My Only Hope!

For Sunday, February 28, 2021

Psalm 71:5 NLT: “O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you from childhood.”

God brought us into this world, and God will still be there for us as we enter the life-after-this-life. We call it heaven. Awesome and amazing is the hope we have because of the work Jesus did on the cross.

We gather each Sunday to celebrate our assurance of salvation. If we confess our sins, admit we need a savior, and claim Jesus as our rescuer, we have been promised a place in the hereafter. We continue to serve out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us.

The God of our childhood will carry us into the next life!

Blessings and safety on this day of worship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Hope in the Lord!

For Saturday, February 27, 2021

Psalm 71:14 NIV: “As for me, I will always have hope; Lord, I will praise you more and more.”

This psalmist, like all of us, depended upon God for help. In spite of his current trials, his faith in the Lord filled him with hope for the future. “I will hope continually.” I shall expect deliverance after deliverance and blessing after blessing. And as a result, “I will praise You more and more!”

You've all heard, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” That's what this Psalm is about. The author didn't give up or fall into depression. He doubled-down on his faith; he replaced tribulation with optimism in God's strength, and then thanked God for his change in attitude.

Spurgeon writes, “When I cannot rejoice in what I have, I will look forward to what shall be mine, and will still rejoice!”

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Salvation!

For Friday, February 26, 2021

1 Peter 1:9 NLT: “The reward for trusting Jesus will be the salvation of your souls.”

The ultimate reward of our faith will be the salvation of our souls. Death is not the end! As long as we do not see the God we serve, we must remain steadfast through earth's trials, and face them with faith and joy! Keep your eye on the prize!

Peter is our witness. He walked with Jesus both before and after the resurrection, and what he saw convinced him that Jesus is the Messiah, fully worthy of our devotion. He shared that Good News with us! On his testimony, we can place our faith, hope and trust in Jesus the Christ!

Believers have hope; believers can look forward to a good life-after-this-life!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Rejoice in Hope!

For Thursday, February 25, 2021

Romans 12:12 CJB: “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer.”

When the Bible uses the word “hope,” it's typically referring to our final earthly reward with Jesus. We live our Christian lives with an eye toward heaven.

It isn't always easy. Troubles come and troubles go, but the Bible teaches us to be “long-suffering,” patient in spite of current difficulties.

And Paul says we are to pray constantly, which I take to mean more than we already do. Praying allows us to shift our focus from the present problem to a long-term solution – there's nothing that God can't do!

With patience and prayer, we're shown hope!

Blessings and safety to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship ,3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

God's Plans!

For Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

It's important to remember that God still loves us. Sometimes we can forget, especially during difficult times. At the time of Jeremiah's writing, the Jews had been exiled to Babylon for 70 years, and God wanted to reassure them that rescue was still at the top of his agenda.

As for us, we've been living with a pandemic for about a year, and the crisis will most likely be wrapped up before we pass the two-year mark. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel! God continues to watch out for us; we have ongoing hope!

Remember that God has only good things in store for us. We have a bright future! We have hope!

Blessings and safety to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

"I Am Your God!"

For Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Isaiah 41:10 NLT: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

This scripture is both a command and a promise. It's as if God was saying, “Remember me? The God of all power and glory? I'm THAT one!”

"Your God is too small,” writes J. B. Phillips, explaining that when people forget the greatness of God, they can easily become dismayed and discouraged. God replaces that fear with confidence: “I am your God!” God gives us hope!

"Don't worry – I will uphold you with my righteous right hand!”

Blessings and safety to everyone!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Thanks and Praise!

February 22, 2021 Monday Message

Psalm 100:4 VOICE: “Go through the Lord's gates giving thanks; walk through His courts giving praise. Offer Him your gratitude and praise His holy name.”

The psalmist is picturing people of all lands, together entering the gates of the Temple, and praising the Lord as they move through the courts. The thanks and praise merge as God is lifted up!

Because we now know about Jesus, we have much more for which to be thankful than when this psalm was written. Jesus took the sins of the world – including our sins - to the place of the dead. Jesus then prepared a place for us in the life after this life. Jesus solved the problems of sin and death on the same day, and that gives us hope!

Under Jesus' New Covenant, not only are the gates and courts open, but access to the Holy of Holies has been opened! We can now pray directly to God!

Blessings and safety today and always!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Joyful!

For Sunday, February 21, 2021

Psalm 100:2 CEV: “Be joyful and sing as you come in to worship the Lord!”

I have always believed that worship should be joyful, celebratory, something we enjoy, something that we look forward to. God loves me and I love the Lord, and we should both truly enjoy our time together!

Worship should never be reduced to a duty or a burden. The original word signifies a glad shout! Joy is in keeping with God's nature, his acts, and the gratitude we should possess because of his great mercy.

The Anglican Book of Common Prayer calls this scripture the Jubilate Deo: “O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song.”

Our happy God should be worshiped by happy people! (Spurgeon)

Blessings and safety on this day of worship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

The Lord is Good!

For Saturday, February 20, 2021

Psalm 100:5 GNT: “The Lord is good; his love is eternal and his faithfulness lasts forever.”

Never give up! Don't ever give up on God, because God isn't about to give up on you! He brought you into this world, some day he'll call you back home again, but in the mean time he'll walk with you every step of the way.

In this one simple verse, three truths are stated: #1 God is good, #2 His mercy, his love is everlasting, and #3 His truth persists for us and for our future generations.

This concept of a “good God” was news! At that time, people believed that pagan gods, false gods, could be mean and angry. “If the crops didn't grow, the god of sun and rain must be upset.” But the God of the Bible is a good God, full of love and eternally faithful. So never give up on God!

Spurgeon writes, “So long as we are receivers of mercy we must be givers of thanks!”

Blessings and safety this day and always!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Never Give Up!

For Friday, February 19, 2021

Mark 9:23b GNT, Jesus speaking: “Everything is possible for the person who has faith.”

"Never give up,” is one definition of faith. Jesus taught the parable of the persistent widow. Over and over she approached a judge, insisting on fairness. The judge, probably a Roman, wasn't religious, but he grew weary of the woman's pleas and finally granted her a positive verdict. The point is, when the judge first said 'no,' she didn't give up! She believed that God would eventually change the judge's heart.

Is persistence a part of your life, or do you think you give up too easily? (Sorry – deep philosophical question!) Balance is the key. We're better off dismissing little things with no eternal ramifications. But bigger issues, things of eternal significance, deserve our persistence.

Those with persistent confidence in the Lord have hope!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Love Your Neighbor!

For Thursday, February 18, 2021

James 2:8 GNT: “You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'”

We all know that Jesus said to love the Lord and to love our neighbors. But neither of these precepts should have been news. The first of the 10 Commandments places God on the throne of heaven and earth, and the “love your neighbor” part is a quote from Leviticus 19:18.

Unfortunately, even though the concept of caring for your neighbor was part of the Bible, was from God, it hadn't yet caught on with these otherwise religious people. Jesus set out to change that. When he first taught “love your neighbor,” it was as if people were hearing this for the first time. Jesus wants caring for one another to become commonplace.

Each of us can be a part of making the world better. Jesus said to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, and to care for widows and orphans. In short, be joyful, be nice to one another and figure out what you can do that would be helpful. Go ahead, give it a try – be nice to your neighbor! What could it hurt?

Impart some of your hope in Jesus to the rest of the world!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Joy!

For Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Philippians 4:4 TLB: “Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice!”

Paul is encouraging others to be as optimistic as he is, now that he knows the Lord. Paul has lived with many different attitudes toward life, and this is by far the best. Paul's joy wasn't just sunny optimism or positive mental attitude. It was confidence that God is totally in control.

Spurgeon writes, “What a gracious God we serve, who makes delight to be a duty, and who commands us to rejoice! Should we not at once be obedient to such a command as this? It is intended that we should be happy.”

Confidence in God fills us with hope and happiness!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Mighty Power!

For Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Ephesians 3:20 TLB: “Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.”

Personally, I had given up on some things in my life that miraculously God brought to fruition. Life seems to go better if I don't try to engineer the results, if I don't worry so much – just accept the fact that life goes better with God, who can accomplish far more than I can imagine!

God is able to do this in our lives now. We don't have to wait for heaven! The good gifts of God are for the children of God, so friends, reach out and claim your rightful inheritance!

Knowing that God can easily accomplish more through us than we could ever do on our own leaves us with a lot of hope!

Blessings and safety and warmth today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Wisdom & Truth!

February 15, 2021 Monday Message:

Romans 1:22 TLB: “Claiming themselves to be wise without God, they became utter fools instead.”

Paul is warning the Romans to beware of the sinful, evil people who claim to have it all together. Their false face exudes a warm image, but their insides are churning from all the excuses, rationalizations and cover-ups. Eventually, the truth surfaces.

Mankind is made to worship, and those who reject God conjure up all manner of meaningless devotional complexity. The fact is that once a person rejects the truth of God in Jesus, he will fall for anything foolish, and trust far more feeble and fanciful systems than what he rejected from God.

But the truth about God is known to us instinctively. God has written this knowledge in our hearts.

Blessings and safety to all this week!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Sabbath!

NOTE: Jesus in the City in-person church has been cancelled this Sunday Feb. 14. The extreme cold renders outside travel unsafe for many of our congregants. (High -8, low -18!) Please join our Facebook Livestream at 11am for Sunday's scripture and this week's message!

For Sunday, February 14, 2021 – Happy Valentine's Day!

Mark 2:27 NLT: “Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.”

God made the world in 6 days and rested on the 7^th, and we are to do the same. Religious leaders had diligently studied what people should and should not do on the Sabbath. Consequently the Sabbath became a list of rules and requirements, emphasizing external adherence rather than loving the Lord. Jesus is setting the record straight.

God had given the Law to encourage the believers to love him and to love others. He had never prohibited doing good on the Sabbath. The Pharisees acted as if God had created people so that he would have someone to keep the Sabbath, but Jesus clarified that God had given the Sabbath as a gift to the people he had created!

The Sabbath is God's gift to mankind – enjoy!

Blessings and safety and warmth today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Send Your Light!

NOTE: Jesus in the City in-person church has been cancelled this Sunday Feb. 14. The extreme cold renders outside travel unsafe for many of our congregants. (High -6, low -22!) Please join our Facebook Livestream at 11am for Sunday's scripture and this week's message!

For Saturday, February 13, 2021

Psalm 43:3a NLT: “Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me.”

This Psalm is a prayer asking God to take charge, to direct our lives. The author has learned that his own light and truth don't contain all the answers. He's asking God to intervene, which can only make things go better!

As an analogy, let's say that living our lives is like driving a car. When we insist on driving, every once in a while the car might wind up in the ditch! When life is going like that and you're at the end of yourself, it's time to slide over and let God take the wheel, which is where he should have been all along!

God is the best driver because he knows exactly where we should be going!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Heaven Focused!

For Friday, February 12, 2021

Colossians 3:2 Phillips, Paul speaking: “Give your heart to the heavenly things, not to the passing things of earth.”

Please allow me to paraphrase this passage: “Focus on matters with eternal significance; don't worry so much about your circumstances, which will probably change and eventually go away.”

As believers, we have “assurance of salvation” – a guarantee of a life after this life. So our lives are about much more than the here and now. It's a good plan - throughout history, heaven-minded people have done the most good here on earth!

We tend to become what we believe, so let your thoughts and your heart concentrate on heaven, the eternal goal. Each of us has a chance to become more like Jesus with each passing day!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Bible!

For Thursday, February 11, 2021

Matthew 4:4 MSG: “Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: 'It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.'”

While it takes bread (or some kind of food) to stay alive, our minds also need a portion of truth, and we can count on receiving that from God's Word. The Bible is food for our soul. It isn't just for Sunday. It's how we keep our minds healthy throughout the week.

Jesus quoted these words as Satan was tempting him in the midst of a 40 day fast. Satan tried to get Jesus to use his Godly power to turn stones into bread. Jesus declined. His hope didn't come from an earthly commodity. Jesus' hope came from the Word of God. We call it our Bible. It contains hope for us every single day!

If Jesus got his hope from the Bible, we can too!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Love = Hope!

For Wednesday, February 10, 2021

1 Cor. 13:7 NLT: “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

You may have heard these words at weddings. That's certainly appropriate, but there's more.

One of Jesus' final commands was for us to love one another as he loved us. That kind of dedicated love doesn't come and go easily. This scripture counsels us to remain hopeful and never lose faith, regardless of our current circumstances. God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – loves you unconditionally and won't ever give up on you, so don't you give up on God! Today we all have an opportunity to show our love for the Lord, to repent and return, to be a part of the eternal Kingdom. We have hope eternal!

God loves you more than you can love him!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Heart!

For Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Romans 10:19 Phillips: “If you openly admit by your own mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord, and if you believe in your own heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

We use the heart as a metaphor for deep-rooted all-in belief. Example: A man and a woman say to each other, “I love you with all my heart,” which indicates more than just words, more than a few simple actions. It's an unshakable forever commitment, and that's how we're to love the Lord and his Son Jesus – with deep-down eternal faith that confirms our hope in the promises of Jesus.

Having that kind of faith, we can confidently proclaim Jesus to others. He commanded us to share the Good News, and the fact that our faith resides within our heart makes this possible.

We all want to be saved, rescued and redeemed. We all want an eternal place in the heavenly community with Jesus. And we are saved by the grace of God, through our faith in Jesus the Christ.

Blessings to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Before the World!

February 08, 2021 Monday Message:

John 17:24 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!”

Did you ever stop to ask, “What was the starting date of the world? What was here before our planet was created? Did the space even exist into which to put a planet – or did space have to be created too?” However long ago that was, even before there was a world, God was showering love and glory on his Son Jesus!

Jesus' ministry is inclusive – He wants all the believers to share in the same love and glory the Father showed him, and that gives us hope! He wants us to be with him, so we can easily witness the goodness of the Father. As Jesus spoke of these things, he was preparing to ascend into heaven, to return to the Father. He said that he would go ahead to prepare a place for us in heaven, described as a big house with many rooms. Friends, we get to see heaven from the inside!

True believers are now children of God, adopted into the Holy Family, and we SHOULD live under the same roof with the rest of God's children! See you there!

Blessings and safety to all this week!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Love!

For Sunday, February 7, 2021

1 Cor. 16:14 TPT: “Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do.”

I've told some of you about my friend studying the Sermon on the Mount. He has concluded, based on what Jesus taught there, that 2k years ago, most people weren't very nice to each other. There was a lot of, “I got mine – see you around!” - a general lack of concern for their fellows.

But when Jesus was asked the greatest commandment, he said to “Love God and love your neighbor.” And before Jesus ascended, he commanded, “Love one another as I have loved you.” No one had ever taught these principles – to his listeners, this was 'news!'

So be nice. Be kind. Figure out something to do that would be helpful! Love for the Lord should always top the list, but concern for those around us should be a close second. Sometimes God blesses us so that we're able to bless others!

Jesus modeled 'love' for us, and we're to share it, thereby giving others hope!

Blessings and safety to all on this day of worship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Hope Abounds!

For Saturday, February 6, 2021

from 1 Peter 1:3 MSG: “Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!”

As humans, we tend to look at death as the end. After all, when someone dies, it marks a major milestone on their earthly journey.

But the Bible has a more eternal perspective, saying that for your soul, being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God looks at our transition from earth to heaven as a continuation, the next logical step given that believers are now children of God, adopted into the Holy Family. We have a guaranteed future – hope abounds!

Believers will be blessed with a good life as well as a good life-after-this-life!

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Faith in God!

For Friday, February 5, 2021

2 Cor. 1:10b NIV: “On the Lord we have set our hope, that he will continue to deliver us.”

A group of young men first encouraged me toward Jesus, but I have no idea where they are today. The point is that my faith wasn't in the people; it was in God and his Son Jesus the Christ. This God who raises the dead deserves our full-on attention!

I wish I could speak better of mankind, but the truth is that sooner or later, many will let you down. Every year we hear of some well-known religious leader who succumbed to temptation. As unfortunate as that is, our basis for faith is our Creator God, not any created human being. We stick with the God who loves us, a God whose word is always good, and that gives us hope!

If your faith is in the Lord, he will take your hand and walk with you through this life and the next!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Life!

For Thursday, February 4, 2021

John 10:10 GNT, Jesus speaking: “The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.”

When joining a religion, a philosophy or even some kind of organization, consider its ultimate goal. Obviously Satan's goal is to take you down the wrong path.

But Jesus came so that we could have life – both life here on earth, and a life after this life with the Father in heaven. Jesus gives us hope! He not only wants us to have life; he wants us to have an abundant GOOD life, living in all its intended fullness.

"For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Faith!

For Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Matthew 9:29 NIV: “Jesus touched their eyes and said, 'Because of your faith, it will happen.'”

Jesus was healing the blind, but the same principle applies to us all. Their lives were radically transformed by their faith; our lives too can be radically transformed by our faith. Our faith can make things happen!

In many ways, our lives are self-fulfilling prophecies. If we think of ourselves as lazy and incompetent, that will likely be the result. But if we think of ourselves as winners, we're more likely to become winners. Leaders coach those around them to be winners too. We not only tell it like it is; we tell it like it could be! We impart hope!

What are you expecting from yourself this week?

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

God's Plan!

For Tuesday, February 2, 2021

2 Cor. 3:5 GNT: “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God.”

None of us could accomplish all the work needed in the Kingdom, but each of us is a part of God's plan. In other words, it's God's plan, and he's bringing us along to assist, not sending us off on our own.

The Bible says that God won't send us on a mission without equipping us for that mission. We have hope knowing that God is in the driver's seat; we get to ride along and help, and that's Good News!

"God has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. The old covenant ended in death, but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life!” (from 2 Cor. 3:6)

Blessings and safety to all!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Forgiving Father!

February 01, 2021 Monday Message:

Luke 15:20 NLT: “So he (the prodigal son) returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”

In this parable told by Jesus, the father represents God, and the prodigal son could be any one of us. You know the story – the son squanders his portion of the family estate and finally comes to the end of himself. His plan is to return home saying, “Father, I have sinned against you and against heaven. Please take me back as one of your hired servants.”

But as he neared home, the father ran down the road to meet him. I believe that from the time the Prodigal son left, the father was waiting, hoping and praying that his son would repent and return. And when the son finally DID return, he didn't have to go looking for his father. Dad was right there watching, expecting the son to arrive any minute. And the lesson here is that no matter where you've been – no matter what you've done – no matter how disrespectful you were in the past – you father is waiting to welcome you – he'll run down the road to meet you, with open arms, and that gives us hope!

There is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven by Jesus!

Blessings and safety to all as we begin this new week!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406