Psalms 150 - Praise the Lord!

July 16, 2018 Monday Message:

“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Psalms 150:6 NIV

Today we examine Psalm 150, the last of the Psalms. We’ve been progressing one per week, and allowing time-outs for Christmas, Easter and Pentecost, this has been over a three year journey. While we’ve looked over each Psalm, this is certainly not an exhaustive study; rather, an overview, just touching on each.

Appropriately, this final Psalm encourages us to “Praise the Lord.” In today’s language, we might say, “Go crazy for God – anything goes!” This Psalm tells us to use trumpets, harps, lyres (nowadays guitars) and tambourines (drums.) Praise Him with strings and pipes and the clashing of cymbals! Whatever you have, use it to honor the Lord.

No one is more awesome than our God, so give him 100% - use every resource you have – anything goes! What can you add to your worship next Sunday?

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, July 22, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. I’ll be teaching on Chapter 8 as we continue our study in Hebrews. See you at church!

Psalms 148 - Praise the Creator!

July 2, 2018 Monday Message:

“Let them all praise the name of the Lord. For His name is very great!” Psalms 148:13a NIV

Psalm 148 is one big “Praise the Lord,” psalm. It says that everything -  sun, moon, stars, angels, skies, clouds, and every created thing – should praise the Lord. God has created everything and placed it exactly where it needs to be, and so it shall stay forever and ever.

Praise Him from land and from the oceans. Fire, hail, snow, clouds, wind and weather obey him. Mountains, trees, plants, animals, birds, women and men – even kings of the earth should praise Him.

This all makes sense when you realize that our world is far too complex to be an accident. When the best scientific minds studying creation hit a brick wall, the only explanation can be Divine Intervention. And armed with the fact that God is the bottom-line Creator of all things, praising Him makes a lot of sense.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, July 8, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. We continue in Hebrews - guest Worship Leader David Boeltl.

Psalms 135 - Covenant God

April 2, 2018 Monday Message:

“Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.” Psalms 135:3a NIV

Psalm 135 appears to have been assembled using verses from other Psalms. That’s OK - we can never have too many Psalms encouraging us to Praise the Lord!

When “Lord” is written in all capital letters, it’s our way of translating the covenant name of God. He said, “I will be your God, and you can be my people.” That may seem like an oversimplification, but the principle holds true even today for all who love the Lord.

Holding up his end of the covenant, God’s desire is that no one would perish. He wants to meet us all in the next reality, heaven. But unfortunately, mankind took on sinful ways, and ALL had fallen short of the gory of God. So God, in his wisdom, came to earth himself (Jesus) to personally pay the penalty for mankind’s sins with his own life. Interestingly, three days later he rose from the dead – the empty tomb that we celebrate on Easter Sunday – just as prophesied! So the sin problem and the death problem were reconciled through the same events.

The children’s song says, “Jesus Loves Me.” How much? “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

Norton Lawellin

Join us for worship! Jesus in the City Fellowship meets Sunday, Apr. 8, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Today we’ll walk on the road to Emmaus. Who was that guy? Luke 24:13-34  

Psalms 113 - Praise the LORD!

Oct. 9, 2017 Monday Message:

“Praise the Lord.” Psalms 113:1a NIV

Psalm 113 begins and ends with the same words – bookends – “Praise the Lord.” In the original Hebrew, it’s simply, “Hallelujah.”

“Hallel” means to praise someone or something that is great. When that someone is God, the word becomes “Hallelujah.” We translate the Hebrew word Jah or Jahweh as “Lord.” It’s God’s name, just like your name is Mark or Tom or Mary or Martha – Jahweh.

I found 43 places in the Bible where God says words like, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” God agrees to love his people and send them help, if they agree to love and obey him. So Jahweh is the special name used by those agreeing to love God. Covenant is another word for agreement.

While God is great and mighty and omnipresent – “From the rising to the setting sun…” – he also lifts up the poor from the ground and the needy from the ashes. God’s not afraid to get his hands dirty! God will seat them alongside heaven’s royalty. Don’t miss it!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship gathers next Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Pastor Michael Pilla continues our discussion of Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12.