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The Value of Your Testimony

Not every Christian is called to preach from a platform, to children or youth, or on the mission field. Not everyone is gifted to regularly speak in front of groups of people. Every Christian, however, has something so valuable, yet often overlooked: their personal testimony of what God did for them to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. Since no two testimonies are alike, what you have to share will vary, in some measure, from what others have to say.

What is a testimony? A testimony is testifying (telling) to what God has done in someone's life. It usually includes sharing how that person came into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It can include what God is now doing in that person's life, as well as what differences God has made, since becoming that person's Heavenly Father.

Everyone Christian has a testimony, whether it has ever been shared with someone or not. Everyone who values his/her salvation experience has a testimony worth sharing. Everyone includes you, whether you think it's valuable or not.

What God has done in your life is valuable to God and, hopefully, to you. Jesus paid the ultimate price for your salvation (with His Blood). Now that's something worth sharing.

I was part of the so-called Jesus Movement, that started in the late 1960s. Even though I never killed killed anyone, never spent time in jail (by the grace of God), took drugs, or engaged in premarital sex, I was still a sinner in need of a Savior. Once saved, I got around other Christians, some who had been through some "stuff." While attending a Christian school, I heard numerous students tell of how God delivered them out of this or that lifestyle. What a thrill to see a life redeemed from sin and washed clean for Jesus.

Unfortunately, there was a tendency to "rate" testimonies: the darker the other life, the more glorious the testimony. Delivered from drugs, promiscuity, and satanic worship? Praise God. Been a Christian since as far back as you can remember? That's nice. Ho hum.

Regardless of that former life, your testimony is valuable to more people than you think. Someone is waiting to hear what God has done in your life. Your personal testimony is often more easily related to than many sermons and is, hopefully, shorter.

So, what's your testimony? What has God, through Jesus Christ, done for you? Are you willing, as opportunity arises, to share your (brief) testimony? Then ask God for opportunities, and always be ready to tell what the Lord has done for you.

Sharing your testimony with this ministry might be a way to get started. You can share your testimony with us at: info@hubertgardner.org. I'd certainly like to read yours.

My Aunt Marge and Vin Scully

For those who follow sports, particularly baseball, Vin Scully is a household name. Having retired a just a few weeks ago, Vin was the radio voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team for the last 67 years, dating back to their days as the Brooklyn Dodgers. My great aunt, Margaret Gardner, was a well known artist in the Chicago area for many years. hundreds-if not thousands-of aspiring painters were students at her art school. For years Aunt Marge also went to go to Chicago-area elementary schools, giving chalk talks to countless boys and girls.  Her works were displayed in such places as the Chicago Art Institute.

Although Aunt Marge and Vin Scully never met both were gifted, artistically speaking. Both were painters, with astonishing results. yet only my Aunt Marge used paint.

What's my point? My point is that both possessed the ability to create recognizable pictures: Aunt Marge with paint, pencil, chalk, and charcoal; Vin with words. One created a picture onto a blank canvas or piece of paper; the other created a picture for his audience, using simple, illustrative words. Using words, Vin could give you the impression that you were at the ball park, able to watch the action unfold before you. You "saw" the game through Vin's words. With Aunt Marge you saw on canvas what she saw when it was blank.

So it is with some of us. I'd love to be able to draw like an artist, but that's not my gift. The last time I saw Aunt Marge, my attempt to draw a horse resulted in a new species of dog. Her horse was drawn in about 10 seconds.

You may not be an Aunt Marge but you're creating pictures with your words, everyday. You may not be a Vin Scully, but people are being drawn to or repelled by your words, everyday.Through words, God has given you the ability to create an atmosphere of faith, love, healing, and encouragement around you, even to the point of affecting others. You can choose to speak positive words, as found in God's Word, or pollute your life with words of doubt, fear, strife, and unforgiveness.

I've purposed to do better with my tongue-my paintbrush if you will-in speaking words of life, healing, and forgiveness. It's an ongoing commitment, one I believe is well worth it.

Who'll join me?

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024

 

 

Your Mouth is a Dispenser

Back in the 1950s candy dispensers were popular with children, myself included. One would load the dispenser with rectangular pieces of candy, pull back on the head (often a cartoon character), and eat what the head dispensed. All that for a piece of flavored sugar. In a very real sense, our mouths are dispensers: dispensers of love, joy, and faith, or fear, doubt, and negativity. Instead of candy, however, our mouths are dispensing words. Those words are releasing sounds into the atmosphere, sounds which are being heard by those around us, as well as ourselves.

What kind of words are our mouths "dispensing" on an everyday basis? When a challenge presents itself how are we responding-or reacting-to the challenge? Are we dispensing words of "I don't know what to do", "Why is this happening to me?", or "This is __________fault." Or, are we training ourselves to respond with God's Words, such as "Greater is He Who's in me (First John 4:4) than this challenge (i.e.doctor's report, unexpected bill, loss of job) before me;" "God always causes me to triumph in Christ  (2 Corinthians 2:14);" "I'm more than a conqueror, through Christ (Romans 8:37)?"

The truth is our mouths are dispensing words of life or death (Proverbs 18:21). Every day our mouths are filling the atmosphere around us with what we say, either positive or negative; sometimes both. What's so interesting is that we choose what we say in everyday conversation. We are controlling the dispensing of words out of our mouths.

I think everyone wants to say right words; few are bent on being verbal "cesspools." For those of us who want to say the right words, it's a matter of guarding our words, making sure that our mouths are dispensing life, encouragement, blessing, and healing.

Your mouth is a dispenser, as is mine. I'm working on dispensing  God's Word out of the abundance of my heart, eliminating the negative being spoken out of my mouth. I invite you to join me in this profitable journey, for life.

What are some practical ways you're finding/have found to control the words being dispensed out of your mouth? What has been the result of the changes in your life?

Manners Matter

Most of the calls to our house phone are from tele-marketers and other sales persons. People who know us have access to our private numbers, through our mobile devices. With few exceptions, those who call the house phone begin by asking for a family member by first name only, or last name only. I recently received a call for my daughter, from someone who gave only my adult daughter's first name. No name given by the caller.

When I responded with "_____who?" the person failed to identify himself or leave a message. He said he'd try again later, then hung up.While understanding that he's trying to control the conversation, whatever happened to manners? Why didn't the caller first identify himself, before asking for my daughter?

Why am I saying all of this? We're living in a time where manners matter; good manners are an endangered species. A course in (good) manners would do people of all ages much good-besides what it would help. You get the point.

As a Christian I represent the Living God and His Kingdom, here on Earth. Although certainly not perfect I strive to be polite towards people of all ages, whether on the phone or in person. It's good for both them and myself: them because I'm showing respect; myself because showing good manners is another opportunity to walk in love-even when my feeling don't, well, feel like it. People like being on the receiving end of good manners.

Showing good manners is a subtle way to demonstrate the life of God through me. It's subtle, because I'm using right words and actions without being preachy. How many times have Christians been rude, unmannerly-even vulgar, only to be (rightfully) embarrassed when the other person(s) found out that Mr Rude or Ms. Potty Mouth is a Christian? Ouch!

I don't believe that this type of behavior leaves a good impression, or pleases God, do you?

As a child I was taught to identify myself when calling someone. I work at doing this today. Why? Because manners matter, starting with me.

In what ways could good manners open opportunities for sharing the Gospel?

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024

You and God Make a Majority

Being in the majority is not always right, but it's a good thing when what's right is in the majority. When someone gains the majority of votes in a campaign, it means that one person received more votes than the other person (s). It doesn't necessarily mean that the winner is right. Can you say Benito Mussolini ? How about Joseph Stalin? God is All Powerful, Ever Present, and All Wise. Pretty good combination of attributes. As Christians, God has become our very own Heavenly Father. His is dwelling/living/abiding in us in the Person of the Holy Spirit.Think about this: Everything God is is in us.

All of us, no matter who we are or where we live, have encountered situations where we've needed help. That doesn't make us weak or sissies, that makes us human. Everyone, at some point, faces moments where the circumstances facing them seem overwhelming. It's especially in these moments that we need to be reminded of the fact that we're never alone. In fact, in any given situation-no matter the circumstances-you and God make a majority.

You need to know that for yourself. You need to know that, no matter what is going on in your life-no matter what the devil is trying to throw at you (or already has thrown) the fact that God is with you, for you, and in you-makes all the difference in the world. It doesn't matter how big, strong, rich, educated, or smart you are, you are no match for the devil, by yourself, naturally speaking. But having God on the inside of you changes everything. You go from being in the minority to having a majority, the Holy Spirit in you making this so.

The Bible tells us, in I John 4:4 (towards the end of the Bible, not the Gospel of John) that greater is He (God the Holy Spirit) Who is in us than he (the devil and all of his demonic helpers) who is in the world. Having God living in us teaching, helping, strengthening, and being for us puts life in a new light. It assures us that we're never alone, without, or helpless when those challenging moments rear their ugly heads against us. Thank God!

Life is not a political campaign. Majority doesn't always make right. But with God working in and with you, right is a majority. And that makes all the difference in the world.

What difference is it-or will it make-knowing that God and you make a majority ? What are some areas in your life where this truth can be applied? How reassuring is it to know that you and God make majority-no matter what the circumstances "say?"

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024

To Purge or Prune, That is the Question

Most Christians, at some point in their Christian walk, have heard someone say something about purging and/or pruning. For some it was part of a sermon; for others it was the whole message. For those who have never heard anyone ever say anything about either p word, keep living; your time is coming. Over the years I've heard more than one message about pruning; many involving purging. Both words can be seen as being negative words, but with different purposes, with vastly different outcomes. Let's take a brief look at both words, their purposes, and when to incorporate each or both in our lives. Let's start with purging.

The word purge means to remove, get rid of; to eliminate. Applied to our walk with God it means to examine our lives and remove, get rid of, and eliminate those thoughts, words, actions, and areas contrary to God's Word. These would include areas such as hatred, anger, lust, unforgiveness, and fear. Definite areas of purging here.

To prune means to cut back, cut off, to reduce (such as branches on a tree or plant) to improve shape or growth. One exception to this definition is the use of prune juice in the encouragement of,  shall we say,  elimination. I'll move on.

Purging is for total elimination, while pruning is cutting back to bring new growth. Example: television time. There's nothing wrong with watching some television, including an occasional sports program. But if you're watching hour upon hour of television-even Christian programs-it's time to prune. It's time to cut back/reduce-time spent in front of those square inches of (mostly) entertainment and invest it in doing something of more value, like spending time in improving your own life. Spend more time working to achieving your dreams than watching others live out theirs. 

How about consistently praying for others, including your pastor, or learning what those Sunday School lessons were really about? What about calling someone to give encouragement?  Cleaning your office-especially if it's in your home-could prove helpful in more ways than one. Improving life, starting with a clean room.

There are lots of ways to spend an additional hour or so a day that's been freed up by pruning back time with that one-eyed monster some call a television. Look around. Ask God to show you areas needing to be pruned. Him showing you is the easy part; doing what God says takes more effort-but it's worth it.

I can think of a few areas in my life needing purging; more needing pruning. What about you? What are some areas in your life needing some pruning? Maybe, just maybe, there's something that requires actual purging. Ask God to show areas needing adjustment, then trust Him to guide you in the process of either pruning or purging.

 

 

 © Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024

Things God Can't Do

"God can do anything-after all, He's God."  I've heard that before, as many of you have, as well. It's sounds right, but is it true? Can God really do anything, simply because He's, well, God? Or are there some things even God can't do? Here are some things God can't do:

  1. God can't make people confess Jesus as their Lord, thus becoming His children. If God did He'd be forcing some to do what they have no heart to do. God is Love; God's love never forces or makes someone do or say anything against their will.

  2. God can't make people serve Him, even Christians. He won't make them pray, go to church, or walk in love towards others, for the same reason He doesn't make people believe on the Name of Jesus.

  3. God won't make people tithe. This one touches a nerve, since most Christians don't tithe (the word tithe means 10%) their income. Tithing wasn't something done under just the Old Testament. Last time I checked, Hebrews 7:7,8 was in the New Testament. Tithing is a means of worship for getting the Gospel out while getting blessed-not for helping God out financially. Heaven doesn't need our money; the Gospel does.

These are but three quick examples of things God can't do. With these in mind what are some things you can think of which God can't do? Some things God wants to do but can't. Ask God to show you other things He can't do. You might be surprised at some of the things He'll show you. Then pass them along. What God shows you might help someone else to see God in a new way.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024

Why People Won't Change

My previous post dealt with the subject of change, including the consequences of companies/organizations not changing. Regardless of their own reason(s), they're becoming further and further behind in maintaining their customer base-mainly because they're not reaching out to the next generation. No matter the purpose, structure, size, or product, every company/organization's commonality-Christian or secular-can be summed up in one word: People. Whether manufacturing, ministry, or media, people are the common denominator in every case. Whether with two or two million, no organization I know of can exist without having at least one person. With just one person, that one individual is the decision maker. Simply add on to or multiply that for larger organizations.

You can change without growing, but growing cannot come without change. And change requires decisions.

Change comes easier for some than others. For every one who's quick to change, there are multiplied others who are just plain slow, resistant-even opposed-to change. Why is this? Why won't some people change, especially when refusing to change puts the future of their organization at risk?

I believe the number one reason why people won't change is fear. Whether in the form of pride, fear of failure, or fear of losing one's influence or position fear is, in my opinion, the primary reason people won't change. They can; they just won't.

Change is all about having the right people making the decision to change, then leveraging available resources-including technology-to achieve the desired result. Since having the right people is crucial to change, removing the wrong people is often the first-and most painful-part of change. Owners, pastors, and company presidents who recognize this are doing everyone a favor and will be blessed. Those who fail in this area must prepare to reap the (potentially) disastrous consequences of their actions. I believe God has a better way.

Real love-God's love-wants what's best for all, not just one person. Walking in God's love means there's no place for fear to gain a foothold (1 John 4:18). And when decision makers walk in God's love everyone benefits.

While ignorance may hinder some from changing, that "condition" is easily cured by correct information. The willingness to change, without fear, makes for the possibility of positive change(s) to be made where you work, worship, and walk your dog.

What do you see as the reason(s) your place of employment isn't changing, at least like you think it should? If you were the chief decision maker what would be the first change you'd make? What other changes would you make?If you're not the chief decision maker what can you do to influence the ones who do make the decisions?

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2016-2024