Hank’s Place

Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Where you have come home. Here at Hank’s Place the emphasis is upon Jesus Christ, and His finished work at Calvary!

Jesus has been given ALL authority – Mat 28:19. He tells His disciples to GO making disciples of all the nations. If the one who has ALL authority says to us “GO,” rest assured we are able to go.

We can gain more insight into this from Gideon, found in Judges 6.
The Israelites are oppressed by the Midianites, when an angel of the Lord appears to Gideon and says in vs 6, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” At that moment Gideon was enabled; he became a valiant warrior when he believed the word of God. In verse 14 the angel adds, “Go – in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” God gave Gideon the “GO” word and God’s word was Gideon’s strength, just as for us today. If God tells you to GO, dear friend, along with that comes the enabling ability TO GO. Believe it and it is yours!

God’s GO can place us on the cutting edge of the supernatural. The God stuff. The unexpected – the extraordinary – like Gideon who won an awesome victory!

“Go” in Judges here means “capacity, means, or ability.” The Lord was telling Gideon to go, having tremendous ability, because “I AM” was going with him – to see that it got done!

We Christians, by the grace of God have the I AM living in us – Christ in us, Col 1:27. We are not here to duplicate, imitate, or copy anyone else in this world. Believing, we follow His leading, His unique “GO” to us, and are assured of having all the power and resources of heaven behind us. His GO is always accompanied by the glorious presence of the Lord with us. And when God goes into operation phenomenal things happen!

As it says in Mark 16:20, “And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.”

So my dear friend, GO as the Lord has directed you – and help others, COME ALIVE! Rest from your labors, from trying to get it right: receive His grace – you’ll COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place Where you have come home–

At Hank’s Place the emphasis is upon Jesus Christ and what He accomplished FOR US, at Calvary. Because of Calvary, grace, the unmerited favor of God, and the mercies of God, are ours in abundance.

Can you believe that? Grace: His bestowing upon us GOOD THINGS because of who He is; and mercies, because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Paul tells us in Ephesians that WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. I’m sure you agree with the Scripture, but how many of us have even a faint understanding?

It’s like being given a marvelous key (hold up a key) – we can agree it’s a marvelous key, but the idea is to RECEIVE the KEY and then use it – to open up one treasure after another – treasures like peace with God, provision, protection, increase, lack of lack, grace to help in time of need, deliverance, and on and on and on.

Listen, the Law is a killer: 2 Cor 3:6 “for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” And Ro 4:15 “for the Law brings about wrath.” Or Gal 3:12 “the Law is not of faith.” We DON’T want to live by the Law!

In Genesis and early Exodus, the people lived before the Law. When Adam and Eve sinned, God came looking for them. When Israel complained of the Red Sea journey in Ex 14 God blessed them. When they murmured at Marah about bitter water in Ex 15 God blessed them. They were grumblers in the desert about lack of meat in Ex 16 God bless them yet again!

Then in Ex 19 at Mt. Sinai they asked for and got the law, promising they would keep it. Ha! On that day, Moses comes down the mountain with the 10 Commandments and 3000 people died – it’s what the Law does: kills. Man presumed – committed idolatry and death resulted.

But the GOOD NEWS is the Gospel. The gospel is not “keep the rules, steer clear of sin, and you will be in harmony with God.” The true gospel is “God has RECONCILED the world to Himself through Christ and is no longer counting your sins against you.” 2 Corinthians 5:19.

When the Church was birthed in Acts 2nd chapter, it says 3,000 people were baptized into eternal life in Jesus. Believe the Good News my friend! Rest from your labors, from trying to get it right: receive His grace – you’ll COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place in the Rocky Mountains

Today’s Hank’s Place is a free-flow, and what you hear has been roughly transcribed below. The beauty of the Rockies defies words. In such captivating beauty Hank swapped duration (18 months/2years) and location (School of Tyrannus/elsewhere) of Paul’s missionary journeys through Corinth and Ephesus found in Acts 18 and 19. Thank you for your forbearance and understanding!
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In the Rockies I could hear the mountains declare the glory of the Lord. The trees are clapping their hands and shouting “Glory to God!” And it feels effortless to share Jesus and the wonders of His Salvation in this place.

But you may not be in this place – in fact in looking around I can see that you are not! You may be in a hell-hole of idolatry like Paul in his journeys through Corinth and Ephesus found in Acts 18-19. Corinth was a crossroads of commerce and full of idols.

He preached in the synagogue at Corinth, but soon they did not receive what he had to say – and he left, going to the gentiles. But Crispus, leader of the synagogue and his household became believers as did many others.
Paul stayed in Corinth 18 months, in a place where you think he would be killed. So did he, but the Lord appeared to him and said (as Jesus so often says) “Fear Not” for there were many believers in that city.

That’s a word to you dear friend: you have many friends wherever you are: to help you and to stand with you (to pray for you).

Then he travels on the Ephesus where a dozen folk are baptized in the Holy Spirit. He stays there, in a place you would think he’d be killed right away for it was the center for Dianna worship. When those in the synagogue did not receive him, he moved to the school of Tyrannus and taught there 2 full years.
Then he knew it was time to leave – a riot was starting(!), and he left but not before encouraging many many new believers.

So be encouraged my friend. Although you may not have the Rockies in your backyard, you ARE living with Jesus in your heart. And Jesus is your Way-Maker; and He is the One who enables you to share the Good News about Him and His salvation.

Be encouraged, take a deep breath, say, “Thank you, Jesus” and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

Hank’s Place – where you have come home. Colossians 2:10 is awesome, for it states: we are already complete in Him. Lacking for nothing. Blessed with every spiritual blessing simply because we are believers in His salvation – Eph 1:3. 

And 1 Cor 6:11 states we were sanctified. By the precious blood of Jesus. Friend, it was Jesus at Calvary, not you or me and what we have done to clean ourselves up. By the power of God, Jesus has become our sanctification forever. 1 Cor 1:30.

We are totally sanctified. We don’t always act in a sanctified manner though. We are maturing into who we really are. It’s no wonder Paul tells us in Eph 4, 1 Thess 4 to act holy, because we are holy.

How about 2 Cor 3:18? It says we are being transformed from glory to glory—not from garbage to glory. We have been redeemed and made holy. There is a world of difference between who we are and what we might do. Who we are is a beloved child of God in whom the Father is well pleased. What we do may or may not be totally pleasing to God, but it does not affect His love toward you. 1 Cor 3:12-15 indicates works might be burnt up, not people.

However, so many people fear to trust, saying, “We can’t possibly be complete in Him.” It must be Christ plus confession, or rule keeping, or the pursuit of holiness. Instead of resting, by adding these things we are actually a diminishing the magnitude of Jesus’s sacrifice at Calvary.

Under the new covenant God has taken us out of the equation. Jesus is our representative who never fails. Our salvation and our faithfulness are now all about Him. Striving to be a good Christian by keeping all of the rules is – trusting in yourself, not Jesus. It is a faithless way to live. Your intentions may be good, but you are walking after the old way of the flash! Just like the Pharisees who were very law abiding but completely faithless!

Rest from your labors, give glory to Jesus  – and COME ALIVE! 

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

Hank’s Place – a place of GRACE. Remember – ALL of God’s blessings come to us through grace alone. He loves you and me – because He loves us; not because we have got things right or walk in total obedience.

Here’s a thought about sin and forgiveness. Mixed Grace may stress that when we sin we don’t lose our salvation; however, we are not forgiven until we confess, citing 1 Jn 1:9. And that fellowship with God is suspended until we confess. Give me a break, please! The Lord came looking for Adam following that first sin! Can you believe that the church is made up of unforgiven Christians (because they haven’t confessed yet) worshiping an unforgiving God? Well, don’t believe it for it’s not true.

How about unforgiveness, which is very common, you know, people taking offense with one another. There are plenty of ‘somebody done me wrong’ songs, and plenty of movies about unforgiveness and revenge and vengeance. Encouraging us in wrong behavior. 

Paul in Colossians 3:13 says, “bear with each other and forgive one another if you have a grievance against someone. Forgive – as the Lord forgave you.” Jesus forgave the men who put Him there. Forgave those who tortured Him and cursed Him. None of those men confessed or repented. Some even thought they were doing the Lord’s work. Yet on the Cross Jesus forgave them all – “Forgive them Father for they don’t know what they are doing.” Lu 23:34. So much for taking matters into our own hands.

My friend, we have been forgiven at Calvary. Forgiven before we confessed. Before we were even born. If we should sin in this manner, the Holy Spirit turns on the lights, not to shame us, for Jesus has carried our shame, but to show us the way to vibrant life. Don’t let unforgiveness eat you up. Take hold of the truth that you have been forgiven, that Jesus has willingly taken your sin away and born the punishment, and refuse to let unforgiveness (holding someone’s sin against them) be a part of you! It will eat you up!

I encourage you, thank God He has forgiven you; grant forgiveness to others as Jesus did. You’ll be free – you’ll COME ALIVE! 

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

Hank’s Place – a place of GRACE. Every genuine Christian has repented; changed their mind about sin, about Christ (He’s become their Savior) and all the great things of God. That’s a snippet from Charles Spurgeon. Any actions we take MAY demonstrate the fruit of repentance but are not repentance itself! The Father knows our heart, and matters follow from the heart.

Take the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Consider the father. Does the father convict the son of sin? No. Does the father inflict sorrow on the son? No. Does the father require the son’s confession first? No. Does he demand some actions, restitution, as proof the son has indeed repented?NO! In fact, he cuts the son off in the middle of his opening speech. Then most surprisingly the father starts organizing a party! There is much joy in heaven over a sinner who repents, who comes home. Luke 15:7. And the father in this story surely demonstrates this!

In the new covenant repentance means turning to God. If you define repentance as turning away from sin and stop there, well, you are still in an unholy, unrighteous condition. 

In the previous message I was speaking about UNforgiveness. Well, how about forgiveness? The word forgiveness is an amazing word. Another word that the Cross changed the meaning of forever. Before the Cross the word forgiveness was mainly used as a verb. It was something to be done. The Psalms have many examples of people asking for and God granting forgiveness. But AFTER the Cross we find it is used typically as a noun, as something to be received. It is already DONE; we need to receive it like the prodigal.

This distinction, and it’s a very important one, is even more obvious if we look at the words of Jesus. Before the Cross Jesus also described forgiveness as something to be done. Used in the verb form. Yet after the Cross Jesus uses forgiveness as a noun and never as a verb.

Do not forget: we are not forgiven in accordance with our acts of confession or contrition, but in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. I encourage you: thank God that He has forgiven you; grant forgiveness to others as Jesus did. You’ll be free – you’ll COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

Hank’s Place – is a place of GRACE. Here we are learning that all of God’s blessings come to us through grace alone. We just need to believe it – that’s the faith part – and God has given to all of us ‘a measure of faith’ Ro 12:3. 

The mixed grace gospel – that’s the one you have probably been hearing for years – because preachers tend to forget Calvary has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE –  well, it proclaims that at least some of God’s blessings come through OUR works OUR performance or OUR obedience. 

Examples: we may be told that we will be rewarded with forgiveness, IF we confess our sins daily. From 1 John 1:9. IF our repentance is accompanied by deep sorrow and regret. Hmm that didn’t work for Esau, did it – that’s before the Law: Heb 12:17. How about you must pursue a lifestyle of obedience to New Testament commands if you hope to see His favor?

What if you have a bad day, or give ‘a bad performance?’ The mixed grace gospel says when we sin we have displeased the Lord. He’s frowning down on us. If we fail to deal quickly with this we will no longer enjoy His fellowship. In other words our relationship with the Lord is only as good as our behavior. If we do well, you can expect His favor. If we stumble we can expect is His displeasure. Very frightening! 

Mixed grace gospel messages are filled with veiled threats based on our performance. Such as you can get sick and die if you take communion without examining yourself for sinning, 1 Cor 11:30, when that passage is really saying to examine yourself to see if you are in Christ; Christ, who has carried away our sin and paid the debt already!

A mixed grace preacher may say you cannot lose your salvation but on the other hand maybe you will – if you don’t do the things he prescribes. They may make the leap of logic saying even as the Jews were cut off Ro 11:20 so can you! So if we don’t fly right and strive constantly to be close to the Lord we might forfeit our salvation! Friend don’t keep the rules and you are toast under the mixed grace gospel. But I’ve a confidence in YOU in the Lord, that you will know the truth – COME ALIVE! 

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

In Acts13 we find a record of Paul’s first missionary journey. He and Barnabus were sent out by the church in Antioch (in western Syria). Their journey eventually brought them to Pisidian Antioch, (in central Turkey). Paul gave a lengthy message to the citizens, and Paul and Barnabas urged them to “continue in the grace of God.” Acts 13:43.

Within the week however, jealous Jews stirred up resistance – and soon Paul and Barney were driven out of the city by them, and I don’t mean in a chariot.

They went to Iconium, preaching to both Jews and Gentiles – many believed. Despite some fierce opposition, “they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His GRACE, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands.” Acts 14:3.

Then, facing stoning – they wisely decided to move on. What we see is how strong the grip that performance based living has on so many, both the  religious and non-religious. ‘Do good – be rewarded, do bad – be punished.’ Pride being rewarded. Personal achievement. 

No wonder the message of God’s GRACE enrages some people – the message eliminates all the works, the achievements, they have been living by. 

Thank GOD, we are saved by GRACE, not our works. A gift from God. Eph 2:8. What we do – what we have achieved – what cereal we eat, deodorant we use, car we drive, what titles we have or letters after our name – DOES NOT MATTER – but ‘do we believe in Him who He has sent?’ John 6:37. 

This is Good News indeed. But what if we are listening to a mixed grace Gospel? To paraphrase A.W. Tozer, what we believe about God is just about the most important thing about us. If the message we are hearing paints a mixed up and confused picture of God, we likely will become a mixed up and confused believer.

Back to Eph 2:8: we saved by grace alone, through faith alone – a gift from God. A mixed grace Gospel says “Yes, but” there are many more little works – of ours – necessary to receive the blessings of God. Believe the truth today, my dear friend – that God has accomplished salvation and offered it as a free gift. Believe it – and COME ALIVE! 

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

There’s a Hebrew word which has to do with an abundance of moisture. The word is revayah.

David used it in the 23rd Psalm, verse 5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup revayah – overflows.” This abundance is so overflowing that it satisfies all thirst. David means he has become saturated, totally satiated. God has met David’s needs out of HIS riches in glory – quite an abundance my friend – a feast in front of one’s enemies, and an overflowing cup, hallelujah!

In Psalms 66:12, David writes that they have gone through hard times, but GOD “has brought us out into a place of revayah.” A wealthy place. An place of abundance. An overflowing place. Revayah.

David exults in the Lord’s tender loving shepherd’s care for him and his people. His cup is saturated, full to overflowing. Revayah. He is experiencing more than a sufficiency, because of God’s wonderful blessings in his life. It is grace, not something earned. Not worked for.

Can we live this way today? Surely! We are THIS SIDE of CALVARY, where God’s blessings profusely abound. Yet we often hear people say, “I’m just hanging in there.” Or, “If I can just make it to payday.” Or, “I’m just getting by, just holding on.”

Do these statements reveal any faith in God? Faith, the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1) How can such a person expect receive an overflowing abundance when their faith is so limited? Am I speaking of you, dear friend?

Remember, thanks to Calvary, to Jesus, these blessings, this grace of God, is free for the receiving. And you receive by faith. Why not thank God IN ADVANCE of seeing them! By faith – see them now! By faith, thank God now. Then rejoice now, for they are overtaking you, coming upon you soon, for there are no ‘favorites’ in God’s family!

His abundant grace is for all to partake of. Receive revayah today – then share that overflow with others and help them – COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place

Having trouble resting in the Lord? Is ‘rest in Him’ a theoretical concept, not a reality? Perhaps you have read with a bit of envy of Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus in Lu 10:39, for you are stuck in Martha living, with drama-filled days and stressors coming at you from everywhere?

I found a website with the article, “12 Ways to Sit at Jesus’ Feet (When You Have Neither Quiet Nor Time)” ‘Just what I needed,’ I thought, 12 more items to put on my ‘to do’ list, LOL!

Looking for rest? “Chew your food.” Like mama said. Our nervous system has two amazing ‘subdivisions.’ One – is the Sympathicus: fight/flight, elevated heart rate, inhibited digestion, pancreas, gall bladder activity suppressed. It releases adrenaline. ACTION, baby!

The other is Parasympathicus: feed/breed, rest and digest for it increases saliva, reduces heart rate, and stimulates the activity of digestive organs, pancreas, gall bladder.

In today’s world we are stressed—pressured to DO DO DO, act, react, fight this, resist that, run, shout out. Guess which one this stress stimulates. It’s no wonder rest can be so elusive!

Our adrenals get worn out, our digestive system never gets sufficient blood – food sits undigested. We feel exhausted by stress – and we are. Muscles feel bad, our immune system suffers, hormones go crazy, our thyroid slows down; we can have mood shifts, experience sadness, lack of motivation, and depression. AND anxiety, bi-polar, schizophrenia. AND inflammatory GI disorders, including ulcers, colitis, and Crohn’s disease. It’s not demons directly affecting you, it’s the stress!

But – this may sound crazy, but if you are stressed — chew your food! 40 seconds before swallowing! It is giving your saliva enough time to begin breaking down that food, making life happier for the rest of your digestive tract. This ‘forced rest’ is stimulating your Parasympathicus nervous system. You are encouraging your body to REST, and digest. Your tummy thanks you, your moodiness will go, you’ll sleep better and be happy for a change.

So don’t gulp, but chew. And then, while you are chewing – resting, look up to Jesus, give Him thanks, and LISTEN to what He’s saying to you. Chew your food — and COME ALIVE!

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