Faith in Colossae!

For Wednesday, August 12, 2026:

Colossians 2:5b NLT, Paul writing to the church in Colossae: “I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.”

It would seem that Paul received a positive report regarding the Colossian church. No one is reporting problems. Everything seems to be running smoothly. As a group, they’re living the way they should, the way Jesus instructed.

But the best news of all was that their faith is unwavering. Some people’s faith plot looks like a roller coaster, up and down, up and down. But the Colossian church’s graph continued up and to the right. They celebrate their faithfulness daily, even increasing belief as time goes on.

Faith is the cornerstone of Christianity. Jesus will return, and on that day everything will happen just as Jesus told the faithful. The sheep will be separated from the goats. As we enter the next reality, we’ll arrive at judgment and be told that our sins are forgiven by the work Jesus did on the cross. And being without sin, we’ll learn that we have been chosen to reside in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom. That’s Good News indeed!

We have faith because Jesus never told a lie. If everything else he said proved true, our destination in the life after this life must also be true. Jesus will be there to welcome us with open arms!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Love Your Enemies!

For Tuesday, August 11, 2026:

Luke 6:27-28 NLT, Jesus speaking: “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.”

Notice how Jesus begins: “To those who are willing to listen.” He already knows that this message may be unpopular. He’s teaching, “Love your enemies!” Seems counterintuitive. Don’t we hate our enemies?

That’s how the world works, but that’s not how Christians should operate. Jesus wants us to include enemies in our prayers. We can pray for a change in their evil ways. We can pray that they would see the light! We can pray that they would switch sides, come to know Jesus and become one of us! After all, that’s what Paul did!

Pray that our enemy would become our friend. Pray that we could let go and let God, and no longer hold a grudge. Pray that forgiveness would be our hallmark, because the Lord will forgive us as we forgive others. And as the Lord’s prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation.” Mankind so easily succumbs to temptation that we need to pray to stay far from it. We ask God to separate the sheep from the goats as he promised. If evil has crept too close to us, deliverance may be in order. Satan needs to be kept at bay, and Jesus said to pray, “Deliver us from evil.”

Every day God gives each one of us a yellow pad and a pen. At the top, write: Things To Do Today! Number down the left side. Now start filling in the lines. You get to decide your own agenda! Ideally, loving the Lord should be first. Loving your neighbors is next. Praying for your enemies should be somewhere on the list. After all, that’s what Jesus said to do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

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