Author: Hank

Welcome to Hank’s Place

Where there is never any bad news in the GOOD NEWS! Last time we discovered in Col 1:13 that we have been translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ – by our heavenly FATHER!
One moment in the darkness, ruled by the prince of this world. The next, although physically still on earth, we were placed into Jesus’ kingdom, under His authority, NO LONGER THE DEVIL’S PLAYTOY — we have been set free! Give a shout out to Jesus!

But so many Christians, maybe you, my friend, don’t look free, talk free, or act free? Did Paul lie? Of course not! The critical issue is the renewing of our minds, of believing, then growing up in Christ, laying aside the old self whose thinking runs in the unbelieving gutters of this world, and putting on the new self – in the likeness of God.

Are you struggling with that? It’s a glorious adventure with Jesus. Look at Col 1:19. It say all the fullness of God dwells in Jesus Christ. ALL OF GOD. ALL. In Jesus, Who is head over ALL rule and authority. Whoa!

At that moment we believed, Jesus came to live, to dwell, to inhabit us. Jesus, in whom is all the fullness of Deity — is living IN US. And, Col 2:10 tells us that in Him we have been made complete. Friend, we are already complete: our minds need to get the message!

You don’t need to sing songs of longing for more of Jesus, dear friend, as if He were far away somewhere. You are in His kingdom and the King is right there – IN you. GOD DOES NOT HAVE AN INSTALLMENT PLAN. None of this down payment and a little more each month. The bill was PAID IN FULL at Calvary and you have ALL of Him and He is in you and you are ALREADY COMPLETE IN HIM.
I pray understanding of who you are IN HIM and your completeness IN HIM come quickly to you – it is a mater of getting that mind of yours renewed. Yes my friend, it’s time you realize the truth: you H A V E COME ALIVE!

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Jesus yielded His life at Calvary. Why? To be our sin offering – so we could have God’s BEST! We’ve been given rightstanding; 2 Cor 5:21. It is the BEST there is and it is eternal!

Jesus came to live IN us when we believed. We are learning to live a life of yieldedness to Jesus, for He has our best interests at heart. We learn to think different, because we BECAME DIFFERENT the moment we believed.

For instance, we were adopted as SONS of God, heirs, joint heirs with Jesus. Heirs inherit an inheritance!

Look at Col 1:12 – it says the FATHER has qualified us to share in this inheritance. Forever putting to bed the question, “Am I good enough?” Heirs are not asked that question; they are told to sign on the dotted line and it all belongs to them! 

And not only heirs, but we have been relocated, for the next verse says the Father has rescued us from darkness and translated us, into the kingdom of His beloved Son. 

It’s the same concept as when Enoch in Gen 5:24 was translated by God from earth to heaven in an instant. We have been translated, my friend, into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. So don’t be surprised if the world hates you! You are in an awesome place!

It’s not about paying the price! JESUS already paid the price, in full, for eternity! Give Him all the glory and take your place as an heir of God, ok? Your performance could never earn your salvation. Nor can your performance keep it afterwards or improve on it!

You ARE someone alive from the dead. Your behavior as a Christian improves as your renew your mind to the truth – Ro 12:2. Again in Eph 4:15 Paul exhorts us to GROW UP in Christ. In 4:22-24 he says lay aside the old self and renew your mind TO THE TRUTH. Put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Yes friend, that old worldly thinking and believing doesn’t fit you any more: you have been translated into Jesus’ Kingdom, under His authority; where you have COME ALIVE!

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We have been looking at Ro 5:17 our past meetings, and can you believe that there is MORE treasure to be found in that verse? It’s True! It speaks of God showering us with an ABUNDANCE of GRACE (unmerited, undeserved favor and blessings) – including the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS – right standing with GOD – to REIGN in life.

You might ask, but what about my sins? What about all that bad stuff I’m so ashamed of from my past? What about the stuff I’m still doing – stuff I like to do – that I know is wrong, but I go ahead and do it anyhow?

Good questions, my friend! Instead of focusing upon YOU and your performances, past, present or even future, I ask you to STOP – look – see your sins already placed upon Jesus. See Him on the CROSS – brutalized, beaten, horribly disfigured in taking the punishment for your sins. TOTALLY taken. TOTALLY paid for. ETERNALLY. The past sins you have committed. Those you are still doing. Even, even sins you have yet to commit. How is that possible you ask? Dear friend, Jesus went to the Cross 2,000 years before you were born! You were in the future at that time and so were your sins!

Remember, Jesus is your High Priest and Intercessor, eternally. Fret not! Now, here’s the point. If you are so readily SIN CONSCIOUS, it’s a good indication of two things. 

First, you have not forgiven yourself, even though GOD Almighty has forgiven you, and placed your sins behind His back. That means God is DONE with your sins and will NEVER speak of them. So forgive yourself, friend, and be DONE with your sins. 

Second, you have yet to open the gift God has given you: of Righteousness! There it is, in your possession. You have it. OPEN IT. Experience it. You don’t know how to open it? NO PROBLEM! Start with a declaration. For example, “Thank you Father for the gift of righteousness. I receive it, and I OPEN IT now.” Say it a few times – the revelation of your righteousness through Jesus will come. You ARE the one who reigns in this life. You ARE the one who has COME ALIVE!

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We have been discovering treasure in Ro 5:17. For if by the transgression of Adam, death reigned through him, MUCH MORE those who receive the ABUNDANCE of GRACE and of the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS will reign in life through – Jesus Christ! ABUNDANCE of GRACE – the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS – to REIGN. Who? Anyone. Everyone—who believes in Jesus.

Ro 9:30-33 gives us more insight. Gentiles, that’s us, did not pursue the righteousness of the Law – that’s where if you wanted to be ‘right’ with God you had to become a Jewish proselyte, begin keeping all the DO’s – and not doing all the DON’TS found in the Laws of Moses, plus those added by the Pharisees. Well, those Gentiles attained to righteousness anyhow. It was the righteousness that comes from Faith. They believed on Jesus and were GIVEN the GIFT – of RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

They ignored or were ignorant of the 600 something commands and 10 big ones! They did ONE THING: believed on Jesus: God’s Son, God’s Savior, Who took ours sins and gave us everlasting life. WHOA!

Israel kept trying to keep the Law – they couldn’t see that rule-keeping, or trying to,  only gives power to sin and the result is DEATH. No one ever ‘arrives’ by keeping the rules. But if you pursue righteousness by faith, like these Gentiles, you would be given it. But there would be nothing to boast in. Precisely! And that can be a stumbling block to our pride. Righteousness is about Jesus, to the glory of God’s grace.

While there is no place for pride, there is also no place for condemnation, either!  Ro 8:1. And the next verse says “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and of death” – Jesus gave the perfect performance: it’s not yours, it’s HIS – and your gift is still a gift and it remains with you regardless of YOUR performance. 

There are no more low-lying black clouds over you my friend. The Spirit of LIFE in CHRIST has cleared the air. All blue skies! Because of Jesus, you are righteous. You have COMEALIVE!

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In the previous message we looked at Ro 5:17 and found everyone who believes upon Jesus has been given a gift, the gift of RIGHTEOUSNESS. Always accepted, approved, stamped “Top Quality” by the Holy Spirit. It’s God’s idea: to make His children as Righteous as He is by giving us HIS righteousness – It is not something we have earned or worked for. Not something we can lose. We can however, leave it on the shelf and not make use of it.

In which case we go around feeling and acting unworthy of God’s favor, grace, blessings, provision, healing – it goes on and on! So, today, why not declare in a bold voice, “Father! I receive my righteousness, the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!” Say it a few times a day and I am confident mulligrubs leave you and amazing grace will come your way!

Ro 5:17 explains the gift of R has been given us so we may reign in life through Jesus. It means circumstances and situations shall NOT rule over you. Righteousness provides an inner strength.

True, life’s happenings CAN weigh heavily upon you for awhile – it’s shown in several of the Psalms of David. David was anointed of the Holy Spirit, but stuff came at him, like King Saul hunting him down and trying to kill him. Ouch! He was ‘anointed’ to be the next king, then he was fleeing for his life. In the Psalms he cries out about his situations, and time and again he inserts divine “buts” – ‘but you O God are my strength, my fortress’ and so on. And David prevailed.

You will too, my friend, for you have God’s righteousness to reign in life. How to start? How about in Ro 6:6, declaring your old self WAS crucified with Christ. How about not letting sin reign in your body. (Ro 6:12) Having been given the gift of righteousness, you are no longer a slave to sin but a slave of righteousness. Ro 6:18.Yes! You can’t help but want to do what is right before God.

That’s the way you have been re-wired. Friend, with this gift of righteousness, you have COME ALIVE! 

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In the previous message we looked at 2 Cor 5:21 and discovered we have been made acceptable to God because JESUS gave us HIS own right standing before the Father. It’s called righteousness. Right standing. Acceptable to GOD. We passed the test – because JESUS passed the test and swapped the test papers with US. Hallelujah!

We have passed out of judgment and into life; eternal life with God. (Jn 3:18) Now we are heirs of God, and this is a GOD thing.

Not sure? How about Ro 5:17 “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, MUCH MORE those who receive the ABUNDANCE OF GRACE AND OF THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

Adam fell and death came to all his descendants. Us. Sinless Jesus gave His life at Calvary, and LIFE came to all who believe on Him. You believe upon Jesus? Then God has given you the gift of righteousness.

You don’t earn a gift. You don’t prove yourself worthy of a gift. The GIVER of the gift decided – GOD decided, in His love and matchless GRACE, to give us this gift. Just RECEIVE it! Then – enjoy it!

Take off those old clothes of failure and discouragement, of unworthiness and sin. We have been given the gift of eternal life and the gift of righteousness. We are seated with Christ Jesus on that heavenly throne – so let’s reign in this life – ok?

As Ro 6 declares, we HAVE died with Christ, we have come alive with Christ. We are dead to sin and alive to God. Reckon it so. Count it so. Act like it is so, because it IS so!

You might read and say aloud 2 Cor 5:21 and Ro 5:17 and then shout out, “Praise GOD! There is nothing wrong with me!” If you hear a little voice within disagreeing, tell it to shut up and leave you – and shout again, “Praise GOD! There is nothing wrong with me!”

We HAD a sin nature, then the Holy Spirit came in, took away the bad and gave us that new nature: the RIGHTEOUS NATURE. Learn to walk in who you really are, for you have COME ALIVE!

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In the previous message I pointed out Paul’s attitude in sharing the Good News, “we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” Humility. 2 Cor 5:20. A friend of mine in PA, Kent Addams is his name, has an auto and motorcycle body shop. In the shop sits an old wooden office chair. Folks come in with their damaged vehicles, sit in the chair and before you know it are talking about their own damaged lives.

My friend might ask if he can pray for them, since the God he knows is GOOD, FULL of grace, mercy, lovingkindness. Kent has given many testimonies of God’s healing and restoring power as his customers experience what it means to be reconciled to God. 

Friend, as YOU go through your life, you can share the Good News, too. You don’t have to travel to a far away land.

Here is more Good News. In 2 Cor 5:21 we find, “For our sake he (God) made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.”  The Message bible says, “Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.”

This is powerful! Jesus has taken all our B A D, and in exchange given us His right standing with God. HIS right standing, not something second rate. It’s the BEST: His right standing!

This means we are always ‘in the right’ with God. On God’s good side. Always. Always approved by God. Always preferred by God. Always delighted in by God. Always pleasing to God. In all your life, in everything, we are a delight to Him. He says of you as He said about Jesus, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

You believed upon Jesus. He did the rest. Sure, you can choose to do bad things. But your actions do not define you – you are defined by what God says about you. And He says you are the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus – believe it! Walk in it—as someone who has Come Alive!

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Here at Hank’s Place we believe the Gospel is – GOOD NEWS! NO bad news in the Good News. As John 3:17 tells us, God didn’t send the Son into the world to judge the world, quite the contrary, He sent Him to SAVE the world. Although the Light has come into the world, many love the darkness instead. They think they do not want to be saved. Why? Because their deeds are evil. John 3:19 But back to the Good News. Let’s consider 2 Cor 5:18-20.

This passage begins by saying God has reconciled us to Himself – through Jesus of course. Supernatural salvation is God’s idea. His daring rescue plan – by super-heros: Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and it is permanent! Once you have been reconciled by believing upon Jesus; no one can do the un-reconciling. You cannot be saved one day, lose your salvation the next, and find it again the day after. Just like you cannot jump out of an airplane and half way down change your mind and get back into the plane. Your stepping out of the plane was irreversible. In salvation, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, a seal of what’s to come; it is irreversable and it’s all GOOD.

Paul goes on to say God has given us, those who are reconciled, a ministry. It is the ministry of reconciliation. First God was in Christ – reconciling the world to Himself. NOT COUNTING our trespasses against Him. Then He appointed us ‘Ambassadors of Christ.’ We cry out, “be reconciled to God.”

An ambassador is “an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country.” What are your credentials? The Holy Spirit! Let us be about this ministry of reconciliation. By the way, did you know your credentials have given you authority in this world? Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons – give freely as you have received of the good things of heaven.

Yes, let people know God is not angry for He has sent us a Savior, May your attitude be that of humility as Paul indicates here, “we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

I am confident you will proclaim it, you will declare it, you will announce it, and many will turn from darkness to light – and as they do, they will – COME ALIVE! 

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Here at Hank’s Place we believe the GOOD NEWS – is GOOD NEWS! No bad news in the Good News. And it’s simple, too. We believe in the Savior God has sent: Jesus Christ. We believe enough to declare it. Salvation is ours. 

We become New Creations with the past behind, a glorious eternity ahead of us, and this present life being lived in His victory, His righteousness, His joy – I’m saying we live in this flesh by faith in Him. We are IN HIM – we don’t worry about failure. 

We don’t worry about not measuring up. We are IN HIM. We don’t worry about holiness and sanctification; we are IN HIM. We don’t worry about being a failure; we are IN HIM. And He who began the Good Work in us will complete it. JESUS, the author and finisher of our faith! REFS

Oftentimes we worry if we have enough faith. Several times the Gospels record Jesus saying things like, “If you have faith as a mustard seed” and “All things are possible to him who believes.” And, “How is it that you still have no faith.” No wonder we worry! 

Friend, STOP the worry! I’m sure you’ve heard Helen H. Lemmel’s hymn, written in 1922, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus?” When doubts assail, turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. When you see Jesus, all else fades into the background noise.

The last verse of that hymn goes this way, “His Word shall not fail you—He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well….”

Blind Bartimaeus in Mk 10 had turned his spiritual eyes upon Jesus before he was healed. It says when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene passing by, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Son of David” – Bart saw Jesus as descendent of King David, promised Messiah and ruler of Israel – while those with physical sight around him did not have a clue! He came to Jesus to gain physical sight—and did! But FIRST he SAW Jesus while he was blind.

YOU can do that too!  Nothing holds you back. No circumstance, no situation, NOTHING! Yes, today, take a good look at Jesus—and COME ALIVE!

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Please—stop striving to prove yourself worthy of God’s favor, blessing, eternal life. Believe the GOOD NEWS. Salvation is FREE, thanks to Jesus’ matchless sacrifice at Calvary. Ah, but each Sunday, messages are preached that add another component to the Good News: YOU. How you better act like a Christian. Perform. Produce. Pay God back in installments when the offering plate comes by – or those blessings will stop!

How ludicrous my friend. He who began the Good Work in you will complete it. Phil 1:6. Not you— JESUS will complete it! You – HOLD FAST your CONFIDENCE in Him. Heb 3:6. He WILL see you through every trial.

Believe the GOSPEL. Enter His rest – in fact Heb 4:10 says ‘be diligent’ to enter His rest. That word has its root origin in “diligere” to love, take delight in. Take delight in entering His rest, dear friend. In John 14:2-3 we learn there are many dwelling places in heaven; and Jesus has gone to prepare a place for US, will return to receive us to Himself, so we can all be together. There is no struggle in that – this is ALL JESUS. Start rejoicing!

Afraid you are too weak of faith, too frail in the face of temptation? Well, HOLD FAST your CONFIDENCE in – yourself? Your abilities? Ha! Our confidence is in JESUS! He knows our weaknesses and has sympathy for us – Heb 4:14.

That great while throne of judgment in Rev 20:11 – has become a Throne of Grace for believers, a place to receive mercy, and receive grace to help in time of need. Keep rejoicing!

Mercy – not getting what we deserve. GRACE – God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Getting what we do not deserve. God is love. He made a way of salvation for mankind. Sending Jesus. That He could shower us with grace, and grace, and more grace: goodness lovingkindness at His expense.

Friend, got issues? Messed up? RUN to the throne of grace right now. Receive mercy. Got big needs? Hurts? RUN to the throne of grace right now!  You will find grace to help you NOW. In fact, you will find grace to COME ALIVE!

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