Mattoon East Side Nazarene

Mattoon East Side Nazarene East Side is a church located in central Illinois on the south side of Mattoon, Illinois.

Here at East Side, our congregation is made up of people from all walks of life. Our desire is simply to reach out to enlist others - like YOU - to join us in our walk with the Almighty in this pilgrimage of faith we call LIFE.

09/07/2026

The Apple of the Eye

Zechariah 2:8

8 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

This common phrase is often used to identify an object of one’s special favor or affection. The apple of the eye, of course, is not a fruit but the pupil of the eye. It is so essential for sight that it becomes a peculiarly apt symbol for a prized possession. The Bible uses it five times as a translation of three different Hebrew nouns, none of which refer to the actual apple fruit. In each case, however, it speaks of something highly valuable to the owner.

Three of these (Deuteronomy 32:10; Lamentations 2:18; Zechariah 2:8) are in reference to the chosen people, Israel, as the apple of the eye of God Himself. God has often punished Israel for her sins and has allowed other nations to be His rod of judgment, but woe to that nation that touches the apple of His eye in this way!

That individual believers can also be so regarded by the Lord is evident from one of David’s prayers: “Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness . . . . Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings” (Psalm 17:7-8).

To be kept by God as He would keep the very apple of His own eye requires an implicit trust in Him and His Word. In fact, His Word must become the apple of our eye! “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye” (Proverbs 7:1-2).

There are many beautiful and appropriate figures used for God’s Word (“light,” “hammer,” “sword,” “milk,” etc.) but none more personally meaningful than this. May the Holy Scriptures, the indispensable Word of God, truly be the apple of the eye for each of us.

~ HMM, ICR

09/06/2026

Morning Worship Service of the East Side Church pf the Nazarene in Mattoon, Illinois.

09/04/2026

A Life That Works

Proverbs 14:12

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.

The first seventeen verses of Genesis 9 are a direct quotation in God’s own words, giving principles for you and me and the entire human race to live by. If we want to live a life that works, overcoming the weakness that resides in all of us, we must heed these principles. If we do not want to heed these principles, we have that freedom, but we will never live a life that works as it was created to work in the beginning. It would be similar to having a new computer with the most cutting-edge technology, but using it only as a typewriter. It would do the job, but it wouldn’t even come close to fulfilling its potential. If we do not heed God’s principles for our lives, you and I can exist on this planet yet not even come close to fulfilling our potential or experiencing the abundant life God intended for us.

One primary reason for the collapse of society all around us is due to indifference and outright rejection of God’s principles. Our human weaknesses have become dominant, and life just does not work. So . . . for your own good, read God’s Word, live by God’s principles, and enjoy a life that works!

~ Anne Graham Lotz

09/03/2026

Early Risers

Mark 1:35

35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

One of the best ways to meet the Lord is to rise up early in the morning, before activities of the day can interfere. This apparently was the practice of Jesus Himself.

There are also many other occurrences in the Bible: “Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD” (Genesis 19:27). In order to set up an altar, “Jacob rose up early in the morning” (Genesis 28:18). When Moses gave the people the laws of God, he “wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill” (Exodus 24:4). Later, when he was to receive the commandments a second time, “Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai” (Exodus 34:4). “Joshua rose early in the morning” to lead Israel over the Jordan and to capture Jericho, and to take Ai, “Joshua rose up early in the morning” (Joshua 3:1; 6:12; 8:10).

During the time of the Judges, Gideon “rose up early on the morrow” to prove God’s will through putting out the fleece (Judges 6:38). Hannah and Elkanah, in praying for the son who would later become Samuel, “rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD” (1 Samuel 1:19).

No doubt there are justifiable exceptions, but late sleeping is in general not a good thing. “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? . . . he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame” (Proverbs 6:9; 10:5). It is good to seek the Lord early each day. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Proverbs 8:17). “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3).

~ HMM, ICR

09/02/2026

Self-Centered Vs. God-Centered

Matthew 16:23

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

The apostle Peter is a glaring example of the struggle between self- and Christ-centered living. Only moments after Peter confessed the fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-16), he found himself in league with the powers of darkness. Having just blessed Peter for his noble confession, Jesus announced to him and the other disciples the suffering and death which awaited Him at Jerusalem. "And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You'" (verse 22).

Jesus responded: "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's" (verse 23).

Jesus' memorable rebuke seems mercilessly severe. But the fact that He identified Satan as the source of Peter's words describes precisely and appropriately the character of the advice Peter tried to give: "Save yourself at all costs. Sacrifice duty to self-interest, the cause of Christ to personal convenience." Peter's advice was satanic in principle, for Satan's primary aim is to promote self-interest as the chief end of man. Satan is called the "prince of this world" because self-interest rules the secular world. He is called the "accuser of the brethren" because he does not believe that even a child of God has a higher motive than self-service. You can almost hear him hissing, "All men are selfish at heart and have their price. Some may hold out longer than others, but in the end every man will prefer his own things to the things of God.”

That's Satan's creed, and unfortunately the lives of all too many Christians validate his claims. Satan has deceived them into thinking they are serving themselves when in fact they are serving the world, the flesh, and the devil. But the Christian worldview has a different center. Jesus confronts our humanistic, self-serving grids and offers the view from the cross. Only from this center can you escape the bo***ge of the one whose sole intent is "to steal, and kill, and destroy” (John 10:10).

PRAYER: Father, help us to forsake self-centered attitudes and actions to take up our cross daily and serve You. Amen.

09/01/2026

Are You Mature?

Hebrews 5:14

14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

When a child is very young, they can only consume milk. Foods with more substance are beyond them; they can process only what is meant for infants. In the same way, those who are spiritually immature can only deal in simpler spiritual matters. This is not bad when a person is a new convert. However, if a person remains in this state of spiritual infancy, when they should have grown enough to handle more solid spiritual "food," then they have only themselves to blame (Ephesians 4:11-15). According to the writer of Hebrews, his target audience will miss some of the deeper meanings he describes (Hebrews 5:11), since they are "dull of hearing." In this context, that "dullness" means laziness and apathy.

Just as a child has to be trained to grow beyond milk to eating solid food, so too must a Christian's spiritual maturity grow through effort and experience. The prior verse used the term apeiros to describe these spiritual babies, meaning they are inexperienced or unskilled. Spiritual maturity has nothing to do with age, since it's possible to remain an immature Christian for a long, long time. Rather, maturity involves developing the ability to put our faith to practical use.

In the context of the book of Hebrews, this has everything to do with making a purposeful effort. It requires that a person "pay much closer attention" to the faith (Hebrews 2:1). It means Christians are to follow God's will without fear and without disobedience (Hebrews 4:11). Maturity requires that a person learn to use our greatest spiritual tool, the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), to aid our discernment. The result, according to this verse, is a person who can distinguish between good and evil. This is about more than just moral dilemmas—it's also a reference to knowing the difference between truthful, godly teaching and worldly, false faith.

08/31/2026

The Problem Is Our Want-To

John 5:40-43

40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

This may be one of the clearest diagnoses of the human heart in the Bible. Jesus doesn't say, "You don't have enough information.” He says:

"You refuse to come to me.”

These men had evidence everywhere. They had seen miracles. They knew the Scriptures. They had heard John the Baptist. And now the Son of God was standing in front of them. Still, they would not come.

Why? Because the fundamental problem with fallen humanity isn't merely ignorance. It's rebellion.

We sometimes describe unbelievers as good people seeking God... We just need more evidence, more time, more convincing. Scripture paints a much darker picture: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” [Romans 3:10–11].

This is what theologians call total depravity. It doesn't mean every person is as evil as he could possibly be. It does mean sin has touched every part of us… our bodies, minds, emotions, desires, and wills.

We don't merely commit sins. We are sinners. And apart from grace, our deepest problem is that we don't want God on His terms.

We want a god who affirms us.
A god who helps our plans.
A god who improves our lives.

Jesus is standing before these men, and He demands repentance, surrender, and worship. They don't want that, and they don't want Him.

And neither did we. That's why salvation must begin with God.

If salvation ultimately depended upon fallen man's natural willingness to choose Christ, no one would ever come. The Spirit must awaken what is dead, soften what is hard, open what is blind, and change our desires.

Grace doesn't merely make salvation possible. Grace makes sinners willing.

God doesn't drag people kicking and screaming into His kingdom. He does something far more beautiful... He changes their hearts. Suddenly the Christ we resisted becomes the Christ we desire. The Savior we rejected becomes precious. The cross that once seemed foolish becomes our only hope.

If you love Christ today, don't congratulate yourself for being good/smart/special enough to choose Him. Fall on your knees and thank God for grace. You love Him because He first loved you.

Take five minutes today and thank God specifically for pursuing you when you were unwilling, opening your eyes when you were blind, and giving you life when you were dead.

08/28/2026

A Foundation For Life

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that you should build on His teaching if you want a life that is resting on something solid. We grab this and run away with it to say, “Jesus is my Rock.” But Jesus said to build your life on His sayings; that is what it means to have a house on a firm foundation. Our problem is that we claim Jesus as our Rock and have little regard for putting into practice His teachings in our own lives. Love your enemies, be a peacemaker, seek first the justice of the Kingdom, forgive, go the second mile, turn the other cheek, do not hate, do not name-call, give to the needy, do not worry, the Golden Rule, etc.; this is to build solid. To do the opposite of all this is to build your life on quicksand. Your house, your life, will crumble in the tests of the normal storms of life. It takes more than saying, “Jesus is my Rock”; it takes a life built firmly on the teachings of Jesus. The most solid and sensible thing you and I can do is to live our daily lives following the teachings of Jesus.

~ H. Lamar Smith

08/27/2026

Watch What You Say

James 1:26

26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.

In the book of James, the word “religious” means “pious,” denoting the meticulous observance of ritual and regulation. It could be sincerely or hypocritically performed, and in both cases it would appear to be devout. The word has the connotation of strict observance. However, James said that regardless of how religious you consider yourself, how many rituals you keep, or how many spiritual things you do - if you do not control your tongue, your religion is worthless.

James said, “Put a tight rein on your tongue.” The picture is that of a person putting a bridle in his or her own mouth.

If you were to be graded on a scale from A to F, where A is superior and F is failing, how would your religion be graded in relation to your tongue?

A good principle to live by is this: If you would not write it down and sign your name to it, you probably should not say it.

~ Lenny Wisehart

Address

2129 S 9th Street
Mattoon, IL
61938

Opening Hours

10:30am - 12pm

Telephone

+12172586519

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mattoon East Side Nazarene posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to Mattoon East Side Nazarene:

Shortcuts

Share