Stay Connected!

For Thursday, April 30, 2026:

John 15:5 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus is restating the vine/branches example. But the last sentence adds a stern warning: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Believers have been endowed with incredible power. Jesus wants us to do the things he did, impossible as this seems. He sent disciples to disparate cities to spread the Good News that the Kingdom of God was now with them; that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah; and that there now is forgiveness through Jesus which leads to renewed hope for eternal life. Those sent were told to heal the sick including leprosy, raise the dead and cast out demons. Seems like a tall order, but those serving were on a first-name basis with Jesus. They were connected to the vine, as are we! Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left instructions for us to do these same things.

Jesus said believers could ask a mountain to move in his name, and it would obey. Nothing frivolous, of course. But if you needed to move a mountain to block a stream and save 200K people in the downstream village from drowning, it’s possible, but only if your branch is still connected to the vine.

There are no Lone Rangers in Heaven. We can’t go off on our own and accomplish anything. But believers have been drafted to play on Team Jesus. That one vine can feed many little branches, and Jesus has invited you to be a part of the action! So get in the game, (already!)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Move that Mounain!

For Sunday, April 12, 2026:

Mark 11:22-23 NLT: Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”

All believers have supernatural powers. Most never use them. The question becomes one of motivation. Why do we want to move the mountain into the sea? What is the purpose? Perhaps it’s a metaphor for other things.

We are called to heal the sick. Stopping the growth of cancer might be the mountain we’re sent to move. Raising the dead would certainly qualify, but we can’t override God’s decision to call a person home. Many Christians have never seen a demon, but if you have, it’s scary. Not casting them out would not be an option. Getting that job done would be monumental.

Jesus told us to love the Lord and love our neighbors. Loving your neighbor might involve moving a mountain. We should do whatever is needed to make their lives better. Then, because we’re following Jesus’ instructions, our lives will be better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Authorized!

For Saturday, April 11, 2026:

Mark 16:19-20 NLT: “When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with his disciples, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples then went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.”

Jesus had prepared his disciples, saying that he would not be with them forever. He said that he would suffer and die, rise after three days, and eventually return to the Father. Everything happened exactly as he prophesied! It’s now time for these disciples to put Jesus’ final instructions into play.

Remember that “Apostle” refers to the original 12, but “disciple” is a much larger group of people, both men and women, who believed in Jesus, believed he was the Messiah and that his words were God’s words.

Mark just gives us the Reader’s Digest “condensed” version of the Great Commission: “The disciples then went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.” When Jesus sent disciples on previous evangelistic mission trips, he told them to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons, and it’s no different this time. They would preach the Good News, and God would prove them “authorized” by these miraculous signs!

Those original disciples covered most of Israel, but did not venture far into Asia Minor. God was preparing Paul, Timothy and Silas for that mission field. Where is your mission field? In my previous churches, we supported many missionaries in faraway foreign countries. And each summer, our youth group would lead a VBS in Mexico. I prayed and prayed about this, and finally God sent me to Lake Street in Minneapolis. Turns out He has plenty of work that needs doing right here in town!

So the best place to do ministry is wherever God calls you to do ministry! Pray and then be obedient. Do what Jesus asked you to do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Serve like Jesus!

For Sunday, March 15, 2026:

John 14:12 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

There’s only one Jesus. He wanted to multiply his efforts. So he sent disciples, believers, to spread the Good News. “God loves you, repentant sinners can be forgiven, there is life after this life and you can be included.” Think of this like McDonald’s franchising new locations. Sending teams of disciples to other towns would open up entirely new markets, convincing more people to repent and return! Good plan, Jesus!

In the same way, as Jesus returns to the Father, he wants to empower the faithful to continue his work. “Go and make disciples of all nations,” he tells them. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and preach the Good News!” In 2K years, the job description for a believer hasn’t changed!

A non-serving Christian is a contradiction!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

 

Reciprocal Love!

For Thursday, December 4, 2025

Romans 5:5b NLT: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Love is reciprocal. Bi-directional. God loves us so much that it becomes easy to love him back. So put the Lord up on a pedestal and add worship to your lives in abundance!

God’s timing is always perfect. When mankind was floundering, he sent Jesus to rescue us. Now that Jesus has returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit has been sent to be our helper and our advocate. As children of God, Heaven is where we belong. Eventually. God is trying to make it easy for us to come home. The Holy Spirit will guide us. Home is where when you go there, theyhave to let you in!

 When we become believers, we’re adopted into the family of God. We receive the rights, privileges and benefits of being a family member. We can inherit salvation! As we transition from this life to the next, Jesus will be there to welcome us with open arms. Jesus is the light of the world, and we should always pursue light, not darkness.

I wish churches would teach more about the Holy Spirit. He’s one-third of the Trinity, but seems to be on the short end of receiving screen time. Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations, but I don’t think I could ever do that on my own. The Earth is just too big! But a team with each member possessing different God-given gifts and talents can bring Jesus’ goal into focus.

Can you heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons? By yourself, no. With the Holy Spirit, maybe, if it fits with God’s purpose and timetable. For example, if someone is dying because God is calling them home, we should leave well enough alone. But if someone is dying because demons are disrupting things, we should cast out the demon(s) and heal the illness. God’s way is always the right way! The Holy Spirit will help!

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He’s already loving you back!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Vast Eternal Plan!

For Sunday, June 22, 2025:\

Luke 13:32 NLT, Jesus replying to the Pharisees: “Go tell that fox (Herod Antipas) that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose.”

Herod Antipas had threatened to kill Jesus. Jesus was disruptive to the stable world maintained by the Romans. Romans weren’t Jewish, but they tolerated religion as long as it kept the population peaceful.

But this new guy, Jesus, was rocking the boat! What should have been a continuation of the Hebrew relationship with God Almighty had turned into a kind of church split. People were leaving the Temple to follow Jesus. Tithes were leaving with the people. (Remember the words of Pastor Norton: People get squirrelly when there’s money involved. Count on it!)

Pharisees offered to kill Jesus for splitting their congregation. They claimed blasphemy, false doctrine, not understanding that the Son of God would surely know what his Father prefers!

Jesus was not afraid, even though he knew exactly what was coming. He vowed to cast out demons and heal people right up until the end. And when it was time for his earthly demise, those who opposed him would actually be fulfilling God’s plan. Jesus could then take the sins of the world to the place of the dead. It’s great that Jesus could heal, cast out demons and teach. But I believe his primary purpose was to solve mankind’s sin problem.

And everything played out just like Jesus knew that it would. After three days, he stepped out of the tomb, declaring, “Problem solved!” The gift of forgiven sin is for each of us who claims Jesus as our Savior.

Today is the accepted day to repent and return to the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Holy Spirit!

For Tuesday, June 3, 2025:

Acts 2:4 NLT: “Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

On the Day of Pentecost, the believers were all together in one place. A sound like wind filled the room, but the Bible doesn’t say it got windy – just the sound! Flames which looked like little lapping tongues of fire floated down, settling on each of them. God had big plans for this day, and in preparation was filling the faithful with the Holy Spirit. This was so important that God was making a show of it!

Not that believers hadn’t previously known the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had been around since before creation. Genesis 1:2 “The Spirit of the Lord hovered over the waters of creation!” Forgive my crude analogy: The Holy Spirit is like the battery in my laptop. I plug it in for a recharge every night. If I don’t, it won’t be ready to go the next time I need it! Aid from the Holy Spirit is available to all believers, but we must top off our Holy Spirit tanks for tomorrow’s adventure! We must stay connected!

Christians believe in a triune God, one God who has made himself known to us in three different forms: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father sits on heaven’s throne, Jesus walked on earth alongside mankind, while the Holy Spirit is our advocate, encourager and helper until Jesus returns. The Bible says that without the Holy Spirit we can accomplish nothing, but with the Holy Spirit we can accomplish anything! As Jesus sends us out to heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead, it’s obvious that we’ll need a heavenly helper.

Not only were believers’ tongues touched to speak in other languages, but their ears were touched as well. Instantly, they could clearly understand languages unknown to Israelites. This would be valuable as this Day of Pentecost unfolds! It’s about outreach and evangelism, about sharing the Good News with others. It’s about doing those things that Jesus commissioned us all to do! Are you “in?”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Lives Improved Instantly!

For Saturday, May 17, 2025:

Luke 11:14 NLT: “One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed!”

Life changed, life improved, in an instant! Jesus could make a life better – RIGHT AWAY! He still can today!

But many in the crowd were suspicious of his superpower. Some thought his authority was from Satan, not from God. They were just looking for an excuse to not acknowledge God Almighty. Others thought it was just a one-time fluke, a stroke of luck. They challenged Jesus, “Do it again. Show us another miraculous sign, and maybe THEN we’ll believe.” Apparently, once wasn’t convincing enough!

I’ve said it before, friends: Keep your eyes open and remain alert. Satan isn’t on holiday, and demons weren’t given the day off. Their full-time mission is to divert our focus from God. As we walk through life, they throw obstacles in our paths to trip us up. Demons are happiest when throwing sand into the gears of our lives. Jesus could and would cast out these demons, and believers have been empowered to do the same in Jesus’ name. It’s best to remove the demons before attempting any healing or rehabilitation. In today’s scripture, Jesus cast out the demon who was holding the man’s tongue!

Satan’s demons knew about Jesus and feared him. Jesus knew about demons, but did not fear them. Jesus wants us to take on his attitude!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Spiritual Gifts!

For Thursday, May 1, 2025:

Mark 16:17-18 NLT: “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

These verses have invited controversy for centuries. Let’s clear up a few things. #1–Not every believer will receive the gift of speaking in tongues or of understanding what is being said. That’s why any time someone speaks in tongues during a church service, we’re supposed to translate or interpret for those without that gift. I knew a very righteous man, friendly to a fault. He’d stand at the church door with his hand out, welcoming both newcomers and lifelong Christians. He saw others speaking in tongues and prayed for that gift, but it was not to be. I believe his gift was keeping things simple for the new Christian, and no one loved their neighbor more than this guy! I expect that he’s in heaven today. The work he did for the Lord did not require that skill!

#2–Don’t handle snakes and don’t drink poison! Duh! God can offer protection if something bad happens accidentally, but don’t do it on purpose. Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Never put on a religious “show,” challenging God to respond. And don’t refuse treatment. The anti-venom may be God’s way of saving your life!

#3–Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and preach the Good News. That’s what Jesus said to do, and those instructions aren’t just for Pastors. These are skills available to every Christian believer. It’s called: “The Priesthood of All Believers!”

Never underestimate what you can accomplish with Jesus on your side!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Holy Spirit!

For Saturday, April 26, 2025:

Luke 24:49 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Christians believe in one God, known to us in three forms: Our Father God in Heaven, Jesus Son-of-God who walked on earth alongside mankind, and the Holy Spirit. We know the least about the Holy Spirit, which I believe is why we sometimes overlook the available help. But since there is only one God, it makes little difference which form we’re interacting with. Jesus told believers, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” That’s why, in the absence of Jesus, we have been given the Holy Spirit.

Jesus sent his disciples, two by two, to share the Good News with the Israelites. They were commissioned to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and encourage everyone to repent and return. Christians are the newly commissioned, sent to share Jesus with the world.

The Holy Spirit has always existed. When the earth was created, Genesis tells us, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” The Holy Spirit made a big entrance on the day of Pentecost, enabling people from many different lands to understand Peter’s preaching. 3K were baptized and added to ‘The Way’ that day, like church growth on steroids!

So remember that there’s always help and power available. The Holy Spirit was sent to make things go better, so we shouldn’t forget to call on Him. We can always count on Him. He is, after all, God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Alive!

April 21, 2025, Monday Message:

John 20:21 NLT: “Jesus said, “Peace be with you. (Shalom!) As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Jesus had been crucified, died and was buried. His part of the mission was accomplished, but all the work was not completed. He would leave behind his believers to finish up. The resurrected Jesus commissions his followers: “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” This commission is as much for today’s faithful as it was for his disciples back then.

Our assignment is to tell the world to repent and return to the Lord, for the Kingdom is at hand. This is our opportunity to love our neighbors while honoring the Lord. Put a smile on your face and become a joyful optimist. And as we go, we are to heal the sick, raise the dead when appropriate, cast out demons and share the Good News. Sounds like a big job, but Jesus will equip us for the mission, just as he always does!

Jesus came out of the grave and was seen by hundreds of people, proving that there is life after this life. We have a bright future since he took our sins to the place of the dead. After ministering for 40 days, Jesus would ascend into heaven, returning to the Father. Through all this, we can clearly see that he is alive. People had never seen anything like this before. They had to get used to the idea and believe. We too need to get used to the idea and believe!

He is alive!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Priesthood of All Believers!

For Saturday, March 29, 2025:

John 14:12 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

Jesus wants to leave unflinching believers in his wake. The fact that he will be returning to the Father shouldn’t end the goodness he brought to earth. He is anointing believers, authorizing them and leaving them with the power to continue his good works.

In Matthew 10:8, Jesus tells those being sent on his behalf to, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.” These instructions aren’t just for pastors; they are for all believers! This is basic Christianity. We should also be able to explain mankind’s sin problem, and Jesus paying the penalty for those sins. We should make disciples of people from all nations. And when the candidate is convinced, we should be able to baptize them!

I once attended a church supper, and everyone was waiting for the Pastor to say grace, to pray over the food and the event. The Pastor joked, “Were you waiting for a ‘professional prayer?’ Any one of you could have done this!”

Jesus, give us the courage to step out and do the good works you have assigned to all believers. Amen!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Demons!

For Sunday, May 26, 2024

Ephesians 6:12 NLT: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

We cannot see God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit, and yet that three-in-one God is the foundation of our religion. If you need evidence of a Creator God, just look around you! It’s springtime, and seemingly everything has turned green. God knew just how much to tilt the earth on its perpetual journey around the sun, so we have four seasons every year! It’s perfect! The earth itself spins, giving us day and night every 24 hours. It too is perfect!

Q: So what happened to Satan and his minions, his demons and his evil spirits? A: They are still present nowadays, providing an unending measure of misery. Even though – like God – we cannot see them, they are still hard at work. So we need to guard against their evil agenda. Put on the armor of God!

Jesus called us to the ‘priesthood of all believers,’ and the first thing a priest should do is cast out all the demons! Good and evil cannot coexist, so it you’re praying for Jesus’ intervention, you first need to remove all the evil.

With evil out of the way, deliverance becomes more likely!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship