Worry Not!

For Thursday, June 12, 2025:

Luke 12:31 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”

My father taught me to only worry about things that I could control. Worrying about things over which you have no control is futile, wasted anxiety!

Jesus is saying to seek God and his Kingdom, and not waste time worrying about anything! God already knows your needs, and God will provide. God knows you need food to eat and clothes to wear. Worrying, fretting or wringing your hands will only make you miserable. Worrying won’t magically make food or clothing appear, and worrying won’t add a single day to your life. Jesus advises us to trust in the Lord who loves us!

Birds don’t plant or harvest food, but they seem to find plenty to eat. Surely mankind is more valuable than birds! Lilies are beautiful and fragrant one day, but are thrown into a fire the next. God has a longer-range plan for mankind. He will certainly care for you!

Unbelievers worry about what to eat and what to wear. Encourage them to better know Jesus and abandon worry. If we seek the Kingdom of God above all else, he will give us everything we need.

Now go sing a chorus of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Call!

For Wednesday, January 15, 2025:

Exodus 3:4b NLT: “God called to him from the middle of the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ ‘Here I am!’ Moses replied.”

Few of us will ever be called by the Lord in such a direct manner, but Isaiah is a close second. When God asked him, “Whom should I send?”, Isaiah volunteered, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah’s response was obedience. Moses’ response was fear, trepidation and hesitation.

Moses turns his anxiety into questions: Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?

God: I will be with you.

Moses: The people will ask, ‘Who sent you?’

God: Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’

Moses: O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.

God: What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks well. And look! He is on his way to meet you now. He will be delighted to see you.

Eventually, Moses ran out of excuses. It was time to put God’s call in motion. Turning down God’s call never works out anyway!

So what has the Lord called you to do? Are you listening for his voice? About a year ago I resolved to say yes more often. There’s a saying in the military: Never volunteer for anything, but I think our Christian attitude should be the opposite of that. If help is needed at church, at a youth program, at a hospital or treatment facility – anywhere our help would benefit our brothers and sisters – it’s time to say yes. That’s what Jesus would have us do.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Shalom!

For Wednesday, July 19, 2023:

Romans 2:10-11 NLV: “But God will give His greatness and honor and peace to all those who obey the truth. Both Jews and those who are not Jews will receive this. For God does not show favoritism.”

What we do in this life matters in the next. God has rewards for those who live by his instructions, and sometimes the rewards come in this life, but oftentimes in the next.

One of God’s gifts is peace, the peace of the Lord, shalom. In Hebrew, the word means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. To me, shalom means freedom from anxiety, not having to worry. Jesus taught us that we needn’t worry if we trust in the Lord! With God, everything will be OK – count on it!

God does not show favoritism. The Messiah came through the Hebrew people, but his mission was to rescue everyone. He took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, everyone’s sins. The song says, “Jesus loves me,” and we all need to remember that! Keep it front-of-mind!

 "Shalom” replaces “hello” and “goodbye” for many Jews. So let’s close with, “Shalom – may the peace of the Lord be with you today!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Let Go, Let God!

For Saturday, September 19, 2020. 

2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.”

My father taught me to concern myself only with things over which I had control. If you have some degree of control over situations, you can begin setting things right. If you stand no chance of changing things, your worry will result in perpetual anxiety, and the Bible tells us that kind of worry is futile, and to avoid worrying in general. 

So how do we deal with problems, situations and people over which we have no control? I hope you’re familiar with the saying, “Let go and let God!” God has control over everything, so give Him your big problem. You can then stop worrying and get back to living! God will deal with it or not, but it’s no longer YOUR problem! God, after all, should be our ultimate source of comfort! That’s what the Bible says. So “Let go and let God!” That newfound peace gives us hope!

Blessings and safety today,

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406