Final Restoration!

For Thursday, August 20, 2026:

Acts 3:21 NLT, Peter, preaching in the Temple: “For Jesus must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

How are you at planning for the future? It’s not my strength. When I visit the dental hygienist, they always want to set an appointment for next year. How would I know if I might have a conflict a year from now? A serious disease, a car could run a red light... I dunno. Anything is possible! I thank God daily (and fondly remember Steve Jobs) for including a perpetual calendar in my iPhone – with reminders!

On the other hand, God’s memory is flawless. True prophecies from God always come true. We get to watch God’s scenarios play out. The entire plan for planet earth, mankind, the fall, repentance, and forgiveness was conceived over 6K years ago. It will conclude when it’s time for the final restoration. God never forgets his plan!

Here’s what that final restoration will look like. God will first rebuild the New Heaven and the New Earth. Things will go back to the way they were originally designed, the way they should have been if mankind hadn’t loused everything up by sinning. We talk of dying and going to heaven, to the Kingdom, but that’s only temporary. Our final destination will be the New Earth. God can join us here and will walk alongside us. That’s what the Bible says.

Jesus will return at just the right time as a Savior/soldier on a white horse in the sky. The whole world will know when Jesus has returned, and we enter the time of judgment for all. At judgment, Jesus will advocate for the faithful by restating their total forgiveness. Demons will be driven out, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire. Our old world, as we knew it, will have been transformed into a welcoming, safe eternal residence. If you’re a believer, there’s a room with your name on it! Godspeed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Use Your Head!

For Tuesday, October 21, 2025:

John 14:26 NLT, Jesus speaking: “When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

The human brain is a miracle of God’s creation skill. Troves of valuable information are retained inside our heads. That’s long-term memory. Surprisingly, I can remember a lot of things I learned as a youth or in elementary or secondary school.

We also garner information on a need-to-know basis. Short-term memory. We remember everything we need to, now, but discard the data a short time later. Since I work with church musicians, I’ll use them as an example. Songs are typically assigned about a week in advance. I can look over the music and listen to examples of others performing the selection, but that’s a small part of the big picture. The most effective rehearsal is the one closest to the performance. It’s the rehearsal right before the church service that locks everything in place. That way, the details and any changes are fresh in our minds. Consequently, the best we ever do is when that music is performed for the congregation right after our rehearsal. Top of mind! But by Monday afternoon, I might not even remember the name of the song!

Back to today’s scripture… In Jesus’ absence, the Holy Spirit will (re-)teach us what we may have forgotten, reminding us of what Jesus said. That’s why it’s important to stake out our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He empowers us for service and connects us with spiritual gifts. While there is some denominational disagreement as to how best to connect with our Paraclete, there is no disagreement that we need to cultivate this relationship. The Holy Spirit can move Jesus’ teaching from your short-term memory to your long-term memory. As a believer, you’ll need this knowledge for quite some time!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship