Honor vs Shame!

 

For Thursday, December 1, 2022:

Proverbs 3:35 NLT: “The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame!”

Believers are adopted into the Holy Family. We become “Children of God.” If we are to inherit honor, where would that come from? Obviously, from our Father! By the way, he’s also the one sending fools to the lake of fire!

In the US, there’s a saying that “your karma will come back to you.” It’s borrowed from the Hindu people in India. They believe in re-incarnation, and that your actions in this life will determine your position in the next. Christians don’t believe in re-incarnation, but we believe the scenario will play out in this life. You will be treated as you treat others. If you treat others with kindness, they will most likely show you kindness in return.

The ultimate reward comes as we transition from this life to the next. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died paying the penalty for your sins – if you count him as Lord and Savior of your life – then you know that Jesus promised to prepare a place for you in his Father’s house. That is indeed ‘honor!’

May all believers get to see heaven from the inside!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God-trend!

For Wednesday, November 30, 2022:

Proverbs 3:21-22a NLT: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul.”

God made mankind in his image, and equipped us with brains. It’s always good to consult the Bible, but we should be able to figure out a lot of things on our own. After all, God wrote his laws on our hearts, so we should instinctively know right from wrong.

Humans tend to consult God about individual incidents, but I believe God is more concerned with trends. It’s good if you help your neighbor clear their sidewalk, but God wants to see multiple incidents of kindness – the trend. God wants to see that you’re loving your neighbor as yourself – that you’re a kind person – all the time.

Trends become habits. If you’re in the habit of helping others – of being kind – that behavior tends to repeat itself. If you’re in the habit of loving your neighbor, it becomes second nature, the first thing you think of.

May our love for our neighbor grow to be our personal trend!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Trust in the Lord!

For Tuesday, November 29, 2022:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be? Solomon could have asked for great wealth, great power or a harem – but he already had those things. His request was for wisdom. If you are wise, everything else falls into place. Being wise includes trusting in the Lord with all your heart, and consulting with him about which paths to pursue. It had worked well for Solomon, and he wanted to share this principle of life with his son.

Many of us are afraid to let God direct our paths. We would much rather direct ourselves. But if being a child of God is our goal, we need to get out of the driver’s seat. The one who knows our destination should be the one doing the driving!

With the Bible, with leading of the Holy Spirit, through the counsel of others and with God-given common sense, the Lord will direct our paths. Trusting in the Lord, we will walk along our way of life and come to see that we have been on the path God intended all along!

God’s way is the best way!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Arrival!

November 28, 2022 Monday Message:

2 Peter 1:17b NLT: “The voice from the majestic glory of God said to Jesus, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.’”

On the church calendar, yesterday was the First Sunday in Advent, the beginning of the church’s liturgical year. The name comes from the Latin “adventus,” which means coming or arrival. It’s a time of preparation before we celebrate the birth of the Messiah Jesus.

This Sunday’s scripture points toward John-the-Baptist. It’s God’s words following the Baptism of Jesus. God almost always lets his people know what’s coming, usually through prophets. But this time is special, so the Lord is sent a messenger to earth, John-the-Baptist, to herald or announce the impending arrival of his Son. John told the people that it was time to repent and return to the Lord. God’s kingdom would be arriving soon!

With John preaching a revival, the arrival of Jesus on the ministry scene was no surprise. People didn’t need convincing arguments about who Jesus was. They simply said, “We were expecting this. This is what we’ve been talking about!” The Messiah’s arrival was prophesied; John was just reminding everyone!

Believers will soon find the Kingdom in a manger in Bethlehem!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

New Heaven - New Earth!

For Sunday, November 27, 2022:

2 Peter 3:12b-13 NLT: “On the Day of the Lord, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.”

In this one piece of Scripture, we go from judgement and destruction to righteousness and hope! Talk about bi-polar! (Just kidding!) The Day of the Lord means judgment for all, but believers will find that Jesus has us covered. He took away our sins, leaving us spotless, ready for salvation.

Just as there are fallen souls on the earth, there are fallen angels in heaven. God has most of them locked away, waiting for judgment day. But on the Day of the Lord, it’s time to clean house on both heaven and earth! As the Bible says, the sheep will be separated from the goats. Sheep go with the Shepherd – they know his voice. The rest go to eternal condemnation.

Then our Lord will re-make a new heaven and a new earth. I believe when God first made the heavens and the earth, they were perfect, and the new heavens and new earth will be restored to original specs. There, God will live among his people. His radiance will illuminate the new earth!

Believers will live in a world filled with God’s righteousness!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Day of the Lord!

For Saturday, November 26, 2022:

2 Peter 3:9 NLT: “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise (to return), as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

Scoffers mock the Lord, saying he won’t keep his promise of returning. Nothing could be further from the truth! Right now, the Day of the Lord is on hold until God puts everything in motion. God’s timing will be perfect! Remember God’s desire is that none would perish, and he’s giving everyone on earth a little extra time to repent and return.

Like sheep, mankind has gone astray. Some are further away than others. God wants ALL to return, or at least have that opportunity. Here we read that God isn’t slow; he’s being patient. God’s way is the path to eternal life in his presence. We call it ‘heaven!’

With Jesus in our hearts, heaven will find our names in the Book of Life. The space to record ‘sin’ will be blank. On the cross, Jesus took away our sins. They’re now as far from us as the East is from the West. Believer’s sins are at the bottom of the deepest ocean. Jesus purified the believers, leaving them acceptable to take up residence in the presence of our eternal God.

Thankfully, our God is a God of second chances! (and third chances...)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Rescue!

For Friday, November 25, 2022:

Mark 1:2 NLT: “The Good News about Jesus the Messiah began just as the prophet Isaiah had written: ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.’”

This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, four weeks in which we prepare for our Lord’s arrival. God was preparing us for that arrival! The Lord sent prophecy through Isaiah 700 years before the actual event!

The messenger turned out to be John the Baptist! He counseled the Jews to repent and return to the Lord, so that when Jesus arrived, they’d be in a godly state of mind. That just makes Jesus’ work go more smoothly.

The plan for our redemption was in motion! Heaven doesn’t leave its wounded on the battlefield! We are rescued, redeemed by the work Jesus did on the cross. Both then and now, salvation was at hand!

God is in the rescue business!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Give Thanks!

For Thursday, November 23, 2022, Thanksgiving Day (US):

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT: “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Happy Thanksgiving! In the US, we have designated today as a special day on which to show gratitude. But we shouldn’t save up our gratitude for this one day. We should be thanking the Lord every day. We have a saying – “God is good – all the time!” So we should give thanks – all the time!

Paul counsels the Philippians like this: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Of course the thing for which we should be eternally grateful is that Jesus took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, making it possible for believers to know heaven. Thank you Father God for your benevolent plan for us. Thank you Jesus for putting it in motion. Thank you Holy Spirit for keeping us on track!

Psalm 50:23, God speaking: “Giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Sheep and Goats!

For Wednesday, November 23, 2022:

Matthew 24:37 NLT: “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.”

No one knew when the flood would arrive, but Noah was ready. No one knows when Jesus will return. Are you ready?

In Noah’s day, about 2,300 BC, people were partying and enjoying huge wedding celebrations. They were going about their everyday business, and were quite surprised when it started to rain! At the time, sin was out of control, and God had decided to rid the world of sinful, disobedient people.

Q: Is sin once again running rampant on earth? Will sin and debauchery reach a point where God will once again intervene? Day by day we’re getting closer! Jesus will return as the consummate judge, separating the sheep from the goats.

Make sure you’re one of his flock!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship