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

Forgiven!

For Tuesday, August 27, 2024:

1 John 2:12 NLT: “I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.”

At one time, heaven was compounding an accounting of our transgressions – our sins. Jesus personally redeemed us from that sin-prison. We who had no clue as to how to break the sin-cycle, were suddenly rescued, our accounts wiped clean. We were given an undeserved re-boot, a second chance to live a better way, all because of the work Jesus completed on the cross.

And now we who have said “yes,” who have accepted the free gift of salvation, are adopted into the Holy Family. We are considered “Children of God.”

And God only wants the best for his kids!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Hope for the World!

For Wednesday, September 1, 2021

John 4:25-26: “The woman at the well said, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’

Then Jesus declared to her, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he. I am the Messiah!’”

Imagine engaging in a conversation with a stranger who suddenly announces, “I am the Messiah!” Jesus authenticated himself by telling her everything she had ever done, a lot of it not too good! But she wanted to change – she immediately hung on his every word and gathered her community to meet the promised savior. She had been given immeasurable hope!

Nowadays we can all know that same hope, and we can share it with others. God wanted to include us in His eternal Kingdom, and the sacrifice of Jesus made it all possible. Just like the woman at the well, we are saved by grace through our faith in Jesus.

Hope is God’s gift to the world!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Encouragement and Hope!

For Friday, April 30, 2021

Romans 15:4 CEV: “The Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope.”

Q: What’s in the Bible?

A: Encouragement and hope!

Paul said we should keep our eyes on the prize, on the ultimate goal. And for a believer, that’s life after this life in the presence of Father God! It’s knowing that Jesus made it possible for eternity to be a pleasant experience for us! Yes, friends, we have inherited a lot of hope!

Different churches have different activities and different programs. They’re usually all good, and some are a lot of fun. But EVERY church needs to be clear on the basics, the fact that death is not the end, and that Jesus can make everything way better!

Jesus has offered to be our friend; we should reciprocate, saying, ‘Yes, Lord!’

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Heart!

For Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Romans 10:19 Phillips: “If you openly admit by your own mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and if you believe in your own heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

We use the heart as a metaphor for deep-rooted all-in belief. Example: A man and a woman say to each other, “I love you with all my heart,” which indicates more than just words, more than a few simple actions. It's an unshakable forever commitment, and that's how we're to love the Lord and his Son Jesus – with deep-down eternal faith that confirms our hope in the promises of Jesus.

Having that kind of faith, we can confidently proclaim Jesus to others. He commanded us to share the Good News, and the fact that our faith resides within our heart makes this possible.

We all want to be saved, rescued and redeemed. We all want an eternal place in the heavenly community with Jesus. And we are saved by the grace of God, through our faith in Jesus the Christ.

Blessings to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Shared Hope!

December 7, 2020 Monday Message

Mark 5:19 NLT: “Jesus told the man, 'Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.'”

This is the conclusion to a powerful story of Jesus' healing in the Bible. For years the man had been possessed by demons. Therefore his behavior was way outside traditional boundaries. Jesus sent the demons into some pigs, and sent the pigs over the cliff! The man was healed, saved by Jesus himself!

Out of gratitude, he wanted to follow Jesus full-time, to become one of Jesus' disciples. But Jesus told him no. The overall goal or 'mission' is to share the Good News of Jesus' salvation with ALL nations, and this man would be an extremely credible witness amongst his family and friends in his hometown, so Jesus sent him there.

God continues to fill our lives with goodness, and he wants us to both become a disciple of Jesus and to share the Good News with our friends and families. Knowing Jesus gives us hope, and part of our mission is to share that hope with others!

Blessings and safety as we begin this new week!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship 

3249 30^th Ave. S.

Minneapolis, MN 55406