Jesus Direct!

For Friday, February 20, 2026:

Hebrews 13:15 NLT: “Let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”

The key words in this scripture are, “through Jesus.” Jesus is our heaven connection. Before Jesus, Jewish priests fulfilled that function. The priests could present our petitions, good or bad, to the Lord. Mankind would seldom hear God’s response.

After Jesus, the process changed. Jesus is part of our Holy Trinity God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So if we offer prayers through Jesus, we’re already praying directly to God. No middle-man needed! God desires a direct relationship with each of us. (Note: This scripture was written to Hebrews, who would need adjust their beliefs post-Jesus.)

Interestingly, when Jesus died on the cross and took mankind’s sins to the place of the dead, the thick, heavy curtain isolating the Holy of Holies from public areas was torn in half, top to bottom, so God had to do the tearing himself, and mankind was no longer separated from God. Again, this was God’s doing. He decreed that it should be this way.

So we can praise God directly for his goodness, exalt his omniscience and offer confessions and repentance. In return, God can offer us forgiveness and a “mulligan,” a do-over, a second chance. With Jesus, we don’t just have a religion; we have a relationship!

What a friend we have in Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Shalom – Peace of the Lord!

For Friday, October 24, 2025:

John 14:27 ESV, Jesus speaking: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

God dispersed mankind after the Tower of Babel incident, and gave different languages to different groups. The number of words varies. Sometimes more words are required. For example, the different native Inuit tribes of Alaska and western Canada have 40, 53, and as many as 70 different words for snow. Light, fluffy snow; wet, heavy snow. In English, we have to describe it. In Inuit, they have a distinct word for each. Scandinavian natives have over 300 words relating to snow! Now I’m really confused!

Sometimes we need more words. Here, Jesus is speaking about “shalom,” a Hebrew concept, written down in Greek and then translated for us into English. As the saying goes, something is lost in the translation!

Since it’s “the peace of the Lord,” perhaps “serenity” would be closer to the original meaning. The concept requires faith, believing that with God in charge, everything will be OK. Trust in the Lord... If we survive the world's tribulation, we’ll still be alive, and that’s good! If we don’t survive, Jesus will welcome us into God’s eternal Kingdom, and that’s also good! Either way, we’ll be OK. If you’re a believer, worry isn’t necessary and would be a waste of time!

"Shalom” is a traditional Hebrew coming and going prayer, a blessing for each other. “May the peace of the Lord be with you.” Free of worry and fear and trusting in God Almighty, life will be good. After all, believers have been adopted into the Holy Family!

Shalom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Thy Will!

For Saturday, September 20, 2025:

Mark 14:36 NLT: “’Abba, Father,’ Jesus cried out, ‘everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’”

On his journey to the cross, Jesus knew full well the pain and suffering that would be involved. It would not be pretty. The Roman soldiers were good at what they did. So Jesus asked, “Father, is this really necessary? I’d rather skip the ‘whipped and beaten’ part, if it’s all the same to you! But you know me! We’re cut from the same cloth! I’ll be obedient unto death!”

We can learn about prayer by following Jesus’ example. As humans, we don’t always know or understand why something is happening. And we don’t know what is to follow. For example, if Satan is causing an illness, we certainly want to pray for healing. But if someone has lived a good life and God is rewarding them by calling them home, that’s a whole different thing. I would ask Jesus to take charge of the situation.

Two of my children needed a better High School situation. My wife located a suitable private school, but we’d be paying for what had previously been free. I prayed about what to do. About that time, the Billy Graham organization approached me about helping them with a large project. There was no specific deadline, and I could fill all my downtime with their project. It took about five years! By then, my kids were no longer in private school! God is good!

I once lost a church job. The denomination was on shaky theological ground, so while it didn’t break my heart, it never feels good to be out of work. I prayed, “Really, God – is that all there is?” A short time later, another church called me as a pastor and Bible teacher. I was told to teach the truth! Best job ever, but I didn’t know it was coming when I lost the first job. God knew it would all work out.

Obedience and trust in the Lord should be our modus operandi. Pray, “Thy will, not my will!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Faith!

For Saturday, August 16, 2025:

Luke 18:8b NLT: Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Jesus had just shared the parable of the persistent widow. She repeatedly sought justice from a lazy judge. He kept putting her off, ignoring her request. She didn’t quit! She kept asking and asking, frankly pestering the judge until it was easier for him to grant her request than to put up with her incessant nagging.

Her solution was in that judge. Our solution is in the Lord. Jesus points out that God is far more just than this slothful judge. If our faith is constant, God will hear our prayers. God wants us to have a good life. So double down in unwavering faith!

So never give up on your faith, your beliefs. Jesus said if we have enough faith, we can cast a fig tree into the ocean. See, you have more power than you realize! Put it to work!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Sacrificial Giving!

For Wednesday, July 23, 2025:

Mark 12:44 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Most gave a tiny part of their surplus, but this widow, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

How much should we donate to our home church? The Old Testament teaches that the first 10% of everything already belongs to the Lord. That’s a good starting point.

The New Testament teaches us about sacrificial giving. People sold their land or their animals and donated the proceeds to the church. On the Day of Pentecost, 3,000 new believers came on board. Most were from out of town and would require food and housing right from the start. The first church, The Way, took care of them. Jesus and many others taught that the Kingdom was at hand; heaven was quite close. And those living in God’s Kingdom would have no need for worldly assets.

So what does God want? Many Christians are blessed with abundance, enabling them to help others. God wants each of us to be successful. Prospective Christians should be able to look at the flock and say, “They’re doin’ OK. They’re having fun. Life for them seems to be good. I want to become part of it!”

It’s good to save for when you can no longer work, and it’s good to have a rainy day fund. But it’s bad to hoard money, to become a miser. A delicate balance is required. It would be easy to prioritize money over God, and that would be wrong.

My advice is to pray about the matter, and then follow through with what God puts on your conscience!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Persistent Prayer!

For Thursday, May 15, 2025:

Luke 11:9 NLT, Jesus speaking: “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Jesus is continuing his teaching about prayer, and in these words, he’s highlighting persistence. Jesus’ words remind me of Curtis Mayfield’s song, “Keep On Keeping On,” as he encourages young people to relentlessly pursue love and peace. That seems like a worthy goal, something with which our Savior would be on board.

Our prayers shouldn’t be solely about our desires. That for which we pray needs to be in line with God’s vast eternal plan. And when our desires are in accord with God’s plans, we need to consider God’s timing. You may think you have a good idea, but God will wait for just the right time to bring it to fruition. After all, it’s not MY will be done, but THY will be done!

Jesus promises that the Father hears all our prayers and that he stands ready to provide what’s best for us. Verse 10 concludes, “Everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Persistent prayer is not wasted time!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Glory to the Father!

For Sunday, March 30, 2025:

John 14:13 NLT, Jesus speaking: “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”

Jesus performed quite a number of miracles while he was here on earth. Many of them involved healing. He could take a person born lame and have them dancing a jig in no time! For that person, the miracle was life-changing, but it also fulfilled another purpose!

Jesus made no secret that he was the Son of the Most High and that any power he had originated with God himself. God, who created heaven and earth, should be exalted every day, but especially when we are eyewitnesses to his goodness. Healings showcase God’s love for mankind, and his desire to be a part of our lives.

Picture Jesus bragging, “Let me show you what my dad can do!” He never took credit himself. Jesus’ power to improve lives always came from above. That power has not ended. So we pray to Father God, “...in Jesus’ name – Amen!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Time To Act!

January 13, 2025, Monday Message:

Exodus 2:24-25 NLT: “God heard the Israelites groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on them and knew it was time to act.”

God hears prayer. He’s always listening. The Israelites had been living as slaves in Egypt, and they cried out to their God for help. That’s exactly what they should do. And God knew it was time for him to act. That’s what we expect him to do.

The time was now right to rescue the Jews. God would give the new Pharaoh and his Egyptian cohorts several more chances to do the right thing. They would not. But God would stop at nothing to achieve his overall goal of liberating the Jews from Egyptian tyranny. A lot would happen before this story wraps up, but remember that God always gets his way!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Calling On the Lord!

For Wednesday, December 11, 2024:

Deuteronomy 5:11 NLT, God’s words: “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”

God is always listening. If you’ve ever wondered if God hears you, the answer is “yes!” So if you shout out his name, it had better be for prayer, praise or exaltation!

When I was in grade school, (yes, I can remember that far back…) a boy routinely shouted out, “God this,” and “O God that.” He was kind of a cool kid, so I thought I’d give it a try at home. In no time at all, my parents let me know in no uncertain terms that we, being Christians, didn’t shout out God’s name for no reason. My parents weren’t very good at explaining why, but I took them at their word.

We sometimes watch TV game shows, and when a contestant answers correctly, they often shout out, “O my God!” Calling out God has been reduced to just an expression, something almost everybody says, but that’s wrong. Words have meanings, and what the person intended to say has nothing to do with our Lord.

If you call on God, let there be a good reason. Take the time to talk it over with him!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Prayer!

For Sunday, August 25, 2024:

Matthew 6:5 NLT: “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.”

Interestingly, in the original language, hypocrite refers to an actor, someone pretending to be something they are not. In this case, that someone is pretending to be deeply religious, but it’s all just a show, an attempt to appear more pious than they actually are. Jesus teaches that there’s no reward in that.

The truth is that God knows your heart. He knows what you deep-down believe. God already knows your level of sincerity.

Your prayer should be based on your friendship, your relationship with God. He wants nothing but the best for you! Be honest; be straightforward. Keep it simple. It’s just the two of you – you and God. It shouldn’t be a show for anyone else.

By the way, we don’t get extra points for using more words!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Pray!

For Wednesday, May 1, 2024:

Colossians 4:2 NLT: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

We are to be vigilant in prayer, but always praying with thanksgiving for the great things God has done. God wants to know that you’re still in the game with him, but it should be a 2-way conversation. Your prayer should include love and thanksgiving for the Lord, not just personal requests.

Why pray? Jesus told a parable of a judge who did not fear God, or for that matter, men. A widow came to the judge persistently asking for justice. I believe her unrelenting requests wore him down! “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

When praying for justice, don’t think you can wear God down. God has three answers to our requests: yes, no, and not just yet. Yes is easy. The problem is solved, the situation resolved. ‘No’ and ‘not just yet’ can be confusing. Did God say ‘no,’ or perhaps things will go my way later?

The Lord’s Prayer handles this well. “Thy will be done.” Not MY will but THY will! Rather than asking God for YOUR way, ask him to show you HIS way!

You could pray right now if you wanted to!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Will!

For Sunday, March 03, 2024:

Mark 14:36b NLT, Jesus praying: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

The plan was for Jesus to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world. That’s his main mission, his main reason for coming to earth. But incredible pain and suffering go along with that. No one, including Jesus, would look forward to such a thing.

Jesus prays in the garden at Gethsemane. He understands the urgency of this matter. His disciples do not. They kept falling asleep. “Lord, if there is some other way to achieve your goal, I’d be open to it.” But obedient to the end, Jesus concluded his prayer: “Not my will, but your will be done!”

With Jesus atoning for mankind’s sins, heaven was possible for far more people. Those who would trust God’s plan – claim Jesus as Lord and Savior – can now become residents of the Kingdom!

"The Lord is patient toward mankind, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Relationship!

September 11, 2023 Monday Message:

Psalm 86:5 NLT: “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.”

Even good Christians fail to call on God when there’s a problem, thinking, “God has a lot on his plate and my problem is so small!” We pray for others religiously, but fail to also pray for ourselves. Time to change that!

In fact God wants that sort of relationship with us, but we need to invite him in. God stands ready to help, and he’ll intervene in our lives if we simply ask. Listen to this – God has a good supply of forgiveness, agape love and healing with our names on it.

Go ahead – put your name on God’s to-do list - today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship