Month: July 2023

Get Dirty

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I’ve wanted a tree in the front of our house since I bought the place six years ago. I haven’t gotten one yet because the ones I want and the size I want are expensive. I had never thought of planting a tree from seed, though. Yeah, I had heard of Johnny Appleseed, who went around planting apple trees, but still, the thought never crossed my mind. Where do you buy tree seeds anyway? Oh, I know, “Dollar Tree!”

So when I found three maple trees growing in April’s flower bed, I was surprised. I’m not sure how they got there, but I am excited they are. God has truly been blessing us this year and meeting our needs and even some wants. Things that we talk about and even some things that are secret in our hearts. Before something can be manifested, someone has to plant it. Sometimes, planting a thought is enough.

Two years ago, I was asked to pray about how a particular property could be utilized. April and I went back to our lodge room and did just that. One of the things I sensed God say was, “Have a writer’s conference.” It seemed overwhelming, but I wanted to obey. I found a person who believed in what God had spoken as well, and we formed a company and did just that. In March of 2022, we held a writer’s conference. There were only ten people who showed up.

After it was over, we talked about our future. She wanted to host another writer’s conference. After praying about it, I didn’t feel the same. I left the company and started helping writers by coaching them and editing their works. In June of 2023, my ex-business partner held another writer’s conference with forty-two participants. Four times the previous year.

Reflecting on her success in numbers, I felt a sense of joy and accomplishment. You see, even though I had nothing to do with this year’s conference, I planted it. She watered it, and it grew! This practice is Biblical, and it is all for God’s glory.

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1 Cor. 3:6 (KJV)

So the next time you feel prompted to plant, or start something, be bold. Be willing to dig in and not be afraid to get dirty! Whether it’s a conversation about the love of God, an encouraging word, volunteering in the children’s group at church, or a writer’s conference. Get God’s timing on it and do it. You may never know on this side of heaven what the results of your obedience will be. If God lays it upon your heart to water what someone else has planted, then do that too. We are all co-laborers for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are indeed many parts but one body.

For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God
1 Cor. 3:9a (AMPC)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Where is He Pointing?

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Photo by: Victoria_Regen via Pixabay

“Hey, look at Quick Trip and tell me what the current gas price is,” I said to April while pointing over my left shoulder. I was driving, and a semi passed us, which prevented me from being able to see the sign. The local gas prices have been fluctuating lately.

April looked frantically to her right for QT and the gas sign. I yelled at her to look at me. I was still trying to help her by pointing out the direction to look. By the time she looked to see where I was pointing, it was too late. At sixty-five miles per hour and at 4:40 AM, she couldn’t see it either.

I had taken April to work. They start at 5:00 AM. On the way home, I could see the sign, and gas was at $3.28 per gallon. (Note: this afternoon, the gas price had risen to $3.49.) The experience made me realize that we who do our best to walk with God often don’t look at Him to see where He is pointing us to. He will speak direction into our hearts, and we take off. I have often said, “I would rather be a mile behind God than one inch in front of him!”

The principle here is; keep your eyes on Jesus.

Do you need healing? Look at Jesus, the great physician.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
Isa. 53:5 (AMPC)

Do you need a job? Look at God, who knows what you need and cares about you.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Mat. 6:8 (NIV)

Are you feeling lonely? Look at Jesus, who sticks closer than a brother.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Prov. 18:24 (NIV)

Do you need comfort? Lean into God through the Holy Spirit, the great comforter.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26 (KJV)

No matter what you are facing in life, keep your focus on God.

I have mentioned God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity. Each one is separate but yet one. I know it is difficult for us to understand this, but think about an egg. You have the yoke, the white, and the shell, but yet, you only have one egg. Each member of the Trinity has a job to do, and they all work together.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Decide Now

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Photo by: janeb13 (via Pixabay)

You have all the information you need to make an informed decision!

I will confess that I have recently been binge-watching a TV show. It depicts the lives and interactions of lawyers. I have noticed they all seem to have the same central issue. That is: “Trust.” It comes up in every episode, I think. They ask themselves or someone else, “Do I trust them?” or “Can they be trusted?” I once heard the saying, “One who doesn’t trust can’t be trusted.”

Trust is hard yet easily broken! A single lie or deception can destroy someone else’s trust. And once it is gone, it can be almost impossible to rebuild. Ask anyone who has experienced the hurt and pain of realizing they can no longer trust someone. The more they think of that person as a long-time friend, workmate, or spouse, the more it intensifies the agony.

This is why it is critical to know that God can be trusted. His word, the Bible, is true. The devil, on the other hand, is a liar. God says that he is the father of lies.

“If God were your father,” said Jesus, “you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn’t come on my own. He sent me. Why can’t you understand one word I say? Here’s why: You can’t handle it. You’re from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.” John 8:44-47 (MSG)

The devil lies to you and deceives you to keep you far from God and, therefore, not accept His free gift of salvation. If you have never read the Bible, you should! Within the pages is all the information you need. You will read the truth. You can trust it! There may be parts you don’t understand (I still have some issues with parts of it), but you can count on one day having the knowledge you seek. What’s important, though, is the parts about God’s love for you and that He gave you His only Son to die for you.

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 (MSG)

Knowing this should make you feel confident in deciding the most important issue in your life. And that is this: is God real, and do I trust Him and his Son, Jesus, enough to ask for forgiveness of my sins and to invite Jesus into my life? The answer is, “Yes!” God can be trusted!

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Here’s Your Sign

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There is a practice one can have that makes life easier. And that is this:

Always Get Ready For Your Next Event

It is something that I preach to April constantly but, more importantly, demonstrate by living out. No matter how tired I am, each day or night, I look at my calendar or think about the next few days and ask myself, “Am I ready to go there, see them, or get that done?” If the answer is “No, “I do what I can to prepare.

This practice has helped me in so many ways because, let’s face it, life gets busy, goes by so fast, it seems, and things happen. Sometimes, I will think of something that needs to be done, and I do it instead of putting it off. Now I will confess, I’m lazy! But I have learned that being ready outweighs running around last minute in a panic. I would go so far and claim that this practice delivers peace.

Recently, I allowed April to practice being ready. She didn’t, and after receiving a service, she didn’t have the funds prepared to pay. The individual doesn’t take plastic money, so cash or a check is required. After making a point of her actions, I opened my wallet and pulled out a check. I paid for her.

So yesterday, as I was running errands, I saw the AT&T sign pictured here. I laughed and thought I should get one of these signs for April! But it was my next thought that brought seriousness back to my mind. Everyone needs this sign. Life keeps people so preoccupied, and the devil keeps things so stirred up that few ask the most important question of their life: “Am I ready to stand before God and give an account of how I have lived my life?”

One never knows when this life will end. So preparing now for where we will spend eternity is of the utmost importance! If you want to die and spend all the rest of your time in hell, then do nothing. But if you want to spend that time in heaven with God and your loved ones and have no more pain or suffering, then you must recognize that Jesus is God’s Son today. Then ask him to forgive you of your sins and to live in your heart. Jesus is faithful to forgive us no matter how terrible the things that we have done.

If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. 1 John 1:9-10 (MSG)

As I paid for April’s mistake, Jesus’ death on the cross has paid for ours. If you do this, you are then ready. But then get to know this loving God and his Son. Talk to them (prayer) like you are having a normal conversation with a friend. Also, read God’s instruction manual for life, the Bible.

So if you see this sign, you can answer, “Yes!” And you will be ready for your next event.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Leave it Clean

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Photo by Mabel Amber

If you read and follow this blog (I don’t), you know that April and I rented an apartment in Louisville earlier in the year. There are many reasons, and you would probably find out if you read all the blog posts starting in January. (I dare you! You’ll learn why and my readership will go way up.)

Anyway, I have lived in many apartments in my adult life, and I have always prided myself on getting my full security deposit back. The only way to do that is to leave the apartment better, cleaner than when you moved in. We no longer have the apartment in Louisville, and I just checked, and we got our entire security deposit back.

Thinking about how to leave things, I have learned over the years that no matter the circumstances, it is always best to leave people better, cleaner than when you moved into their life. I have had to take the exit ramp out of a few lives recently. I won’t list why. All of them, except one, ended well. That one didn’t because I was careless and didn’t ask for an invitation to speak into their life. The individual didn’t like hearing the truth, so the friendship ended sourly. I gave all my emotions, pain, and desire to get revenge to God.

There is great power in asking for an invitation to speak into someone’s life first before you do. This is one of the topics in my next book to be published, soon I hope, “Ask, Flip and Invite – The Power to Learn, Change, and Influence Your World.”

The one thing I had noticed when you leave someone better or cleaner than when you met them is this; they don’t realize you pulled away. They think you simply drifted away due to different interests, new interests, or for some other good reason. This should be our desire when it comes to leaving people. In other words, they should feel good when they think of you.

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God.
Phi. 1:3 (MSG)

Take the time and effort needed to leave it clean. You will be glad in your heart that you did.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Go Do It

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This past Sunday, my local church started a new series. The series happens every year. It’s one of our favorite times of the year. It’s called “At the MOVIES.” Our senior pastor teaches biblical applications via a movie. He will show segments from the movie and then talk about them, much like Jesus told parables to illustrate the principles of living a life for God. The church lobby is also transformed and looks like a movie set. There’s even popcorn! It’s an easy time to invite others to join us at church who may not usually go.

This week’s movie was “Top Gun: Maverick.” Normally I’m not too fond of sequels, but I loved this one. It was amazing how Pastor Craig Groeschel inspired, taught, and encouraged us to teach others. He explained how time was our greatest adversary. Jesus is coming back soon for his church, and the end of life on earth will begin.

I started sensing the Holy Spirit nudging me. God wants me to keep doing what I’m doing. I was beginning to think about quitting. Stop writing. Stop blogging because I’m tired. Then, a scripture that has kept me going came upon the screen. It is called “The Great Commission.”

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mat. 28:19-20 (KJV)

I was first challenged by this verse when I was a kid. I took it to heart. I wanted to do everything I could to fulfill it. I know I have to keep going. I had recently started praying that this blog would be read in Islamic countries. That is beginning to happen. This blog has now been read in 128 countries around the world. Why do I mention this? Because there are 195 countries. (Depending on the list you choose to use.) I can’t stop because there are 67 countries to go. I will keep writing, and keep praying for God’s help.

Is God calling you? Has the Holy Spirit been nudging you to get involved and do what you can to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Or share your testimony with others? How God saved you from a life of destruction? Don’t feel like you are inadequate. God will help you, empower you, and even give you the right words. You can do it. Time is short, and many people still need to hear about the love of God and how He gave his Son to die on the cross so that they may live.

You can watch it online this week at You’re Welcome Here | Life.Church

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Change

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“Hey, Mark Brady,” a man called out. I studied his face intently. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” He told me his name, and I still did not recognize him, but yes, I did know him. I had not seen him since we graduated high school together many, many, many years ago. Okay, add another “many” and a half!

To be honest, I did not like him at all in school. He was wild, loud, and mean! Some might even say he was a bully, at least to me. I avoided him. But now, he seemed much different. Transformed. I had heard over the years that he had accepted Jesus Christ into his life and changed how he lived. I could see it.

Reminds me of the change Saul (from the Bible) went through. He was a highly educated man who couldn’t understand why people would follow Jesus and even die for believing in Him as the Son of God like Steven did. (Steven was the first recorded martyr. Acts 7:55-60) Then, on the road to Damascus, Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Saul believed and instantly changed, and Jesus even changed his name to Paul.

Paul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It took many a while to believe the change in him was authentic, and they probably doubted it would last, but it did. Paul became one of God’s greatest servants and wrote two-thirds of the New Testament.

Accepting Jesus into your life should generate a change in you. If it doesn’t, then you are not genuinely becoming “Christ-like,” which is what being a “Christian” means. People can, and do change so don’t ever give up on them. Keep praying for them and who knows they may become like Christ someday.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

A Step in the Right Direction

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Have you ever considered what it looks like to “walk with God?” It’s not just something we are instructed to do via ministers, but it is a lifestyle. It’s not something you do as a “religious practice,” either. Nor do you do it with drudgery. When you begin to stay in step with God, it becomes natural. Something you do without having to think about it, like breathing.

You allow God to lead and set the pace. When you need to decide something more important than “Should I wear underwear?” you pause and consider, is this God’s will? Things that will affect your finances, your career, and where you live. I have recently had to ask God, “How much do we do to help this person?” Doing so came with a retail price tag! And when I was about to do more, God found a way of guiding April and me by opening up another opportunity for this person that honestly was much better than what we were about to offer.

Another aspect of “walking with God” is being guided in daily activities. We wanted to purchase another cooler (ice chest). It was on the shopping list, but when I started to go look at them to pick one out, I felt a sense of “no” in my spirit. My rationality was I didn’t have time. Two days later, April learned her name was drawn in a raffle for the top prize. Yep! The prize package included an Igloo cooler. (See photo.)

The package also included other treats and a large box of fireworks valued at $250. I told April a few weeks ago that I would love to buy some fireworks but could not justify the cost. It has been many years since I had some, and it’s part of my childhood memories of celebrating the 4th of July. I couldn’t believe it when I saw April walk out with the fireworks, and honestly, I wanted to cry. Why? Because it reminds me again how much God loves us and not only knows our needs but also the desires of our hearts. “Thank you, God, for your blessings!”

Walking with God is a fun, exciting, adventurous, and loving way to live. It also brings about comfort. There is no better way to live life. It starts with accepting Jesus as God’s Son. Asking him to forgive us of our sins and asking him to be Lord of our life. If people were, to be honest with others and with themselves, they would have to confess that trying to live life on their terms is a difficult and constant struggle.

Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Ps. 37:4 (KJV)

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously. Mic. 6:8 (MSG)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.