Brothers and Sisters!

For Wednesday, April 17, 2024:

Colossians 3:11 NLT: “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Take a moment and think about how much better the world would be if everyone lived according to the teaching of Jesus. I mean everyone, no exceptions!

If all of mankind lived by the words of Jesus, Putin would have never invaded Ukraine. It’s wrong on so many levels. And Hamas would have never attacked Israel. They’re neighbors, probably cousins; they should get along better! And if Israel had never been attacked, they’d have no reason to retaliate against Gaza, where the bad guys live. Making sure Gaza had enough food would be a priority, not a punishment.

How many times can the good guys turn the other cheek when so much of the world is out of step with Jesus’ teaching? Consider our situation from God’s point of view. When the Messiah was coming to earth, God provided a home for him within the Jewish nation. But now that Jesus has come and gone, does any good thinking persist for separating countries and races? Paul, who heard directly from Jesus on the road to Damascus, says ‘no.’

There is no longer slave or free, Jew or Gentile, and no more black or white. The world should be filled with brothers and sisters in Christ. He is our all in all, our best example for how we should live the rest of our lives.

Jesus said that we should even love our enemies!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth!

For Wednesday, April 10, 2024:

Colossians 2:3 NLT: “In Christ himself lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

You can read the entire Bible cover-to-cover and you won’t find any scripture where God was wrong. God’s people can do wrong, and sometimes God has to rethink his plan because of mankind’s mistakes. But from God comes all wisdom and knowledge! Truth is God’s opinion on everything!

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So Jesus had the same value system as his Father. It’s said that he lived a perfect life. No other person has been able to accomplish that! In proving who Jesus was, his perfect life rose to the evidential surface. He was never wrong, and obedient to his Father even onto the end when it cost him his life.

Paul wrote, “You will only find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Jesus. He has them all.” It’s not wrong to seek wisdom and knowledge, but we must seek it through the life of Jesus and his teaching.

Slow down your pace of living just a bit. Take time to ask, “What would Jesus do?” Whatever he would do is the right thing!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Best Decision!

For Thursday, November 10, 2022:

John 14:23 NLT: “Jesus replied, ‘All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.’”

Jesus personally showed each of us how to live our lives. I remember a lot of bracelets, pins and stickers with the letters, “WWJD,” which stood for, “What would Jesus do?” When faced with a difficult question, just ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?,” and then do that.

The Father will be pleased with all who obey Jesus, so pleased that he will restore a New Heaven and a New Earth where everything will be perfect. On the New Earth, things will always go God’s way. Mankind had ‘free choice,’ and those on the New Earth will have chosen Jesus! Jesus told the disciples, “We will come and make our home with each of them.” “We” is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Obedience to Jesus is the best decision you’ll ever make!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Faith = Hope!

For Wednesday, May 4, 2022:

Romans 3:28 NLT: “We are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”

It’s easy to get these two concepts reversed. Almost daily I meet good people trying to do good things so that they can get into heaven.

But according to the Bible, our faith in Jesus – who he was and what he can do – is what gains us a reservation in the heavenly hereafter. Jesus gave us eternal hope! Then, having that matter settled, we try to do good works out of gratitude for what Jesus did for us.

Ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?,” and then do that!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Love your Neighbor!

For Friday, September 17, 2021

2 John 1:5 NLT: “I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.”

When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he said to love the Lord, but he immediately added that we should also love our neighbors. These concepts were not new. Loving the Lord was commanded in Deuteronomy 6:5, and loving your neighbor as yourself is described in Leviticus 19:18.

Jesus took it a step further. He said to also love your enemies. Our “neighbor” is someone in need, even if they might be regarded as a traditional enemy. In the same way that we take care of ourselves and are concerned about our own interests, we should take care and have concern for the interests of others. And Paul wrote, “No one ever hated his own flesh!”

So be nice. Figure out what you can do that would be helpful. When in doubt, do what Jesus did!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Jesus-like!

For Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Romans 8:29 TLB: “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son, so that his Son would be Supreme - the First - with many brothers and sisters.”

See? God had a plan for you from the beginning! And since we claim Jesus as our Savior and have become one of God’s children, we need to act the part. And there’s no better example to follow than God’s First Son, Jesus.

I always liked the “WWJD” saying – what would Jesus do? My father taught me that when faced with a difficult question, ask yourself, “Is this good, is it right, is it fair, is it honest? Should we be doing this thing?” And to that I would add, ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?”

The more we can be like Jesus, the better our lives will be!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

WWJD

For Saturday, April 17, 2021

John 13:15 NIRV, Jesus speaking: “I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you.”

My father taught me that when faced with a negotiation or some kind of difficult decision, he’d run it through his little test: “Is it right - is it fair - is it honest; should we be doing this thing?” It reminds me of those “WWJD” items, reminding us to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?”

Our founding pastor called me yesterday, concerned about the safety of our city. With the Derek Chauvin trial nearing an end and the recent killing of Daunte Wright, we’re once again faced with a rash of civil unrest. He believes the church proffers hope for the city, and I agree! The church can anchor a biblical perspective toward solving our city’s problems, where everyone could step back, take a deep breath, and first ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?”

What Jesus would do would be the right thing to do!

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Love like Jesus!

For Thursday, January 7, 2021

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

Jesus, soon to return to the Father, is leaving instructions for his disciples. That's Good News! That tells us that he expects his teachings to continue long after his ascension! Jesus didn't go into minute detail. Instead, he cast a broad statement, telling everyone to love each other as he had loved them.

On the surface, it seems simple; but upon close examination, it's a pretty tall order for us! After all, Jesus was sinless - Jesus was perfect – Jesus was God in a man's body! To think we could match Jesus in this endeavor would be thinking too highly of ourselves.

But we can hold up Jesus' behavior as our target, as our goal, as what we might hope to achieve in a perfect world. The closer our lives can match Jesus' life, the better our life will be, and we'll know hope in this life and in the next! With the love of Jesus, we can share that hope with others too!

Blessings to all today – stay safe!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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