God's Management Team

Oct. 07, 2013 Monday Message:

“YHWH will be their light, and they will rule forever.” Rev. 22:5

Last week we discussed what heaven will be like. So it’s on to the #6 most asked Bible/Christianity question, “What will we do in heaven?”

Most people on earth don’t know exactly what they’re called to do. We all have some God-given skills, gifts and talents, but often aren’t very good at putting them into play, like a square peg in a round hole. We may know what God has equipped us to do, but we can’t find the right place to do it.

Heaven is different. The Bible says, “they will rule forever.” Who is “they?” That’s us! Our destiny is to become a part of God’s great management team. We’ll be on-board with God, helping to rule the animals, the angels, and the universe. How long? Forever!

God is the great “connector,” and He has a slot with your name on it. In heaven, your leadership role will be whatever is uniquely perfect for only you. After all, that’s what you’ve been created to do!

And remember that while it’s good to lead and it’s good to serve God, Genesis 3 says this whole work-thing is cursed, a penalty for our disobedience. So don’t get too hung-up on looking for work in heaven. But we will look forward to serving each day, out of gratitude for what has been done for us.

In His name,

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets every Sunday at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This Sunday, Oct. 13, Pastor Michael Pilla teaches about the shrewd manager, Luke 16. Join us!

NL

Serve the Lord - Gideon and You

October 01, 2012 Monday Message:

YHWH: “Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it.” Judges 6:25b NLT

Sometimes God wants us to take action. Even though Gideon loved the Lord, followed the law and brought sacrifices, there was more work to be done.

God had promised Gideon victory over the Midianites. “I will be with you,” said the Lord, “and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” Judges 6:16

But God also commands us to not worship idols, hence the instruction to “pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it.”

Gideon built a new altar on that site and gave a sacrifice to honor God. The people of the town were unhappy about this, and wanted Gideon to die for what he had done. Eventually it was decided to leave vengeance to Baal, who, since he doesn’t exist, did nothing. And after that, Gideon was known as “Jerub-baal,” which means, “Let Baal defend himself.”

Of course the big picture isn’t about any single incident. Gideon’s trend was simply to serve the Lord, through love, sacrifices, tearing down idols and building a new altar for the Lord – whatever God needed. There were no job-description or geographic restrictions on Gideon’s ministry.

Now put yourself in Gideon’s shoes. You already love the Lord and try to honor his commandments; but maybe there’s more to do. It may be something new for you, different from what you have been doing. Talk it over with God, and see what he needs you to do next.

Norton Lawellin

This coming Sunday is the day we’ve all been eagerly anticipating - Jesus in the City Fellowship and Familia de Fe (Spanish language) will be worshiping together, in the main sanctuary of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am. Pastor Michael Pilla teaching, Pastor Walter Chuquimia translating. Potluck follows in the gym – bring something to share!

We’re working on special music for this service – it should be awesome! See you at church!

Foreigners in the Lord's House

August 27, 2012 Monday Message:

”Foreigners have entered the holy places of the Lord’s house.” Jeremiah 51:51b

As a Christian, it’s easy to know where we stand with religions that worship different gods. For example, Buddhists and Hindus want everyone to get along, which seems good, but their god is not Jesus. New age traditions honor nature, which is a good thing, but they fall short of acknowledging that YHWH is the creator of nature.

Much more difficult to sort out are those who use the name of Jesus or an incorrect translation of the Bible, but aren’t the real thing – foreigners working out of the house of the Lord, wolves in sheep’s clothing.

True Christians, regardless of denomination, share certain beliefs, nonnegotiable principles, foundational truths, as explained in our Bibles. There is one God, the sole creator, who is known to us in the Trinity. Jesus, fully God and fully man, was born of a virgin. Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the world, and this is a gift, by grace, through faith. Jesus rose from the dead, will return in bodily form. The Holy Spirit will sustain us until Jesus returns. The church is the body of Christ, doing his work until he returns.

There are many other practices and traditions on which denominations differ, but those are not redeeming ordinances.

Increasingly, the sin of the world is creeping into some churches, and day by day, they get further off track. The fact that they have a denomination with a “church-like” name makes discernment of these foreigners in God’s house all the more difficult.

It will require a keen eye to separate the sheep from the goats.

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, Sept. 02, Jesus in the City Fellowship worships in the Oliver Ministry building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, 10:30am. Following Jesus’ lead, Pastor Michael will fish for men in Luke 5.

The Lord is My Light

July 25, 2011 Monday Message:

David: “The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom then shall I fear?” Psalms 27:1a

In David’s language, it’s not just, “the Lord.” David is speaking, probably shouting, the actual name of God – YHWH. Go ahead – try it first with some names that you already know. Shout them out!
“Bob is my light!”
“Nancy is my salvation!”
And now with God’s name: “Yahweh is my light and my salvation!!!”
See how that works? Good job!

And there’s emphasis on the “IS.” So this is a rather bold statement! David is crazy about God just as Paul was crazy for Jesus. David’s love for God was all consuming. This is the same David who, while celebrating the return of the Ark to Jerusalem, caroused up and down the street singing songs, playing musical instruments, dancing and blowing the shofar — over-the-top worship!

Whom then shall I fear? First, fear no man. Christ’s light may shine through us or reflect off of us, but no one among us is the source of that light. And no one among us can grant the others salvation.

If God is your source of light and the anchor of your salvation, whom should you fear? Fear our triune God: the Lord YHWH, his Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Show our God all the honor, respect and glory suitable for the creator of all that we know, and all that we don’t know. Celebrate in a big way, like David, who was “certain that he would see the LORD's goodness in this present life.” Psalm 27:13

Are you as “certain” as David?

Norton Lawellin

For the Lord is Good!

February 21, 2011 Monday Message:

“For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” Psalm 100:5

We are children of God, and because we’ve been adopted into the Holy family, we should have a certain familiarity with God-the-father. God wants us to know him by his name, by his holy name. Most of you know that anytime we see “the LORD” in all-capital letters in the Bible, usually small-caps, it stands for God’s name. This occurs only in the Old Testament. The Hebrew letters correspond most closely to YHWH in our language, so some people pronounce it Yahweh or Jehovah. Unfortunately we do not know the exact pronunciation. But you can be comforted that God wants to be on a first-name basis with those made in His image.

God is good; all the time. The Bible often translates God’s “khesed” as his unfailing love, his everlasting lovingkindness, or some similar verbiage. It’s difficult to put that much love into human words. His love continues forever, and He will be faithful to generation after generation.

Being faithful is a two-way street. God will be faithful to us; but can we remain faithful to Him? Yes, it’s possible, and many remain faithful in spite of adversity. When things go wrong, God will lift us out of the mire and be our substance, our solid ground. After all, through our faith we are saved by His grace.

Norton Lawellin