What comes to your mind when you think about grace? Too often people are unclear about the grace that God makes available to them in Christ, and they miss out. For that reason, in Ephesians 2:1-10, the Apostle Paul explains the blessing of grace because he doesn’t want anyone to be unclear about it. Understanding grace is central to our understanding of God, ourselves and our relationship with him. Our understanding of grace affects everything in our life.

Everyone lives with hope for something. Some don’t even have a basis for their hope, but their hope helps carry them on, even when they’re misguided. How much more so should those who’ve believed in Christ have hope in life because of their relationship with him! In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul tells us about the blessing of hope, and why believers should have the greatest hope of all.

Sometimes believers don’t fully appreciate the blessing of redemption. That may be because they don’t know all that God did to bring it about. In Ephesians 1:1-14, Paul tells us about the blessing of redemption. Understanding it more clearly can change our view of God and what he’s done for us, which can enliven our hearts and worship in all new ways, forever.

Many people have problems with the church because of leader scandals or the people who attend that are just like everyone else. But God has a higher purpose for the church and higher calling on those who say they follow Jesus than anyone could imagine. No book in the New Testament shows us this more clearly than Ephesians. This introductory overview of Ephesians shows this is the case, and can help change our view of the church forever, as well as our view of those who are a part of it.

This Mother’s Day message explores the nature of a godly mother’s heart, as we look at Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55. She offers up praise to God for all that he had done in her life. Anyone who desires to be godly should consider what she says.