Voice of God!

For Tuesday, January 14, 2025:

Exodus 3:6 NLT: “’I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.”

Imagine yourself tending sheep near Mt. Sinai, when suddenly the voice of God speaks to you from within a burning bush. Curiously, though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up! That’s just one clue that this entire incident was orchestrated by God himself. It was a supernatural event!

The voice from inside the bush called out his name: “Moses, Moses!” So God already knew to whom he was speaking, who he was calling. Moses was cautioned to not come any closer. The area around this presence of God is Holy ground! “Take off your sandals!”

The Lord acknowledged the plight of the Jewish people, oppressed by the Egyptians. He details his plan to give them a land of milk and honey, a land currently occupied by Canaanites and others. To this day, Jews claim Israel as their homeland, explaining, “God gave it to us!”

God has never called me from inside a burning bush. Usually, it happens like this: An opportunity unfolds that I couldn’t have predicted, something I didn’t expect. The only explanation is that it’s a God thingI How does God call you?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Jonah's Call

For Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Jonah 1:1-2 NLT: “The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’”

God had a job to do and he’d selected a point person to make it all happen. Unfortunately Jonah was of a different mind. Driven largely by fear, he headed in the opposite direction, trying to hide from God. That never works. We all know the story of Jonah being swallowed by the big fish, and three days later God gave him a second chance. Jonah finally entered the city of Nineveh, which is where he should have gone in the first place!

God will not send us on a mission without suitably equipping us for that task. God offers us care and protection as we go about His work. God wants the loyal believers to be on the bench, ready to go into the game when he issues the call.

Doing what God asks always proves to be the best way to proceed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

"Follow Me!"

For Wednesday, August 19, 2020. 

Mark 1:17 NLT: “Jesus called out to Simon and Andrew, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’”

Curfews, quarantines and social distancing et al. may have kept us safe from the Covid-19, but have resulted in severe depression for many. Humans are not wired to live in social isolation. We can do a better job and be much happier as part of a team. 

Even Jesus wanted to surround himself with friends, building a team that could accomplish more and be in more places at the same time. While Jesus had many followers or disciples, he intentionally chose only 12 to be close personal friends, the Apostles we associate with his ministry on earth.

It’s a good model. Nowadays we’d call it a ‘pod’ or a ‘bubble,’ maybe even a ‘small group’ or ‘Bible study’ - not the entire big crowd, but a smaller circle of close friends, people you can trust. Today would be a good day to identify and connect with your own circle of friends. Continue to stay safe, but be victorious over isolation! 

“They left their nets at once and followed him!” Tonight’s FB Live Stream will discuss Jesus’ “Come, follow me” ministry call.

Blessings & safety to all! 

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

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

Vision

Jan. 13, 2020 Monday Message:

“Where there is no vision, the people perish. Prov. 29:18a KJV

It is the job of a leader of an organization, in our case the church, to seek God’s divine burden on their heart, and then present a Spirit-filled, God-breathed vision to those they lead. If you’re in the top chair, you need to determine the direction, the mission and the goals for your organization. Everyone is looking to you for this leadership, this vision, so they can make sure that what they’re doing is pushing the organization toward the goals you have placed on the horizon.

Sometimes a leadership “team” sets the direction, but all must be on board and passionate about the cause. It would be unacceptable to not move in the direction of God’s calling. Ask, “What are we good at? What do we do better than others? If you and I weren’t here tomorrow, what’s the one thing we hope our church would keep in place?”

Ask, “If we could only do one thing, what would it be?” That should be your main goal, your primary mission. Now go cast the vision!

 If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t be certain when you arrive!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. In today’s lesson, Jesus gets baptized! (Luke 3.) Guest Worship Leader Jerry McCleskey.

God's Call

Sept. 9, 2019 Monday Message:

Gideon answered God: “Forgive me, Lord, but with what am I to save Israel? Why, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I’m the youngest person in my father’s house!” Judges 6:15 Complete Jewish Bible

It seems that when God taps someone on the shoulder for a task, the standard response is, “You’ve got the wrong guy!” Compared to the God doing the calling, most of us feel inadequate. But God isn’t just assigning us a task. God isn’t expecting us to accomplish His goal with no support. What we need to realize is that God already has a plan, and we are just a part of it.

When God asked Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses said, “You’ve got the wrong guy!” But God had hand-picked Moses for this task since he was a baby. God caused Moses to grow up in Pharaoh’s court so he knew the language and the government systems. God had equipped him for the task. Furthermore, the plagues would finally convince Pharaoh to let the people go free. Moses, you’re not in this by yourself!

When God called Jonah to Nineveh he ran – he went in the opposite direction! But God, through a bizarre series of events, brought Jonah right where he needed to be to warn the people of Nineveh to repent and return to the Lord!

Question: With 135,000 in the Midianite Army, why did God reduce Gideon’s soldiers to 300? How could they possible win the battle?

Answer: It wasn’t just 300 soldiers – it was 300 plus God, and with God they could accomplish anything!

So when God taps us on the shoulder for a task, we should get in the habit of saying ‘yes,’ knowing that God will be in it with us. You might be God’s perfect person for the mission!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. This week is the Men’s Retreat, so Pastor Van Dickerson will wrap up Philippians 4, guest Worship Leader Jerry McCluskey.

Psalms 94 - God's Way

May 22, 2017 Monday Message:

“The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.” Psalms 94:11 NIV

There are two ways you can go in this life: God’s way, or the wrong way. Using contemporary language, you might say, “It’s God’s way or the highway!”

I’m reminded of Jonah and the big fish. It seems God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, to prophesy about God’s anger with the wickedness in their city. But Jonah was afraid to let these people know where they really stood with God. So Jonah headed in the opposite direction.

While sailing away from God’s call, a storm ensued, the seas got rough, and everyone could have been killed. Jonah knows the storm is the result of God’s displeasure with him, and after exhausting all other options, the sailors finally cast Jonah overboard.

Immediately, the storm subsides, Jonah is swallowed up by a giant fish, and three days later the fish spits him up on the beach, and Jonah, now obedient, heads straight for Nineveh! Jonah preached God’s message, the King “got it,” the people repented and returned to God, who then spared Nineveh.

So you see, when God called Jonah to Nineveh, Jonah should have immediately started filling out change-of-address forms, because – like it or not - Nineveh was to be his home for a while.

Understand that sovereign God could have gotten his message to Nineveh with or without Jonah, but God choose to include him. Jonah almost missed a chance to play for God’s team when God wanted to put him into the game.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship gathers the Sunday before Memorial Day, May 28, 2017, at the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Lead Pastor Michael Pilla brings a message from the Bible.