Pursuing God with Gene Appel

Jesus spent the last few hours of freedom in the garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “a place of crushing.” And it was in this very place that Jesus did the only thing He knew to do in those final hours of anguish -- He prayed Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that G...

Jesus spent his last hours in the upper room with his beloved disciples and friends. He knew what was to come; betrayal and denial, yet he said, I know what you’ve done and what you’re about to do, and I still love you and accept you. He says the same to us today. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and sha...

God instructed the Jews to select a perfect and spotless lamb for the annual Passover sacrifice. Their celebration was to remind them that God’s judgment passed over them when they were slaves. Jesus knew - but the crowds did not -  he was the passover lamb as he entered Jerusalem. How quickly their cheering his entry would turn into cheering for him to be crucified. Pursuing God with Gene Appel i...

In today’s episode, Gene asks us to consider what we would be willing to sacrifice our lives for. What matters most is the safety of our family, obedience to God, and concern for a spiritually lost person. Truly successful people learn to say no to those things that are not important, and yes to the things that matter most. Gene challenges us to avoid comparing ourselves and our success to others...

Sometimes when we chase success, we think it’s okay to do whatever it takes to get to the goal. Success at work, achieving a milestone, or graduating with honors are all good goals, but they make lousy gods. Gene encourages us today to not become so obsessed with success that we compromise our values and morals. We need to realize that, if we are in Christ, we are already successful. Pursuing God...

Don’t believe the lie that your success defines your identity. In today’s episode, Gene reminds us that our identity is not defined by what we do, but rather that we matter to God. Making more money and having more to prove to others that we’re successful is meaningless. As Solomon says in the book of Ecclesiastes, it is chasing after the wind. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you...

Sometimes a good thing can make you drift from the best thing. Success can cause you to drift away from the things that matter—your marriage, your kids, your soul. Life can get busy and you can stop taking the time you need to be spending in prayer and fellowship. This is what happened to Solomon. Gene shows us the parallels between Solomon’s life and what can happen to us when we look to our succ...

It’s difficult to imagine that having great success can ruin your life. In today’s episode, Gene talks about Solomon, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes. It isn’t bad to have desires and dreams and to work hard to make them happen. But success and ambition with the aim of seeking to please people instead of God will take us down a dark path. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you...

We should never regret the sorrow that comes our way if it causes us to find God. We don’t always know why God allows certain things, but we know He can always use them. In today’s episode, Gene reminds us that suffering doesn’t last forever. While it is intense for a few years here on Earth, it pales in comparison to the time we’ll spend in eternity if we have trusted Jesus as our Lord and Savior...

When we go through suffering, Gene reminds us that we aren’t alone. We can find strength when we need it by turning to God. In today’s episode, Gene points us to several Scriptures that show that the Lord is with us all the time, especially in suffering. When we hurt, God hurts. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Sc...

Because we’re given free will and free choice, sometimes we choose poorly. The problem of suffering goes back to Genesis where Adam and Eve were given free will. They chose to disobey God, and thus brought sin into the world, which is why we suffer today. Gene says that sometimes we cannot answer the question of why we suffer. But we don’t have to do through suffering alone - God is always with us...

If God wants only good for us, why do we suffer? Sometimes it’s a result of our own sin such as overeating or drinking too much. Other times it’s the result of others’ sin. It can also be caused by the attacks of Satan. Most suffering comes because we live in a fallen world. Today Gene encourages us with this quote from Philip Yancey: “Don’t confuse life with God.” Pursuing God with Gene Appel is...

Everyone has personally experienced pain and suffering. In today’s episode, Gene says it is okay to ask God why. He can handle our big questions. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Eastside’s conviction that God’s grace is for everyone, each episode invites you to discover God’s presence and...

God is more powerful than our circumstances. He is greater and bigger than anything we’re going through. Gene tells the story of the prophet Jeremiah in the Old Testament who proclaims that nothing is impossible with God. Gene talks about how God gives us power along the way, moment by moment, as we walk through difficult seasons. Our part is to trust that God is present and more powerful than any...

God is always present in our circumstances. It is impossible to understand how every one of us has God’s presence all the time, everywhere. Yet in today’s episode, Gene comforts us with the assurance that God is our constant companion because He is omnipresent.  Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shape...

Have you ever wondered whether God is even aware of the difficult circumstances we’re going through? Because He knows everything, Gene assures us that not only is He aware, but also that He cares. Psalm 56:8 says God records our tears and collects them in a bottle. God knows and understands us better than anyone else. We can rest in the truth that God knows, He cares, and He loves us beyond our co...

We’ve heard the concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But how can God be both singular and plural? There is one God, but three distinct personalities. The God of the universe is greater than anything we can accurately describe or understand. Gene encourages us today to trust that this same God will make a way during our most difficult times and circumstances. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is...

If you tried to describe God, what words would you use? In today’s episode, Gene reminds us that God has no beginning and no end. “In the beginning, God was .” There is no explanation for creation except for the existence of God, who was in the beginning. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Grounded in Scripture and shaped by Ea...

Facing life alone can feel hopeless. Today Gene reminds us to be patient during the grief process if you’re single due to the loss of a spouse or because of a divorce. We must be in community with other believers who can help us go through whatever situation we find ourselves in. Gene challenges us to learn to be content in our singleness. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursu...

In today’s episode, Gene continues the story of Ruth and Naomi by introducing us to Boaz. Boaz owned the land where Ruth gleaned wheat to earn some money to support her and Naomi. Ruth did something very brave by presenting herself to Boaz in an unusual way. The result was that they became married, but Naomi remained single the rest of her life. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you...

There can be a positive opportunity to being single - a spirit of adventure. Today Gene continues the story of Ruth and Naomi by showing Ruth’s commitment to going to a new land with her mother-in-law. She was able to see it as an adventure. In today’s episode, Gene challenges single people to seek opportunities to serve and open doors that aren’t open to those who are married. Pursuing God with G...

In today’s episode, Gene shows us the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz in the Old Testament.  This story is significant, because it shows there are many unique challenges in being single. Sometimes you may be forced to move, like Naomi. Or perhaps you feel like a fifth wheel when invited to spend time with your married friends. Gene challenges us to trust Jesus with our situation and to lay our lone...

Whether through death, divorce, or other circumstance, everyone will be single at one time or another. Gene encourages us to surround ourselves with a community of believers so that we can grow into the person God wants us to be whether single or married. He stresses the need we have to be in community to share one another’s burdens. We don’t have to go it alone. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is de...

The secret to relationships that last is to learn to forgive. God forgives us when we don’t deserve it, so Jesus requires us to freely forgive those who hurt us even if they don’t ask for forgiveness. In today’s episode, Gene asks us to spend time thinking about those we need to forgive. Pursuing God with Gene Appel is designed to help you pursue God, build community, and unleash compassion. Groun...

Can you remember the last argument you had with someone, whether at home or at work? Think about the words you used. Were they verbal missiles or were they words to build up? Today Gene addresses our tendency to ‘blow up’ when we’re angry, and why it is so destructive to our relationships. Becoming loud and verbally or physically abusive is against God’s plan for our lives. His challenge today is...