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

Christian Focus!

For Thursday, March 12, 2026:

Romans 7:21 NLT, Paul speaking: “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.”

Paul is living in a world filled with sin, and as much as he tries to honor God by doing right, frustrations of this life find him slipping back into his old behavior. Remember, when he first set out, Paul was armed with a letter from the Temple leaders authorizing him to stop these radical new Christians, to return them to Jerusalem in chains! The risen Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus, striking him blind and helpless, saying, “Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?” This was enough to make Paul do a 180, to realize that Jesus was indeed the heaven-sent Son of God. Paul became a Jesus advocate. He was brought into the city and his sight restored by a believer. Paul was immediately baptized and became an instant evangelist! (By the way, “Saul” was his Hebrew name, like King Saul. “Palus” was his Greek name, which we translate into English as “Paul.”)

God gave mankind the power to think and reason. If we were forced to follow Jesus, our loyalty would mean nothing. Therefore, God lets us choose, wants us to choose Him! We’re taken off track by Satan and his demons shouting, “Pick me! Pick me!” At first, sin seems to be fun and exciting, but it never works out in the long run. God’s desire is for everyone to repent and return — repent of our sins and return to the roster of believers. When this life ends, we want to find ourselves on God’s short list, unwavering in our commitment to the Father and his Son.

The longer we’re Christians, the easier it will become to stay on the high road. God wants us to succeed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Believe?

For Friday, January 10, 2025:

John 9:35b NLT: “Do you believe in the Son of Man, the Son of God?”

Jesus asks this question of the man who had been born blind, but it’s a good question for all of us. Of course that man, whose sight had just been restored, was eager to learn the source of his miracle. He says he believes, but is still unclear about the source.

Jesus fills in the blanks, telling the man, “You have seen him, and he is speaking to you!” Right here, right now, standing right in front of you, and speaking to you! It’s me – I’m the Son of God!

This is one of several scriptures where Jesus clearly states who he is. We are saved by faith, faith that Jesus is who he claims to be, and that he can do what he says he can do.

God shows us who Jesus is. After all, our eyewitness, the blind man, can now see!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Blind!

For Thursday, January 9, 2025:

John 9:25b NLT: “I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

This man, born blind, had been given sight by Jesus. He’s being questioned by Pharisees about the miracle. They want all the details. They’re trying to determine Jesus’ source of power. That Jesus healed on the Sabbath just complicates matters.

But they’re all missing the big point, and the man who was healed tries to simplify things. “I was blind, and now I can see!” Get it? If you couldn’t see before, but now you CAN see, little else matters. It’s time to say thanks, praise God and get on with life.

But the Pharisees already had their minds made up. No testimony was going to convince them that Jesus was heaven-sent. They were predisposed to reject eyewitness testimony.

Turns out it was the Pharisees who were blind!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

More Faith!

For Saturday, February 10, 2024:

Mark 10:48b NLT, Blind Bartimaeus shouting to Jesus: “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

People were learning who Jesus was and what he could do. So large crowds followed him from place to place, this time on the road to Jericho, just to see what might happen.

Blind Bartimaeus had his begging spot along this road, and when the people told him Jesus was on the way, he shouted, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Some thought he should be quiet and not bother Jesus, but Jesus, who often does the unexpected, called the man to him.

In his enthusiasm to meet Jesus, Bartimaeus ran, throwing his coat aside. That’s significant, because the coat was probably his most prized possession. Since he was a beggar, he probably didn’t have a home, probably slept on the street, and that coat kept him alive on cold nights.

Jesus inquired. “What do you want me to do for you?” Duh! As if it wasn’t obvious. But Jesus wanted everyone present to hear the request.

"I want to see!”

Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he joined the throng following Jesus down the road!

Once again, a better life happens because of faith!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Children of God!

For Wednesday, October 19, 2022:

Ephesians 3:6 NLT: “This is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.”

Paul, leading his posse to persecute Christians, was struck down on the road to Damascus, where Jesus himself called Paul into Christian ministry. Blind for 3 days, Paul was led into the city. His sight was restored and he was baptized by Christians. Paul is the only evangelist in the Bible personally called by Jesus after the resurrection!

While Paul was blind, the Bible says that Jesus questioned his persecution of Christians. At the same time, I believe Jesus also gave Paul a great deal of knowledge and theological detail. We can believe everything that Paul’s preaching, because his new theology came straight from the Messiah!

The Son of God came to the world through the Jews, but he is to be the Savior of ALL the world, and Paul makes this clear. Anyone who is a believer – slave or free, male or female, Jew or Gentile – becomes one of God’s children, a member of the Holy Family, with all the rights and privileges of any family member.

Children of God become residents in the Kingdom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Eternal Substance!

 

September 19, 2022 Monday Message:

Luke 18:41 NLT: Jesus: “What do you want me to do for you?

”Blind beggar: “Lord, I want to see!”

We tend to live in our circumstances. This blind beggar could have asked to spend eternity in the presence of the Lord, and Jesus could have granted that request! Ultimately, that was Jesus’ gift to the whole world. But the beggar, like most of us, focused on the his present predicament, the fact that he could not see.

I cannot fault the beggar for his response. Being blind is a huge disability, and being able to see would be life-changing. But note that the beggar called Jesus “Lord.” He may already have been a believer!

As we pray for God’s help with our present circumstances, remember to also include things of substance, things of eternal significance. Thank God for who he is and for what he has done for us. Thank him for including us in the Kingdom of believers. Thank God and his Son Jesus for coming to earth to rescue mankind. Thank him for giving us eternal hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Spiritual Blindness

Feb. 03, 2014 Monday Message:

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38 NLT)

There is physical blindness – what we all think of when we hear the word, “blind.” There is also spiritual blindness.

The blind beggar on the road to Jericho didn’t cry out, “Heal me,” or “Open my eyes.” Rather, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” You see, he already knew that Jesus was the one who could forgive his sin and restore his relationship with the father. The man may have been physically blind, but his spiritual eyes were already open.

Sometimes though, even with 20/20 vision, people are “spiritually blind.” When John Newton penned the lyrics to “Amazing Grace,” he describes in the first-person how he was “lost,” but now is “found.” He was “blind,” but now he can “see.” God had shown him the error of his previous path in life, and now the correct path was made clear. His spiritual eyes had been opened.

If you’re reading this, your spiritual eyes are probably open. Those suffering from spiritual blindness wouldn’t be interested in such a topic. We can pray for them, that their eyes would be opened.

Norton Lawellin

Join us for worship - 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. This week Jesus joins Zacchaeus for dinner, and salvation comes to his house that day. Pastor Michael Pilla continues our study in Luke 19. See you at church!

I Want To See!

Jan. 27, 2014 Monday Message:

Jesus: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41a NLT)

Jesus crossed paths with a blind man on the road outside Jericho. When Jesus asks the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” most of us already have the answer. After all, the man is blind, Jesus can heal – duh!

But think about it - the man could have asked for anything; and Jesus could have granted anything. After all, he’s God incarnate. Jesus’ miracles aren’t limited to healing physical ailments.  

You’ve heard the saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” In a similar way, our most urgent problem often gets our prayer. We seldom gaze beyond our current situation to pray for our needs in the next reality. The blind man could have asked to have his sins forgiven, and to spend eternity in the presence of God, a far better answer in many ways. So when Jesus asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?” consider your response.

Jesus told the blind man, “Your faith has healed you.” (Luke 18:42b) And faith in Jesus can also rescue you. Jesus wants you to be a permanent member of God’s holy family forever and ever. Amen.

Norton Lawellin

Join us as 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. This week Pastor Michael Pilla continues our study in Luke. See you at church!

Spritually Blind

May 27, 2013 Monday Message:

“Was blind, but now I see.” from the hymn “Amazing Grace”

Paul was a “type A” get-‘er-done kind of a guy. His persecution of Christians was legendary, and the Pharisees held Paul up as a prime example of someone who would go the extra mile for the sake of his religion.

But Paul’s religion had distorted Biblical facts over the years, and put ceremonies and rituals into practice that had no heavenly basis. These people had seen Jesus with their own eyes, and totally missed the fact that it was the Son of God standing right before them. And remember, God wants more than just religion. God desires a relationship with us – a relationship, not repetitious religion.

Understand that Paul was spiritually blind – God had not yet opened his spiritual eyes. It’s not that Paul wouldn’t see the light (didn’t want to,) or that he didn’t see the light (somehow missed it) – no, he was spiritually blind. He could not see the light.

Paul being struck blind on the road to Damascus is the perfect visualization of spiritual darkness, of not yet being enlightened. And as God eventually lifted the scales from Paul’s eyes, so he also lifted the veil from Paul’s spiritual eyes, so that Paul was no longer blind – now he could see!

God first chose Paul, Paul answered, “Yes, Lord,” and then God called him into ministry. Paul could not find God on his own, because at the time he was spiritually blind. Besides, God knows where God is; it was Paul who was lost, so God had to do the seeking.

Next week – Are you chosen, and what’s the deal with the dead burying their dead?

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets at 10:30am every Sunday. We’ll open up Luke Ch. 10, Jesus sending out disciples. We gather in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. See you at church!

Now I See!

July 09, 2012 Monday Message:

Man healed by Jesus: “This one thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25b

The disciples asking, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” launched quite a series of events. Jesus’ healing the man on the Sabbath provoked the ire of the Pharisees, who were now convinced that Jesus was quite the sinner.

The Pharisees then interviewed the formerly-blind man, but cast disparaging remarks on his testimony. Repeatedly he told his story of being healed, and repeatedly he was challenged.

Exasperated, the man finally threw up his hands: “Whether Jesus is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Most people stop reading there, sing Amazing Grace and call it a day. But there’s more to the story. Jesus tracked down the man, and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man, the one speaking with you?”

The man answered, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Some Pharisees overheard, and wondered, “Are we blind too?”

The truth is, “yes,” but Jesus is talking about the Pharisees being “spiritually” blind. If they were searching for the truth, their blind eyes would be opened to the fact that Jesus is the light of the world. But if they think that they already know everything, they are blind to the teachings of Jesus.

May Jesus shine His light into your world today!

Norton Lawellin

This Sunday I’ll be leading worship at Jesus in the City – 2 weeks left in the old location – lower level of Trinity First, 1115 E. 19^th St., Mpls., 11am. Our study in Galatians continues.

We’re looking forward to July 29 – when Jesus in the City Sunday worship moves to the Oliver Ministry Center, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue. New service time: 10:30am. Let your prayers cover our transition into this huge new opportunity.