Spirit of Truth!

August 10, 2026, Monday Message:

John 16:13 NLT, Jesus speaking to believers: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard (from me). He will tell you about the future.”

Jesus is speaking of the Holy Spirit, the one sent to be our counselor and advocate in his absence. Jesus said he would never leave us or forsake us, so he’s assuring our care while he’s absent for a few days. Our Father in Heaven cannot be seen. The Holy Spirit, being a spirit-being, cannot be seen. But Jesus walked alongside us on this earth. It’s easier to place our confidence in someone who can be seen and touched.

The Holy Spirit will push mankind towards obeying Jesus’ commands, so we can fulfill what he asked of us. Trust me – there’s nothing in the Holy Spirit’s agenda that you wouldn’t expect. If you have accepted Jesus as a perfect behavior model and follow life’s scenarios through to their logical conclusion, you’ll be aligned with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the poster boy for truth, and He calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of Truth!”

The Holy Spirit will also show us the future, and that too will be truth. He will paint a rosy picture. Where we’re going will be way better than where we’ve been!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Take Me Home!

For Sunday, August 9, 2026:

Romans 9:5b NKJV, Paul testifying to the church in Rome: “Christ came, who is Lord over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”

There is only one God. Our one God is known to us in three different forms: Father God in his Heavenly Kingdom, Jesus who came to earth as the offering for mankind’s sins, and the Holy Spirit, our helper and advocate. The three forms are all of one mind with the same goals, the same mission. The rescue of mankind must have been on God’s agenda when Jesus arrived on our planet.

Sin and holiness cannot coexist, and the Bible says that “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” How many sinned? ALL! Therefore, unless sins could be forgiven, no one would have been seeing heaven from the inside! As Jesus died, he took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, making believers once again eligible to reside in the Kingdom.

God loves everything that was created and declared it to be “very good!” Therefore, having believers occupy his Kingdom pleases God. He’s glad to see us! Christ is the forgiving conduit that reconnects mankind with our Maker.

If you see God on the streets of gold, tell him, “Good to see you!” He may answer, “Good to see you, too!” The Father’s Kingdom is our forever home!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Benevolent Leadership!

For Saturday, August 8, 2026:

Luke 6:26 NLT: “What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.”

OK, show of hands: Who wants to be famous? Be careful; it’s a double-edged sword! There can be generational rewards but also generational curses. People will talk about the good a family did, but the bad will not be forgotten either.

Examples: Elvis Presley was known as the king of rock ‘n’ roll, but died with many drugs listed on his toxicology report, which forever tainted his success. Teens used to say, “I want to be just like Elvis!” Today, not so much. Brawny James is expected to play basketball as well as his father LeBron. He has a lot to live up to! Donald Jr. and Eric Trump are forever linked to their father. Whatever good or bad you attribute to him is reflected in your opinions of the sons.

The Bible says that the sins of one generation will be passed down to the next. I don’t think that God has it in for the next generation, so much as the next generation inherits the previous generation’s shortcomings. People copy what they’ve learned. If someone is raised around poverty and drug abuse, they’ll probably continue to live in those conditions. It takes a strong force such as a miracle from Jesus or the Holy Spirit, or the casting out of a demon, a spirit of addiction, to break the chain.

Jesus questions the value of people “praised by crowds.” Those people see themselves up on a pedestal, and the crowds keep them there. They have forgotten “humble.” Jesus, the Son of God, says he is here to serve others. The King, the one with a forever Kingdom, serves the less fortunate. Today we call it benevolent leadership. This King doesn’t delight in telling others what to do. He comes to love mankind, to be compassionate and helpful. Jesus has offered to forgive the sins of the world if you will just call him Lord and Savior of your life. Accept the free gift from our humble King!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church