Pray for Peace!

May 29, 2023 Monday Message:

Psalm 46:9 NLT: “God causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire.”

Today is “Memorial Day” in the United States. It’s a day to honor those who gave their lives to defend our country. And since our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, they died defending God’s values, and that is indeed a high calling!

Surprisingly there are still hundreds of little wars in the world, resulting in lives being lost. Right now the big war is in Ukraine. It’s on your TV every night. The war is about which government controls a small piece of real estate. To God this is just silliness, since they’re not fighting over anything of substance, anything of eternal value. The Lord says, v10: “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

So make no mistake: “Be still” isn’t about meditating. “Be still” means stop the fighting. Stop the loss of lives. Stop your foolishness and focus on your destination in the life after this life. Pray for peace in the world.

The Bible says there will be wars and rumors of wars until Jesus returns, so also pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Jesus' Return!

For Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Matthew 25:13 NLT, Jesus speaking: “You, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”

Jesus’ return is scheduled, which gives believers hope, but we don’t know an exact date. Jesus said that no one knows; not even he knows. Only the Father knows! So if anyone tries to give you a date for Jesus’ return, they’re most likely wrong! Don’t be lured by false teachers!

Jesus said that there will be “wars and rumors of wars” until he returns, and war tops our newscasts nowadays. Jesus also said that he’ll return when the whole world has heard about his sacrifice for their salvation. God affords every tribe, every tongue, every nation an opportunity to choose redemption, a chance to make a decision for Jesus!

The Bible counsels us to live as if today was that day, the day of Jesus’ return. We’d all lock our doors if we knew thieves were on the way. Similarly, we’d all try to live a better life today if we knew Jesus was returning tomorrow.

He will come like a groom in the dark, to claim his bride! Be ready!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

10,000 Years...

For Wednesday, October 20, 2021

2 Peter 3:8b NLT: “A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.”

Two truths: #1 Jesus is returning! #2 We have no idea when! Jesus said that he’ll come back for us. Everything else he said was true, so this also must be true. He left us with hope!

Early Christians thought Jesus might return this week, this month, or surely sometime this year. Humans only have knowledge of earthly time. (e.g. A day is one rotation of our planet; a year is our planet’s journey around the sun.) Surely our definitions of ‘day’ and ‘year’ aren’t applicable everywhere in God’s universe.

So a thousand years could be like a day in God’s world – we really don’t know! Don’t constrain the God in your mind by shackling him with earthly restraints. After all, he’s omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent! He’ll let us know when it’s time for Jesus’ return!

Live each day as if Jesus’ return was on tomorrow’s agenda!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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