Hank’s Place

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We have been looking for identifying marks of a real Christian – not just externals like “Do they go to church?” The Antiochian believers were the first to be called Christians: little anointed ones. We can surmise their conversation and behavior focused upon THE Anointed One – Jesus!

And in Jerusalem those early Christians were hungry to learn all they could about Jesus, were in fellowship, prayer, shared communion, gathered in homes, and had awesomely generous spirits. Acts 2.

What else? 1 Cor 12. Those baby Christians at Corinth manifested the GRACE gifts of God – The Charismata – they were Charismatic! We’ll go there another time, for Paul, in the next chapter, reveals that the greatest – is love.

Which brings us to 1st John. It’s about God and love. They cannot be separated, because God IS love. Anyone claiming to live in God’s light yet hating a brother or sister is still in the dark, writes John. He adds, loving the world, wanting your own way, has nothing to do with the Father. But wanting God’s way is indicative of the Anointed One at home within you. You desire – to ‘do’ – His desires!

No one living deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin, John says, for God’s seed is within them. But the one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor the one who won’t love the brethren. A simple test. 1 Jn 3:10.

He adds that even as Christ gave His life for us, we no longer live just for ourselves but for our brothers and sisters. John explains that first we were loved, and now WE LOVE. Loving God includes loving people. 1 Jn 4:21.

MOST Christians don’t understand the GRACE of God. Don’t know they are fully accepted in the beloved, in Jesus, by the Father. Rather than freely receive the love of God, and from that, loving others; they are worn out, feeling like failures, trying to measure up to some performance standard. And trying to love others without having first received the amazing love of God. 

If that’s YOU my friend, STOP. SIT. Throw off that garment of performance. RECEIVE the love of God. Soon you’ll be loving others and people will remark — you are different! What’s happened? You have COME ALIVE!

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Last message we learned that when Barnabas checked out those believers at Antioch (where they were first called Christians) – that he came and SAW the GRACE of God. And he was glad – and encouraged them to keep on believing in Jesus, moving forward in Jesus, not back to Judiasm.

Those Antiochians were filled with joy concerning Jesus the ANOINTED ONE in them. Everything about them radiated JESUS – and the heathens around them, being revolted by the light, by the anointing, sneeringly called them Christians. 

What else distinguished those early Christians? Glad you asked. Was it church service, missionary work, boldly confronting Jews and heathen in the marketplace? We can find an answer in Acts 2:42-47. 

The passage says they devoted themselves – to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship. What would the apostles have taught? Likely everything they knew about Jesus from living with him and everything He taught and told them. Those believers wanted MORE and MORE of Jesus! And fellowship! Sharing with each other the joy of their salvation, and sharing Jesus. And communion and prayers – remembering the body of the Lord broken for us, and His blood shed, all for us. And praying. Lots. In the temple. In their homes. Having glad and generous hearts. Selling off their goods to share with others in need. Praising God continually.

Yep they sound just like you today, right? What? That’s not your life? Overwhelmed by the love and the grace of God? Hungering for more of JESUS everyday? Every moment? Gathering with like minded brothers and sisters, to share in communion and meet the needs of the needy?

Yes, sadly the cares of this world can made the gift of eternal life and the Living God who gives it, rather dim. And the pressures of church life with its DO DO DO demands is wearying even to think about.

But there is an easy solution, dear saint – turn to Jesus. Get quiet at His feet. Talk to Jesus. Ask of Him. Listen. Listen some more. Ask to know the love of God. Though you may be weary and worn out, the Holy Spirit, in a matter of moments, can cause you, cause all of us – by His touch – to COME ALIVE!

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After the stoning of Steven, the early church experienced persecution. Acts 8. Christians were driven out of Jerusalem. A number of them passed through Antioch, a large city of about a half million people in southern Turkey. They shared the Good News only with Jews. But then the Hellenist believers came through, preaching the Lord Jesus to the Hellenists in Antioch. Hellenists were Greek speaking Jews who lived somewhat according to Greek ways. The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to check things out.

Do you know what he found? Acts 11:23 says ‘…he came and saw the grace of God.’ He was glad, and exhorted them to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. He was telling them to KEEP ON BELIEVING. Don’t go back.

Believers were first called Christians at Antioch. Meaning, “Little Anointed One.” For the first time, believers in Jesus had an identity of their own apart from Judaism.

So what characteristics do you suppose marked an early Christians? Well, let’s start with the name Christian. That was a derogatory name given believers by the Greeks and Romans! Why?

Perhaps they were telling everyone that Jesus, THE Anointed One, saved them and cleaned them up and was living IN THEM. That they were joined together with Jesus, THE Anointed One. They were living lives centered upon – the Christ – THE Anointed One.

Jesus was on their lips. Something like followers of sports teams today. True example. I asked my lovely wife Mary about the Green Bay Packers (point to Hat). I got a 12 minute dissertation concerning their performance this year! Followed by another 10 minutes of comparison with the Pittsburgh Penguins of hockey. A 4 word question with a 22 minute reply!

So let’s say the joy of Jesus had filled these Antiochians and everyone was hearing about THE Anointed One, JESUS! Oh, and if you ask Mary about Jesus, be prepared to stay awhile!

I’ll be sharing other passages with you in the next Hank’s Place. In the meantime, dear believer, don’t be ashamed of your faith in Jesus. Let the anointing of the Anointed One flow through you unhindered. Let him flow – to help you – help others – COME ALIVE!

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Have you got what it takes to continue in the faith? And if not, will you lose your salvation, that mansion in heaven or other heavenly rewards? Dangerously lifting Col 1:22-23 out of their context, it can sure seem that way as:

“he (Jesus) has now reconciled (you) in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,  if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.…” Boy that started off great but became terrifying!

Not only that, but in Acts 13:43 Paul and Barnabas spoke with the people of Pisidian Antioch, urging them to continue in the grace of God.

They also traveled through Lystra and Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. Acts 14:22.

In the Old Covenant, ‘continuing’ was the difference between life and death! It was ‘continue or be cursed!’ Fear can be quite a motivator, but even fear wasn’t enough to keep Israel on the straight and narrow, was it?

Is Paul applying threats to us? Not at all! Remember, Jesus became curse FOR US that we would become totally righteous before God, forever. 2 Cor 5:21. Paul is urging us to keep on trusting Jesus with our lives in the same way we did as when we began.

He says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught….” Col 2:7.

The Colossians were in danger of walking after the flesh. Not in terms of drunkenness, lusts, murders and envies, but in moving away from their true identity as heirs of God, sons, gained through unmerited favor alone, and trying to earn it, trying to keep it – through the things they did. Trying to do things to get God to bless them, when in Jesus they were already totally blessed. 

Just reckon yourself dead to sin and alive to God – that’s how you continue in the faith. Jesus at Calvary made us righteous and holy and pure, totally so, and forever so. And that’s how we are in God’s eyes my friend. But you will not see it unless you believe it! And you can not walk in this truth – except by faith!

You are already complete in Him. Believe this truth today — walk in it — and COME ALIVE!

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Here at Hank’s Place we have received of His generous bounty – grace upon grace. Jn 1:16.

For example, let’s look at Jn 16:33: “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Tribulation? Are you alive? Then you will experience difficulties, ordeals, trials, adversity, hardships, sorrows, trauma, afflictions, setbacks, sadnesses, woes, griefs, pains, agonizing times! 

Not due to our mistakes but because we are citizens of this world. Ouch! But — Jesus has overcome the world. And because we are IN Him and He is IN us, it means our new nature is that of an Overcomer. That’s Good News indeed!

John tells us, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 Jn 4:4.

Overcoming is not about us and our strength and our endurance but depending and leaning upon Jesus. Jesus is the ONLY way we overcome.

How do we depend and lean upon Jesus? 1 Jn 5:4-5 tells us: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith!” Our faith is in Jesus THE Overcomer – in us. ACT LIKE IT IS TRUE – because it is!

To get through the trials of life exercise that faith. Don’t fear, for faith is a gift from God, Eph 2:8. You have enough faith to overcome. That’s awesome!

As Ro 8:37 declares, “But in all these things, these tribulations, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” You ARE more than a conquerer, through Jesus. Circumstances may say you are not. But circumstances – LIE.

Don’t try to make it on your own. Expressions like “try harder” and “never give up” will not give you overwhelming conquering victory if they lead you to trust in your own strength, and not His. “Try harder?” How about “Trust harder!”

Again, circumstances LIE. God says you ARE more than a conquerer. And someone who is more than a conqueror has — COME ALIVE!

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We are still in 1 John. I have been assuring you that chapter 1 with its conditional forgiveness verses 8-9, “IF we confess our sins, THEN He is faithful to forgive us…” was directed toward the agnostics in their midst. Saying the physical world was bad, corrupt, but the spirit was pure, sinless, and could not be corrupted by bodily actions, they encouraged sinning!

John declares they are deceived. They had better admit their sin and repent. He goes on to stress that those who really know God genuinely walk like He walked. They confess Jesus. They believe upon Jesus. They love one another. 1 Jn 2:3-6.

1 Jn 4:8 declares God is love. He continually gives Himself to others and seeks their benefit. We love because of His great love toward us. And we continually give ourselves to Him and seek His benefit, that is, seek to do the things that please Him. Because we love Him!

John makes the point that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. No one truly born of God makes a practice of sinning. 1 Jn 3:9.  It’s being in love, deeply in love, with someone. You want to know them—more. Not just about them, like maybe in a book. But BE with them. WALK with them. TALK with them. DO what they are doing. BE FULLY INVOLVED with their lives. All day long. Every moment. And never getting tired of it. Sweet sweet Jesus. Lily of the Valley, our bright morning star. Our Rose of Sharon. Never tiring of wonderful Jesus!

So, 1 John is not about obedience and commandments as something God says we must do to get forgiven or blessings or favor from Him. John says as we come to know Him we shall LOVE Him. We’ll find ourselves delighting in Him and keeping His commandments. This is the grace of God and it is totally marvelous!

So walk in love dear believer, like Jesus did and does in you. And COME ALIVE!

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And welcome back to 1 John. Last time we found chapter 1 was directed to agnostics, NOT Christians. Agnostics denied Jesus had come in the flesh. So John declares he’s touched Him! Agnostics said material things like the body were bad, but the spirit was pure, and because the bodily actions could not affect the spirit, folks could sin away the day without concern. John gets to the point: such people needed to admit they have sin, confess it and have Jesus forgive and cleanse them.

1 John can be confusing. John has written in circular style. He speaks a thought, doesn’t develop it, goes on to other thoughts, then comes back with more nuggets of awesomeness concerning the first thought! So take your time in reading this marvelous letter!

Beginning with chapter 2 John uses the word ‘children’ 13 times. NOW he is writing to you and me! What’s he got to say? Well, for one, we have an Advocate with God! We need one because we are not yet fully mature; we may miss it here or there. IF we should sin, our Advocate is right there, before the Father, with His precious blood: that sin is already covered; all our sins are covered. For-ever! Thank JESUS!

Another thing: true children keep His commandments. What are Jesus’ commandments? We believe in Jesus’ name. We love one another. That’s it. That’s 1 John 3:22-23. These are not burdensome John tells us, because in our hearts we want to believe, we want to love one another, for we have God’s nature within us.

There are 3 basic themes in 1 John. True doctrine (not agnosticism), obedient living, and fervent devotion. A Christian, according to John, knows and loves God. Being made alive by the Spirit, and receiving the Spirit, a Christian comes to know God – and knowing God “naturally” results in transformed behavior, which John describes in terms of loving God, obeying God, and loving one another.

Obeying God is following the Spirit – “the anointing” as John calls it.
Today, live in LOVE for God is LOVE – and COME ALIVE!

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When I say “1st John” what verses come to mind? Probably 1 John 1:8-9 “ If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Taken out of context as I’ve just done, the “we” sounds like it means “you and me” doesn’t it? Well, hold on now! John did not write this to convince us of our unworthiness. Or accuse us of denying we have sinned. Or make forgiveness conditional on our confession.

Read the 1st 4 verses of this letter. John opens by declaring that Jesus is real, tangible, has existed in the flesh, and he is telling them so that they too may have fellowship with him. Wait! Why aren’t they already in fellowship with him? Because the group he is writing to has a number of unbelievers. Maybe all of them. They believed the popular notions of the day which rejected Jesus as God coming in the flesh, early gnosticism, and they rejected the fact of sin and committing sin.

In context vs 8-9 make perfect sense! To those who reject the concept of sin – John says, you are wrong! You deceive yourself. Confess your sins to God – and as has He promised, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins. He’ll make you totally righteous, approved, acceptable, to Him.

Don’t be distressed dear Christian. John is not accusing you of going around deceiving yourself; you are not a bundle of failure and denial committing sins left and right and then denying it. 

You have the Holy Spirit to guide you, God has given you a new nature, His own, and you want to please Him and reject sin. Old things, like your old sin nature, have passed away. 2 Cor 5:17. You can’t keep sinning anymore – 1 John 3:9.

And, you have an Advocate with God, but that’s for next time! We’ll also hear about the Commandments Jesus want us to keep.

So remember, you are IN Him; He is IN you – and that means you have overcome in this life for the GREATER ONE is in you. Don’t you see? John is simply saying that you have COME ALIVE!

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I don’t mean to frighten you, but listen to these verses, which I have taken out of their context:
“… through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.
“if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us” 2 Tim 2:12.
“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Heb 3:14.
“Do not fear what you are about to suffer. …Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Rev 2:10.

Tribulations, endure, don’t deny, hold fast our confidence, being faithful unto death! Whoa! This Christian life sounds — impossible. If salvation depends upon us, then we are not saved by Grace but by performance.

These terrifying out of context verses I just are not frightful as you remember Jesus has overcome, Jesus has endured, Jesus has held fast. Jesus has won it, and we are in Him. In UNION with Him. We overcome because He has overcome. 1 Jn 4:4. Just depend on the OVERCOMER who lives in us. 1 Jn 5:4-5.

My friend, take encouragement from Eph 2, 1st 9 verses. First Paul says we were sinners; it was what we did, it was who we were. And picking up in the Message Bible, Paul goes on to say, “(But God) in mercy and with an incredible love, …embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.

Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, AND ALL HIS WORK. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! …we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving.”

TODAY, you ARE an Overcomer. Jesus IS your salvation, even if you don’t feel it. Get on board with this GOOD NEWS—and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place Wed 11/7

The Old Covenant had at its center God. A Holy God and you are not! Keep away! Stand at a distance. If even a beast came near Mt Sinai they were to be stoned. Exodus 19:12-13.

But the New Covenant says: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16. And Heb 10:22 adds, “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean….” Who did the sprinkling? Jesus, my friend. Jesus!

Heb 8:7-10 states God was NOT pleased with the OC. Why? It depended upon man to fulfill things, the Commandments for instance. And man was weak. So He created a New Covenant. It is full of “I wills” and ends, “they shall be my people.” It is inevitable, unbreakable, and does not rely upon us. It speaks of unbroken relationship and total security. NOTHING can interrupt this blood bought tie. HE WILL—and because HE WILL—we SHALL be His people. We are His: FOREVER! 

Lev 26 gives many promises that are found under the Old Covenant. Things like peace, victory over enemies, safety, abundance, fruitfulness. But all conditioned on OUR obedience, for as vs 3 says, “IF you walk in My statues and KEEP my Commandments and DO THEM.” Walk in. Keep. Do. Our performance meant life or death.

In contrast, in the New Covenant God GIVES US a new heart and a new life. The New Covenant is not like the Old Covenant; for the “WE WILLS’ have been replaced by God’s “I WILL.” Again and again. Everywhere. In everything. 

The Old Covenant was a covenant of WORKS—our works. Conditional upon our obedience to perform them. BUT– the New Covenant  is a covenant of PROMISES TO BE BELIEVED. All the works required in it have been fulfilled through the COMPLETED WORK of Jesus Christ at Calvary. It’s time to believe it! 

Stop your fretting, rejoice in Jesus the GOD Who IS your salvation. Get on board with the GOOD NEWS—and COME ALIVE!

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