Questions for Atheists

Although it’s too late for an atheist to convince me that God doesn’t exist, my heart goes out to those who actually believe that this wondrous universe we live in (somehow) came from a singular explosion of primordial somethings.

Rather than arguing, I have some simple questions for atheists, questions which you may wish to ask doubters within your own sphere of influence. All of these questions have no legitimate answer, outside of “I don’t know-but God does.” Enjoy:

1. There are approximately two trillion galaxies in the universe. Each galaxy has about 100 billion stars.
Before coming into being, where’d the space come from to hold the stars?

2. Red, yellow and blue are the primary colors. Which came first?

3. Matter exists as a solid, liquid, or gas. Which of these three forms came first?

4. Electrical charges of atoms are either positive, negative, or neutral. Which of these charges came first?

5. Sight, hearing, smelling, touch, and taste comprise the five physical senses. Which came first?

No doubt, you may have additional questions of your own to ask those you know to be atheists. Or at least questioners of God. The above five questions, when sincerely asked, could cause someone to think outside of his/her experiences. And at least contemplate the existence of someone we call God.

The seed you plant will be watered by someone else, but God will give the increase. Or maybe you’ll be the waterer of someone else’s seed. Either way, leave the results to God, and enjoy the above questions for atheists-or any thinker, for that matter.

No Patents Pending

Generally speaking, patents are issued for original inventions, such as the personal computer or automobile. One need not look around very long to see something that resulted from a patent.

 But no patent has ever been or will be issued for the making of this universe. That includes every star, planet, moon-all objects found throughout the vast expanse of what is called outer space. 

There are estimated to be as many as two trillion galaxies in the universe. Galaxies, not stars. Two trillion galaxies, as in 2,000,000,000,000. Each galaxy contains hundreds of billions of stars within its “borders”. Anyway you slice it, the number of stars is beyond human comprehension-at least mine. 

Regardless of how many stars God made, no patents have ever been issued for any of them. Nor are any pending. Why is this? 

Because God owns this universe. Every galaxy, star, planet, moon, and all objects in between. They’re all His. No one person or group has even come close to creating one celestial object, much less trillions of them. So, no patents issued.

Here’s a thought: the same God Who created this universe cares about every detail of your life. He’s not only big enough to keep this universe going, but He’s big enough for you to trust Him with your life. This includes your present and your future.

Even though there are no patents pending on anything God has ever made He’s keeping the universe running, while giving you His undivided attention. No one else does that, so no patents have been issued on God’s care for you. None pending either.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024

Declare Your In (ner) dependence Day

Here in America July 4th is also known as Independence Day, marking our independence from England, nearly 250 years ago.

Christians ought to have a day of independence as well; the day (or night) when we received our independence from the devil and doing things his way. A time when we remember our deliverance from spiritual darkness and being placed into the kingdom of God, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Going from living for the devil to living for God means being dependent on Him for all we need in this life: health, provision in every area-including financial and material supply-and guidance.

Guidance from God implies doing things His way rather than our own. It means being dependent on Him rather than on ourselves. It means giving God our best, expecting His part to make the difference in every situation, large or small. Inner dependence.

Inner dependence is simply depending on the living God, Who’s living in you, to supply every need, to put you over in life. It’s cooperating with God to see victory over even the most challenging circumstances in life, knowing that nothing is too difficult-or insignificant-for God to handle on our behalf.

Why wait for July 4th to celebrate your independence?  Every day can be a day of inner dependence on God, through His Word, enabling you to win over every situation life presents you.

It’s time to declare your own in (ner) dependence on God.

Why Wait Until Midnight?

Why Wait ‘til Midnight?

Living on this earth means having to face real problems. At times the situation you’re facing may seem hopeless. You’re not alone.

In the Bible, the book of Acts, chapter 16 we see Paul and Silas unjustly thrown into a Philippian jail. The “crime"? For being used of God to deliver a young woman from demonic bondage.

Beaten, with their feet in stocks, Paul and Silas were facing  imprisonment or, worse, death. Not a time for campfire songs, including “Kum-Ba-Yah" (Come by here).

Both Paul and Silas began to do something in their midnight hour: pray and sing praises to God. While they were doing something seemingly insignificant, God sent the answer.

Things we can learn from Paul and Silas’s experience:

1. Never underestimate the power of prayer. No, it’s not the only thing to do but, in Paul and Silas’s case, what else could they do?  No Bible, no sermons on what to do when unjustly jailed, no internet. It pays to know how to pray.

2.  Singing praises to God is an act of faith, not a feeling. There’s something about singing praises that just works.

3. Praying and singing praises to God opened the door for something good to happen to Paul and Silas. In their case the prison doors were opened and the bands of all were loosed.

Your situation may not be unjust imprisonment, but just as real. It was literally midnight for Paul and Silas. Your situation may seem like a midnight to you-dark and bleak. But God hasn’t changed.

Even though He knows, tell God what’s going on. Remind Him of his promises, then begin to praise God for His goodness, His mercy, His mighty power to deliver you from that situation. Singing praises to God opens the door for Him to work on your behalf.

Midnight situations are the exception, not the norm. Since prayer and praise work all the time, why wait until midnight to praise God? After all, prayer is neither seasonal nor situational. It’s when things are going well that it’s easier to pray, praise, and spend more time in the presence of God, without outside pressures.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024

Does God Have an Ego?

God is, well, God. All-mighty, all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, and all- loving. All at the same time. So, the question arises: Does God have an ego? Stop and think about this: human beings with wealth, power, and influences far less than God's have enormous egos. To be able to do whatever you want, go wherever you want and have it all can be heady stuff for those with billions, even those who are "mere" mega millionaires.

So, is God an egomaniac? Does He see Himself as better-and better off-than all of us put together? If so then, on that basis alone, God has an ego that's out of this world. Literally.

But if God, Who never changes, has an ego, then it's constant-the same yesterday, today, and forever. Ego has to do with self-worth, self-importance, self-identity. Since God knows exactly Who He is, the size of whatever ego God has isn't going to ever change.

Human ego is dependent upon affirmation from others, from external circumstances. God desires our attention, praise, and worship to Him. But any failure on our part to do so won't change God a bit.

We must recognize that being in God's presence is as much for our benefit as it is for His. God doesn't need our praise and adoration to boost His ego. Being in God's presence to praise, magnify, and worship Him caused God, as recorded in the Bible, to do things for lives which didn't happen any other way.  Chains were loosed (Acts 12:5-7),  prisons were opened (Acts 16:25,26), and God gave specific plans (Acts 13:2). He's still doing this today.

If God has an ego, it's certainly not like ours, subject to being inflated-or deflated for that matter. His is constant, because God knows (and is secure in) Who He is at all times. Like God, we can and should be secure in who we are, in Christ, at all times.

We can and should be wholly independent of needing the affirmation of others to bolster our ego. By renewing our minds to think like God (to think in line with the New Testament) our egos will become more like God's: constant, settled, unchanging.

The kind of ego worth working for and demonstrating to the lost-and most Christians.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024