September 26, 2011 Monday Message:
I recently ordered a kit to modify an office machine. The different parts arrived in different boxes on different days. The instructions were obviously translated into English by a non-native-English-speaking person. Help!
I laid out all the parts; the first step is to determine that nothing is missing. Then I tried all the connections, fittings and snap-in parts; the second step is to determine that nothing is broken.
God has given us a “kit” for life, the Bible, and His plan is perfect. We don’t need to do any double-checking, but we can examine it as much as we feel we need to. Upon close inspection, we find that nothing is missing. Everything we need for life, both here and beyond, is included.
In Genesis, it looks like something might have been broken. But Jesus came and fixed whatever went wrong and healed the separation. If we look at today’s world, it looks like there’s a lot wrong, a lot broken. But we’re not “the world.” God looks at believers through “Jesus glasses.” Nothing looks like it’s broken; in fact, there’s no record of anything ever being broken.
That’s why, as Christians, we can use God’s Word and our faith to sidestep worry, to put anxiety on the back burner. We already know that everything will turn out OK. With the Lord as our shepherd, we shall not want. With Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we can be confident that nothing is missing and nothing is broken.
God is still in charge.
In His service,
Norton Lawellin
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Parable of the Two Sons
September 19, 2011 Monday Message:
In Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus teaches the parable of the Two Sons. When asked to help in the family business, the first son refuses, but later has a change of heart and goes to work. The second son answers respectfully: “Yes, sir, I will work,” but never shows up. Both kinds still sit in our pews nowadays.
The first son represents someone who sinned against the Father, but later repented and returned, and was once again accepted into the Holy family. We’ve all walked in those shoes.
The second said all the right things, but failed to do what he said. Like the Pharisees, this type keeps up the external appearance of religion, but their heart is not right with God.
Spurgeon summarizes, “They talk of repenting, but they do not repent. They speak of believing, but they never believe. They think of submitting to God, but they have not submitted themselves to him yet. They say it is time they broke up the fallow ground and sought the Lord, but they do not seek him. It all ends in a mere promise.”
The danger of living like the second son is, in spite of knowing that the Word of God is true and promising to do the Father’s work, it never actually happens, which amounts to lying to the Holy Spirit. Bad idea. Jesus says that religious outcasts like corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes (who repent) will enter the kingdom before these self-righteous hypocrites.
What matters is truly living for God, not just saying words that sound right. The priests and elders were good at reciting religious verbiage, but their stubborn hearts remind us that repentant sinners will enter the kingdom before them.
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
In Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus teaches the parable of the Two Sons. When asked to help in the family business, the first son refuses, but later has a change of heart and goes to work. The second son answers respectfully: “Yes, sir, I will work,” but never shows up. Both kinds still sit in our pews nowadays.
The first son represents someone who sinned against the Father, but later repented and returned, and was once again accepted into the Holy family. We’ve all walked in those shoes.
The second said all the right things, but failed to do what he said. Like the Pharisees, this type keeps up the external appearance of religion, but their heart is not right with God.
Spurgeon summarizes, “They talk of repenting, but they do not repent. They speak of believing, but they never believe. They think of submitting to God, but they have not submitted themselves to him yet. They say it is time they broke up the fallow ground and sought the Lord, but they do not seek him. It all ends in a mere promise.”
The danger of living like the second son is, in spite of knowing that the Word of God is true and promising to do the Father’s work, it never actually happens, which amounts to lying to the Holy Spirit. Bad idea. Jesus says that religious outcasts like corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes (who repent) will enter the kingdom before these self-righteous hypocrites.
What matters is truly living for God, not just saying words that sound right. The priests and elders were good at reciting religious verbiage, but their stubborn hearts remind us that repentant sinners will enter the kingdom before them.
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
Monday, September 12, 2011
God, Why Do You Hide?
September 12, 2011 Monday Message:
“Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalms 10:1
When the going gets tough, does God really hide? Absolutely not! So let's look at what might be going on.
When the sun goes down each evening, is its light extinguished? No, the earth has simply turned away from the light. God is like that. When we feel that God is distant, oftentimes we have turned away. God is right there, right where He always has been, right where He should be.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways,” declares the Lord. We know what we want; but do we know what God wants? A crisis in our lives is sometimes like a pruning in the vineyard. It hurts at the time, but we grow stronger by overcoming the adversity. Isaiah 55:8
God has three answers to our prayers: yes, no and not yet. We would love the answer to be “yes” all the time, but God knows what's best. Sometimes what we think would be a blessing turns out to be a curse. Most lottery winners are not happy a year later. They wanted “yes,” but “no” might have saved their lives; certainly their sanity!
“Not yet” is most challenging for me to get right. Even when something would obviously be good, I want it to happen right away. But God often gives us more time to draw a crowd, build teams and increase financial support. The thing that looks good now will still look good a year from now. It will happen in “God's time,” not our time.
“The successes of evil are only temporary, and in the end, only the righteous will endure.” Artscroll Tehillim p. 14
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
“Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalms 10:1
When the going gets tough, does God really hide? Absolutely not! So let's look at what might be going on.
When the sun goes down each evening, is its light extinguished? No, the earth has simply turned away from the light. God is like that. When we feel that God is distant, oftentimes we have turned away. God is right there, right where He always has been, right where He should be.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways,” declares the Lord. We know what we want; but do we know what God wants? A crisis in our lives is sometimes like a pruning in the vineyard. It hurts at the time, but we grow stronger by overcoming the adversity. Isaiah 55:8
God has three answers to our prayers: yes, no and not yet. We would love the answer to be “yes” all the time, but God knows what's best. Sometimes what we think would be a blessing turns out to be a curse. Most lottery winners are not happy a year later. They wanted “yes,” but “no” might have saved their lives; certainly their sanity!
“Not yet” is most challenging for me to get right. Even when something would obviously be good, I want it to happen right away. But God often gives us more time to draw a crowd, build teams and increase financial support. The thing that looks good now will still look good a year from now. It will happen in “God's time,” not our time.
“The successes of evil are only temporary, and in the end, only the righteous will endure.” Artscroll Tehillim p. 14
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
Monday, September 5, 2011
Excellence
September 05, 2011 Monday Message:
Nowadays, when we think of an offering to God, our first thought is of the check we drop in the basket each week. That’s important, to be sure; but when we volunteer, serve in our churches, shelters, food-shelves, and go on short-term mission trips, those things too are offerings to God.
Our offerings to God are to be first-class stuff, the best we can bring. 500 years before Jesus, God felt insulted when his people brought defective animals for sacrifice. It’s the same today; God is disrespected if we give less than our best service. Malachi 1:6-14
Frankly, we’re to do our best all the time. Paul writes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23
Years ago I was taught, “Excellence honors God and inspires people.” It’s just as true today, especially in light of our assignment from Jesus, to “go and make disciples of all nations…” If we’re doing church with excellence, people are proud of it, get excited about it, and newcomers want to become a part of it. Therefore excellence ignites evangelism.
“Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17a
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
Nowadays, when we think of an offering to God, our first thought is of the check we drop in the basket each week. That’s important, to be sure; but when we volunteer, serve in our churches, shelters, food-shelves, and go on short-term mission trips, those things too are offerings to God.
Our offerings to God are to be first-class stuff, the best we can bring. 500 years before Jesus, God felt insulted when his people brought defective animals for sacrifice. It’s the same today; God is disrespected if we give less than our best service. Malachi 1:6-14
Frankly, we’re to do our best all the time. Paul writes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23
Years ago I was taught, “Excellence honors God and inspires people.” It’s just as true today, especially in light of our assignment from Jesus, to “go and make disciples of all nations…” If we’re doing church with excellence, people are proud of it, get excited about it, and newcomers want to become a part of it. Therefore excellence ignites evangelism.
“Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus.” Colossians 3:17a
Blessings,
Norton Lawellin
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