My Christmas Suggestion

Thanksgiving Day has passed. On to Christmas, with festive displays, seasonal smells, and presents given and received. On the surface I see nothing wrong with this. I like this season.

But I do have a problem with those who refuse to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. Indeed, some intentionally keep Christ out of Christmas, while (literally) banking on profiting from their products and or services finding homes for Christmas. Our homes. All at a price, of course. 

Here’s my Christmas suggestion:

All individuals, companies, and organizations promoting Christmas-related services and/or products must do the following, in order to have a “Christmas Permit.” This permit allows the holder to profit from such services/products during the Christmas season which, for many, starts in August. Some even sooner. Here would be the requirements of the individual and group permit holders:

1. Have a signed statement prominently displayed on their website, windows, and/or vehicles stating their affirmation of Christmas being the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

2. Require all employees and vendors to say “Merry Christmas,” rather than “Happy Holidays.” 

Sound radical or ridiculous? Maybe, but requiring so would force those profiting from Christmas at least do so honestly. Those who choose not to wouldn’t be allowed to sell anything having to do with Christmas. 

Realistic? Perhaps not, but that’s my Christmas suggestion. What’s yours?

What’s something you’d like to see to return this nation more to the real meaning of Christmas?

Copyright © Hubert Gardner Ministries 2019-2024

God Loves Introverts

Not everyone is outgoing by nature. For those who are, never apologize for being who and what you are. On the other hand there are introverts. They are often behind the scenes, their creative gifts making possible the finished products which benefit all of us. Introverts are, too often, considered shy. This could be true in some cases, however, being introverted and being shy are not the same. I know one person who, though introverted, is certainly not shy. This person is just not one to start a conversation or enjoy crowds. One on one, a lot of introverts are engaging, conversational (to a point), and offer perspectives on life worth hearing. Introverts can be creative thinkers, seeing solutions others miss.

No one sees everything. My wife and children see things I don't. At times, I see things my wife doesn't. Not to make her look bad but, in part, to protect her; to make her look good. Introverts see things differently; they think outside the proverbial  status quo box; they're very analytical at times. To some that's being slow, but I see it as a potential way to do something in a way that could save family, business, or a church time and money.

In my opinion, leadership quality can improve by making room for introverts, starting with one. Not in pity or to be condescending, but recognizing that inside that quiet one, who's outside the spotlight, may very well be the gifts and talents needed at that moment. Pastors in need of creative solutions do well to ask God to send the right person(s). But how many will recognize God's answer, when it comes in the form of an introvert?

God loves everyone-the whole world for that matter-according to John 3:16, in the New Testament. Are you extroverted? God loves you. Perhaps you're on the shy side; it's hard for you to be around other people, until you get to each other. Well, God loves you. Maybe you're neither extroverted or shy, just a regular gal or guy. God loves you.

Finally, though, you may be an introvert. You're not outgoing; you're not actually shy. Initiating conversation is outside your comfort zone, so to speak. But, once you get started, you have a lot in you to share with those who-you hope-will listen to what you have to say. God loves you. Trust Him to open doors of opportunity whereby your gifts and talents can be shared in your own, unique, way. Be willing to go outside your own comfort zone.

Do you know an introvert? Is it you? How well are their (your?) viewpoints received?

To Hell With Religion

To Hell with religion. There, I said it. No apologies made, for religion is the worst thing that's ever happened to Mankind, outside of the Garden of Eden. Why is this? What's so bad about religion? Religion is bad for several reasons. Here are a few of them:

1.  Religion bases belief on experience. Every religion is based upon someone's personal experience that he/she came to embrace as truth. Enough convinced seekers later and, voila, a new religion is born.

2. Religion has no relationship. In religion, people pray, at best, to some mystical, far-off deity who no one knows on a personal basis. No conversation, no personal interaction, no intimate knowledge of a Living God because, in religion, none exists.  Fables, fabrication, and fairy tales, yet millions around the globe give their possessions, time-even lives-to follow what someone else told them is truth.

Spiritual blind leading other like-blinded.

3. Religion maintains its status quo through fear, intimidation-even death. With no relationship to draw from, religion  resorts to fear to keep its members. Fear of being isolated from those you're leaving. Fear of failure to merit approval of those in the know. Fear of forfeiture of reward in the afterlife. Intimidation-even death-is another tool religion uses to prevent once ardent followers from revealing insider secrets of the truth about its plans, purposes, and pursuits.

Do you have religion, or a relationship? Does your god love you as you are, or is unconditional love still on your bucket list of things yet to accomplish?

Check out my next post, as I talk about the opposite of religion, and what it means for you.

What Difference Does it Make?

"What difference does it make" has become a well known question in recent months. Depending on your viewpoint it can either ask us to be focused on right now or, for some, be viewed as an attempt to miniaturize an issue, belief, or question. On this question you be the judge and jury of what the right answer is. It used to matter what Christians believed, how they lived, and how they were viewed. The effects of Judeo-Christian beliefs were seen and felt in schools, the workplace, and in Hollywood. In view of prominent government officials, media moguls, and corporate denizens advancing their collective platforms of change, what has happened to the Christian message? Where are the Christian values once espoused in days gone by by our schools and media, and practiced in the market place? More importantly, what difference does it make?

Does it make a difference when religious tolerance ends with Christians and Jews? Does it make a difference when the egg of a bald eagle, our nation's symbol, has more rights than those of an unborn child? Does it make a difference when the color of man's skin matters more than the content of his character? Does it make a difference when a handout is viewed as an entitlement? Does it make a difference when churches compromise their message, rather then change their methods to keep the next generation?

I believe that the answer to each of these questions is a resounding "Yes!" "Yes" is the easy part. The hard part is what are we, as followers of Jesus Christ,  doing about it? What are we doing to make a difference in and to a dying, decaying world we live in? If nothing, then why? If not now, then when? I'm going to share some answers on my next post. In the meantime I'd like to hear from you, to hear what you have to say about us making a difference.

What are some ways you can make-or are making-a difference? Your sharing may make a difference in someone else also becoming a difference.

Which Camp Are You In?

Growing up, our family spent many vacations camping in Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, Maryland, and Virginia. After our site was secured, there was time to explore our surroundings. One thing to notice was a variety of car tags, indicating folks from other states had chosen to share common interests. God's Church, the Body of Christ is, in some respects, a campground of its own. People of different backgrounds joined together with a common interest: the cause of Christ being pursued over our own aspirations and dreams. In doing so we're exchanging our lives for the Life provided through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.

Unlike those inclusive campgrounds of yesteryear I see far too many individual camps in the Church; groups having their own camp just to have things their way. Denominational camps, non-denominational camps, Word-of-Faith camps-the list goes on and on. All because of focusing on what divides us, rather than what unites us.

There are a lot of differences among camps within the Church, the Body of Christ. Some of these differences are extreme, to the point where my only fellowship with people is salvation, based on the shed Blood of Jesus. I know that there's so much more to the Christian walk than just salvation but, after all, isn't that the most important part? Even though I pray in tongues, walk in health, and am prospering financially, I still face a challenge. If I can't fellowship with those who are saved, but think that speaking in tongues is of the devil and that God wants them poor, what does that say about my love walk, about walking in love toward fellow believers? Not much at all. Not much at all.

The only camp that matters is God's camp. His camp has room for every believer-every person who has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and is following Him-regardless of anything else.  This doesn't mean giving up the rest of our blessings in Christ. It means focusing on the fact that our common bond is the Blood of Jesus Christ, shed for our sins to purchase our salvation.

How about you? What core beliefs have you set aside to fellowship with those who don't agree with you? What happened as the result of finding common "camp" ground?

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2014-2024

Is tolerance acceptance?

Some things remain the same: the sun rises in the east, setting in the west. Roosters crow, babies cry, and too many potholes remain to be fixed. On the other hand, some things have changed in meaning. For instance, the word awful. Upon gazing at the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, the king of France reportedly exclaimed, "My God, it's awful." When the Cathedral was completed in the 13th century the word awful meant full-of-awe, just as the word beautiful means full-of-beauty. Over the years the word awful has come to mean something bad; terrible-a far cry from full-of-awe. Unfortunately, the same is true concerning tolerance and acceptance. Once upon a time tolerance meant putting up with, without agreement, without acceptance of what's being tolerated. Not so now. Society, as a whole,  has shifted to holding tolerance and acceptance as synonymous terms. In other words, to tolerate means to accept; to be intolerant is to not accept. But, is this really true? Is tolerance acceptance?

According to the Bible we are to love the sinner, while hating the sin. Jesus did. He told the woman caught in the very act of adultery to go and sin no more (John 8:3-11). Jesus wasn't accepting what the woman did as alright-He called it sin. What Jesus did was not condemn the woman (verse 11)-and neither should we-when confronting sin. Like Jesus we tolerate the person, not the sin. We shouldn't tolerate sin in our own lives, either.

The world's view of tolerance is accept everything which they think is OK. If you don't, you're being intolerant. At the same time, those "preaching" tolerance are the most  intolerant of them all, for they are intolerant of Christians, those standing for Biblical principles of absolute truth. More and more, the world is growing increasingly intolerant and unaccepting of anyone who opposes what they believe.

Is tolerance acceptance? Not according to the Bible no, in reality, according to what the world shows towards those with differing views. Without agreeing,  I practice tolerance towards those with viewpoints contrary to the Bible. I don't agree with them, but I don't force my viewpoint on them. My manner of life speaks louder than my words. Does yours?

How about you? Is tolerance acceptance, in your life? How do you practice tolerance, without acceptance of that with which you disagree?