From Death to Life, Part 5: A New Dream

Four weeks after Neil Armstrong made “one giant leap for mankind,” the Woodstock music festival was winding down its last night, and I was attending my third evening service with real people.

Real people, as in genuine, caring individuals who appeared to accept me as someone searching for something I didn’t have, but couldn’t define or explain. Just 17, full of anger, fear, and resentment towards women. A resentment based, in part, on my relationship with my mother, now out of the house. For which I was glad.

Pastor Kline led us in a few songs, took the offering, and gave the evening message. To this day I don’t remember one word of what he preached. What I do remember was him doing something at the end of his sermon that he hadn’t done the previous two Sunday evenings: he gave an invitation for anyone wanting to invite Christ into their lives, to raise their hand.

One fear that I had was that if I raised my hand and came forward I didn’t know what people would do to me. My heart was open to God, just not to people I didn’t know.

God’s pretty smart about a lot of things. Actually God is omniscient-all knowing-and knew this about me. I was reluctant to raise my hand because I thought this girl from high school would see it (embarrassing). To this day I have no doubt that an angel helped me to raise my hand, because all of a sudden it was in the air. In the air, with no human assistance.

Instead of having me come forward (whew) Pastor Kline acknowledged the raised hand and said “if that person would come see me after service, I’d like to talk with you.” With service ended I told the family I sat with “I think Pastor Kline wants to talk to me.” 

After everyone had cleared out the pastor and I went into the side room I mentioned in my previous post. Pastor Kline briefly explained that everyone needs to be what Jesus called born again, having Christ in their heart. This meant we turn from our old life to receive the life that God offers through Jesus Christ, His Son. 

Pastor Kline led me in a prayer in which I asked Jesus to come into my life. At a little after 9:00 pm, on Sunday, August 17, 1969, I passed from spiritual death to new life, in Christ, as a child of God. I was the same physically and mentally, but something had happened in my heart. Not the physical one but in my spirit, that now had the very life and nature of God in it. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17 I was a new person in Christ. There was a new me in me.

Natural babies have no past. In the eyes of God, neither does a spiritual baby. God sees new Christians with no past-only a bright future. That’s the life that I entered into, now 50+ years ago.

By God’s grace and mercy-and the patient assistance of many people over these 50+ years-I am growing. Am I fully developed, spiritually? No. Am I satisfied with where I am in my walk with God? Again, no. But, in the words of the apostle Paul, “But by the grace of God I am what I am..” (1 Corinthians 15:10.).

Thank you for taking the time to “hear” my story. This is only the beginning of many such stories of God’s workings in people’s lives. This one happened to be mine. I hope you were blessed.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2019-2024

From Death to Life, Part 2: Searching Summer

With high school over my future lay before me, requiring some decisions on my part. Life is made up of decisions, the results of which determine our direction and, ultimately, our destiny.

Being expected to go to college I had applied to a handful of schools, including a few in-state. My Mom being on staff at the local junior (now community) college meant that my tuition would be free. If acceptances from schools included those far away would I leave the area, or choose the convenience of a 10-minute commute to  classes at the junior college? 

Something besides high school ended that year: my days of playing amateur baseball. To some this would be just part of life. To me, however, baseball was more: it WAS my life. I lived for baseball. The ending of football season meant baseball season was right around the corner. In one sense, baseball was my god.

In the spring of my senior year of high school I had tried out for our baseball team. Things were going well until the coach took me aside to advise me that if he played me he’d have me for one year, but taking a junior meant playing him for two years. My tryout effectively ended at that moment. Being too old to play another summer season, my playing days with/against guys I knew were officially no more. 

Done. Finished. Over.

Aside from the most important thing in my life, baseball was a means of escape. An escape from the deteriorating family life that resulted in my mother leaving our home, just six weeks prior to my graduation. Coming home from school one day I found half of our furniture gone with my mother, who had moved near the junior college she worked at. With my older brother-and only sibling-already gone, it was just Dad, Casper (our dog), and me.

There was one shining light in my darkness. In my previous post I mentioned the family whose (as it turned out) youngest daughter was in our school choir. Those summer days at their house was a difference maker. Peace vs strife. Rest vs. agitation. Unconditional love vs the emptiness in my heart, even though I knew nothing about unconditional love at the time.

Something needed to change, whether I could define it or not.

If you’ve just joined me on this journey from death to life, go back and read my previous post. Then continue with the next post, coming soon. Hint: sometimes what seems to be a closed door forces us to focus on the open door before us, that leads to life. 

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2019-2024

From Death to Life: High School Senior

            From Death to Life: High School Senior

Everyone has a story. Whether yours is told to millions or a few, it’s still your story. And important.

My coming to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior accelerated during my senior year of high school. A young lady in the soprano section of our school choir didn’t talk much, which stood out. Eventually I met her, noticing that she was different, having something I did not have. At the time I didn’t know what that “something” was.

In the spring I met this girl’s family, when I picked her up to drive us to our choir teacher’s house, for a picnic. Her family had a “something” about them that I couldn’t fathom, but found myself liking. 

This girl and her family were Christians. Growing up in a denominational church I knew the term, just not the experience. I attended a church where, outside of singing and the pastor’s 20-minute sermon, the loudest sound was the lady a few rows  behind us unwrapping her candy. 

Two months after the choir picnic our high school graduation was held at Cole Field House, on the campus of the University of Maryland, thus marking the end of my formal education. By now I had become more acquainted with the young lady and her family. Looking back it has occurred to me that this family saw me as a lost young man looking for reality. A one-person mission field.

Searches for reality came in many forms back in 1969, as they do today. Drugs, alcohol, sex-they were all available, but-thankfully-were never participated in. Well, there was a one-half can of stolen beer that, fortunately, I disliked. No regrets to this day about not participating in such activities.

This is part of my story, one of me coming to experience Life. I invite you to join me as I recount portions of the steps taken, which lead from death to Life.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2019-2024

Six and 76

For years the name Billy Graham has been a household word. Mention his name to many and visions of stadiums still come. Stadiums where faith-not football-was preached, where thousands responded to a simple Gospel message given by, as he was often called, Mr. Graham.

There was another person named Billy who preached the Gospel. This Billy preached in the late 1800s and up unto 1935, the year after Billy Graham received salvation. The other Billy was Billy Sunday, a one-time professional baseball player who became the leading evangelist of his day.

Billy Sunday was influenced by J. Wilber Chapman whose ministry, in turn, was encouraged through that of one F.B. Meyer. Meyer’s own ministry grew under the tutelage of Dwight L. Moody who was won to Christ by his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball, in 1858. 

In Charlotte, North Carolina, one of Billy Sunday’s converts was a young man by the name of Mordecai Ham. I read that in 1934 Billy Sunday was invited to preach in Charlotte but couldn’t. Instead, Mordecai Ham, himself now a minister, came and ministered. In one of those services 16 year-old Billy Graham gave his life to Christ. 

Six individuals over 76 years. Each one obedient to go and speak life to multitudes, or the one. Too often we look at numbers for marking success. God’s markings may be more on the one, the seed of many to come. Your faithfulness to God’s plan for your life may be marked more by that one than those masses. 

Edward Kimball, Dwight L. Moody, F.B. Meyer, J. Wilber Chapman, Billy Sunday, Mordecai Ham, and Billy Graham would, no doubt, agree.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2019-2024

God's Cousins

Trying to figure God out is a waste of time, energy, and resources. God has no beginning nor end. Hebrews 11:6 says that those who come to God must first believe that He is-that He exists. I don't claim for one moment to know how, but I believe it to be true. Throughout the New Testament there are numerous references to God as Father: the Father of Jesus; the Father of those who have become His children, through confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, out of a believing heart.

But what about all of God's family? Some teach that Mary, who gave birth to Jesus, is the mother of God. If that be true, then who is God's father? Does God, then, have brothers, sisters, in-laws, out-laws (just kidding), or grandchildren? Does God have cousins?

The truth is that, although singularly used to give birth to Jesus, Mary isn't the mother of God; she was the mother of Jesus's humanity, not His deity. Jesus existed in heaven long before He ever came to the earth as both God and man (John 1:1,2,14).

God has, in fact, no mother, father, siblings, or other such relatives, including cousins. However, God has a family. This greatest of families is made up of those human beings who, as I stated earlier, have openly confessed (declared to be true) Jesus as their Lord, out of a believing heart (spirit), according to Romans 10:9,10.

In short, God has lots of children-hopefully billions of them. Many have gone on to  Heaven; the rest are still here on Earth (Ephesians 3:14,15). God's family knows no color, language, or socio-economic restrictions. Salvation is of the heart, not the pocketbook.

No, God doesn't have cousins, just a growing family of children from around the world who make up what the Bible calls the Church, the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:24). If you're one of those children then you are my brother or sister, in Christ. We may differ on some things, but I love you with the unconditional love of God.

If you're not yet part of the greatest family of all go to our website, hubertgardner.org,, where you'll find a page to receive Christ for yourself, becoming part of God's family.

Then I'll get to love another member of His family- without sending Christmas cards.

© Hubert Gardner Ministries 2018-2024

God's Busy

God's a busy Person. Just think about it: He's created a universe that He's keeping in order. He created Earth, the crown jewel of our universe. He created a wonderful Plan of Redemption for all Mankind, then sent His only Son to consummate it through His death, burial, and resurrection. On top of all that, God is continually watching over His every Word to make sure they all come to pass. Okay, so God's busy. After all He's, well, God. But is He too busy watching over the universe and His Word to have an eternal interest in you, in what you're doing?  Is God too busy to want-and be able-to help you get from where you are to where you want to be?

I don't think so. In fact, I know so. How can I be so sure? Because the Living God, Who is upholding the universe He created,  loves me with an everlasting love. He loves you with the same love that He loves Jesus with (John 17:23). It's so, so believe and accept it. God has an intimate interest in you. To take this one step further, He is now the Heavenly Father of all those who have believed on and confessed Jesus, God's Son, as Lord of their lives. Is God your Heavenly Father? If so, great. If not, He can be.

A father cares about his children. Although busy, good fathers make the time for their children. Good fathers are vitally interested in their children for who they are-not just what they can do for Daddy. God's that-and more.  God wants to be a part of every moment of your individual life, helping you to become and be the person He created you to be. He's made available the resources of Heaven to make it so.

Yes, God's busy. After all, there are so many things to do when you're God. Just remember though, that, because He's God, He can do so many different things at once, including taking care of you, hearing and answering your prayers, spending time with you whenever you want (hopefully often), and letting you get as close to Him as you want to be. As busy as God is, you can't get too close to Him; you can't know Him too well. Quite a Father, now isn't He?

God's busy-busy desiring your love, trust, fellowship, and needing you to help Him carry out His Plan of redemption in the Earth today.

It's time to get busy knowing the Living God Who's always busy, yet has all the time in eternity, so to speak, to live in and through you.

If you have not yet received Jesus as your Savior, click here to do so now.

It's Better Than Religion

My last post dealt with the evils of religion. You can check it out here. In criticizing religion in general there is no mention of any one particular religion. My purpose was-and is-to point out the evils of religion, without forcing anyone to change. God is a gentleman-He won't force anyone to believe what he/she doesn't want to believe. In contrast to religion Christianity is about a relationship-a relationship experienced with the Living God, Who hears and answers prayers. Christianity is about accepting the life, teachings, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God's Son, Who lived and walked on this earth, 2,000 years ago. It's coming to God on the basis of what Jesus did for you, not what you can do for yourself. It's coming to Him as you are, not what you can offer God. It's for anyone regardless of age, gender, pedigree, or ethnic background. All because God loves you as you are, right now. Yes, you, the person reading this post. God loves you.

Through studying God's written Word, the Bible, we learn more about who God is, why Jesus came to this earth (historical fact), and what God has provided for us to freely enjoy, on the basis of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. It's an offer you're free to accept or reject, as an act of your own will. It's Life for those who accept this free gift; no burnings or beheadings for those who don't.

At the same time, Hell is real. Originally made for the devil, it now, sadly, also includes those who have willfully chosen to reject Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. Not for breaking any or all of the Ten Commandments. For the singular sin of saying "No" to the Life God offers, through His Son, Jesus Christ. I surely don't want anyone to wind up in Hell, with the devil.

Eternity's a long time.

Yes, Hell is real. The most religious place in the universe is Hell. It's full of religious folks, with no relationship with the Living God. They're separated from God for eternity. That's Hell. Fortunately no one is forced to go there. If you've never made Jesus the Lord of your life, pray this simple prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the Name of Jesus, Your Son. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is my Lord; I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead for me. Therefore, according to your Word (Romans 10:9,10) I'm saved. I'm now Your child."

If you prayed this prayer from your heart you're now a Christian, a child of God. That's worth telling other Christians.

Please write and let us know of your decision. Simply go to the Contact page of our website, and let us know.

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.