Someone once said the ultimate purpose of our lives is like the center of a bullseye.  This is why God put you on this earth.  It’s your uniquely created space for who you are and what you do.  You might think of it as your calling.  Sadly, few people ever find that center circle.  One of the stories that all four gospel writers recorded was the selection of men who were to be Jesus’ closest disciples.  Perhaps their calling might spur you on to find yours.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

It is fascinating that one of the very few events that all gospel writers recorded was the baptism of Jesus.  Think about that for a second.  Something that Jesus did not need to do was written down for those who did need it!  As we look at this critical moment in historical time we will discover the reason for our own baptism.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Have you ever been to the beach? Personally, I enjoy the beach, but the ocean can be intimidating. Yeah, walking around the shoreline is peaceful and nice, but the more you go out into the water, the more uncomfortable it gets. As Christians, it’s easy to just stay on the seashore out of fear or comfort, but what if I told you, when it comes to your spiritual life, God wants you to go so far out that all you can do is swim? In this message we will look at the prophecy of Ezekiel, the challenge for us to go all in with our faith, and how the next generation is counting on us to “go all-in.”

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

If you’re a parent, you will understand this question.  What do you want for your children when they grow up?  A happy family?  Certainly!  Good health?  Of course!  Profitable employment?  You bet!  Strong faith?  Above everything else!  That’s the power of this familiar proverb.  As parents, all of this can actually start with us!  As a church, our investment in young people is vital!  Let’s figure it out as we unfold this word from God.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside Pastors!

Some days we have it, some days we don’t.  It’s either sun or clouds, smiles or frowns.  That’s life.  But maybe there are specific things we can do, or perspectives we can hold, that help to keep things up instead of down, even when it’s all down! The author of this proverb knew that a lifted spirit can go a long way to a healthy life.  Let’s dive into his thinking and see if it just might brighten our day.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Every parent knows about this.  As their children head out to school or gather for practice with their team, parents long for their children to have friends, the right kind of friends!  But that foundational principle doesn’t end at adolescence. Throughout life, much of what we are and what happens to us comes down to the people we surround ourselves with.  So message to all adults – heed your own advice.  Choose your friends carefully!

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Remember when your mom used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice then just don’t say anything at all”?  She stole that from the Bible!  Over and over God gives us counsel and warnings on the words that come out of our mouths.  James, in his New Testament letter, tells us the tongue is the most difficult thing in all our lives to control.  Let’s take a look at how the Proverbs direct us to use our mouths in a pleasing manner to God.   

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Every year we get this chance.  Bury the past and begin to build the future.  For many, the application concerns our health, money, relationships.  But what if the focus was Jesus?  Just Jesus.  Know his love at a level we never have.  Understand his plan for our lives to the degree that has never totally sunk in.  In the midst of all our resolutions, even the good and needed ones, let’s keep the main one at center court.  May we know the Christ in a way that makes everything else secondary.  

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors! 

Imagine being found guilty of a heinous crime, and instead of being rightfully punished you are set free and given a reward that will greatly bless the rest of your life.  That is the message of Christmas!  Of all the things that bring us joy during this season from an earthly practical sense, making it the most wonderful time of the year, the greatest blessing of all is that our sins are forgiven and we will be rewarded with the paradise of heaven someday.  All of it given to us by grace, none of it deserved, and that alone makes the joy beyond expression.  The birth of Jesus set all of this in motion.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!

Can you think of a time when you just knew you were on the right track?  In your job, your relationships, your mental state – everything, you just seemed to be in the middle of the bullseye.  This is ultimately where God wants us to live, and He provides it through life in Jesus, existing in his kingdom.  No matter how far away we may find ourselves from this kind of hopeful living, there is always the chance to be restored to it through life in Christ.

Follow us for more weekly messages from Eastside pastors!