Holy Spirit!

For Tuesday, June 23, 2026:

John 15:26 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”

Jesus is promising that after he returns to the Father, we will not be abandoned. God himself will send us the helper we know as the Holy Spirit, described as Counselor, Advocate and Encourager. It’s like we have a lawyer, a mentor and someone to cheer for us, all in one!

Does our Holy Spirit bucket have a leak? No, I don’t think the Holy Spirit goes away, but we can drift away, backslide a little. Think of the Holy Spirit with a gauge, just like your car. When the gauge reads “E,” it’s time for a refill! We need to pull in to the Holy Spirit station, and top off our tanks!

I heard a pastor compare the Holy Spirit to an American Express card. “Don’t leave home without it,” was the advice!

Why on earth would you go through life on your own when God has provided an easily accessible helper?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Forgiven!

June 22, 2026, Monday Message:

Luke 5:20 NLT: “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man on the stretcher, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven.’”

We’ve been following the story of a paralyzed man who was carried by his friends to meet Jesus, the Great Healer! The Bible doesn’t tell us how far they traveled, but I get the impression that the trek took considerable effort. Those carrying the injured man would have been tired and out of breath. They weren’t about to take ‘no’ for an answer!

Jesus had already attracted a full house that day, so there was not room for four more men plus one on a stretcher. But their creative ingenuity was heaven-inspired! Climbing onto the roof, they removed a few tiles and lowered the stretcher into the room, placing the paralyzed man right in front of Jesus! If a healing were to take place that day, everyone present would be an eyewitness! Pharisees were present along with other teachers of religious law. So even those who opposed Jesus would see the miracle with their own two eyes!

Here’s today’s lesson: God rewards faith! Seeing the faith of those who brought their injured friend, Jesus proceeded with the healing. When God sees our faith in his Son, he will adopt us into the Holy Family. Those who truly believe Jesus is the Son of the Most High and believe that he can do everything he says he can do will be rewarded in the life after this life. Jesus will prepare a place for us in God’s forever Kingdom. Yes, friends, our faith will be rewarded!

That day, Jesus surprised everyone. They were expecting him to say, “You are healed,” or, “Pick up your mat and walk!” But Jesus first told the injured man, “Your sins are forgiven!”

This irked the Pharisees, who shouted, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Duh! Jesus just told them exactly who he is – part of God’s Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit! He CAN forgive sins! Rather than dissing Jesus, the Pharisees should have joined with his supporters!

This theological mistake would eventually lead to the crucifixion, but that too is part of God’s vast eternal plan. Jesus giving up his earthly life would be the sacrifice for the sins of the world – your sins and mine! The Pharisees were helping the Kingdom even when they had no idea what they were doing!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

God's Solution!

For Sunday, June 21, 2026:

Luke 5:19b NLT: “The men went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.”

When a situation looks hopeless, God oftentimes provides a way. The men had brought their paralyzed friend on a stretcher, seeking healing from God’s Son. Jesus’ reputation preceded him. He was known for divine healing, just what the guy on the stretcher needed. If fact, Jesus may have been his last hope for a normal life.

But big problem – the huge crowd who had come to hear Jesus completely filled the room! So the men somehow wrangled their injured friend onto the roof, removed some of the roof’s covering, and using ropes, lowered their friend into the room, right in front of Jesus! There was no other way to get the man on the stretcher in front of the Master! I would have loved to see the Pharisee’s faces when they saw a man, suspended by ropes, in the air above Jesus. This is faith on steroids, as we say!

God’s solution to a dilemma may be unconventional, but he has a divine plan! In the end, everything will work out. Go up on the roof, remove some tiles, requisition some ropes and lower the injured man as needed. No one in the room expected to see the injured man that day, but voilà, there he is! Healing is imminent! God is good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
The Father’s House
Jesus In the City Fellowship
Truth & Freedom Church