Predictions!

For Tuesday, April 21, 2026:

John 14:29 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.”

Q: How can you tell if a prophet is the real deal?
A: The prophecies all come true!

As his ministry draws to a close, I don’t think Jesus looked at these words as any long-term prophecy. But he didn’t want any of the believers to lose faith. He didn’t want them to give up or be scared. That could easily happen when your spiritual mentor is hanging from a cross!

As it happened, everything played out just as Jesus predicted. In death, he took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, leaving mankind forgiven, eligible for life after this life. Three days later, he walked out of the tomb. Death could not hold him! And with sin and death both conquered, mankind was given a fresh start! God is good!

Even the bad things that happened should increase our faith, because it all happened just as Jesus said it would!

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

Kingdom At Hand!

For Saturday, March 14, 2026:

Luke 3:16 NLT, John the Baptist speaking: “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

In Jesus’ day, Hebrews were plagued with Roman oppression. They hung on tightly to a prophecy about a Messiah coming to rescue them. People would come to the Jordan and confess their sins, wanting to live a better life. They desired to get right with God. As John baptized the repentant, they questioned him: “Might you be the Messiah for whom we have been waiting?”

John assures them that he is not that Messiah. According to John, there’s a huge difference. He can only baptize with water. He warns the group that the Kingdom of God is near. They will see it soon, baptism with the fire of the Holy Spirit and the Son of God walking on Earth alongside mankind. It’s kind of hard to explain, as no one had ever seen anything like this before! John had a little inside information, being a cousin of Jesus.

I could repeat John’s message today, and the information would still be correct. We should all repent and return to the Lord, because the Kingdom is at hand. Jesus said he would return. Everything he told us has been true, and we expect that this would be likewise – true! Jesus gave us signs to watch for, hints that his return was imminent. We see more and more of them all the time as the date draws closer.

Churches pray for world peace, but Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. There are currently about 40 wars in the world, people shooting real bullets at one another. The wars we hear about on the news are the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East. Russia and communist North Korea are attacking Ukraine with soldiers and weapons. The US and other NATO allies are pouring defense assets into Ukraine. What we have here (just my opinion) is Communist Russia fighting a world war against Democratic countries. It’s just not obvious because the fighting is all on Ukrainian soil! That war is bigger than you think!

As for the Middle East, it’s Islam vs Judaism. Christians come down on the side of the Jews, our ancestors. Russia has been supplying intelligence and weapons to Iran, while Israel and the US intend to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons. In 2001, when hijacked airplanes demolished the World Trade Center towers, I told my Jewish friends that this was a Holy War. I still believe that.

Jesus said that there will be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. If we read those signs, Jesus should be on the way. With each passing day, we’re one day closer to his return. Friends, the Kingdom of God is at hand!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

A Gift for Christmas!

For Saturday, December 20, 2025:

Romans 5:21 NLT: “Just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I can’t tell you how many people didn’t see heaven before Jesus. This scripture tells us that sin ruled in our world, and the wages of sin is death. After Jesus, because of his forgiveness of our sins, many more people will get to see heaven from the inside! That forgiveness is grace, God’s free gift to mankind. We can’t buy it, earn it or trade for it. That’s not the nature of a gift. God sent the gift to us through his Son, Jesus. Our part is to put our faith, hope and trust in the Son. Believe that Jesus is who he said he is, and that he can do what he said he can do. Think of the truth in the Bible as a prophecy for our future.

Graciously accept God’s gift, personally brought to our world by his Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Your Sins are Forgiven!

For Thursday, December 18, 2025:

Luke 2:16 NLT: “The shepherds hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.”

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus were in town, staying at the stable where Jesus had been born. The shepherds were out in the countryside tending their sheep. Angel(s) told them about the birth of the Messiah, in that nearby town, in a stable. Expect to find the baby in a manger amongst the hay.

God gave mankind insatiable curiosity, so the shepherds just had to check this out! The Messiah, an anointed rescuer, had been prophesied for centuries. Also, think of the angel’s words as prophecy. The shepherds would find the newborn Savior not in a castle or a palace. Rather, he’d be among the common folk, seeking shelter in the stable alongside animals.

At that time, the Promised Land had been occupied by the Roman Army. So the Jewish prayers were, “Liberate us from the Romans!”

Jesus would grow up to say, “Your sins are forgiven!” He had the best answer. The Hebrews just hadn’t asked the right question!

Jesus completed his entire ministry while Rome occupied the land intended for the Chosen People. It turns out that who’s running the country isn’t nearly as important as having your sins forgiven. Make sure you’re asking the right question!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Zechariah's Prophecy!

For Friday, December 5, 2025:

Luke 1:67 NLT: “Then baby John’s father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy.”

As Zechariah’s voice returned, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke prophecy concerning his newborn. This is not something he just thought up. This is God – the Holy Spirit – speaking through Zechariah.

Let’s review the high points. “The Lord has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior. God fulfilled his promise, his covenant with his people. We will be saved from our enemies and all who hate us. We will be rescued from our enemies. We can serve God without fear. And baby John will be called the prophet of the Most High, because he will prepare the way for the Lord. He will tell God’s people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven, is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Wow! Those are pretty big tasks, especially for a newborn, but history proves prophecy. We know baby John as John the Baptist, who indeed prepared the people for the ministry of Jesus. Jesus quashed Satan and his demons. Jesus personally died to redeem us. His life was the penalty for the sins of the world, now paid in full. Therefore, our relationship with Father God improved exponentially.

After Jesus, everything was different. After Jesus, everything was better, a lot better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Prophecy!

November 3, 2025, Monday Message:

John 14:29 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do happen, you will believe.”

Sometimes things are so unusual, so out of the ordinary, that a lot of people won’t believe what just happened, even if they witnessed it with their own two eyes.

Here’s an example. Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, had died. His body was kept in a closed tomb as it began to decay. Mourners had gathered to console the family. Lazarus was wrapped up like a mummy, a burial tradition.

Jesus was summoned. He dragged his feet getting there, waiting for two extra days, so that what he was about to do would increase in significance. After all, this event was for God’s glory! By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days!

Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again. She thought he meant in the next reality, in the life after this life. But NO! Jesus meant right now! He had workers roll away the stone, Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!,” and out he came, grave clothes and all!

Locally, this incident became the focus of much discussion. Many thought it was a trick, a prank involving a magician. No one had ever seen anything like it, someone brought back to life after being dead four days. So at this point, it made more sense to disbelieve than to believe what they had witnessed.

Our lesson here is about the value of prophecy. Prophecies tell in advance what God is about to do, and when it happens, we can say, “That was God!,” rather than questioning what occurred. Prophecy is advance confirmation of a God-driven event! Jesus had been sharing signs of the end times, so that when it happens, we can easily recognize it and believe.

When you witness signs pointing to the end times, start saying, “That was God!” He has already told you what to expect!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Wars and Rumors of War!

For Friday, October 17, 2025:

Luke 21:8 NLT: Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and saying, ‘The time has come!’ But don’t believe them.”

We have all heard rumors that the world would soon be ending, that Jesus would be returning on a certain date. The predictions are always wrong. Don’t believe anyone who tells you such things. Jesus said that even he doesn’t know the exact date, that only the Father knows. If someone says they know, they’re lying!

Jesus did give us signs that we’re getting closer to the second coming, and a major sign is the proliferation of wars and insurrections. In case you haven’t heard the news lately, our world currently has wars in spades! The one conflict with Biblical overtones started about two years ago when Hamas attacked Israel, killing over 1,000 and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel declared war on Hamas, a radical terrorist organization that had taken over Gaza. Hamas would not release the captured Israelis, even as Gaza was reduced to rubble.

Today, two years later, the hostages that were still alive were finally released, and a peace agreement was signed. Israel is still complaining that all the bones of the deceased were not returned. My advice would be just to let it go. When someone has died, their soul no longer occupies a human body. Their eternal essence has (hopefully) gone to be with the Lord. The body is no longer relevant. (That’s the Christian view, not necessarily the Jewish view.)

I said the current conflict started two years ago, but the overall disagreement goes back 3,000 years. After wandering on the desert, God set the Hebrew people down in the Promised Land. A Rabbi once told me, “It’s our land – God gave it to us!” However, those who had previously lived there were displaced. Hence the conflict.

(Just my opinion:) I don’t believe this peace treaty will last, because at its roots, this is a religious war. We can fight over territory, over governments, over countries, but people cannot be forced to change their beliefs. Historically, people will rot in prison while hanging on to their religion.

Jesus is the only one who can straighten out this mess. Our prayer for peace should include, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

I Am = Messiah!

For Thursday, September 4, 2025:

John 13:19, Jesus speaking: “I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah.”

Magicians, sorcerers and the like were common 2K years ago. They would perform a trick and claim to be someone special. They were not. People became wary and weary of them. Jesus had executed many miracles and healed thousands, but several wondered if it was all some kind of trick. After all, Jesus had arrived as a little baby, born to a builder and an obedient mother. That this young man who had grown up in their midst could be the Messiah seemed unlikely.

But magicians and sorcerers cannot predict the future. Jesus, who was riding high at the time, predicted his betrayal and unlikely demise. Quite a contrast! But everything happened just the way Jesus said it would. When he was gone, not only theologians but also everyday men and women could compare what happened with Jesus’ predictions, and immediately recognize him as the Messiah!

In the original language, Jesus refers to himself as the “I am,” the same name God gave when Moses asked that question. “I am” implies a perpetual existence. It’s not “I was” or “I’m going to be.” It’s just “I am,” I was from the beginning and I always will be. I am everything from God-the-creator to God-of-the-future. I was God of your ancestors, and will be God of your progeny. Forever!

Thank the Lord today for the privilege of knowing the Son, who died paying the price for mankind’s sinful nature. He personally redeemed the souls of all who believe. That’s why Christians have assurance of salvation. Jesus said so, and he’s the I am!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Peter's Pentecost Speech!

For Thursday, June 5, 2025:

Acts 2:14, 16 NLT: “Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, ‘Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. What you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel.’”

God made the ‘roaring wind’ sound on the Day of Pentecost, drawing a large, curious crowd. God had tapped Peter on the shoulder to be the spokesperson for the believers. Never one to appear shy, Peter spoke in a loud voice, as if everyone had come just to hear him! He explained that, like so many things in the Bible, that day’s activities were a fulfillment of scripture. The Holy Spirit was in motion. The end result would be a mass ‘repent and return.’ Joel’s prophecy concludes, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The audience was Jews who were familiar with God, scriptures and religion in general, so Peter’s words came as no surprise. And by now, everyone in Israel had heard about Jesus. Peter connected the dots for them: “God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.” No surprises. No new information. Just an acknowledgement of what had been going on around them. Yes, Jesus was heaven-sent! Everyone should have concluded as much had they taken the time to think things through. “God released Jesus from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” How’s that for a God-sized miracle?

Peter continues to make his case for Christ, saying many of the same things that led to Jesus’ crucifixion. But by this time, the Holy Spirit had opened minds. Foregone opinions were cast aside in favor of using brainpower and thinking things through. Peter’s message concludes, “Let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

His words touched their hearts, and the listeners asked, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Take a moment and put yourself in Peter’s shoes. If you had been the featured speaker that day, how would you answer their question? All believers are supposed to share the Good News, the Gospel about Jesus. Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. If their hearts are touched and they’re ready to sign up, what should the next step be? We all need to know the best answer, the correct answer!

May the Lord’s blessings go with you today as you fulfill God’s purpose for your life!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Prophecy!

March 11, 2024 Monday Message:

Isaiah 7:14 NLT, Isaiah speaking the Lord’s words: “The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

We all recognize this as a prophecy or prediction of the birth of Jesus. That event happened just like God said it would. By the way, Immanuel means God with us. One important thing to remember is that Isaiah lived 800 years before Jesus! He personally had no knowledge of a virgin birth. Isaiah was simply speaking the words given to him by the Lord. Those words would come to fruition 800 years later!

Prophets have a unique job description. Some people think that prophets can predict the future, but that’s not true. Only God knows the future, and Isaiah is retelling the words God gave him. Listening for God’s voice is the end of Isaiah’s super-powers!

Are there prophets nowadays? Probably, but they don’t get a lot of attention. Journalists only focus on catastrophes, things gone wrong. Apparently Good News isn’t newsworthy. And you won’t hear about prophets in most churches. God is probably speaking, but we have our radios off and hear nothing. And it’s very difficult to hear a prophet if you don’t believe in them!

Same thing with evil demons. The subject of demons seldom comes up in churches nowadays. But let me warn you: Satan never takes a holiday! Satan enjoys an unrestricted earthly battle because so few believe in him. When churches stopped casting out demons, Satan jumped for joy! We rarely talk about the problem, so Satan runs free.

Jesus taught that we should: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.” Especially nowadays we should follow Jesus’ instructions!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth!

For Saturday, September 30, 2023:

Romans 9:26 NLT: “Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

Paul is quoting God’s word through the prophet Isaiah. It sounds like God’s changing his mind, but it’s the people who have changed. Because of disobedience and lack of faith, the Israelites would be scattered, and only a remnant would remain. In fact, for a great many years, there was no nation of Israel.

Then the people repented and returned to the Lord, and in 1948 the State of Israel was declared out of Palestine to be its own country. You see, God had been given a place of honor in his children’s lives, a priority he should have had all along.

The point is that God is always true to his word. What was prophesied in about 700 BC played out in 1948 AD. God’s promises are always true, and the Bible is full of truth. What seems to take a long time by our standards is perfect timing on God’s calendar.

Believers need not worry about God’s promise of salvation. Do not be impatient! When God’s timing is perfect, we’ll all get to see heaven from the inside! That’s what Jesus said!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Anticipation!

For Saturday, December 24, 2022:

Luke 1:57-58 TLB: “By now Elizabeth’s waiting was over, for the time had come for the baby to be born—and it was a boy. The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives of how kind the Lord had been to her, and everyone rejoiced.”

This was a time of great spiritual activity and anticipation. An angel had visited Zechariah in the Temple. An angel had visited Mary, and then Joseph. Zechariah had been promised a son who would announce the soon-to-arrive Messiah. Zechariah’s son was to be named John. Mary was told that she would be birthing that Messiah, and Joseph was assured that his wife had been faithful. The Messiah-baby was from the Holy Spirit! They were to name him Jesus which means Savior.

As you might expect, everything happened just as they had been told. John-the-Baptist turned out to be a strange fellow, living in the wilderness, wearing clothing made of coarse camel hair and relying on locusts for sustenance. Nonetheless, many people came to hear his message: Repent and return to the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand! Those who agreed were baptized in the Jordan.

At about age 30, Jesus began his public ministry. We celebrate his arrival tomorrow, on Christmas day. After Jesus, everything was different – better! He atoned for mankind’s sin-problem. People are still talking about it 2,000 years later!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship