Hank’s Place

Welcome to Hank’s Place –

I love the way Paul begins his epistle to the Galatians. It’s verses 3 and 4, for he speaks of the gospel of this grace of God. God, who gave Himself — for our sins, to deliver us from something right now — this present evil age. And all this is by the will of God. Amen and amen!

Then he makes note of those who are turning from the Gospel of this grace of God – to a different gospel. They are turning from a PERSON, for the Gospel is centered upon Jesus — to something much less — a mere idea.

In verses 6 and 7 Paul describes this ‘other’ gospel as different. It is illegitimate (‘which is not another’ which is what he says. It’s not ‘good’ at all, but in fact ‘trouble.’ It’s a distortion of the true Gospel – he calls it a ‘perverted gospel.’ Anyone preaching a different Gospel — should be accursed! Paul is serious about this!

Really, it’s not ‘another’ gospel because it’s not a gospel at all. It’s just BAD news, not ‘Good News.’ It’s altogether different from the true Gospel that reveals God’s grace through His Son. A different gospel will always place an emphasis upon our works in some way.

Many Christians are not sure of just what IS this Good News. Paul tells us in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 15. The true Gospel is the message that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the Cross – for us, and it is proven by His resurrection from the dead.

This true Gospel, this Good News, is totally offensive to the natural man in several ways:
First, it offends our pride, for it declares we need a savior; we cannot save ourselves.
Second, it offends our wisdom, for it appears foolishness to carnal man. I mean, God, becoming a man and dying a disgraceful death for us? 

Third, it offends our knowledge, for it goes against all scientific knowledge as well as personal experience: that a dead man arose from the dead in a glorious, new, eternal body?

My friend, there is a world out there in terrible shape. However offensive the Good News is to the natural man, they nevertheless need to hear it. We can plant seeds. We can water seeds planted by others. We may even have the joy of helping someone to be born again.

Mask or no mask, this world needs a savior, they need — to COME ALIVE!
Get out there!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

In Philippians 3 our dear friend Paul writes a word of caution. “Watch out,” he says, for those who boast in their background, pedigree, education, position — for they have a confidence in their flesh — and that’s a very false confidence.

The only thing that matters, that is of value, that is of surpassing value, is knowing Jesus Christ our Lord, and having a righteousness based upon faith in Him and Him alone. Philippians 3:8-10.

In verses :12 to :14 Paul speaks of his own personal efforts. He is focused upon reaching a goal, taking hold of it – because – he has been taken hold of by Christ Jesus for this very purpose – and so have we. Let us, like Paul, forget what lies behind, but reach forward to what is ahead. Our goal is the prize promised by God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.

What? That’s puzzling. What’s it mean? Allow me to explain. I’ve found out when Spain was THE world power, back in the 1400’s, that their coins were inscribed “Ne Plus Ultra” meaning there’s “Nothing Further” – in Spain you had attained to the ultimate. The goal. You had ‘arrived.’ Then, after the discovery of the New World, Spain realized she was not ‘the end of the world’ so to speak, and she changed her coins to read “Plus Ultra” meaning there’s “More Beyond.” 

Some Christians are like early Spain – they’ve gotten saved and that’s it, that’s enough. Just live. There’s nothing further. Others, hopefully you, can see that there is “more beyond” and hunger to know Jesus and His kingdom more and more and more.

Now the prize in verse 14 is the upward call of God. The prize is the call itself — of being able to run the race, working with God as a partner to do the work of His kingdom. It’s a high calling because it is worthy of God. And it can only be fulfilled IN Christ Jesus, by His grace, by His power at work within us, His abilities through us.

Paul says he was laid hold of by Christ. We can say the same. Laid hold of – to become new creations: transformed by His power. Laid hold of – to be conformed into His image, the very nature of God. Laid hold of – to be brought into His sufferings – not for our sins – Jesus has taken care of those – but to be able to see, and pray for and help others – with compassion, saying “forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” And laid hold of – to attain to the resurrection of the dead, which is our heavenly hope.

So my friend wherever you are in Christ Jesus, understand, the New World is out there, the Plus Ultra, the ‘more beyond.’ Press on — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

We are in the Lenten season leading up to Easter. Our celebration of Jesus our Savior rising from the dead, having conquered death, hell, sin, the devil – you name it – all for us.

Jesus, who inaugurated a NEW covenant between God and man – in His own blood – phew! An eternal covenant, where He is our great high priest, ever living to make intercession for us, so we can eternally draw near to God and experience Him to the fullest. Heb 7:25.

The blood of animals in the Old merely covered our sin. It was still there, and our natures, were, well, like Adam’s: sinful. But in this New Covenant, Jesus has taken away our sin, paid the price for our sinfulness, and given us new natures: righteous natures.

Sadly, many Christians, while professing the new covenant, actually live in the old! You’ll find them always referring to the need for obedience, for obeying God, and how they have to be more obedient – they are living under condemnation, for the old covenant exposed sin but did nothing to help us overcome it.

My friend, it’s not about our obedience — it’s about the LOVE of God poured out into our hearts! When we experience His love, everything changes. We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19. When we walk in love, obedience doesn’t even come to mind. Rather, everything we do is done with the desire to please the One who loves us, right? Think about it!

Hebrews 8:6 speaks of Jesus, the mediator of a better covenant because of it’s better promises. These are promises of blessing and undeserved favor, God’s grace abounding — instead of promises to curse and to judge.

Here are a few “betters,” courtesy of the Enduring Word Commentary.
– He has written His laws in our minds and hearts.
– We have intimacy without condition: “I will be their God and they shall be My People.”
– We have eternal forgiveness: “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
– Whereas the old at Mt Sinai was thundered with fear and dread, the new was declared by Jesus with love and grace.
– The old demanded works. The new fulfills this covenant of works through the completed work of Jesus.
– The old had a priesthood of the Law of Moses and high priests descended from Aaron. The new has a priesthood of all believers and a high priest of the order of Melchizedek.
– The goal of the old was to point out sin, condemn it and fence it off. It ended in bondage. The new declares the love, grace and mercy of God and gives repentance, remission of sin, and eternal life. It provides true liberty.

There’s more, but get the picture today my friend: live in the BETTER, live in the LOVE OF GOD. You’ll COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us to depart from struggling to do the right thing, and come to Him to find refreshing rest for our souls.

The word ‘rest’ is found 275 times in the Bible. Rest heals, restores, renews. And after 2020 we all need it! Those surviving the Texas Snow Apocalypse especially need it!

The world and its demons pressure us: we find ourselves thinking, “There’s too much to do — there’s too little time — there’s too much to stress and worry and be anxious about. I don’t have time to rest. Resting is a waste.”

If we resist these pressures, the world offers us endless other options — to work harder to get ahead, to climb the ladder of “success” — or engage in exhausting activity outside of work. How about chilling by binging Netflix or FaceBook — ‘busy is best’ suggests the world, and religion — to all of us.

Under the Old Covenant, the Israelites were commanded to rest on the Sabbath day, Exodus 20:8-11. They had to leave the ‘work world’ behind and rest in the things of God.

In our New Covenant, it is different. We are invited to rest in Him. From the Message Bible, our passage reads, “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

I urge you, cast your worries upon the Lord today. Speak those worries out. Tell Jesus what’s troubling you — then give them to Jesus! And let the Spirit lead you on. Our God has created and ordered the galaxies — surely He can bring order to our chaotic lives — don’t you agree?

Let’s walk with Jesus today. Let’s learn those unforced rhythms of grace. Let’s— COME ALIVE!

Hey! I’ve attached two YouTube links to a song and a medley that may help you find some rest. Holy Is The Lord is best heard very very loud:

And the medley from the Slavic Mission Bible School reminds me of the powerful, anointed, revival music of the ’70’s – 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNw4M0-FXoI&list=RDzNw4M0-FXoI&start_radio=1

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

We are indoors but bundled up today my friends – for here in the Austin Texas area we’ve been experiencing a Snow-Apocalypse . Temperatures in single digits, 2nd largest snowstorm in history, and prolonged cold. Rolling power outages, lengthy outages. Water pipes bursting. You know the picture if you live in the north country. It is something that has never been seen in Texas before: a once in a 120 year weather event.

Our own location thankfully has water, and power that comes and goes. Supermarkets are closed because of the power shortages.

Texas government has in my opinion been doing a tremendous job in addressing the thousands and thousands of emergencies and are overcoming. Recovery however, is taking time.

Still, there is nothing at all that compares to the Lord and His mighty arm! In order to see His mighty arm, it is wise to remember His promises. His attributes. His word. His faithfulness. His steadfast love. And to speak them out.

Here are three:
Proverbs 3 verse 5 – trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. When we order our ways according to His ways, the result is very good indeed!

Psalms 125 verse 1 – Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved. In cold country right now it may feel like you or I may be swept away, totally frozen. But the feelings HAVE to give way to the truth: with our trust in the Lord we cannot and will not be moved!

Isaiah 12:2 – Behold, God is our salvation; we will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is our strength and our song, and He has become our salvation.

So be encouraged my friends. the Lord is keeping us, the Lord is sustaining us, and the Lord will bring us through, wonderfully. It’s time — COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Suddenlies. I’m green screened in front of our elm tree which took a beating with this week’s ice storm in Austin TX. Unexpected. Suddenly, a freezing drizzle became heavy rain at 28 degrees. Ouch!

Besides the weather, God – has been known to do things – suddenly. 

We are familiar I am sure of Moses and Israel at the Red Sea, Exodus 14:13-14. Suddenly, overnight, the sea parted and they crossed over on dry ground. When they had their backs to the wall – well, Red Sea in this instance and appeared doomed, suddenly, everything changed. That tells me ‘apparent doom’ means nothing when the God of the suddenlies is with you.

How about Gideon. Judges 6. For 7 years the Midianites would come down upon the Israelites at harvest time and steal, plunder the crops, that they had worked so hard for. Just like satan: you work, he steals it.

Suddenly, God chooses one man, who selects a mere 300, to go against that raider nation. And suddenly, what a great victory! Israel enjoyed peace the rest of Gideon’s life. That tells me numbers mean nothing when the God of the suddenlies is with you.

Then there is Joshua, defending those deceitful Gibeonites in Joshua 10. Remember? They lied to Joshua and entered into a peace treaty with Israel. And Israel had to go into battle then to protect them when 5 kings of the Amorites attacked them. Joshua, in a moment of divine inspiration, called the sun and moon to stand still – and suddenly they did – did God stop the entire universe? Just the earth’s rotation? JUST? So that the righteous could have VICTORY over their enemies! That tells me nothing in the universe can stop you when the God of the suddenlies is with you!

In Isaiah 48:3-7 and 11, God says He will act, His own sake, so no one can claim the glory. Here it says He declared future things, spoke them ahead of time, then acted, suddenly. 

There is a particular suddenly mentioned elsewhere in Isaiah. It’s in chapter 30, verses 12-14. Concerning wrongdoers, who reject Him, who rely upon crookedness. They have a suddenly coming, like a bulge in a high wall, their collapse will come suddenly. And completely. 

I truly believe God has His suddenly coming. To set things right in America, for the righteous. For those who love Him. Who seek after righteousness and honor. He WILL be gracious to us. He WILL rescue us. And He WILL receive the glory. MSN, CNN, FaceBook and Twitter, YouTube — they have no clue what’s coming!

So be encouraged my friends. Look up! Expect His suddenly, for it is nearly upon us, and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

God is Faithful! His promises are new every morning. And God keeps His promises. We get in trouble, easily becoming downcast and discouraged, letting go of our faith anchor, when we put a certain time, or assign a timetable, to the coming to pass of God’s promises. 

Much better to say, ‘He has spoken it; He WILL bring it to pass. Praise our Faithful God!’

In Mark 6, Jesus, after His cousin John had been beheaded, attempts to get away by Himself. But crowds follow Him to a desolate place. There He felt compassion for them — they were like sheep without a shepherd. He taught them and He healed them. Then asked the disciples to feed them. The disciples were astonished – how could they? THEY could not.

Jesus asks them what DO they have? John 6 records that they found a little boy having 5 loaves, 2 fish. For 5,000 men plus women and children. Ha! We know what happened – Jesus blessed what they had and it became much. Afterward, the scraps they gathered filled 12 lunch pails. A clear message that while we may be limited, God is not limited in supplying our daily provision.

Another time, recorded in Matthew 15, crowds have been with Jesus 3 days in another desolate place. Jesus says to the disciples “I do not want to send them away hungry…” Hint Hint. Like us (often times), they have forgotten the first miracle, and respond, where are WE going to get food for this crowd? Our resources are so limited. Again, Jesus says, “What DO you have?” This time it’s 7 loaves and a few fish. Jesus blesses, and we know the outcome; 4,000 men plus women and children are well fed. 

When they gather up the fragments they collect 7 man-sized baskets full! It’s the same word for basket used in Acts 9:25 when the disciples lowered Paul down a city wall in Damascus. Man-sized, literally! 

See? JESUS has provision for us , a superabundance, for you, for me. But it is only through Jesus that we can receive this superabundance. Not based on how thrifty we are, nor lucky, nor clever. It is Jesus’ blessing.

So TODAY — don’t look at your meager bank account, or slim paycheck, your health, strength, or lack of — but offer what you do have — to Jesus — ask Jesus to BLESS it, as He did in these instances — expect His provision — give Him thanks, and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

In Lamentations 3 we find these words: “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness… Therefore I wait for Him.”

Those of us who hunger and thirst after righteousness, justice, honor, integrity, moral character, in short, GOD’s character revealed in men and women, are holding onto to these and similar Scriptures. AMEN!

With the elections, if you were inclined toward the prophetic, there were many prophecies ‘out there’ about Trump, about a landslide – and when that apparently did not come to pass, prophets began apologizing, revising, coming up with new stuff. And some were standing fast. Confusing?

Dear friend, don’t be confused! HOLD FAST to the word the Spirit has spoken to YOUR heart. You listen, and hold fast to what He tells you.

This is easier said than done. It takes – FAITH. And our minds so easily switch to worldly thinking, or operating by our senses. Here are two examples.

The first is found in Matthew 14:22-33. Jesus is walking on the water past those disciples straining at their oars. Peter asks to walk to Jesus. Jesus says “Come.” And Peter does the impossible: walks on water – until he set his eyes on ‘the wind’ – his faith blew away and he began to sink.

My friend, if we set our eyes on circumstances, present conditions, or ears to lying words, and the world is full of lying words, it is very easy for our faith to evaporate – blow away – and we seeing America perishing. But great is His Faithfulness, remember?

Second example. Matthew 16:13-23. Jesus asks His disciples who the people say He is, and then who they say He is. Simon famously says, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus applauds Simon for hearing from God and speaking that word from God, it’s a revelation word.

But when Jesus then speaks of His upcoming suffering, death and resurrection, Simon Peter says, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” In a moment his mouth goes from speaking God’s words to satan’s words! Whoa!

As the Enduring Word Commentary says, this is a perfect example of how a humble, sincere heart coupled with man’s thinking, can lead to disastrous speaking and perhaps acting. God’s view saw Jesus the suffering Servant. Man’s view saw Jesus the conquering king of an earthly kingdom. 

Today, with your eyes on Jesus, your ears to His word, remembering, GREAT is His faithfulness, know that we are not going under – we are about to — COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place – Where we participate in the 2021

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14 gives guidance about the church gathering together. What’s remarkable to me are a couple of things. Verse 26: “When you come together, EACH of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.”

Catch that EACH of you? It’s so common today that singing is left to the professionals up front, the word of instruction to those up front, any revelation is up front if at all, and tongues or interpretation — well, let’s pass over those gifts. 

Verse 32: “For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” And verse 39: “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.”

Just letting you know that as edifying, uplifting, and awesome your own church experience may be, Paul indicates there is MORE for EACH one of us as PARTICIPANTS in the building up of HIS church! 

Now, don’t go challenging your own church, pastor or denomination; that’s not my point. My point is that by God’s grace He is offering to EACH one of us, to YOU, the opportunity to share in His spiritual gifts, and to use those gifts to help one another, to help the saints and reach out to those “pre-saints.”

Have you ever heard God speak to you? Yes, YOU. Ever been given a revelation, a prophetic word? Yes, I’m speaking to YOU. Well, it’s time you BELIEVE God’s words, here in 1 Corinthians 14 and say as Isaiah did (Is 6:8), “Here am I Lord, send me” Speak to me. Through me. Give me a song, a hymn. Something to build up the body. To help others. Hunger, ask, listen, receive, share!

It’s good to reach out and help the poor, the needy — be that Good Samaritan. But do you see? We are not limited to our physical or financial capabilities. We can help others through spiritual gifts — HIS ability. So earnestly desire them — to help others — COME ALIVE! 

Post Script! Post Script! Post Script!  

We are living in a most exciting time. Post election time. Mysteriously in a matter of hours Donald J Trump’s huge election night lead was completely reversed – and we find someone else in the White House. Is this God’s choice? Or an amazing plan of HIS that is unfolding?

Check out Psalms 2 where the wicked take their stand against God – first God laughs at their feeble efforts – then speaks to them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath. Then He ACTS. Read it, my friend.

Be encouraged, for our God is done with laughing; He is about to SPEAK and ACT. 

Will you stand with me? Believe with me? That God loves America, and will act on behalf of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. YOUR behalf. 

So stand fast. And prepare to celebrate GOD ALMIGHTY — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place – In the New Year 2021

The apostle Paul has some good words for us today, today, when things seem out of control, when liars have the stage and good men are being silenced, when morally bankrupt people are in places of leadership or about to be placed there.

Today, let’s remember — Jesus — and His accomplishments.

Here’s Romans 5:17 in the Message Bible: “If death got the upper hand through one man’s wrongdoing, can you imagine the breathtaking recovery life makes, absolute life, in those who grasp with both hands this wildly extravagant life-gift, this grand setting-everything-right, that the one man Jesus Christ provides?”

Isn’t that what we all want, a setting of everything right in this crazy demon infected world? For us personally, let’s firmly grab ahold of this extravagant life-gift Jesus has given us. A part, a very important part, of that gift is – His righteousness. 

As Ro 10:4 says, “Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness” – to who? – to anyone who believes. Jesus has taken our failures, our sins, their punishment, and has given us His perfect, eternal righteousness. 

Having His righteousness, we can shout, “Praise God! There’s nothing wrong with me!” We can boast about what Jesus has done! The world accuses you: there’s everything wrong with you. You shout back, “Praise God! There’s nothing wrong with me!” And it’s true for you have His righteousness.

Remember 2 Cor 5:17-21? When we believed, we were transformed. The old passed away, that old, sinful, failure prone  self-centered person that we were; and the new has come. New creations.

Jesus did not merely purchase for us a ‘get out of hell free’ card in the Monopoly of Life.  No, Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead so anyone who believed would be translated into His kingdom and be a righteous new creation!

As new creations we can expect some outward evidence. Something. But Jesus did not give us a “New Creations Behavioral Manual” or a “14 Steps to a Better You” guide. As Paul wrote in Eph 4:20-32, Col 3:5-17, he just assumes we ARE, because we believed – and because WE ARE – WE CAN put off the old man, the old ways, and put on the new man, walking in that newness of life.

Sure, a person may struggle with putting off the old man and putting on the new – but don’t you see? Even that struggle is a kind of evidence because before the person enjoyed the sin of which they are now so ashamed.

So be encouraged today my friend. Put off the old, put on the new. Like that Nike commercial, JUST DO IT — and COME ALIVE!

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