The Simple Truth

Are you getting discouraged in well-doing? In today's message from Pastor Dion, he shares with you the understanding of feeling like a broken record. Maybe you keep extending invites to friends and family to attend your church, and you just feel like it's going nowhere. Pastor Dion urges you to keep asking and to keep being persistent. You let God handle the hearts, and you stay faithful in invitation. The Bible says not to get weary in well-doing. You will reap a harvest in due season if you don't give up!

The only way to be saved is through receiving Jesus Christ! As you listen to today's message from Pastor Dion, he shares with you the important truth that you can't save anyone in your own power from hell. However, you can share your testimony of what God's done in your life with others. Pastor Dion explains that it's the work of the Lord to open hearts. Your job is to share His Good News with as many people as you possibly can while here on Earth. God doesn't want any to perish but for all to be saved in Jesus!

Jesus came and died to redeem our lives, to fix what was broken, and to reclaim us as His own. The world we live in often tries to tell us that we have the final say on our bodies, spirits, and souls, but that's not true; God has already claimed them! Today, Pastor Dion will remind you that you're redeemed in the name of Jesus Christ! So next time you're tempted to give in to believing that the world and its ideology get to claim power over you, don't forget that as a follower of Christ, you're HIS!

No matter what we do, we're always feeding into our own behaviors and others' behaviors as well. Whether good or bad, it's up to us – what we take in, and what we do with it. In today's message, Pastor Dion will show you how Jesus Himself fed into His disciples, and how He lit a fire in them to go out and light other people's fires as well! It's important to ask Jesus to fill you and recharge you with His love, so that you can go out and do the same! It's not you who ignite fires in His people; it's Jesus working through you!

One of the best things about Christianity and our good God, in general, is that yes, we do get out what we put in, but we also get what God puts out! Where we lack in ANY area of our lives, God makes up that difference. He makes us whole by just existing in us! In today's message, Pastor Dion will encourage you not to let that fact cause you to think it's ok to slack off. YOU still need to constantly be pursuing God and His promises! You need to constantly be trusting Him and seeking His faithfulness!

I'm fairly sure that just about every one of us has prayed for God to come through on something, or give us something…and not every single time has He answered, “Yes.” That can be very discouraging as a follower of Christ. In today's message, Pastor Dion will teach you that God doesn't always answer “Yes”. Sometimes, His answers sound more like “Not yet” or just “No.” God works in ways you may not always understand, so His answer to your prayers, whether you like it or not, needs to be trusted wholeheartedly.

We've all had that experience of feeling helpless and hopeless, haven't we? We want to do anything we can to get out of that feeling. It's normal to want to get away from those feelings as fast as possible, but in today's message, Pastor Dion will teach you not to run too quickly away from that helpless place. When you linger and wait on the Lord, you give Him the opportunity to speak to you. He will call you by name and lead you out of your hopelessness. Trust in the Good Shepherd. Be still, and wait on Him.

Do you keep your relationship with Jesus on the down low? Do you go to church on Sunday, singing and shouting His name, but during the week, you keep Jesus to yourself? Don't keep Jesus boxed in. He wants to invade every day of your life. In his message today, Pastor Dion will challenge you to let Jesus take over every part of your life so that you can't help but let Him be front and center. Don't hide your love for Him. Don't worry about what others will think about you. Worry about what Jesus thinks of you.

The words of Jesus are pretty amazing, aren't they? They challenge us and compel us to live better lives and follow Him, but even more powerful than Jesus' words are His actions. In today's message, Pastor Dion will remind you how Jesus preached the gospel with His actions. He showed love, forgiveness and compassion while He was being tortured and killed. There is no more powerful sermon than the one Jesus preached on the cross. Follow Jesus, and live the gospel today.

Amen! What a powerful truth! God forgives even the worst of sinners. On the cross, Jesus was surrounded by the worst of sinners and He prayed for their forgiveness. While He was being tortured and killed unjustly, while He was being sinned against, He prayed for their forgiveness. In his message today, Pastor Dion will encourage you with the amazing truth that you can be forgiven, no matter what you've done. It doesn't matter how far you've fallen, or how deep you've sunk. Jesus forgives you.

We don't like interruptions, do we? Maybe we're in the middle of a good book, and someone interrupts us; we think of it as rude. However, there are times when we should be open to interruption. In his message today, Pastor Dion teaches about how Simon was interrupted during his day in Jerusalem by the cross of Jesus. Jesus is calling you to set aside whatever you're doing and carry His cross. Maybe you need to set aside sin or distraction. Let yourself be interrupted so you can follow Him.

Have you hitched yourself to the right cart? There's so many things you can put your trust in instead of God. Like hoping in a career, a political candidate, or even in the love of someone here on earth. The problem is all those things can let you down. In today's message, Pastor Dion will remind you that only God won't let you down. He is the only one who is completely trustworthy and faithful. Don't put those other things above God. Hitch your cart to Jesus alone, and He will carry you. Trust Him.

It's easy to have respect for Jesus as a teacher or a humanitarian. He sounds so wise, and He showed His love through action. However, we can't stop at simply admiring Jesus, because He claimed to be more than a prophet or a good person. He claimed to be God. In today's message, Pastor Dion will challenge you to ask yourself who you think Jesus is. What are you going to do because of your encounter with Jesus? Are you going to just admire Him, or are you going to give your life to Him?

Have you answered that question? Is Jesus the King of your life? It's the ultimate question that everyone needs to wrestle with and answer. Maybe you grew up in a Christian home and grew up going to church, or maybe you think you're a Christian because you're an American. In his message today, Pastor Dion will teach that your heritage or the people you hang out with doesn't make you a Christian. You can't rely on anyone else to make the decision. You have to personally make Jesus King of your life.

The New Testament describes Jesus as the “son of David.” But the question arises, how could Jesus be the son of David if David lived approximately 1,000 years before Jesus? The answer is that Christ (the Messiah) was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the seed of David. Today, Pastor Dion will explain that Jesus is the promised Messiah, which means He had to be of the lineage of David. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies concerning His First Coming, and He'll fulfill those concerning His Second Coming!

Today, Pastor Dion will be explaining that God put eternity in the hearts of every person. Jesus emphasized that faith in God's only begotten Son determines a person's eternal destination! For those who repent of their sin and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, the afterlife will consist of an eternity spent enjoying God. For those who reject Christ, however, the afterlife will be quite different. Jesus describes their destiny as “darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

As Pastor Dion continues his teaching series he'll be reminding you that God's power and wisdom are the forces that enable us to believe and be saved. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”. You can't take credit for coming to salvation in Christ. All the power and wisdom come from God through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. All credit goes to Him.

Today, Pastor Dion will challenge you to continue in God's grace and not allow legalism to creep into your walk with the Lord. Legalists believe in and demand strict literal adherence to rules and regulations in order to earn salvation. Doctrinally, it's a position that's opposed to grace. Those who hold a legalistic position often fail to see the real purpose of the law, especially the purpose of the Old Testament law of Moses, which is to be our “schoolmaster” or “tutor” to bring us to Christ.

Does your past stifle you? Are you trying to turn your life around but can't find any way to dig yourself out of your mistakes? In today's message, Pastor Dion illustrates that if you want to be forever changed, let God's grace wash you white as snow. It's not something you have to work for or deserve; it's a gift freely given because of the blood of Jesus. This grace enables you to confidently approach God, knowing His love for you is unconditional. Believe that Jesus died on the cross—stake your claim in eternity.

What impact does Jesus have on your life? It's incredible how His sacrifice on the cross redeems us and invites us into a deeply personal relationship with Him. Today, Pastor Dion wants you to know that instead of feeling pressured to meet religious standards to earn God's love, rest assured that Jesus has already done everything necessary for you to have an intimate connection with Him. Step into a new chapter full of peace and freedom. Focus on allowing Jesus to dwell in you and guide your life.

Have you ever been ridiculed for your love of God? Today, Pastor Dion reminds us of the story of Mary and her gift to Jesus when she anointed his feet with oil. Mary had experienced the restoration and salvation of Jesus. She went all out and offered Jesus her best. Criticism followed from other religious people. Church attendance one day a week does not draw anyone's criticism, but worshiping God seven days a week does. Do something out of love for God, so strange, that others notice.

Why do we attend church? It should not be out of duty or obligation. In today's message, Pastor Dion challenges us to be like the early church whose members had their lives transformed by Jesus. People, whose lives had been filled with anger, anxiety, and rebellion, now come together with a common Savior and a common faith. We come to thank God for salvation. We come to express our gratitude, appreciation, and love. We come to honor Christ and serve Him because of all He has done for us.

Did you ever hear big news, and think it was the most important event in history? In today's message, Pastor Dion tells us that the biggest news was not Jesus' ascension into heaven, but that he descended to earth in the first place. Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to a lost, dark, and cursed world to save us. We are the reason for His coming. Just like Zacheus, Jesus knows our names, And He pursues us and seeks to save us. When it comes to salvation, Jesus takes the first step. We are lost and He finds us.

God is the one who initiates our interest in knowing Him. He may use miracles, testimonies, hardships, or whatever He knows will draw us to Him. Today, Pastor Dion reminds us of these truths. He says that before we believed, we were uncomfortable with spiritual things. Sometimes people even have hostility towards churches, pastors, or religion. People are not attracted to God until He stirs up their hearts and minds towards Him. He is the instigator. God will leverage everything He can to draw men to Him.

Can you imagine being in a hurry to face suffering? In today's message, Pastor Dion reminds us just how much Jesus loves us. On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus told His disciples that they were going there for Him to be betrayed, tortured, crucified, and killed, and yet, Jesus was in a hurry to get there. He did it because he could not wait to provide salvation for mankind. No greater love could ever exist. Jesus was on a mission to get to Jerusalem because he knew his death would provide salvation for you.

Is there anything in your life that is preventing you from hearing God? There's so much that can distract us in this life. Social media, political news, our jobs, or even the busyness of our own minds. We can complain that we don't know God's will for our lives, but are we leaving room to hear Him? In today's message, Pastor Dion will challenge you to quiet your life so you can hear the voice of Jesus. He wants to speak to you. Turn off all the noise around you, and let God's voice be heard in your life.

Are you a regular church attendee, or do you think you don't really need it? Maybe you've been hurt by someone at church, so you think you can have a relationship with God on your own. In his message today, Pastor Dion will remind you that church is not a perfect place, but where two or more Christians are gathered, God is there. The church is God's vessel to expand His Kingdom. It is essential that you have other believers to help you along as you seek to draw closer to God and live for Him.

What are you holding on to? Are you holding onto something in this world or are you holding onto Jesus? It can be so difficult to give up that vice or that thing that we think is bringing us security or happiness. In today's message, Pastor Dion will challenge you to let go of what you're holding onto in this world. God has so much life and joy that is waiting for you in Jesus if you would just let go of the things of this world that are getting in the way. Stop holding on to the world and grab hold of Jesus.

Do you have childlike faith? Jesus isn't asking you to have a childish faith, but a childlike faith. A child accepts without question, but as we grow older, we tend to have a harder time accepting things on faith. In his message today, Pastor Dion will teach that like a child you should simply believe, receive, and enjoy. Jesus tells you to not worry about the simple needs of your life, what you will wear or eat. Set your eyes on following Him above all else, and Jesus will provide for your every need.

All you need to come to God is simple, child-like faith. In today's message, Pastor Dion will examine the account of the little children coming to Jesus. It's a tender moment that wouldn't have happened if the disciples had their way. It seemed like a waste of their Rabbi's time to talk with these kids - what good could come of it? But, Jesus rebuked His disciples for this thinking - these kids came to Him with hearts that were open and ready to learn and offered a pure example of what our faith should look like.

God knows your heart even better than you do. He knows your every need and desire, and He knows the way your heart has fallen into disrepair or deception. All He asks of us is that we come to Him with simple, child-like faith - like a young child running to their loving father after a fall. As Pastor Dion will explain in today's message, we don't have to know or understand how our God will fix us, but when we run to Him for help, we can have confidence that He will make it better.

Does every part of your life honor and glorify God? …Will your death bring Him glory as well? Most of us have some fear of death. For some, it's debilitating while others give it little thought, but it's a common problem. As Pastor Dion will encourage us in today's message, as believers, we don't need to be afraid. Yes, it may be uncomfortable. It could be sudden and sooner than you'd like, but if you devote yourself to serving God, He'll use your life and death to bring others to Himself.

How could death be a part of God's plan? Isn't it the opposite of what He designed humanity for? As Pastor Dion will explain in today's message, our God is a Redeemer. He's all-knowing and wise, and He knows that death and suffering are some of the most impactful things we experience in this world. He doesn't want or cause those things in our lives, but as a Redeemer, He can take them and turn them into instruments of His will, furthering His Kingdom and drawing us closer to Himself.

How do you get light into a room after a dark night? You open the windows, right? All of us are born into this world with darkness inside. We're bent on serving self and rejecting the sovereignty of God. We close our hearts to Him because of this nature. As we'll be reminded in today's message from Pastor Dion, it's our choice to open the windows and doors of our hearts to God. Even after salvation, you'll find spaces in your heart that are dark. Growing in Christ will require opening up fully to the light He brings.

None of us want suffering or pain. You don't need to go seeking it out - in this broken world, it will find you. In your times of trial, it can be easy to feel bad for yourself and maybe even start to question the goodness of God. As Pastor Dion continues leading us through his study of Scripture's encounters with Jesus, he'll remind us that God is not the source of your hardship. But, He wants to walk with you through it and turn it into a tool for His glory as well as your growth and betterment.

There are only two paths that can be taken in this life. The first path is broad and it's the most traveled by those in the world, and the second is narrow and there are few that go on that path. As Pastor Dion continues his teaching series, he'll be encouraging you to be a light in this dark world and to help others see that the proper path to take is the one leading to Jesus and eternal life with Him. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him!

It has been said that the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Today, Pastor Dion will be reminding you that as a Christian there will be times of persecution and trials here on this Earth and that if you're a genuine follower of Jesus, you'll still shine as a light even when it gets dark. Jesus Himself told His disciples not to be surprised when the world hates them because it hated Him first.

When was the last time you preached the Gospel to an unbeliever and made disciples? Today, Pastor Dion will be challenging you to obey the Great Commission and to examine yourself to see if you're truly obeying the Words of Jesus. If you're spending all your time building up your own empire on Earth rather than helping further God's Kingdom, you're living in sin. You're still here for a purpose, and that purpose is to bring people to Jesus by preaching the Gospel and making disciples.

That is so true! Loving God is easy, right? I mean, how hard is it to love someone who is perfect? It's loving imperfect people that's difficult. As Pastor Dion teaches you today, Jesus commands us to love everyone. Not just those who think like you, look like you and act like you. If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, then you must also display the character of Jesus. Like the good Samaritan, Jesus took care of you and loved you unconditionally and extravagantly. He calls you to do the same.

Isn't that so encouraging? I'm sure you've often felt similar to how Moses felt when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt: “But God! Who am I? I can't do such a big thing!” And you know what? You're right! You can't do such big things on your own! As Pastor Dion teaches you today when God calls you to do His work, He equips you with the most powerful thing so that you can accomplish it: the name of Jesus! With Jesus, nothing is impossible. What is God calling you to do today?

We've all messed up. Maybe you've messed up so badly that you don't think you could ever be forgiven. Maybe you think all you deserve is punishment. Today, Pastor Dion shows us the tenderness of Jesus as He encounters a woman caught in a horrific sin. According to the law, she deserves to die. But Jesus stoops down to her level and offers her mercy and forgiveness. If you find yourself in a similar situation, filled with guilt and shame, come just as you are to Jesus. He is compassionate and forgiving.

What's the thirstiest you've ever been? Maybe it was after playing sports in the hot summer sun. Or after you had just eaten a pile of spicy chicken wings. I'm sure the only thing that could satisfy you at that moment was a cup of cold, refreshing water. Today, Pastor Dion teaches that Jesus told His followers that He is the living water! Jesus freely offers an abundance of grace, peace, forgiveness, hope, and new life. Everything else in this world will leave you feeling unfulfilled and thirsty again.

If you ask any superstar athlete the recipe to their success, they would all say that it takes hard work and dedication. They're constantly practicing and working on their skills. They're reviewing film sessions and learning from their coaches and mentors. The same is necessary for Christians. As Pastor Dion teaches you today, in order to be ready and effective for God's work, you need to be filled up with God's word. You're in a constant spiritual war, and the enemy is battling for your mind and soul.

No spouse or significant other wants to be one of many. They want to be the one and only. Likewise, Jesus also calls you to an exclusive relationship with Him. Today, Pastor Dion encourages you to become a follower of Jesus, instead of being merely a fan of Him. Following Jesus means that you give up your life in order to gain everlasting life in Jesus. It means you become a committed member of His kingdom instead of just being part of the crowd. Today, choose to get off the sidelines and follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

Have you ever been walking through a store, looked at your phone to check something, and walked into a person or display? Or maybe you've been in training and started to daydream. Next thing you know, the training's over, and you have no idea what's going on. Your inattention in these situations caused you to have some difficult times. What happens when you start to focus less on Jesus? Today, Pastor Dion will illustrate how the absence of attention can not only cause embarrassment but may lead to missed blessings.

Are you a fan of a particular musician or artist? You may be a sports fan, and have a favorite team, but do you follow that team or artist? As a fan, you might see your artist or team playing near you, and if you can, you'll go. If you're a follower, you would rearrange your schedule to make sure you get to as many shows or games as possible. When it comes to Jesus, are you a fan or a follower? Today, Pastor Dion points out some key differences between someone who is simply a fan of Jesus and someone who's a follower.

We've all prayed that God would do something big in our lives. It may be that He'd heal a family member or friend, or that He'd allow a promotion, or maybe just give us some answers. We pray, then we wait… silence, there's no immediate response. Today, Pastor Dion will express that maybe the silence is Jesus calling you to accept Him, not just as your heavenly Father, but as your Lord! You must confirm Jesus' lordship over your life. Then, you'll realize the “obstacles” are meant to “affirm your faith”.

Have you ever been a part of something for a long time, and it starts to get harder and harder to keep doing it? Maybe it's not as fun, or you don't feel like you have the time or energy to commit to it anymore. It's easy to slowly fall away from the thing you once were passionate about. As Pastor Dion will show you in today's message, sometimes you have to stop and remember why you started that thing in the first place. As a Christian, you have to keep your “why” in front of you, or you'll easily be going through the motions.

The world we live in today is overflowing with evil. This even affects our lives, as Satan is constantly on the lookout for ways to bring us down, whether physically, mentally, or spiritually. But did you know that Satan has only a limited amount of time? Pastor Dion describes in today's message, how Jesus will defeat Satan in His second coming. When Jesus returns, he will capture Satan and his followers, and bring them to justice. The adversary is terrified because he realizes how powerful Jesus, our Saviour, is!

When Lucifer was cast out of heaven, he plotted his vengeance against God by attempting to destroy God's best creation, humans. But do you know how he draws us into his schemes? Pastor Dion explains how Satan deceives us in today's message. The adversary is constantly on the lookout for ways to bring us down. He deceives you by making you want something other than Jesus, whether it's an addiction or other desires. But Jesus will never abandon you. His love will always lead you back to Him.

We want to serve God, but we often have some requirements. We are ready to serve God, but only if we have what is needed, such as talent or financial assistance. But is that really what God wants from us? Pastor Dion demonstrates today, how you can serve God with whatever you have. You may believe that God requires your complete devotion, in order to serve Him. You can, however, serve God with what you do have. You can serve God even at work by being an example of Christ to your coworkers.