Hank’s Place

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Today is the third Sunday of Advent. Christmas is fast approaching. Have you been depressed by the merchandizing, the lack of Jesus and the misplaced enthusiasm? Allow me to ease your distress.

Pope Julius the first in 320 AD designated Dec 25th as a holy day – to counteract the Saturnalia celebrations in Europe dating from pre-Christ times.  It didn’t work. People enjoyed their revelry and celebrations, choosing to repent afterwards.

Things were so bad in England in the 1600’s that one of the planks of Oliver Cromwell’s political party was to ELIMINATE Christmas! He won, but later the Pilgrims were thrown out of power by King Charles II, who promised to make Christmas as wicked as before! Talk about pagan! Most genuine Christians loathed Christmas, considering it an instrument of the devil.

When the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620, they OUTLAWED Christmas. There were no church celebrations, businesses were ordered open and anyone caught celebrating was subject to arrest and fines. And that’s the way it was in America – for over 200 years. In fact Congress continued to meet on Christmas Day up to 1856. 

However the excesses of an Old English Christmas had true appeal to the unregenerate flesh, and gradually the outrageous English Christmas re-emerged in America. It was NOT Christmas as we would think of it or as most of us would want it.

But on the continent of Europe things were changing. In the early 1600’s, much of Europe, especially Germany, celebrated the season as a joyous and warm family time. Carols were sung in the churches, thanks in large measure to Martin Luther, who did not fear to bring the easily sung and well loved tunes of the streets into the church setting.

Huge changes then occurred in the first half of the 1800’s. In 1822 Clement Clark Moore wrote “T’was the Night Before Christmas” and for the first time Christmas was seen in America as a joyous holiday for children and a wonderful family time. 

In 1834 Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” and Christmas in England was never the same. The crushing dehumanizing industrial revolution had to give place to a time to consider the wonder of the birth and life of a Savior.

In 1840 Queen Victoria of England married Prince Alfred of Germany, and the warm German Christmas traditions were imported to England and embraced.

There’s more, but gradually over the rest of the century, joy, family, giving, and worship replaced pagan debauchery, lewdness, revelry and drunkenness on both continents. Kind of.

What about gift giving, you ask? The tradition of gift giving, at first a simple and modest gesture, exploded in America following “T’was Night Before Christmas.” Merchants, sensing opportunity, placed Santa everywhere and people quickly adjusted their celebrations to include him. And spending. A lot of spending. With WWII and the time it took to send gifts to loved ones half a world away, the Christmas buying season expanded (to the delight of merchants) to a full month before Christmas.

So the cry to “Put Christ back into Christmas” stands on pretty weak ground historically. Jesus’ birth, despite the angels, the wise men, the fulfillment of prophecy, was never the official focus of Christmas in England or America.

BUT— Don’t be depressed! This Advent season, I suggest – you decorate! Decorate – yourself – with Christ! It’s Biblical – Gal 3:26: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” May others see you — adorned with Jesus. He is the Good News the world needs. Share Him. Help others — COME ALIVE!

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Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Advent means the arrival of a notable person – no wonder all of December leading up to Christmas is called the ‘Advent Season.’ Of course, many shoppers call it the ‘Amazon Season!’

‘For God SO LOVED the WORLD – that He gave His only begotten Son…,’ John 3:16 as most of us know. God loves you – He loves me – His love envelopes saints – and sinners – extends to the most wicked of people. Jesus came and died for the sins of everyone ever born and yet to be born.

This doesn’t mean eternal life with God is automatically guaranteed; our part, our only ‘work’ Jesus said, is that we must BELIEVE in the One Whom He has sent. John 6:29.

When I stepped out from the church pew that frigid January morning in 1976, to come forward to declare Jesus as my Savior, an unimaginable ocean of love engulfed me. I knew, suddenly, that Almighty God loved ME – I cried and cried like a little boy – for the joy of experiencing total forgiveness and all that existed between God and I was a love relationship. Perhaps you have experienced something similar?

Soon I confused the truth that God loved me because of WHO HE IS, with thinking God loved me because I ‘got things right.’ It was performance mentality, what I’d lived in before Jesus, and made this Christian life a struggle. Filled with disappointment. Perhaps you have experienced something similar?

So here’s the word for you. Jude verse 21, “keep yourselves in the love of God….” The Advent season is particularly depressing for many – but not for you if you KEEP YOURSELF in the love of God.

Remember, 1 John 2:7 begins, “Beloved.” John refers to us believers as “beloved OF God,” and not as “lovers of God.” “Lovers of God” is based on – us. Once we settle in our hearts that we TRULY ARE beloved of God, THEN we’ll be able to love God and others – not out of performance or commandment – we’ll be able to love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19.

The original word for beloved (agapetos) means dearly loved, esteemed, and favorite and is closely related to a verb (agapao) that means to be well pleased or fond of or contented. Our heavenly Father is fond of us. We are His esteemed favorite and He is well pleased with us. He looks at us with a feeling of deep contentment knowing that we are His dearly loved children. He loves us as much as He loves Jesus! Again, He loves us as much as He loves Jesus!

It’s so important that we see ourselves as beloved that John uses this word 10 times in his letters.

Today, dearly beloved of God – keep yourself in this love —you’ll COME ALIVE! 

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Coming to you from Venice, FL on this December 4th, the first Sunday of Advent.

[Mary appears, “Hank, it’s also our 46th wedding anniversary! Why don’t you share a bit about our wonderful love story!”]

YES, great idea, Mary! I’m happy to share a little. I recall we met in May of ’74, and by Dec ’75 were ready to go our own ways; just another in a string of failed relationships. But Jesus Christ burst on the scene the next month. We both were totally and radically born again! New creations, filled with the Holy Spirit. We didn’t know who we were, and found we didn’t know each other! We continued dating, constantly going to church. 

In Sept of ’76 in a Saturday morning men’s meeting at the church, the pastor unexpectedly laid hands on me to do what was in my heart. I’d had enough painful heart experiences, so much so that I’d closed it up pretty darn good. Even from myself. Only God knew what was in there. Well, the next day I proposed to Mary! Unexpectedly! Unplanned! I was as shocked as she was to hear those proposal words springing from my lips!

Three months later we married, each of us placing our fears and past experiences on the altar for Jesus to deal with. In faith. With a little trepidation.

And sure, there were bumps. Why would that be? One answer is found in Hank’s Place #378, “Marriage Rules.” I was trying to live by law, to ‘do the right thing’ – and that simply does not work.

And both of us needed to open our hearts to Jesus, our Heavenly Father, and one another. Slowly we began to live in the love of God.

More than once we were at opposite ends of the house after an argument — and then found ourselves simultaneously coming to one another asking forgiveness and seeking reconciliation. Yes, we certainly gave the Holy Spirit work to do!

The more we asked and received the love of God for ourselves, the more love we had to share with each other. If I could make one suggestion, it’s for YOU to pray daily to receive more of the love of God. Soon you will have plenty to walk in and to give away!

Recently, I won’t say how recently, as His love was percolating in me, I began realizing that my dream gal as a young man – drum roll – was my wife! Jesus had brought the woman of my dreams, the one He had fashioned for me, to me! Surprise! Something like when God brought Eve to Adam. Guys, you don’t turn your back on a gift like that!!!

Today dear friends, allow God to tenderize your heart, to heal it from past hurts and filling it with His love. Soon your life, and your marriage —will COME ALIVE! And if you want to hear what Mary has to say, just let us know.

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Some people think it was Augustine, one of the earliest Church fathers, who said, “What is grace? I know until you ask me. When you ask me, then I don’t know.”

A short definition of grace is that it is God’s unmerited favor. He showers us with “good” because of His nature, not our performance. The world does not operate that way. The world says we must work to earn – ‘things.’

Paul wrote in Romans 4:4-5, “When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because they earned it. But no one earns God’s righteousness. It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but believe in the One who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in His eyes. It is FAITH that transfers God’s righteousness into our account!” Passion translation.

These verses are powerful. They say that grace stands opposite to the principle of works; grace has to do with receiving the free GIFT of God. Works has to do with EARNING our standing before God. Paul expanded the Greek word for grace from heartfelt generosity toward a dear friend into something much more powerful: God gives His grace to the undeserving, even to ENEMIES!

Under works – when wages are earned, what one receives is not counted as grace but as debt. Something owed. A system of works seeks to put God in debt to us, MAKING GOD OWE US His favor because of our obedience, owe us salvation and blessing because of OUR good works.

Under grace, it’s different. Salvation and blessing are not received by works, but are FREELY GIVEN to the one who believes on Him who justifies the ungodly. Like you and me. By faith. Like Abraham.

Because of what Jesus did at Calvary, God can justify the ungodly. We are justified DESPITE our ungodliness.

Thank God for our Savior Jesus! Our faith in Him is accounted for righteousness.

People of the Old Testament were not saved by keeping the Law. No one could. Everyone who has ever been saved – has been saved by grace through faith. Under the Old Covenant people tried their best to keep the Law, but had to rely upon that Day of Atonement, by faith, that God would cover their sins another year.

Today, stop thinking that you can earn God’s salvation or favor. The principles of works and grace stand in opposition to each other. As systems, works is about earning and deserving. Grace is about believing and receiving.

Believe and receive God’s favor today, my friend —you’ll COME ALIVE!

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Thanksgiving Day is a few days away – my good friend Nate Krupp of Salem Oregon sent out a reminder of the Thanksgiving Story – a story well worth remembering. With thanks to Nate, here is that story.

The Pilgrims were a godly people who left the Church of England to start something they considered more simple and more biblical. They left Plymouth, England, on August 5, 1620, on the Mayflower ship enroute to an English colony in today’s Virginia, in search of religious and political freedom. They were blown off course to today’s Cape Cod Bay on the East Coast of Massachusetts. Before disembarking on November 21, they drew up the Mayflower Compact, which was the first time in history that free and equal men voluntarily, in writing, covenanted with GOD and each other to create their own civil government. FIRST TIME in history!

On shore, they discovered 20 acres that were already cleared and ready for planting! Nevertheless, 44% of their number died that first winter. In March, an Indian chief, Samoset, appeared and greeted them – in English. He explained that the land had been cleared by a warring tribe, the Patuxets, before they had all died from a mysterious plague four years earlier. He returned a week later with Squanto, who had lived in Spain and England for nine years, where he had learned English, and had just returned from England six months earlier. He stayed with the Pilgrims and taught them how to fish, hunt, plant, etc., and greatly increased their chances of survival. Samoset and Squanto introduced the Pilgrims to Massasoit, the chief who controlled the entire area and with whom a peace treaty was arranged. In October the Pilgrims invited the Indians for a time of celebration and THANKSGIVING TO GOD, which lasted three days.

In 1789 President George Washington proclaimed November 26 as a day of national thanksgiving. President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November, 1863, as “a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941 Congress ruled that the fourth Thursday of November would be observed as Thanksgiving Day.

Today, I encourage YOU to take time to give thanks to GOD – for His mercies, lovingkindness, His son Jesus our Savior – for your salvation and for ordaining America as God’s covenanted nation. Thank Him for His hand yet upon America — He’s not done with America although dark clouds swirl about, or US. Give thanks —and COME ALIVE!

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On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards in Enfield Connecticut preached the message, “Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God.” It marked the beginning of what’s called “The First Great Awakening.” He spoke of the terrors of hell that await those who refuse the grace of God through believing in Christ Jesus, of how only the mercy of God keeps a sinner from immediately experiencing the wrath of God and being tossed into hell. Eternally.

Many times people interrupted him crying out, “What must I do to be saved?” We know the answer my friend, at least I hope you do. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” – Acts 16:31. God has placed the punishment for our sins upon Jesus; therefore He will not punish those who believe upon Jesus as their Savior. It simply would not be just.

The sermon had great effect upon those who trusted in themselves, in their good deeds, in their self-righteousness. If you are trusting in those things today, you may do well to listen to Edward’s sermon soon, while you still have the breath of life.

There is a powerful verse found in Romans 2:4 that expresses a similar thought, with emphasis upon God rather than our wickedness. It reads, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”

Paul is writing to people who think that because they are better morally than many people, that they can be good enough to earn a right standing with God. Such a person presumes upon the goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God, which all should bring them into a humble repentance instead of an attitude of superiority.

Paul writes of God’s Goodness and Kindness because He has not judged us yet although we deserve it. His Forbearance means He has been holding back His judgment against us. And God is Longsuffering for knows what sins we will commit in the future, yet He holds back His judgment.

Considering all this, it is no surprise that Paul describes these aspects of God’s kindness to us as God’s riches. Strangely, these riches of God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are despised by many.

They are presuming upon God’s grace — friend, I trust YOU are not a person of such presumption!! No one deserves the grace of God.

God’s purpose in all this goodness is to lead us to repentance. Wise men and women see the riches of God’s forbearance and longsuffering and come to a place of faith and repentance. The foolish go on presuming that God will forever hold back His judgment.

Are you waiting for God to drive you to repentance? Waiting for a Jonathan Edward’s sermon? No. He is LEADING you to repentance. Don’t despise the riches of His goodness to you. Repent. Believe upon Jesus —and COME ALIVE!

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On Oct. 31, 1517, an obscure German professor of theology named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church, protesting among other things the selling of indulgences for money by the church. Indulgences, simply put, were a way sins could be ‘paid for’ with — money! Luther’s action led to the Protestant Reformation, which was marked by millions of Christians around the world Monday on its 505th anniversary.

Luther’s life at the time had been in turmoil. In his studies, he had come across Psalm 31:1, “Deliver me in Your righteousness.” The passage confused him; how could God’s righteousness do anything but condemn him to Hell as a deserved punishment for his sins?

As he thought on this, the monk’s mind was repeatedly drawn to Romans 1:17, which says that in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (that is a quote from Habakkuk 2:4).

Revelation dawned upon him: the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through God’s grace and sheer mercy, He justifies us by faith. Luther wrote, “Therefore I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise…. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway into heaven.”

Many people mistakenly suppose that God will just excuse all sin because He’s a forgiving kind of guy. Wrong. God is love; but He is also a completely righteous judge. And it isn’t fair to let the guilty go. If someone is guilty, the righteousness of God seems to only condemn them.

But here is the good news of the gospel: God HAS righteously dealt with our sin by putting on Jesus the punishment that WE deserve. Our sin is righteously and fairly punished – but it is judged in Jesus, and NOT IN US.

Theologian David Guzik writes, “Because of this, God’s fairness now is our friend instead of our enemy. Because our sin is already settled in Jesus, it wouldn’t be fair for God to hold the same sins against us.”

This is the Good News – God’s righteousness delivers those who put their trust in Him, and not in themselves.

Let’s thank God for all Jesus did for us to make God’s fairness, His righteousness, our friend instead of our enemy. And today my friend, let’s choose to live by this faith and this righteousness – and COME ALIVE!

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The book of Isaiah the prophet begins with hard declarations of the sins of God’s people. Then the second chapter opens with a beautiful picture of the glory of the coming reign of the Messiah. No war, no conflicts between nations or people, issues resolved by Messiah Himself. Peace on earth, a glorious time of the Messiah’s reign.

Isaiah then challenged the people of God to live in the Messiah’s reign right then. Instead of waiting for a coming golden age, the prophet tells them in verse 5 “…to come, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.”

To walk in the light of the Lord means to order our lives after God’s truth and God’s ways. The ultimate reign of the Messiah may still be years away, but Jesus can reign in our lives, in our minds, and in our hearts right now. We don’t have to wait for the enforced righteousness of a millennial kingdom to have the blessing that Jesus’ righteousness in our lives provides right now. In Isaiah’s day the people had only their own strength to attempt this.

But now, thanks to Jesus sacrifice, we can. As believers in Jesus, as new creations, Christ in us, and we in Him, we are able, thanks to His power at work in us, to walk in the Light as children of the light for we are no longer of the darkness. Hallelujah!

We don’t have to live a dark, depressing, discouraged life with God. We CAN walk in the light of the LORD. Think of the things that ‘get you down.’ Damaged relationships, money issues, bosses or co-workers, circumstances, guilt, shame? You can respond, react to these ‘dark things’ – certainly the devil would want you to – or, you can make a choice dear friend! In the fashion the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3, we, that’s you and me, can ‘put off’ the old way of living in these dark things – and ‘put on’ the new – for we have been set free to choose to walk in the light.

Let’s take advantage of our freedom in Jesus to walk in the light of the LORD! Today dear friend, let’s CHOOSE to NOT walk in the darkness of this world and our old self’s reactions to life, but CHOOSE to walk in the light, His light. The Holy Spirit will guide us into the light.

We are children of the light. So let’s choose to walk in the light, and – COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place, somewhere in Venice, FL

Being new to Venice, and Florida, I recently thought to look over some local church websites. Here’s an excerpt from one, with a few aside comments from me. Maybe it’s a lot like your church:

Sunday service at (our church) lasts a little over an hour (so you can get on with your busy life), where you can expect a safe environment (feeling ‘safe’ is so important when someone is ‘woke’) that is exciting, casual, and relaxed. Come as you are. When you join us, you’ll have the chance to connect, discover, and encounter. Enjoy uplifting worship and a relevant, engaging message from our Pastor, Rev Average Joe. (Did we touch all the bases?)

Think about these words. They are people oriented, people focused, aren’t they? Like an ad for a good restaurant or entertainment? 

Yikes.… What. About. God? Almighty God. Creator of the universe; of all things. Even time and space. Creator of you and me. 

Way back in 1975 when I was wondering if God was real, and what it meant to believe – in Him – I realized something: IF God was real, and as big and powerful and able as described in the Bible (I’d begun reading the Bible by then), well, then I’d better be prepared to fall on my face, forsake all and follow Him, like those early dudes did in the Gospels!

I began visiting churches, some nice churches, some formal, others informal. I did not know it at the time but I was looking for a place where God’s Spirit manifested. Not someplace comfortable for my body or emotions or that fit MY personality. No, someplace you could say, to scare the hell out of me to make room for heaven to come in. Not threatening fire and brimstone messages, but the presence of God —A place where I could surrender to the Lord of the Universe, and let Him write the rest of my life’s story, a destiny beyond what I could ask or think! I was looking for a place to scare the hell out of me to be captured by the love of God.

I think that’s a good quest, even today — how about you?

Hey, if you visit Hank’s Place in person, you’ll experience the love of God and the grace of God. It’s not a ‘safe place’ — it’s a place of His grace and His Spirit. If you are not already in a place like that, why not pray for God to lead you to one? 

Or simply visit Hank’s Place  — you’ll  COME ALIVE!

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