JLG Ministries INC

07/27/2024

Racine ‘24 last service

01/27/2024

12/27/2023

For New Year's --- Our Trip Down the River Called Life…

Life flows oftentimes like a river and floating on that river there may be a canoe and a log. The canoe nor the log makes the current nor can either dictate to the river at what force the current should be, nor does the river discriminately pull the canoe and not the log. . . each is held in the river’s grasp. The canoe differs only, to a degree, from the log in that the canoe has a man within it with a paddle that can alter its path while the log must flow only according to the laws of physics.

BUT there are places in the rapids where even the man and the paddle has little or no effect because the force of the rapids is far greater than the strength of the oarsman and his efforts become nearly nil. Likewise in life, there are events akin to the river’s rapids that propel us along where human efforts, like rowing the canoe, has no noticeable effect because the strength of the rapids is far greater than our human efforts — at such junctures we are little different from the log.

The ultimate journey down such a river has intervals of purposeful steering in desired directions and also the moments of uncontrolled floating—the river often appears to be no respecter of canoe or log—yet a child of God must learn that he is responsible for the times when life is truly in his control and not in the times when the river only is in control.

Like it or not, life sometimes propels us uncontrollably along, whether we wish it not. It is not necessarily a lack of faith at such times that causes such trying events, but rather it is just life’s current in our particular river journey. Hunting explanations is human — but there really are some things that have no earthly answer(s). Men will always surmise about such things, but the best any of us can do is guess why life’s river flows as it does.

Does this mean that God is not in control, or that God has, as Einstein declared He does not do, thrown dice? Hardly. God, Who can declare the end from the beginning, was/is/shall ever be the divine architect of the universe. But we as humans are left many times with only David’s exclamation of His ways:

Psa 131:1-3 “A Song of degrees of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and forever.”

And again;
Psa 139:1-14 "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee. For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

As I have learned that, it is easy to become clinical in our assessment of the events of life. Indeed, when we studiously observe those events from afar we tend to be clinical about them, but once we come face to face with life's trials, they present a whole new personal picture to us.

Life has its times of revelation and its times of obscurity. God is indeed a Giver of Light and, yet, He also has left me clueless many times during certain events of life. But, through it all, He is God...... and for me, that's enough.

To God, be the glory forever!

=jlg=

12/22/2023

NONE OTHER NAME

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:9-11)

That Infant to Whom the name was given those years ago would grow into THE most polarizing figure in human history!

His birth would scare the living daylights out of the most powerful of Kings!

His miracles would astound crowds of people!

His ministry would attract thousands of curiosity seekers as well as seekers of truth!

His teachings would challenge the establishment, but would endure for millennia!

His call to discipleship would promise nothing but persecution and harsh times, yet would attract millions over the centuries.

His critics would blast him for His unorthodox ministry, and eventually take Him to the cross for His ex*****on!

His claim to deity would confound many, yet would be so unmistakable when the tomb was found empty!

And His followers would spread their new religion all over the known world within a generation! Jesus is a remarkable individual... and that is the greatest of “under-statements!”

The Bible gives us a larger and clearer picture of who Jesus is through the rich variety of titles attributed to Him throughout the Old and New Testaments. He is known as Lord and Savior.

Some call Him the Son of God, but He seemed to prefer the title Son of Man. To the Jews, He was the long-awaited Messiah or Christ. He is the Word made flesh, the Good Shepherd, the Great High Priest. He is the “I AM” and the “Ancient of Days.” He also is known as Immanuel, or “God with us.” To name just a few of the titles which identify Him as God Almighty.

Isn’t it amazing that the God of the whole Universe, when He chose to take on appearance as a man, would choose such a common name? You would think He would pick something grander, something more royal, and something more fitting of a GOD!

The name is a profound theological statement: It is God’s Promise to Save! In its older Hebrew form, the name literally meant “Jehovah Saviour.” It’s the oldest name known to us that contains, Jehovah, within it; that in and of itself is a testimony to the uniqueness of God as the One in whom mankind can safely trust for salvation!

It suggests that there is no one worthy of comparison to Jesus, because He (and He alone) can save! No other name offers what His name promises! That explains why the angel in Matt. 1 told Joseph to name the child Jesus “because He will save his people from their sins.” The angel was telling Joseph that this Child is God’s promise to save mankind from their sins! His name (very literally) is God the Savior!

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

In Luke’s account, he doesn’t bother with the Hebrew names and their meanings– he’s a Gentile, and he’s writing to Gentiles, and he relates the announcement of the angel to the shepherds out in the field this way, Luke 2:10-11 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. He is SAVIOR! He is CHRIST! And He is LORD!

That claim (made by his very name) is exemplified so clearly in Mark 2:3-12. While Jesus made the direct and unambiguous claim to be God Himself in a number of settings, this is one of the clearest– and one which demands a decision on the part of its witnesses. Jesus was in Capernaum and quite a crowd had gathered to hear Him. Mark 2:4-12.

The man very clearly wanted physical healing... but initially Jesus just told him, “Your sins are forgiven.” But, it’s that statement that brings about the harshest response of those around! “Who are YOU, that you can forgive sins? Only God can do that! Are YOU God?”

And so that they would see that He indeed was God and that He indeed DID have that authority. He heals the man... the man picks up his mat and walks! And nobody can believe their eyes! “We’ve never seen anything like it before!”

The two things you can’t miss in this text: Jesus did indeed claim to be God Almighty! No doubt about it! Here Jesus’ critics had their premise right, only they drew the wrong conclusion.

They knew that only God had the ability to forgive sins, and they were right. But when Jesus claimed this authority for himself, the choice was clear. Either Jesus was God or he was guilty of blaspheme (on top of being a lunatic.)

They chose to believe the latter. They were wrong. There are some today who want to make the claim that Jesus was just a great teacher and that He never claimed to be anything more, but they are wrong!

Jesus did indeed claim to be God! And either He IS or he IS guilty of blaspheme and pulling the greatest hoax the world has ever seen! Jesus leaves no room for any ‘middle ground’ position on Who He is.

Jesus did indeed claim the ability to forgive sins! And further He proved it by miraculously healing the man... he gave power to back up His claim! If all he had done had been to say, “Your sins are forgiven” and left it at that, His critics would have simply replied, “No they aren’t” and they could have gone back and forth forever! But Jesus told the man to walk, and the man walked! If Jesus could do THAT, then He could certainly forgive the man of his sins, and ONLY God could do that!

What have YOU decided about Jesus? Is He God? The very name of Jesus proclaims that He is God! The very name of Jesus proclaims that salvation can be found in no other!... there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved!

Anyone having once understood the significance of the Name of Jesus would certainly then understand the command of Peter on the Day of Pentecost when he answered the question with, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38).

In the Name of Jesus—the Name of the One True and Living God!