Thanksgiving!

For Thursday, November 27, 2025:

Genesis 12:7 NIV: “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”

The purpose of Thanksgiving is twofold: worship and expression of thankfulness. In the US, today is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday with a checkered history and a biblical precedent. God established this covenant: “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” Consequently, God took very good care of his people, who then gave thanks to God for all he had done for them, and for all he would continue to do.

 As the US began, George Washington declared a time of thanksgiving, gratitude for our independence from British rule. God had granted them freedom, and saying they were grateful would be an understatement. (I’m sure Washington was also thankful for the ability to remain standing in tLincolnhat boat as his image was captured for posterity!)

The nation grew, and observance of Thanksgiving varied from state to state. It was not always on the same date. President Abraham Lincoln finally declared Thanksgiving a national holiday on the last Thursday of November. During his term, the internal conflict between North/South ended, so there was plenty for which to be thankful.

May the Lord be at the center of your Thanksgiving day events. Have a warm and safe day filled with gratitude. May God’s blessings go with you and your families, not just today, but always! In Jesus’ name...Amen!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

 

Ordinary People

July 29, 2013 Monday Message:

God, to Abram: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household, to the land I will show you.” (Gen 12:1)

Every family has its problems. Families in the Bible are walking examples of dysfunctional behavior.

Can you imagine the conversation between Abram and Sarai?

“Help me pack everything. We’re going to move!”

“Where are we going?”

“Dunno. God said He’s show us later…”

It doesn’t get better:

“God says we’re going to have a son.”

“But you’re 100 and I’m 90!”

“Yeah. Let’s have a good laugh!”

Later, God calls on the elderly Abraham to sacrifice his son. God was testing Abraham’s faith and loyalty. Now God eventually provided the sacrifice, and Isaac lived. But Jewish tradition teaches that Sarah died when she heard the news of her son’s imminent death.

The point is that being a member of this holy family wasn’t always smooth sailing. They had ups and downs, and sometimes seemed to go from one crisis to another. They were, in fact, a normal family.

Today, the names, “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” roll off the tongues of anyone who studies Christianity, Judaism or Islam. They’re our Patriarchs of the Bible. But these were not kings; they were fairly obscure, not-well-known people. These trials happened in the lives of ordinary people with little influence - people just like most of us.

Who knows what thing God does with us today might be remembered 3,000 years later.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Sunday, Aug. 04, Jesus talks about money and possessions in Luke 12:22-34. Why would you worry when God is still on the throne? See you there!

NL

Get Going!

October 29, 2012 Monday Message:

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12:1

When Abram was 75 years old, the Lord told him to leave a lifetime behind. “Get going!”

“Where to?”

“I’ll show you later – just get going!”

Can you imagine having to explain that to Mrs. Abram (Sarai,) and the extended family that pitched their tents beside yours.

“Where are we headed?”

“I dunno – God said He’s tell us later.”

This is all about faith and obedience. God will always send you in the right direction, and God has a destination in mind even if you aren’t aware of it yet. The question is, are you willing to get going?

It might be a journey, or it might be a task. God puts good people in key positions, and doesn’t micro-manage. He expects them to get going, to do their thing to put His mission into action.

So even if you don’t know how something will finish, are you willing to get started?

Get going for the kingdom!

Norton Lawellin

Pastor Michael continues our journey through Luke this Sunday. Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF,) North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am. C U @ church!

NL

Get Going!

July 16, 2012 Monday Message:

The Lord said to Abram, “Go … to the land I will show you.” from Genesis 12:1

When Abram and family packed for the journey, they didn’t know their destination. God’s instructions were to “get going,” and so off they went. God would set them down in just the right place, at just the right time.

July 22^nd is the final Sunday our Jesus in the City Fellowship meets at Trinity First Lutheran, 1115 E. 19^th St., Mpls., 11am. They have been wonderful hosts, but now need the space to expand their Christian school.

JITC will be moving to the Oliver Ministry Center, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am on July 29^th. It’s only 3 blocks over and 7 down on a map. But it’s a whole new neighborhood and a whole new ministry opportunity.

Our lead pastor, Michael Pilla, has put in a lot of hours searching out the new venue, helping the owners to understand our needs, and negotiating office and worship space. I believe it all worked out just the way God planned.

“The best place to do ministry is wherever God sets you down to do ministry.” Alistair Begg

Norton Lawellin

This Friday we’ll be leading worship at New Hope Center, 27^th & Cedar, 7pm. Open your Bibles to Daniel 3 and get ready to jump into the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. See you there!