Call to Serve!

 Daily message of hope...
For Thursday, August 27, 2026:

Acts 3:26 NLT, Peter, preaching in the Temple: “When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

Jesus came to mankind through the Jewish people. It makes sense. They were the ones with the previous relationship with God. But Jesus’ final command was “to make disciples of ALL nations.” Our God is inclusive. His hope is that ALL would repent and return. Because mankind has been given free will, that may not happen, but it’s nonetheless God’s desire.

Where is your mission field? When we speak of a ‘mission trip,’ we think of going to another city, another state or another country. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated. You can minister to coworkers, fellow students and neighbors. There are enough Christians in the US that there’s no excuse for everyone to not have heard about Jesus. The Good News should be common knowledge in our country.

I’ve personally prayed a great deal about this, and the Lord has given me two answers at different times. First, I was elected leader of a church supporting over a dozen overseas missionaries. My piece of the puzzle was to sustain that local church, so that we’d have a strong base from which to send the others. I was also called to preach at a men’s in-patient treatment facility just off Lake Street. I led services for them once a month for over 25 years. My mission field was Lake Street, Minneapolis, where drug use was prevalent, single parents were the norm and poverty was out of control. There was a lot to do, but life was always better with Jesus in it!

Being obedient to Jesus, we all need to identify our piece of the mission puzzle and add action to our conclusions.

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

Walk to Emmaus!

For Wednesday, February 4, 2026:

Mark 16:12-13 NLT: “Jesus appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.”

This would be the walk to Emmaus. It’s another example of a Jesus sighting following the crucifixion. As I said yesterday, these two followers saw Jesus, #1 die on a cross, #2 be pierced with a spear, and finally, #3 laid in a grave. So the last thing they’d expect to see would be Jesus walking alongside them. It’s not surprising that they didn’t recognize him. They never figured on ever seeing him again!

Jesus pretended to not know the recent happenings in Jerusalem, so the two travelers got him up to speed. Our religious mentor had been captured, beaten, endured a kangaroo court and a mock trial, and eventually was crucified and died. This happened just three days ago. How can you not have heard? We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel!

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from Scripture the things concerning himself.

Imagine the surprise, these two men suddenly realizing that they were walking in the company of the Son of God! They had given up on Jerusalem and were headed home when their eyes were opened to the resurrection, the possibility of life after this life!

That’s the same battle we fight nowadays. Since we’ve never seen anyone from the hereafter, it’s hard for some people to believe that there IS a hereafter. That’s where Jesus went to prepare a place for believers. We’re to share that Good News as we make disciples of all nations. There will be room for all who believe!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Prophesy Fulfilled!

For Wednesday, April 12, 2023:

Luke 24:46-48 NLT: Jesus said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.”

Jesus was reassuring the crowd that what had happened should have been expected. Scripture was being fulfilled right before their eyes! The Messiah, Jesus, had suffered, died and risen on the third day. And those who know Jesus and repent will have their sins forgiven, which is Good News since it assures us of eternity in the presence of the Father. These people were eyewitnesses!

Jesus came to the world through the Hebrew people and the Jewish religion, but his forgiveness and redemption is for all people of all nations. Therefore we are all eligible to receive salvation, the eternal life offered by God’s Son.

The people present that day were told by their Savior what to preach, where to preach it, how to preach it, and even where to begin to preach it. Think of this scripture as a precursor to the Great Commission!

Finally Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, giving the faithful supernatural power to accomplish what he has tasked!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship