Provision!

For Saturday, June 13, 2026:

Luke 5:3 NLT: “Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon (Peter), its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.”

Have you ever been on a shore and clearly heard a conversation taking place on a nearby boat? Voices carry quite a distance over water. Jesus had been preaching the Word of God from shore, but the crowd had grown too large for everyone to hear. His solution was to hop in a boat and use it as his podium. His voice would then carry well over the water! Problem solved!

Jehovah-Jireh, God the provider, already had two boats nearby. Finding no fish that day, the crew was back in port cleaning their nets. The lesson here is that God will often provide what you need even before you know that you need it! Jesus would later repay their favor by taking them fishing for more fish than both boats could hold, but that’s another lesson!

The Bible says that people were “pressing in” on Jesus to hear the Word of God. Soon he might have been under the waves in the Sea of Galilee! The boat was a much better solution! God is good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Feed Five Thousand?

For Wednesday, March 11, 2026:

Matthew 14:15-16 NLT: That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”

When Jesus heard that his cousin John the Baptist had been executed, he wanted some alone time. So he boarded a boat, seeking peace on the other side of the lake. It didn’t work. The huge crowd followed him up the shoreline and met him on the other side. Full of love and compassion, Jesus healed the sick among them.

That’s when his disciples advised dismissing the crowd, sending them away to obtain food. No one had had supper, let alone lunch, and this was about to become a big problem. Proving he still had a sense of humor, Jesus replied, “YOU feed them!” To understand how ridiculous this was, realize that there were 5K men present, most with their wives and some with a few kids! So the crowd could have numbered close to 20K! The disciples were horribly under-resourced! They had already counted the available food: five barley loaves and a couple of fish! No way this was going to work.

Jesus told his disciples to seat the people in groups, 50-100 people. Then he lifted the bread and fish toward heaven and blessed it. Breaking the bread and fish, he sent a suitable portion to each group and never seemed to run out of food, as if this simple meal had a never-ending supply. Everyone ate their fill, and afterward the disciples gathered up 12 baskets of leftovers!

This miracle is documented in all four Gospels, and typical emphasis seems to be on the “miracle.” That’s not bad, but I also like to remember the love and compassion Jesus showed for his loyal followers. That’s typical Jesus behavior. As we live our lives for Christ, most of us will never get the chance to feed 5K. But we’ll get plenty of chances to lend aid to those seeking the Kingdom.

When in doubt, do what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Nazareth!

For Tuesday, February 10, 2026:

Matthew 2:20 NLT: “Get up!” the angel said to Joseph. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that their persecutor Herod had died, so it now appeared safe for the Holy family to return to Israel. Then they received the bad news, that Herod’s son Archelaus would be the new ruler. Like father, like son. This was no improvement.

But there’s even more good news! Rather than Jerusalem, the family could settle in Nazareth, only a four to seven day hike away, far enough to remain safe, but close enough to attend religious festivals at the Temple. Jesus would be known as a Nazarene.

Jesus could safely start his ministry around Nazareth. And just to the Northeast is Tiberias on Lake Gennesaret, also known as the Sea of Galilee. Jesus blessed many believers around that lake, including the twelve. Nazareth was his home base, his safe haven, while Jerusalem would ultimately be his demise.

We thank God for allowing Jesus to safely begin his ministry in Nazareth, and for allowing him to complete his mission in Jerusalem. That’s where he took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, allowing mankind to reunite with the Father! That’s where believers stand today, forgiven by the work of Jesus on the cross, and servants of the Lord Most High!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Walk On Water!

For Saturday, January 20, 2024:

Mark 6:48b NLT “About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.”

The Sea of Galilee, 64 sq. miles of Jordan river water between the Golan Heights and Galilee, is the lowest freshwater lake on earth. It sits in the valley where the African continent touches the Arabian countries. Therefore the lake is known for earthquakes, volcanic activity and generally bad weather. So it’s not surprising that a storm would come up as the disciples were returning to Bethsaida.

From the shore, Jesus could see that they were in trouble. So he walked out to take a look – walking ON the water! Those in the boat were frightened, thinking they had seen a ghost! But Jesus comforted them. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!”

As Jesus stepped into the boat, the storm subsided and the travelers continued safely to the other shore. Everything that had happened in the last couple of days was a lot for the disciples to take in. Much of it they didn’t yet understand: the huge crowd assembling to hear Jesus; the feeding of thousands from five little barley loaves and a couple of fish; Jesus apparently being able to control the weather – and now walking on water! How does he do that? When time allowed, the disciples would have a lot of questions for the Master!

Each of us should have a lot of questions for the Master! Some answers we can get from the Bible, or from a good Bible teacher. We need to know the answers so that as we’re leading others to Jesus, we can answer their questions!

We accept a few things simply through faith. Perhaps all will be explained when we reach heaven – or maybe not! That’s OK. When all of our travelers reached the opposite shore and disembarked, word of Jesus’ arrival spread like wildfire! If the sick could just touch the hem of his garment, they were fully healed. We don’t really need to know HOW he did it; just that it happened – predictably and repeatedly!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Rescue Mode!

For Tuesday January 9, 2024:

Mark 4:38b NLT: “The disciples woke Jesus up, shouting, ‘Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?’”

Jesus decided to venture to the other side of the lake. Throwing caution to the wind, the entourage immediately hopped into boats and off they went!

Alternately called the Sea of Galilee, Lake Tiberias or Lake Gennesaret (Greek) or Kinneret (Hebrew), this was a sizable body of water a short distance from Nazareth, known for violent maritime storms. Fed by the Jordan river and underground springs, the lake was well known by commercial fishermen, but those sailors were wise keeping a constant eye on the weather.

As happened, while they were traveling, a ferocious storm erupted and everyone sensed impending doom. Interestingly, Jesus slept through the whole incident. (Like Alfred E. Neuman: “What? Me worry?”) When the crew found themselves knocking on death’s door, it was past time to rouse their leader. “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

Jesus awakened, ordering the storm, “Silence! Be still!” And just like that, the wind ceased and calmness dominated the waters. Those present were amazed that nautical storms would obey Jesus’ commands. It was a test of their faith and of our faith. It’s an answer to everyone’s question, “Who is this guy, that the weather obeys his edict?”

Who do you say that he is?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship