Family Biz!

For Thursday, June 11, 2026:

John 15:23 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Anyone who hates me also hates my Father.”

This spiritual battle with the world is family business. Jesus defends Father God just as God keeps a heavenly hand on his Son. They’re inseparable. They’re family!

Believers are included in that Holy Family. John wrote, “To all who believed Jesus and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” And Jesus taught us to pray to “our Father in heaven.”

We should not be passive in defending our Holy Family. Active participants get a lot more done! We can testify about the goodness of the Father and his Son. We can advocate for God’s Laws as a better way to live. We can (gently) identify false religions as such, explaining how they’re off track.

All the work required for our eternal salvation was done by Jesus on the cross. Salvation came to mankind as a free gift courtesy of the Most High. This Assurance of Salvation is a major plank in the Christian platform. No other religion has this! Proudly tell others!

Our extended family is incredibly large, and yet there’s always room for a few more. People often arrive at churches when they’re down and out. Our love, kindness and sharing are some of the factors that draw people in. There is therefore agreement that Christians are a good family, a good way to live. People like what they see, and want to become a part of it.

Earthly families can have multiple children, just as our heavenly family always has room for one more. Have you been instrumental in adding anyone to our family? I hope so!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Prisoners!

For Tuesday, January 20, 2026:

Hebrews 13:3a NLT: “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself.”

Some people belong in prison to ensure the safety of the rest of our population. Many seem to be inherently evil, filled with demons. Along with incarceration, an exorcism might be in order!

Or not! Some people are imprisoned unjustly, because of lies, false testimony or revenge agenda. They never belonged in prison in the first place. Others have repented of their wrongdoing and deserve forgiveness and a fresh start. That’s what Jesus would have us do.

What is the purpose of a prison? If it’s only to incarcerate people, it’s just a hole into which we pour money. There’s no ROI – return on our investment. But rehabilitated people can excel at their jobs, help grow our economy and become good neighbors. Our vision shouldn’t be to keep people in prisons; it should be to expedite the offender’s release! Our society needs to be more inclusive of the reformed.

If you were imprisoned, what would you expect life to be like? A former prisoner described it to me as “three hots and a cot!” – three meals a day and a place to sleep. Sounds boring to me. A day’s agenda should include helpful work at the institution, job training with specific skills added to the inmates’ repertoires, educational opportunities to get candidates at least a GED and perhaps some college credits, and of course Bible teaching, so their lives could progress in the Lord’s direction. Insist that prisoners set goals, and then celebrate their milestones!

Let us remember those in prison. We pray that they experience kindness, the way we would want life to be if we were there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Way, Truth, Life!

For Friday, September 26, 2025:

John 14:6 NLT: Jesus told Thomas and the others, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Everything Jesus ever said was true. Everything he prophesied came to be. Why would this statement be any different? Jesus is a walking example of truth!

I’ve had people tell me that choice of religion doesn’t matter. They’re wrong! Many religions seem similar, encouraging their congregants to lead good lives, be helpful and kind, to be the ‘right’ kind of people. They think that most everybody will wind up in heaven, but that’s not what Jesus said.

Good behavior alone won’t get people into heaven. The hereafter isn’t something that people can earn or buy. Life-after-this-life is grace, a free gift, given to those who call Jesus “Lord.” Think of it as the inclusion of family members. Jesus is God’s Son, and believers are his disciples. Christians show love and kindness out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us, not to earn heaven-points! You can’t work your way into heaven!

This fact differentiates Christianity from all the false religions of the world. Many hate us because of our preaching that Jesus is the only way. Jesus also prophesied that the world would hate us because of this, and again, he’s right!

Jesus is the only ‘way’ to afterlife in God’s Kingdom. ‘Truth’ is his middle name. And ‘life’ refers to eternal life, only possible with the Son. “No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Servant's Heart!

For Sunday, June 29, 2025:

Luke 14:11 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

A disciple of Jesus should look and act the part. In Jesus’ example, those who think more highly of themselves than they ought may be (embarrassingly) asked to step back. The humble have left room to be moved up, to be honored.

Remember that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve others. If we are to follow in his footsteps, we need to have a servant’s heart. No one could ever repay Jesus for healing their malady. He was kind and helpful without any expectation of repayment.

There’s a saying attributed to the army advising soldiers to never volunteer for anything. Too much extra work, and you never know what you’re getting yourself into. There’s a persistent negative attitude in today’s world where a person’s first response is to say “no.”

But Christians should do the opposite of that. We should be helpful, showing kindness to others, doing the next right thing, because that’s what Jesus would have done. Our first response should be to say yes, or at least find a way to help.

One more thing. Stick with what you’re good at. Ministry is sustainable if we stay in our lane, using the gifts and talents given to us by the Almighty. Jesus talks about rewards for doing the right things: “God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.” I’m good with God’s promise!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Kindness!

For Thursday, June 26, 2025:

Luke 14:3 NLT: “Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, ‘Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?’”

Jesus was a guest at the home of a Pharisee, about to be seated for the Sabbath meal. The Pharisees were watching him closely, hoping to catch Jesus doing something wrong. That was the Pharisee’s modus operandi, to catch people violating God’s commands and then call them on the carpet. Pharisees appeared to love nobody and were critics of everybody, and Jesus was no exception! How foolish they must have been to think that they could cite God’s Law against God’s own Son!

A man attending the feast suffered from swollen arms and legs. Pain made it challenging for him to move. Jesus saw an opportunity to make the man’s life better, and at the same time correct the Pharisee’s errant theology. He set up the lesson by asking: “Is it legal to heal this man on the Sabbath? You can see he’s hurting! Whaddaya say, guys? Should we heal him or not?”

Lacking a good answer, the Pharisees remained silent. Jesus reached out, touched the man, and instantly he was healed. Jesus turned to the Pharisees and explained, “Every one of you does work on the Sabbath. If a family member or one of your animals fell into a pit, surely you’d pull it out, even on the Sabbath!” The Pharisees remained speechless.

Lessons learned: We should worship God every day, but with special focus on the Sabbath. Because the Sabbath is the Lord’s day, it’s the perfect day to show kindness to our fellows. The Sabbath should never become an excuse for not doing the right things for the right reasons. If you’re loving your neighbor, God will smile on you!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Inclusion!

For Tuesday, January 7, 2025:

John 8:7b NLT, Jesus speaking: “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”

The Pharisees taught the law of Moses but did not abide by it themselves. Jesus said we should listen to them, but not imitate them! Pharisees had assumed the role of religious police, searching for someone doing something wrong, and then punishing them for the offense.

Jesus had another idea, that we should actually do what the Lord commanded, and loving one another topped his agenda. This was forward thinking in his day.

Since we’ve all sinned – no one of us is better than the other – the question becomes, “What should we do NOW? Given our current set of circumstances, what’s the best way to proceed?”

Jesus counsels us to be kind, to be helpful and to do the next right thing. Be forgiving. and make reconciliation your goal: IN-clusion, not EX-clusion!

Pharisees aren’t worthless – they can always serve as a bad example!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Son of God!

For Thursday, October 17, 2024:

Matthew 16:15-16 NLT: “Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do you say I am?’

Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one; the Son of the living God.’”

Believers are adopted into the Holy Family, children of God, and therefore, modern-day disciples. If you had been in that group and Jesus called upon you to answer his question, would you have the correct answer on the tip of your tongue, just like Simon Peter?

Messiah is a Hebrew word; Christ is a Greek word; both mean anointed one, the one chosen by God himself. Peter is testifying that Jesus is more than just another human being. Jesus is “heaven-sent,” sent by God Almighty to offer forgiveness of sins to believers, and to course-correct religion on earth.

Even those who knew God and loved the Lord got the details of religion wrong. Even those who worshiped at the Temple and taught at the Temple didn’t get religion right. I believe the most egregious error was the lack of compassion and caring for others. To say that people at that time were self-centered would be an understatement. The people needed to be taught about being nice, kind, helpful and loving their neighbors. That’s what the Bible said long before Jesus came to earth. It’s time everyone got it right!

Jesus knows exactly what we need to do. After all, he’s the Son of the Living God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

New Commandment!

For Friday, October 11, 2024:

1 John 4:21 NIV: “Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”

God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are pretty locked in on this “Love” command. But what if your fellow is a jerk? Really shouldn’t happen, should it? But we are told to forgive. How many times? Peter asked if seven was enough, but Jesus said 70 x 7 was a better answer.

Here are some of Jesus’ final words before going to the cross: “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” This really wasn’t a new command. It had been around for 3,000 years, but God’s command wasn’t being honored. Jesus spent his whole life trying to change that. He was constantly encouraging people to be kind and helpful, to show compassion and offer forgiveness to one another. That’s what he did. It was kind of a new concept to these believers, because they hadn’t been obeying it.

But this is how the first church, The Way, grew rapidly. Members were sharing and taking care of one another. People liked what they saw, and wanted to become a part of it. Christianity grew through attraction.

Like the song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Love from the Heart!

For Wednesday, September 25, 2024:

1 John 3:23b NLT: “We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.”

The Bible’s message never changes: Love God and love your neighbor. And that includes loving Jesus, who holds the keys to forgiveness and eternal life!

Yes, loving God and loving our neighbor is a command from God, but our reward doesn’t come from being good at following instructions or obeying rules. Your Father desires to see concrete examples of love in action, of caring and of kindness. We are to abandon narcissistic behavior and adopt compassion as our standard mode of operation.

Love puts a smile on God’s face!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Way!

For Friday, September 20, 2024:

James 1:27 EASY: “If you want to serve God in a completely good way, do things like this: Help children who have no parents and women who are widows. Help them in their troubles. If you serve God our Father like that, he will be pleased with you. Do not let the bad people in this world make you bad too.”

James was writing to the 12 tribes of Israel. He might as well have been writing to everyone on the planet! The world had fallen into an “eye for an eye” way of living. Most people only looked out for #1, themselves. This revenge-centered “get even” philosophy left the world a bitter place. I believe Satan had a hand in this.

God designed mankind to live in community, to be kind and helpful to each another. Jesus had to re-teach benevolence, loving our neighbors and looking out for one another. Widows and orphans should never have to worry if they can get by. That they’re included in a community of believers should assure not only their survival, but a good quality of life.

Believers are to love their neighbors, and be kind, helpful and useful. Be joyful and smile. Don’t allow the world to extinguish your fire. Like the song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Sabbath!

For Sunday, September 8, 2024:

Luke 6:9 NLT: “Jesus said to his critics, ‘I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?’”

Jesus’ character trend doesn’t change with the day of the week. So if your trend is as it should be – being kind, helpful, forgiving, loving, doing the next right thing – keep behaving that way. That’s what Jesus would do.

Q: If you’re driving home from church and you find a mom with two kids in the car at the side of the road with a flat tire, should you stop and help them change the tire? A: Yes. That’s what Jesus would have done.

Q: Isn’t that working on the Sabbath? A: Yes, but it falls under the “loving your neighbor” exception. When Jesus and his disciples needed food, they gleaned grain from the edge of the road. When a man with a deformed right hand showed up at worship, Jesus healed the man. Yes, Jesus was criticized for these exceptions, but he explained, “The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

So this Sunday and all future Sundays, do what Jesus would have done. Love your neighbor and do the next right thing. See you at church!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Love!

August 26, 2024 Monday Message:

1 John 2:7 NLT: “Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.”

John is endorsing the teaching of Jesus. The command to love the Lord and love our neighbors was included in the Old Testament, but was not being emphasized or being lived out. Temple leaders and Pharisees knew God’s laws, and their role had become that of enforcers. Their aim was to catch somebody doing something wrong, and call them on it.

John is trying to convince people to give the “Jesus plan” a try. Jesus was always honest, kind and helpful. He’d never sidestep someone’s problem. Jesus would always come to the rescue and repair a situation, heal someone or bring a body back to life. Jesus was always looking to do the next right thing. Jesus was always more concerned with others than with his own well being.

The “Jesus plan” certainly became popular. We’re still teaching it two thousand years later!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Salt & Light!

August 5, 2024 Monday Message:

Matthew 5:13a, 14a NLT, Jesus speaking: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”

Think about your purpose. As Jesus wrapped up the sermon on the mount, he told his listeners, “You are the salt of the earth.” Our ancestors discovered thousands of years ago that sprinkling a little salt on supper made it more tasty. Salt made it better. Like salt, followers of Jesus should make life on earth a little better. Jesus wants us to be kind and helpful. We are to love God and love our neighbors. We are to look for the next right thing, and then do it! Believers should be like salt, making everything better!

Jesus also called us the ‘light of the world.’ Remember that Jesus also referred to himself as the ‘light of the world.’ Therefore we are his ambassadors, sharing the Gospel of forgiveness, the Good News, with all who will listen. Forgiveness via Jesus makes eternal life achievable!

Unfortunately, there is much darkness in our world. But as believers, we are called to shine the light of optimism into our own little corner of the world.

(v16) “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Last Days!

For Sunday, August 4, 2024:

2 Peter 3:3-4a NLT: “In the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again?”

In the last days, expect to see scoffers and mockers. They not only don’t believe, but choose to make fun of those of us who do. It will become more and more difficult to practice Christianity as we draw closer to the last days, and each day the end becomes one day closer!

Unfortunately, some whose theology is off base are within the church. False philosophy makes their preaching popular, although hugely inaccurate. Beware! Christianity isn’t difficult. Therefore being grounded in the basics will serve us well.

When asked the most important commandment, Jesus answered, “Love the Lord and love your neighbor.” Be nice. Kindness is never wrong. Do the next right thing because that shows love, kindness and compassion, and it’s what God wants you to do!

If you’re mocked for your kindness, that’s good! It means that you’re on the "Jesus team!” They will know we are Christians by our love!

By the way, Jesus already knows the right time for his second coming! God’s timing is never wrong! Blessings on this Sabbath day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship