Confidence & Loyalty!

For Friday, September 25, 2026:

Acts 4:13 NLT: “The members of the (religious) council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

Peter and John had been arrested in the Temple for preaching salvation through Jesus, and for healing a man who had been lame from birth. That man was present as Peter and John were questioned, so no one could deny the miracle. He was healed in the name of Jesus!

The Apostles didn’t try to save their own skin by lying, by denying what had happened. They showed two traits we should all exhibit: confidence and loyalty.

Having lived and traveled with Jesus, they had been eyewitnesses to thousands of healings and miracles. While spiritual healing was a big deal to the lame man, Peter and John had seen it all before. If the man was healed in the name of Jesus, there was no doubt in their minds that it would be so. Peter’s boldness (one of his character traits) fit because he trusted Jesus. As he laid hands on the man, he had already pictured the man walking. In our mind’s eye, we need to picture a miracle as if it already happened.

We speak of trusting in the Lord and believing in Jesus. What is needed is loyalty, an unflinching devotion to the King of kings. We’re not about to change our minds. No one can alter what we believe. Loyalty lasts forever!

The council knew that Peter and John had been with Jesus, so their position came as no surprise. The council was just trying to reconcile what had happened with their preconceived beliefs, and it wasn’t going well.

As God gave us the New Covenant, some things would change. Some things would be different. If we believe Jesus was sent by the Father, we can be filled with confidence as we share the Gospel with others. We can be loyal to the end!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
The Father’s House
Jesus In the City Fellowship
Truth & Freedom Church

John the Baptist!

For Thursday, September 24, 2026:

Mark 1:2-3 NLT, Mark quoting Old Testament prophecy: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

The heaven-sent messenger to herald the Messiah’s arrival is John the Baptist. He tells the people to repent and return, to get right with God because the Kingdom is at hand. Jesus will be coming soon. And when the King of kings shows up, you want to be on the ‘Jesus Team,’ not the opposition. Your eternal destiny depends on it!

Prophesies fulfilled reinforce our trust in the Bible. God gives prophets the words to say, predictions. When the events come to fruition just as God said, we can believe that the Bible is truth and that our God is real.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean on your own understanding when it aligns with God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Mark's Gospel!

For Wednesday, September 23, 2026:

Mark 1:1a NLT: “This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.”

I don’t know if anyone notices, but as I assemble these daily messages, we alternate topics from various books of the Bible. Some are Gospels, some are letters or Epistles, and Acts is the history of the first church. The idea is that if you read these messages, you’ll experience a good cross-section of the Bible. Today we add Mark’s Gospel to the mix. It’s thought to be written by the Jesus loyalist John Mark, as dictated by the outspoken Simon Peter. I call him “Mr. Impulsive,” as he often speaks and acts before thinking things through. But Jesus loved Peter’s enthusiasm, and he was chosen to lead the emerging church.

Let’s look at verse 1. Journalism students learn to write a condensed version of a story in its first sentence. It’s called the “lead.” This tells the reader what to expect in the remainder of the document. We’re first told that this is “Good News,” and since it’s capitalized, we can assume it’s a translation of “Gospel,” a Holy Book about Jesus the Nazarene, the earthly son of Mary and Joseph. We now know that Jesus is the Messiah, the Moshiach, the one promised in Isaiah. Turns out he’s the Son of God, or more accurately, God himself. Let me explain.

Christians know God in three different forms: Father God in Heaven, Jesus Son of God on Earth, and the Holy Spirit, our counselor, advocate and helper, here on Earth since Jesus returned to the Father. One God, three different forms. I heard a pastor call Jesus “God with skin.” Sounds odd, but kinda makes sense. God in Heaven is a spirit-being and needs no skin, just like the Holy Spirit – no skin, but helps us here on Earth. They’re all God, all of one mind.

If you’re a curious reader, this “lead” should ignite your curiosity about (as Paul Harvey would have said) the rest of the story. This wild ride culminates with mankind being the beneficiaries of Jesus’ sacrifice to forgive our sins, making a way for believers to spend eternity in Father God’s Kingdom. So keep your eyes on heaven, that prize, that goal, that reward for being faithful!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church