Mission!

June 1, 2026, Monday Message:

Matthew 10:8a NLT, Jesus speaking: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.”

There is only one Jesus, one Son of God. He is fully God, but while walking on earth, he’s also fully human. His goal is to share the Good News (Gospel) with all Israel. To multiply his efforts, he sends out the 12, 2 X 2, equipping them with his supernatural powers so the populous will understand the mighty power of God.

Jesus would not have told his Apostles to do these things unless it was possible for them to succeed. Jesus was known for healing, but now Jesus’ FOLLOWERS would be known for healing! Later, Jesus would include other disciples in the groups he sent out to evangelize. Everyone he sent would have power over Satan and his demons if they used the name of Jesus!

Faith can affect the success rate of miracles. We should pray as if the miracle had already happened. Jesus personally gave us this power – now claim it! A couple more things. Loud prayers aren’t necessarily better. Just explain what you need to happen, and use Jesus’ name, calmly. Our God is orderly. And leave out the “justs” and “onlys!” They usually add nothing to the praying. “Oh Father, we just come before you today asking only for mercy.” Bad example.

Jesus authorized proselytization. Believers have been called to make disciples of all nations, so let’s get out there, get busy and work our assignments. Use Jesus’ name. Smile!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Stay Connected!

For Thursday, April 30, 2026:

John 15:5 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus is restating the vine/branches example. But the last sentence adds a stern warning: “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Believers have been endowed with incredible power. Jesus wants us to do the things he did, impossible as this seems. He sent disciples to disparate cities to spread the Good News that the Kingdom of God was now with them; that Jesus was the long-expected Messiah; and that there now is forgiveness through Jesus which leads to renewed hope for eternal life. Those sent were told to heal the sick including leprosy, raise the dead and cast out demons. Seems like a tall order, but those serving were on a first-name basis with Jesus. They were connected to the vine, as are we! Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left instructions for us to do these same things.

Jesus said believers could ask a mountain to move in his name, and it would obey. Nothing frivolous, of course. But if you needed to move a mountain to block a stream and save 200K people in the downstream village from drowning, it’s possible, but only if your branch is still connected to the vine.

There are no Lone Rangers in Heaven. We can’t go off on our own and accomplish anything. But believers have been drafted to play on Team Jesus. That one vine can feed many little branches, and Jesus has invited you to be a part of the action! So get in the game, (already!)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Move that Mounain!

For Sunday, April 12, 2026:

Mark 11:22-23 NLT: Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.”

All believers have supernatural powers. Most never use them. The question becomes one of motivation. Why do we want to move the mountain into the sea? What is the purpose? Perhaps it’s a metaphor for other things.

We are called to heal the sick. Stopping the growth of cancer might be the mountain we’re sent to move. Raising the dead would certainly qualify, but we can’t override God’s decision to call a person home. Many Christians have never seen a demon, but if you have, it’s scary. Not casting them out would not be an option. Getting that job done would be monumental.

Jesus told us to love the Lord and love our neighbors. Loving your neighbor might involve moving a mountain. We should do whatever is needed to make their lives better. Then, because we’re following Jesus’ instructions, our lives will be better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Serve like Jesus!

For Sunday, March 15, 2026:

John 14:12 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

There’s only one Jesus. He wanted to multiply his efforts. So he sent disciples, believers, to spread the Good News. “God loves you, repentant sinners can be forgiven, there is life after this life and you can be included.” Think of this like McDonald’s franchising new locations. Sending teams of disciples to other towns would open up entirely new markets, convincing more people to repent and return! Good plan, Jesus!

In the same way, as Jesus returns to the Father, he wants to empower the faithful to continue his work. “Go and make disciples of all nations,” he tells them. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and preach the Good News!” In 2K years, the job description for a believer hasn’t changed!

A non-serving Christian is a contradiction!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

 

Reciprocal Love!

For Thursday, December 4, 2025

Romans 5:5b NLT: “We know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

Love is reciprocal. Bi-directional. God loves us so much that it becomes easy to love him back. So put the Lord up on a pedestal and add worship to your lives in abundance!

God’s timing is always perfect. When mankind was floundering, he sent Jesus to rescue us. Now that Jesus has returned to the Father, the Holy Spirit has been sent to be our helper and our advocate. As children of God, Heaven is where we belong. Eventually. God is trying to make it easy for us to come home. The Holy Spirit will guide us. Home is where when you go there, theyhave to let you in!

 When we become believers, we’re adopted into the family of God. We receive the rights, privileges and benefits of being a family member. We can inherit salvation! As we transition from this life to the next, Jesus will be there to welcome us with open arms. Jesus is the light of the world, and we should always pursue light, not darkness.

I wish churches would teach more about the Holy Spirit. He’s one-third of the Trinity, but seems to be on the short end of receiving screen time. Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations, but I don’t think I could ever do that on my own. The Earth is just too big! But a team with each member possessing different God-given gifts and talents can bring Jesus’ goal into focus.

Can you heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons? By yourself, no. With the Holy Spirit, maybe, if it fits with God’s purpose and timetable. For example, if someone is dying because God is calling them home, we should leave well enough alone. But if someone is dying because demons are disrupting things, we should cast out the demon(s) and heal the illness. God’s way is always the right way! The Holy Spirit will help!

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He’s already loving you back!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

I'll Be Back!

October 27, 2025, Monday Message:

John 14:28 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am.”

Dream with me that we could have been alive back when Jesus was here. We would have been eyewitnesses to Jesus changing the world. After Jesus, everything was different. After Jesus, everything was better!

Allowing demons in our lives is akin to dropping sand into smooth-running gears. Many people suffered life-long illnesses, and Jesus either cured the sickness or cast out the demon responsible for the problem. Sometimes those demons would end someone’s life prematurely, and Jesus would raise the dead, correcting the mistake. Jesus empowered his followers to do as he had done: Heal the sick, cure leprosy, raise the dead and cast out demons. He aided the world in operating according to God’s vast eternal plan.

At this point, Jesus told the believers, “I am going away, but I will come back to you again.” I’m sure that many were distraught when their spiritual mentor said he was leaving. “Don’t go,” they shouted! Those people didn’t realize the benefit of Jesus’ leaving. This act would enable him to take the sins of the world to the place of the dead. Therefore, believers would appear sinless in the Book of Life, eligible to take up residence in God’s Eternal Kingdom. Believers would receive the best gift of all, being Heaven-bound, before they even understood how salvation worked.

Jesus was going ahead to prepare a place for his flock. God allowed a little extra time so that more people could hear the Good News. Jesus promised that He’ll be back. He cannot lie, so, “People get ready...

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Holy Spirit!

For Tuesday, June 3, 2025:

Acts 2:4 NLT: “Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

On the Day of Pentecost, the believers were all together in one place. A sound like wind filled the room, but the Bible doesn’t say it got windy – just the sound! Flames which looked like little lapping tongues of fire floated down, settling on each of them. God had big plans for this day, and in preparation was filling the faithful with the Holy Spirit. This was so important that God was making a show of it!

Not that believers hadn’t previously known the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had been around since before creation. Genesis 1:2 “The Spirit of the Lord hovered over the waters of creation!” Forgive my crude analogy: The Holy Spirit is like the battery in my laptop. I plug it in for a recharge every night. If I don’t, it won’t be ready to go the next time I need it! Aid from the Holy Spirit is available to all believers, but we must top off our Holy Spirit tanks for tomorrow’s adventure! We must stay connected!

Christians believe in a triune God, one God who has made himself known to us in three different forms: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father sits on heaven’s throne, Jesus walked on earth alongside mankind, while the Holy Spirit is our advocate, encourager and helper until Jesus returns. The Bible says that without the Holy Spirit we can accomplish nothing, but with the Holy Spirit we can accomplish anything! As Jesus sends us out to heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead, it’s obvious that we’ll need a heavenly helper.

Not only were believers’ tongues touched to speak in other languages, but their ears were touched as well. Instantly, they could clearly understand languages unknown to Israelites. This would be valuable as this Day of Pentecost unfolds! It’s about outreach and evangelism, about sharing the Good News with others. It’s about doing those things that Jesus commissioned us all to do! Are you “in?”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Holy Spirit!

For Saturday, April 26, 2025:

Luke 24:49 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

Christians believe in one God, known to us in three forms: Our Father God in Heaven, Jesus Son-of-God who walked on earth alongside mankind, and the Holy Spirit. We know the least about the Holy Spirit, which I believe is why we sometimes overlook the available help. But since there is only one God, it makes little difference which form we’re interacting with. Jesus told believers, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” That’s why, in the absence of Jesus, we have been given the Holy Spirit.

Jesus sent his disciples, two by two, to share the Good News with the Israelites. They were commissioned to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and encourage everyone to repent and return. Christians are the newly commissioned, sent to share Jesus with the world.

The Holy Spirit has always existed. When the earth was created, Genesis tells us, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” The Holy Spirit made a big entrance on the day of Pentecost, enabling people from many different lands to understand Peter’s preaching. 3K were baptized and added to ‘The Way’ that day, like church growth on steroids!

So remember that there’s always help and power available. The Holy Spirit was sent to make things go better, so we shouldn’t forget to call on Him. We can always count on Him. He is, after all, God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship