It May Be Time To Change Mirrors

Mirrors provide a reflection of how we look on the outside. We all use mirrors to check hair, ties, and general appearance. Personally, I'm glad for mirrors. Without them I would have missed the spot on my shirt, the hairs needing spraying or, worse, the unnecessary object in my nose. God has a mirror, in a manner of speaking. It's called His Word. Looking into God's Word allows us to see ourselves on the inside as God does, to get a glimpse of how we look in Christ, in God's sight. And we all look a whole lot better in Christ, than out. I know I do.

It's alright to have a good appearance, naturally speaking. More people ought to pay attention to how they look on the outside. At the same time, let's not forget to see ourselves in God's mirror, in the light of God's Word-especially the books of Romans through Revelation. These are the books written directly to Christians. It's here that we can get a true picture of how we look to God, and how He wants us to look before the world, those who are without Christ.

After all, we're His representatives in the earth, to those without Christ. And what better time to show Christ to the world than at Christmas?

If your only focus is your outward appearance, it may be time to change mirrors. It may be time see yourself in God's mirror, to focus more on how you look to God-and others, in Christ.

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?

Whose Life Are You Imitating?

A few years ago I was at a dinner with numerous other guests. The evening's entertainment was provided by someone imitating a former president. His looks, mannerisms, and speech were amazingly accurate. When I first saw him the thought occurred to me that this was the actual president-the person this person was accurately imitating. Years ago I heard a person tell a group of students how, when he went to seminary, he was told to pick someone out from church history, to imitate. This person certainly had a long list of person to choose from. He chose Jesus.

We all, at one time or another, have tried to imitate someone else. Good or bad, real or imaginary, as a child or even now-we've all had those those moments of trying to be someone else. For some, those moments became much longer, becoming a lifetime pursuit. Elvis Presley attended one church my family attended. Okay, it wasn't really Elvis-just someone who made money impersonating Elvis in Las Vegas.

Not looking like Elvis or any president, I've chosen to be myself, while still striving to imitate one person's life. That person is God. In the Book of Ephesians, Chapter 5, verse 1 we are to follow God. Some translations read "imitate" in place of "follow." We are to imitate God. How? By acting like Jesus did, when He was here on Earth. The way to imitate Jesus is to find out in God's Word how Jesus acted and act like He did. In time we'll take on those characteristics of love, patience, and faithfulness-among others-which Jesus demonstrated in His earth walk.

Whose life are you imitating? A fictional character? A president or other public figure? Or God, through being like Jesus?

Where Are Your Roots?

Tree roots provide a tentacled anchor, enabling trees to withstand winds, adverse conditions, and seasonal changes. Having a healthy root system provides the basis for mature growth and development of trees. A tree's very life originates within its unseen roots.

Like trees, our lives need roots. We need roots to ensure our personal growth and development has something to draw from. Our roots are critical to succes in our lives-even life itself. The quality of our lives can be traced to the quality of our unseen anchor-our roots if you will.

Where are your roots? Who or what is your life's root system? When the storms of life come what anchors your life? What sees you through? What sustains you? Again, where are your roots? Your answer may reveal who/what you have chosen to draw your very existence from.

The Bible has already given us an answer that will work everywhere, all the time, in every situation. In Colossians 2:6,7 God instructs us to be rooted in Christ. This includes being rooted in the knowledge of who and what we are as Christians, as children of God. This is a truth no crisis can prevail against. Acting on the knowledge of who and what we are, in Christ, is part of the unseen root system God designed and made available for each of our lives. The length and breadth of that system is limited only by our willing obedience to God's Word in our own lives.

So, where are your roots? In yourself, the hope of having someone else's experience to draw from, or in the Word of God-especially the Epistles (letters written to Christians)? There are a lot of root systems around, however only one system works. Which root system are you relying on for life, strength, and health? Where are your roots?

God’s root system begins with His written Word. God’s written word is His will to us through, primarily, the letters written to the churches, Romans through Revelation. I’m not saying neglect the Old Testament. A former businessman said that we could run a business using the book of Proverbs. The 23rd Psalm is so beautifully written, for our benefit. The book of Isaiah has much we Christians can learn from. And the book of beginnings, Genesis, tells us what took place before and after Adam sinned, clueing us that the Messiah (Jesus) would come and defeat the devil (Genesis 3:15).

Hebrews 8:6 says that, as Christians, we have a better covenant, established upon better promises. Therefore, spend most of your time in the new covenant, written to us Christians. New is better than old, for sure. The Old Testament (covenant) has much to say about curses. In the New Testament we are told, in Galatians 3:13, that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law.

That’s one reason why the New Testament is much better than the Old. Plus, the Old Testament was written to spiritually dead people, because Jesus hadn’t yet come to redeem us. The letters written to us Christians tell what happened when Jesus went to the Cross for all mankind. The Old Testament proclaims the fact of Jesus’s coming. The Gospels tell us what happened, but only in the letters written to Christians do we find out why Jesus did what He did, for all mankind.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2014-2024

Fathom This Mystery

Every woman is a mystery. No matter how old you are, how long you guys have been married, or how wise you think you are, there will always be an element of mystery to women. Having been married to my wife for over 35 years, I know this to be a fact. In another 35 years Pamela will still have an element of mystery about her. Ladies, that doesn't mean that you've figured out the male species; I'm simply acknowledging a fact about women. The Bible is also a mystery-specifically the Epistles, letters written to the churches. What's the big mystery? One mystery is how God is able to actually live inside of us, as Christians. How does God do this? Through the Person of the Holy Spirit. You can see that from reading the books such as Ephesians, and Colossians. For instance, in Colossians 1:27 Paul, the writer of this letter to the church at Colosse, clearly states that this mystery is "Christ in you...." Christ in you. Okay, how? By the Holy Spirit. Ah, now that's the mysterious part: Christ is in me, through the Holy Spirit.

Ponder that truth for a moment: Christ is in YOU. An astounding statement, but not too good to be true. It's true, because God said it. It's up to us to believe it and act like it's so, even when we don't fully understand it.

Don't try to figure out how this is done. It's always somewhat of a mystery how God does what He does. Instead of hurting your mind by trying to figure this all out, just accept it by faith. Remember, you don't have to understand something to have it working for your benefit. I don't understand how a bumblebee flies, do you? The fact that its wings are too short for its body  doesn't stop the bumblebee from flying, or pollinating my wife's flowers.

In secular mystery books the mysteries are hidden FROM us. With the Bible, the mystery is hidden TO us. It's there for us to receive, believe, and achieve in our individual lives.

I love reading about this mystery that God has revealed to us in His Word,  something for our hearts to meditate on and put into practice.

Don't you love it when you're part of a mystery that's in your favor? How has this post changed how you see yourself as a Christian?

Protect Your Identity

Identity theft. It's a problem that's growing in our world today. Television, print, and social media warn of the problem and apparent ease of identity theft. What is identity theft? Identity theft is the act of assuming the identity of another for financial and/or other benefit (s). This usually takes place in the form of stolen identification cards,  as well as credit/debit cards,  The victim's assets are often stolen and a good name ruined by the perpetrator's malicious deed. Those who have suffered at the hands of an identity thief know full well the hurt, harm, and anger experienced from this experience. In some cases lives are negatively affected for years, even life.

The worst identity thief is the devil. How so? Because the devil goes around seeking to rob us of our true identity, in Christ. This means who we are in the sight of God,  Jesus purchased for us a standing with God, as new creatures in Christ. Regardless of our background-murderer, porn star, thief, atheist, or religious church goer, being a Christian means having a new identity, in Christ.

Our identity includes being overcomers, more than conquerors through Christ, and righteous in sight of God, This is what the devil tries to steal from us. The Bible says that the devil comes to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). One way is by trying to steal the knowledge of who we are, in Christ. Satan tries to get us to see ourselves as unworthy, weak, poor, and sickly-unfit to do anything for God. Those who listen to the devil's lies aren't living the life God sees them having,  in Christ. That's identity theft of the worst kind.

You can't stop the devil from trying to steal your identity, in Christ, but you can surely stop him from succeeding.  The Bible says to resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). Don't let the devil take what belongs to you. Who you are, in Christ, is the real you. The devil knows that better than you. This is why he works so hard to prevent you from learning the truth of who you really are, or steal what knowledge you already have.

Protect your God-given identity with more diligence than you do with your physical identity.

Can you identity with this post? If so, in what way?

What's Your Testimony?

In Revelation 12':11, we read  "And they overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;". The devil is overcome through a two-part application: The Blood of the lamb-Jesus-and the word of our testimony. God's part is not enough; it's takes both His and our parts to overcome the devil. Did you ever notice how often God's and our parts are necessary for us receiving the benefit of His provision and/or promises? For instance, in the sixth chapter of John's gospel, we read of Jesus feeding 5000 men, not to mention women and children. A boy's offering of 5 loaves and 2 fish supplied his part; the natural. After Jesus gave thanks for the food, the food was distributed. As this point God supplied His part: the miraculous multiplication of fish and bread.

It's the same when overcoming the devil, Satan, who is our adversary. God supplies His part-the redemptive Blood of Jesus. We, then, add our part, which is the word of our testimony. God's supernatural part unites with our natural part to bring about victory in every situation.

What is a testimony? A testimony is most often your sharing what God has done for you. In years gone by churches used to have testimony meetings. These services centered around people sharing what God had done for them in the last few days or weeks. Testimonies can encourage someone else's faith, for what God did for one, He'll do for another.

A testimony can also be your declaration of what God's says about you, in the situation you're now facing.

What's your testimony? What has God done for you? What is God's Word saying about you, in the situation you're facing? Are you daring to say what God's Word says, regardless of circumstance-as Caleb and Joshua did in Numbers , chapters 13 and 14?

I'd love to hear what God has done for you. Someone else may benefit from hearing what happened in your life. After all, what God dis for one, He'll do for another.

Are You a Thermometer or a Thermostat?

As a young boy living in Iowa our house did not have air conditioning, not even a window unit. As a result some summer nights could be warm, to put it mildly. Living in a two-bedroom house, I shared a small bedroom with my brother. In addition to any breeze from the open bedroom window my parents placed a small fan at the foot of our beds, to help circulate the night air where we slept. Although the fan didn't change the room temperature, it did help move the air some. Without an air conditioner, every little bit helps.

An outside thermometer would show the actual temperature in that location. In the absence of home air conditioning there was, of course, no inside thermostat available to initiate any changes in temperature. I hope whoever invented air conditioning did well.

A thermometer reflects actual temperature whereas a thermostat initiates changes in air temperature of a room or house, depending on what change in temperature is selected. A thermometer tells you what is.  A thermostat offers change, usually one that makes rooms cooler in summer, warmer in the winter.

As people of God, we choose to be a reflection of society as a whole (thermometer) or a reflection of what God is doing in the earth at any given point in time, including now (thermostat). It takes no real effort to be a thermometer, to be a part of what is. Being a thermostat, on the other hard, requires being changed to make a noticeable difference  to your world, starting with those around you.

Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Are you a part of the status quo, flowing with those around you, or are you allowing God to bring change to your surroundings, to those within your sphere of influence? If a thermostat, how is God using your gifts and talents to bring help, healing, and life to a lost and dying world where you live, work, and play? If, at this moment, a thermometer, what event(s) would need to happen to influence you to want to become a thermostat?