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!

Change My Heart

Jan. 20, 2014 Monday Message:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…” (Rev. 1:1a NLT)

When Jesus returns to establish the new heaven and the new earth, the old heaven and the old earth will pass away. And the bad parts of the old earth - things that were misguided, off-track – let’s just say - Wrong – all those things will pass away too.

Gone forever will be anger, murder, theft, lies, jealousy, sickness and death. And prejudice. None of these things comes from God. They’re the result of sinful mankind living in a fallen world.

Our bibles tell us that prejudice existed 2,000 years ago. Nathanael asks, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46a) And others query, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?” (John 7:41b) Prejudice clouded their understanding of God’s own Son!

Our country has outlawed racial discrimination, and some people think that the problem is fixed. It is not. It will only be fixed when people’s hearts change. Laws don’t change people’s hearts – Jesus changes people’s hearts. So let’s all pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

Norton Lawellin

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 we welcome Dan Pilla as we continue our study in Luke.

In His Image

Jan. 13, 2014 Monday Message:

“God created humans to be like himself; He made men and women. God gave them his blessing and said, ‘Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people…’” (Gen. 1:27-28a CEV)

My father taught me to emphasize what is right with one thing, rather than dwell on what is wrong with another. He said, “If you need to sell a Chevy, talk about why Chevys are good, rather than why Fords are bad. Folks won’t like that…”

So this coming Sunday, “Sanctity of Life Sunday” in churches across the US, let’s honor God’s vision for mankind. Let’s talk about what’s right with God’s plan.

God created humans as “spirit-beings,” in His image, similar to God himself. He made them male and female, and commanded them to “go forth and multiply.” I believe that God intended for the earth to be well-populated, full of God’s children, abounding with conceived creations all made in His image.

Because this is a God-ordained plan, each life is precious. One thing that separates Christian countries from non-Christian countries is the value we place on human life. Examples: Suicide bombers are a rarity in our country – and - The US did not retaliate in kind to the kamikaze attacks in WW2. For Christians, these senseless sacrifices of human life are out of the question.

We know the great value of human life because of what Jesus taught, and from our Bibles. May we all live our lives in a way that fits with God’s plan.

Norton Lawellin

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 we celebrate Sanctity of Life Sunday, and continue our study in Luke 18:31-34. Bring your Bibles!

Consider the Cost

Jan. 06, 2014 Monday Message:

“A scribe approached Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi, I will follow you wherever you go.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’” (Matt. 8:19-20)

Remember that TV game show where they ask the contestants, “Is that your final answer? – Are you sure?”

Jesus wants people to follow him, to be his disciples, both when he walked the earth and nowadays. He personally recruited the apostles, as well as many of the other disciples who walked with him. On the road to Damascus, Jesus recruited Paul. Today, he calls you and me to participate in His ministry, the church.

But if you’re thinking of joining the throng, Jesus has one more question: ‘Have you considered the cost?’ - ’Is that your final answer?’ If you’re being called to an itinerant ministry, great, but there’s not even a place to lay your head! Yikes! Talk about under-resourced!

Jesus taught that no one should begin building a tower without the means to finish the job. Only a fool would put all his assets into completing half a job. Consider the cost BEFORE you start.

Ministry can be rough – not everything will run smoothly. You will have setbacks and you will hit roadblocks, dead-ends and resistance. Many in the world do not love Jesus like you do. Satan will fight you every step of the way. Can you keep going to the end? Can you finish? Have you considered the cost? Is that your final answer?

Jesus wants us to run the race in such a way as to win the prize. (1 Cor. 9:24)

Norton Lawellin

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. Last week we were frozen out, but the weather should be more favorable this Sunday, Jan. 12, and we’ll resume our in-depth study of Luke 18:18-30. Bring your Bibles!

Jesus Walked with Us!

Dec. 30, 2013 Monday Message:

“The Word (God) became human (Jesus) and lived among us.” (John 1:14a)

When God created our universe, our planet and our ancestors, that was the beginning, the “zero” point, the beginning of year 1. In spite of God loving us unconditionally, mankind soon got off-track. But because of God’s great love for us, He put a plan in motion to redeem us, His beloved creations.

So God himself became came to earth to live among us as “Jesus the Messiah,” and that was the “zero” point, the beginning of year 1 for the humanity of God. The entire world knows that year, and the entire world marks its calendar from that single starting point. Welcome to year 2014.

Before and after this “zero” point are BC, the time “Before Christ,” and AD for Anno Domini, Latin for “In the Year of Our Lord.” The terms BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are sometimes used by non-believers who wish to avoid the Christian reference. But they’re still counting time from Jesus’ birth, the “zero” point.

Jesus fulfilled his mission, becoming the sacrifice for the sins of the world, and making it possible for all who believe to spend eternity in heaven, in the presence of God. Jesus was resurrected from death, ascended into heaven, and will come again. And that will surely be another “zero” point, a point in time that everyone will remember.

Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Norton Lawellin

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 Sunday, Jan. 5, we’ll resume our in-depth study of Luke, Ch. 18:18-30. Bring your Bibles!