The Present Tense Gospel

by John Laney on July 24, 2010

Hebrews 11-1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, it is the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Verse 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards them that diligently seek Him.

Faith is now! And your faith gives substance to the things that you hope for! Because the elders had faith, they gained God’s approval. When we have faith God, is pleased. The Greek that is rendered “pleased” in Hebrews 11:6 is accurately described as entirely satisfied, or sated. I put it like this, “when God sees faith in us, He is satisfied. Think about when you have eaten a fabulous meal. You ate to your content but did not over eat. Remember the feeling of pushing the chair back from the table, with that incredible feeling of satisfaction after feasting on delicious cooking. Think about it! God is feasting on our faith!

By looking at things through the eyes of faith we can discern that our world has been put together by His word, and that the unseen world, the things that do not appear, are more real than what we see with the natural eye.

Another ancient text says. I call heaven and earth to witness this day to you that I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life that you and your descendants may live.

Notice that the passage says this day. Every day at all times we are given choices. The choice is what thoughts are we going to think? What will you agree with? It seems that many of us are trapped in a future tense gospel. Is the Kingdom of God present? Is the Gospel, the good news? Every instant of every day we are given choices. I believe the main choice we have in life has to do with perception. How do we perceive God? Is He a mean, judgmental, angry God? Is He loving and kind, quick to forgive? How do we perceive the challenges of life that we are presented with? Are the obstacles we face sent to destroy us, or they to help us grow? One of my mentors said “what side of the bed did you get up on?” For you who profess Christianity, is the Bible something you can trust? Or is it merely a bunch of metaphors and stories? Ok so you trust it, huh? How about this

John 14:12 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father.

Do you reckon that Jesus really meant that? I have heard that scripture explained away in several creative ways. Bottom line, our faith is manifested through our life. So is everyone’s.

Where is the Present Tense Gospel?

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Where the mind goes, the man follows

by John Laney on May 29, 2010

I am sitting in the airport in Las Vegas, having spent the last 6 days at two conferences. I have been preaching, not on a platform, but more than not on a bar stool, or a diner table. I actually spent more time listening than talking, and here are some observations.

  When I truly consider the mind of man, I realize that the way that we think is the way that we live. My good friend the Apostle Paul (I say this because I have spent a lot of time with him) wrote in one of his famous letters not to be conformed, but be transformed. He instructed us that this process is implemented by renewing the mind.

I might say in modern English “think outside the box, keep your mind sharp and constantly growing. You can become a new person by renewing and changing your thought life.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers:

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and on His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, he shall bring forth fruit in due season, his leaf shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.

 

That is an incredibly encouraging passage! Let’s look at what it says. The man who discerns what type of counsel that he is receiving is blessed. It does not say that we only listen to “men of God”. I have received some very ungodly counsel from people that I consider godly, as I have surly given out ungodly counsel. We are men, we have the Spirit of God, but we also have baggage. We also may receive wonderful counsel from people we consider to be “ungodly”.   Blessed is the man who does not act on ungodly counsel. This blessed man does not align with the advice or person who constantly acts from deception or judgment.

 Notice where the discernment comes from. He delights in the law of the Lord, and he takes pleasure in meditation therein. Just what is “the law of the Lord”?  Is it the Old Testament? Consider this; is the Law of gravity one of God’s laws? What about the law of cause and effect? The tide goes out, the rivers flow to the sea, water freezes and boils. Are these God’s laws?

My intent is not to instruct, but to spur you to thought. By thinking we become, and by thinking we discern. The man who delights and meditates in “the law of the Lord” is like a tree. He is long term. He produces fruit, he is bountiful. His leaf does not wither, he is sustainable. Everything that he does prospers. A sound exciting doesn’t it? It all makes sense to me, a rebel by nature, but becoming wiser.

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A Powerful Poverty Mindset

May 11, 2010

About 12 years ago I decided that I really did not know Jesus. I knew about His grace and I knew that He saved me, but I really did not know His heart. I decided that a proper thing for me to do was to read only the words in red for a year. So [...]

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Can you Soar? Yes you can!

May 9, 2010

 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
 31 but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.
Can you soar like the eagle? Did God create [...]

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What is Man?

May 2, 2010

Why do geese fly south? Jim Rohn used to say “Because they are geese”.  Geese have a genetic code built into them that assures that they will follow a certain pattern systematically. That is until weather patterns change then they observe another program or another is downloaded from an infinite divine source.  A good friend [...]

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Imagination

April 30, 2010

Does God have an imagination? I believe that He does. If He knew certain things from before the foundation of the world, those  things must have existed in His mind before they  became tangible. Is man really made in His image? Did man derive from the imagination of God?
What is your imagination producing?
Php 4:6-8  In nothing be anxious; [...]

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God’s Thoughts

April 18, 2010

Let the wicked man forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the [...]

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