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

Jesus' Attitude!

For Sunday, January 22, 2023:

Philippians 2:5 NLT: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

Because Jesus took up life alongside mankind on earth, he brought a simplicity, a practicality to worshiping the Father. Jesus was direct and acted quickly, adding immediacy to the day. If it was time to pray, do it now! On the Sabbath, let’s all gather for worship - now! If someone attending our worship needs healing, let’s do that first, and then get right back to worship!

Temple priests, Pharisees and Sadducees had complicated religion with ceremonies and rituals. Those aren’t necessarily bad, but following the ritual had become more important than the actual worship of the Lord, and that was wrong. Nothing is more important than honoring the Lord. God doesn’t need ‘fancy.’ But he does need ‘sincere.’

This scripture isn’t just about worship. As we live our lives, we make thousands of decisions every day, some of them right, and some of them wrong. Our average would improve if we’d stop and ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?,” and then do that!

Let us all strive to take on Jesus’ attitude and passion for his (our) Father!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship