Convinced!

For Sunday, June 14, 2026

Luke 5:7b NLT: “Soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.”

Jesus had been using Simon’s boat as a preaching platform, and now he repays the favor. “Go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

Simon protests. “Master, we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”

This time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! The fishermen shouted for help, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking!

It’s easy to convince someone about religious truth when the miracle happens right before their eyes! There was no doubt in Simon’s mind that Jesus was heaven-sent. “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”

But God had other plans. Simon and his brother Andrew would abandon the family fishing business to follow Jesus. They gave up everything they knew. Simon gathered James and John, also fishermen, and the four became a part of the twelve.

Today’s lesson: Watch for the miracle. Do what your heart tells you is right. Include your friends by sharing the Good News!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

House of the Lord!

For Friday, June 12, 2026:

Psalm 23:6 NKJV: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

David showed confidence and trust in the Lord. He was a man after God’s own heart, but he was far from perfect. But despite his missteps, he always trusted God to be loving and forgiving. He would rise out of all the turmoil as a loyal supporter of God Almighty. That’s called faith!

Most believers are a lot like David. We will not live perfect lives, but on the cross Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the world – your sins and mine. Believers all need to accept that free gift with open arms and a smile. God doesn’t want a bunch of sullen souls in his Kingdom. The Father’s love should elicit joy from everyone!

God’s goodness and mercy will follow us throughout this life, and follow us into the next as we take our place in his Kingdom. We’re enjoying a better life now that we’re adopted into the Holy Family, and it will be the best life ever when we move into the house of the Lord. Start filling out change-of-address forms today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Mothers' Day!

For Sunday, May 10, 2026, Mother’s Day:

Luke 1:31 NLT: “You, Mary, will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.”

Jesus’ Father is in his heavenly Kingdom, but he needed a mother on earth. Everyone born here needs someone to love them, care for them, feed them, and change out their nappy! Jesus' mother had been told by the angel Gabriel that baby Jesus would actually be the Son of the Most High, so she wasn’t surprised when miracles happened. She 100% supported her Son, God’s Son.

Mom had faith in Jesus’ abilities even before his ministry began. At the wedding in Cana when the wine supply was exhausted, Mary told the servers, “Do whatever Jesus tells you.”

Jesus protested. “It’s not my time yet,” but Mary persisted. Giant jars of water were available for Jewish ceremonial washing, and were now brought to the sommelier who determined the jars contained the finest wine. In fact, he questioned why it had not been served first! Thank you, Jesus!

Mary knew her Son was special, and Jesus had honored his mother’s request even though it was not yet his time. And on the cross, he arranged for his mother’s perpetual care. Jesus used every day to honor women, even those who aren’t mothers. For our Messiah, every day was Mother’s Day! May God bless the women!

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

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

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

I Am the Way!

For Thursday, March 5, 2026:

John 14:4-5 NLT, Jesus: “You know the way to where I am going.”

Thomas: “No, we don’t know, Lord. We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Thomas is sometimes called “Doubting Thomas.” I wonder how someone could live with Jesus during his three years of ministry and not “get it?” The disciples all took meals together. They traveled everywhere together. Shouldn’t it have been obvious to Thomas by this time that Jesus is the Son of God?

But we need to be forgiving, gentle in our criticism of his apparent ignorance. The disciples – all of them – were witnessing things no one had seen before! Jesus, of course, knows it all. He had come from heaven. John tells us that Jesus was even present during creation. But most of the Hebrews were still trying to decide if there even is a life after this life. Jesus, as we well know, was certain of it! In his mind, he can remember the heavenly Kingdom. He’s already planning to prepare a place for all who will be joining him there.

Friends, if you know Jesus, you already know the way. We are saved by grace through faith, our unwavering belief that Jesus is who he said he was, and that he can do what he said he can do. His promises are always good, and his word is always truth. If Jesus promised that we will join him in the life after this life, don’t plan on being dead for too long! Remember, even Jesus himself walked away from the grave after only three days!

Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that when we die, our soul, our eternal essence, would be, “Absent from the body; present with the Lord!” Count on it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Cockadoodledoo!

For Friday, February 27, 2026:

John 13:37-38 NLT: “’But why can’t I come now, Lord?’ Simon Peter asked. ‘I’m ready to die for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.’”

Everything happened just like Jesus predicted. It might have happened like this:

Guards: “We’re looking for Jesus of Nazareth.”

Simon Peter: “Haven’t seen the guy.”

G: “We heard he was around here.”

SP: “To tell the truth, I’m not sure I’ve ever met the guy!”

G: “I thought I saw you with him earlier today.”

SP: “Couldn’t have been me. I just got here.”

Rooster: “Cockadoodledoo!”

Some attribute this to a lack of faith in Peter, but I believe it’s more a matter of self preservation. If Peter had admitted he was a close friend of Jesus, the bad guys would probably have arrested him, and the way things were going, Peter could have died on a cross right next to Jesus. God couldn’t have Peter dying right away. God (and Jesus) had already identified Peter as the point person for The Way, the church resulting from Jesus’ teaching.

It’s Peter’s impulsive willingness to jump right in and get things done that fill out his leadership profile. We need leaders like that nowadays. Some people drag their feet, working out every last detail before they even start God’s project. They may never get it started. Peter would dive in the deep end, and later adjust if need be. He may not be perfect, but at least he’s in motion.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether we’re moving forward to the north-west or the north-east, as long as we’re moving forward!!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Grace = Free Gift!

For Sunday, February 8, 2026:

Hebrews 13:9b NLT: “Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.”

The Old Testament contains some dietary instructions. Certain animals can transmit various diseases, and God, who always looks out for us, wanted us to remain alive and healthy. But our meat-packing and inspection methods have so much improved that those kinds of diseases have long since vanished. And friends, dietary choice is not a redeeming ordinance. You’re not disqualified from heaven for eating a pig! That would imply that we could earn our way into heaven by doing something or not doing something, and that’s simply not true.

Our hope for our eternal future is God’s grace. It’s a gift. All we need to do is accept it. Our faith in forgiveness, Jesus taking away our sins, is our ticket to the hereafter. We are saved by grace through faith, not by obeying rules. But having said that, Christians strive to conform to God’s rules out of gratitude for all that Jesus did for us!

Salvation is God’s gift to those who place their faith, hope and trust in his Son!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

1-on-1 with Jesus!

 For Friday, February 6, 2026:

Luke 3:8 NLT, John the Baptist speaking: Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.”

 How you live and what you do will be signs that you have discarded your sinful ways and repented and returned to the Lord. God has stretched out the hand of forgiveness. All we have to do is grab on and decide that God’s way is the better way.

 People tend to make excuses for not doing the right things. In those days before Jesus, the excuses ranged from, “I was born Hebrew,” to “I’m in the Synagogue every Sabbath.” Those are good things, but they won’t open heaven’s gates. Salvation is a contract between you and God. It’s dependent on your heartfelt belief, your faith in the Father and his Son. We are saved by grace through faith.

 When evangelizing, people tell me, “When I was young, I went to Sunday School; My mom was a Baptist; My wife attends a church; and We’re pledging members.” All good things, but they won’t get you into heaven. Assurance of Salvation is a 1-on-1 deal with Jesus, putting your faith, hope and trust in God’s Son.

 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” The way to heavenly eternity, and everything he speaks is truth about the life after this life. “No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship
The Father’s House
Truth and 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

Same God!

     For Sunday, February 1, 2026:

Hebrews 13:8 NLT: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

This scripture tells us that God and his Son Jesus are consistent. If God gave a command 2K years ago, it’s still in effect nowadays. We can have confidence in the prophecies given to us. Rules are rules, and laws are laws. What God wants us to do doesn’t change. Tell everyone about the Father’s love and forgiveness. Tell them about Jesus, that he paid the penalty for our sins. Tell the people that our Lord has offered us a second chance, a do-over – and a third chance, and a fourth chance… His desire is that everyone would repent and return.

We can put our faith, hope and trust in the God of Abraham. He’s the same God yesterday, today and tomorrow. Our God is powerful enough to create an entire universe, but still quite interested in each of our lives. He wants us to talk to him today. He wants to favor us with his blessings today – right now, so connect with him frequently. Share not only your hurts and sorrows with him, but your good news and blessings as well. Get to the heart of the matter. You can’t just do small talk when conversing with God. Smile when you meet with the Lord!

God and his Son desire a relationship with you. Make a point of including him in your life!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Expect the Unexpected

For Wednesday, January 28, 2026:

Three days after Jesus’ crucifixion, the women visited the tomb to care for his body. They encountered a man dressed in a white robe.

(Mark 16:6 NIV:) “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”

Jesus conquered both sin and death during the same event. He first took the sins of the world to the place of the dead. Then he rose from the grave, defying death. When dealing with Jesus, expect the unexpected!

We’ve been retelling this story for 2K years, so we’ve heard this all before. But Jesus’ followers were witnessing this scenario for the first time. The closest to this anyone had seen was when Jesus resurrected the daughter of Jairus, or perhaps when Lazarus was brought back to life. But never before had anyone made themselves alive again. Clearly, Jesus had authority over life and death.

This is extremely good news for those of us who believe. Jesus had proven beyond a doubt that there indeed was life after this life. Death is not the end. Because our sins were taken away and forgiven, believers have a reservation in God’s forever heavenly Kingdom. We are blessed with Assurance of Salvation, something no other religion has.

Put your faith, hope and trust in Jesus, and your life after this life will be a good one. Jesus won’t let you down!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Miraculous Signs!

For Sunday, January 25, 2026:

Mark 16:17a,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 place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

These are some of Jesus’ last words, his final instructions before ascending back to the Father. He first gave us our “Priesthood of all believers” doctrine, saying, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” This isn’t optional. Every Christian is to help make new Christians. Each of us will have a different portion of that task using our God-given gifts and talents. But encouraging others in their faith should be top-of-mind for all of us.

You should be aware that there’s a supernatural spirit-world operating alongside life on Earth as we know it. A lot of it is not good. Satan and his demons reside in the spirit dimension. Our goal is to settle in the Father’s heavenly Kingdom. Satan’s goal is to derail us, to keep our souls for himself. Obviously, God’s way is the better choice.

Jesus doesn’t throw us to the wolves. He leaves believers with his power and authority to deal with evil. We can bring back to life the victims of premature death. We can lay hands on our fellows and, in Jesus’ name, cure any sickness or disease. We can cast out demons, the source of much of the world’s trouble. Cast out the demons first, because they might be the root cause of the illnesses. That’s what Jesus did!

We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is the cornerstone of our salvation. Take a high view of the Bible. Every God-inspired word is truth, and every incident happened just the way the Bible says. Pray, do things in Jesus’ name, and repent of nonconforming scenarios. Know that this life is temporary, and have confidence that Jesus is preparing an eternal place for you. If you’re with Jesus, life couldn’t be better!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

End Times Progress!

For Saturday, January 17, 2026:

Matthew 24:7-8 NLT: Jesus speaking: “Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.”

Jesus is teaching about the beginning of the end times. His description doesn’t sound like a pleasant time for anyone. Jesus is drawing a parallel to the pain of childbirth. But when childbirth ends, we get to hold a beautiful little baby, a miracle that puts a smile on everyone’s face! All’s well that ends well!

The Bible tells us that some people will give up during this time of tribulation. Don’t you be like them! One of the Bible’s most loyal believers was Job. We should imitate him, copy his behavior. Job loved the Lord and had a good life. Then things started going south, but Job still loved the Lord. He finally hit rock bottom: starvation and diseases. Job’s wife said he should curse God and then die! But Job didn’t do that. He never lost faith. He never lost hope! God eventually proved himself worthy of Job’s ongoing faith. Job’s good fortune was restored to the best it had ever been! God is good!

As we live our lives, expect some bad stuff. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” The truly good life will be the life after this life. Jesus has prepared a place for the faithful in the next life, God’s forever Heavenly Kingdom!

Hold up the new baby, and put a smile on your face!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church