Shalom – Peace of the Lord!

For Friday, October 24, 2025:

John 14:27 ESV, Jesus speaking: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

God dispersed mankind after the Tower of Babel incident, and gave different languages to different groups. The number of words varies. Sometimes more words are required. For example, the different native Inuit tribes of Alaska and western Canada have 40, 53, and as many as 70 different words for snow. Light, fluffy snow; wet, heavy snow. In English, we have to describe it. In Inuit, they have a distinct word for each. Scandinavian natives have over 300 words relating to snow! Now I’m really confused!

Sometimes we need more words. Here, Jesus is speaking about “shalom,” a Hebrew concept, written down in Greek and then translated for us into English. As the saying goes, something is lost in the translation!

Since it’s “the peace of the Lord,” perhaps “serenity” would be closer to the original meaning. The concept requires faith, believing that with God in charge, everything will be OK. Trust in the Lord... If we survive the world's tribulation, we’ll still be alive, and that’s good! If we don’t survive, Jesus will welcome us into God’s eternal Kingdom, and that’s also good! Either way, we’ll be OK. If you’re a believer, worry isn’t necessary and would be a waste of time!

"Shalom” is a traditional Hebrew coming and going prayer, a blessing for each other. “May the peace of the Lord be with you.” Free of worry and fear and trusting in God Almighty, life will be good. After all, believers have been adopted into the Holy Family!

Shalom!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Worry Not!

For Thursday, June 12, 2025:

Luke 12:31 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.”

My father taught me to only worry about things that I could control. Worrying about things over which you have no control is futile, wasted anxiety!

Jesus is saying to seek God and his Kingdom, and not waste time worrying about anything! God already knows your needs, and God will provide. God knows you need food to eat and clothes to wear. Worrying, fretting or wringing your hands will only make you miserable. Worrying won’t magically make food or clothing appear, and worrying won’t add a single day to your life. Jesus advises us to trust in the Lord who loves us!

Birds don’t plant or harvest food, but they seem to find plenty to eat. Surely mankind is more valuable than birds! Lilies are beautiful and fragrant one day, but are thrown into a fire the next. God has a longer-range plan for mankind. He will certainly care for you!

Unbelievers worry about what to eat and what to wear. Encourage them to better know Jesus and abandon worry. If we seek the Kingdom of God above all else, he will give us everything we need.

Now go sing a chorus of “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Vengeance!

December 2, 2024 Monday Message:

2 Thessalonians 1:6 NLT: “In his (God’s) justice he will pay back those who persecute you.”

Have you ever heard someone say, “I don’t get mad; I get even!” That’s not a Christian way of living. Jesus taught us to be forgiving and loving. Getting even with someone is best left to God and God’s timing! “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord!” The world persecuted Jesus, so don’t be surprised if you too are persecuted.

People in general are not eager to get out of the driver’s seat and let God be in charge. Most people still want the upper hand. But God allowing this freedom also permits us to make incorrect decisions! We can seek our own revenge, and then worry about what we have done. Worry isn’t good either! Throw away your worries and revenge, and live in the joy of the Lord!

Live in the assurance of salvation given to us by Jesus!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Shalom!

For Wednesday, July 19, 2023:

Romans 2:10-11 NLV: “But God will give His greatness and honor and peace to all those who obey the truth. Both Jews and those who are not Jews will receive this. For God does not show favoritism.”

What we do in this life matters in the next. God has rewards for those who live by his instructions, and sometimes the rewards come in this life, but oftentimes in the next.

One of God’s gifts is peace, the peace of the Lord, shalom. In Hebrew, the word means peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. To me, shalom means freedom from anxiety, not having to worry. Jesus taught us that we needn’t worry if we trust in the Lord! With God, everything will be OK – count on it!

God does not show favoritism. The Messiah came through the Hebrew people, but his mission was to rescue everyone. He took the sins of the world to the place of the dead, everyone’s sins. The song says, “Jesus loves me,” and we all need to remember that! Keep it front-of-mind!

 "Shalom” replaces “hello” and “goodbye” for many Jews. So let’s close with, “Shalom – may the peace of the Lord be with you today!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Worry Not!

February 6, 2023 Monday Message:

Matthew 6:34 NLT, Jesus speaking: “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

My father taught me to not worry about things over which I have no control. It’s futile! Only fret over situations you have some hope of changing. I have opinions about our nation’s policies and our state’s laws, but as the legislators debate, my phone never rings! I can fire off an occasional letter or fill out a survey, but further worrying will accomplish nothing except to confound my mental health. I need to accept the status quo, and vote for someone different in the next election!

Jesus teaches us to not worry, would prefer that we didn’t worry, but he knows that humans tend to agonize over what life brings. So if you must worry, confine it to today’s issues. When tomorrow comes, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to worry about tomorrow’s challenges.

Don’t borrow trouble in advance of it happening. “What if’s” and “He/She mights” haven’t happened yet, so they don’t deserve any of your time. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. It isn’t necessarily wrong to remember the past or plan for the future. Both of those are good to a certain degree, but don’t become so focused on either that today slips away. God wants us to remember the past, plan for the future, but live in the present.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Ps. 118:24)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

For Saturday, February 4, 2023:

Matthew 6:30 NLT, Jesus speaking: “If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

Cut flowers are beautiful. We grow them, we collect them, we bring them home. And in a week or so, they wilt and are discarded. With their beauty decayed, these same flowers are no longer desirable, and they are thrown away.

Jesus first told his listeners to not worry about what to eat, saying the Lord would provide. The same goes for what to wear. If God cares so much for short-term flowers, surely he will take care of mankind too, creation’s crowning achievement!

Jesus says that worrying is worthless. Day-to-day life is about having faith in our Creator and his ability to provide. Trust that the Lord will provide, and get back to enjoying life!

Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as the flowers!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Faith vs Worry!

For Friday, February 3, 2023:

Matthew 6:26 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”

There’s a fine line between prudently planning for the future and unnecessarily worrying about it. Jesus simply said to not worry; the Lord will provide. Birds don’t wake up in the morning and worry about food. They just go about their day and always seem to find enough to eat. Note that birds don’t worry, but they do work. They wake up, get out of the nest and search for today’s meal, which God always provides.

As a human, God may offer you a job. You have to do good work resulting in a paycheck which buys groceries at Krogers, and voilà, you have food! See – God is good!

Psalm 23 says that with the Lord as my Shepherd, I shall not want. God looks after his flock’s basic needs. He won’t provide everything we covet, but our necessities are in his hands.

Jesus is advising ‘faith’ rather than ‘worry.’ “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:27)

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Don't Worry!

For Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Matthew 6:34 Phillips: “Don’t worry at all then about tomorrow. Tomorrow can take care of itself! One day’s trouble is enough for one day.”

Worrying really isn’t Biblical; trusting in the Lord is. He created you, He knows what you need and He will provide for you. Having said that, it’s prudent to keep an eye on our future. We’d be foolish if we didn’t!

There’s a Christian song, “One Day at a Time,” that accurately describes God’s care and provision for us. The Lord’s Prayer teaches, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Not next week’s bread, not next year’s bread, but we pray for God to give us what we need today so we can make it to tomorrow. Let God worry about tomorrow. He’ll take care tomorrow when tomorrow comes!

The Message explains it like this: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

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

Don't Worry!

For Wednesday, November 18, 2020 

Philippians 4:6 NLT: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Alfred E. Newman was best known for saying, “What, me worry?” But being concerned about other people and their circumstances, our natural tendency is to do just that, worry; but the Bible counsels us otherwise. 

Worry never solves any problem; it just creates agony in our minds. The saying, “Let go and let God,” applies here. Paul counsels the Philippians to pray about everything, tell God what you need, and then move on to thanksgivings. If we have given the problem to God, it’s time to move on!

Our faith in God and Jesus the Christ allows us to do that. No problem is insurmountable! Our belief that God is bigger than any problem gives us hope! 

Blessings and safety to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Let Go, Let God!

For Saturday, September 19, 2020. 

2 Corinthians 1:3 NLT: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.”

My father taught me to concern myself only with things over which I had control. If you have some degree of control over situations, you can begin setting things right. If you stand no chance of changing things, your worry will result in perpetual anxiety, and the Bible tells us that kind of worry is futile, and to avoid worrying in general. 

So how do we deal with problems, situations and people over which we have no control? I hope you’re familiar with the saying, “Let go and let God!” God has control over everything, so give Him your big problem. You can then stop worrying and get back to living! God will deal with it or not, but it’s no longer YOUR problem! God, after all, should be our ultimate source of comfort! That’s what the Bible says. So “Let go and let God!” That newfound peace gives us hope!

Blessings and safety today,

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406