For Sunday, March 1, 2026:

Hebrews 13:20-21 NLT: “Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.”

This is not only a beautiful prayer of conclusion, but also a commissioning of the Hebrew people to continue doing the will of Jesus. Oddly, the author of Hebrews is uncertain. It was thought that Paul wrote this, but it doesn’t seem to be his writing style. Some experts say the style is more similar to Luke in Acts. Perhaps Paul wrote it in Hebrew and Luke translated it to Greek? Interesting. The writings have been included in the collective works of Paul for 20 Centuries. Nowadays, the authorship isn’t as important as the fact that it reinforces other writings in the Bible and contradicts nothing. If it was Paul, he would have been leaving to plant churches in Asia Minor, so saying goodbye makes sense.

The prayer is also what we should pray for each other—that the Almighty would equip you with everything you need to accomplish his will, and that good things, things pleasing to God, would be the result.

May the Lord walk alongside each of you as you go about his work today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Making Disciples!

For Tuesday, May 6, 2025:

Luke 10:16 NLT, Jesus speaking to the 72: “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

Jesus sent out 72 disciples to prepare cities for his arrival. Nowadays he is sending you and me, and in fact all believers! We are the ones responsible for sharing the Good News with our friends, neighbors and co-workers.

It’s kind of a chain of command, but I prefer to look at it as a relationship. The Father sent Jesus to us. He then welcomed believers as his disciples and commissioned us to “make (more) disciples of all nations.” Our invitation to follow Jesus requires a decision from the candidate. If the newcomer accepts our testimony, they’re also accepting Jesus and the God who sent him. If they reject our words, they’re also rejecting Jesus and his Father. So your words are extremely important!

Don’t ever take this assignment lightly. For the candidate, a decision to follow Jesus has eternal ramifications. When we leave this life and move to the next reality, those with Jesus will live in the presence of God Almighty. Those who have rejected Jesus will find themselves in Hades, living under Satan’s misery.

A believer’s responsibility to share the Good News is a 24/7 assignment!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

Make Disciples!

For Sunday, November 12, 2023:

Romans 15:21 NLT, Paul speaking: “I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘Those who have never been told about Jesus will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

Paul, who encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, was given an unfathomable task: Take the Good News (Gospel) to the Gentile world. Yikes! Jesus’ disciples started the first church, ‘The Way,’ in Jerusalem where the Jews already knew and worshiped God. Christianity was an extension of the religion the people already knew, so proselytizing was easier, more direct.

Paul’s territory was much larger! He was assigned anywhere NOT in Jerusalem by Jesus himself! So before teaching about our Savior Jesus, Paul had to first explain God-the-Creator! He had to teach the scriptures we call the Old Testament, as his audience had no previous ‘God’ experience. Paul was up for the assignment!

Are you up for a similar assignment? Paul wasn’t the only one called. Jesus commissioned ALL believers to make disciples of all nations, and baptize them. We each have a piece of that assignment. It involves much more than just 1-on-1 evangelism. Worship, hospitality, transportation, administrative and teaching skills are required. We need strong churches so new believers can worship and learn more about Jesus and his Father. We need strong churches from which to send evangelists and support them in the field.

Have you pinned down your piece of Jesus’ assignment?

Blessings – See you at church!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Harvest Workers!

For Tuesday, March 7, 2023:

Matthew 9:37-38 NLT: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.’”

Jesus saw the people lacking direction as an opportunity, as a harvest that was plentiful. In his description, those people were like sheep without a shepherd. He, Jesus, was the shepherd they needed! By teaching the Good News, he could bring in the plentiful harvest God had provided!

A good crop is pointless if there are not enough harvest laborers. Without workers – in this case teachers and mentors – the crop would rot in the field. Obviously God’s plan is for a bountiful harvest! He sent Jesus and the disciples to bring in the bounty!

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus commissioned ALL believers to help bring in the harvest. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” So we are all part of God’s plan to insure the great harvest gets to the storehouse! 

Believer, you have been deputized!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Life Turn-around!

For Saturday, April 30, 2022:

Acts 9:18 NLT: “Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.”

Saul, known to us as Paul, had a face-to-face encounter with the Living God. He was on the road to Damascus, intending to persecute Christians who were threatening stability at the Temple. The Lord had other plans!

Struck blind for three days, Paul’s cohorts led him into town where he was met by a well-known believer, Ananias. The Lord told him, “Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.”

Ananias laid hands on Saul, scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored immediately! He was baptized before he even had lunch, and then started preaching right away!

Our takeaway: Even when somebody seems to be a lost cause, the Lord can turn their life around. Hang onto hope! The chief persecutor became the chief evangelist. God made it so! Place your faith, hope and trust in the Loving God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406