Spiritual Growth

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 is dressed who spoke God’s written Word. 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 were. Things may not be perfect, but they were simple, easily understood, requiring little effort on our part to maintain.

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 lessen 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.

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 actions to what we believe, we’re taking steps of faith-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 our website for more simple pieces of knowledge (information), suitable for framing: hubertgardner.org.

©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

When It’s Good to be Behind

Being behind carries a negative connotation of something happening that’s not good, such as any or all of the following: Behind in paying bills; behind in school; behind in getting ready for _______

You can add your own to this list, but you get the picture. Being behind is never a positive in today’s world. Or is it? Could there be an instance when it’s actually good to be behind?

The Bible, in Proverbs 3:5-6, tells us to trust in God with all of our heart, rather than our own (human reasoning). In all of our ways we are to acknowledge-recognize-God, and He will direct us.

No doubt every Christian wants God to lead, but how often do we either get so far ahead of God that we wonder where God went or get so far behind that “catching” up seems fruitless?

God’s way is for us to trust Him with not only His Plan for our lives, but each step along the way. Trusting Him with how to get to the destination is just as-if not more-important than knowing what God has for each of us.

If we’re out in front of God, we might not notice when He turns off the “road” we think He should still be on. Conversely, we could be so far behind Him that we missed seeing the “turn” He just made. 

God’s best is that we let Him lead, following close enough behind where we can see where He’s going. This is when it’s good to be behind. This is when there’s no chance of being left behind.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024

What Time is Now?

Not what time is it now but, what time is now? Does “now” have a time? If so, what is it?

According to the Bible, faith is always now. There’s nothing past or future about faith. Jesus Himself said that when we pray for something (Mark 11:24) we are to believe that we receive the answer when we pray-then we’ll receive it in the future, whatever it is that we simply believed that we received when we prayed.

Once you receive the answer (i.e. finances, healing, job) you can stop believing-you’ll know it. You’ll have the finances in your hands, healing verified in your body; you’ll be working at your job. But faith is always now, never later, as is the case with hope.

As someone has said, there’s no such thing as later-on faith.

There are times when I’m tempted to look too much to the future. How long will it be until_______________? This recently happened, where I started to think about how many hours until my work week was over. To help keep my focus on the moment, the following phrase came to me: “now o’clock.” That, to me, was from God, spoken to my heart by His Holy Spirit.

God certainly cares about the future, but our focus is to be where we are right now, for what we say and do now creates our future. Focusing on now o’clock has helped me to major on right now, forgetting the past and trusting the future to God.

If, like me, you’ve been tempted to look too much to the future-or past-perhaps now o’clock will help your focus to be on your now.

What time is now? Day or night, it’s always now o’clock.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024