Heavenly Words!

For Sunday, April 6, 2025:

John 14:24b NLT, Jesus speaking: “Remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.”

In John ch. 14, Jesus has been leaving urgent last-minute instructions for the believers. Before going to the cross, he claims the ultimate authority for his words, telling the believers that what he speaks is actually from Father God! Now are you listening? Now are you paying attention?

In the believer’s mind at the time, this might have made a difference. But to us nowadays, with the completed Bible in hand, we know that Jesus and the Father are one. Their thoughts are the same, and they’re pulling in the same direction. And when the Holy Spirit, our comforter and advocate, joins us on the planet, it will be more of the same. Those three are one! C’mon, Pentecost!

When the words are from Our Father in Heaven, we should listen up! We should be obedient!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Idols = Bad!

For Saturday, April 5, 2025:

John 14:24a NLT, Jesus speaking: “Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.”

As Jesus draws closer to the cross, he leaves urgent last-minute instructions and theological details with the believers. (John chapter 14) We’ve been reviewing his thoughts as we draw closer to Holy Week, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday (Easter.)

Our Father in Heaven freely admits that he’s a jealous God. He has no time for those who pursue idols and false gods. The God we love is the Creator of the universe, while a statuette just sits there doing nothing. The God who gave us brains and reasoning is dumbfounded when people fall for a false god – makes no sense! Nowadays, idols can be work, hobby, sport or some other false religion – anything that competes with the real God for first place in our lives.

If someone has no time for God, God will have no time for them. Love is reciprocal. It’s easy to spot the wolf in sheep’s clothing, someone faking love for the Lord. Jesus instructed his followers to love the Lord and love their neighbors. If someone spends no time with God and/or has no compassion for their neighbor’s predicament, they’re probably not a believer.

Those who love Jesus obey his commands and put his instructions in motion. Believers are filled with the joy of the Lord, and God is pleased with their efforts. Believers have been recruited to play on Jesus’ team! Get in the game!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

New Earth!

For Friday, April 4, 2025:

John 14:23 NLT, Jesus speaking: “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.”

If we please Jesus, the Father will also be pleased. Remember, they are of one mind, really just one God. The acknowledgment of our relationship with God is our obedience. When the angel told Mary she’d be delivering a savior into the world, she replied, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” That’s obedience! When Abraham set out to offer little Isaac as a sacrifice to the Lord, that was absolute obedience. (Thankfully, God stopped the sacrifice – the scenario was only a test of Abraham’s devotion and obedience.)

We often speak of going to heaven when we die. We teach only two choices, heaven or hell. Christians choose heaven, but that’s not our final destination. The Bible promises the “New Earth,” fully restored and perfect in every way. I believe God will restore the Earth to “Garden-of-Eden” specs, and the Bible says that the New Earth will be our forever home. Jesus preparing a place for believers includes restoring mankind’s home, planet Earth.

Jesus says that he and the Father will walk among us, and that’s where I want to be. What an awesome community! We may not even have to fill out “change-of-address” forms!

If it’s good enough for Jesus and the Father, it’s good enough for me!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Ask, Seek, Knock!

For Thursday, April 3, 2025:

John 14:22 NLT, Jesus took a question: “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?”

If you have no idea where you’re going, how will you know when you’ve arrived? And if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you know when you’ve found it? Those seeking the Lord will find him. Those not seeking the Lord can’t identify him. Like I said, they don’t know what they’re looking for!

As Christians, it’s our job to enlighten the unbeliever. We’re to light the fire of insatiable curiosity in the hearts of potential seekers. They need to know about sin in the world, and their inherent need to be forgiven. They need to know that death is not the end; that there’s life after this life. They need to know about the misery of hell and the joyfulness of heaven.

We get to choose between spending eternity in God’s presence or Satan’s presence. Christians have already made that choice. Those entrusted with the Good News should counsel others to make that same wise decision.

No one really wants to spend eternity bobbing in a lake of fire!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Family!

For Wednesday, April 2, 2025:

John 14:20 NLT, Jesus speaking: “When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Cozy. Jesus and the Father are one. He said that if you know him, you have seen the Father. And now he tells believers, “You are in me, and I am in you.” It’s all one big happy family! Believers who bond with Jesus are also bonded with the Father. And just as Jesus is the Son of God, we too are God’s children. John 1:12: “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Doesn’t it feel good to be included in the Holy Family? Everyone wants to be included. (One of my favorite words!) “Three of us are attending the event – there’s room in the car for a fourth, and we’d like to include you!” Of course, God’s desire is that everyone would repent and return. He wants everyone to exercise their chance to be included!

Given brain power and the freedom to choose, we need to correctly make this decision regarding our forever destiny. Our choice has eternal ramifications. Cozy up to the Creator. Picture yourself as a child, sitting on God’s lap. Let him rock you to sleep. Contented and safe. Forever!

God will include you if you include God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Eternity Promised!

For Tuesday, April 1, 2025:

John 14:19 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.”

Jesus knows he will be returning to the Father in heaven. His disciples have trouble understanding this, so Jesus wants to set the record straight. His words are a great explanation of eternal salvation.

Jesus-the-human will die, and those on earth will no longer see him. But forgiven believers will get to see heaven from the inside, where Jesus now resides alongside the Father. It’s like he’s saying, “You believers will see me, because I’m preparing a place for you. But it’s a place non-believers cannot enter.”

The Son of God sums up what will take place with the best words ever: “Since I live, you also will live.” He’s promising the best life-after-this-life we could possibly imagine!

Claim today what Jesus promised!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship