Trust in the Lord!

For Tuesday, September 15, 2026:

Romans 9:32a NLT: “Why could the people of Israel never get right with God? Because they were trying to do it by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him.”

What should be our goal in this life? I believe that getting right with God tops the list. That way, when we transition from this life to the next, we can be assured of inclusion in God’s forever heavenly Kingdom.

So what can we do that will please the Lord? Let’s be clear: Works are not the answer. We can never ‘earn’ our way into heaven.

Unflinching faith is what God wants to see. Fully trusting God’s Son as our Savior is the first step. Faith in Jesus includes us in the Holy Family. Believers become sons and daughters of the Most High. Believers are adopted as brothers and sisters of Jesus. Of course we can live in the hereafter – after all, we’re family!

Believers should try to live their earthly lives in a Godly manner. We won’t be perfect, but repentant sinners can be forgiven. I’ll never be in the “perfect” group, but Jesus qualified me for the “forgiven” group.

Jesus knew he was heaven-sent, so Christians not only need Jesus in their hearts but also Father God. Trust in God’s master plan as he sent Jesus to rescue mankind. Despite Satan’s ongoing efforts to derail our salvation, remember that God always wins. Choose today whom you will serve. I choose to stick with a guaranteed winner!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Prosperous vs Sorrow!

Daily message of hope...
For Thursday, August 6, 2026:

Luke 6:25a NLT: “What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you.

Jesus is laying out a paradox, a contradiction in terms. We don’t expect to see a word like ‘sorrow’ describing someone who is fat and prosperous! But Jesus is describing ‘now’ vs ‘sometime in the future.’ He’s describing this life vs our next life.

As time progresses, things will change. What surprises me is how quickly things change. Those living a prosperous life tend to have no sense of need. They can’t identify with those who have little. They have had luxury here on earth, but will join the needy in the next life. Then they’ll know. Remember, Jesus said, “Some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

In the next reality, all people will appear in Jesus’ proper order.

Pastor Norton Lawellin
The Father’s House
Jesus In the City Fellowship
Truth & Freedom Church

Trust in Jesus!

March 2, 2026, Monday Message:

John 14:1 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.“

Followers of Jesus were worried. First off, all the Hebrews were living under Roman rule, and while the Romans tolerated religion, they really didn’t like it. They believed in all their false gods, like a god for rain, for a bountiful harvest, for the sun and moon and stars. Some Romans even claimed that Caesar was God. Of course, he wasn’t.

Next problem, the followers of Jesus found themselves at odds with the Temple leaders. The Temple wanted to be in charge of Hebrew religion, and didn’t like this relative newcomer Jesus pulling worshipers out of the Temple, which also pulled their tithes out of the Temple. As with many things in life, if you’re trying to figure out what’s wrong, just follow the money! Also, when Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, they considered it blasphemy. The Temple attitude was, “We’ve always done things this way, and we’re not about to change.”

Jesus wants to comfort the loyal believers, put them at ease, have them not worry. Rest assured knowing that Jesus and his Father are in charge. Since they’re the creators of everything, we know their power. We can securely leave everything in their hands. Trust God, and trust his Son.

So friends, don’t worry about the future, in this life or the next. Don’t let your heart be troubled. Don’t give defeat a second thought. Put a smile on your face, a Bible in your hand, Jesus in your heart and optimism in your head. With Jesus at the helm, everything will be A-OK. He said so himself! He promised!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church