Choose Wisely!

For Saturday, February 7, 2026:

Romans 6:18 NLT: “Now you (believers) are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.”

That great songwriter (and philosopher) Bob Dylan observed, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody.” Realize that, and decide today who you will serve.

The easy way and oftentimes the most profitable way is to follow the corrupt. Accept bribes, perpetrate scams, and only look out for yourself.

The better way, God’s way, puts truth and honesty at the top of our things-to-do list. We’re to love our fellows, and see that they have enough to eat and clothes to wear. Jesus specifically tells us to care for widows and orphans, those beaten up by wars, violence and corrupt governments.

We understand that we become slaves of whatever we choose to obey. You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living on earth and eternal life in the hereafter. It’s a choice! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!

"Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you!” Romans 6:17

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Covenant!

January 20, 2025, Monday Message:

Exodus 6:7 NLT, God’s words: “I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.”

By all rights, Pharaoh should have had the upper hand. The Hebrews were slaves, doing as the Egyptians ordered. And yet Pharaoh feared the foreigners living in his land. His anxiety turned into targeted vengeance, making the Israelite’s existence as miserable as possible.

An intervention was required, so God himself took control. We call this deliverance. Yahweh would deliver the Jews from their misery of living under Pharaoh’s rule.

Deliverance is still available nowadays. God can liberate you from oppression, prejudice, slavery to sin and earthly temptations. He can solve work disputes, financial difficulties and marital quarrels. He is, after all, God over everything! Post-deliverance life is far better than pre-deliverance life. Think about it like this: You have made a covenant with God, and He has made a covenant with you. It’s a good partnership. And by the way, never enter into a covenant with the devil!

The Lord said that you will be my people, and I will be your God. Sign on to the winning team, God’s team!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Bricks, Schmicks!

For Sunday, January 19, 2025:

Exodus 5:9 NLT, Pharaoh speaking: “Load the Hebrews down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”

How do you define evil? It was bad enough that Hebrew lives had been reduced to brick-making. Now they were no longer given straw for the bricks. They had to supply it themselves. But the daily brick quota remained unchanged. In other words, assign significantly more work without extending the deadline. That’s evil, cracking the whip while overseeing an impossible task.

Furthermore, the Jews had not been listening to lies. They were hearing the words and commands of God Almighty, our Creator. Our God is incapable of lying. His words are to be highly regarded and respected. Moses and Aaron were doing the right thing, following God’s instructions!

Pharaoh’s anger resulted from the first confrontation with Moses and Aaron, but he retaliated with rage against ALL the Hebrew people, who now blamed Moses for their predicament. “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

 "Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, ‘Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!’”

Moses speaks as if this was the end of the story, but we’re not done yet, and God’s not done yet! In fact, this is just the beginning of a scenario leading to the liberation of God’s people. By the end, the Egyptians will beg them to leave, and we’ll all be cheering! We’re on God’s side!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Good News!

July 08, 2024 Monday Message:

Luke 4:17a NLT: “The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Jesus.”

As we’d expect, Jesus was in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. It was considered an honor to be asked to read from the ancient scriptures, and Jesus was handed the prophesies documented by Isaiah, whose ministry began about 740BC. In other words, these words were written over 700 years BEFORE the birth of Jesus! Pretty distant prediction, but it all plays out right here!

Jesus read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Jesus was claiming that this ancient prediction applied to him! “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Blasphemy to many, but today we know it to be true! Those words perfectly describe Jesus’ mission in walking alongside mankind. “Gospel” translates as “Good News,” which Jesus brings to the poor who previously had no hope. Remember, the first will be last and the last will be first in this juxtaposition of pecking order. Diseases will be healed; the blind will see; the deaf will hear! Those who were slaves or were jailed unfairly will be set free. As sinners, we were slaves to Satan, but Jesus came to set everyone free by paying the ransom for the sins of the world!

When we enter the next reality, simply explain that Jesus has already prepared a place for you. Jesus is the guy just off to God’s right!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship