Love God & Neighbor!

February 23, 2026, Monday Message:

Hebrews 13:16 NLT: “Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”

If something in the Bible is extra-important, the writer may repeat those words. They’ll change the text only slightly while restating the principal. The Bible says it twice for emphasis. We get to see it twice so the words sink in!

To facilitate doing good and sharing, Moses taught this message, and Abraham led his followers with these principals. Later, John the baptist previewed these lessons before Jesus, who taught this behavior throughout his entire ministry. These thoughts were some of Jesus’ last reminders as he transitioned to the life after this life.

In the Epistles, followers of Jesus are teaching these things to the Hebrew believers and the Roman converts. Paul dispensed these instructions as he planted churches throughout Asia Minor.

Today, we are the ambassadors bringing these words to the world. “Love God and love your neighbor.” Be nice, be kind, be helpful. Look for the next way to do the right thing. Instead of only looking out for #1, put “Loving the Lord” at the top of your agenda, followed by “compassion and caring” for those on the short end of life. Any prayers for ourselves should come after those items!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Please pray for peace in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Drug kingpin “El Mencho” and eight of his cohorts were killed in a Mexican military operation, and the Cartels are responding with violence. The airport is closed, school is cancelled and the town is basically on fire. Buildings and vehicles are being burned, including busses and the giant Costco store. Most roads are closed, and people are advised to shelter in place. The violence is spreading to neighboring towns in and around Jalisco, including Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, all US tourist destinations. Pray for everyone’s safety, for the violent killings to end and for the peace of the Lord to reign in the region.

Mistreated?

For Wednesday, January 21, 2026:

Hebrews 13:3b NLT: “Remember those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”

Perhaps TV and the internet have numbed us to what we used to look away from. We can turn on the tube and see people beaten to a pulp, shot and killed every night. Sometimes it’s fictitious as in a movie or TV series. Ironically, law enforcement shows may be the worst. And other times, we may see truth, as in a newscast. We can watch Russia drop bombs on Ukrainian schools, leaving innocent student civilians with no possible escape. People can be shot right here in downtown Minneapolis. It happens almost every day. Drugs and gangs can lead to a lot of violence!

Sorry to start out with the most extreme examples. Mistreating someone can be amazingly simple. Husbands and wives can mistreat one another while living under the same roof. Parents can mistreat their children, and vice versa. We can feud with our neighbors over petty little things! People can be really nice in church, and unruly once they get back in traffic. Are we sometimes our own worst enemy?

Jesus would advise us to never be the source of the mistreatment. And should we witness mistreatment, know that it is bad. We should go to bat for the one being unjustly mistreated, and do what we can to reverse the situation. People should be nicer to one another. Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbors. That’s what we should do! Pray for those being mistreated, as if their pain were in your own body. Use Jesus’a name!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Love!

For Tuesday, November 18, 2025:

John 15:12 NLT, Jesus speaking: “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”

Jesus didn’t issue a lot of commandments. He mainly did the right things for the right reasons, honoring God the Father and respecting his fellows. If we simply do what Jesus did – imitate his behavior – we’d all be on the right track.

Many Christians, especially those fluent in theological detail, can over-complicate things. Jesus told us to love God and love our neighbors, which was restating Old Testament principles. Nothing new there. Since Jesus took away our sins, making it possible for us to spend the hereafter in God’s presence, he told us to share this Good News with others. In fact, make them into disciples. Coach others until they’re all-in believers!

As a teenager, I told my pastor, “I think being a Christian is all about love.” He told me that it’s way more complicated than that. I still think I was right!

So be nice, be kind, be helpful, step up if you can lighten someone else’s burden. Look for the next right thing to do. I used to see little bracelets with the letters WWJD reminding us to ask, “What would Jesus do?” Still a good plan. If you do what Jesus did, you won’t be wrong!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Second Coming!

For Sunday, November 2, 2025:

Luke 21:25 NLT: “Everyone will see the Son of Man (Jesus) coming on a cloud with power and great glory.”

Jesus is referring to the end times scenario. His arrival will not be a secret – everyone on earth will know. This will be a time of great joy for believers and immense fear for those who rejected the Son. In an instant, the world will recognize Jesus as being God’s Son, and our decision to believe will be confirmed.

Up to this point, what believers have is a promise of salvation. But Jesus says that when we see these signs, “Stand and look up, for your salvation is near!” Excited yet? What has been prophesied will occur right before your eyes! If you’re a believer, Jesus has already put your name on a room in heaven. Everything’s ready.

And isn’t that our goal, to live in harmony with our Creator? We are to love the Lord and love our neighbors. That’s why we share this Good News with everyone. God says, “The more, the merrier!” (or something like that!) God’s desire is that everyone would repent and return. He really wants everyone to join him in the hereafter.

So friends, accept Jesus’ invitation. Reject all wickedness. Kick Satan out of your life. Send his demons down the road. I don’t care where they land – they can go into pigs for all I care. (That’s what Jesus did!) Keep your eyes on the light; keep your eyes on the prize – eternity in the presence of the Lord! Hope to see you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

One Perfect Sacrifice!

For Friday, September 19, 2025:

Hebrews 10:14 NLT: “By that one offering (on the cross) Jesus forever made perfect those who are being made holy.”

Believers are being radically transformed! Many were living only for the world. God had no place in their lives. But once introduced to Jesus and God’s ways, they like what they see and desire to become a part of it.

The first church, The Way, lived out Jesus’ command to love God and to love one another. This “caring for your neighbor” was a new concept for a lot of people. Most were only looking out for #1! But they liked what they saw and wanted to give it a try. “They’ll know we are Christians by our love!” The church grew by leaps and bounds!

I always say that Christianity isn’t a DO religion; it’s a DONE religion. Jesus made the ultimate one-time sacrifice to redeem believers. Jesus did it all! Nothing else is required. Once Jesus has captured your spirit, nothing can snatch you out of his hand. This scripture says that Jesus’ one sacrifice is good forever, for eternity. Believers will be reengineered into what God wants us to be. We are being made Holy! It’s all good!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Love!

For Sunday, September 14, 2025:

John 13:34-35 NLT: “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Apparently, the first Believers, Paleo-Christianity, took these words seriously. It was said about them, “Behold, how they love one another."

Jesus was reminding his followers of a Godly command that had been around for quite some time. Jesus wanted these thoughts front-of-mind. When asked the most important commandment, he had answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” [Mark 12:30] The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” [Mark 12:31] “There is no commandment greater than these.”

Jesus didn’t just make up these words. He was quoting Old Testament Scripture. Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Leviticus 19:18b “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

To keep things simple (KISS), I usually condense this teaching to “Love the Lord and love your neighbor.” That includes being nice, being helpful and being kind. It might involve solving a problem that wasn’t yours in the first place. Christians do the right things for the right reasons without being asked. We are servants to our sisters and brothers. Onlookers will say, “Look at those Christians! They seem to love everyone!”

Being kind to your neighbor is a good way to live. That’s what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Came to Serve!

For Wednesday, August 27, 2025:

John 13:14, Jesus speaking: “Since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.”

Two thousand years ago, the prevalent attitude was to look out for #1. Loving your neighbor was an afterthought at best. Jesus spent a lot of time trying to change that. We are to love the Lord and love our neighbors, which is imitating Jesus, doing what Jesus did.

If you walk around the Middle East in sandals, it’s a cinch that your feet will need washing. To have someone else take on this task for you is a blessing, and that’s exactly what Jesus did for the disciples.

When the washing was complete, Jesus made an announcement: “Not all of you are clean.” He knew who would betray him. Friends, not every favor is appreciated or rewarded, but we still do the right things for the right reasons. Believers should be obedient!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Omnipresent!

For Thursday, August 14, 2025:

John 12:44-45: Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.”

Omnipresence is a challenging concept for some individuals to grasp. That God could be on the throne of heaven, Jesus could walk on earth alongside mankind with the mobile Holy Spirit on the bench, waiting to be called into action seems unbelievable. But it’s true. Our God, the Creator of the universe, isn’t limited by human constraints. Time and location cannot put chains on our God! He can be in more than one place at the same time. Omnipresent. But they’re all the same God!

Every word Jesus spoke was true, and this is no exception. He said, “I and the Father are One.” Hearing this, our opinion of the Son should go up considerably! This spirit-being, living within believers, is actually God himself. We are indwelt by a version of our Creator! Believers belong to Jesus; believers belong to God!

By definition, God and the Holy Spirit cannot be seen by human eyes. Jesus was sent to give us a glimpse into heavenly standards. His truth, honesty and love for God and his neighbors were unequaled. Our biggest challenge is to imitate the Savior.

When in doubt, do what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Kingdom!

For Tuesday, August 12, 2025:

Luke 17:20 NLT: “The Pharisees asked Jesus, ‘When will the Kingdom of God come?’”

There was always a little hostility as the Pharisees questioned Jesus. It was on their agenda to have Jesus killed. It just hadn’t happened yet! They needed a bullet-proof reason to justify Jesus’ murder, hence the trick questions. So they challenged him to either “put up” and produce the Kingdom of God, or to “shut up” and stop claiming he was the Messiah!

Jesus gave them the correct answer, but it wasn’t what they were expecting. “The kingdom of God is not observable. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you! It’s within your grasp!” Jesus knew that the Pharisees’ hostility and preconceived doubt would render them unable to see or receive the kingdom of God. In fact, the Kingdom of God was among them because the King of kings was among them!

So as we believers live out our lives, I want us all to look for signs of the Kingdom, people loving God and loving their neighbors. These aren’t all big things. As I walked into a convenience store yesterday, a man was coming out, and he insisted on holding the door open for me. I told him, “That’s OK, you go first.” He would not! He insisted on being nice and would not take “no” for an answer. That forced me to walk “in” the “out” door, which is strictly against my nature!

This morning, my youngest daughter sent a picture of two baby birds that hatched in her porch fern. These puffballs had their beaks open to the sky, waiting for mom and dad to insert some nutrition! Just born, how do they know to open their beaks? How do the parents know to gather food? Who told them to reproduce? How do they fly? Only God!

From now on, find your own examples of God stuff, and then give thanks. The Kingdom is a marvelous place to live if you’re on the Jesus Team!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Father, Son, Spirit!

For Sunday, August 3, 2025:

Hebrews 6:10 NLT: “God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.”

Think of the book of Hebrews as a Bible teacher instructing new converts. They believe, but aren’t up to speed on everything yet. Basic principles about Christian theology are missing in their database, but, being Hebrews, they are familiar with God. Teaching Hebrew people is easier than teaching a pagan group, where you have to start from square one, creation!

Just my opinion: I believe God’s plan of sending Jesus to Earth to redeem mankind was intended to be the next chapter of Judaism, not a completely separate religion. After all, we didn’t switch Gods, although Christian eyes were opened to recognize Jesus as God’s Son and the Holy Spirit as our advocate. The Bible says that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, so our God has always been a Triune God. John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was present at creation, and Genesis 1:2 says that the Spirit of the Lord moved over the waters of Creation. That Triune God is who we worship!

We expect our God to be fair and honest, and he won’t let us down. If we obediently love the Lord and love our neighbors, God has an eternal reward for us. The Son has prepared a place for the faithful in the hereafter. But let me be clear. Our redemption comes from our loyalty to the Son, not from our good works. But good works are typical for a committed follower of Jesus!

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Eternal Life!

For Saturday, May 10, 2025:

Luke 10:25 NLT, Religious expert questioning Jesus: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

That’s a good question, one that we should all have, and this man was knowledgeable in religious matters! So Jesus turned the question back to the alleged expert. “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

The man answered from Old Testament scriptures: “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

"Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

Loving the Lord is the easier part of that command. He is, after all, God! God, the creator of everything, can easily occupy the top spot in our devotions. God is unchanging, predictable and repeatable, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. With God, you know what you’re going to get!

But loving your neighbor involves unpredictability. We can show kindness to our neighbors, but we can’t always anticipate their response. Some people can be jerks, and that’s their problem, not ours. Jesus wants his followers to take the high road, always being nice, friendly and helpful, regardless of the other person’s response. Christians can proudly hold our heads up knowing we did the right thing for the right reasons. If we’re OK with what happened and God’s OK with it, we should care little about what others think or say.

Jesus is safeguarding our reward in the next reality!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Children of God!

For Friday, May 9, 2025:

Luke 10:21 NLT, Jesus, praying: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.”

Nobody likes a know-it-all, especially God. If we are to learn from Jesus, we must be in “learning” mode, open-minded, not thinking we have everything already figured out. As we study the Bible and learn more about Jesus, we’ll be presented a lot of new information. We’ll see things we’ve never seen before. An open mind can take on that new information!

That’s why Jesus chose fishermen as disciples. When it came to religious matters, their minds were malleable. Nowadays, we might call them “seekers.” They wanted to learn about God, but their minds were not yet settled.

On the other hand, the Pharisees thought they had religion all figured out. They were wrong! They had memorized God’s commandments, and their mission had become to catch someone doing something wrong. Gotcha! But they had overlooked grace, forgiveness and loving their neighbor. Jesus was about to change all that. Loving the Lord is in first place, while loving our neighbors walks hand in hand with it! Jesus never said this was optional! He wants us all to be nice, kind and helpful. He wants us to do the next right thing.

Jesus says that our minds need to be like little children’s, a slate on which he can write. If we’re seeking truth, Jesus will fill in the blanks!

Remember, the first will be last and the last will be first! In the hereafter, some fishermen outrank Pharisees!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

God's Commands!

For Thursday, March 20, 2025:

Leviticus 24:1-2 NLT: The Lord said to Moses, “Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.”

The light in the Tabernacle was to burn continuously, as a sign that God is looking out for his people 24/7. God is never on holiday, unable to help. We are commanded to do no work on the Sabbath, but God still keeps his eye on believers because Satan never takes a day off!

Nowadays there is no Temple, no Tabernacle, the location of the Ark of the Covenant remains a mystery and the Old Covenant has been replaced by Jesus’ New Covenant.

Later in ch. 24, God teaches that punishment should fit the crime: “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” If someone injures another’s animal, they should replace it or pay for it. That seems fair. The most severe punishment, stoning, was reserved for those who take another’s life and for those who blaspheme the Lord. Only God determines when life begins and when life ends. And don’t dis God!

Jesus taught us to be more loving and forgiving. The New Covenant offers us second chances. If a repentant person has injured a believer, we are to forgive them 70 X 7 times. Jesus said we should not only love our Lord but likewise love our neighbors! Jesus was God coming to earth to rescue mankind from our sins. Jesus’ way is a good way to live!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Commandments!

For Sunday, December 1, 2024:

2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT: “Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.”

Jews searched the Torah and found 613 commandments, things believers should do to please the Lord. This exhaustive list was difficult to remember, and also difficult to execute.

Twice in the Old Testament we were given 10 Commandments, key points that really mattered. Mankind still wasn’t successful at being perfectly obedient, but it became easier. We were part of God’s value system, the rules made sense and the success rate increased.

Jesus made life even easier. In Mark 12:30-31, he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” I sometimes shorten that to, “Love God and love your neighbor.” It’s simple, repeatable and somewhat achievable.

Paul was praising the Thessalonian church. Their faith was flourishing which is loving God, and they took care of one another. In short, they loved God and their neighbors, which is what Jesus said to do! It’s what we all should do!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship