The way of grace can be expressed in three words: It is finished.
Jesus' resurrection is good news—out of great love for us, he brings life into places where we expect to only see death.
Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we must see it as something done by us. As we acknowledge the depth of our sin, we experience the fullness of His love.
We all need to be reminded of who and what we were before grace came to bear on our lives. Then and only then are we able to truly rejoice in what Christ has done.
Many of us view the world through the lenses provided by the culture we live in. To see Ephesians for what it is, to see reality for what it is, we need to make room in our worldview for an unseen realm, and unseen beings. As our perspective gets bigger, so will our understanding of our King who reigns over all things.
Of all the things Paul could pray for his Ephesian readers (and for us millennia later), he prays that the Father would give us more of the Spirit, that we might know God more. In an ever-deepening knowledge of God we receive hope that can be found nowhere else, an inheritance of infinite value, and power greater than every enemy.
Far too many people are ignorant to the incredible gifts and blessing that are rightfully theirs as sons and daughters of the King. You have been given a priceless inheritance, and the Spirit is your guarantee that it will not be taken from you.
At the center of God’s heartbeat is his desire to see us experiencing unity — with him, and with one another.
Anyone can be redeemed. Anyone can be forgiven. Terrorists can become pastors. Sinners can become saints. Simply put, grace wins.
The words that lie at the center of the Reach family are Gospel, Worship, Community, and Mission. An understanding of adoption is required to live them out well.
The implications of these three verses have sparked much debate for centuries, but the simple act of reading them slowly and intentionally should lead us into awe. Simply put—he has made us family.
Praise. Praise the Father. Praise the Father who has blessed us.
It’s tempting to breeze through the introduction to a book or letter. But the truth within the first two verses of Ephesians is more than enough to change everything.
If we can trust Him with the eternal, we can trust him with the present. What God says, God will do.
True love goes first, true love sacrifices. We see this in both the love that comes to us, and the love that goes through us.
Jesus came to undo all that’s broken and twisted in the world we know, bringing victory and redemption to his children.
Sin does its best to separate us from God, but In Christ we find an advocate, our righteousness, and our propitiation. Simply put, we can experience nearness with God — and that changes everything, starting with us.
God is light. Behold the light, believe in the light, be changed by the light, so you might be the light.
An introduction to the First Letter of John: 1 . Jesus is real. 2. Only fellowship with Him and his people leads to eternal LIFE and fullness of joy.
A proper view of Heaven leads to a passion for the life to come, and deep-seated purpose in our lives today.
One day you will stand before the judge. Are you confident as you consider what will happen on that day? You can be.
There are many implications of Christ’s return, but we must wrap our minds around this simple, wonderful truth — one day the fullness of his presence will be here…with us…forever. What emotions does that stir up in you? Your answer reveals much about where your hope is.
Throughout the story of God, his heart for blessing ALL the peoples of the earth is on full display. Our heart must reflect His heart.
Wherever you are, be there on purpose. At the intersection of the Great Commission, the Cultural Commission, and the Greatest Commandment we find our mission — to be a church for the city.
The message is simple: There is enduring hope. For you. There is invincible joy. For you. In Jesus.
The Gospel is the story of God’s generosity towards us. To follow Jesus is to commit to living out his vision of a generous life. Answering the call to give more of our time, talent and treasure is a matter of discipleship, and ownership.
Throughout the entirety of the scriptures God is consistently passionate about the glory of His name. Our lives should be characterized by the same passion. If we are truly people living for the name of Jesus, we will refuse to live for the glory of any other name — the name of any other god, any human name, or our own name.
Brian was invited to speak at Northwest University on the scriptures—what they are, if we can trust them, and why and how we should read them.
You have a role in the story of God. You'll need a new heart with new desires and a new power source to play it well. How convenient and glorious that God provides those very things through Jesus.
