Welcome to Hank’s Place —
At Hank’s Place we LIVE — in God’s grace – which is abundant toward us, thanks to JESUS! Under the Old we had to earn God’s blessings. Under the Old our focus was The LAW, keeping it, and thus staying free from sin. If you had some success it was an open door to pride. Just think of those proud Pharisees. When you failed, which was often, it was an open door for condemnation.
Then Jesus came. His sacrifice changed the throne of judgment to a throne of grace before which we can come boldly – BOLDLY – to find mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need – Hebrews 4:16.
At the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry, there was a voice from heaven, thunder some thought, saying, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Mark 1:10. Thunder. Back in Exodus 19 we find Moses going up to Mt Sinai, and God causing great thunderings – Moses speaking, God answering, His voice a thunder. Exodus 19:19. Two covenants emerge in the thunders: the Old and New.
Are they pretty equal? Are both still in effect? They both come from God. Near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, He takes Peter, James and John up a mountain – where He is transfigured and is joined by Moses the great law-giver, and Elijah, the greatest prophet of old. Peter suggests they erect 3 tents, one for each. But God overshadows them with a glory cloud and says, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; LISTEN TO HIM!” Matthew 17:5. Don’t get your guidance from Moses and the Law. Don’t live your life according to Old Testament prophets or those today who would act like either, giving you do’s and don’ts or “if/then” conditional words from God. Live your life by JESUS, the Living Word, by whom all of God’s promises are YES, not “Yes, if….”
Yes, we should value the Old for it was written for our instruction in order to give us HOPE. Romans 15:4. We learn from the Old and gain hope. But remember, the Old is but a shadow, a type of what was to come. Now that Jesus has come WE FOLLOW HIM, for He has made the first covenant OBSOLETE. Hebrews 8:5 and 10:9.
Today, take time to consider how you are living. By rules? Do’s and Don’ts? If’s and Then’s? God has provided something so much better in the New. Paul in Romans 13:8 says, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.”
Choose today to live by LOVE, live in LOVE – ask God for a baptism of His LOVE — you’ll COME ALIVE!
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