David's Anointing!

For Tuesday, March 24, 2026:

1 Samuel 16:11c NLT: “At once, send for the youngest, the shepherd,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

God had told Samuel that one of Jesse’s sons was to be anointed as Israel’s next king. Samuel thought he had interviewed all the young men, but God had yet to pull the trigger. 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.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” Voilà: David, anointed to be the next king of Israel! Not because his father Jesse decreed it, not because Samuel said so, but because he was God’s choice! Because God said so!

Frankly, there was no way David could have turned down the assignment. Think back to Jonah, called to deliver the “repent and return” message to the people of Nineveh. Fearing for his life, Jonah took off in the opposite direction, went overboard during the voyage, was swallowed up by a giant sea creature who spit him out. Where? On the beach of Nineveh, right where God had called him to be. God always gets his way! It would take a few more years, but David would ultimately assume the position for which he had been earmarked by God.

Have you ever been called by the Lord? First, identify your God-given gifts and talents. God will not call you to a task for which you have no skill, no knowledge. He will not send you on a mission without supplying the tools needed for success. If you’re volunteering to join the “God team,” something He needs will jump out at you, will fall right into your lap. You’ll be better at it than others. It wouldn’t be the same without you! God knows what he’s doing!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

David!

For Tuesday, March 24, 2026:

1 Samuel 16:11c NLT: “At once, send for the youngest, the shepherd,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”

God had told Samuel that one of Jesse’s sons was to be anointed as Israel’s next king. Samuel thought he had interviewed all the young men, but God had yet to pull the trigger. 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.”

“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” Voilà: David, anointed to be the next king of Israel! Not because his father Jesse decreed it, not because Samuel said so, but because he was God’s choice! Because God said so!

Frankly, there was no way David could have turned down the assignment. Think back to Jonah, called to deliver the “repent and return” message to the people of Nineveh. Fearing for his life, Jonah took off in the opposite direction, went overboard during the voyage, was swallowed up by a giant sea creature who spit him out. Where? On the beach of Nineveh, right where God had called him to be. God always gets his way! It would take a few more years, but David would ultimately assume the position for which he had been earmarked by God.

Have you ever been called by the Lord? First, identify your God-given gifts and talents. God will not call you to a task for which you have no skill, no knowledge. He will not send you on a mission without supplying the tools needed for success. If you’re volunteering to join the “God team,” something He needs will jump out at you, will fall right into your lap. You’ll be better at it than others. It wouldn’t be the same without you! God knows what he’s doing!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Immediately!

For Saturday, February 21, 2026:

Matthew 4:21-22 NLT: “A little farther up the shore, Jesus saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”

Jesus was continuing his ministry around the Sea of Galilee. Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew were now walking with Jesus, his first two disciples. I’m sure all the fishermen on this body of water knew each other, so as Jesus said the names James and John, Simon called out, “We have found the Messiah!”

Most of the Hebrew nation had been waiting for the moment God would send a rescuer to his people, and if this was it, James and John didn’t want to be left out. An emissary from God could certainly counter the grief they experienced dealing with the Roman government and army. They immediately took a leave of absence from the family business and joined up with Simon, Andrew and Jesus on their trek around the lake.

The key word here is “immediately.” No hesitation, no hemming and hawing, just go with Jesus when he calls you. Pretend you’re the kicker on a football team, it’s fourth down, and the coach says, “Now! Get in the game. We need you to kick that field goal!” You don’t dawdle. You don’t waste any time. You go running onto the field, eager to serve!

Each of us has been given unique spiritual gifts, and the time will come when your gifts are exactly what the Lord needs. He’ll tap you on the shoulder and say, “Now! Get in the game. We need you!” The quicker you respond, the better!

We all need to be walking with the Lord, just like Simon, Andrew, James and John. If you’re closer to Jesus, it’s easier for him to tap you on the shoulder!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

The Father’s House

Truth and Freedom Church

Spiritual Gifts!

For Thursday, May 1, 2025:

Mark 16:17-18 NLT: “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

These verses have invited controversy for centuries. Let’s clear up a few things. #1–Not every believer will receive the gift of speaking in tongues or of understanding what is being said. That’s why any time someone speaks in tongues during a church service, we’re supposed to translate or interpret for those without that gift. I knew a very righteous man, friendly to a fault. He’d stand at the church door with his hand out, welcoming both newcomers and lifelong Christians. He saw others speaking in tongues and prayed for that gift, but it was not to be. I believe his gift was keeping things simple for the new Christian, and no one loved their neighbor more than this guy! I expect that he’s in heaven today. The work he did for the Lord did not require that skill!

#2–Don’t handle snakes and don’t drink poison! Duh! God can offer protection if something bad happens accidentally, but don’t do it on purpose. Jesus said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Never put on a religious “show,” challenging God to respond. And don’t refuse treatment. The anti-venom may be God’s way of saving your life!

#3–Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and preach the Good News. That’s what Jesus said to do, and those instructions aren’t just for Pastors. These are skills available to every Christian believer. It’s called: “The Priesthood of All Believers!”

Never underestimate what you can accomplish with Jesus on your side!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Gift lists!

July 15, 2024 Monday Message:

1 Peter 4:11 NLT: “Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Spiritual gifts are something every believer is given when they receive the gift of salvation. Just salvation is by grace through faith, so are the spiritual gifts. Acts 1:8 says: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you." That power often appears as a specialization. Your spiritual gifts allow you to excel at a particular task, exceeding the skill level of most others.

Romans 12:6-8 details the gifts of prophecy, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership and mercy. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 lists wisdom & knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits and speaking & interpretation of tongues.

As I wrote yesterday, these lists of spiritual gifts from the Bible are not exhaustive, not necessarily complete. We shouldn’t find ourselves limited by these writings, rather regard them as a starting point as we live our lives for Christ. Today’s scripture speaks of simply being helpful, doing the next right thing for the right reason. If God calls you into the game to be helpful, get off the bench and put your God-given skills to work!

As a Christian, everything you help with will magnify the Lord!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Gifts and Talents!

For Sunday, July 14, 2024:

1 Peter 4:10 NLT: “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.”

When you come across lists of spiritual gifts in the Bible, keep in mind that they’re not exhaustive lists. The lists are not necessarily complete. God wants us to help with so many tasks that a list of job possibilities could fill chapter after chapter in the Good Book! I regard the spiritual gift lists as ‘examples,’ as if God were saying, “Consider things like these as I show you your call, your piece of the puzzle!”

Identifying your gifts and talents deserves a lot of our attention, a lot of our time and a lot of prayer! Your spiritual gifts and your call may not be what first comes to mind. They may not be the most obvious thing. People see me at the piano leading worship, and they think, “Musical gift.” But in my mind, that’s #3, after leadership and teaching!

I can tell you from personal experience that God not only tells us what to do, but he also tells us what NOT to do. You can’t handle every job in a church, and you shouldn’t have to. So use diligence to learn your place in God’s vast eternal plan, and then step up, get in the game and help get it done!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Spiritual Gifts - More!

For Wednesday, October 18, 2023:

Romans 12:6-8 NLT: “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

Thoughts on Spiritual Gifts:

In college, I was put in front of 40 Middle school students, each of whom had a ukulele. Right then I knew that public education wasn’t a good fit for me. I wasn’t cut out to be a teacher, or so I thought! But nowadays, God uses me to teach about Jesus – lectures, sermons, videos. Turns out that teaching is fine if I’m given the right topic!

I knew a pastor who told his staff, “I’d better stop by the hospital and see Tom.”

His staff replied, “Why would you do that? You’re no good at it!”

A couple wanted to retire from the business they had founded. But their staff was all in place, and their business was largely answering the phone and writing up orders from existing customers. They could work it a few more years and give the proceeds to the church. Since a new worship center was under construction, the pastor encouraged them to do just that. This couple had the spiritual gift of giving.

Visionary Leadership is a rare commodity. Most leaders run things the way we’ve always done them. They do their best to solve problems that have already happened. But visionary leaders can look down the road and see where our church needs to be in five years. They have a goal in sight, an optimistic picture in their minds of a growth scenario, and a plan for getting there.

Blessings as you share your spiritual gifts with the world today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Spiritual Gifts #1

For Tuesday, October 17, 2023:

Romans 12:6-8 NLT: “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

Our Father made us all the same; two legs, two arms, two eyes, etc. And yet you can look at a crowd of 1,000 people and no two look exactly the same. The same thing goes for spiritual gifts. We are all “good” at certain things and interested in other things. Again, no two of us are wired exactly the same way. We have been gifted certain specific spiritual talents by our Father in heaven.

Do you know your spiritual gifts? Are you sharing your gifts with your church community? Believers identify their spiritual gifts so they can do their best, most effective work for God. Jesus’ was good at preaching, teaching and healing. When he forgave our sins he healed our souls!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

The Original Rock!

For Thursday, April 13, 2023:

Matthew 16:18 NLT, Jesus speaking to Simon: “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”

Peter is a unique character, insatiably curious and wildly impulsive. Remember the night Jesus was arrested and Peter denied knowing Jesus – three times! He could instantly lie to save his own skin! As Jesus was being taken into custody, Peter cut an ear off one of the soldiers, impulsively defending his mentor. Jesus, on his way to the cross, immediately healed that soldier.

Peter’s character traits caused him to constantly seek knowledge, and his impulsive nature spurred him to rapidly put that knowledge to work. He had the spiritual gift of leadership, and he probably would have risen to lead the twelve even if Jesus hadn’t assigned him that position. His get-it-done attitude was perfect for establishing Jesus’ new churches.

Each of us needs to ask ourselves, what are we called to do for Jesus and his church? What are our spiritual gifts? Have we been given the spiritual gift of leadership?

Jesus was fully man and fully God, and when God opens a new church, the powers of hell cannot prevail against it! Peter was guaranteed success!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God Knew You!

For Friday, June 18, 2021

Jeremiah 1:5a NLT, God speaking: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.”

Life is precious, and our Lord is the Creator of all life. That God knew Jeremiah in his mother’s womb is true for us also. In fact, if we read the fine print, God apparently had a plan for each of us before we were even formed. After all, the Bible says that Jeremiah existed in the mind and plan of God BEFORE he ever existed in his mother’s womb.

Each of us was designed with unique gifts and talents to fulfill what we were made to do better than anyone else. Believe it or not, we are all sanctified – set apart for God’s purpose, and that gives us a lot of hope!

"Before I formed you I knew you!”

Blessings today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Excellence vs Perfectionism

Sept. 30, 2019 Monday Message:

Doing Kingdom work with excellence honors God and inspires people, but being a nit-picking perfectionist is a sin.

Perhaps we can define ‘excellence’ as ‘each person doing the best they can do.’ The Carnegie Hall pianist and the Church pianist will probably exhibit different levels of competence, but each should be doing his/her best.

Sometimes the challenge is matching the right talent to the right task. A hobby-level guitarist probably shouldn’t serve on the Worship Team in the big room for the main service. But we DO need people to lead folk songs around the campfire. And elementary students love to sing simple songs. We need to find the task that’s the best fit for a person’s talent and skill-level.

If a person is learning a new job and they’ve reached a point where they’re ‘pretty good’ at it, we need to put them in the game. They may not be perfect yet, but their skills will increase as they acclimate to the position.

If you’re leading a Bible study group, there will come a time when MOST of the class will understand MOST of the teaching. You’ll know when. And then for the sake of the entire class, it’s time to move on, knowing you’ve done your best.

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Oct. 6, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. This week founding Pastor Michael Pilla looks at 1 Cor. 14:1-19 – Tongues and Prophesy.

Body of Believers

Sept. 23, 2019 Monday Message:

Paul writing to the Corinthian Church: “If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how could you smell anything?” 1 Cor. 12:17 NLT

Just like the human body, our body of believers is made up of many different parts. The Spirit has given us different spiritual gifts and talents, and we are called to put those varied talents to work for the kingdom.

Your talents are different from my talents, and the kingdom is better with us all. The saying, “Our strength is in our diversity,” rings especially true here.

The Bible says that we have all been entrusted with at least one spiritual gift; some are given with several. We are given these spiritual gifts so that we can share our talent with the kingdom. It’s kind of like tithing. Nowadays most of us earn money, and we’re expected to render a certain portion of that to further the kingdom. In the same way, the Spirit has entrusted us with spiritual gifts and talents, and God expects us to put some of that to work for His Kingdom too.

Pastor Rick Warren – “Purpose-driven Rick,” says that a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. So what are your talents that you can share with your fellow believers?

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. This week founding Pastor Michael Pilla looks at 1 Cor. 12:12-31.