New Beginning!

August 18, 2025, Monday Message:

Mark 13:29 CJB: “When you see all these things happening, you are to know that the time is near, right at the door.”

Jesus was taking questions that day. Some asked for clarification of God’s Laws, God’s Commandments. But others wanted more details about the future. Aren’t we all curious about what lies ahead? Since Jesus has all knowledge, let’s ask him!

Jesus said that when it’s time for the End Times, we’ll see signs. Many deceivers, false Christs, will become prominent. We are to look the other way, staying steadfast, paying no attention to any false teaching. There will be wars and rumors of even more wars. Compared to what we now consider normal, the world will seem in disarray, messed up and confused in violent ways.

While we should be ready for Jesus’ return 24/7, God gives us signs to jog our memory into doing the right things prior to Jesus’ arrival. Jesus admits he doesn’t know the exact day or hour when God will press the “restart” button. Only the Father knows.

And “restart” is the keyword in this scenario. We refer to it as the End Times, but it’s actually the beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth, and believers are included! God is creating a forever world for the faithful!

We’re included because of our faith in God’s Son, the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. Thank God for his grace, the free gift of eternal salvation!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Beware False Teachers!

For Wednesday, November 13, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 2:15 NLT: “Some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity.”

Just because someone is born a Jew doesn’t mean they’re good people. Similarly, someone born to Christian parents and raised up in a church isn’t necessarily a good person. God gave us all the freedom to choose, and each of us needs to make our own decision to follow Jesus!

When pushed, a lot of people will point to a Bible, but they haven't seen the inside of a church in a long time. Beware! You don’t just need to own a Bible. You need to open it up, read what it says, and then adjust your behavior to conform to God’s point of view.

False teachers can wear fancy robes and preach inside a building with a cross on the outside, but they’re not the real thing. It can be quite deceptive! That’s why we all need to memorize truth from our Bibles and sit in congregations where that truth is taught.

God’s way is the right way!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Yeast?

For Wednesday, October 16, 2024:

Matthew 16:6 NLT: “’Watch out!’ Jesus warned them. ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’”

After the disciples crossed the lake and discovered that no one brought any bread, Jesus made the above statement. And the disciples, God bless them, were a simple lot. They didn’t perceive the higher meaning in his words. They were still looking for bread! Yeast? Are we gonna bake our own bread? What’s for supper? Tunnel vision, for sure!

Friends, you don’t need much yeast to make bread rise. I found a recipe with 10 cups of flour that only needed 4 tiny teaspoons of yeast to make the whole batch plump up! Jesus, it turns out, was warning about the untruths being taught about God and religion by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Lies are like yeast! If a lie gets repeated enough times, people will start believing it. And people tend to accept the teaching of their spiritual mentors, even when they’re wrong. But remember, it only takes 4 teaspoons of false teaching to affect the entire Synagogue or Temple!

Unfortunately, many US churches have abandoned their textbook, the Bible. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that more false churches exist than those who teach the truth. Those false teachers are wrong. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and if something was sin 4,000 years ago, it’s still sin nowadays. Read about it! It’s all in the book!

Truth is God’s opinion on everything! Worship at a church that teaches only truth!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

False Teachers

For Saturday, August 26, 2023:

Jude 4a NLT: “Some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches.”

In the USA, church membership is in decline. Historically, people drift away from God until they’re in deep trouble. Then they call on the Lord, pleading to be rescued. God tells those people to repent, and when they do, he puts his rescue plan in motion, and the people turn back towards God, get closer to God – until they become complacent and start falling away again. This cycle repeats, over and over. When will God say enough is enough and put an end to this folly?

To find prospective Christians, it’s necessary to be in the world. But when it’s time to worship or sit under Bible teaching, we need to hear only truth and honesty. We need to hear from people with a high view of the Bible, who believe every word is God-inspired and truthful.

Choose carefully where you worship!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

False Teachers!

 

For Tuesday, August 30, 2022:

​Jude v3 NLT: “My dear friends, I really wanted to write you about God's saving power at work in our lives. But instead, I must write and ask you to defend the faith that God has once for all given to his people.”

​The entire book of Jude is a warning against false teaching. Some believers think that because they’re saved, God will exempt them from the rules. Not true! They’re easily tempted by the world. Not a good idea!

Jude writes, “These false teachers insult powers they don't know anything about.” Remember the Lord said, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” This is about obedience. It’s about us getting out of the driver’s seat and letting God be in charge. When we drive, the car sometimes goes toward the ditch. When God drives, he points the car towards eternal life. Let God make the rules!

And don’t ever think that you have God figured out!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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