Choose Me!

For Saturday, May 16, 2026:

John 15:16 NLT, Jesus speaking: “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

Jesus would only choose people he wants to work with. People who have already chosen Jesus have an edge in this department. If people already love Jesus and want to help increase the number of believers, Jesus will assign them a territory to be their battleground. Your battleground and mine are probably different.

Think of signing on with Jesus like a sports draft. Believers have signed on with the “Jesus” team, doing our best to be forever loyal to his cause. Jesus says that the Father will give us whatever we ask for if we use his name. We are to make disciples of all nations and to do everything Jesus asks. The Father rewards obedience!

Jesus commanded us to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and preach the Good News. We understand the assignment. Now let’s get to work!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Authorized!

For Saturday, April 11, 2026:

Mark 16:19-20 NLT: “When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with his disciples, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. And the disciples then went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.”

Jesus had prepared his disciples, saying that he would not be with them forever. He said that he would suffer and die, rise after three days, and eventually return to the Father. Everything happened exactly as he prophesied! It’s now time for these disciples to put Jesus’ final instructions into play.

Remember that “Apostle” refers to the original 12, but “disciple” is a much larger group of people, both men and women, who believed in Jesus, believed he was the Messiah and that his words were God’s words.

Mark just gives us the Reader’s Digest “condensed” version of the Great Commission: “The disciples then went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.” When Jesus sent disciples on previous evangelistic mission trips, he told them to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons, and it’s no different this time. They would preach the Good News, and God would prove them “authorized” by these miraculous signs!

Those original disciples covered most of Israel, but did not venture far into Asia Minor. God was preparing Paul, Timothy and Silas for that mission field. Where is your mission field? In my previous churches, we supported many missionaries in faraway foreign countries. And each summer, our youth group would lead a VBS in Mexico. I prayed and prayed about this, and finally God sent me to Lake Street in Minneapolis. Turns out He has plenty of work that needs doing right here in town!

So the best place to do ministry is wherever God calls you to do ministry! Pray and then be obedient. Do what Jesus asked you to do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Healing Messiah!

Daily message of hope...
For Wednesday, February 25, 2026:

Matthew 4:23 NLT: “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.”

As he gathered his disciples, Jesus continued his ministry around Galilee. Tradition said that if a guest showed up to worship in a Synagogue, he would be invited to speak. Jesus had plenty to say!

He could tell the people to repent and return to the Lord. He could explain God’s willingness to forgive all who would call him Lord and Savior. He could explain that he was God’s Son, God’s representative on earth. He could share the knowledge that believers become Children of God, eligible for residence in the Heavenly Kingdom. He could explain assurance of salvation!

Jesus would take as much time as needed to heal all who needed healing. No disease or illness was higher than the prayers of God’s Son. Jesus would oftentimes begin by casting out the demons, which were the root of the problem. No demon is higher than God’s Son.

People were quick to notice the healings and would tell others. Although they had no television, no newspapers and no internet, somehow the word spread swiftly. Soon, all who needed healing were being brought to Jesus. He healed them all, even though that wasn’t his purpose in coming to earth.

Soon, large crowds were following Jesus around, people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem – people from all over Judea, even those east of the Jordan River. The Hebrew people had been expecting a Messiah, and here was Jesus!

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

God's Word!

For Tuesday, November 12, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT: “We never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.”

Believers should have what’s called a “high view” of the Bible, meaning the scriptures are God-inspired and true. Therefore the theology we teach is not your idea or my idea; it’s all God’s ideas! The Holy Spirit opens people’s hearts, and we fill them with the Good News of salvation through Jesus!

Some preachers motivate their listeners with the fear of hell, and chastise them for wrongdoing. Personally, I’m not good at that. I’m more likely to teach what the Bible says, and assume that the desired action would be self-evident. If we truly believe that the Bible is God’s word, how could we not obey?

If we know what God has spoken, we’ll know what to teach!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship