Nazareth!

For Tuesday, February 10, 2026:

Matthew 2:20 NLT: “Get up!” the angel said to Joseph. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that their persecutor Herod had died, so it now appeared safe for the Holy family to return to Israel. Then they received the bad news, that Herod’s son Archelaus would be the new ruler. Like father, like son. This was no improvement.

But there’s even more good news! Rather than Jerusalem, the family could settle in Nazareth, only a four to seven day hike away, far enough to remain safe, but close enough to attend religious festivals at the Temple. Jesus would be known as a Nazarene.

Jesus could safely start his ministry around Nazareth. And just to the Northeast is Tiberias on Lake Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee. Jesus blessed many believers around that lake, including the twelve. Nazareth was his home base, his safe haven, while Jerusalem would ultimately be his demise.

We thank God for allowing Jesus to safely begin his ministry in Nazareth, and for allowing him to complete his mission in Jerusalem. That’s where he took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, allowing mankind to reunite with the Father! That’s where believers stand today, forgiven by the work of Jesus on the cross, and servants of the Lord Most High!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

For Saturday, November 1, 2025:

Hebrews 11:11 NLT: “It was by faith that Abraham was able to father a child, even though Sarah was barren and he was too old. They believed that God would keep his promise.”

The thinking was that the opportunity to start a family had passed them by. Abraham was far too old, and Sarah had been barren all her life. That’s when God told Abraham that the number of his descendants would be like the stars in the sky! Didn’t seem possible! But God’s word is always true. Their faith is being tested.

Impatience and second-guessing the Lord can result in missteps on a faith walk. Abraham and Sarah questioned God’s timetable. In their haste, it was decided that Abraham should father a child with Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden. Problems arose when Hagar started acting like the primary wife, and so Sarah sent her away. But an angel told Hagar to return, and Ishmael, a wild man, was born. Abraham was 89 years old.

God restated his commitment to Abraham and Sarah’s family: “I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” About a year later, Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac. By now, Abraham was 100 years old. Imagine being a new dad at 100!

Sidebar: God also told Abraham, “I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” That’s why, to this day, Abraham’s descendants choose to live in Israel, explaining, “It’s our land – God gave it to us!”

Abraham, Isaac and eventually Jacob are the three patriarchs of world religion. Abraham and Sarah’s faith got them back on track, and God’s promises are always good! Remember, it’s our trust in God, our faith, that opens Heaven’s door to all believers!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Someday Soon?

For Thursday, October 23, 2025:

Luke 21:25 NLT, Jesus speaking: “There will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides.”

As we near the end times, our earth will not stay the same. The Paris Climate Accord of 2015 warns of average temperatures increases over 1.5ºC, with 2ºC being the tipping point. Our world briefly passed the 1.5ºC increase last year, and averaged +1.38ºC. Tourists are flocking to Alaska to see the last of their glaciers, many of which have already fallen into the sea. Consequently, the ocean is rising. Several Pacific island-countries are closing up shop, the residents seeking refuge elsewhere. In the US, New Orleans would be totally underwater if not for dams and levees. Today, flooding is threatened in Laredo, McAllen and Corpus Christi, TX. And Galveston, an island, is always at risk. Let me stress that the sun didn’t get warmer. It is our planet that changed, allowing it to absorb and retain more of the sun’s heat.

Discovered in 2025, Asteroid PN7 is known as Earth’s second moon. Kinda. It follows our path around the sun, but doesn’t orbit the earth itself. To astronomers, it’s new!

Scientists keep inventing better telescopes, allowing mankind to see a far larger universe than we ever thought possible. Again, to astronomers, it’s all new!

Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. To learn about today’s wars, check any news feed. The US President helped negotiate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Less than a week later, it’s already been violated by both sides. Our president has met with Russia’s officials about ending the fighting in Ukraine. Yet the conflict continues, with more killing than ever. The #3 offender may be Syria, with the government defending itself against those who want to be the government! A civil war. There seems to be no end to fighting nowadays.

Are these signs of the end of life as we know it? I can’t say for sure. Jesus said that only the Father knows the exact day and hour he will return. But these are prophesied signs, reminding us that Jesus will be coming again, and with his return comes accountability. Jesus taught that if we knew when the thief was coming, we’d have locked the door! His words are always true, so he IS coming! We just can’t say exactly when! So it’s time to get ready. Time to repent and return!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Wars and Rumors of War!

For Friday, October 17, 2025:

Luke 21:8 NLT: Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.”

We have all heard rumors that the world would soon be ending, that Jesus would be returning on a certain date. The predictions are always wrong. Don’t believe anyone who tells you such things. Jesus said that even he doesn’t know the exact date, that only the Father knows. If someone says they know, they’re lying!

Jesus did give us signs that we’re getting closer to the second coming, and a major sign is the proliferation of wars and insurrections. In case you haven’t heard the news lately, our world currently has wars in spades! The one conflict with Biblical overtones started about two years ago when Hamas attacked Israel, killing over 1,000 and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas, a radical terrorist organization that had taken over Gaza. Hamas would not release the captured Israelis, even as Gaza was reduced to rubble.

Today, two years later, the hostages that were still alive were finally released, and a peace agreement was signed. Israel is still complaining that all the bones of the deceased were not returned. My advice would be just to let it go. When someone has died, their soul no longer occupies a human body. Their eternal essence has (hopefully) gone to be with the Lord. The body is no longer relevant. (That’s the Christian view, not necessarily the Jewish view.)

I said the current conflict started two years ago, but the overall disagreement goes back 3,000 years. After wandering on the desert, God set the Hebrew people down in the Promised Land. A Rabbi once told me, “It’s our land – God gave it to us!” However, those who had previously lived there were displaced. Hence the conflict.

(Just my opinion:) I don’t believe this peace treaty will last, because at its roots, this is a religious war. We can fight over territory, over governments, over countries, but people cannot be forced to change their beliefs. Historically, people will rot in prison while hanging on to their religion.

Jesus is the only one who can straighten out this mess. Our prayer for peace should include, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Wars and Rumors...

 Daily message of hope...
For Thursday, September 11, 2025:

Matthew 24:6...8 NIV: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning.”

I remember when 911 was only the phone number you’d dial in an emergency. Nowadays, 9/11 (2001) is remembered as the day the United States was attacked by radical Muslims, killing about 3,000 people and destroying the twin towers of the World Trade Center, the worst attack ever on the continental US. In retrospect, we should not have been surprised.

Jesus told us that there would be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. We’re often told to pray for world peace, but I pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus.” That’s when we’ll see peace! Currently, the goats and the sheep are roaming the earth together. When Jesus returns, he will separate the goats from his flock. Evil will be sent down, and believers will enter God’s eternal Kingdom, where Jesus has already prepared a place for us. This is God’s plan, and in the end, God always wins. A created being who became evil can never overtake its creator (God.)

People tend to be stubborn, stuck in their ways. If Hamas returned the Israeli hostages, Netanyahu could back off on trying to capture Gaza City. Neither side will budge, neither wants to lose face, and so the war continues. 64,000 (some say 84,000) innocent civilian lives have been lost in this conflict. God cannot be pleased.

Three years ago, Putin’s Russia invaded Ukraine. There was no good reason. Putin just wanted a bigger chunk of our planet. Over 1M people have died in the fighting. Despite US attempts to broker peace, the war continues. Nowadays, a drone can be dispatched to blow-up the opposition, with no risk to the sender. Ukrainian people are quite religious, exalting Jesus. Putin doesn’t believe in any god, so the conflict continues. Again, our Lord cannot be pleased.

What is your territory, and what is mine? The lines on a globe separating different countries were drawn by mankind, often the result of harsh conflict. These lines and country names mean little to God. He has no obligation to honor mankind’s divisions. But he did give the promised land to the Jews!

With over 40 conflicts worldwide, it would be easy to surmise that we’re nearing the beginning of the end. Only God knows the exact date. But I can promise you that each day we’re one day closer to the end of the age!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

End Times Signs!

For Sunday, July 27, 2025:

Mark 13:4 NLT: “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

We can identify with these disciples who had questions about the end times. Most of us have similar questions. Let’s have a look at Jesus’ answers.

Beware of false leaders who lie. Many will come claiming to be the Messiah or the Christ or his representative. They are not. Don’t be fooled. Only Jesus is the real deal! Only the Son of God deserves your loyalty.

There will be many wars and even more rumors of war. There are currently over 40 conflicts in our world where people are shooting real bullets at each other. Real bombs are being dropped, and real rockets and drones are being sent into the air. We should pray for peace, which will certainly come when Jesus returns. He is, after all, the prince of peace! We probably won’t see worldwide peace until then. Our prayer for peace should be, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

There are nearly 200 countries on our planet, lines drawn on maps by imperfect humans. I hate to say this, but most of them really don’t matter. Most countries are too small and/or lack the resources for worldwide influence. Keep your eye on China and Xi Jinping, with the world’s largest army; Russia and Vladimir Putin, who never ended their Cold War dislike for the US; the US and Donald Trump, home of the free; and Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, who seem to be running the show in the Middle East. Much will happen in the Middle East in the end times scenario, as Israel and Jerusalem function as God’s headquarters.

In a recent sermon, the pastor preached that we’re currently in the end times of the end times! Possibly! Are you ready to go, to move to the next reality? Have you repented and given up the world to return to the Father and His Son? The time to do this is now. Each of us can sign up for the Jesus team before the end times, and we would be wise to do so. If we wait until Judgment Day, it will be too late, a missed opportunity with eternal ramifications. Don’t be left on the outside!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Entourage!

March 24, 2025, Monday Message:

Numbers 1:44, 46 NLT: “These were the men registered by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, all listed according to their ancestral descent. The total number was 603,550.”

How many people love the Lord? And how many of them could fight if the need arose to defend the Israelites? It’s important for a leader to have an inventory of assets, so that leader can make good decisions when problems arise. The Lord commanded Moses to take this census, and the Israelites made it happen.

God wanting Moses to know the potential size of his army tells me that he expected trouble. The people already living in Canaan, modern-day Israel, were not going to roll over and willingly give up their territory. But the Israelites will emerge victorious because it was the Lord making this their destination. God was on their side, and if God is on your side, who can stand against you?

Resettlement of the people of Israel was no small endeavor. I always assume that the majority of the 600K men are married and each family has at least two children. That means 2.5M people followed Moses out of Egypt, a much larger Exodus than in the movie!

God sent his Son Jesus to forgive the world’s sins and give everyone who would call him “Lord” a fresh start. The first Christians were all converted Jews, looking to get closer to God. And you can’t get any closer than following God’s Son! Nowadays we can be born into a Christian family. But make no mistake, each of us must make our own personal decision to claim Jesus as Lord. Heaven celebrates when even one person repents and returns to God Almighty. Like the angels, we too should celebrate when someone comes to know Jesus as Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Jealous God!

For Sunday, March 2, 2025:

Exodus 34:12 NLT: God, speaking to Moses: “Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped.”

God decided to settle the Hebrew people in Israel. God’s decision. A Rabbi once told me, “It’s our land. God gave it to us!”

Of course the people previously living in the land weren’t happy with God’s decision, and we’ve witnessed conflict in the Middle East for over 3k years. Those people worshiped other gods and made idols. God said, “You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” Remember the covenant: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” God sees this relationship as a marriage. If some other god is worshiped, our God considers that adultery!

God knows his people, their weaknesses and their trends. If they were to intermarry with the locals, idols could be brought into their homes. If they shared a meal sacrificed to a false god, they would be supporting that god. God’s people were told to, “Break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles.“ Our Creator-God has no patience for other-god stuff.

Nowadays we must tread carefully. If we are called to “make disciples of all nations,” we must have some interaction with nonbelievers. But we need to have our feet firmly planted in a Christian community that then sends us to evangelize, and to which we can safely return. We are not to join with the pagans, but they are welcome to worship our God, the jealous God!

Acknowledging our God as the only God isn’t negotiable; it’s a fact; it’s truth. Through His Son Jesus, he’s willing to forgive our past and include us in his eternal Kingdom. Hope to see you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Convinced!

For Thursday, February 13, 2025:

Exodus 18:10 NLT: “Praise the Lord,” said Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law and priest of Midian, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt!”

Moses explained to Jethro all the good things God had done for the people of Israel. Jethro was the priest where Moses had been living before the Lord called him to lead the Israelites. Even though Jethro believed in God and led others in that direction, a sign from the Lord would convince him absolutely. A sign from above would cement his relationship with God.

Jethro continued v11: “I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians.” The only thing he got wrong is that there really are no other gods – only the one God!

Q: Are you waiting for a sign from above to know that God’s real? Did God already perform a miracle in your presence, but you missed it, you weren’t watching for it?

God wants us to keep our eyes and ears open. He wants us to see everything he’s doing, and appreciate it! When things happen around me that defy human explanation, I attribute them to God, or at least to angels that God sends. I can’t logically explain why some diseases get cured, why chains of addiction are broken, why misdirected lives suddenly become productive. Some people are born a second time, delivered far from Satan. Their lives are changed forever. These good things must be God things. Watch for them!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Lift Up Holy Hands!

For Thursday, February 13, 2025:

Exodus 17:8 NLT: “While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them.”

Joshua’s team was sent to defend the Israelites against Amalek’s attack. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed to a mountain top. When Moses lifted his staff toward heaven, God gave the people of Israel the advantage. But Moses was old, weak and tired, soon unable to lift his hands any longer. So Aaron and Hur stood on either side of Moses, each of them lifting one of his hands. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek.

After they were victorious, God told Moses, “I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And I ask you, friends, have you heard of any Amalek people anywhere on the earth nowadays? God’s word is always good! What did the Amalek people do wrong? “They raised their fist against the Lord.” Bad decision, and as you’d expect, God won!

As we follow the people of Israel on their journey from Egypt to Canaan, note the relationship Moses has with the Lord. Whenever a challenging situation arises, Moses runs the problem past God, who always seems to have a solution. And when God’s intervention can assist the Israelites, he contacts Moses. This is a 2-way and yet unequal partnership. Yes, God desires a relationship with his people, but the true beneficiary is always Moses and the Israelites.

Q: Do you have such a relationship with God? Is he your partner, your consultant as you do life? When life drops a roadblock in your path, is God your rescuer? If you maintain a 2-way relationship with your Creator, you and the people around you will be the beneficiaries! That’s how it works!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Fickle Faith!

For Sunday, February 9, 2025:

Exodus 15:26 NLT: God said to Moses and the Israelites, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

People can live a long time without food, but only a short time without water. God had Moses lead the Israelites into the desert for three days, and they finally came to an oasis with bitter water. God purified the water. Once again the God of provision had met the people of Israel’s needs. He then gave them the covenant in the above scripture. If the Israelites would be his people, he would be their God!

That sounds like a good deal, but it’s also a test of faith. Each time a problem arose, would the people trust the Lord completely or complain about God putting them in that situation? Of course the correct answer would be to leave everything in God’s hands. Turns out the people of Israel weren’t very good at that.

If we are growing in our relationship with the Lord as we ought, we should learn from our mistakes and make corrections. We should also take note when things go right, and intentionally repeat those behaviors. The Israelites had fallen victim to what I call, ‘Fickle Faith.’ They’re believers when things are going well. But at the least sign of trouble, faith goes out the window. Fickle Faith.

Trusting God is something of substance, something with eternal ramifications. Trusting the Lord should not depend upon your current circumstances. Pray that God would fill you with unshakable faith!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Escape from Egypt!

For Wednesday, February 5, 2025:

Exodus 13:18 NLT: “God led the Israelites in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.”

God is providing visionary leadership. He knows human nature better than anyone. He knew that Pharaoh would have second thoughts about letting the Israelites go. He knew that Pharaoh would send his army to retrieve the Jews. That army would have expected to find the Hebrews on the most direct path to Israel. So to buy them a little extra time, God aimed the Israelites toward the Red Sea, the Sea of Reeds.

Coming up against this body of water may at first look like a problem, but it was actually a solution. God had more in mind. He allowed Moses to part the water, allowing the Hebrews to escape to the other side. Then, as the Egyptian army pursued them, Moses closed up the sea, drowning the Egyptian army.

(Sidebar: This incident is dramatized in the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille classic, ‘The Ten Commandments.’ Just remember that Moses was probably a short, ruddy-looking Jew, not tall and handsome like Charlton Heston!)

The goal in all of this was to return the Hebrew people to Israel. All the plagues, all the meetings with Pharaoh and the colossal exodus march were stepping stones toward that goal. God will be with them all the way as the trek continues. The job won’t be finished until the Israelites are back home.

Both God and his Son Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Count on it! If God is “in” your mission, he’s “in” for the entire duration until your goal is achieved! God is good – very good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Goal!

For Thursday, January 16, 2025:

Exodus 4:20 NLT: “Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God.”

Moses was a believer, a man of God. Setting his personal fears aside, obedience rose to the top. God had commanded, “Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

And so off they went, the whole Moses entourage. His wife and sons on a donkey – (Wouldn’t you hate to have been that donkey!) – his brother Aaron and all their helpers and servants.

God allowed Moses to perform a series of miracles, intended to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrew people leave Egypt. But he also warned Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened and that this initial confrontation would fail. But don’t worry, Moses. Don’t be discouraged. God is in this 100%!

We shouldn’t ever think that God failed or that God has no power. He’s just not finished yet. When our God sets a goal, he always achieves it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship