Hank’s Place

Welcome to Hank’s Place —  

Some years ago Mary and I saw the movie MoneyBall — it was about baseball in the early 2000’s and the dramatic change that occurred in how baseball was understood, particularly through Billy Bean, manager of the Oakland A’s.

At one point in 2002, Billy Bean was visiting the Cleveland Indians owners to talk about player trades. He sees a young man, Peter Brand, advising their general manager in hushed conversation. He asks Peter about that, privately. Peter spoke, “There’s an epidemic failure within the game to understand what’s really happening. And it leads people who run major league teams to misjudge their players and mismanage their teams.” He went on to say “the league is full of undervalued, overlooked players, like the Island of Misfit Toys.”

Whoa! That resonated with me and maybe with you as well. A lack of understanding, or misunderstanding — leading to struggling churches with undervalued congregations. Let me say that I don’t believe church leaders are the problem. I’m confident virtually all church leaders want to do the right thing and want to follow Jesus. They want to see their congregations grow in their faith in God, maturing in Christ Jesus.

Who then, might I ask, would want to see leaders in a pickle of misunderstanding and mismanagement? If you said, the devil, I believe you are right! And his evil minions, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12.

So, if church leadership has been bugging you, let it go—pray for all who are in authority. 1 Tim 2:2. Rebuke the devil. He’s the real perp as they say in detective shows. Pray in the Spirit.

And pray that Jesus be lifted up in all activities. “If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto ME.” Jesus in John 12:32. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you as pray and lift up Jesus. Love the brethren — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place —  

What we believe about ourselves determines in large measure our behavior.

We can change a person’s behavior for a time from the outside: “Children behave or else” – those incarcerated for crimes mostly exhibit good behavior – until they get out. Remember that TV program, “The Greatest Loser” – about weight loss? I know someone who won – and over a bit of time gained it all back. Nothing had changed in that person’s perception, their believing, of who they were. They believed terrible things about themselves, and all that exercise and diet did not change that.

WHAT we believe will determine our destiny! Even life and death! Simple death example: suppose you flew to England. Rented a car, and drove off. On the right side of the road, like here in America. Sincerely believing, sincerely behaving. But wait! They drive on the LEFT side of the road in the UK. If you keep up sincerely believing what’s wrong — you are likely to end up — DEAD!

How about a life example. From John 3:16 “…whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved….” Acts 16:31. Or those 2 blind men in Mat 9:29,  Jesus said, “be it done to you according to your faith” – or, according to what you have believed.

Many Christians struggle today because they barely believe the Good News. Mostly they believe the OLD NEWS with a little GOOD NEWS sprinkled on top. 

Why is that you ask? I submit to you Ro 10:14 “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” One must hear the Good News concerning Jesus preached! Then the Holy Spirit witnesses to the Good News. I mean, to understand that our sins have been taken away, the accuser has been disarmed, that we have died to sin and our lives are hidden with Christ in God is cause for rejoicing unceasingly!!

Pray for your pastor. Your church leadership. There are so many demonic distractions and worries that assail them – like church growth and paying bills. Distractions can keep anyone from sharing the Good News.

The Good News is good news for EVERYONE, mature Christians included. May it be shouted out where you worship. People’s behavior will change as they hear the Good News, believe it, and grow IN CHRIST. Your church will be overflowing with powerful men and women of God, willingly volunteering to do the work of the ministry! Can you see it? I can!

Where the Good News is preached, without the Bad News added, people will — COME ALIVE!NEW BLOG NOTIFICATION

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I have a question for you: How can we know God better? How can we get ‘filled up’ with the fullness of God that Eph 3:19 requests? WE – CANNOT. Self-effort, even admirable self-effort like bible study, bible school, walking where Jesus walked, pilgrimages, church work, seminary — whatever — will not enable us to know God better. We may know more ABOUT Him, but we will not truly KNOW HIM.

Can anyone truly know Him? Well, there are those to whom God chooses to reveal Himself. Mat 11:27, 16:17. And who would He choose to reveal Himself these days? Thankfully, God, being rich in mercy, will FREELY REVEAL HIMSELF TO ANYONE — if they just ASK! 

Ask? Yep. As in James 1:5: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, who GIVES TO ALL generously and without reproach, and IT WILL be given to him.” 

Knowing God’s plans, intentions, purposes and future actions – directly from the Source – is getting to know Him! 

In Colossae, bible scholars believe the early church was being influenced by mystics; people with strange philosophies, who claimed an inside track in hearing from God. Paul prays for the church. He asks God to give them wisdom, God’s wisdom. It’s recorded in Col 1:9-14. That’s a great prayer for ourselves and others. It’s like James’ word, but has more detail.

may we be FILLED with a knowledge of His will!

not a wee little bit, but FILLED – all SPIRITUAL wisdom and understanding  (SPIRITUAL: this is all God’s wisdom and understanding, ditch that worldly wisdom!) in order…

that we will WALK WORTHY of the Lord – pleasing God in all things

BEARING FRUIT in all good works – increasing in the KNOWLEDGE of God 

So being given God’s wisdom causes us to GROW UP, mature in Christ. Our walk, our talk, ALL that we do: becoming more and more fruitful, and like Jesus.

Paul then requests they be strengthened according to His glorious might to attain all STEADFASTNESS and PATIENCE in this life. Growing in wisdom and knowledge of His will, we may want to help God out with the results NOW! Or get out of an unpleasant situation – NOW – but TIMING is a part of God’s will, too – HIS TIMING is always perfect.

To await His timing we need steadfastness. And patience. May our God strengthen you to attain to all steadfastness my friend, and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place —

At Hank’s Place we appreciate that Jesus’ body and blood was given to institute a NEW Covenant. A covenant where a just and righteous God has more than made provision for our sins and wayward desires. 

By taking away our sins. By punishing Jesus for our sins. Rendering us NEW Creations possessing a NEW righteous spirit within us, hallelujah!

This being the new year, I listened a little bit to one program featuring prophets of God who ‘forecast’ what God was going to do this year, and shared what else God had told them.

I thought I had gone back in time 2500 years! The role of the Old Covenant prophet was to call God’s people back to Him. To warn people to get right and do right or God would do thus and such. And also to foretell things God was going to do – because He was God. Each prophet gave a number of Bible verses in support what they were saying – and EVERY ONE of them was from the OLD TESTAMENT. 

Their words conveyed the impression God was far away, judging, remote. His heart concealed. I was puzzled — if you know what they are about, please let me know! I find in stark contrast Jesus, who revealed the Father. John 1:18. 

Why live in the Old when the BLOOD OF JESUS gave us a NEW COVENANT? I’d much rather live in what Jesus DIED to give us, wouldn’t you? Isn’t anything else devaluing His work at Calvary? His blood gives us confidence to enter the holy place – Heb 10:19 – His sacrifice is the NEW and LIVING way to enter Father’s presence. Heb 10:20

The Old Covenant was conditional upon OUR performance. The New is conditional upon HIS FINISHED WORK. It’s done. Of this new covenant, God says in Heb 8, “I WILL be your God” and “we SHALL be His people” – no ‘if’s’ about it. God says “WILL” as a statement of future fact. It is eternally certain in the New Covenant. The use of “SHALL,” “we shall be His people” implies a sense of permission – ie, you WILL be my people – if we will allow it!

As believers, those who have said YES to God, He will be merciful to our iniquities and will remember our sins no more. Heb 8:10-12.

It’s 2020 my friend, it’s time to walk in the NEW Covenant – and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place — 

Where you have come home! If you enjoy visiting at Hank’s Place, why not share it in social media? There’s a lot of room for others here!

AB Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, wrote a hymn entitled JESUS ONLY. It begins,

Jesus only is our message, Jesus all our theme shall be;
We will lift up Jesus ever, Jesus only will we see.
And the Refrain—
Jesus only, Jesus ever, Jesus all in all we sing,
Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer, Glorious Lord and coming King.

ALL the verses are awesome. What a contrast to many current songs that have wondering, puzzlement, and OUR feelings in their lyrics, “I” and “me,” rather than glorifying Jesus? If you don’t feel like singing them, it may be because they need an injection of ‘Jesus focus’ my friend!

Jesus focus — remember how I recently reminded you to pattern your Christian life after Jesus, who listened to His Father, saw what His Father was doing and did those things? John 5:19. So how does a person listen to Jesus, see what Jesus is doing, and do those things? Good question!

Here’s what I did – (mind you, your results may vary) I sat in a chair away from distractions and asked my Father, “What are you doing?” And prayed in the Spirit. And I saw something like a ring of fire – healing healing fire of the Holy Spirit, taking place upon the torn edges of a young girl’s face where a dog had savagely attacked her. I saw clouds of depression and discouragement leaving a couple who had battled these things for years. Mary would be seeing the young girl later; we would be visiting with the couple later in the month.

So I prayed that these things happen; take place. Didn’t seem like a big deal. Until I related them to my wife. As I spoke them to Mary I began to cry, from deep inside, FEELING AND EXPERIENCING the Father’s heart – HIS LOVE for these hurting ones, and desire for healing. And healing WAS happening; we knew it!

Will we get opportunity to physically minister to them? I don’t know. I DO know God is FAITHFUL and wonderfully at work in their lives.

This year, ask Jesus, ask your Heavenly Father what they are doing – they will tell you, and you will COME ALIVE!

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When we were visiting good friends on Cape Cod a few months ago, we went to their church which is part of the CMA denomination, founded by AB Simpson. Simpson wrote of the 4-Fold Gospel: Christ our Savior, Christ our Sanctifier, Christ our Healer and Christ our Soon Coming King. That’s good stuff!

The church bulletin contained two profound points about Christ our Savior. First, He is a universal Savior – “Whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16. Jesus will save anyone, EVERYONE, who comes to Him!

And second, He is an exclusive Savior – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name in heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Jesus: God’s Son, our Savior. The ONLY Savior.

Jesus offers salvation – freely to all – at great personal cost, to ANYONE who will believe He is God’s Son, sent to save us from ourselves, our sins, and the eternal damnation justly due us. 

My friend, this year, tell others of Jesus the universal Savior.

Jesus is God’s exclusive solution to mankind’s need for salvation. Not Buddha, not Allah, not Communism, atheism, good works, bad works – nothing else works. There is nothing else and no one that ‘works’ — only our Jesus!

My friend, this year, tell others of Jesus, God’s the exclusive Savior. Encourage them to believe TODAY, for today is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:2. 

If a person dares to believe, then by grace God will save him and make him NEW. 

This believing is not mere head knowledge, or head confessions, but heart stuff. Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit – something that must be experienced!

It’s something like MUSIC. You may know the notes, keys, scales, sharps and flats, arpeggios and much more. BUT — until you have experienced music you do not truly know what music is!!! That knowing will proceed to even deeper levels over time in music.

This year, endeavor to know Jesus deeper still – and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place —  

Are you a disciple of Jesus? You are if you follow Jesus! Listen, learn, and with the Spirit’s help put it into practice!

Puzzled about Scripture and what it means for you? Don’t be. Why? Because Jesus is our interpreter of Scripture. “You have heard it said … But I say to you…” Six times in Matthew 5 Jesus clarifies Scripture. Jesus stood on what He said alone. And “The crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the Law.” Matthew 7:28-29. They were surprised that He wasn’t quoting what anyone said, but was firm in what He said. It’s a safe and good thing to listen to and learn directly from Him.

Puzzled what decisions to make? The Holy Spirit will guide you as you continue in the faith. Be like your elder brother Jesus! In John 5:19 Jesus says, “The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can only do what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” Jesus repeats this in John 8:28-29, “I do nothing on My own but speak just what the Father has taught Me.”

Most interesting about these two statements is what they don’t say. He didn’t quote chapter and verse of the Old Testament. He didn’t say I do what the Bible says. He said He did what He saw and heard from His Father. 

Now, it may be tempting to commit yourself to be in constant relationship with and living daily in the presence of your Master. But you can’t do that! No one can! Try and you will fall from grace and back into works and under the law, feeling condemned and a failure.

Instead, just lean on Jesus! Tell Him that’s what you want to do – to know His will as Paul prayed for the Colossians in 1:9. And to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to be led by the Spirit and follow through on what you see and hear. Eph 3:16. 

This is not rocket science; it is something better: faith in GOD! It’s new wine going into new wine skins! Mt 9:14.

Imagine, Jesus is inviting us to hang out with Him and become more like Him all day long. Sounds like a perfect way — to COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place —  

True Discipleship – what’s that? Doing everything the Bible says? Reading and doing? Hmmm.

Consider that Jesus never said “I do what the Scriptures command” or “I follow the Law perfectly and so should you.” 

No, He said He did what He SAW the Father doing. Jn 5:19. And it is the same for us today dear friends. The Christian life is not following rules taken from the Bible. It is loving Jesus, receiving and sharing His love; seeing and hearing what Jesus is showing us by the Holy Spirit, and doing that.

That’s nothing new; it’s what the early disciples did. Remember when Peter and John were hauled before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4? Their defense reminded the leaders of Jesus, for Luke writes, “When they (the leaders) realized that they (Peter and John) were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13. Whoa!!!

Although not rabbinically trained, these men answered as if they had been. Where did they get this ability? The leadership had to acknowledge that they were trained through being with their rabbi, Jesus. These men had walked with and were now a reflection of Jesus.

So what is a disciple? You could say it is someone follows Jesus, who sticks around Jesus, who actually incorporates his master’s teachings in his daily life. And without purposefully trying it, showing in his behavior — JESUS!

It’s what Jesus said, “If you actually hold to My teachings, you are really My disciples.” John 8:31-32.  This word for “hold” means to put them into practice. Put them into practice and THEN you would  know what Jesus taught.  And your life will be changed as you experience true freedom. And thankfully Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in this matter – We need the Spirit’s help and He is there to help.

Consider what Jesus said to His disciples in Jn 14:15 (paraphrasing), “You don’t obey Me because of tradition or religious beliefs. I didn’t give you a list of behaviors to follow. I gave you MYSELF. You do what you do now because you love Me.” Jesus’ disciples love and follow Him. It’s not about doing anything FOR Jesus, but about doing everything — living life – WITH Jesus.

There’s more to come, dear friend, but for today: walk with Jesus, talk with Jesus, eyes on Jesus, follow Jesus — and COME ALIVE!

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Dec 29th just passed, was ‘church at home’ in many churches. They gave their workers a rest and encouraged their congregations to stay at home with family, and hear a word from the pastor via the Internet, and perhaps have a bit of worship. 

We stayed home, and listened to messages from 3 churches. They were remarkably similar.
Point 1 – God is going to do great things in 2020, especially through OUR church.
Point 2 – YOU have to get ready for this, YOU have to position yourself properly for this – IF YOU want to be a part of this, and get God’s blessings.
Point 3 – So resolve to DO MORE than ever before in the church, this church.

One church even, ah, boasted, that they did THEIR prayer and fasting in December while OTHER Christians were feasting. All so they could enter January hitting the ground running for Jesus in 2020. The pastors I’m sure were well meaning, but in listening I felt like I lacked something and was going to miss something if I didn’t get with their 2020 program!

That same Dec 29th, here at Hank’s Place, Hank (that’s me) began by referring to Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, saying, beware of teaching that devalues Christ and Calvary, and fails to appreciate the new identity every believer already has IN HIM. IN Christ we lack for nothing. Because of Christ we have received every spiritual blessing. IN Christ we are full, complete, holy and righteous.

Continue in the faith then by focusing on Jesus and what HE has ALREADY done for you!

In 2 Cor 11:2-4 Paul cautions believers, “I have promised you in marriage to one husband” he writes, “—to present a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” He warns of another Jesus, a different spirit, a different gospel – that’s out there. Stick with the simplicity and purity of devotion of Christ my friend!

A message that causes you to feel lack and inadequacy is not the gospel. A message that focuses on what you have to do (and it’s always more), rather than what Jesus has done and expresses the fullness that has come to you, thanks to Jesus Christ, falls short in the Good News department.

Until next time, walk in faith, walk in grace, knowing God’s got you — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place —  

It’s the new year and here’s a New Year’s admonition. I didn’t say resolution. Some people call New Years resolutions nothing but a ‘to-do’ list for the 1st week of the new year, lol.

Here’s the admonition – it’s from Acts 13:43. Paul and Barnabas, after speaking in the synagogue at Pisidai Antioch, urged the people who believed their message to CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD. What a great word – GRACE. The Grace of God – He gives us favor unconditionally – you can’t earn it – you can only receive it. Many try to earn it and go empty handed. Don’t that be you my friend!

Are you working so hard that you are on the verge of burnout?
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
Worried that you are not doing enough for Jesus?
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
Are you distracted by generational curses, demons, end times anxiety, idle talk?
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
Are you facing financial difficulties, sickness or demonic oppression?
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.
Want to make something of your life in 2019? Simply
CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF GOD.

When it comes to God and our relationship with Him, it is GRACE from start to finish. There is nothing else we need. And nothing else that will help.

GRACE comes to us by faith alone. Eph 2:8. So to continue in GRACE really is the same as what I said at the end of last year: continue in the faith. GRACE – it’s really another word for JESUS – John 1:16 says “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

Think about it. And how about this year we resolve to keep our eyes upon JESUS. He is the faithful One. He will see us through. He will help us; He will do the impossible for us.
Yes, this year, let’s receive from Him grace upon grace.

Speak with Him – often. He always has time for His children. He created time; He created us. Whatever our problems may be, Jesus is our total, complete, all in one solution!

And you know what? As we continue in the GRACE of God – we COME ALIVE!

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