Radical Transformation!

For Wednesday, February 18, 2026:

Romans 7:4 NLT: “This is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.”

In the Bible, we can read about lives lived before Christ and lives lived after Christ. Remember that there are those in the Old Testament who had faith, who believed in the coming Messiah. They’re part of our group. Some made their commitment after they saw or heard Jesus, and still others joined the believers following Jesus’ death and resurrection, when they could see the complete story of life after this life. My point is that a radical transformation separates the “before Jesus” person from the “after Jesus” person. After Jesus, everything typically changes – for the better!

The “harvest of good deeds for God” isn’t mankind trying to curry favor with the Lord. Believers serve God out of gratitude. God sent Jesus to earth, Jesus died as the offering atoning for our sins, and we thereby became eligible for eternal life in God’s presence. We call that Heaven. God is good to us!

What changed from your “before Jesus” person to your “after Jesus” person? Can you point to the radical transformation in your life? What’s the last good deed you did for the Almighty?

May the Lord walk with you as you go about your day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and 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

Obedient and Thankful!

For Sunday, November 30, 2025:

Luke 1:46-47 NLT: Mary responded: “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”

Mary was both obedient and thankful. This young woman finds herself with child, never having been with a man. Strange situation! She is about to marry Joseph. How’s that going to look to all the neighborhood gossips? God would have to send his messenger angel again to explain the situation to Joseph!

Gabriel had told her that the child would be known as the Son of God. That convinces Mary that this is a good thing. She’s awestruck at being chosen by the Lord. This simple woman has been given a huge honor! May those gossiping shut their mouths! Mary could get away, perhaps visit her cousin Elizabeth for a while. Elizabeth had been visited by an angel too, and was pregnant with John the Baptist.

Thankfulness flowed out of Mary as she prayed the Magnificat, her song of praise for being honored by God. (Luke 1:46-55) The Lord has a unique task for each of us, and we should all get ready to serve. We should be obedient, and – just like Mary – we should be filled with gratitude for what we have been given.

God is good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Thanksgiving!

For Thursday, November 27, 2025:

Genesis 12:7 NIV: “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”

The purpose of Thanksgiving is twofold: worship and expression of thankfulness. In the US, today is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday with a checkered history and a biblical precedent. God established this covenant: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Consequently, God took very good care of his people, who then gave thanks to God for all he had done for them, and for all he would continue to do.

 As the US began, George Washington declared a time of thanksgiving, gratitude for our independence from British rule. God had granted them freedom, and saying they were grateful would be an understatement. (I’m sure Washington was also thankful for the ability to remain standing in tLincolnhat boat as his image was captured for posterity!)

The nation grew, and observance of Thanksgiving varied from state to state. It was not always on the same date. President Abraham Lincoln finally declared Thanksgiving a national holiday on the last Thursday of November. During his term, the internal conflict between North/South ended, so there was plenty for which to be thankful.

May the Lord be at the center of your Thanksgiving day events. Have a warm and safe day filled with gratitude. May God’s blessings go with you and your families, not just today, but always! In Jesus’ name...Amen!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

 

Angel

For Friday, November 21, 2025:

Luke 1:11 NLT: “While Zechariah was in the Temple sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.”

Luke is setting us up for Advent, preparing us for the arrival of the Messiah Jesus. Z-man was burning incense in tribute to God, when an angel appeared. Friends, angels aren’t like those little statuettes you see at Hallmark. In reality, angels are called Heaven’s Angel-Armies, big, strong and ferocious. Scary.

When someone sees an angel, the first thing they do is tremble with fear. The first thing the angel says is, “Be not afraid!”

The angel brings a message from the Lord: “God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. He will bring you great joy and gladness!” John? No one in our family is named ‘John!’

Notice that God’s gift to Z & E will also meet the Lord’s needs. “John will be great in the eyes of the Lord, never touching alcohol. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. He will turn many Israelites to the Lord. John will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” We could use a dose of that nowadays!

Zechariah, like many of us, is quite confused and a little short on faith. “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

The angel seems a little put out with all the queries. I think he’s unaccustomed to his word being questioned. “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” Gabriel’s faith is flawless. He fully expects God to deliver what he promised!

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them! Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. And soon afterward his wife became pregnant, just like God said. She went into seclusion for five months. “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” Back then, women were (unfairly) expected to bring children into the family, and Elizabeth’s burden had been lifted by God.

So we pray, God, please give us more patience than Zechariah. Give us faith like Gabriel. And let us show the gratitude of Elizabeth for all God does for us.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Thanks!

For Friday, August 8, 2025:

Luke 17:13 NLT, 10 men with leprosy appealing to the Son: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

Leprosy was a long, drawn-out death sentence. These men had been to doctors and healers of all sorts, with no success. Knowledge of Jesus’ healing abilities preceded their meeting up with him. So the 10 men called out, “Have mercy on us!”

Jesus decided to accommodate their request. For him, this was easy to do. “Go show yourselves to the priests.” The men would be healed as they walked. Problem solved. Jesus was being kind, loving everyone as he was wont to do. The men weren’t members of his congregation or of his Synagogue. They weren’t disciples or even necessarily believers. They simply asked for help, and Jesus delivered.

Only one of the ten, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” Where were the other nine? This really isn’t a theological point. It’s common courtesy. If someone does you a huge favor, in this case saving your life, you should make a point of thanking them! And the only man showing gratitude was a Samaritan, a foreigner, not a member of Jesus’ group!

Jesus told the grateful one, “Your faith has saved you.” You can bet that he stayed healed. The leprosy never returned. Our faith saves us as well. Faith in the Son assures us a place in God’s eternal Kingdom. Don’t forget to return with gratitude on your lips!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Book of Life!

October 21, 2024 Monday Message:

Luke 10:20 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

Jesus sent 72 disciples, in pairs, to the cities on his upcoming itinerary. Amazed, they reported back, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” By the way, that still works nowadays!

Casting out demons is a big deal, but the best news is that these servants of our Lord have their names in the Book of Life! It’s important for us to understand the order of these events. First, these people believed and trusted in Jesus, becoming disciples, becoming believers. They were then saved by Jesus, granted eternal life, their names registered in heaven. And finally, out of gratitude for what Jesus did (granting them eternal life), they faithfully served, helping Jesus further his mission.

This is a perfect model for how we are to live our lives. First, we become believers, asking Jesus to be Lord and Savior of our lives. We become members of the Holy Family, so Jesus then includes us in the Book of Life. We have been rescued from hell, from Satan and his demons, so we serve the Kingdom out of gratitude for that rescue.

God is good, way better than we deserve!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Substance vs Circumstances!

August 19, 2024 Monday Message:

1 John 1:3-4 NLT: “We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that your joy may be complete.”

Happiness may be fleeting, but the Joy of the Lord is permanent!

Earthly happiness is a reaction to circumstances, and circumstances can change, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But the work of Jesus on the cross – the forgiveness of our sins and his promise of salvation – fills us with the Joy of the Lord, a forever solution to mankind’s sin problem.

What really matters? My wife has a label printer, and our grandson loves putting labels on everything. Our living room houses a piano, two guitars and a ukulele, so he labeled it, “Music Room.” I want us all to dig out our mental label makers and separate everything in our lives into one of two categories: substance or circumstances.

The circumstances in which we find ourselves are constantly changing. We’re called upon to interact with other humans. What could possibly go wrong? (Joke! Sarcasm!)

But things of substance have eternal ramifications. Things of substance matter. Their worth is ‘til the end of time! When Jesus set believers up with assurance of salvation, it was both a “now and forever” solution. Gratitude for Jesus’ gift to us – the gift of eternal life in God’s presence – fills believers with joy that can not be taken away.

Laugh off circumstances. Live for things of substance!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Fishing!

For Wednesday, August 7, 2024:

John 21:6a NLT: “Then Jesus said, ‘Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll catch some fish!’”

Yesterday was the Pastor’s Urban and Suburban Fishing Tournament on Lake Minnetonka, co-sponsored by Fishing for Life and Jesus in the City. Some caught fish; some didn’t. That didn’t really matter, because the larger purpose is to build relationships between churches in the suburbs and those still fighting it out in the inner city. In the city, we’re battling more homelessness, addictions, hunger and single-parenting challenges. Far too many people are under-resourced. It’s a rough place to do ministry, and sometimes success is elusive.

Remember that Jesus sent us out not to fish for fish. He taught us to fish for men and women, souls that otherwise would be lost. Believers have assurance of salvation, a promise from Jesus that we’d see heaven from the inside. Out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us, we accept his challenge of fishing for souls. We’re responsible for the effort, not the outcome. That’s up to the Holy Spirit and the soul with whom we’re sharing the Good News!

If the fish on your left aren’t biting, try those on the right. Believers should never stop fishing! “Follow me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fishers of people!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Thankful!

For Thursday, November 23, 2023:

1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Today, the fourth Thursday in November, is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day in the US. Most people get the day off, and families gather to eat too much turkey and watch football — and hopefully to remember to be thankful for all God has given us.

I’m thankful for my wife, our children and their spouses, and our grandchildren. I’m thankful for good friends, my house, my car, my work and for always having more than I truly need. God has been very good to me.

The best thing to be thankful for is Assurance of Salvation. Jesus has gone ahead to prepare our places in the hereafter. Those who believe on His name will get to see heaven from the inside!

Take some time today to thank the Lord for all the goodness he has poured into your life.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Celebrate!

For Tuesday, October 31, 2023:

Exodus 34:22 NLT, God speaking: “You must celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the first crop of the wheat harvest, and celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season.”

God is good to us. Each year crops grow and we get to reap the harvest. We then have provision for the winter. With gratitude, we should celebrate God’s goodness. Throw a party! It’s called Pentecost, the festival of weeks, 50 days after Easter Sunday.

Most countries have some sort of autumn harvest festival. In the US, Halloween serves that purpose, followed on Nov. 1 by All Saints’ Day when we honor believers who have gone before us. We should leave out the ghosts, goblins and witches, pagan beliefs that somehow crept into our festival.

In Mexico, they celebrate Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos. It’s a celebration, a fun festival honoring the dead without the spooky parts. Pan de muerto, a sweet bread and tamales are on the menu. I’m “IN!”

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Maybe, emphasis on the ‘good’ parts: God and the saints who have gone before us.

Don’t let Satan hijack our holiday!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship