You Have the Same Life That Jesus Had on the Earth Pt. 2

Here’s a simple question that will help you to better understand Part 1 of this topic: Since Jesus is our Head, and we are His Body, why wouldn’t we, as the Body, have the same life as is in the Head? The answer is, of course, that we do have-as the body of Christ-the same life as Jesus, the Head had on the earth, and has today, in Heaven. Remember that just because we can’t grasp the reality of this truth doesn’t make it a lie.

If we, as the Body of Christ, don’t have the same life in us that Jesus had in Himself, on the earth, then who’s life is in us? II Corinthians 5:17 states that all persons in Christ are new spiritually,, including having a new spiritual life. That being said, who’s life is now in that new creature, in Christ? Where did that life come from?

The simple answer is, of course, that our spirit’s life comes from God’s life, from His very being. In the natural, a child has the same life in him/her that the parents have. My natural life came from my parents, not someone in the neighborhood. My DNA came from my parents. Spiritually, our DNA comes from God Himself, not an angel or other entity. Let that thought soak in your heart. Let it percolate in your mind. And then act on what you believe. Doing so will change your life. It certainly has changed mine, day by day.

You Have the Same Life That Jesus Had on the Earth Pt. 1

You and Jesus have the same life. If you’re a Christian-a follower of God, through serving Jesus Christ, then the same abundant life (zoe) that was in Jesus, when He was on the earth, is in you. Jesus said, in John 10:10, that He came that we might have life and that more abundantly. He wants us to have the same life that He had-and still has. I John 4:17 states that as He is so are we in this world. Not the one to come, but this one, here on this earth. How can this be done apart from having the same life? It can’t of course.

What does this mean, in simple terms? It means that the same life (zoe) that Jesus enjoyed here on earth is in the Church. Not a denomination, but THE Church, made up of all who have confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior, out of a believing heart. That means every person in the world; young and old, male and female, who is serving God, through Jesus Christ His Son has within himself or herself, the ability to live in this life as Jesus did in His entire time on the earth.

Something to think about: You have a head and a body. Your head gives instructions to your body, which your body then obeys. Your body gets its commands from the head, which your body carries out. Your head doesn’t carry out commands-it gives them. Really, your head is helpless apart from your body. Likewise, the body is completely dependent upon the head to give it direction. Your head doesn’t pick things up-your body (hopefully) does. Your head can’t drive a vehicle, but it does give commands for the body to carry out to enable a vehicle to safely operate.

Since the Bible clearly shows us that we, as the Body of Christ, have the same life that Jesus has on the earth, why do so many Christians suffer sickness, disease, depression, poverty, fear, for examples? Why are most Christians going through life on earth with their nose to the proverbial grindstone?

Who’s fault-if anyone’s-is it? God’s? No, that can’t be true because that would violate His Word, which is His will. God never wishes anything for the world that doesn’t line up with His written word, including the two verses listed earlier. What about the devil getting the blame. No, that won’t work either, because Jesus soundly defeated the devil, as described in Colossians 1:13, 2:15, and Hebrews 9:12, to name but a few verses. Jesus’s victory over the devil was complete. A 100% annihilation of Satan and his emissaries. And the victory that Jesus won He won for you and me.

If not complete then Jesus failed in His mission, and we’re in a heap of trouble. Fortunately, Jesus’s victory was absolutely complete, defeating sin, sickness (I Peter 2:24 and I John 3:8), and poverty as well (II Corinthians 8:9, 3 John 2). He wiped the slate clean, so to speak. As believers we now have everything we need, in Christ, to make us a success in this life. We have God’s Word, including the armor of God, and the use of Jesus’s own Name. Additionally we are covered by the precious Blood of Jesus, and are led by the Spirit of God. Jesus won the battle, with room to spare.

So, if not God’s or the devil’s fault, whose is it? To be blunt-it’s ours. Either through ignorance or just plain disobedience, we have failed to grasp the reality described above: that the same life (zoe) that Jesus (our Head) had on the earth now belongs to every believer as part of the Church, Christ’s body, hopefully including you. This truth is so strongly opposed by the devil, because he knows that once a person finds out and walks in this truth, Satan’s influence over that person greatly diminishes.

There’s so much to cover in this area that Part 2 will be coming out soon. For some not knowing, zoe (zo-a (long a sound) is the Greek word for life in so much of the New Testament.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2024

What Does God Sound Like?

Most people, perhaps even you, have wondered, “what does God sound like?” Does He have a distinct voice, one that rises above all others? Is there a recording of what God has ever said? If so, what was said?

In answering the question, I’l let God give His answer, using words from, well, His Word. Let’s start with Psalm 103.20, “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” Notice the phrase “the voice of his word.” God’s word has a voice. His voice is heard through His Word, which the angels are listening and responding to.

Oftentimes it’s through the voice of good pastors, feeding their sheep. But, notice that the verse says that angels hearken to the voice of his (God’s) word”-no matter who’s doing the saying-you, me, or the pastor. Angels aren’t looking on the outside, and neither should we. They don’t care how the person who spoke God’s written Word is dressed. No, they’re listening to what’s being said, not what the vessel looks like.

Which is what God does. He hears His Word being spoken and sends answers to prayers based on His Word. God never considers how the mouthpiece looks, for He always looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God’s not impressed by volume either, for Kings 19:12-13 tells us that God speaks through a still small voice-a delicate whispering, if you will. That’s why our minds need to be quiet, so our hearts (spirits) can hear from God, by His Spirit within us. Quiet has a place in our lives.

Instead of asking God to speak louder our focus should be on getting our minds quiet, on God’s written Word. While there’re times to shout, there’s something about being quiet that has its own explanation, that comes by doing. Psalm 46:10 says to be still, and know that God is, well, God.

How long will this process take? It depends on the person. Some folks already have a fairly quiet mind. For them, probably not as long, but it still takes months of daily practicing keeping our hearts filled with God’s Word. As an encouragement, It takes time and discipline to bring our minds quiet where we can hear God speaking to us, through our inward person-our spirits. If you haven’t yet begun, today is a great time to start the process of acquiring a quiet mind before God.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2024

A Life of Change

One thing about living for God that never changes, is that we’re constantly changing. Always changing to be more like Jesus. In our thoughts, words, and actions.

Although change is necessary to be more like Jesus, not everyone chooses to change. Some want things to be as they were. These folks are content with how things used to be. Things then weren’t perfect, but they were simple, easily understood, requiring little effort on our part to maintain. The “good old days.”

Change requires willingness and actions to accomplish whatever changes need to be done in order to draw closer to the finish line. Whoever said that problems would go away for Christians failed to tell the truth about things. Christians may face problems non-existent before coming to Christ, but now they have the supernatural authority to vastly mitigate-or even eradicate-such problems.

No, problems don’t just go away, problems may actually increase because, as a Christian, you’re now a threat to the devil. The difference is that now you have the means to stop the devil, concerning your own life. As a Christian, a child of God, you’re now in victory, the devil’s in defeat. You are now in Christ. God is, by the Holy Spirit, living in your spirit. Housed in your body, which belongs to God (Corinthians 6:20). You, however, are the custodian and caretaker of that body. What you think, believe, speak, and act out is your-not God’s-responsibility.

You now have God’s Word in you. You have the Blood of Jesus to cover, protect, and heal you. You have the Name of Jesus to use here on the earth, to get the same results in prayer that Jesus got when He was on the earth. And you have the same precious Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct you, that Jesus had during His early ministry, nearly 2,000 years ago. The very same one. There is only one Holy Spirit.

Change is required to be more like Jesus. He set an example before us, that we can faithfully follow (! Peter 2:21). Not in our own strength, ability, or righteousness. But by God’s. We can’t achieve God’s best apart from His means. That way He gets the glory, not us.

When we give action to what we believe, we’re taking steps of faith (and some are small) of obedience. The Bible says that we are to walk by faith, not by sight (2Corinthians 5:7). To walk by faith is to walk by what the Bible says, particularly through the New Testament Epistles-letters written to believers just like you and me. Starting with the book of Romans, going through Jude and Revelation.

As has been said, every journey starts with the first step. Walking with God is a life-long journey. Start with where you’re at. Do what you know to do. Taking that first step enables God to show you the next step. Each step produces change in you as well as, sometimes, those around you.

God’s steps are steps of peace. In fact, according to Proverbs 3:17, wisdom’s ways are ways of pleasantness and all of its paths are peace. Declare that you are God’s child and that He is leading you on the inside.

Then take the next step.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2024

Where’s Your Dependency?

There’s a lot of debate going on about government’s role in people’s lives. Many decry what they consider an over dependency on government in every area of life.

Sadly, I see a similar trend in Christian circles today: a growing dependency by Christians on what someone else says about the Bible. What someone else has written about how to ______________. You fill in the blank. 

While I certainly recognize ministry gifts in our midst, such as teachers and evangelists, they are not to take the place of our own personal time with God and His Word. 

The Bible says that the entrance of God’s Word gives light (Psalm 119:130). Light is knowledge. God’s knowledge is worth having.

Here are three suggestions for receiving the knowledge of God:

First, get alone with God. Talk to Him as you would to someone who knows everything about you, which God already does. 

Sometimes, talking to God is easier than hearing from Him. Just remember that God also has things He wants to say to us.

My second suggestion is get into God’s Word for yourself. Just you, God, and His Word. The more you do this the quieter your mind will become. With a quiet mind you’ll hear better from God.

While all Scripture is good, our main focus should be on the Epistles-letters written to fellow Christians, from Romans to Jude. It is in the Epistles that we learn why Jesus died, as well as our rights and responsibilities as sons and daughters of God.

Thirdly, Get a pad of paper and something to write with. God will share truths with anyone who’ll quieten his/her mind to hear what He saying to that person’s spirit, including yours. Simple, yet rewarding.

Again, God put good teachers and preachers in the Church universal, to inform and inspire us. But not at the expense of us hearing from God for ourselves, in times of prayer and study.

If you’re already doing these three things, you are to be commended. If not, perhaps seeing these suggestions will help you-or someone you know-to hear from God for himself/herself. All while still being blessed from the preaching and teaching from those gifted of God to do so.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 1989-2024

What Season Are You In?

As I write, it’s cold and wet outside. Surface conditions could be worse if this rain turns to snow. After all, my calendar tells me that it’s winter. 

Winter is a season in Oklahoma where outside conditions remind us of the wisdom of having warm clothes to wear, and actually wearing them.

Spring, Summer, and Fall comprise the remaining seasons which all of us live in. Regardless of where you live you will go through all four seasons-hopefully many times. The more seasons you go through, the longer you’ve been living.

Here are some things about natural seasons: 

1. You don’t skip seasons. It’s Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, in that order.

2. It’s to your advantage to recognize the season that you’re in. Grass is best mowed without snow on it. Christmas lights in July? Wait awhile. 

3. Your actions in the present season affect the ones coming next. Spring planting affects summer cultivation and fall harvest. Works every time.

These same principles apply to our lives, spiritually speaking. 

Your winter may be a time of preparation for the next season God has for you. Your spring may be a time of planting time, talent, and/or other resources for a harvest of promotion or other increase in your fall. Your summer may be a season of maintaining/guarding what you’ve planted. Your fall may be a season of harvest after seasons of preparation, planting, and patience. With God not all seasons are the same length.

Not everything is measured by seasons. Getting along is not a season. Neither is being nice or walking in love. No, these are constants. 

Spiritually speaking, what season are you in? Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that there is a time for every purpose under Heaven. What we do for God involves seasons. It’s not always winter or summer. Spring may seem to go on forever, but harvest time WILL come, if we stay at it (Galatians 6:9).

Recognizing and correctly responding to the season you’re in right now can affect both the length and frequency of seasons in your own walk with God. Hopefully this post will help you identify and flourish in the season you’re in, as well as show you things to do for the season(s) ahead.

Copyright 2019-2024 Hubert Gardner Ministries

Lessons Learned From Puzzles

My wife is good at puzzles. Most 500-1000 piece puzzles are “conquered” in several hours, spread out over a few days. Usually during holiday breaks.

Over the years Pamela has learned a few “tricks” of successful puzzle solving. No matter how many pieces-no matter how challenging a puzzle appears to be-my wife always starts with the frame. Always; no exceptions. Once the frame is in place she knows that all other pieces have to fit somewhere within the frame.

Some of the puzzles my wife solves have trees or other objects with similar colors and shapes to them. From a distance the pieces can appear as punishment for buying the puzzle. These take more time to overcome, for similar-looking pieces to eventually fit together.

At times life may seems like a puzzle. Pictures on the puzzle box cover are like the lives people dream about: they’re a whole lot easier to look at than to be completed in ones own life. The bigger the dream the more “pieces” there are to have in place.

Life can seem like a giant, complex puzzle. But like any puzzle, it’s easier to fit the pieces together when the frame’s in place. It’s then a matter of knowing where to put other pieces in the frame. Still challenging, but now much more workable.

Each successful life has a frame, a border that defines both its possibilities and limits. Your life’s best frame is God’s Word: what God says about who you are and what you have, in Christ, and what you can do through Christ. All good “pieces.”

This frame holds the rest of your life together. No pieces go outside the frame. It’s a frame that’s just right for every piece of your life.  Starting with your frame.

The time it takes for the pieces of your life to fit together depends on when you want to start. This ministry is helping people in framing their lives for eternity. Feel free to check out the rest of our website for more simple pieces of knowledge (information), suitable for framing:.

©Copyright Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024

The Value of Church History

History is a fascinating subject. Whether talking about a person or event from thousands of years ago or within the last 20 years, history is always about only the past. Never now or the future. Some reading this remember persons and/or events from as far back as 50 years ago. Perhaps less. 

 The same is true concerning church history. By church I mean the Church-God’s Church-the Body of Christ. Believers in the lordship of Jesus Christ. We believers also have a history. People and events from the past who and which have helped influence where we are as the Church today.

 Throughout Church history many events have taken place. God has used a great number of people like you, to accomplish His plans and purposes. At times those, with such last names as Wycliffe, Tyndale, Augustine, Luther, Wesley, Whitfield, Finney, Woodworth-Etter, Sunday, and Graham have been greatly used by God to bring about God’s love and power.

 For some reason it grieves me that so many believers-especially charismatic Christians-know little or nothing about their heritage. Recently I was at a large meeting, attended by christians from many states and countries. When asked if she had ever heard of Zion, a product table volunteer replied that she had not. Yet her employer, a well-known speaker, regularly teaches on divine healing. 

 Some may say, “What difference does it make, knowing Church history?” Others go to the other extreme, knowing historical details while missing the real message of the moves of God. Another opportunity for balance. 

 Some may remember my three posts from years ago, highlighting people and places in church history who/which have profoundly influenced multiplied millions in the areas of divine healing and speaking in tongues, during the last 120 years. Not just in America but worldwide. Two cities, Zion and Topeka; one place, Azusa Street. You’ll find all three of them mentioned under older posts, beginning March 24, 2017. 

 Knowing church history will hopefully raise awareness of how the present came to be, as well as increase appreciation for those who were wonderfully used of the Holy Spirit to give us a taste of heaven on earth.

May both your present and future be blessed by knowing your past.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024