Changed for the Better!

For Wednesday, April 29, 2026:

Colossians 1:6 NLT: “This same Good News (Gospel) that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.”

Years ago, (when I was a much younger man,) I wrote “Changed Minds, Changed Hearts, Changed Lives.” Some of it was about evangelism. We needed to change some people’s minds about attending church, who Jesus is and the truth of the Bible. For those already attending, a change of heart was needed. They needed to be “all in” for Jesus, more than just “pew sitters.” With a changed heart, they could then unflinchingly believe in the truth of the Bible, and that Jesus is God’s Son. And as lives would change, many could move into leadership. Their lives were changed permanently!

In this scripture, a word that stands out to me is “understood.” Paul is saying that you may not have been convinced when you first heard about this, but only after you understood deep down the truth of what was being taught.

The other word is “truth.” Remember, Paul was waylaid on the road to Damascus by the risen Jesus, struck blind, and then shown truth by Jesus himself. To him, believing in Jesus was now nonnegotiable. Jesus had commanded believers to make disciples of all nations, and Paul was doing his part. He took the Gospel out of Jerusalem, out of Israel, and was now spreading the Good News throughout Asia Minor. We continue that work nowadays!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church

Changed Lives!

For Thursday, April 8, 2021

Ezekiel 36:26 TLB: “I will give you a new heart—I will give you new and right desires—and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.”

Our God is a God of 2^nd chances – and 3^rd, 4^th, etc. God’s desire is that everyone would repent and return, that none would perish. God is in the rescue business!

Believers have been changed - changed hearts, changed minds, changed lives. God’s radical transformation occurs in believers. The world tells us to look out for # 1; Jesus teaches us to love God and care about our fellows. Self-centeredness is replaced by love and compassion.

God can restore entire countries, but he starts by changing individuals.

Blessings and safety today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Change My Heart

Jan. 20, 2014 Monday Message:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…” (Rev. 1:1a NLT)

When Jesus returns to establish the new heaven and the new earth, the old heaven and the old earth will pass away. And the bad parts of the old earth - things that were misguided, off-track – let’s just say - Wrong – all those things will pass away too.

Gone forever will be anger, murder, theft, lies, jealousy, sickness and death. And prejudice. None of these things comes from God. They’re the result of sinful mankind living in a fallen world.

Our bibles tell us that prejudice existed 2,000 years ago. Nathanael asks, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46a) And others query, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?” (John 7:41b) Prejudice clouded their understanding of God’s own Son!

Our country has outlawed racial discrimination, and some people think that the problem is fixed. It is not. It will only be fixed when people’s hearts change. Laws don’t change people’s hearts – Jesus changes people’s hearts. So let’s all pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

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 week we welcome Dan Pilla as we continue our study in Luke.

The Main Thing

Nov. 11, 2013 Monday Message:

When we go to the place of the dead, our time of judgment, we’ll find that a number of things we spent considerable time on aren’t even on heaven’s agenda.

It won’t matter if we sang hymns or contemporary worship songs – classical, folk or rock & roll. The important thing will be that we sang to the Lord.

Whether church starts at 9am or 10am isn’t important. We just need to get together and worship.

What color should we paint the classrooms? Do we need cushions on the pews? Communion once a month or every week? How many candles on the altar? Should your Pastor preach wearing a fancy robe, suit and tie, or jeans and a t-shirt? Yikes!

Jesus didn’t offer direction on any of these things. But he DID tell us to make disciples of all nations, to baptize, and to teach others. So when we get to the next reality, the question won’t be, “Did you wear red for Pentecost?”

It’ll be more like, “Did you help others make a decision for Jesus?” I don’t mean just hearing about Jesus, but actual conversions? Hell will be full of people who have heard about Jesus, but never got around to closing the deal.

Now I need to back up and say that all the previous things about leading a church are important. They can help draw people in, make them feel comfortable, cause them to return and be welcomed into our Christian community. But the long-term goal is more than just getting people in the door – it’s about changed hearts; it’s about making disciples. That’s the mission Jesus called us to.

“The main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things.” (Alistair Begg)

Norton Lawellin

Join us this Sunday as Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) meets at 10:30am in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This Sunday, Nov. 17, Pastor Michael Pilla opens up Luke 18. See you at church!

NL