In Mark 4, Jesus has just finished back to back parables about the power of God. When Jesus and the disciples embark on a journey across the Sea of Galilee, a huge storm hits them. The disciples are terrified and in fear for their lives while Jesus sleeps. They plead with Jesus to do something. He rebukes the storm and it stops. In today’s episode, Gene reminds us that genuine faith silences the voices of fear.

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 activity in your life.

In today’s episode, Gene introduces the story of the disciples on the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm. Jesus talked about fear and anxiety because He didn’t want us to be held captive by our fears. He teaches us that in the midst of our anxiety, He is the one who can calm our fears. 

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 activity in your life.

Jesus looked beyond the body of the paralyzed man and saw into his soul. The man, and us, need a fresh touch from God, knowing that our sins are forgiven. In today’s episode, Gene asks us to pause and ask the Lord for cleansing and forgiveness because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Then imagine Jesus saying to us what he said to the paralyzed man - Your sins are forgiven.

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 activity in your life.

The paralyzed man in the gospel of Mark received both physical healing and spiritual healing. In today’s episode, Gene reminds us that Jesus has the power and authority to forgive sins and offer true healing. He has paid the price so we don’t have to.

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 activity in your life.

We live in a world of illusion that our sin can be hidden from God. In today’s episode Gene talks about how we hide our sins from others. When we aren’t honestly acknowledging our sin, God will cause them to be brought into the light. 

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 activity in your life.

The paralyzed man in the gospel of Mark anticipated being healed physically. To him and his friends, the problem was obvious - he was crippled. But Jesus spoke the words the man and his friends needed to hear: Your sins are forgiven. The condition of our soul is a much higher priority for God than the condition of our body.

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 activity in your life.

In today’s episode, Gene begins to unpack the story of the paralyzed man whose friends pick him up and carry him to the house where Jesus is teaching. But the first thing Jesus says to the man isn’t “You are healed,” but “Your sins are forgiven.”

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 activity in your life.

In today’s episode, Gene tells a personal story of how he could have vented his anger and frustration but chose to follow the example of James - slow to become angry.

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 activity in your life.

In today’s episode, Gene continues to unpack James 1:19. The key to overcoming our anger is in understanding others and the reasons why they act the way they do. It doesn’t excuse the way they treat us, but it helps us reinterpret their actions. 

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 activity in your life.

The apostle James reminds us to restrain our remarks by being slow to speak. Popular psychology tells us to vent our anger. But the problem with venting is that it can lead to being out of control the next time we get angry. It is also not very effective to vent to another person. Anger creates more anger. Gene reminds us to go directly to the person who has made us angry and process our anger in a more healthy way.

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 activity in your life.