Family Business!

For Friday, May1, 2026:

Romans 8:14 NLT: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

In this life, we don’t get to choose our families. We stick with them not because they’re always desirable, but because they’re blood-relatives. You may have heard that blood is thicker than water, meaning that family ties are strong. But what if you could choose your family? In a way, we can!

Believers have been adopted into the holy family. John writes, “But to all who believed Jesus and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” Since we can choose to follow Jesus, we can choose to be members of his family. We are “born again” into the family of God!

We used to sing a song with the words, “Come join the family, the family of God.” That implies more than just joining a church or aligning with a denomination. There’s really only one church, the church of Jesus the Messiah. That’s the family to join. Jesus’ invitation is open!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Second Coming!

For Sunday, November 2, 2025:

Luke 21:25 NLT: “Everyone will see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming on a cloud with power and great glory.”

Jesus is referring to the end times scenario. His arrival will not be a secret – everyone on earth will know. This will be a time of great joy for believers and immense fear for those who rejected the Son. In an instant, the world will recognize Jesus as being God’s Son, and our decision to believe will be confirmed.

Up to this point, what believers have is a promise of salvation. But Jesus says that when we see these signs, “Stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” Excited yet? What has been prophesied will occur right before your eyes! If you’re a believer, Jesus has already put your name on a room in heaven. Everything’s ready.

And isn’t that our goal, to live in harmony with our Creator? We are to love the Lord and love our neighbors. That’s why we share this Good News with everyone. God says, “The more, the merrier!” (or something like that!) God’s desire is that everyone would repent and return. He really wants everyone to join him in the hereafter.

So friends, accept Jesus’ invitation. Reject all wickedness. Kick Satan out of your life. Send his demons down the road. I don’t care where they land – they can go into pigs for all I care. (That’s what Jesus did!) Keep your eyes on the light; keep your eyes on the prize – eternity in the presence of the Lord! Hope to see you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Banquet Invitation!

For Thursday, July 3, 2025:

Luke 14:18a NLT: “But those invited to the banquet all began making excuses.”

Jesus told this parable of a man who threw a huge banquet for everyone he knew – friends, relatives, business acquaintances. This event was important to the man, but to his friends, apparently not so much. They began concocting excuses explaining why they couldn’t attend. “I just bought a new field and have to inspect it.” “I’m buying new oxen and have to check them out.” “I just got married! Duh!” That may be the only reasonable explanation for missing the banquet!

The disappointed man told his helper, “Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” These are people who could really use a good meal! When they were seated, empty chairs still remained. “Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.” The man would not be denied his celebratory banquet! He concludes, “None of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.” The first will be last.

Jesus’ parable points to the heavenly banquet in the Kingdom of God. Believers in the church are the bride of Christ, and there will be a great wedding feast when everything comes together in God’s time. When you’re invited to that banquet, don’t be wishy-washy! Immediately is the best time to confirm your reservation!

God gives plenty of second chances, but not this time. When we see who’s hosting the event, our answer should be an instantaneous, ‘YES!’

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's People!

For Sunday, February 16, 2025:

Exodus 19:5 NLT: God instructing Moses regarding the People of Israel: “Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.”

God rewards loyalty. To him, stick-to-it-ive-ness is a virtue. It’s as if God said, “I’ve got an idea! I’ll be your God, and you guys can be my people!” Good idea!

Moses called together the elders and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.”

Jesus later came to earth to restate God’s invitation, this time not to just the Jews, but to the whole world! He will be our God, and we are invited to be his people. He’s looking for a forever commitment. God is willing to forgive sins, to grant us second chances, if we keep him front-of-mind.

The Lord’s desire is to include everyone in his Kingdom. He gave us the freedom to say no, but he’d prefer that we join the eternal salvation team!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Invitation!

For Saturday, December 21, 2024:

2 Thessalonians 2:13b NLT: “We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy, and through your belief in the truth.”

Salvation is living out eternity in the presence of the Lord. It doesn’t get any better than that! We can look at this as a mathematical equation: truth = salvation. So fill yourselves with nothing but the truth, and live your lives according to the truth you have learned.

Yesterday I was counseling a group on making a decision to follow Jesus, to claim him as Lord and Savior of their lives. Normally I’d talk about the process of making a decision, something that WE do. But for some reason, God led me to focus on heaven’s invitation, something GOD does! Never forget that God’s desire is that all would repent and return. He wants every soul on his team! His invitation is for the whole world. But God also designed us with brains and freedom to choose, and he will not stand in our way of making an incorrect decision.

Knowing truth will enable us to make the correct decision, a decision to partner with Jesus, God’s Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Called!

For Wednesday, December 6, 2023:

Mark 1:17 NLT: “Jesus called out to Simon and his brother Andrew, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’”

First Simon and Andrew, and a short time later Jesus adds James and John to the mix of what was to become the 12, the “Apostles.” When Jesus called them, they immediately ceased what they were doing, dropped everything and went with their Messiah. Immediately!

Let’s look at the big picture. Everyone knew the prophesies concerning a heaven-sent Savior, and here standing right in front of them, calling out their names, was Jesus, saying, “Follow me.” They had been issued an invitation by God’s own Son. Friends, that is not a time to be wishy-washy. The Bible says that God understands hot and cold. Hot is better. What God doesn’t want to see is lukewarm, someone given an invitation from heaven who can’t make up their mind. If God taps you on the shoulder, the proper response is to get going, and the right time is now!

Oftentimes the person being called wants to get their affairs in order and let their family and friends know what’s going on. There’ll be plenty of time later to fill in the blanks for them, to gather the pieces of your old life. But in this scenario, you should only have one response to Jesus’ call: “Yes, Lord!”

Joyfully serve the Lord today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship