Goodbye Law!

For Friday, January 30, 2026:

Romans 6:15 NLT: “Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!”

The Law enters people into a contest. Can we do enough good to outweigh the bad? Can we do enough good to qualify for heaven? Christianity doesn’t work like that. We are no longer under the Law.

Believers are living under grace. Our salvation is God’s free gift to us. His desire is to include us in his eternal heavenly Kingdom. Therefore, if we confess our wrongdoings and declare allegiance to the Son who took away our sin, we will be fully forgiven. Heaven won’t be filled with perfect people. Heaven will be filled with forgiven people. “I once was lost, but now I’m found.” God’s love and grace bring us home. Jesus said so!

I work with church musicians, and our goal is to bring our best to the Lord and the other believers. Mistakes will happen from time to time, but if everyone is doing their best, I can’t complain. I encourage grace for one another, and forgiveness. That’s what Jesus would do! God wants our love and offers us grace, undeserved favor, and forgiveness.

Pray and thank God for his grace and forgiveness, and always do your best for the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Self-Worth!

For Wednesday, October 26, 2022:

Galatians 6:4 NLT: “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”

Self-esteem seems to be an important topic nowadays. It gets mixed in with encouragement. In the effort to not hurt anyone’s self-esteem, everyone typically gets some kind of reward. Children who lose a tournament still go home with a trophy.

It’s good that we support each other like this, but we shouldn’t count on it. Paul is coaching the Galatians to always do their best work. Then they will have the satisfaction of a job well done. They will know self-worth having done their best. Doing your best is what God asks, and if God’s OK with it, I’m OK with it!

Sometimes we need to trade our self-esteem for self-worth!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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