Teacher = Lord!

For Sunday, June 11, 2023:

Matthew 19:16-17a NLT: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

"Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good.”

The rich man was asking his Rabbi, his teacher about eternal life. In truth, he was asking God himself, but he didn’t realize it! (Jesus told us, “I and the Father are one.”) Each of us is to examine the evidence and discern the heavenly origin of our Messiah.

There is no one thing, no one good deed that will gain us entrance to the hereafter. When we understand who Jesus is and claim him as Lord, our lives change. We call it “Radical Transformation.” Believers don’t just go to church; we also do the “stuff,” the commandments and living as Jesus commanded. Christians aren’t known for just one good deed. Observers see a trend among the changed minds, changed lives and changed hearts. Forgiveness, kindness and being helpful are all part of the trend.

Watch for signs of the God-trend as you worship today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God-trend!

For Wednesday, November 30, 2022:

Proverbs 3:21-22a NLT: “My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, for they will refresh your soul.”

God made mankind in his image, and equipped us with brains. It’s always good to consult the Bible, but we should be able to figure out a lot of things on our own. After all, God wrote his laws on our hearts, so we should instinctively know right from wrong.

Humans tend to consult God about individual incidents, but I believe God is more concerned with trends. It’s good if you help your neighbor clear their sidewalk, but God wants to see multiple incidents of kindness – the trend. God wants to see that you’re loving your neighbor as yourself – that you’re a kind person – all the time.

Trends become habits. If you’re in the habit of helping others – of being kind – that behavior tends to repeat itself. If you’re in the habit of loving your neighbor, it becomes second nature, the first thing you think of.

May our love for our neighbor grow to be our personal trend!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Don't shoot backward

December 03, 2012 Monday Message:

Don’t waste time shooting bullets backward.

God has an agenda, his “things-to-do” list. He loves us, his human creations, and wants us to be with him in heaven, forever.

When humans sinned and messed it all up, God didn’t quit. “Fellowship with the humans” is still at the top of God’s agenda. His unchanging nature and steadfast perseverance establish a trend that we can trace throughout the Bible. Watch for trends as you read your Bibles.

Therefore God sent his Son, and launched the process for our redemption. Giving up on the humans simply wasn’t an option. The principles of God, his trends, will not change. You can count on God.

God doesn’t hold onto a grudge or harbor resentment against mankind. Once Adam and Eve were disciplined and course-corrected, God let go of the offense. It does no good to shoot bullets backward.

Our God of provision looks forward, and so should we. He has made a way for us to live together, in the New Jerusalem, forever.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Norton Lawellin

Sunday, Dec. 09, 10:30am Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers in the North end of the Oliver Ministry Building, 27^th Street & Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis. We welcome guests from New Hope Center this week, as Pastor Michael continues teaching from Luke: the birth of John the Baptist.

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