Humble!

For Sunday, March 22, 2026:

1 Samuel 16:6 NLT: Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”

Playing a guessing game with God is not fun. God, as you know, already has all the answers! Put yourself in Samuel’s shoes. You meet one of Jesse’s sons, Eliab, and ask, “Is this the one?”

The Bible doesn’t tell us what made Eliab attractive. Was he the tallest? The oldest? The best-looking? Hair most like John, Paul, George and Ringo? “No,” said God. “He’s not the one,” with no further explanation given.

What about the next sons, Abinadab and Shimea, and four more, as all of Jesse’s sons were presented. “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

So Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.” Logic would expect God’s choice to be the eldest, the one who has lived long enough to have gained the wisdom of the world. Last place would go to the kid looking after a few sheep.

God explains: “People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God doesn’t desire words from your mouth or actions only designed to impress others. God wants to know what’s truly in your heart. Do you honestly love the Lord and love your neighbor? Are you willing to go where God sends you, and willing to do what he sends you to do? How is your heart, really?

God says that we must come to him like little children, innocent, with open minds. Humble is the word of the day. If you think you have it all together, you probably don’t. If you think you’re the pièce de résistance, your mind is already made up and God probably can’t help you. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.”

Selecting the next leader for the Promised Land requires a great deal of discernment. God knows what he’s doing. Remember, the first will be last, and the last will be first.

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Humble!

For Sunday, August 17, 2025:

Luke 18:9 NLT: “Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.”

Two men entered the Temple to pray. They could not have been more different, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee thought highly of himself, saying, “I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!”

Tax collectors are thought to be the worst of all sinners. This traitor had switched sides and was working for the Roman oppressors. This man clearly knew he was in the wrong. “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.”

The repentant sinner was justified that day, not the Pharisee.

Jesus concludes his lesson: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” The Bible says, “Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought!”

Oftentimes, taking a step down results in being lifted up!

Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus In the City Fellowship

Path Least Traveled!

For Friday, June 20, 2025:

Luke 13:24 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.”

The question put to Jesus was, “How many will be saved?” Is it a lot, or perhaps just a few? I don’t need an exact number. Perhaps we could get the answer as a percentage? Are 10% saved while 90% perish? Or is it the other way around? Since the gate is narrow, I surmise that not everyone who calls out, “Lord, Lord,” will be rescued.

God is patient. He’s giving us a lot of time to firm up our decision. God wants more and more of the faithful to cement their decisions for Jesus. But friends, time is running out! There will come a day when God says, “No more time!” Our grace period has ended. It’s a real line in the sand. Those who have committed themselves to Jesus will be “IN!” Those who reject Christ will be “OUT!” Unfortunately, fence-sitters will also be out. If you’re not perceived as being “with” Jesus, you may find yourself on the outside. “I never knew you!”

Those who humble themselves before Jesus go to the front of the line. Those who think too highly of themselves will bring up the rear. The first will be last, and the last will be first. It’s exciting to watch your pecking order shift as judgment day draws closer!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Value System!

For Saturday, October 21, 2023:

Romans 12:16 NLT: “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!”

Everyone has a mother. Some taught their children well, things like good manners and common sense, while others came up short. Here Paul is counseling Christians in Rome, but his words sound just like my mother’s!

Try to get along with everyone. Live in peace. Be nice. Do the next right thing. Do what you can to be helpful. Realize that the unpopular kid needs a friend too. Get off your throne of being ‘cool,’ and make a new acquaintance. If the trouble maker had more friends, he might not be a trouble maker! Nobody likes a know-it-all. Be humble. Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought.

Surprisingly, the trend back then was to look out for #1, not to love your neighbor. Jesus changed all that. Loving your neighbor became a priority for the new Christian community. And people liked what they saw and wanted to become a part of it!

We can call these behavior suggestions a part of God’s value system. We should endeavor to live like Jesus lived and like the Bible says we should. We can shine the light of Jesus into the world! Others will see it!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Heart!

For Thursday, June 22, 2023:

Mark 7:6b-7 NLT, Jesus speaking about the Pharisees: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.”

Growing up in a church, I was an acolyte; an altar boy. One of our jobs was to light the candles. We were to begin on the right side with the candle closest to the cross. Jesus, after all, sits at the right hand of the Father, and true light comes from the cross, representing Jesus. When all the candles on the right were lit, go to the left side in a similar manner. Extinguish the candles in reverse order.

One day a new student was assigned ‘candle duty.’ He did it all wrong! Started on the wrong side, lit the candles in the wrong order, and I was pretty sure we were all going to hell for worshiping incorrectly! Or perhaps a lightning bolt would strike the church – God’s revenge for us not paying attention to detail!

As an adult, having studied more of my Bible, I find that God doesn’t give a hoot about our traditions. He wants to know our heart. Man-made traditions are not commands from the Father. True worship involves humbleness, not so much putting ourselves down, but rather lifting up our Savior.

Jesus said to love the Lord and love your neighbor. He’s not concerned with how the candles got lit!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Forgive!

June 5, 2023 Monday Message:

Matthew 18:21-22 NLT: “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?’

‘No, not seven times,’ Jesus replied, ‘but seventy times seven!’”

As we pray the Lord’s prayer, we ask God to, “Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who have trespassed against us.” Jesus taught us those words. Jesus and his Father are big on forgiveness! They have pardoned the egregious sins of those who repent, return and claim Jesus as their Savior. And we are told to do what Jesus did.

If you do the math, Jesus is advocating forgiveness 490 times, but let’s look into that. It’s too large a number to keep track of in our heads, and if we wrote it all down, we might start to think that we’re Mr. or Mrs. Wonderful because we’re so forgiving, and that opens up another set of problems. Think about it – when the ‘humble’ is not present, we could sin while offering forgiveness to others!

“Let go and let God!” When someone asks for forgiveness, we are to forgive and close the door on the matter. Our responsibility in this exchange has ended.

If we simply forgive our brothers and sisters, the rest is up to God!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Savior of the World!

For Wednesday, May 31, 2023:

1 John 4:14 NLT: “We have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”

John had traveled with Jesus, took meals with him and heard the Good News straight from the teacher’s mouth. He is a prime example of an eyewitness, and there is no better testimony than that of an eyewitness, someone who was right there when it all happened!

In one sentence, John sums up Christian theology: “The Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” God would not have sent a Savior unless we needed saving! That God would send his Son to rescue mankind shows his extreme love for us.

Before Jesus, John-the-Baptist declared that the Day of the Lord was at hand. He counseled people to repent and return to the Lord. Today is the best day to repent and return to the Lord!

Those who humbly repent, return and place their faith hope and trust in Jesus receive the gift of salvation, eternity in the presence of the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Humble yet Meek!

For Wednesday, January 11, 2023:

Matthew 5:5 NLT: “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.”

In the pecking order of eternity, God is at the top. We ask him for forgiveness of our sins. We ask him to confirm our reservation in heaven. Those are big ‘asks,’ so we approach the Lord humbly. We lift up – elevate and respect – the name of the Lord.

While we lift up the Lord – make him higher than ourselves – it’s important to not put ourselves down. God didn’t make any junk! After all, we are made in his image. He’s been looking after us since we were in out mothers’ wombs! We’re worth a lot, and God doesn’t want to lose us, but he IS higher than we are!

Your translation may say that the meek shall inherit the earth. Meekness, from the Greek word ‘praus,’ implies controlled strength. Meek people are not necessarily weak. Rather, their strength is well-managed. The meek could try to approach the Lord with arrogance and aloofness, but they choose not to. That would be wrong. Humble is the word of the day! “The earth” could be referring to the New Earth, our final destination after God restores it to its original specs, where he will live among his people! Exciting outlook!

You don’t have to put yourself down to lift up the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Humble!

For Saturday, April 9, 2022

Matthew 18:1 NLT: “The disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?’”

It’s a fair question. If you asked anyone except Satan, they’d probably choose heaven. But these disciples wanted to know what heaven is like. How do things work up there? Details, details, details, please!

Jesus asked a child to draw near. “Anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.” So “humble” is the attitude of the day! Jesus teaches that “humble” pleases the Lord both here on earth and in heaven.

This is the opposite of what a lot people might expect at first glance. Jesus is saying that in heaven, the first will be last, but the last will be first! “Humble” will be rewarded! In heaven, humble will be lifted up, exalted!

In this short example, Jesus imparted a lot of hope to the “humble”!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Humble!

For Sunday, November 28, 2021

James 4:6 NIRV: “God continues to give us more grace. That’s why Scripture says, ‘God opposes those who are proud. But he gives grace to those who are humble.’”

Remember that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. We talk of Him having a “servant’s heart.” It’s a good example for all of us. Being humble, being servant-like seems to be a ‘God-trend.’ Our Triune God isn’t about to change his position on this. Jesus often preached that we should care for widows and orphans, that we should remember the poor, that we should be humble. The Bible says, “Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought.”

We should show grace to one another just as God has shown grace to us. He offered us forgiveness of sin and redemption of our souls through the work of his Son Jesus the Christ.

"Father, make me more like you!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Humble!

For Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Matthew 5:5 NIV, Jesus speaking: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Jesus is continuing “The Beatitudes,” part of his Sermon on the Mount. He’s promising that if the believers remain humble, God will bless them while they’re here on earth.

The meek are happy, joyful and spiritually prosperous. They’re living in God’s favor – living in anticipation of promised salvation. They have hope. I’m reminded of Jesus with a towel over his arm washing the disciples’ feet – in other words, having the heart of a servant, figuring out what you could do that would be helpful. That’s being meek.

Step #7 in a 12-step recovery program says, “Humbly ask Him (God) to remove our shortcomings.” It occurs to me that “humbly” is the only way to approach God. If we need help in our lives (and we all do!,) it wouldn’t make sense to approach God with belligerence and arrogance. He is God, creator of everything, and we are the ones needing help, and it would behove us to keep that relationship in perspective. If we approach God humbly, Jesus says we have hope!

God is God, we are not, and that’s good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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