Unfailing Love!

For Wednesday, August 17, 2022:

John 1:17 NLT: “For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.”

God has always been faithful in his covenants with mankind. We are the ones with shortcomings. Even solid believers are riddled with character defects.

It was time for a new plan, a New Covenant. In the past, the emphasis had been on the Law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. But in the New Covenant, God sent his Son Jesus to earth on a mission trip, to forgive sin and thereby rescue mankind. Believers are forgiven and redeemed by God’s unfailing love, faithfulness and the work Jesus did on the cross.

This “unfailing love” was taught during Jesus’ time walking alongside us. It is the hallmark of Christianity. We are saved by grace through faith and God’s unfailing love. His desire is that none would perish!

Thankfully, God re-ordered his priorities!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

God's Timing

May 11, 2020 Monday Message:

“Stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:49b NLT

Patience is a virtue, and God’s timing is always right, but it’s sometimes hard for me to just wait. Even when I want to do the right things for the right reasons, I still need to wait for God’s appointed time. It’s not always easy…

In our scripture today, the believers had been following the risen Jesus, taking in His every word. And then Jesus told them this: “Stay here in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Stay, wait and be patient. Stay in Jerusalem, do not pass “Go,” do not collect $200, just wait – the Holy Spirit will let you know “when.”

Part of this passage is about obedience to God. The believers in fact did just as Jesus had asked – they waited for God’s timing. But the other lesson in this scripture is about cooperation, teamwork and unity. The Jesus followers were of one mind – they stayed together, they waited together, they prayed together. And when the Holy Spirit showed up, they were ready to go!

So how did that work out? First, they were given both visual and audible signs that the Holy Spirit was filling each one of them. Then they immediately segued to a Crusade-like event, where God took down the language barriers. Simon-Peter preached the message and gave an altar call. The faithful had been uncertain about the future of Christianity after the crucifixion of their leader. But God was on their side, and 3,000 were added to the flock that day.  Turns out that God’s timing was perfect then, and still is today.

As our world deals with the coronavirus pandemic, I have no doubt that God will provide a solution when the time is right. We just need to wait for God’s timing. Like I said, it’s not always easy…

God’s blessings on you and your loved ones – stay safe!

Norton Lawellin, Worship Pastor

Jesus in the City Fellowship.

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

God has Your Back

March 11, 2019 Monday Message

“God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Heb. 13:5b

God’s promises are seldom private. If a blessing is given to one believer, it’s available to ALL believers. There is not a high blessing too good for you, nor a generous mercy not available to all.

As we read in our Bibles about the love and care God has bestowed upon his people throughout the centuries, that’s the same love and care with which he showers each of us. All Christians are equal beneficiaries of God’s blessings.

As believers, we have been adopted into the Holy Family and have equal rights and privileges with all the other children of God. Nothing is withheld from us, and God loves every one of his creations. And that lasts until we leave this earth and enter the next reality, where God will care for us as well.

There is nothing you can want or ask for or need that God can’t provide – nothing in this world, nothing in the next world – nothing in all of creation. God has your back: “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together. Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, March 17, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. Pastor Pilla returns; Jesus teaches about the Rich Man. Luke 18:18-10

Psalm 57 - God Loves You!

August 15, 2016 Monday Message:

“God will send me his kind love and his truth.” Psalms 57:3b

Our God really loves mankind. Think about it – first, he created a universe with planets, stars and moons, light and darkness, plants and animals – but his crowning achievement – God’s home run – was when he created mankind!

God gave mankind “free choice,” even though he knew that we’d oftentimes choose incorrectly. God knew that mankind would sin, but he arranged a path of forgiveness and reconciliation. After all, we’re made in His image, and God’s desire is that not one would perish. Including David.

When Saul was king, about 1,000 years before Jesus, David’s job was to make music when Saul was sad, which happened frequently. The people liked David’s music and they liked David, which made Saul jealous, and David was forced to run away and hide in a cave, which happened more than once. In exile, David wrote Psalm 57 to be sung to the tune, “Do Not Destroy.”  So every time the song was sung, the underlying thread spoke to how Saul was treating David. “Do not destroy – ME!”

The Bible describes David as “a man after God’s own heart,” so surely God would protect David from this unjust king. And he did. Therefore David sings praises: “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; Let Your glory shine above all the earth.” Psalms 57:11

Norton Lawellin

This Sunday, August 21, 2016, we welcome the “People of Hope” group to lead worship. It’s New Hope Tour day, and with “grilling” following the service. Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets at the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30am.