Author: Hank

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Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. The reading for today is Matthew 2:1&2. “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

These wise men, when made aware of Jesus’ birth — did what? They — sought Him out. They — went to Him. Why? To be in His presence. To worship Him. That’s wisdom then; that’s wisdom NOW.

Some time ago, a friend of mine suggested that the most important present at Christmas is — His Presence! That’s a powerful truth! 

In Genesis we find Adam and Eve being visited by the Lord, most likely daily. His Presence coming to them. 

Then sin came around. The presence of God that Adam and Eve once knew freely — was no longer.

Except for some visitations to a person here and there, a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night for Israel in the desert, and some temple visitations, God’s Presence was not to be found.

Until the Messiah. Jesus. Immanuel. God with us. Isaiah 7:14. To overcome mankind’s sin and ensure His purposes, the Creator became our Redeemer. And brought His presence back to His people.

In the beginning God was with man in the Garden of Eden. Then in Revelation 21:3 we find a new heavens, and a new earth, and, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.”

Isn’t that fantastic? Scripture begins and ends with God’s Presence with man! Can you believe that God wants to be with us EVEN MORE than we want to be with Him!

When we were born again, Christ came to dwell with us. His presence actually IN us! Colossians 1:27. And the epistles contain many passages saying we’ve been placed IN HIM, wow! 

But we want to experience more, don’t we? I mean, to be more aware of Him. To EXPERIENCE Him with every aspect of our being, right? How can we?

For a start, let’s ask Him. Start talking with Him as if He were right there, because HE IS! He is not far away; He is right there WITH YOU! Ask Him to speak with you and then LISTEN! Listen as you worship. Listen as you give Him praise. EXPECT to experience His presence as you invite Him to be with you.

Hey! You’ll COME ALIVE! What a Merry Christmas!

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Today is the third Sunday of Advent. The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming and to the anniversary of Our Lord’s birth, celebrated on Christmas.

The Advent season for many is a time of depression, stress, anxiety. “Woe is me, I have no friends, my family won’t talk to me, nobody loves me — not even God, I’m not good enough,” and so on. Yet Jesus, who always spoke the truth — Hey, He IS the TRUTH! — said, “for the Father Himself loves you.…”

That’s recorded in John 16:27, “…for the Father Himself loves you.…” The Father Himself loves you. Take a deep breath, relax, for the Father Himself loves you.

Remember the beginning of John 3:16? “For God so loved the world, that He gave….” We don’t earn our Father’s love. We don’t perform to attain to our Father’s love. We can’t, for God so loved the world….

The Father loves you — beyond the general of ‘the world’ we find a special reason. It’s found in John 16:26-27 which reads, “On that day (after Jesus has risen from the dead) you will ask in My name (in the character of Jesus), and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.”

In The Passion it reads this way, “And I will not need to ask the Father on your behalf, for you’ll ask Him directly because of your new relationship with Me. For the Father tenderly loves you, because you love Me and believe that I’ve come from God.”

You have believed the Good News and love your Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and now your Heavenly Father tenderly loves YOU.

Depressed? Hearing voices saying you should end it all? How about believing the truth that the Father Himself loves you. I suggest you lift your hands, throwing off the darkness in the same way blind Bartimaus did with his blind beggar’s cloak, on the Jericho road when He heard Jesus calling for him. Like him, receive your sight, see the truth, that the Father Himself loves you — and COME ALIVE!

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Today is the second Sunday of Advent. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming.” In Greek it is parousia. Scholars believe that during the 4th and 5th centuries in Spain and Gaul, Advent was a season of preparation for the baptism of new Christians at the January feast of Epiphany, which is the celebration of God’s incarnation represented by the visit of the Magi, Jesus baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, and His first miracle at Cana. During this season of preparation, Christians would spend 40 days in penance, prayer, and fasting. Originally, there was no connection between Advent and Christmas.

But by the 6th century, Roman Christians had tied Advent to the coming of Christ. His second coming. The Advent season was not explicitly linked to Christ’s first coming at Christmas until the Middle Ages.

Today Advent can be a depressing time for many Christians for the original religious preparation to receive Jesus has been replaced by greed, merchandizing — santas, elves and reindeer — extended Black Friday deals we can’t live without. When I lived in Texas we could find inflatable snow covered cowboy boots and cactus for our front yard. Here in Florida it’s alligators and flamingoes!

The greed on parade, coupled with a torrent of Christmas movies that have nothing to do with Jesus – can be very depressing. One year, greatly irritated, I placed a green tarpaulin over my front lamppost and spray painted it BLACK – decorating it with white lights. It’s how distressed I was, seeing only a dark dark world with a few Christians as glowing lights here and there. So if you’re feeling depressed, I’ve been there too.

I have a suggestion that might help, dear friend. This Advent, I invite you to rise above the world’s distorted notions of Christmas, and include Jesus in YOUR Christmas. In particular, in your decorations. I suggest you decorate – yourself – with Christ — Galatians 3:26 declares, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” And Romans 13:14 says, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Yes, let’s clothe ourselves with Jesus Christ. He is our appropriate dress, especially now. May people see that we belong to Him simply by looking at us. In our behavior. In our compassion. May they see us — adorned with Jesus. So how do you do that?Paul doesn’t say. I suggest therefore that you tell Jesus it’s what you want to do! Then ask Him for His help. He WILL help!

Today, throw off that mantle of depression, put on Jesus — and COME ALIVE!

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It’s the first Sunday of Advent. “What’s Advent?” you may ask. Advent lasts the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It is a season of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at His Second Coming.

As we see world events pointing to the End Times of which Jesus spoke, rather than becoming depressed, we can choose to look forward in eager anticipation to the coming of Christ’s kingdom when He returns for His people. Us!

For many, 2023 has been a difficult year. Consider: Galatians 4:4 reads, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Jesus came “when the time was right.” When the world was perfectly prepared for God’s work. Theologians have said that the world at that time had sunk into a moral abyss so low that even the pagans cried out against it and that spiritual hunger was everywhere evident; it was a perfect time for the coming of Christ. To my mind, today is much like that. Sin appears everywhere, flagrant sin, and I urge you to be steadfast as the “right time” of His second coming approaches. Let hope arise.

Many people encounter depression at this time every year, feeling suicidal, feeling totally hopeless. Well, when we genuinely were totally hopeless, sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8, taking our hopelessness and giving us true hope. The work of Jesus on the cross for us is God’s ultimate proof of His love for us. Unconditional love. Not based on our performance prior to, or after our believing in Him. Jesus died for undeserving sinners and rebels. His love, His blood, is greater than our greatest sin. Let hope arise.

This Advent, look upon the evergreen trees – see Jesus’ eternal love for us. Look upon the lights – see Jesus, Light of the world, giving life to us. Look upon the gift giving – see Jesus, God’s greatest gift, given us out of His great great love for us.

Look and see. May your faith arise for “faith brings our hopes into reality” Hebrews 11:1. Embrace that Hope set before you, your glorious reality as a child of Almighty Father God, and COME ALIVE!

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I love the book of Hebrews. The reason? Because it presents an awesome Jesus on every page! The author proves Jesus’ superiority over angels, and Moses. And then proves His superior priesthood, superior sacrifice and superior covenant.

Wow! The shadows of the Old Covenant come into the light as Jesus shines brightly for us to see. After all, we have crossed over from darkness to light and from doubt to faith. In fact, the name Hebrews means, “those who crossed over.” We have passed from shadows to substance and from doubt to the reality of faith. What once was a symbol, a type, or a shadow has now become substance, finding their fulfillment in Jesus.

One commentator has said, “Jesus is the theme of Hebrews. We must learn from Jesus and draw closer to Jesus …, for Jesus is the language of God! When God now speaks to us, He speaks in the vocabulary of Jesus Christ. All of the Bible points to Jesus.” Jesus the language of God? That’s Hebrews 1:2.

With Jesus being the language of God, let me ask, how frequently do you hear the name of Jesus spoken in your church services? If your answer is ‘seldom’ then I wonder what IS being preached, proclaimed, and taught there?

Hebrews reveals Jesus as our glorious High Priest. Greater than Moses, greater than any sacrifice ever offered, greater than any prophet of old. His blood has given us unrestricted access to the holy of holies. The veil between God and man has been removed! We encounter mercy and grace at the throne of God, thanks to Jesus.

It is Jesus who perfects our faith – Hebrews 12:2 – until we rise with Him into the heavenly realm. Jesus stirs us to enter into the full rest of God by seeing Him alone as our perfect sacrifice before the Father.

The Old Covenant has been fulfilled by and in Jesus. The final sacrifice for all people has been made. All God commanded under the first covenant on earth became obsolete and disappeared thanks to what Jesus accomplished in heaven!

Hebrews 11 begins with a clear definition of faith: “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.” Biblical faith claims a confidence beyond our own because it rests in the character of God.

We live in a world that refuses to acknowledge God and says “just believe” leaving just what you believe in (usually yourself) up to you. Doesn’t work.

We however, place OUR faith in the LIVING GOD. Our lives become the adventure of LIVING IN HIM. So look to, believe in, have faith in Jesus today dear friend — you’ll COME ALIVE!

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Thanksgiving Edition

Today is Thanksgiving. Back in 1621 in the Plymouth Colony, their harvest celebration lasted 3 days, following a horrific first year in which over half the colony perished.

We don’t have a record of what may have been said then, but in the harvest time celebration of 1623 governor William Bradford made note of the blessings of the Lord, for which they blessed God in a special day of thanksgiving.

Its celebration was intermittent until President Abraham Lincoln, in 1863, proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Let’s take advantage of this national day to give thanks to our Awesome God. Thank Him — each of us has much to thank Him for — like salvation! Eternal life! That everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by His divine power. 2 Peter 1:3.

Let’s thank Him for His precious promises that are beyond all price. That brings me to Faith’s Ladder of Virtue as 2 Peter 1:5 & 6 is called. Let’s thank the Lord that these virtues are not something we have to produce for God, but they are already planted deep within us. We possess them in abundant supply, thanks to Jesus.

They read, ”Out of your faith will emerge goodness, and out of goodness will emerge understanding (of God), and out of understanding (of God) will emerge inner strength (self-control), and out of inner strength will emerge patient endurance, and out of patient endurance will emerge godliness, and out of godliness will emerge mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and out of mercy will emerge love.” Alternate rendering in The Passion Translation.

Today, may grace and perfect peace cascade over you and may you COME ALIVE!

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Here is a question for you: “What are you DOING – to EARN – God’s gifts of grace?” Ha! You’re probably saying, “Well Hank, don’t you know that no one can earn God’s gifts for they are bestowed by grace. He gives graciously because of who He is. His grace gifts cannot be worked for or earned or they wouldn’t be by grace.” Romans 5:15 and many others. I totally agree with you. A gift is not a gift if you have to earn it. His grace is a gift and obtained thru faith alone.

I told my dear wife I had a question for her, but before I could even ask her, she answered, saying, “Jesus has already provided for us – ALL THINGS necessary for LIFE and GODLINESS!” That’s 2 Peter 1:3. Like salvation, all things necessary for LIFE and GODLINESS are available to us through Jesus Christ. By grace. God’s grace. Our part is not to earn them, but to have faith in Jesus – and receive them.

So my friend, have faith in God — daily. Let’s not scramble around like a chicken without a head in difficult times, don’t fret, but rest in what Jesus has done for us. Let’s allow Him to lavish us with waves of grace. Let our requests be made known. Ask Him, the God of the impossible, for help, for all things are possible to Him. Let’s give thanks ahead of seeing it.

Ah, but perhaps you say you can’t do that because it was you who messed up. That the impossible situation is because you did something wrong, failed to consider something, didn’t read the fine print — whatever. That it is your fault and God is expecting you to pay for it and live with the consequences. Is that what you are thinking?

Or are you doing what many Christians do when they fail or don’t measure up, or come in out of the running, or miss the promotion — and that is to resolve to try harder. Work harder. Do better the next time. In other words, respond just like the world.

Well, let’s get a real grip on who we are – in Christ – WHOSE we are – in Christ. Let’s consider afresh the blood of Jesus!

Take another look at Calvary’s Cross – those failures, the sins, they are all there, yours and mine, and paid for by His blood. So reject that spirit of condemnation. We’re accepted in Christ Jesus. Reject that spirit of hopelessness and depression. Thank Jesus for making a way out of the mess. Apply faith – in God! That throne of judgment has become a throne of grace — let’s come confidently before that throne. Ask for wisdom, understanding, promotion. Whatever we need. God will act on upon our requests. Gracefully.

And we’ll COME ALIVE!

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Last week I shared from the first chapter of Ephesians in the Passion Translation, the point being it is GOD who has brought us into UNION with Christ Jesus and (pause) loves us as much as He does the Beloved. That’s Jesus. So get rid of that depression, that comparison, that hopelessness that you’ll never be good enough for God – God has already brought you way past that false place of trying to measure up. He has brought you into glorious UNION with Himself. The cascading riches of His grace shall eternally wash over you, dear friend!

This week let’s look at a verse or two from Ephesians chapter 2, again from the Passion Translation. The opening verses declare that once we were like corpses, dead in our sins and offenses, obeying the dark ruler of the earthly realm. 

Then verses 5 & 6, But God, so rich in compassion and mercy, united us into the very life of Christ and saved us by His wonderful grace! He raised us up with Christ the exalted One, and we ascended with Him into the glorious perfection and authority of the heavenly realm, for we are now co-seated as one with Christ! I used to think I was seated somewhere down the line of mini-thrones from Jesus, a couple billion people down – maybe you have too. But Scripture says we are co-seated as one with Christ. Same throne. Wow!

And throughout the coming ages we will be the visible display of the infinite riches of His grace and kindness, which was showered upon us in Jesus Christ, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving. How big is God’s grace? Just look where God has placed us: into union with His Son, and seated us upon that same throne! A visible display of the infinite riches of His grace and kindness.

Now verse 10, usually translated “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ah, but in the Passion this verse is a magnificent, artistic, creative, soaring to the heavens verse. There it reads, “We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! His poetry! Ever looked at your life as a love-poem penned by God Himself? His poetry.

We are each a love poem written by the Master Poet, having a divine beginning and an eternal destiny. It’s time to rejoice, dear friend, and COME ALIVE!

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Ephesians is an incredible epistle that includes the majestic themes of God’s work. Paul opens this letter by giving a description of what God has done, our relationship with God, and the promise of the future. The Passion Translation has some eye popping expressive renderings of these passages. For example let’s look at verses 2 and 3 of chapter 1.

There Paul says he is “writing this letter to all the devoted believers (including you and me) who HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY BY BEING ONE WITH JESUS, the Anointed One.”

Did you catch that? Believers in Jesus HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY – it’s not something we are struggling to attain. We have been made holy by – GOD. We are HIS holy people. Holy. Attained not by works. Nor by self effort. And how were we made holy? Incredibly, the verse says BY BEING ONE WITH JESUS!!!! Who did this marvelous work of ONENESS? Of uniting us with Jesus? You? Me? God did, the moment we believed upon Jesus we were ingrafted into the vine. Not as a little add-on but AS ONE WITH JESUS THE VINE. John 15:5.

Now think deeper. Before Creation, there was God — Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Totally complete. Infinite. The God Who is love. Infinite love. Well, this God, desiring to express their love upon MORE than just their infinite selves, created this universe and placed man in it. So God could shower His love upon man. But not like the way we might love our dog or cat or iguana, but as a son, as a daughter.

God, through Jesus Christ, dealt with our sins, gave us a new god-nature, and not stopping there, went on to unite us, to MAKE US ONE WITH JESUS. Christ in us, we in Christ. I think even in eternity this amazing grace will still be beyond our comprehension!

Then the Passion Bible reads, “May God Himself, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, release grace over you and impart total well-being into your lives. What a prayer! Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm has already been lavished upon us as a love gift from our wonderful heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus—ALL BECAUSE HE SEES US WRAPPED INTO CHRIST. Passion Translation.

Spiritual blessings, lavished upon us, because of our union with Jesus. You and I are extraordinarily blessed my friend! “The same love the Father has for the Beloved, Jesus, He has for us.” Passion Translation.

Think about that, we are wrapped up into Christ, we are one with Jesus Christ. Accepted in Him, stain-free and as we just heard, loved by the Father as much as Jesus. Receive that love — and COME ALIVE!

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Ever since the Garden of Eden, guilt has battered humanity.

I am sure you have felt guilty at times. For stuff you did. Or maybe did not do. How about when you did well but felt you could or should have done better? Yikes! None of us can win against guilt.

When I was saved, the church I was in didn’t fully understand a person is saved, not kind of saved or partly saved, and it is by God’s GRACE — a gift. And, that we are JUSTIFIED — declared NOT GUILTY — by the blood of Jesus shed at Calvary. I was told my heavenly father was looking down on me and expecting me to get things right. Talk about pressure! Worse than the world in fact.

But what does Scripture say? Here is Hebrews 10:22; “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Or Galatians 2:16, “Nevertheless, knowing that a person is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, …since by works of the Law no flesh will be justified.”

To be justified means we are NOT guilty. Jesus became our sin bearer, assuming responsibility for ALL OUR SINS.

If we are righteous and justified, we cannot still be guilty of sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 reads, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Thank God for the cross of Calvary where all our sins have been nailed, where the Divine exchange took place.

God in His grace never says we are not doing enough, giving enough, praying enough. We who have faith in Jesus Christ are not guilty. Forever not guilty. We are never out of fellowship with God. Consider the blood of Jesus, and rejoice!

As you begin to understand the FINISHED work of the cross, it changes the way you view your mistakes and failings. You no longer dwell on your weaknesses – there’s no power there. Instead, you fix your eyes on Jesus who was “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25.

Sure, the accuser may bring a case against us. Even an excellent case! However, the issue is not whether we have stumbled but whether Jesus has been raised. And if He has been raised then we have been justified. Case dismissed.

It takes no faith to look at our mistakes and condemn ourselves. But it does take faith to look at Christ and say, “Because of you, I have been judged not guilty for all time. Thank you, Jesus!”

Yes, don’t look at your mistakes but look at Jesus and thank Him that the guilty verdict against you has been thrown out. Take another look, and COME ALIVE!

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