Heaven is Expecting You!

For Tuesday, June 9, 2026:

Romans 8:30 NLT: “Having chosen his people, God called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”

Disciples of Jesus are part of God’s plan for eternity. You were chosen, earmarked for heaven, from the beginning. Since the Father cannot coexist with sin, he arranged for our sins to be forgiven by the work Jesus did on the cross. In the end, everything works out according to God’s plan, and we’re blessed to be included.

Do you appreciate the size of God’s gift? The Bible says that there is life after this life, and there are only two destinations: God’s Kingdom, or Satan’s place. The Kingdom will be fun, filled with activity, worship and other good things. Satan can only provide a lake of fire, leaving residents miserable – forever! Once we leave this reality, we cannot cross over from one side to the other. The decision to be with Jesus can only be made by humans on earth. So there’s an urgency to lock in our eternal position before passing. Me? I’m with Jesus!

Nothing could be worse than knowing you had a chance to spend eternity with the Savior, but never followed through on it. TODAY is the day to claim your reservation in the hereafter. TODAY is the best day to dedicate or rededicate your life to the Son. He’s already preparing a place for you!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Do What Jesus Did!

For Thursday, April 9, 2026:

Mark 16:17-18 NLT, Jesus speaking: “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes safely, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Once again, Jesus has separated the sheep from the goats. There are only two types of people in this world: believers and unbelievers. Jesus says that those who refuse to believe will be condemned. End of story. But those who believe will be blessed with the ability to continue doing what Jesus himself had been doing. He wants us to love our neighbors and bring joy into the world!

Notice that the first mention is the casting out of demons. As Jesus’ work is documented in our Gospels, this was often his first order of business. Satan’s demons are likely the root cause of many of the problems we witness. Since they live in the Spirit realm and can’t be seen, many of us fail to perceive the problem. Jesus never skipped this step. Don’t ever make the mistake of thinking that Satan is on holiday. He’ll happily keep us miserable until the end of the age. Remember, Mary Magdalene became one of Jesus’ most enthusiastic supporters, but not until he sent away the seven demons holding her back!

I’ve decided not to personally test the snakes and poison thing. But I have laid hands on the sick. God once told me that healing would begin in two days, and like clockwork, 48 hours later, my phone rang saying the patient had a radical turnaround! I’ve concluded that the world would be a better place if there were more Christians in it doing what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Believe the Eyewitnesses!

For Thursday, February 5, 2026:

Mark 16:14 NLT: “Jesus later appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.”

That Jesus would appear to the remaining 11 disciples. This should have removed all doubt concerning his resurrection. They could all see him and hear him speak. Unfortunately, he spoke a chastisement for their previous unbelief!

Jesus previously told them that he had to leave, but would come back for them. Prophets long ago had said that the Messiah would be persecuted, suffer and die. God saw to it that the disciples knew everything in advance. They were warned! But when it actually happened – when Jesus was crucified – they didn’t believe they’d ever see him again. They could not fathom their spiritual mentor dying a human death. And in their experience, once someone died, that was final.

But not for Jesus! He took another 40 days before ascending to God’s heavenly Kingdom. In that length of time, hundreds could have seen the risen Jesus! By then, life after this life should be known by all. “Should be...” The reality is that most didn’t understand what was taking place and tended to dismiss what they had seen with their own two eyes! It’s hard to convince people of conclusions that differ from their personal experiences!

Evangelists fight this same battle daily, trying to coax faith from unbelievers. Remember that Jesus said, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” So believe! Be blessed by the Messiah!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Creation's Gift!

For Saturday, October 25, 2025:

Hebrews 11:3 NLT: “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

Having a “high view” of the Bible, we believe the words therein are God-inspired and truthful. The Bible states that Jesus was present during the creation of everything – all planets, all galaxies, all universes, and everything in them – and that nothing was created except through Him. God and his Son didn’t gather little pieces of dust and clump them together, hoping to make a planet. No, they spoke, and that of which they spoke became so! Our universe contains all new materials. It’s not the recycled remains of previous efforts. God started from scratch. He did a good job! We’re allowed to live on one of the planets!

Jesus was present at creation and again in the well-documented New Testament. So when he returns for the end times, what we call the Second Coming will actually be the Third Coming. We call it the Second Coming because it will be the second time Jesus is seen by any large number of humans. At creation, Jesus was known only to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and perhaps Adam and Eve. The earth had not yet been populated.

I pray that we can all enjoy our planet and remember to thank God for his magnificent creation. He keeps us perpetually spinning like a giant top and spinning in a year-long elliptical orbit around the sun. It’s all part of God’s vast eternal plan, and we’re all blessed to be included!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Channel!

For Thursday, May 22, 2025:

Luke 11:28 CJB: “Jesus said, ‘Far more blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’”

As Jesus was teaching the crowd, a woman shouted out blessings to his birth-mother. Yes, Mary was obedient and highly favored by God. But the Father is even more pleased when one of us hears him and follows his instructions. Mary is history, but we are right now! Believers represent the future of the church for our generation. That’s what Jesus was saying.

God’s instructions will be heard by those with whom he has a relationship. If someone chooses to hear nothing from God, he won’t force his message on that person. Listening for God is like adjusting a radio receiver. If someone is not tuned in to the right frequency, they’ll never hear his message! So put God on one of your mind’s “preset” buttons! Let your Bible gather no dust!

Even more important than simply hearing God’s message is giving life to those instructions – obedience. Don’t think of serving God as an obligation. Consider it an opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with your Creator.

Believers have been drafted to play for God’s team. He wants us to win souls for the “good” team, those who, at the end of life’s game, are the winners.

Batter up!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Son of God!

For Saturday, April 1, 2023:

Matthew 16:15-16 NLT: “Then Jesus asked his disciples, ‘But who do you say I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’”

Some thought Jesus was John-the-Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. These people were just guessing, conjecturing, but they didn’t know Jesus very well. They had been watching for a Messiah to free them from the Roman government, but Jesus was here to solve their sin-problem!

Jesus felt it was important to clarify his identity, to make sure his closest friends knew the truth. He started with Simon-Peter: “Who do you say I am?”

Simon-Peter was quick to answer: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus goes on to say, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.” So God’s favor is upon a person when they acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and claim him as their Savior. Jesus said so!

Welcome to the Holy Family!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Please God!

November 22, 2021 Monday Message

Matthew 5:11 NIV, Jesus speaking: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

Jesus is wrapping up “The Beatitudes,” the opening of his Sermon on the Mount. He’s telling his listeners that being a believer won’t always be easy.

Instead of acknowledging the one true God, many people choose to make god-like decisions themselves. They want to be in charge, in control of everything, not submitting to any God. They will mock you, lie about you and propagate evil against you if you speak out in favor of the Messiah!

This is where Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek. As we live our lives, the one we’re trying to please is the Lord, not those who oppose us.

The Message Bible puts it like this: “Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds!”

If we believe in the Son, his Father will be pleased!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

You are Blessed!

For Sunday, August 29, 2021

Matthew 5:3 NIV: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Who needs a little more God in their lives? I’m guessing that we all do, so in a way, we’re all a little ‘poor in spirit.’ Jesus is dangling the kingdom of heaven like a carrot, before those who need spiritual encouragement. That’s a pretty big reward for just realizing that we need a little help with this life, and reaching out when that help is offered. We have been offered hope!

Jesus said that his walk among us didn’t target the ultra-religious. He was here for those who needed rescuing! “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.”

Everyone can be poor in spirit. “Not what I have, but what I have not.” (Spurgeon)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Walk with the Lord!

For Tuesday, October 6, 2020 

Psalm 119:37 CEV: “Take away my foolish desires, and let me find life by walking with you.”

Foolish circumstances should never overtake God’s substance, and here’s why. Incidents or circumstances yield but a brief moment of pleasure, whereas trusting in the Lord can result in an eternity of joy! And eternity is a VERY long time! 

So don’t settle for brief pleasure. Paul tells us, as we live our lives, to keep our eyes on the prize, and to run the race in such a way as to win that prize. That would include putting God first in our lives, and putting His ways ahead of our ways.

It’s good to ask for God’s help to keep us on His righteous path. We’re blessed when we stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God, and that gives us hope! 

Blessings to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Lift Up the Lord!

For Sunday, August 23, 2020. 

Matthew 5:5 CEV: “God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!”

Jesus taught his greatest message, the Sermon on the Mount, which included ‘The Beatitudes,’ defining great joy, extreme blessedness and happiness. 

“God blesses the ‘humble;’” other translations use the word ‘meek.’ Don’t get the wrong idea – this does NOT imply weakness. Rather it is strength under control, knowing when to stand up for principle and when to let the little stuff slide. It’s a finely-tuned balance between anger and indifference, both in your relationships with other people and with the Lord.

Jesus said that the first will be last, and the last will be first, implying that if you think you have it all together, you probably don’t, and if you know you need the helping hand of God, you’re on the right track! 

While we’re on the subject, let’s clear up the difference between ‘humility’ and ‘humbleness.’ Humility is like the word ‘humiliate,’ where someone is putting you down. But ‘humble’ is where you’re honoring someone else, lifting them up, as in “humbling yourself before God.” You don’t need to put yourself down in order to lift the Lord up!

So today, lift up the Lord! Exalt him! Know that He is God and you are not! Then expect more happiness and joy to fall into your life! 

Blessings and joy on this Sabbath day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Believe

May 05, 2014 Monday Message:

Jesus: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 ESV)

There are over 2 billion Christians in the world today, none of whom have ever “seen,” and yet by definition, they all “believe.”

Understanding these Christian stories requires a lot of faith. Some are unexplainable in “human” terms. What happened in the Bible – especially the facts concerning the resurrection and ascension – can only be explained as “supernatural”.

When I see and believe things that defy human logic, I credit God. Maybe it’s angels, or the Holy Spirit, but it’s all “God-stuff.” A dead man walking, talking and teaching - and eventually taken up into heaven in a cloud – humans just don’t do that stuff.

And yet those miracles are the crux of our theology. As Christians, we’ve heard these incredible stories for years, and they sound perfectly normal to us. Not so for the new believer. We need to help them with courage and confidence to become believers, because if they can believe without seeing, they too will be blessed. That’s what Jesus said.

Norton Lawellin

See you Sunday – This week Pastor Michael continues our study in Acts 1. Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday, at 10:30am, in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis.