Persistence!

For Wednesday, June 25, 2025:

Hebrews 3:13 NLT: “You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.”

Stick-to-itiveness. That’s what we need. Goofy word, but it’s in my dictionary! This scripture encourages us to help each other stick with what we learned from Jesus. He IS coming back, but we don’t know when. Our hearts need to be right today, because tomorrow may be too late!

If we could graph the Hebrew relationship with God, it would look like a rollercoaster – up and down, up and down, closer to God, farther from God. When God has things going well in our lives, humans tend to say, “Thanks, God, but I can take it from here!” We eventually fail and crawl back to God, whining, “Please, God, help us out of this mess we’ve made.” God again rescues His people, giving them a second chance, a third chance, etc.

Things are no different nowadays. Unfortunately, mankind’s tendency is to grow complacent in our worship and in our devotion to the Almighty, and we begin to let things slide. Christianity gets put on the back burner. It’s not that we completely stopped believing. It’s just that religious matters don’t hold the priority they once did in our lives. People caught up in this are called backsliders!

Some theologians teach that if we can fall away from Jesus, we were never really “in” in the first place. Asking Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life should be an irrevocable decision.

The Bible says, “If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.” We should all strive to be with that group!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Miracles!

For Tuesday, June 27, 2023:

Matthew 20:34 NIV: “Jesus had compassion on the two blind men and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”

Jesus’ ministry was in motion. As Jesus and the disciples left Jericho, a large crowd followed them. Apparently they liked what they’d been hearing, and wanted more. When two blind men called out for help, the crowd told them to be silent. The crowd only wanted to hear from their Teacher.

But the two blind men were persistent, calling out even louder to the ‘Son of David.’ Interestingly, Jesus asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?”

They shouted back, “Lord, we want to see!”

Ask and it shall be given to you. Jesus touched their eyes, and instantly they could see! Persistence paid off. Faith has a reward that comes straight from Jesus! This was true for the two blind men, and it’s still true for us nowadays!

The Great Healer never runs out of miracles!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Persistent Prayer!

May 1, 2023 Monday Message:

Luke 18:5 NLT, Jesus teaching: “The judge ignored the persistent widow for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

In Jesus’ parable, the persistent widow’s goal was fairness and justice. She was asking the judge for the right thing for the right reason, so she kept on asking, kept seeking justice. In the end, her request was granted, albeit for the wrong reason. The unfair judge did not become a better person, and deep down he was uninterested in justice. But the woman’s persistence wore him down. In the end, justice was served, not because of, but in spite of the unfair judge.

The point of the story is that we too should be persistent. Never give up on prayer. God, as our supreme judge, is fair and honest, unlike the judge in this story. Jesus explains: “Don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!”

Jesus concludes with a rhetorical question: “When the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” Persistent faith?

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Never Give Up!

For Friday, February 19, 2021

Mark 9:23b GNT, Jesus speaking: “Everything is possible for the person who has faith.”

"Never give up,” is one definition of faith. Jesus taught the parable of the persistent widow. Over and over she approached a judge, insisting on fairness. The judge, probably a Roman, wasn't religious, but he grew weary of the woman's pleas and finally granted her a positive verdict. The point is, when the judge first said 'no,' she didn't give up! She believed that God would eventually change the judge's heart.

Is persistence a part of your life, or do you think you give up too easily? (Sorry – deep philosophical question!) Balance is the key. We're better off dismissing little things with no eternal ramifications. But bigger issues, things of eternal significance, deserve our persistence.

Those with persistent confidence in the Lord have hope!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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