Lotsa Faith!

For Tuesday, October 20, 2026:

Romans 10:10 NLT: “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

How much faith is enough? When it comes to Jesus, believers should set their faith to 10! We believe that he’s the Son of God, sent from heaven to redeem mankind. True believers don’t think redemption is some day in the future. It’s already here, it’s already done. Count on it. We believe God also raised Jesus from the dead, and that he walked away from the tomb! Sin and death were conquered in the same event. We trust the eyewitnesses who saw Jesus ascend into heaven, returning to the Father. We believe these facts with all our hearts, with unflinching devotion to the Son!

Our faith tells us that what we know about Jesus is truth, and since it’s all true, we’ve been commissioned to tell others. The Bible says that people of all nations need to hear the Good News. God loves all the people he created, no matter where they reside, and he doesn’t want to lose anyone. His goal is for everyone to repent and return, just like we did.

In this letter to the Roman church, Paul is encouraging them to believe 100%, having all-in faith in the Son. It’s the same for us nowadays. Faith is contagious, and our faith may captivate new believers. That would put a smile on Jesus’ face!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Made Right with God!

October 5, 2026, Monday Message:

Romans 10:4 NLT: “Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”

People cling to their old ways, their old beliefs. That’s normal human behavior. The Bible says that God (and Jesus, for that matter,) are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So most people aren’t expecting anything to change. For example, If God stated a law or issued a command, obedience should please him, and it still does. What changed is the manner in which we receive salvation.

On the cross, the sins of the world were heaped upon Jesus. He took sin to the place of the dead. Our salvation is a free, undeserved gift because of our loyalty to God’s Son. In other words, believers receive salvation, a reservation in God’s eternal Kingdom, not earning their way in but by accepting the sacrifice made for our rescue.

Today’s scripture summarizes the concept. “All who believe in Jesus are made right with God!” It’s that simple!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Saved!

For Saturday, September 26, 2026:

Romans 10:1 NLT: “Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.”

Paul is writing to the church in Rome, and the first believers came from the Jewish faith. They already knew God the Father, and a Messiah’s arrival had been predicted. With just a few theological adjustments, Christianity worked for at least some of them.

Paul’s starting point was to lock in those Jews. Once the people of Israel formed a solid base, they could begin evangelizing pagans. People living in Rome, as in Greece, were offered many false gods through their traditions. They had a god for the sun, moon, wind and rain. They had a god for abundant crops and a goddess for sexual satisfaction. You could buy little statuettes of these pretend gods and put them on your mantle. Teaching these people about the real God and his Son would be a monumental task, but Paul was up for it.

God’s desire is for ALL to believe, Jews, Gentiles, pagans and aristocrats alike. Jesus was sent to offer forgiveness and salvation to everyone, no exceptions.

Believers are blessed to have been saved, and we have been commissioned to teach the Gospel truth to everyone on earth. Where is your mission field? Is it where you work or where you work out? Perhaps your children go to school with their children, and you can meet the parents. God wants everyone to have a chance to make the right decision, and that would be to claim Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life. Commit or recommit yourself to him today, and then tell others!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Origins!

For Sunday, September 20, 2026:

John 16:30 NLT, Disciples responding to Jesus: “Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”

Nowadays, becoming a Christian requires believing that Jesus was heaven-sent and knowing that he’s God’s Son. Believers accept that Jesus is our Creator, in human body form, part of the eternal Father-Son-Holy Spirit Godhead. We believe!

But 2K years ago, people were just beginning to discern the divine nature of Jesus. Understand that if Jesus had simply said, “Hey, Son of God here!,” no one would have believed him. But those close to him, his disciples, heard his wisdom and were eyewitnesses to many miracles. Eventually, Jesus spoke to them, summarizing his relationship with the Father and his earthly mission. They came to believe!

Their group acknowledged that Jesus knew everything. He’s omniscient just like the Father. Once Jesus was identified as God, there would be no need to question him further. Believers had found the next step in their religious walk. They had found the Messiah, the Savior of the world. Jesus offered forgiveness and eternal life to the faithful.

Thank goodness Jesus showed that early group the truth, so that they could lock in as believers. Believers tend to make more believers, and today we gratefully hold on to their truth. Thankfully Jesus doesn’t have to prove himself to us again! Share this Good News with another prospective believer!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Make Disciples!

For Tuesday, July 28, 2026:

John 16:9 NLT, Jesus speaking to believers: “The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me.”

What’s wrong with the world? Nothing that a healthy dose of ‘Jesus’ wouldn’t fix! If everyone believed that Jesus was the heaven-sent Son of God, they’d soon start following his other commands and living like he lived. Our world would be a better place. But the first step is helping everyone believe in Jesus!

Jesus commissioned believers to make disciples of all nations. But if you’re keeping score, friends, we’re falling behind. Christianity is no longer the dominant religion in England and France, largely displaced by Islam, and we seem to be losing ground in the US. We can do better!

Last week, I heard part of a message from an Imam, the Muslim version of a Pastor. Elections are coming up, and he advised his congregation to seek every political office, from Senator to dog catcher. This push is part of their five-year plan to take over the United States.

Our country was founded promising freedom of religion, but all under God’s value system, God’s rules and commands. Different denominations were OK as long as they were Christian denominations. You could claim to be Lutheran, Presbyterian or even Roman Catholic, as long as Jesus was the center of your faith. Our founding fathers never anticipated non-believers trying to manage a nation founded under God’s laws. To non-believers, God’s rules and laws seem irrelevant.

The time is now to prayerfully consider your piece of the Great Commission. Jesus not only wants you to help, but he is graciously allowing you to help! Make this the week you bring a friend to church. Once they know Jesus, the rest will fall into place!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Who Is This Guy?

April 27, 2026, Monday Message:

Mark 11:27-28 NLT: “Jesus and the disciples were walking through the Temple area, when the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right to do them?”

Those posing the question didn’t really like Jesus. They were prejudiced against him. He was a threat to their authority and income. So they asked him kind of a trick question. If Jesus said he was on his own, he wouldn’t possess the authority to demand compliance. If he said he was sent by God, they would demand proof.

Jesus answers their question with one of his own, like the storybook troll asking you to solve a riddle before crossing a bridge. “I’ll answer your question if you can answer mine. What about John the Baptist? Who gave him authority?”

The priests and teachers didn’t know how to answer. They hadn’t obeyed John, so they couldn’t admit that his words were heaven-sent. On the other hand, they didn’t want to say John was merely human, because most people thought John was a prophet. So this collection of the greatest religious minds in all of Israel finally answered, “We don’t know.” Duh!

Consequently, Jesus refused to give them an answer. To him, the answer should have been obvious. Who would know all of God’s laws, the best way for us to live? Who could heal any malady, making people as good as new? Who could raise Lazarus from the dead? Everyone may not have known that Jesus is God’s Son, but they should have been able to discern that his actions were heaven-sent.

Jesus wants us all to answer that question, “Who do you believe he is?” Read and re-read the eyewitness accounts until you get it. Jesus is the heaven-sent Son of the Most High, who was sent here to rescue mankind. His mission was successful!

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

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

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

 

Do What's Right!

For Tuesday, February 24, 2026:

Romans 7:15-17 NLT: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.”

Have you ever found yourself in a similar predicament? You’ve been introduced to Jesus, you believe, and want to live your life his way. And yet you find yourself slipping back into your old, sinful behavior. In spite or your best intentions, the author of sin makes sin look attractive and drags you down into the muck once again. You don’t want to do wrong. You swore you’d never do those bad things again. And yet here we find ourselves!

The author of this Epistle is as human as we are. “I want to do what is right, but instead I do what I hate.” Fortunately, there is no limit to God’s love. If our heartfelt desire is to do the right thing, we can confess, repent and return to the Lord as often as need be. God offers forgiveness in abundance, free to all who confess and plead for redemption.

I believe that the longer we’re believers, the fewer encounters we’ll have with sin. We will become better people, more acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. He’ll need to forgive us less often because we’ll have a firmer grip on living according to God’s instructions.

When in doubt, just do what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Walk to Emmaus!

For Wednesday, February 4, 2026:

Mark 16:12-13 NLT: “Jesus appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.”

This would be the walk to Emmaus. It’s another example of a Jesus sighting following the crucifixion. As I said yesterday, these two followers saw Jesus, #1 die on a cross, #2 be pierced with a spear, and finally, #3 laid in a grave. So the last thing they’d expect to see would be Jesus walking alongside them. It’s not surprising that they didn’t recognize him. They never figured on ever seeing him again!

Jesus pretended to not know the recent happenings in Jerusalem, so the two travelers got him up to speed. Our religious mentor had been captured, beaten, endured a kangaroo court and a mock trial, and eventually was crucified and died. This happened just three days ago. How can you not have heard? We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel!

Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from Scripture the things concerning himself.

Imagine the surprise, these two men suddenly realizing that they were walking in the company of the Son of God! They had given up on Jerusalem and were headed home when their eyes were opened to the resurrection, the possibility of life after this life!

That’s the same battle we fight nowadays. Since we’ve never seen anyone from the hereafter, it’s hard for some people to believe that there IS a hereafter. That’s where Jesus went to prepare a place for believers. We’re to share that Good News as we make disciples of all nations. There will be room for all who believe!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Repent & Return:

Daily message of hope...

For Saturday, January 24, 2026:

 

Mark 16:15 NLT: “Then the risen Jesus told the believers, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.”

 

Throughout the Old Testament, the bottom-line message has always been to repent and return. Repent of sin, and return to the Lord. Come back to God’s way, his commandments and his thinking. God has a plan to reward loyalty.

 

As the New Testament begins and Jesus enters our world, the plan unfolds. Jesus’ mission is to put the Father’s plan in motion. As He dies on a cross, He will take the sins of the world upon himself and carry them to the place of the dead, leaving the forgiven faithful as eligible for eternal residence in God’s heavenly Kingdom. Didn’t Jesus promise to prepare a place for us? And doesn’t Jesus always speak the truth? You might as well start packing, because we’re leaving soon

 

Before we leave, we should be doing what Jesus commanded: “Preach the Good News to everyone!” How we do that may look different for each of us, but if we combine our gifts, we can get the job done. Everyone needs to know that the heavenly train is leaving soon. There’s plenty of room, but we need to get on board with haste. That train won’t wait forever!

 

If you believe Jesus is who he said he was and have faith that he can do what he promised, you’re “IN!” You have something that only redeemed Christians have – Assurance of Salvation! Relax. God has you covered!

 

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

A Gift for Christmas!

For Saturday, December 20, 2025:

Romans 5:21 NLT: “Just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I can’t tell you how many people didn’t see heaven before Jesus. This scripture tells us that sin ruled in our world, and the wages of sin is death. After Jesus, because of his forgiveness of our sins, many more people will get to see heaven from the inside! That forgiveness is grace, God’s free gift to mankind. We can’t buy it, earn it or trade for it. That’s not the nature of a gift. God sent the gift to us through his Son, Jesus. Our part is to put our faith, hope and trust in the Son. Believe that Jesus is who he said he is, and that he can do what he said he can do. Think of the truth in the Bible as a prophecy for our future.

Graciously accept God’s gift, personally brought to our world by his Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Died for Sinners!

December 8, 2025, Monday Message:

Romans 5:7-8 NLT: “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

A parent should give up his/her life if their child is threatened. And we should willingly sacrifice ourselves if so directed by God. But there aren’t too many times our lives should be sacrificed for another.

As for Jesus giving up his life for the sins of the world, I can only say that we are not worthy. That’s what makes this gift so remarkable. God loves mankind since He created us, but our morals had (and have) fallen by the wayside. And in spite of that, God commanded his son to personally be the sacrifice redeeming us from our sin penalty.

In my opinion, the most incredible thing is the order in which this all occurred. Mankind didn’t confess, repent and suddenly get our lives in order so God could gift us! No! God’s Son Jesus paid the price “while we were still sinners.” God put the opportunity, the gift, in place, awaiting our acceptance. God’s gift of forgiveness and everlasting life were given to first-century believers, and those same gifts are available to 21^st century believers – to us, to our children, and to our grandchildren. Since the gift is already offered, our obligation is to accept what was offered. We need to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that his words are true, and that he can and will do for us what he said. Today is the accepted day to claim God’s salvation gift!

"There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church