Pillar Church Podcast

Preston Morrison | Pillar Church

Pillar Church is led by Preston Morrison and is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Visit www.thePillar.com for more information or to learn more.

  1. 5d ago

    Learning To Pray For What Matters Most | Brent Hatchett

    What do you pray when life gets hard? For most of us, the instinct is understandable: God, change this. Fix this. Get me out of this. But in Ephesians 3, Paul shows us another way to pray. In “The Prayer You’re Not Praying | Learning To Pray For What Matters Most,” we look at Ephesians 3:14–21 and one of Paul's most powerful prayers for the Church. Writing from prison, Paul doesn't pray for his chains to fall off or his circumstances to change. Instead, he prays that believers would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in their inner being, rooted and established in the love of Christ, and filled with the fullness of God. In this sermon, you'll discover: What Paul's posture teaches us about approaching God in prayerWhy difficult circumstances should never keep us from prayingWhat Paul didn't pray for—and what that reveals about spiritual maturityWhy strengthening your inner life matters when life's battles comeThe difference between Christ being present, prominent, and preeminent in your lifeHow deeply knowing God helps us understand the depth of His loveWhat it looks like to pray for God's will and glory above our own Paul's prayer challenges us to look beyond what is happening around us and pay attention to what God is developing within us. Because sometimes the prayer we need most isn't, “God, change my circumstances.” It's, “God, strengthen me in the middle of them.” There will be moments when life feels overwhelming. That's why our inner life with Jesus matters. We strengthen ourselves in the Lord through His presence and His Word, allowing Christ to become more than simply present or even prominent in our lives. We surrender until He becomes preeminent—the One around whom everything else is ordered. And the more deeply we know Him, the more we begin to understand a love that Paul says surpasses knowledge—a love wider, longer, higher, and deeper than we could ever fully comprehend. Paul ends his prayer by turning his attention completely toward God's glory: to the One who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine. So maybe the prayer isn't only, “God, get me out of this.” Maybe it's also: Strengthen me here. Become preeminent in me. Let Your will be done. And be glorified through my life.

  2. 6d ago

    Learning To Pray For What Matters Most | Preston Morrison

    What do you pray when life gets hard? For most of us, the instinct is understandable: God, change this. Fix this. Get me out of this. But in Ephesians 3, Paul shows us another way to pray. In “The Prayer You’re Not Praying | Learning To Pray For What Matters Most,” we look at Ephesians 3:14–21 and one of Paul's most powerful prayers for the Church. Writing from prison, Paul doesn't pray for his chains to fall off or his circumstances to change. Instead, he prays that believers would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit in their inner being, rooted and established in the love of Christ, and filled with the fullness of God. In this sermon, you'll discover: What Paul's posture teaches us about approaching God in prayerWhy difficult circumstances should never keep us from prayingWhat Paul didn't pray for—and what that reveals about spiritual maturityWhy strengthening your inner life matters when life's battles comeThe difference between Christ being present, prominent, and preeminent in your lifeHow deeply knowing God helps us understand the depth of His loveWhat it looks like to pray for God's will and glory above our own Paul's prayer challenges us to look beyond what is happening around us and pay attention to what God is developing within us. Because sometimes the prayer we need most isn't, “God, change my circumstances.” It's, “God, strengthen me in the middle of them.” There will be moments when life feels overwhelming. That's why our inner life with Jesus matters. We strengthen ourselves in the Lord through His presence and His Word, allowing Christ to become more than simply present or even prominent in our lives. We surrender until He becomes preeminent—the One around whom everything else is ordered. And the more deeply we know Him, the more we begin to understand a love that Paul says surpasses knowledge—a love wider, longer, higher, and deeper than we could ever fully comprehend. Paul ends his prayer by turning his attention completely toward God's glory: to the One who is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine. So maybe the prayer isn't only, “God, get me out of this.” Maybe it's also: Strengthen me here. Become preeminent in me. Let Your will be done. And be glorified through my life.

  3. Sep 28

    The Arrogant Audacity of God's Once Hidden Plan | Isaac Gross

    What if you understood that the way you live today is putting the wisdom of God on display in ways you cannot even see? In Ephesians 3, Paul reveals something that had been hidden for generations: God's eternal plan was always Jesus. Through the Gospel, He would redeem a people, unite them together as His Church, and then use their lives to display His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm. In “God Has ZERO Rivals | The Arrogant Audacity of God's Once Hidden Plan,” we unpack the mystery Paul couldn't stop talking about and what it means for the way we live today. God's plan was never altered, adjusted, or threatened by the enemy. What looked like defeat at the cross became the very means through which Jesus secured victory—and the Church now stands as an ongoing testimony that God's wisdom and power have no rival. In this sermon, you'll discover: What Paul means by the “mystery” that God kept hidden for generationsWhy the Church is central to God's eternal planHow our lives display God's wisdom to the heavenly realmWhy Satan is neither all-knowing nor all-powerful—and cannot stop God's purposesWhat it means to fight from victory instead of fighting for victoryHow access to God should produce boldness and confidence in everyday lifeWhy Paul urgently tells believers not to lose heart Paul gives us an incredible picture: you have an audience. The Church is God's object lesson, displaying His manifold wisdom before both the visible and unseen world. Every act of obedience, every step of faith, and every time God's people remain united and continue following Jesus, His wisdom is being put on display. That means if you still have breath in your lungs, your place isn't in the stands. You're meant to be on the field. And you don't step onto that field wondering who will win. Jesus has already won. Satan is not God's equal opposite. He is a created being who cannot outthink, overpower, or overturn the eternal purposes of God. This changes the posture of our lives. Ephesians 3:12 says that through Christ, we have boldness and confident access to God. We can come into His presence knowing we belong there—and then leave His presence carrying that same confidence into whatever is waiting for us. The secret place was never meant to make us bold only while we're in it. We enter boldly. We leave boldly. And we keep going because we already know who wins. So don't lose heart. Your circumstances haven't caught God off guard. The battle you're facing hasn't rewritten His plan. Keep your eyes on Jesus, keep walking in obedience, and keep showing up for the life God has placed in front of you. God has ZERO rivals. His plan is still unfolding—and you get to be part of it.

  4. Sep 28

    The Arrogant Audacity of God's Once Hidden Plan | Preston Morrison

    What if you understood that the way you live today is putting the wisdom of God on display in ways you cannot even see? In Ephesians 3, Paul reveals something that had been hidden for generations: God's eternal plan was always Jesus. Through the Gospel, He would redeem a people, unite them together as His Church, and then use their lives to display His wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realm. In “God Has ZERO Rivals | The Arrogant Audacity of God's Once Hidden Plan,” we unpack the mystery Paul couldn't stop talking about and what it means for the way we live today. God's plan was never altered, adjusted, or threatened by the enemy. What looked like defeat at the cross became the very means through which Jesus secured victory—and the Church now stands as an ongoing testimony that God's wisdom and power have no rival. In this sermon, you'll discover: What Paul means by the “mystery” that God kept hidden for generationsWhy the Church is central to God's eternal planHow our lives display God's wisdom to the heavenly realmWhy Satan is neither all-knowing nor all-powerful—and cannot stop God's purposesWhat it means to fight from victory instead of fighting for victoryHow access to God should produce boldness and confidence in everyday lifeWhy Paul urgently tells believers not to lose heart Paul gives us an incredible picture: you have an audience. The Church is God's object lesson, displaying His manifold wisdom before both the visible and unseen world. Every act of obedience, every step of faith, and every time God's people remain united and continue following Jesus, His wisdom is being put on display. That means if you still have breath in your lungs, your place isn't in the stands. You're meant to be on the field. And you don't step onto that field wondering who will win. Jesus has already won. Satan is not God's equal opposite. He is a created being who cannot outthink, overpower, or overturn the eternal purposes of God. This changes the posture of our lives. Ephesians 3:12 says that through Christ, we have boldness and confident access to God. We can come into His presence knowing we belong there—and then leave His presence carrying that same confidence into whatever is waiting for us. The secret place was never meant to make us bold only while we're in it. We enter boldly. We leave boldly. And we keep going because we already know who wins. So don't lose heart. Your circumstances haven't caught God off guard. The battle you're facing hasn't rewritten His plan. Keep your eyes on Jesus, keep walking in obedience, and keep showing up for the life God has placed in front of you. God has ZERO rivals. His plan is still unfolding—and you get to be part of it.

  5. Sep 21

    How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family | Isaac Gross

    What really happened when Jesus died on the cross? Most of us immediately think about what the cross accomplished for us personally: our sins were forgiven, our relationship with God was restored, and we were brought near to Him. And all of that is true. But Ephesians 2 shows us that Jesus accomplished something else on the cross that we can easily overlook. He didn’t only reconcile us to God. He reconciled us to one another. In “What Really Happened On The Cross? | How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family,” we continue through Ephesians 2 and discover how the Gospel transforms outsiders into family. Once separated from God and without hope, we have now been brought near through the blood of Jesus. And through that same cross, Jesus broke down the walls that separated us, put hostility to death, and created one new family in Himself. In this sermon, you'll discover: Why remembering how far we were from God changes the way we treat othersWhat the cross accomplished beyond our individual salvationWhy unity within the family of God is sacredWhat it means that Jesus put our hostility toward one another to deathHow God can unite people who would otherwise have very little in commonWhy the unity of the Church is part of how the world sees the reality of Jesus Paul describes believers as citizens of the same Kingdom, members of the same family, part of the same house, and together becoming a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit. We can be beautifully different without being divided because Jesus Himself is our peace. That means unity is not a secondary issue for the Church. Our unity cost Jesus His life. When we allow bitterness, offense, division, or hostility to define the way we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are giving life to something Jesus died to put to death. But when the family of God chooses forgiveness, reconciliation, and love across our differences, we put the power of the Gospel on display. Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one so that the world would know the Father sent Him. Our unity has always been connected to our witness. The Gospel is not only that we were brought near to God. We were given a seat at the family table. And now, as one family with one Father, we get to show the world what the reconciling power of Jesus actually looks like.

  6. Sep 21

    How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family | Preston Morrison

    What really happened when Jesus died on the cross? Most of us immediately think about what the cross accomplished for us personally: our sins were forgiven, our relationship with God was restored, and we were brought near to Him. And all of that is true. But Ephesians 2 shows us that Jesus accomplished something else on the cross that we can easily overlook. He didn’t only reconcile us to God. He reconciled us to one another. In “What Really Happened On The Cross? | How Jesus Destroyed Hostility and Built A United Family,” we continue through Ephesians 2 and discover how the Gospel transforms outsiders into family. Once separated from God and without hope, we have now been brought near through the blood of Jesus. And through that same cross, Jesus broke down the walls that separated us, put hostility to death, and created one new family in Himself. In this sermon, you'll discover: Why remembering how far we were from God changes the way we treat othersWhat the cross accomplished beyond our individual salvationWhy unity within the family of God is sacredWhat it means that Jesus put our hostility toward one another to deathHow God can unite people who would otherwise have very little in commonWhy the unity of the Church is part of how the world sees the reality of Jesus Paul describes believers as citizens of the same Kingdom, members of the same family, part of the same house, and together becoming a holy temple where God dwells by His Spirit. We can be beautifully different without being divided because Jesus Himself is our peace. That means unity is not a secondary issue for the Church. Our unity cost Jesus His life. When we allow bitterness, offense, division, or hostility to define the way we relate to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are giving life to something Jesus died to put to death. But when the family of God chooses forgiveness, reconciliation, and love across our differences, we put the power of the Gospel on display. Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be one so that the world would know the Father sent Him. Our unity has always been connected to our witness. The Gospel is not only that we were brought near to God. We were given a seat at the family table. And now, as one family with one Father, we get to show the world what the reconciling power of Jesus actually looks like.

  7. Sep 14

    How God Saves Us and What He Saves Us For | Brent Hatchett

    For many of us, salvation can become shorthand for one thing: I believe in Jesus, so one day I'll go to heaven. And while eternity with God is part of the promise, Ephesians 2:8–10 gives us a much fuller picture. In “Do You Really Understand Salvation? | How God Saves Us and What He Saves Us For,” we unpack one of the most foundational truths of the Christian faith: salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. We are saved by grace, through faith—not because of our effort, goodness, accomplishments, or ability to clean ourselves up. Grace is the source. Faith receives what grace provides. Salvation is a gift. That means we can stop trying to rescue ourselves and place our confidence fully in what Jesus has already done. In this sermon, you'll discover: Why grace, not human effort, is the source of our salvationWhat it actually means to be saved by grace through faithWhy our works, goodness, and religious accomplishments can never make us right with GodWhat it means to be God’s workmanship — His masterpiece — created and made new in ChristWhy good works don’t produce salvation, but genuine salvation produces a life of good worksHow God has already prepared purpose for you to faithfully walk in Paul understood this personally. In Philippians 3, he lists every reason he could have trusted in his own righteousness—his background, obedience, discipline, and religious accomplishments—and then says he considers all of it worthless compared with knowing Christ. His confidence was no longer in what he had done for God, but in what Christ had done for him. But salvation doesn’t leave us passive. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand for us to walk in. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for them. That is the order of the Gospel: His work.Not my work.Now I get to work. We don’t work to earn salvation. We work because salvation has already made us new.Our lives become the place where God continues His work—in us, on us, and through us—so that the way we live points people back to the One who saved us. Salvation isn’t simply about escaping judgment or securing eternity.It is God rescuing us, remaking us, and inviting us to walk in the purpose He prepared for us long before we ever arrived.

  8. Sep 14

    How God Saves Us and What He Saves Us For | Preston Morrison

    For many of us, salvation can become shorthand for one thing: I believe in Jesus, so one day I'll go to heaven. And while eternity with God is part of the promise, Ephesians 2:8–10 gives us a much fuller picture. In “Do You Really Understand Salvation? | How God Saves Us and What He Saves Us For,” we unpack one of the most foundational truths of the Christian faith: salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. We are saved by grace, through faith—not because of our effort, goodness, accomplishments, or ability to clean ourselves up. Grace is the source. Faith receives what grace provides. Salvation is a gift. That means we can stop trying to rescue ourselves and place our confidence fully in what Jesus has already done. In this sermon, you'll discover: Why grace, not human effort, is the source of our salvationWhat it actually means to be saved by grace through faithWhy our works, goodness, and religious accomplishments can never make us right with GodWhat it means to be God’s workmanship — His masterpiece — created and made new in ChristWhy good works don’t produce salvation, but genuine salvation produces a life of good worksHow God has already prepared purpose for you to faithfully walk in Paul understood this personally. In Philippians 3, he lists every reason he could have trusted in his own righteousness—his background, obedience, discipline, and religious accomplishments—and then says he considers all of it worthless compared with knowing Christ. His confidence was no longer in what he had done for God, but in what Christ had done for him. But salvation doesn’t leave us passive. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared beforehand for us to walk in. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved for them. That is the order of the Gospel: His work.Not my work.Now I get to work. We don’t work to earn salvation. We work because salvation has already made us new.Our lives become the place where God continues His work—in us, on us, and through us—so that the way we live points people back to the One who saved us. Salvation isn’t simply about escaping judgment or securing eternity.It is God rescuing us, remaking us, and inviting us to walk in the purpose He prepared for us long before we ever arrived.

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About

Pillar Church is led by Preston Morrison and is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Visit www.thePillar.com for more information or to learn more.

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