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

Forever Holy!

For Saturday, November 30, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NLT: “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.”

As believers, we want to be kept holy, innocent and pure. Try as we might to achieve holiness, we may not succeed on our own. But Jesus comes to our rescue! His middle name is forgiveness, and he will continue to forgive us leaving us righteous and holy, prepared for him when he returns.

We will see God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. God’s desire is that none would perish, and that all would repent and return. Those who believe and trust the Son will be among those rescued.

Our rescuer and his Father are faithful and will not let us down!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Sinless!

April 8, 2024 Monday Message:

Colossians 1:22 NLT: “Now God has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.”

Through Jesus, God is doing for us what we could not accomplish by ourselves. Remember that God’s desire is that all would repent and return to him, both here and in the hereafter, and Jesus makes it all possible.

When we die and then seek entrance to heaven, we may be questioned. What kind of life did you live? Were you generous and kind? Did you remember the widows and orphans? Those questioning you may ask where you lived. On planet Earth amongst the sinners. But when they check the book of life – surprise – your name will be right there! And the column marked “sin” will be vacant, filled with white space, as if you had never sinned. You won’t see any erasure marks, and no scratch-outs – just blank white space. Jesus will have arranged that for you because of your faith in him! And that’s a fulfillment of the Father’s plan for believers – for eternity!

As humans, it’s difficult for us to understand eternity. It’s forever! It’s like you look in the mirror every morning, but you don’t seem to age – for centuries, for millenniums! Or pretend your refrigerator is filled with food, and you eat three meals every day for a week, but when you check your refrigerator is still full! It will sustain you forever because God is in charge!

We need to praise God for all the good things he is giving us, but it can never be enough. Just do your best!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Humble, like a Child

March 18, 2019 Monday Message

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them.” Luke 18:16a

Back when Jesus walked on this earth, it was the custom to bring children to the Rabbi, especially on their 1^st birthday, so the teacher could touch them and bless them.

But the disciples, acting as gatekeepers, tried to keep people from bothering Jesus. Turns out they had it backwards. In the original language, Jesus says to not just ‘allow’ the children to come, or to ‘permit’ them to come. It’s more like ‘cause’ them to come, or ‘see that it happens this way.’

And Jesus’ invitation isn’t just for children. We’re ALL told to come to Jesus, humbly, like innocent little children. We should have nothing on our agenda when coming before the Lord, other than worship and prayer. Jesus says that those who submit themselves before him “like a little child” are the ones who will see the Kingdom of God.

Have you ever brought a child to church to be blessed?

Have you prayed to the Lord humbly, innocently, like a little child? Lately?

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, March 24, 2019 at 10:30AM, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406. We pray for good health for our lead Pastor Michael Pilla, that he can return to the pulpit next Sunday.