Author: Hank

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Previously I’d stated Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 twice, each time in conversation with Pharisees: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”
In Matthew 9 at Matthew’s party, the interchange appears to be without malice. But it’s a different story in chapter 12. There, Jesus’ disciples were hungry and they began eating heads of grain in a field on the Sabbath, something totally legal. Deut 23:25.

Then some Pharisees apparently popped out behind some bushes and said to Jesus, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” On top of the Torah the Pharisees heaped the ‘oral law.’ After Moses came down the mountain with the 10 Commandments, the Pharisees claimed he had entrusted the oral law (too sacred to be written down) to the elders – of which they claim to be the direct descendants.

Jesus refutes them in verses 3-8. The last verses read: “If you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” (Hosea 6:6) you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees could see only a violation of their oral law! If did not understand the heart of God, the God of Lovingkindness. They had hard hearts.
The religious system of the day was broken and fragmented. The Romans appointed the high priests. They kept the garments of the priests in their possession in the Antonia fortress. The holy of holy’s was an empty room in Herod’s magnificent temple. No one agreed on the canon, resurrection, angels, heaven, or hell.

BUT – everyone COULD agree upon – the Sabbath, and its observation. It was the dearest point in their orthodoxy. So when Jesus said, “The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath,” He was saying, take your dearest point of orthodoxy – I am lord over that! No wonder they were angry!
Yet Jesus, in quoting Hosea 6:6, provided the solution by which the hardheartedness of the Pharisees – and us – might be healed if only they would listen.

Jesus was turning the world of the Pharisees upsidedown. Because of the love and kindness of God – incarnate in Jesus, sinners were blessed, while those who hated loving kindness placed themselves outside of God’s loving kindness.

Today, wear mercy, lovingkindness, as YOUR garment and – COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

The prophet Jeremiah, foretold of a NEW Covenant coming, not like the performance based Old Covenant, IF you do this THEN I will bless—but based on the “I wills” of God Himself – Believing God would keep His promises replacing obedience to EARN His blessings.

And there is Hosea the prophet that married and was faithful – to a faithless prostitute – it was a picture of Israel. And God promised through Hosea, “in the place where it was said, “you are not My people, there it will be said you are sons of the Living God.”” Hosea 1:10.

Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6 twice, each time in conversation with Pharisees. The first is found in Mat 9. Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, and Matthew threw a big party with his friends – the house was full of ‘tax collectors and sinners.’ Gasp! 

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” the Pharisees who were tagging along asked the disciples. Jesus heard it and replied (vs 12-13), “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6) For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew was considered a corrupt outsider. It is safe to say he would’ve had no expectation whatsoever that someone like Jesus would reach out to him. 

The Pharisees in asking why Jesus would eat with tax gatherers appear to be genuine and not trying to trick Jesus. And when Jesus says very rabbinically to go and learn with this means, His words are not necessarily confrontational. If the Pharisees are in time able to understand the passage Jesus quotes – Hosea 6:6, they will indeed realize why Jesus is showing kindness to a group of people who were thought to be unworthy of God’s mercy.

To a people who have been preoccupied with complex religious observance and temple activity, Hosea’s words are – mysterious. God would rather His people be kind, merciful, rather than offer a sacrifice. The passage Jesus quotes would’ve been known ‘by heart’ by all the Pharisees, but really it was only in their heads, not their hearts. 

My friend, may Hosea’s words find understanding in YOUR heart today – as they do, you will – COME  ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Preachers, when preaching about grace, may preface this wonderful word with another word: “greasy.” “Beware!” “License to sin!”

Well, there MAY be people out there looking to justify their outrageous behavior by invoking a reference to God’s grace – but pride, arrogance, rebellion and self-will don’t need excuses or crutches, do they?

Does God’s grace need a set of rails to stay on track? – Any rule additions leads to falling from grace as Paul said, Gal 5:4, and soon, rather than rejoicing in the goodness of God, that person finds themselves depressed, failing to measure up to all the rules. God’s grace needs no help from us my friend!

Let’s focus on God’s lovingkindness: showered upon us for no deserving reason, but because it is who God is that He relates to us in lovingkindness. Well, how does a person know when they have come to receive, grasp, understand by experience God’s lovingkindness? 

“Reciprocity.” That mean returning in kind of the same kind. For example, 1 Jn 4:19, we love for He first loved us. Before we could love with selfless, 1 Cor 13 love, we needed to receive the love of God. If you are struggling with loving someone, don’t try harder my friend, but receive the love of God for yourself first; then you will have something to give away!

Back to God’s lovingkindness – showered upon us. If it is not returned freely in gratitude, we have not understood, or truly received internally, the nature of the lovingkindness that was shown to us in the first place. 

So a Christian who speaks judgment everywhere may not as yet come to understand the love of God for themselves. Someone who would attempt to take advantage of God’s grace really has no understanding of the true nature of God’s grace.

Dear friend, taste and see that the Lord is GOOD! Ps 34:8. Drink from the river of His delights. Ps 36:8. Revel in His love, experience His grace for yourself—and you’ll have much to give away, to help others – COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

That amazing prophet, Jeremiah, clearly prophesied, that despite all the rebellion and disobedience of Israel, that God would nevertheless make a NEW COVENANT with them, NOT like the old, performance based covenant. Instead, it would be based upon promises to be believed, like, he who believes in His Son would not be disappointed. 1 Pe 2:6 & elsewhere.

This was incredible because Israel was persisting in being disobedient and rebellious. For centuries. So many people picture God as stern, and ready to punish all disobedience. Yes, He is just and as such must punish disobedience, but do not forget He is the God of Hesed: lovingkindness, mercy, grace, and long-suffering. Just check out Calvary, see your sin and disobedience, and mine, there—believe, and give glory to Jesus!

How about the minor prophet Hosea? In a picture of God and His people, Hosea was instructed by God to marry a prostitute, Gomer. She was unfaithful to him. She even ran away and was sold into slavery. He found her, purchased her, and brought her back. Hoses 3:2. There is no record she ever changed. 

She bore Hosea 3 children, the last being named “Lo-ammi” meaning, “You are not my people and I am not your God.” Whoa!

That’s Hosea 1:9, yet the very next verse contains a promise: “Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”” Hallelujah!

The Apostle Paul quotes Hosea 1:9 in Romans 9:26. And finishes the chapter by declaring that Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, that’s right standing with God, attained righteousness, the righteousness which is by faith; adding Israel was still struggling, trying to get there through their works.

Righteousness by faith is a stumbling stone: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Friend, it is no longer a matter of obedience or disobedience: it is a matter of having faith in our God and His amazing grace.

Yes, thanks to God’s Amazing Grace – we can COME ALIVE!

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Here we believe the New Covenant really is NEW – it is not a rehash, a make-over, of the Old one. Under the Old, WE were responsible to perform – to get it right – in order for God to bless us. IF we were obedient to ALL He commanded, THEN blessings would flow.

My friend, I see so many Christians struggling today – Christians mind you: Depressed. Anxious. Confused. Downcast. Because – of an Old Covenant mindset. They are believing they must please God first, in order to be accepted, to be approved. They may point to Matt 25:21,23 where Jesus gives a parable where a master of the house is saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the master.” And they wrestle with thoughts of “am I good enough,” “have I done enough.” Maybe that’s you.

My friend, remember – in the New Covenant – God – Father and Son made it, for us, Jesus being our representative. It is eternal and cannot fail for God cannot fail. 

We BELIEVE: that Jesus IS our Savior and Lord, and God translates us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. He makes us New Creations: sons and daughters of the Living God. Eternally accepted in the beloved. Eph 1:3. 

Put away that Old Covenant believing my friend, put it away today. Embrace the NEW Covenant – after all, it is true – receive the truth – stop laboring to please God, but believe HIS precious promises toward us – not conditions, but PROMISES!

Struggle no more; enter the REST that God has prepared for you. Believe Jesus has completed all the paperwork for your adoption into the family of God. Believe – take a deep breath, let that stress go!

Let’s glorify Jesus and thank Him for His marvelous works! Let’s boast in them, not ours. As we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to energize us we may find ourselves laboring harder than anyone else (as Paul says in 1 Cor 15:10), but it won’t be us but the Spirit of God in us, hallelujah!

By the power of God — now isn’t that a great way – to COME ALIVE?

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

The translators of the King James Bible came across a Hebrew word that did not have a ready equivalent in the English. It was “Hesed.” The translators created a new word in the English: “lovingkindness.”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary simple defines this when in the context of God toward men as “goodness, mercy, and grace.” But as we read of its 182 occurrences in the Scripture, we find much much more. It could take several lifetimes and we would still not be able to wrap our heads fully around the greatness, magnificence of hesed!

Hesed indicates exceptional favor from God. Something that has not been earned but graciously given. The singer and writer Michael Card has done an extensive study on hesed, and defines it this way: lovingkindness is when the one from whom you have to right to expect nothing, who owes you nothing – chooses instead to give you everything.

When we are speaking of God and His hesed, it may be best expressed as the New Covenant. God making us new creations, righteous, accepted, approved in every way. All the old paid for in full and taken away. And, and this is something I marvel at, He has chosen even to give us – Himself. To share Himself with us. God in us. Col 1:27. 

Think about this – not only is there no longer any separation between God and man; He shares Himself with us. He has graciously opened the door of His life to us, and the word on His lips is Hesed. 

Even though we have no right to expect anything from Him, He is pleased to give us everything. He is pleased to open His heart and His life to us. Why? Because he is the god of Hesed. 

He will never leave us or forsake us. He will comfort us. He will provide for us. He gives us eternal life – with Him – and Him in us, for His lovingkindness is everlasting (Ps 136).

O my dear friend, give thanks to the Lord – and COME ALIVE!

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In the last message I explained that under the Old Covenant we were responsible for holding up our end. Our “to do” list was a real killer – for the Law is not of faith; it brings forth death! Israel would try repeatedly to obey and repeatedly fail. Many rebelled against God and His word.

In the book of Jeremiah we found the most amazing prophecy. A foretelling of a NEW covenant. God putting His word upon our minds and placing it in our hearts. So we would know what is right and good in God’s eyes and want to do them. New hearts – amazing!

Since He is a just God, our sins had to be punished. And Jesus took that punishment. Our stigma as “sinners” He took away. Once we were sinners, but now we are the righteousness of God. See yourself that way, for it is the way God sees you my friend!

The devil brings up the past, accuses us continually of missing the mark. Do not listen. Do not accept his false accusations. We’ve been made righteous by the blood of Jesus, not our efforts, so what we do or fail to do does not affect our righteousness. 

Because of Jesus at Calvary, we are holy, sanctified, pure. Let’s see ourselves that way. Say it aloud. It is important to speak the truth. Your behavior will change; it will come into line with the truth.

This new covenant – in His blood, is kept by God, Father and Son. It is eternal and cannot fail because God cannot fail. It endures forever for it is not dependent on you or I; it depends solely upon God. It is a covenant of GRACE, we enter it by faith in God. And God gets all the glory! 

Yes, there are challenges to this grace. 1st Peter for example speaks of the difficulties we may face in this life to walk as we really are, holding fast our faith in the One who is totally Faithful.

Did you know that the word Grace – unmerited favor, is found 121 times in the New Testament? Today, as 2nd Peter 3:18 says, may you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

A place of grace, where you have come home!

This episode of Hank’s Place was free-flowing from a few notes, so we do not have the exact word for word I spoke written down here for you.

In Jeremiah God relentlessly reaches out to His people for He is Lovingkindness. Jeremiah warns and pleads with the people for decades. Jeremiah’s ministry extended over the reign of five kings, only one of which, Josiah, actually listen to him. For over 40 years he pleaded with God’s people to return to God. God, who was ready to forgive and restore and generously reward. 

But the people stubbornly refused. Ridiculed and threatened him again and again. There is the heartbreaking pain in the writings of Jeremiah.

This finally brings us to the ultimate expression of lovingkindness in the writings of Jeremiah and indeed the entire Old Testament. God has reached out to the people through his prophets. He has lovingly called out to them to return. He has threatened inevitable destruction as a consequence of stubborn disbelief. They refuse to change.

The lovingkindness of God leaves God with only one option – HE will keep the covenant that they broke. In fact He will establish a new covenant with both Israel and Judah. He will put his teaching in them. He himself will write it on their stubborn hearts. He will forgive and forget their sin.

God will send His righteous Branch, whose name is the “Lord is our Righteousness.” The Lord will be their righteousness, not their observances, not their meticulous obediences. His righteousness will be given as a gift to those who have no right to expect anything from him. He will give them everything, most especially himself. He will do justice by loving and demonstrating love and kindness. 

And they and we will look back at all the consequences of their sin and see His suffering for their sin was perhaps the greatest expression of His lovingkindness. This will give birth to a new and unheard of boast Israel. This boast will not involve the peoples possession, or their temple, nor their wisdom, strength, or wealth.

“…but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:24.

In light of our inability to keep any of the covenants, God will graciously grant to us a new covenant, based solely on HIS faithfulness. That covenant will come into effect and be sustained by means of a person identified in Jeremiah as the “righteous branch.” We see lovingkindness incarnated through the one who says that he himself is lovingkindness.

In our New Testament Way of thinking we call this new covenant a covenant of grace. This new covenant is unconditional. It is not like the covenant that was made through Moses. Jeremiah 31:32. This covenant will be implemented by God himself. He will place the teachings in our hearts. He will write them on our minds. He will forgive and forget our sin. Jeremiah 31:34. [They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”] The context of the new covenant is clearly a product of God’s lovingkindness. It is eternal and forever to be relied upon.

What must we do: BELIEVE upon the Lord Jesus! What’s been done FOR US at Calvary. Believe, and receive. Rest in His presence all day, every day, in the spirit.

Additionally, in Col 1:27  we find “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” None of this yearning for a closer walk, wanting to get nearer to God, hoping for a visitation. Too late – He is already IN us – and we are IN HIM. Meditate on that for a few decades!

Col 1:28 and 2:10: We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. …and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority. We have been made COMPLETE in Him, by Him.

Consider these things — and COME ALIVE!

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Where we love to share Jesus Christ—and speak of His finished work at Calvary!

So many people in the church, battle with giants. Giants of depression, anxiety, stress, and a plethora of other mental issues. Recently I read a little booklet by Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta.

He admitted to a huge battle with anxiety – to the point he could not function. But by the grace of God the Lord showed him the way out of this great valley of darkness which nightly engulfed him.

He was drawn to Numbers 13: before Israel could move into the promised land, they came face-to-face with a big problem: Giants. Literally. Their response: “we were like grasshoppers in OUR sight, and in their sight.” Verse 33. In fear they turned back and apart from Joshua and Calib they perished in the wilderness.

But there is another well known instance of giants: David and Goliath. 1 Sam 17. The difference? Although Goliath loomed larger than life before David, David saw his GOD in front of the giant. Much bigger. Back in Numbers the Israelites saw the giants in front of their God, and God seemed so small, like the way the tiny moon can eclipse our huge sun.

The revelation came to Pastor Giglio that no matter what giant he (or we) were facing, it was time to CHOOSE (that’s FAITH) to move God between his view and that of the giants. It is the same for us, and God REALLY IS much much bigger than all giants put together.

One way to put the Lord in front of all the rest of our life, is through worship. It’s everywhere in the BIBLE. Although our giants may be determined to kill us, we can sing, “I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done!” That’s Psalm 118:17.

The enemy wants us to keep telling everyone how powerful anxiety – fear – dread – lack – debt – sickness is. BUT – we can exercise that faith we have, and choose to see Jesus – and speak of God’s might and make that giant sing along.

Soon that giant will shrink down to – nothing. Not because I say so, but because God IS greater and HE says so – magnify the Lord today — and COME ALIVE!

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Here we love to share about Jesus and Calvary. Calvary is BIG. Calvary is where the most incredible expression of the lovingkindness of God took place; a magnificent demonstration of His grace. 

At Calvary He gave us a NEW Covenant in His blood. It was NOT like the one we were so good at breaking, actually not even being able to keep. In the New Covenant Jesus Himself has become OUR Righteousness.

We on our part no longer have to perform, keep rules, regulations, observances – to be righteous, right with GOd. But we must do ONE THING: believe this incredible GOOD NEWS.

That is not necessarily easy, but it is possible for everyone, for each of us has been given a measure of faith. Consider that most unusual message by Jesus recorded in John chapter 6. There Jesus declares He is the Bread of Life. And we must partake of His Body and His Blood if we are to find eternal life. He goes on to say in verse 63 that His words are spirit and they are life.

He states His words are spirit, so what is He saying? I suggest to you that Jesus is calling us to depend upon Him for our every need, for our very survival. To depend upon ourselves for even a wee little thing is coming short of the grace shown us at Calvary.

Today, let us take the initiative to appropriate ALL the benefits of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us. His sacrifice includes EVERYTHING. If there is something in the kingdom we have been trying to earn through prayer, works, sacrifice, whatever; I suggest we check to see if it’s already been appropriated at Calvary.

Back in John, it says, “Those who heard Jesus speak, including many who had been following Him, had trouble with this notion. This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it? …many of His disciples turn back and no longer followed Him.” John 6:60, 66. Depending on Jesus for everything is not something that comes naturally. It’s super-natural!

So today dear friend, take the initiative – ask of the Lord – to open your eyes to see MORE in Calvary than before – then appropriate it through faith – and COME ALIVE!

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