Love One Another!

For Tuesday, January 13, 2026:

Hebrews 13:1 NLT: “Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.”

Our relationship with other believers should be special. In the original Greek, it’s called brotherly love. (Which is not to exclude sisterly love!) The city of Philadelphia takes its name from this, the City of Brotherly Love. Simply put, believers should have a family-type relationship with one another. After all, believers have been adopted as Children of God. God looks at us as being in the family, so church business is family business. We need to look out for one another!

In English, our one word for love seems inadequate. The Greek language gives us Agape, unconditional love. This is how we should love God, and how God loves us. This is full-on love, no matter what. It’s based on forgiving and forgetting. Letting go. Heaven is our forever home, and home is where when you go there, they have to let you in!

Other types of love include Eros, romantic love; Philia, friendship or brotherly love; Storge, family love or love for those with whom we’re familiar; and Philautia, self-love. We could perhaps use a little less of that one!

I’m glad my Sunday church has a monthly potluck meal after the service. It gives us a chance to better know our brothers and sisters!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Relationship!

September 11, 2023 Monday Message:

Psalm 86:5 NLT: “O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.”

Even good Christians fail to call on God when there’s a problem, thinking, “God has a lot on his plate and my problem is so small!” We pray for others religiously, but fail to also pray for ourselves. Time to change that!

In fact God wants that sort of relationship with us, but we need to invite him in. God stands ready to help, and he’ll intervene in our lives if we simply ask. Listen to this – God has a good supply of forgiveness, agape love and healing with our names on it.

Go ahead – put your name on God’s to-do list - today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Valentine's Day!

For Tuesday, February 14, 2023:

John 13:34 NIV, Jesus speaking: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Today we celebrate St. Valentine’s Day in much of the world. It’s a Christian Feast-day with cultural and romantic overtones. Let’s have a look.

Valentine was a common name in early Roman Christianity. Several legends persist surrounding the day’s origin, including a 3^rd Century Priest who was martyred, but the truth is that our knowledge of Valentine’s Day’s beginning is vague at best. Valentine isn’t in the Bible, but we celebrate it as a day of love, and love most certainly is in the Bible.

The Bible speaks of eros, the romantic love between a husband and wife; phileo, friendship for your brothers and sisters; and agape, a parent’s love for their children including God’s love for believers. As the church was beginning, observers would witness the caring, love and friendship of “the Way,” liked what they saw and wanted to become a part of the action. No one had previously seen that kind of helpfulness and it all looked good! The church grew by leaps and bounds!

Like the song says, “They will know we are Christians by our love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Love One Another!

For Tuesday, August 3, 2021

John 15:17 HCSB, Jesus speaking: “This is what I command you: Love one another.”

Jesus is wrapping up his teaching on caring for one another. The Father loves him. He loves the Father. He has loved us as the Father loves him. Brotherly love is mentioned, but also unconditional love. In Greek, it’s agape love, like the love a parent has for their child. Hebrew speaks of chesed, God’s everlasting lovingkindness, a love so great it’s difficult for us to comprehend.

As Jesus prepares to leave, he’d like to see his followers being nice to one another, being helpful, adding value. I think he could have issued another commandment, something like, “Be nice,” or, “Care for others,” or, “Do what you can to be helpful!” If the whole world could adopt Jesus’ attitude, we’d find ourselves living in a better place!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Love!

For Friday, January 8, 2021

Romans 12:9 TLB, Paul speaking: “Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.”

Paul is advising the Roman Christians to follow the teachings of Jesus, who said we are to love one another as He loved us! Really love and care for your fellows! And even as counterintuitive as it is, love your enemies too. Every human on earth was first made in God's image; some need to repent and return, but that's God's business. Our job is to love.

Followers of Jesus are to take a stand, take a position on moral issues. We can't just love 'good' and ignore the rest of the world. There's way too much evil out there. It's as important to detest evil as it is to stand up for what's right.

If we're filled with the love of Jesus, we'll be full of hope in this life and in the next. Jesus' command to love our neighbors leads us down the right path! Follow in His footsteps!

Blessings to all today – stay safe!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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