End Times Progress!

For Saturday, January 17, 2026:

Matthew 24:7-8 NLT: Jesus speaking: “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”

Jesus is teaching about the beginning of the end times. His description doesn’t sound like a pleasant time for anyone. Jesus is drawing a parallel to the pain of childbirth. But when childbirth ends, we get to hold a beautiful little baby, a miracle that puts a smile on everyone’s face! All’s well that ends well!

The Bible tells us that some people will give up during this time of tribulation. Don’t you be like them! One of the Bible’s most loyal believers was Job. We should imitate him, copy his behavior. Job loved the Lord and had a good life. Then things started going south, but Job still loved the Lord. He finally hit rock bottom: starvation and diseases. Job’s wife said he should curse God and then die! But Job didn’t do that. He never lost faith. He never lost hope! God eventually proved himself worthy of Job’s ongoing faith. Job’s good fortune was restored to the best it had ever been! God is good!

As we live our lives, expect some bad stuff. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” The truly good life will be the life after this life. Jesus has prepared a place for the faithful in the next life, God’s forever Heavenly Kingdom!

Hold up the new baby, and put a smile on your face!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Angels & Baby!

 For Thursday, January 8, 2026:

Luke 2:8 NLT: “The night of Jesus’ birth, there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.”

These are the luckiest shepherds ever! God sent his messenger angel to them with the Good News of Jesus’ birth. It can get quite dark in the countryside away from the city, but – not to be missed – the angel shone with the radiance of God’s Glory! The shepherds were terrified!

But the Angel told them to not be afraid. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Swaddled, wrapped up tightly in a package improvised from a small blanket. Baby warm, safe and secure!

Turns out that one angel wasn’t enough to herald this colossal event. A host of others showed up, all praising the Lord and declaring Peace on Earth! The angel armies had gathered to share the Good News! And having seen and heard this show of heaven’s strength, the shepherds had to check it out for themselves. “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

In the city, they found Mary, Joseph and the baby in a manger, just as they had been told. Before returning to their flocks, the shepherds told everyone about the angels and that everything was just as the angel said it would be. The angel told them that this was the promised Messiah, and there he is, lying in a manger! Praise God!

This baby was the Redeemer for all time, for those present and for believers 2,000 years later. This baby is our friend, the author of forgiveness. Jesus made it possible for forgiven believers to see heaven from the inside!

Thank you, Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

God's Rescue Plan!

For Saturday, December 27, 2025:

Luke 2:38 NLT: “Anna, a prophet, came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.”

Anna had the right idea. While everyone else was fussing over baby Jesus, Anna’s prayers were to thank the Lord for sending a rescuer to Jerusalem. Their Holy City was under Roman siege, and the Roman army thought Caesar was a god. Followers of the true God know better. Yes, Jesus Son-of-God had arrived, and that’s one piece in God’s masterplan. And with God in charge, mankind’s rescue was never in doubt.

To God, the biggest problem wasn’t the Romans. It was sin, so God went after the biggest problem first. While the people would pray, “Rescue us from the Romans,” Jesus and Father God would answer, “Your sins are forgiven!” Forget the Romans for a minute. They have long since fallen from power, but Jesus taking mankind’s sins to the place of the dead still matters to us 2,000 years later, and has eternal ramifications.

With mankind’s sin problem out of the way, believers could spend eternity in God’s hereafter, Heaven. Our friend Jesus said he would prepare a place for all believers. He’ll meet us with open arms!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

For the Lord!

For Tuesday, December 23, 2025:

Luke 2:23 NLT: “The law of the Lord says, ‘If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.’”

Here’s what the Lord said back in Exodus 13:2: “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me.” Notice that when something is really important and God wants you to “get it,” he says it twice. So the example in Luke is actually the third time God emphasized this principle.

Mary and Joseph were obedient. They had seen and heard angels and had first-hand experience with a mysterious pregnancy. There was no doubt that this baby is special, and that God is “in” these events. Of course, they would dedicate the youth to the Lord. That’s what God said to do! Little did they know that their baby was the great I Am! So … dedicating God to God? Seems kind of silly, kind of redundant. It makes sense, though, to dedicate the God on earth to the purposes of the God in Heaven. They worshiped the Lord, and the baby was named Jesus (by the angel) – God is salvation. They had not yet been told of a Holy Spirit.

Notice that God doesn’t get any one of the kids somewhere down the line. He gets the first. God gets the first-fruits of the harvest. Your tithe should be the first 10%, not the last. And who gets trained to execute the Lord’s work here on earth? The firstborn son. God should always be #1 on our distribution lists.

Also realize that loyal, obedient believers are #1 on God’s list. Believers have their sins forgiven and have been handed a ticket to the hereafter. You see, loyalty and obedience are rewarded, but not always in the way we might expect. The Hebrew people are chanting, “Rescue us from Roman domination.”

Jesus is promising, “Your sins are forgiven.” Romans are a short blip on the screen of Hebrew history. Jesus’ offer puts us in a better place for eternity.

Pick one!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

John Leapt!

For Friday, November 24, 2025:

Luke 1:41 NLT: “At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

When we last talked about Mary, she wasn’t sure what was transpiring. She was about to become pregnant, although she had never been with a man. But she was obedient: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

Miracles occur when the Holy Spirit is present. Those who understood what was happening were the babies! Elizabeth was carrying John the Baptist, while Mary’s womb was hosting Jesus, Son of the Most High! When Mary entered Elizabeth’s house, John the Baptist leapt for joy! Even as an unborn baby, he was excited by the presence of his Savior!

This isn’t a big theological point. It’s not a redeeming ordinance. It’s just fun trivia, and I’m glad Luke included the event for all our enjoyment. Remembering the interaction of these two babies puts a smile on our faces!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Obedience!

November 24, 2025, Monday Message:

Luke 1:38 NLT: Mary responded to the angel Gabriel: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”

God was about to visit his people on earth. He would come as the second form of the Trinity, Jesus-the-Son. This IS God who can do anything. He could have appeared in any form before any people on earth. But what he chose to do was become a part of a typical family. He wouldn’t have a special title or be royalty. He wanted people to watch, see and discern for themselves that he was in fact the Son of God. He hand-selected his mother, who would go through a normal gestation period. He would be born into humble surroundings. And as he grew and matured, Jesus would be living the ways and customs of God’s people, and he would be known by them. I know this wouldn’t have been my first guess, but God’s way is always the best way. It’s a story that we all now love!

Notice Mary’s obedience. “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Despite being a virgin and not understanding how this was all going to work, Mary did not question the Lord. “Whatever God’s plan is, count me in!” We could all take a lesson in obedience from Mary!

Remember, Mary and Joseph had not yet consummated their marriage. So Mary went to the hill country near Judea to visit her relatives Zechariah and Elizabeth. As Mary approached Elizabeth, 6 months pregnant, the baby within her jumped for joy! Her son, John-the-Baptist, would prepare the way for Mary’s baby Jesus.

The world would never be the same!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Jesus Messiah!

July 21, 2025, Monday Message:

John 12:10-11 AMP: “The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus also, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [from the teaching and traditions of the Jewish leaders] and believing in Jesus [following Him as Savior and Messiah].”

Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. You may recall that Lazarus became quite ill and eventually died. It was Jesus, Son of God, who brought him back to life four days later! Jesus was intentional about waiting four days to arrive, so that observers could be certain of the miracle and glorify God Almighty! This same Jesus would eventually hold all power over sin and death.

2,000 years ago, there was no radio, TV or internet. So when someone returned home and asked, “What’s been happening,” they expected detailed information. “Tell me everything!” Lazarus being brought back to life was #1 on the local buzz. People couldn’t stop talking about it, and many perceived Jesus to be the prophesied heaven-sent Messiah. Many shifted their allegiance from the Jewish priests to Jesus. Nowadays, we’d call it a Church Split.

Sidebar, just my opinion: I believe that faith in God’s Son, Christianity, was never intended to be a separate religion. It should have been just Judaism Chapter 2, a continuation of God’s relationship with Earth’s people. Jesus was raised Jewish, and observed and taught the centuries-old commandments and traditions. Replacing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant should have been a continuation, not a complete break and a restart. Count on humans to get it wrong!

The Chief Priests first plotted to kill Jesus, and now they’re planning the demise of Lazarus. When your religious leadership has murder on its agenda, you know for certain that it’s time to make a switch. Clearly the train had gone off the tracks.

God always favors life. First, he created everything from scratch, and then he commanded all creation to, “Go forth and multiply!” Reproduce your own kind. Make more like yourself, and fill the earth! God never said, “Figure out who to kill, and make a few animals extinct. There are far too many _____.” (snails, tortoises, dolphins, birds – you pick!)

One more thing. Last Friday, I was at the Rice County Fair in Faribault, MN. A couple had brought their newborn baby, and everyone wanted to take a look. A young girl, all smiles, told me excitedly, “He’s not even a week old!” By the time I backed off, at least 35 people had gathered to see God’s creation! They were ignoring the cows, chickens, goats and horses on display and focusing on the infant! The parents should have been awarded a blue ribbon for their exhibit! Moments like this make God smile!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Baby!

March 10, 2025, Monday Message:

Leviticus 12:7c NLT: “These are the instructions for a woman after the birth of a son or a daughter.”

Birthing can be messy. Moses’ people didn’t have doctors and hospitals like we do nowadays. The Bible doesn’t say, but I’ll bet they had midwives or doulas, people to assist with childbirth. Blood gets everywhere, and blood can carry diseases. Best to isolate the woman and her newborn until everything is cleaned up and healed. Also, the woman who gave birth is somewhat weakened and is susceptible to illness. And the baby is building natural immunity from the mother. Therefore isolation protects the mother and the baby until they have their feet on the ground.

The good news is that God anticipates, even expects childbirth! All God’s creations were told to go forth and multiply, and that never ended. Despite slavery, Egypt, Pharaoh and one heck of a desert trek, God still planned for his people to increase.

Celebrate newborns in your family and in your church community!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Arrival!

December 23, 2024 Monday Message:

Luke 2:7 NKJV: “Mary brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Birthing a baby is no easy task, especially in a stable! There’s no mention of a midwife or doula assisting the young couple. God’s Son came to earth without pomp and circumstance, a rather mundane event, especially if you consider its colossal significance in mankind’s future!

Do you know how to swaddle a baby? First you lay the baby on a pointy-side-up blanket with that top corner folded down just a little, and then pull a side corner over baby’s body, tucking it tightly under baby. Raise the bottom corner and tuck it in as best you can. Then, wrap the remaining corner of the blanket around everything. Success is when baby and blanket are as one, a warm, secure package. Mary and Joseph must have known that the birth was imminent, since they had packed swaddling clothes for the trip!

Since they had no crib or bassinet, a feed trough or manger would have to do. Baby was safe in there and couldn’t roll out, although newborns don’t tend to roll much!

Now Jesus was in the world. That changes everything!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Lord Saves!

For Sunday, December 4, 2022:

Matthew 1:21 NLT, Angel speaking to Joseph: “Mary will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Two thousand years ago, when a man and woman started a new marriage, the groom went away and made plans to add a wife into his life. He’d need a place for them to live, furniture and a way to make a living. The bride went away to gather household items – clothing, dishes and cooking utensils. They had not yet consummated the marriage. When all was prepared, the groom would return to take his wife to their new home.

During this time of separation, Mary became pregnant. Any man would be suspicious at this point, but the angel reassured Joseph: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ‘Jesus’ means ‘the Lord saves!’ This event was foretold in Isaiah, saying the baby would also be known as “Immanuel,” which means ‘God with us!’

Jesus coming to earth set in motion God’s plan for mankind’s redemption. His desire is that none would perish. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship