Category: Hank’s Place

Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Welcome HOME – to Righteousness – (1)

Tired of the news media distorting, twisting the truth? Spouting lies? Proclaiming endless “bombshells” that go nowhere? Me too.

Well, here is some pure truth. Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross, then died for those sins according the Scriptures, and then was buried — and then rose again — according to the Scriptures. 1 Cor 15:3-4. That’s Gospel truth my friend! And in rising from the dead He declared OUR righteousness!

That means His sacrifice was accepted, putting us in right standing with God! We believers became totally acceptable to God – not because of our merits, or accomplishments; but all and ONLY because of Jesus, our glorious SAVIOR.

2 Cor 5:21 reveals what happened at Calvary: “He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us (that is both the sin bearer lamb of God and the sin offering lamb of God) so we would become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.”

We are in Christ — and in Him we have HIS righteousness. This is beyond awesome – beyond our ability to explain. It’s the surpassing greatness of His power and grace toward us who believe! What’s it mean though?

Once we were miserable sinners. Reprobates. Evil in mind and heart. Then this divine exchange took place. We became new creations. Righteous. Holy. Sanctified. In union with God. Desiring to do His will in thought and in heart. 

ONCE we were sinners, true. Now we are SAINTS, forever. Don’t refer to yourself as a sinner or that your old sin nature is wrestling with your new nature. You have one nature: a son of God! Reckon that old sin nature DEAD. That’s Ro 6:11. The devil would have you believe that old nature is like a zombie, the living dead within you. It’s a lie.

We need to know what this ‘righteousness of God’ is about – and next time we will begin with Ro 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.””

Live by faith today my friend — and COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Returning from our travels in New England recently, we encountered a 6 1/2 hour flight delay at Manchester New Hampshire airport.

The time was not lost however, as we discovered THE SIGNS OF JESUS everywhere!

Check out this video and you will see a bit of what we saw during this amazing delay.

And who knows if in the viewing someone may COME ALIVE?

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Lovingkindness. Mercy. Grace. It’s who God is – He used it to describe Himself in Ex 34:6.

Some folks think God goes around breaking legs, causing illness or cancer – or even death to teach people a lesson. My friend, He already taught us the best lesson ever: His beloved Son going to Calvary to suffer and die in our place. Now THAT’s a lesson to learn!

Lovingkindness: when the person who owes you nothing – chooses to give you – everything. And this God has done – by His choice; including giving us Himself in coming to live in us as Col 1:27 reveals!

To those hard hearted Pharisees, Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 twice, found in Mat 9 and 12. “I desire mercy, lovingkindness, rather than sacrifice.” God prefers we love people, and not be preoccupied with religious observations. 

There were 2 main groups of Pharisees in Jesus’ day. One group followed Hillel. Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, Gamaliel, were all likely in this group. They were inclusive Pharisees; that is, they sought to proselytize by including people, bringing them in. 

The second group were followers of Shammai and were an exclusive group, keeping people out even to the point of violence. Shammai taught that when God created gentiles that He made a mistake. 

Rather judgmental, wouldn’t you say? Likely it was followers of Shammai who followed Jesus around to catch Him violating their rules. At Matthew’s party they do not appear too aggressive. But in the ambush in the grain fields it was very different.  And very apparent how hard hearted they were, declaring Jesus’ disciples guilty of a crime they did not commit.

And remember that Roman Centurion of Luke 7 – who despite being told he was worthy by the Jewish elders, nevertheless told Jesus he was NOT worthy, and then went ahead to ask Jesus for a miracle anyhow – he knew God IS lovingkindness my friend.

Today I urge you, be as the Centurion, to ask Jesus for impossible things for others or yourself – without regard to your own behavior.  Without regard to merit. But with all regard to the God of lovingkindness. 

Miracles, healings, amazing things will happen and many will COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

Jesus is AMAZING. Did you know someone amazed Jesus? There are 7 Greek words that can be translated amazed or astonished, and Luke uses every one of them. The shepherds were amazed, Joseph and Mary were amazed, the people in Jesus’ hometown and many others.

But in Luke 7 Jesus Himself is amazed. In Capernaum a nameless Roman soldier is a preliminary convert to Judaism, kindly and generous toward the Jews. The elders tell Jesus he is worthy for Him to grant his request for the healing of his servant, for he has done all the right things – he is worthy and deserves any favor. The Centurion has a right to expect something.

It is not arrogance, it is simply the way the system works. Jesus goes with the elders, but it appears the centurion has had second thoughts and decides Jesus didn’t need to come to the house after all. “Just say the word and my slave will be healed,” he says in vs 7. Then the Roman soldier speaks on the theme of authority, how he has it and recognizes that Jesus does too.

But wait! There is something incredible stated in verse 6: “I do not deserve to have you come under my roof” the soldier says. But in vs 4 the elders had said the man deserves this. But the Roman simply says I do NOT deserve this. And Jesus is amazed. Lu 7:9.

What kind of faith is this that so amazes Jesus? The Jewish community did not have it. I believe it was the soldier’s readiness to ask for what he acknowledges that he does not deserve. The soldier understands that God is more loving than he has a right to expect. So amazing — although he is doing all the right things according to the elders, the soldier acknowledges he is still undeserving —confessing he was not worthy, yet still having the confidence and boldness to ask Jesus to do it anyway.

The way we respond then to the God of lovingkindness is to boldly ask Him for what we do not deserve, and then to standby and confidently wait for Him to be amazed.

Put another way, as we come to understand God’s lovingkindness we will have a growing confidence that He is delighted to GIVE us His blessings. Like the centurion, our attitude will become, “just say the word…”

God is more loving than you or I have  a right to expect. TODAY – ask Jesus, the God of lovingkindness, for something you do not deserve – for yourself, for someone else, and stand by in confidence for Jesus to be amazed – in the experience, you – COME ALIVE!

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Previously I’d stated Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 twice, each time in conversation with Pharisees: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.”
In Matthew 9 at Matthew’s party, the interchange appears to be without malice. But it’s a different story in chapter 12. There, Jesus’ disciples were hungry and they began eating heads of grain in a field on the Sabbath, something totally legal. Deut 23:25.

Then some Pharisees apparently popped out behind some bushes and said to Jesus, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” On top of the Torah the Pharisees heaped the ‘oral law.’ After Moses came down the mountain with the 10 Commandments, the Pharisees claimed he had entrusted the oral law (too sacred to be written down) to the elders – of which they claim to be the direct descendants.

Jesus refutes them in verses 3-8. The last verses read: “If you had known what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” (Hosea 6:6) you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Pharisees could see only a violation of their oral law! If did not understand the heart of God, the God of Lovingkindness. They had hard hearts.
The religious system of the day was broken and fragmented. The Romans appointed the high priests. They kept the garments of the priests in their possession in the Antonia fortress. The holy of holy’s was an empty room in Herod’s magnificent temple. No one agreed on the canon, resurrection, angels, heaven, or hell.

BUT – everyone COULD agree upon – the Sabbath, and its observation. It was the dearest point in their orthodoxy. So when Jesus said, “The son of man is Lord of the Sabbath,” He was saying, take your dearest point of orthodoxy – I am lord over that! No wonder they were angry!
Yet Jesus, in quoting Hosea 6:6, provided the solution by which the hardheartedness of the Pharisees – and us – might be healed if only they would listen.

Jesus was turning the world of the Pharisees upsidedown. Because of the love and kindness of God – incarnate in Jesus, sinners were blessed, while those who hated loving kindness placed themselves outside of God’s loving kindness.

Today, wear mercy, lovingkindness, as YOUR garment and – COME ALIVE!

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Welcome to Hank’s Place –

The prophet Jeremiah, foretold of a NEW Covenant coming, not like the performance based Old Covenant, IF you do this THEN I will bless—but based on the “I wills” of God Himself – Believing God would keep His promises replacing obedience to EARN His blessings.

And there is Hosea the prophet that married and was faithful – to a faithless prostitute – it was a picture of Israel. And God promised through Hosea, “in the place where it was said, “you are not My people, there it will be said you are sons of the Living God.”” Hosea 1:10.

Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6 twice, each time in conversation with Pharisees. The first is found in Mat 9. Jesus called Matthew to follow Him, and Matthew threw a big party with his friends – the house was full of ‘tax collectors and sinners.’ Gasp! 

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” the Pharisees who were tagging along asked the disciples. Jesus heard it and replied (vs 12-13), “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 6:6) For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew was considered a corrupt outsider. It is safe to say he would’ve had no expectation whatsoever that someone like Jesus would reach out to him. 

The Pharisees in asking why Jesus would eat with tax gatherers appear to be genuine and not trying to trick Jesus. And when Jesus says very rabbinically to go and learn with this means, His words are not necessarily confrontational. If the Pharisees are in time able to understand the passage Jesus quotes – Hosea 6:6, they will indeed realize why Jesus is showing kindness to a group of people who were thought to be unworthy of God’s mercy.

To a people who have been preoccupied with complex religious observance and temple activity, Hosea’s words are – mysterious. God would rather His people be kind, merciful, rather than offer a sacrifice. The passage Jesus quotes would’ve been known ‘by heart’ by all the Pharisees, but really it was only in their heads, not their hearts. 

My friend, may Hosea’s words find understanding in YOUR heart today – as they do, you will – COME  ALIVE!

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Preachers, when preaching about grace, may preface this wonderful word with another word: “greasy.” “Beware!” “License to sin!”

Well, there MAY be people out there looking to justify their outrageous behavior by invoking a reference to God’s grace – but pride, arrogance, rebellion and self-will don’t need excuses or crutches, do they?

Does God’s grace need a set of rails to stay on track? – Any rule additions leads to falling from grace as Paul said, Gal 5:4, and soon, rather than rejoicing in the goodness of God, that person finds themselves depressed, failing to measure up to all the rules. God’s grace needs no help from us my friend!

Let’s focus on God’s lovingkindness: showered upon us for no deserving reason, but because it is who God is that He relates to us in lovingkindness. Well, how does a person know when they have come to receive, grasp, understand by experience God’s lovingkindness? 

“Reciprocity.” That mean returning in kind of the same kind. For example, 1 Jn 4:19, we love for He first loved us. Before we could love with selfless, 1 Cor 13 love, we needed to receive the love of God. If you are struggling with loving someone, don’t try harder my friend, but receive the love of God for yourself first; then you will have something to give away!

Back to God’s lovingkindness – showered upon us. If it is not returned freely in gratitude, we have not understood, or truly received internally, the nature of the lovingkindness that was shown to us in the first place. 

So a Christian who speaks judgment everywhere may not as yet come to understand the love of God for themselves. Someone who would attempt to take advantage of God’s grace really has no understanding of the true nature of God’s grace.

Dear friend, taste and see that the Lord is GOOD! Ps 34:8. Drink from the river of His delights. Ps 36:8. Revel in His love, experience His grace for yourself—and you’ll have much to give away, to help others – COME ALIVE!

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That amazing prophet, Jeremiah, clearly prophesied, that despite all the rebellion and disobedience of Israel, that God would nevertheless make a NEW COVENANT with them, NOT like the old, performance based covenant. Instead, it would be based upon promises to be believed, like, he who believes in His Son would not be disappointed. 1 Pe 2:6 & elsewhere.

This was incredible because Israel was persisting in being disobedient and rebellious. For centuries. So many people picture God as stern, and ready to punish all disobedience. Yes, He is just and as such must punish disobedience, but do not forget He is the God of Hesed: lovingkindness, mercy, grace, and long-suffering. Just check out Calvary, see your sin and disobedience, and mine, there—believe, and give glory to Jesus!

How about the minor prophet Hosea? In a picture of God and His people, Hosea was instructed by God to marry a prostitute, Gomer. She was unfaithful to him. She even ran away and was sold into slavery. He found her, purchased her, and brought her back. Hoses 3:2. There is no record she ever changed. 

She bore Hosea 3 children, the last being named “Lo-ammi” meaning, “You are not my people and I am not your God.” Whoa!

That’s Hosea 1:9, yet the very next verse contains a promise: “Where it is said to them, “You are not My people,” It will be said to them, “You are the sons of the living God.”” Hallelujah!

The Apostle Paul quotes Hosea 1:9 in Romans 9:26. And finishes the chapter by declaring that Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, that’s right standing with God, attained righteousness, the righteousness which is by faith; adding Israel was still struggling, trying to get there through their works.

Righteousness by faith is a stumbling stone: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” Friend, it is no longer a matter of obedience or disobedience: it is a matter of having faith in our God and His amazing grace.

Yes, thanks to God’s Amazing Grace – we can COME ALIVE!

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Here we believe the New Covenant really is NEW – it is not a rehash, a make-over, of the Old one. Under the Old, WE were responsible to perform – to get it right – in order for God to bless us. IF we were obedient to ALL He commanded, THEN blessings would flow.

My friend, I see so many Christians struggling today – Christians mind you: Depressed. Anxious. Confused. Downcast. Because – of an Old Covenant mindset. They are believing they must please God first, in order to be accepted, to be approved. They may point to Matt 25:21,23 where Jesus gives a parable where a master of the house is saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the master.” And they wrestle with thoughts of “am I good enough,” “have I done enough.” Maybe that’s you.

My friend, remember – in the New Covenant – God – Father and Son made it, for us, Jesus being our representative. It is eternal and cannot fail for God cannot fail. 

We BELIEVE: that Jesus IS our Savior and Lord, and God translates us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. He makes us New Creations: sons and daughters of the Living God. Eternally accepted in the beloved. Eph 1:3. 

Put away that Old Covenant believing my friend, put it away today. Embrace the NEW Covenant – after all, it is true – receive the truth – stop laboring to please God, but believe HIS precious promises toward us – not conditions, but PROMISES!

Struggle no more; enter the REST that God has prepared for you. Believe Jesus has completed all the paperwork for your adoption into the family of God. Believe – take a deep breath, let that stress go!

Let’s glorify Jesus and thank Him for His marvelous works! Let’s boast in them, not ours. As we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to energize us we may find ourselves laboring harder than anyone else (as Paul says in 1 Cor 15:10), but it won’t be us but the Spirit of God in us, hallelujah!

By the power of God — now isn’t that a great way – to COME ALIVE?

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The translators of the King James Bible came across a Hebrew word that did not have a ready equivalent in the English. It was “Hesed.” The translators created a new word in the English: “lovingkindness.”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary simple defines this when in the context of God toward men as “goodness, mercy, and grace.” But as we read of its 182 occurrences in the Scripture, we find much much more. It could take several lifetimes and we would still not be able to wrap our heads fully around the greatness, magnificence of hesed!

Hesed indicates exceptional favor from God. Something that has not been earned but graciously given. The singer and writer Michael Card has done an extensive study on hesed, and defines it this way: lovingkindness is when the one from whom you have to right to expect nothing, who owes you nothing – chooses instead to give you everything.

When we are speaking of God and His hesed, it may be best expressed as the New Covenant. God making us new creations, righteous, accepted, approved in every way. All the old paid for in full and taken away. And, and this is something I marvel at, He has chosen even to give us – Himself. To share Himself with us. God in us. Col 1:27. 

Think about this – not only is there no longer any separation between God and man; He shares Himself with us. He has graciously opened the door of His life to us, and the word on His lips is Hesed. 

Even though we have no right to expect anything from Him, He is pleased to give us everything. He is pleased to open His heart and His life to us. Why? Because he is the god of Hesed. 

He will never leave us or forsake us. He will comfort us. He will provide for us. He gives us eternal life – with Him – and Him in us, for His lovingkindness is everlasting (Ps 136).

O my dear friend, give thanks to the Lord – and COME ALIVE!

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