Don't Worry!

For Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Matthew 6:34 Phillips: “Don’t worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day’s trouble is enough for one day.”

Worrying really isn’t Biblical; trusting in the Lord is. He created you, He knows what you need and He will provide for you. Having said that, it’s prudent to keep an eye on our future. We’d be foolish if we didn’t!

There’s a Christian song, “One Day at a Time,” that accurately describes God’s care and provision for us. The Lord’s Prayer teaches, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Not next week’s bread, not next year’s bread, but we pray for God to give us what we need today so we can make it to tomorrow. Let God worry about tomorrow. He’ll take care tomorrow when tomorrow comes!

The Message explains it like this: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Thine is the Kingdom!

August 30, 2021 Monday Message:

Matthew 6:13b KJ21: “For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.”

Did you know that this conclusion to “The Lord’s Prayer” was not in the earliest manuscripts? That’s strong evidence that these words were added later, not spoken by Jesus. Does that matter? In this case, I don’t think so. We do find the words in 2^nd Century writings, so there’s some history to this being included in early Christian teachings.

Jesus was teaching his followers to how to pray, things to include, and that includes praise and worship. Think of this line as a kind of Doxology. If ‘Thine is the Kingdom,’ then God is the King of everything. He holds all the power, both as creator and rescuer of mankind. His glory shines from heaven onto all creation. Everything we count on has God’s fingerprint all over it!

‘Amen’ means ‘so be it,’ or ‘may it be so.’ Concluding a prayer with ‘Amen’ means that we agree with the content. In this case, we’re saying that we totally agree with our Savior, and with the words He spoke. We’re claiming that we have been given hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

You are Blessed!

For Sunday, August 29, 2021

Matthew 5:3 NIV: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Who needs a little more God in their lives? I’m guessing that we all do, so in a way, we’re all a little ‘poor in spirit.’ Jesus is dangling the kingdom of heaven like a carrot, before those who need spiritual encouragement. That’s a pretty big reward for just realizing that we need a little help with this life, and reaching out when that help is offered. We have been offered hope!

Jesus said that his walk among us didn’t target the ultra-religious. He was here for those who needed rescuing! “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.”

Everyone can be poor in spirit. “Not what I have, but what I have not.” (Spurgeon)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Deliver Us!

For Saturday, August 28, 2021

Matthew 6:13a KJ21, Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray, from what has come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Most of us think that we’re strong, that we would not fall to any temptation. But history has proven that to be incorrect. Even the disciple Peter denied Jesus three times. He lied, saying he didn’t even know Jesus. Jesus understands the character of mankind, and we’re all vulnerable.

Temptation is the work of the evil one, Satan. He’s trying to get his foot in the door, asking us to not put God first all the time, but rather to set God aside for a moment and try his way. Jesus, teaching us to pray, wants us to increase our God-awareness. The best way to stay clear of sin is to get closer to God!

“Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Forgiveness!

For Friday, August 27, 2021

Matthew 6:12 KJ21, Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray, from what has come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Forgiving is huge with God. He sent his Son to forgive us for all our missteps, our sins, our trespasses. And he expects us to treat others with the same kindness he has shown.

In this verse, Jesus has kind of flipped it around. We’re supposed to show kindness, forgiveness and compassion for others, and we’re asking our Father to forgive us in the same manner that we have shown. The Bible says that we shouldn’t even attempt worship until we are reconciled with our brothers and sisters.

“Forgive us for the wrong things we have done, the way we forgive those who have done wrong things to us.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

God of Provision!

For Thursday, August 26, 2021

Matthew 6:11 KJ21, Jesus, teaching his disciples to pray, from what has come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Include prayer for your daily provision. God is the great provider, Jehovah Jireh. Jesus said to ask today for the bread we’ll need tomorrow. Bread, yes, but we can extend that to include all our needs. It should be a prayer about need, not greed. It is for one day at a time, so we pray daily.

God may provide differently than we expect. Father knows best! Having Jesus and the Gospel is a big part of our provision. And God has provided for us in the next reality too!

God does care about everyday things!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Made for Worship!

For Wednesday, August 25, 2021

John 4:24 ESV: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Mankind was made to worship God, to exalt him, to lift him up. That’s perfect because God is seeking a relationship with each of us. Knowing He has his eye on us gives us hope!

Yesterday we visited the Mayan Ruins at Tulum, Mexico. In the 13^th century, with no knowledge of the true God or his Son, they still built temples for worship. My point is that mankind inherently knows that there is a Creator, a Supreme Being, a Higher Power. We’re all made to worship something, even if we don’t yet know exactly what that something is.

Nowadays we are blessed to be living post-Christ and post-Reformation. We know that we are saved by grace through faith. We know that Jesus came to redeem us, to usher us into the eternal Kingdom with the Father.

We, too, were made for worship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Thy Kingdom Come!

For Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Matthew 6:10 KJ21: “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.”

Jesus gave us these words in what has come to be known as The Lord’s Prayer. He’s teaching us how to pray.

John the Baptist counseled people: “Repent and return to the Lord, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” And it was! Jesus soon began his ministry, and we had the Kingdom of God living among us. Of course Jesus promised that he would return, so the Kingdom in all its glory will be among us once again, and that gives us hope!

The bad news is that a lot of the earth is full of sin and corruption. The good news is that there’s none of that in heaven. So we pray that a little bit of heaven would come to earth. If we want to be farther from sin, we need to get closer to God. Pray that the Glory of the Lord, the shekhinah, would fall into your part of the world!

On the “New Earth,” God will dwell among us!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Our Father!

August 23, 2021 Monday Message:

Matthew 6:9 KJ21: “In this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name.”

The disciples had been asking Jesus about prayer, about HOW to pray. Before Jesus, people would take their concerns to a Priest, and he would pray to God on their behalf. So most of Jesus’ followers had never prayed themselves – and they they needed to learn. We ALL need to learn!

Jesus began his dissertation with words like, “Pray then, in this way,” “Therefore, you should pray like this,” and, “This, then, is how you should pray.” Jesus never said you needed to pray the exact words that follow, which we now know as The Lord’s Prayer; but there’s nothing wrong with praying them either. Those words give us comfort and hope. Jesus is telling us to include thoughts like these in our prayers.

Pagan gods were thought to be mean, angry and ruthless. Jesus is showing his followers the true God, a God of lovingkindness, forgiveness and second chances. Think of him as your Father, a really GOOD Father! Holy is his name, consecrated, sacred and set apart with reverence and respect.

The words we all know and love were penned by Thomas Cranmer, probably the greatest English-language wordsmith next to Shakespeare. He was Archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry the VIII and compiled the first two editions of the Book of Common Prayer. He wrote using ‘majestic’ language, which is why we don’t say, “You guys are married now.” We say, “I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

Majestic language gives our worship reverence and authority!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Get to the Point!

For Sunday, August 22, 2021

Matthew 6:7 NLT, Jesus speaking: “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”

We are not saved based on the length of our prayers. A long prayer isn’t necessarily better than a short prayer on the same subject. God is smart; He understands what you prayed the first time. No need to keep repeating yourself! Don’t bore your Father!

God knows what you need before you even ask him. But he wants you to include him in your daily life. He wants you to make him a permanent part of your existence. If you call on the Lord, he’s “IN!” He won’t let you down! Knowing that leaves us with hope!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Pray to God!

For Saturday, August 21, 2021

Matthew 6:6 NLT, Jesus speaking: “When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

With Jesus, we no longer need a priest to intercede on our behalf. You don’t even have to be a part of a group. You can take your prayer concerns, go off by yourself and pray directly to God-the-Father.

Thinking of God as “Our Father” was a new concept. At that time, people thought God was formidable. But Jesus is teaching us that God is loving, forgiving and cares deeply about each one of us. God wants a relationship with us. God wants us to include Him in our daily lives

Paul taught the Ephesians to, "Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Sincere Prayer

For Friday, August 20, 2021

Matthew 6:5 NLT, Jesus speaking: “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.”

Jesus is in favor of prayer; He prayed himself, all the time. And praying in public is fine, like we do at church. Jesus did that himself, as did his disciples.

But Jesus could not tolerate the “prayer show.” People would stand on street corners, praying as loudly as they could, attracting as much attention as they could, so all the passers-by could see just how holy they were! In fact, they weren’t. It was all a show; it wasn’t real. They were pretending to be righteous, like actors in a theater. Such prayer is not real prayer, but empty words meant only for the ears of other people. Their motive – to be seen by others – was the problem. They were hypocrites!

Pray sincerely from the heart. Let your spirit communicate with the spirit of the Lord.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Prayer!

For Thursday, August 19, 2021

Proverbs 15:29 NLT: “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.”

Actually, God is everywhere! He’s not trying to hide! But the wicked choose to separate themselves from God.

Jesus condemned the prayers of hypocrites, because they’re insincere. But God looks forward to hearing heartfelt prayers from humble believers praying honestly. God is always listening, hears our prayers and answers, which gives us hope!

It the wicked would repent, they would then be righteous.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Supernatural Intervention!

For Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Acts 8:15 NLT: “As soon as Peter and John arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.”

God puts good people in key positions, and gives them intelligence. We’re supposed to be able to handle some problems and make some decisions. The Apostles Peter and John were some of the best. After all, they had lived with Jesus, listened to his teaching and were eyewitnesses to the miracles. But when facing new believers, their first action was prayer. They were asking for supernatural intervention. They knew that having the Holy Spirit would change these believer’s lives, and with the help of God, it could become reality.

Think of prayer as an umbrella that covers everything you do. Prayer should precede your efforts, not be a last resort for when all else fails.

Prayer is asking God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Pray!

For Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Luke 9:28 NLT: “Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray.”

Praying is important. Jesus prayed all the time, and he often included a few close friends, but just a few. Jesus, being fully God but also fully human, would require a pause, a break in his intense ministry. So he’d go to a quiet place and talk things over with the Father.

As Jesus paid the price for the sins of the world, the curtain separating mankind from God was torn from top to bottom, so it had to be God doing the tearing, wanting to include us. We can now pray directly to God, and that gives us a lot of hope! We no longer need a priest to pray on our behalf. We can pray straight to the Father, in Jesus’ name!

The best reason to pray is because that’s what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

New Covenant!

August 16, 2021 Monday Message:

Mark 7:9 NLT: “Jesus said, ‘You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.’”

That day Jesus was addressing what appear to be good people. They’re observant Jews, quite interested in things religious. They tithe, supporting their local synagogue.

Those things are all good, but it turns out that their parents were neglected, and that’s not good. God didn’t give them a pass on that one commandment. God never gives us a pass on any of his commands, but he did set up a system whereby we could repent and return, and he would welcome us back into the Holy Family, and that gives us eternal hope.

Mankind falls into the trap of making excuses for why we should be the exception to God’s rule. We rationalize our way into accepting that which is never OK. Time to get back on track!

In the New Covenant set forth by Jesus, God has “written his laws on our hearts.” We call it a conscience. Deep down, we already know right from wrong. We no longer need a list of God’s rules – I call them ‘Principles for Good Living’ – because we already know. If there are questions, you can always double-check your value system against what the Bible says.

We don’t get to make the rules – God makes the rules!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Respite!

For Sunday, August 15, 2021

Mark 6:32 NLT: “Jesus and his apostles left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.”

Ministry can be all-consuming, 24/7. It can be hard work. Jesus and the apostles needed a little break to recharge their batteries, so-to-speak. They thought leaving on a boat and going to the other side of the lake would give them that respite.

But the people would have none of it. They had heard His teaching. They were eyewitnesses to the miracles, and they wanted more! In those days, boats would sail close enough to visualize the shoreline - in deep-enough water to accommodate the boat, but able to see the shore so nobody got lost! Therefore the throng could easily track Jesus’ progress from the sideline, follow, and be there to meet them on the other side. The crowd weren’t taking “no” for an answer!

And what about us nowadays? Are we so all-consumed with our Savior that we’d drop everything and follow him along the shore; follow him wherever he goes? Do we accept “no” for an answer, or do we want more?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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