Mistreated?

For Wednesday, January 21, 2026:

Hebrews 13:3b NLT: “Remember those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”

Perhaps TV and the internet have numbed us to what we used to look away from. We can turn on the tube and see people beaten to a pulp, shot and killed every night. Sometimes it’s fictitious as in a movie or TV series. Ironically, law enforcement shows may be the worst. And other times, we may see truth, as in a newscast. We can watch Russia drop bombs on Ukrainian schools, leaving innocent student civilians with no possible escape. People can be shot right here in downtown Minneapolis. It happens almost every day. Drugs and gangs can lead to a lot of violence!

Sorry to start out with the most extreme examples. Mistreating someone can be amazingly simple. Husbands and wives can mistreat one another while living under the same roof. Parents can mistreat their children, and vice versa. We can feud with our neighbors over petty little things! People can be really nice in church, and unruly once they get back in traffic. Are we sometimes our own worst enemy?

Jesus would advise us to never be the source of the mistreatment. And should we witness mistreatment, know that it is bad. We should go to bat for the one being unjustly mistreated, and do what we can to reverse the situation. People should be nicer to one another. Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbors. That’s what we should do! Pray for those being mistreated, as if their pain were in your own body. Use Jesus’a name!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Holy Spirit!

For Saturday, December 28, 2024:

2 Thessalonians 2:14 NLT: “He (the Holy Spirit) called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus told all of us believers to go and make disciples of all nations. Sounds simple enough, but in practice you can experience widely varying results, which may not depend on whether or not you did a good job!

Q: Did you first ask the Holy Spirit to intervene? Believers can explain the Good News, the Gospel, the truth about who Jesus is. But it’s the Holy Spirit who first opens a person’s mind and heart to salvation. So invoke the Holy Spirit, and use Jesus’ name! Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

You can also use Jesus’ name to cast out demons, which may be the person’s stumbling block! That’s what Jesus did when he healed, and he gave us permission to use his name. He’d first cast out any demons. Next he’d heal the person, who, through the healing, would then become a believer. They’d understand that Jesus was God’s Son, the Messiah! Being healed is a powerful testimony!

Making new disciples for Jesus requires more than a few casual comments. In fact, it becomes a project. We should do it often enough that we get good at it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Jesus' Name!

For Sunday, October 20, 2024:

Luke 10:17 NLT: “When the 72 disciples returned, they joyfully reported to Jesus, ‘Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!’”

We know Jesus called 12 Apostles, but we don’t know the number of disciples, loyal followers of Jesus, part of the entourage traveling with him from place to place. Jesus wanted an advance team to prepare the hearts of those he was planning to visit, so he sent these trusted disciples in pairs, which tells us that Jesus had at least 36 cities on his itinerary. The disciples told everyone to repent and return to the Lord, for the Kingdom was drawing closer and closer, day by day. The Messiah is on his way to your city, so prepare yourselves!

Of course, Satan and his demons weren’t buying tickets for the ‘Jesus tour of Israel!’ In fact, they would do anything possible to throw sand in the gears, to derail the mission. But the disciples were using the name of Jesus, and discovered that by using his name they could cast out the demons! Demons and Satan are no match for Jesus, Son of the Most High!

Satan isn’t on vacation, and that’s why so much of our world is a big mess right now. Evil seems to be everywhere, except where Jesus is acknowledged as King of kings, Lord of lords. And even there, Satan will try to sneak in every once in a while. Our solution is to stick with what the Bible says, and with what Jesus taught. Constantly search for truth, and if a demon gets in the way, use Jesus’ name to send him packing!

Worship the Lord today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship