How's Your Framing?

For a few months I worked as a framer, a carpenter's helper on a construction crew. Once the foundation was ready our job was to frame both the outside and inside walls of the home we were building, With enough workers and decent weather, we could frame a two-story home in under two weeks. Framing changed a flat foundation into the beginnings of rooms, closets, and the garage. As a framer I used a lot of wood and nails, an electric saw, and my 24-ounce framing hammer. Building your life on a solid foundation is great (for more on foundations watch our Life Change episodes). The best foundations, however, still need something on them to fulfill their purpose. For a home it starts by framing bedrooms, kitchen, living, and laundry areas, plus a garage and bathrooms. For your life it starts by "framing" it with what God says about you in His Word.

Your life should be "framed" with God's Word concerning peace, walking in love, health, and prosperity. Your life will include  framing of individual direction, from God's Holy Spirit. Whether it's business, ministry, sports, teaching, or other field of endeavor, a whole lot of framing has, hopefully, been going. Not with wood, nails, and hand tools, but with words-those things you speak. Words which are framing, covering, and reinforcing the "rooms" of your life. Your life is being framed-outlined-by the everyday words you have been/are saying about yourself. Good or bad, positive or negative,  your words are creating your life room by room, so to speak.

What are you saying about yourself? Whose words are you allowing to dominate your thinking and, thus, your speaking? The media's? Your relatives'? God's? Successful framing of your life includes saying what God says about you in the New Testament epistles, letters written to fellow Christians. That's the best place to find out who you are and what you have, as God's child.

So, how's your framing? How are the rooms of your life coming along? Whose words are being used to frame your life?

What's Going On?

Regardless of your political preferences, it's quite obvious that there's a lot going on in the world today. Whether it's about the unborn, marriage, race relations, or the economy, this world as we know it is changing before our eyes. While presidential candidates position themselves for next year's general election, our current leaders flail in their own strength, against unending crises. What's going on? Are we out of control? Is there an end in sight to all this? To repeat the title of an early '70s song, What's going on?

This much I know: Things are going to get worse for those who have put their trust in people, politics, and power. Those who are looking for natural answers will be, once again, disappointed by yet another promiser of better things to come.

Dream on.

It's time for those who claim to believe the Bible start acting like it. Preaching what you practice makes for a better audience than failing to practice what you preach. It's time for the Church-those who have believed on the Name of Jesus-to buckle down, remember who they are, in Christ, and live in such a way that gives a reason for the lost to want Who and what we have.

Only those whose lives are founded on doing what the New Testament says are going to make it. Sobering thought, but true. Like the song of old says, it's time for the Church to be the Church. While the world system gets darker, the light of the glorious Gospel shines brighter and brighter, through us. We can't stop some things from taking place, but we don't have to allow them in our homes, schools, churches, and individual lives.

What's going on? Will this be us asking this out of fear, or the world asking this of what God is doing through and for His people?

What's going on in your own life? Fear? Disappointment? Uncertainty? Or a life worth introducing to others?

Where is Jesus?

No, Jesus isn't missing; He's not lost. He knows exactly where He is. The problem isn't with Jesus. The problem is with people who think they know where Jesus is-only to find out that He isn't where they thought He was, who then taught others what they thought. I've heard for years, as many of you have, that we should bring people to Jesus, at the Cross. Yes we should bring people to Jesus. He's our Savior, Deliverer, Healer, Friend, and so much more. But to the Cross? No, not to the Cross. Why? Because Jesus isn't there.

Where is Jesus? When Jesus left this earth He went to Heaven, sitting down on His throne, at the right hand of God, according to Hebrews 10:12. As many have said, you don't sit down until the job's done. It took Jesus's death, burial, resurrection, and seating for our salvation to become a reality. His job wasn't complete until He sat down in Heaven, at the Father's right hand.

Where is Jesus? He's in Heaven, seated at God's right hand. Getting people to Jesus means going into His Presence in Heaven. Not at the Cross; not at the empty Tomb; not to anything made with hands. No, get people to where Jesus has been for nearly 2,000 years-in Heaven, at the right hand of God. That's where Jesus is. That's where we need to bring people who need Him: to His Throne.

We should commend all those who are bringing the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus. The Cross and Tomb are, however, empty. There's a throne in Heaven for everyone in need of salvation, healing, deliverance, and supply. That's where Jesus is.

I hope that this simple truth will help you in ministering to others, as well in your own life. Write and let me know how it is.

Summer: Slump or Surge?

Summer is here. Officially it begins June 21, but it's here. Swimming pools have opened, schools are out-or nearly so-and temperatures are rising across much of this and other countries. Yes, summer is here. Churches and ministries traditionally experience a summer"slump." By that I mean a drop in attendance and income. Fortunately, decreased income used to happen more, before online giving became available. Technology has its benefits.

A number of  churches have found creative ways to experience summer "surges", rather than slumps. They've actually grown in number. How about your church: does it grow, decrease, or stay about the same during summer months?

This summer will your life experience a slump or surge? Will this summer be one of spiritual decrease or increase for you? At the end of the summer-traditionally Labor Day-will there be a difference in your life, as seen by others? What will the difference(s) be?

What you do with your life is up to you, summers included. Naturally speaking summer is a time between school years. For others, it's that first summer after graduation from college or trade school. In your walk with God, however, learning is for more than  seasonal; it's for a lifetime. These next few months are more than days and nights of good times and staying cool. This summer can be the "season" where your life bears more evidence that God is your Heavenly Father, that He is working in and through your life.

What kind of summer are you going to have? Relaxing? The same as other years? Or, perhaps, a summer that comes to define your life in ways neither you nor others could ever see for you, up to now? The choice is not others', or even God's. The choice is yours.

Your summer: slump or surge?

Let God Use You

I pray daily that God makes me a blessing to someone. I supply the willingness and obedience; God supplies everything else. Last week I flew from Tulsa to Dallas. As I entered the plane I had a sense to sit in a certain seat. After a temporary hesitancy on my part I sat down in the seat, moments before others filled seats around me. I was sitting by a window.

Middle seats are the last to fill on most flights. With my flight being completely full, I waited to see who would sit beside me. Eventually a young lady sat down and began to listen to something through her headphones.

Even our one-hour flight allowed me time to read from my New Testament which I did, reading from the Book of Ephesians. After several minutes I laid my New Testament down. Pointing to it the young lady next to me asked if she could look at my New Testament. Sensing an opportunity to be a blessing, I agreed.

This person was studying, of all books, the Book of Ephesians. She had a question about a particular verse that she was looking for, but had been unable to find. I immediately pointed this young lady to the exact verse she needed. Not because I'm so smart, but because I had just been reading that verse as part of my reading time in Ephesians. My fellow passenger was grateful for my help.

God's smarter than any of us realize. He knew that that young lady needed an answer. The answer came through God, by His Holy Spirit, directing her to be seated beside someone who would read from the very place she needed help from.

I'm so glad I obeyed the "nudging" of the Holy Spirit and sat where He was directing, to meet this person's need. That's not bragging on me; that's me bragging on God's direction in blessing one person through another. God will do the same for anyone who'll purpose to be used of Him, then allow God to have His way in that person's life. Including where to sit on a plane.

If this has encouraged you in letting God use you, I'd like to know about it. What's shared by one often encourages someone else.

A Special Offer For You

The print version of my book, “Born to Win: A Study Guide for New Believers," is now available anywhere in the United States, for the special price of only $5.00, shipping included. This is a savings of 50% off the regular price of $ 9.99. Payment in U.S. funds, by check or money order only. Again, this offer is valid for U.S. orders only. Please mail payment to Hubert Gardner Ministries; 6089 E. 56th Street; Tulsa, Ok 74135.

This 90-page book, covering basic, foundational truths, is helping new believers of all ages in their relationship with God. In addition to helping new believers, it also serves as an easy-to-read refresher guide for those more "seasoned", in Christ.

Once you've read the book, write and let us know how this book is helping you in your walk with God.

Write us at: Hubert Gardner Ministries; 6089 E. 56th Street; Tulsa, OK 74135

You can also contact us by email, at: info@hubertgardner.org

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2015-2024

Bamboo and You

Learning about bamboo is a study of parallels between natural and spiritual growth. Bamboo growth is affected by soil, moisture, and temperature. Actually a member of the grass family, bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet. In ideal conditions bamboo can grow as much as three feet in a 24-hour period. Pound for pound, bamboo can be stronger than concrete or steel. Similar to goldfish in a pond, bamboo will grow as large as its surroundings will allow. The bigger and better the surroundings, the bigger the bamboo.

Like bamboo our lives are governed by our surroundings. Our heart’s attitude towards God’s Word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and our surrounding conversations each influences our spiritual growth.

Unlike the bamboo, however, we can choose our surroundings. Regardless of our backgrounds we can choose to allow our hearts to be good "soil" for the planting of God's Word. We can choose to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us in the way we should go. Additionally, we can choose to place ourselves in an environment of Truth, including the words we engage in.

How tall do you want to grow in life? Can you see yourself growing up spiritually, much as the bamboo does naturally, with no limits?

Here are some "environmental" changes you can make to boost your spiritual growth: Changing what words have been used in speaking to others-or just someone in particular.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2015-2024

Can I Get a Witness?

As a Christian, I believe in representing Jesus Christ in my marketplace-the part of the world where I have influence. Influence causes decisions to be made, causing turns in direction, resulting in destinies being changed. With so much focus on what we say, how about considering this often-overlooked, yet crucial way to witness to those around us: our writing?. That's right, our writing. Whether it be in a letter, email, post-it note, thank-you card, or other writing, how we write often speaks louder than our content.

If you've ever sent an email, how often have you gotten in a hurry to communicate, only to discover after you hit "Send" that you misspelled and/or misused one or more words. For instance, the word "it's" is short for "it is." Most folks get this right. Substituting "it's" for "its", however is a no no., because "its", as in "everything in its place", is one word-not a contraction of two. Spell check can't catch everything.

Our work is our witness in many ways; therefore our work should include grammatically correct written communication. Ensuring our letters, emails, and notes are works of grammatical accuracy is one visible means of demonstrating excellence in our lives. In today's world, where mediocrity is too often the new excellence, real excellence garners real attention. Attention that may result in an opportunity to plant a verbal seed of Truth into someone's life. Can I get a witness?

What do you think? How important is having good verbal and written communication skills in your marketplace, in your sphere of influence?