Continuous Truth!

For Saturday, June 6, 2026:

Colossians 1:23 NLT: “You must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.”

You probably already know that the word “Gospel” is translated as “Good News.” And Bible is also referred to as Truth. Once you have heard the story of Jesus, the Gospel, hang onto it firmly. Now that you know the truth, never waver in your commitment to Jesus.

This is the advice of Paul, who at first didn’t get it either. I jokingly say that Jesus slapped him upside the head on the road to Damascus, but that’s kind of what happened. Paul was struck blind for three days, led into town where a believer cleared his eyes, restoring his sight. Paul should have been quite hungry by then, but the first thing he did was to be baptized. Nothing was more important than obeying this newly discovered truth!

Paul was “all in!” How about you?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Conspiracy Theory!

For Thursday, May 21, 2026:

John 15:18 NLT, Jesus speaking: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”

That scripture tells us that the world somehow got turned around, 180º from where it should have been. After all, Jesus was always kind, nice and helpful. He would give of his own time to heal anyone who needed healing, and there seemed to be no end to this gift of healing. Every word he spoke was the truth, and he was religious, teaching from both the Prophets and Torah. What’s not to like about this guy?

Those against Jesus were cursed with greed and the desire for power. Although Rome ruled the country, the citizens were allowed to practice their ancestors’ religion, as long as they didn’t disrupt the Roman government. No riots, no rallies, no protests. Just follow your ethnic religion – quietly!

This left the Pharisees at the top of the pecking order. They were the ones trying to maintain power and resources. If worshipers went with this radical Jesus cult, they were NOT at the Temple! Furthermore, they probably took their tithes with them! So both influence and shekels going to Jesus threatened the Pharisees’ way of life. Jesus, you understand, was just doing what pleased his Father. But Pharisees initiated a conspiracy to have Jesus killed, to take him out permanently. He was that much of a threat to them that they would violate their own religious commandments!

Hatred for Jesus started as a conspiracy by the Pharisees. Israelites were accustomed to looking up to Pharisees for direction and advice. They were the religious leaders to be followed. When Pharisees spoke ill of Jesus, there was an implied obligation that people should follow their thinking. They convinced the surrounding world to hate the Messiah, which is unfortunate. The crowds changed their mantra from “Hosanna,” save us now, to, “Crucify him!, in less than a week.

I’ve said before that I believe Christianity should have been Judaism, the next chapter. It should have been a continuation of the life believers already knew, following God-the-Creator, God who brought them out of Egypt, God who delivered them to the Promised Land, and now God who sent them the Messiah as a redeemer for the sins of the world. Like Paul Harvey would have said, “The r-r-rest of the story!”

We’re presently living in the rest of the story. Jesus was here for us and promised that he’ll be back. Should we die first, he promised to prepare a place for us in his Father’s eternal heavenly Kingdom! Secure your spot today! All it takes is faith!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Joy!

For Tuesday, May 5, 2026:

John 15:11 NLT, Jesus speaking: “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

Jesus spent a lot of his time teaching the faithful. He wanted everyone to know how his Father expects them to live. He states unchangeable principles such as honesty and truth. And he foretells the future, wanting believers to have hope.

Many things will happen to fulfill God’s plan, things that may be confusing. Jesus wants to clear things up and let everyone know what to expect. One example is that mankind’s sins will be forgiven, taken away as if they never happened. That sounds good, but the human side of Jesus will die in the process, and that sounds bad. The truth is that everything is good that lines up with God’s plan. Seeing God’s plan come to fruition should bring us joy.

Happiness can be fleeting, but the joy of the Lord comes from substance. Happiness results from circumstances, and the circumstances around you are forever changing. Interestingly, “circumstance” is the same root word as “circus!” Does your life have three rings and a bear on a bicycle? That’ll put a smile on your face, make you happy, but nothing of substance, nothing that really matters lives there. When the bear falls off the bike, the smile falls off your face.

Not so with the joy of the Lord. God gives us a new day each morning and fills us with joy! We read God’s word in the Bible, and that reinforces our joy! We meet our friends and coworkers – more joy! God’s joy is permanent, something that matters, something of substance. It was God’s plan to rescue repentant believers. He took us under his wing, adopted us into the holy family, and that’s forever! We can look forward to living in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom in the place Jesus has prepared for us, where joy abounds!

We can decide how to live our lives – substance or circumstances, God’s way or the world’s way, fleeting happiness or rock solid joy. Choose wisely!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Changed for the Better!

For Wednesday, April 29, 2026:

Colossians 1:6 NLT: “This same Good News (Gospel) that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.”

Years ago, (when I was a much younger man,) I wrote “Changed Minds, Changed Hearts, Changed Lives.” Some of it was about evangelism. We needed to change some people’s minds about attending church, who Jesus is and the truth of the Bible. For those already attending, a change of heart was needed. They needed to be “all in” for Jesus, more than just “pew sitters.” With a changed heart, they could then unflinchingly believe in the truth of the Bible, and that Jesus is God’s Son. And as lives would change, many could move into leadership. Their lives were changed permanently!

In this scripture, a word that stands out to me is “understood.” Paul is saying that you may not have been convinced when you first heard about this, but only after you understood deep down the truth of what was being taught.

The other word is “truth.” Remember, Paul was waylaid on the road to Damascus by the risen Jesus, struck blind, and then shown truth by Jesus himself. To him, believing in Jesus was now nonnegotiable. Jesus had commanded believers to make disciples of all nations, and Paul was doing his part. He took the Gospel out of Jerusalem, out of Israel, and was now spreading the Good News throughout Asia Minor. We continue that work nowadays!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Confident Hope!

For Tuesday, April 28, 2026:

Colossians 1:4-5 NLT: “We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.”

Paul is writing this Epistle to the church in Colosse. It could have been written to any group of believers. Paul could have been writing to your church today!

Church is more than a social gathering. The common denominator is what Paul calls “confident hope,” also known as belief or faith. We believe everything that Jesus told us: Everything that we know was created by God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus is our rescuer, our redeemer. Jesus forgave our sins and proved that there is life after this life. When he said, “See you later,” he was going to prepare a place for us in the eternal Kingdom. Death is not the end for us, just as it was not the end for Jesus.

Believers share unshakable faith in the promises of Jesus. When we first heard the Gospel or Good News, it made sense to us. Our devotion has only grown stronger as time marches on. Like Paul and like the Colossians, we’re blessed by sharing confident hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Eternal Life!

For Saturday, April 25, 2026:

Romans 8:11 NLT: “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

Two important things happened between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. First, the sins of the world were heaped upon Jesus, who was otherwise sinless. His primary mission in coming to earth was the rescue of mankind from our sin problem. I believe this occurred when Jesus declared, “It is finished.” His mission had been accomplished. He would take those sins to the place of the dead, leaving mankind spotless, eligible to take up residence in God’s heavenly Kingdom.

And on resurrection Sunday, Jesus was raised from the dead and walked out of the tomb. He proved to everyone that there is life after this life, and that death is not the end. Believers, those who call Jesus “Lord,” will receive that same reward. We call it Assurance of Salvation.

If you’re looking for a guarantee of someday seeing heaven from the inside, here it is. No other religion can promise Assurance of Salvation. This scripture quotes the words of Jesus, which we know to be true! They’re in the Bible, which is also truth!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Challenge Builds Strength!

Friday, April 24, 2026:

Luke 4:14-15 NLT: “Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.”

After being tested in the desert by Satan, Jesus returned to the region around the Sea of Galilee. The Devil had been tempting Jesus, who consistently rejected Satan’s offers. In this ongoing battle of good vs evil, Jesus was the clear victor. And when you battle the evil one and win, you emerge stronger. In other words, Jesus was in his prime as he began teaching in Synagogues. He was praised, honored and glorified by all.

The same principle applies to us. Satan will continue tempting us throughout our lives. But if we reject the evil one, we will emerge stronger for overcoming this challenge, just like Jesus!

At this point, Jesus’ ministry efforts were focused on teaching. Listening to him speak must have been like having a complete Bible commentary to explain Torah in a way that everyone could understand. Nowhere does it say that Jesus attended a school, a seminary or studied with a particular Rabbi. Being the Son of God, he just knew what the Father would want him to do, preach truth! At this time, there was no organized opposition to Jesus

Lead us not into temptation. But if we find ourselves there, let us grow from the challenge. Let us emerge stronger!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Vines and Branches!

For Thursday, April 23, 2026:

John 15:4 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

When Jesus walked on earth, almost everyone was a part of the agricultural industry, albeit on a small scale. If your family had apple trees, you could take some to market and barter for olives or figs. Or grapes and a little meat. Even children would know how to grow things, how to raise a crop. So Jesus uses an example that everyone would understand.

He calls himself the grapevine, and Father God would be the gardener, the one with a lot of wisdom about such things. If a branch no longer produces fruit, it’s worthless, so the gardener cuts it off, and into the fire it goes. Branches producing a bountiful harvest are pruned judiciously, so they can produce even more.

Jesus tells them, “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” Ah, I get it! Believers are the fruit of Jesus’ ministry!

But this isn’t the time to coast. Don’t even consider quitting. There’s still plenty of work to do. Stay connected with Jesus and with fellow believers. A branch cannot produce more fruit for the Kingdom if it’s separated from the vine.

Today, there are about 2.6 billion Christians on our Earth. Every one of them is the result of Jesus being the vine that can support many branches. Just before Jesus left us to return to the Father, he commanded, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Our work will be done when everyone has had a chance to learn the Good News!

Jesus says the harvest will be plentiful so we could use a few more workers!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Sin's Influence!

For Wednesday, April 22, 2026:

Romans 8:5 NLT: “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”

Think about it. What dominates your mind? If your mind wanders and you find yourself daydreaming, what was your topic?

Satan wants to plant sinful thoughts in your mind because the result is so predictable. At first, a lot of sin can appear to be fun, releasing dopamine, the feel-good hormone, into our brains. Mankind seems to find excitement in taking a little risk, in doing something just a little bit naughty. But as Christians, that isn’t where we should be.

The lie is in thinking that sin is fun, but the truth is that in the long run, sin is devastating. (Satan is always telling us lies!) Sin destroys homes and families, can separate children from their parents, and is a bad example for the next generation. But even worse, it saddens your Father in heaven.

Let me make a broad theological assumption. I’m guessing that if you’ve prayed and asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life, you weren’t intending to exclude Father God or the Holy Spirit. Being a Trinity, you can’t really have one without the others. Being a Christian is family business, the family of God.

So get out of the driver’s seat of your daily life, and let the Holy Spirit call the shots. The Holy Spirit is not influenced by Satan’s temptations, and your life will immediately improve. Tune your ears to only listen to the words of God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

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

Temptations!

For Wednesday, April 15, 2026:

Luke 4:1b-2a NLT: “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days.”

This was a major event in Jesus’ life. He must have talked about it, retold the story many times. He had not yet called the 12, and yet they write about it.

It’s the classic battle between good and evil. Satan’s goal is to derail anything God is for. Truth and honesty are prime targets. Lust and greed are high on Satan’s list. He offers authority and influence, worthless because Jesus already has those traits. In the end, Jesus refuses each of Satan’s offers, countering with scripture: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”

Satan should have just given up. Was God’s Son ever going to oppose his Father? I think not! And yet Satan has to try. It’s in his job description! Jesus refuses Satan’s offers, and that fits his job description. Our job as Christians is to do what Jesus did. Be nice, be kind, love our neighbors, and most of all love the Lord and all that he stands for!

Many temptations will confront us in this life, and our job is to reject Satan and side with Jesus. He was heaven-sent to deal with mankind’s sin issues. He carried away our sins, leaving believers unblemished, spotless in God’s eyes, and eligible for residence in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom!

Keep your eyes on the prize!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Lies!

For Tuesday, April 7, 2026:

Matthew 28:11 NLT: “As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened.”

The tomb was discovered open, and the body of Jesus was missing. This is exactly what the Jews didn’t want to happen. That’s why guards were placed at the tomb. But what happened next is even more unbelievable.

The leading priests met with the elders and agreed to pay a large bribe, asking the guards to lie. They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’’’ Religious leaders without truth have no platform on which to stand. Lying violates every commandment that they teach.

Verse 15 concludes this section: “So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.”

Question: Why would anyone stick with a religion predicated on a lie? This is one more example of religion getting seriously off-track. God rescued his people from Egypt and gave them the Promised Land. Then God’s Son came to Earth to rectify mankind’s sin problem. Forgiven, the people should reconcile with the Lord, not be fighting over the authenticity of the Son. God had everything worked out until mankind lied. It’s like the Garden of Eden all over again!

God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Love all three and love your neighbor, and the Lord will smile on you!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Believe!

April 6, 2026, Monday Message:

John 20:27 NLT: “Then Jesus said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’”

On the cross, Jesus himself said, “It is finished.” The mission trip to planet Earth was complete. Sins had been paid for and forgiven, and the barrier between God and mankind had been torn, top to bottom. The only thing left to do would be to make sure everyone understands what just happened. The crucified Jesus had been brought back to life, proving that death is not the end! Both sin and death had been conquered!

No one had ever seen anything like this before, so explaining the miracle proved more difficult than it might first appear. Among the doubters was Thomas, who had not been present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples. “Come over here. Look at my hands! Put your hand into my side, where the spear was. Let your own two eyes guide your faith! Believe!”

Jesus also needed to let as many people as possible learn the truth of what had taken place. So he continued to teach, to speak publicly and heal those who needed healing. The man who everyone saw die on the cross was up, out of the tomb, walking around and carrying on conversations. He was a miracle that everyone could see with their own two eyes!

Over 2,000 years later, we’re still talking about it. Check it out for yourself. Read the testimony of the eyewitnesses. Then Jesus told Thomas, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” So friends, believe in your heart. Your eternal destiny depends on it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Resurrection Sunday – Easter!

For Resurrection Sunday, April 5, 2026:

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Matthew 28:6 NLT, an Angel speaking: “Jesus isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.”

According to Jewish tradition of that time, women would prepare a body for its final resting place. So it’s logical that Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons, would be the first to show up, along with the other Mary, mother of James and Joseph. They had been frightened by a sound like an earthquake, made by this gigantic angel descending to earth and rolling away the humongous stone from the tomb. The angel sat on the stone, as if to make a point!

By this time, most believers had given up. Jesus died three days ago. We saw the spear in his side. We watched as his limp body was placed in the tomb. No one person could move the stone sealing the burial place. Besides, it was being guarded by Pilate’s soldiers.

When the women arrived to tend to the body, they were confronted by the angel sitting on the stone that no one could move. “Don’t be afraid!” he said, always an angel’s first words. You should know that angels aren’t those cute little figurines that you see at Hallmark. ‘Angel Army of Heaven’ would be a better way to put it. Big, hairy audacious angels. (I don’t know if they’re hairy; it just sounded cool…) “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.” Mark this down as one more time that prophecy turned out to be true, that Jesus’ words were synonymous truth!

The angel further instructs the women: “Now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.”

The women took off immediately, but suddenly encountered Jesus along the way. “Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

Jesus conquered sin and death with the same event! Repentant believers are snatched from Satan’s hand and granted eternal life in God’s eternal heavenly Kingdom. And death is not the end. Believers are born again!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Holy Saturday!

For Holy Saturday, April 4, 2026:

Matthew 27:64 NLT, asking Pilate: “We (the leading priests and Pharisees,) request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

The leading priests seemed unconcerned with spiritual authenticity, unconcerned with truth. To them, Jesus was a threat to their power and money. People had left the Synagogue to follow Jesus, and their tithes had gone to Jesus rather than the Temple. Because Jesus was a perceived threat, the leading priests and Pharisees plotted to kill him, which goes against everything they stood for. Now they were worried that Jesus’ prophecy would come true, that he would rise in three days. Men were sent to guard the tomb so that no one could steal the body and falsely claim that Jesus was alive.

The Great Exchange: Remember that while on the cross, the sins of the world were heaped upon Jesus, and His innocence was imparted to believers. That’s a massive amount of forgiveness, but that was the Father’s plan to bring believers home. That was Jesus’ mission, to rescue mankind from Satan’s territory. You could say that Jesus was on a mission trip to planet Earth!

One more thing: Many of us learned the Apostles’ Creed growing up. There’s a mistranslation that has always bothered me. The creed states, “Jesus was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell.” Friends, Jesus did not go to hell. He went to Sheol, a place for the dead. It is not heaven, and it is not hell. It may involve judgment, since Moses wrote, “The anger of Yahweh is a flame which burns in the ‘depths’ of Sheol.” But believers are already forgiven by the work Jesus did on the cross.

I suspect that not much happened on Holy Saturday, since that day is the Sabbath for Jews. It’s the Lord’s day, not a day for customary work. Jesus will be back to work tomorrow, walking away from his grave. Christians worship on Sunday, the day we realized that Jesus had conquered sin and death at the same time! In the meantime, "Shabbat Shalom!"

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church