Prophesy Fulfilled!

November 26, 2012 Monday Message:

“It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!” Luke 2:20c Msg

At church last Sunday, we looked at the coming of John the Baptist. An angel appeared to his father, Zechariah, a priest in the Temple, and that angel foretold John’s birth, which was part of a series of life-changing events.

Consider this: Without Zechariah, there is no John the Baptist. If there is no John the Baptist, there is no prophet announcing the coming of the Messiah. If no one heralds the Messiah, the prophecies in the Old Testament are unfulfilled. If the prophesies of the OT regarding the first coming of the Messiah are unfulfilled, then Jesus did not fulfill all things. If Jesus did not fulfill all things, then He did not complete God’s plan of redemption for you and me, and we would perish in our sins!

In fact, what actually happened was Gospel, good news! Zechariah heard the Lord, John the Baptist was born, and he foretold the coming of Jesus. All the scriptures were fulfilled, and Jesus made a way for us to come back home to heaven once again. Our sins were forgiven, and death was conquered.

But I especially love the perspective of the shepherds, on the night Jesus was born: “It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!”

May love and peace be with you and your families as we prepare for the Christmas season.

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, Dec. 02, 10:30am Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. Pastor Michael continues teaching from Luke as we enter the Advent season.

NL

Come Quickly, Lord Jesus!

November 19, 2012 Monday Message:

“The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations! As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you. All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads.” Obadiah 1:15 NLT

This past week, Israel’s anti-missile defense system was put to the test. For the most part, their rockets designed to shoot down attacking rockets have been successful.

But Israel considers rockets lobbing explosives into their country unacceptable, and has retaliated against the Hamas perpetrators, who probably never considered that they will be judged on how they treat Israel.

So for now, Hamas aims rockets at Israel, and Israel aims rockets at Palestine, and that’s unacceptable for the residents of both countries.

This is serious – if the Middle East erupts, ripples will be felt throughout the world, and the escalating conflict will show its face in far-away nations.

Not nearly as well publicized are the 44-million hacking attempts on Israeli Government web sites this past week, yet another way to disrupt the country.

On Thursday, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day in the US. I wish it could be “in the world.” We can be thankful that we don’t have missiles exploding in our neighborhoods, and that our government’s web presence is intact.

The Bible says that peace will return when Jesus returns. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We need you.

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, Nov. 25, 10:30am Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) will be making a joyful noise, singing to the Lord, and I’ll be teaching Luke 1:5-25, John the Baptist prepares the way for the coming of our Lord. North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis.

NL

Good Enough? Not for God!

November 12, 2012 Monday Message:

Sometimes I help songwriters bring their compositions to life in the recording studio. Their song is no longer just a dream; it becomes “real.” We add drums and percussion, guitars, pianos and synthesizers, instrumental solos, and polished vocals, and they can show it to someone, and say, “THIS is how it goes!” – or include it on their own CD of original music.

The songwriter asks, “How much?”

I give them a price.

And then sometimes they respond, “But it’s only for a demo,” implying that if they don’t release it to the public, they don’t need it perfect, and my services should be worth less.

The conflict is explained in Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.” (ISV)

God  doesn’t have a “demo” mode. He doesn’t want us to do our life’s work in a slipshod, careless manner. Everything we do should be our best efforts, as though working for the Lord. As a believer, God wouldn’t want me to leave mistakes in the 3^rd verse, and send it out with my name on it.

God’s team does their best in all things. God doesn’t like lukewarm! That’s what the Bible says.

Norton Lawellin

Yesterday was Veterans Day, and we observe the legal holiday today. Thank God some people answer the call to fight for human rights and freedom throughout the world.

Friday, Nov. 16, 7pm I’ll be leading the service and teaching about “Sin and Sin’s Solution” at New Hope Center, 2739 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls, MN 55407. Come join the men in recovery as we worship the Lord.

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) continues in the Gospel of Luke, 10:30 Sunday morning, North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis.

NL

False Witness?

November 05, 2012 Monday Message:

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Exodus 20:16

A false witness is a liar, a prevaricator, and if he lies about his neighbor, he probably lies about everything and can’t really be trusted at all. Of course, “deceiving your neighbor” flies in the face of “loving your neighbor as yourself.”

This well-known commandment isn’t just about courtroom testimony. In fact, it includes gossip, exaggeration, slander, and anything put forth as a truth, which is, in fact, false. Speech intended to rob a person of his good name or character is against the spirit of this law.

Suppressing the truth when the truth could benefit your neighbor is wrong, as is putting forth the truth when it can only injure someone. Not everything true needs to be said.

None of us likes being lied to, but we sometimes experience it in an imperfect world. We do not expect lies to come from the mouths of believers. It’s far worse when we’re deceived by pastors or church elders, and the Bible says that God will hold them to a higher standard.

“There are things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate … someone who tells one lie after another." from Proverbs 6:16-19 GNT

Godliness and honesty must walk hand-in-hand. That’s what the Bible says.

Norton Lawellin

Exceptional worship and teaching last Sunday, and if you weren’t there, you missed it! This week we continue in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF,) North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am.

NL