That Girl Can Sleep!

June 21, 2024June 21, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

April has a hidden talent that few know about. She can fall asleep within three minutes, and it doesn’t seem to matter where she is, either. Needless to say, I am envious! I suffer from OMS these days. “Old Man Syndrome.” That means if I wake up in the middle of the night, I am usually awake for hours before I can attempt to go back to sleep.

The other day, April fell asleep in the car while I was driving us home in heavy traffic. I was thinking, “How in the world can she sleep?” I don’t make a good passenger. I find it difficult to trust others and their driving skills. And sleep while they are driving? Forget it!

Then it hit me: April trusted me and my ability to drive. She knows I am going to get her home safely. She felt safe and secure.

Isn’t that how we should feel when we are walking with God through life? We pray and then trust Him to address our needs and act on our behalf. Doing what is best for us. If we do that, we can “rest” and perhaps find the sleep we need that otherwise escapes us.

Nothing and no one is holy like God,
    no rock mountain like our God.
Don’t dare talk pretentiously—
    not a word of boasting, ever!
For God knows what’s going on.
    He takes the measure of everything that happens.
The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces,
    while the weak are infused with fresh strength.
The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts,
    while the hungry are getting second helpings.
The barren woman has a houseful of children,
    while the mother of many is bereft. 1 Sam. 2:2-5 (MSG)

“Trusting God” isn’t simply a statement of faith but a way to live. It will show, too, if your life reflects your speech. Many know the right things to say or scriptures to quote, but few will act them out daily.

Look at Luke 8:22-23 (MSG): “One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’

Getting to his feet, he told the wind, ‘Silence!’ and the waves, ‘Quiet down!’ They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.”

This passage has been preached so many times! It is usually pointed out that the disciples who walked with Jesus should have known they weren’t going to die. If Jesus had said, “Let’s cross the lake,” then they would have made it to the other side.

If April had been in that boat, she would have been asleep as well, along with Jesus! Let your request be made known to God. Lay them on the altar and then walk away, leaving them there. Then, walk with boldness and the confidence that things will work out.

If Only

June 18, 2024May 16, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I have been listening to the same song over and over today, so I decided to share its lyrics. The song is “Christmas at Denny’s” by Randy Stonehill. It is sad and kind of haunting—at least some of the words are.

they got Christmas Muzak
piped in through the ceiling
and the refills of coffee
are always for free
and the waitress on graveyard
and the surly night manager
are wishing that all of us losers would leave

there’s a star on the sign
at the Texaco Station
like the star long ago
on that midnight clear
as I look all around
at these cold, empty faces
I doubt that you’d find many wise men here

and I’m dreaming about
a silent night
holy night
when things were alright
(Chorus)
once I had a home
and a wife and a daughter
had a company job
earning middle-class pay
then Lisa got killed
by a car near the schoolyard
and my wife started drinking
just to get through each day

I will never forget that little red wagon
turning to rust all alone in the rain
one morning I flagged down
a truck on the highway
I just couldn’t bear to go back there again
(Chorus:)
and I’m dreaming about
a silent night
holy night
when things were alright
and I’m dreaming about
how my life could have been
if only, if only, if only
well, it’s not just the blind man
who loses his sight
merry Christmas
it’s Christmas at Denny’s tonight

they say
life’s made of cruel circumstance
fate plays the tune and we dance
dance til we drop
in the dust and we’re gone
and the world just goes on

the cop at the counter
he’s the guardian angel
he watches these orphans
through dark mirrored shades
and the register rings
like a bell sadly tolling
for the fools we’ve become
and the price that we paid

oh when I was a boy
I believed in Christmas
miracle season to make a new start
I don’t need no miracle, sweet baby Jesus
just help me find
some kind of hope in my heart
(Chorus)
but I’ll still be here
at the morning’s first light
merry Christmas
it’s Christmas at Denny’s tonight

The song tells a sad story, and I would bet it isn’t too far from at least one’s true story. Life is about making choices in reaction to what is going on in our lives. In the above story, the man couldn’t get over his daughter’s death and then witnessed his wife’s slow demise into alcohol. Even though he mentions having knowledge of God in the past. If only you hadn’t cheated on your spouse. If only you hadn’t lost your job. If only you had not come down with cancer. If only you had been a better parent. If only your house had not been destroyed by fire. If only, if only, if only.

You can mess up or have bad things happen in your life but still keep your hope.

So what happens when one looks at the circumstances instead of God? They lose their faith. They lose hope. That is what Satan wants. For you to lose your hope, that is. Without hope, people die. Jesus is the hope of the world. Accept Him and survive anything that may come your way in life.

…in him will the nations find hope. Mat. 12:21 (ICB)

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom. 15:13 (ICB)

“That’s Enough!”

June 14, 2024May 14, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“Take shelter now!” warned the weatherman. I think I wrote about the tornadoes we recently had in Oklahoma in another post. On the night of Monday, May 6, 2024, there was an “F4” that struck Barnsdall, Oklahoma. I grew up here and am somewhat used to tornadoes and their weird, strange behavior. I have heard several stories, and some of them will make the hair on the back of your neck stand straight out.

I heard of a family that found a box in their family room. It had gotten there via a tornado, and the box had made its way through the roof. When they opened the box, they found fine china, but none of it was broken.

One family had just sat down for dinner, and as soon as the prayer was said, the sirens went off. They went around the corner of the dining room, and all of them crammed into an inner closet. They heard the noise of the wind, debris, and destruction. After the tornado had passed, they exited their shelter, unharmed, from the storm. Their house was gone! But when they went back to the dining room, they found the table and chairs still in place. Even their dinner was still on the table. Even the paper napkins hadn’t moved with the silverware.

Tornadoes have been known to totally destroy one house and leave the next one on the street untouched as if it bounced over it. And it might have as the twisters spin like tops.

A few years ago, one of my cousins was in her car driving into town to pick up an order of pizzas for the celebration of her oldest son’s high school graduation. The monster tornado came up from behind her. Debris broke the car windows out and sucked her right out of the car, and threw her body. We know this because when they found her car, the seatbelt was still fastened. A sad story, for sure. But when they had her funeral, the fire marshal showed up and said the church was over the capacity limit. So, the church set up speakers outside, and the overflow stood in the heat to pay their respects. One by one, people got up to share how she had helped them with a practical need, and then she shared the gospel with them. Her husband confirmed that more than once, she emptied their savings account in order to help someone else. In their storm, she walked like Jesus did.

On May 6, 2024, the Barnsdall tornado didn’t destroy a local Catholic church but did break out some windows. The pastor described that debris was all over the sanctuary up until the altar. Behind the altar was a cross with Jesus hanging on it. The pastor said it looked as if Jesus had held out his hand and said, “That’s enough!”

We all face personal storms in our lives. Some turn out well, while others not so much. There will be times when Jesus will be walking through it with you. And at other times, He may hold his hand up and say, “That’s enough!”

Whenever there’s a storm, Jesus may already be in the boat with you, or He may walk on water to come to your side. (Luke 8:22-25) (John 6:16-21)

God is Funny

June 11, 2024May 14, 2024 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Some may think that God doesn’t have a sense of humor. Others might say, “Oh yeah? Look at some of the creatures on Earth.” I would say He is. I mean, we are created in His image, and we laugh because of something funny.

When April and I first met, we argued about who was funnier. She finally conceded that I was although she has her moments! Well, the other day, I was playing a game on my phone titled “4 Pics 1 Word.” I play it when I have some downtime, like when waiting for April to get off work. Another reason I play it is to try to keep my mind sharp. I think it is slipping some, which bothers me. I have often prided myself on having problem-solving skills and not overlooking things. This is not funny, but last weekend, I was looking toward the south, hoping to see the Northern Lights. I didn’t and I do know my directions very well.

The game shows you four pictures and several scrambled letters that contain the word that links the pics together. (See the above picture of the game at level 1.) It sounds easy, but there are challenging levels. The goal is to figure out the word by looking at the four pictures. I was on a “Super Hard Level,” and I was struggling. I tried off and on for hours to figure it out but couldn’t. I refused to pay for help with my game coins, too. The four photos were of firewood stacked up, a wind generator, an old minor, and a large library.

I was about to go to bed defeated for the day when I suddenly heard in my spirit, “Why don’t you ask me?” I laughed and replied, “God, you don’t play games.” Now, I have written several times about asking God anything because He is a know-it-all. And I mean that with deep respect. So, after a moment, I said, “Okay, God. What is the word?” Immediately, I heard, “Resource.” I tried it, and it worked. That was the word. I started laughing so hard and said, “God, you are so funny!”

Here again, I am telling you that God loves you and me so much. He sincerely cares about us and what matters to us. He wants to help us with our lives. Usually, He is dealing with matters of health, emotions, and finances. God is our “Resource” for life. Did you see what I did there? LOL. I hope you have the kind of relationship with God, the Creator of the universe, as I do. He is a living God and not a statue or teacher who has lived, taught and has since passed away. You can talk to Him, and He will answer. And once in a while, He might be that friend that you phone for help with a game.

Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand). Jer. 33:3 (AMPC)

Side note:
An example of God’s humor is the instance in which the Israelites were using the Ark of the Covenant like a good-luck charm in taking it to battle, and the Philistines ended up capturing it and placing it in their temple before their idol of Dagon. They came into the temple the next day and found Dagon flat on his face before the ark. They set him back up. The next morning, there he was again, but this time he had his hands and head cut off as a symbol of his powerlessness before the God of the ark (1 Samuel 5:1-5). God’s putting Dagon in a position of submission to His ark is a comical picture.
(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org)

Even Graveyards Grow Flowers!

June 7, 2024May 10, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

My father loved to tell jokes. He was almost like a standup comedian who didn’t go on tour. But whenever someone came over to visit, he was on. He had his material down pat. There was one joke that I thought was so corny, and I hated it so much that I swore it would die with him! And don’t ask me to tell you which one. I won’t!

One joke in his repertoire was, “Why do they put fences around graveyards? Because people are just dying to get in.” Graveyards are not places we typically think of going to unless we want to rest in peace. They generally are quiet places unless the undertaker has a crew there mowing or digging a fresh hole.

Perhaps people don’t like visiting graveyards because they find them depressing. That may be due to the fact it reminds them of death and raises the question, “Is there life after death?” Personally, I don’t mind cemeteries. The reason is because “death” or the thought of dying doesn’t bother me. I am ready to stand before God and give an account of how I have lived my life. I shared that with a boss one time, and he almost literally fell out of his chair! I guess he didn’t have the same peace of mind as I do.

The only way I can be so confident about dying is I know how I am living. I have accepted Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. I live without condemnation of my sins because Jesus paid the price for them when He died for me (and you) on the cross. He was perfect and without sin; therefore, He was an acceptable sacrifice to God. I do my best to live for God, according to His word, the Bible. I also do my best to follow His commandments and principles. Life is not perfect, but it isn’t bad six feet above.

If life isn’t working out for you on your terms, try God’s. Gain the peace of mind of knowing there is life after death, eternal life, and that you will live in peace with God. Then, go visit a graveyard, smell the roses, and perhaps pick a flower or two to take home.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom. 8:1 (ESV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:1 (ESV)

Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 1 Thes. 4:17 (AMPC)

Speak to Your Storm

June 4, 2024May 2, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

April 27, 2024: I live in “Tornado Alley.” The nickname is given to this part of America due to the fact that, historically, there are more tornados here than in any other part. If you have ever seen footage of the aftermath, then you know they can leave quite a trail of devastation, hurt, pain, and lost lives.

You know your life, home, car, and other belongings are at risk of being lost whenever you hear the tornado sirens go off. I have never actually seen one, but I have seen the atmosphere right before one strikes. There is this scary, aqua-green color in the skies. The clouds rotate above your head, and then there is a quietness right before the beast comes to life and roars. Most people have an intense fear of tornados. I respect them and take the proper safety measures.

On the night of April 27, Oklahoma had 24 tornados. One, an EF3 (winds between 158 – 206 mph), was headed for where I live. It had been on the ground for several minutes and got within 35 miles. When I saw this tornado’s forecasted track via a local weather station, I started praying, and then I spoke to the storm! I commanded it to stop and go away in the name of Jesus! After all, from reading the Bible, I learned that Jesus could control the weather, and he said that we, too, can do these things and more. So why not exercise my faith and take dominion over the earth?

The next thing I heard the weatherman announce was the storm front was moving in on that one tornado. When it did, it stole its energy, and the tornado dissipated. Thank you, God!

We have that kind of power in the name of Jesus. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one putting into practice a principle that we have been given. Also, that was not my first time doing that. I have seen it work several times since moving back to this area.

I would then challenge, if we can speak to a physical storm, then why not speak to other kinds of storms that blow up in our lives? Cancer? A rocky marriage? Unemployment? Why not? Satan wants to use anything he can to destroy or devour us. He wants us never to have or to lose faith in God. If he can achieve this, he wins. Another fact is April, and I faithfully tithe. One of the promises from God Himself is that He will stop the devourer on our behalf. The Bible is true and should be read and believed. There may be parts you have trouble with or don’t understand, but there is no reason to throw away the whole book. You can seek wisdom and understanding from trusted teachers of the word of God.

Below are the scriptures I stand on because they are true:

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mar. 4:39 (NIV)

¹²Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14 (NIV)

¹⁰Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. ¹¹And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
Mal. 3:10-11 (KJV)

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen. 1:26 (ASV)

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

Month: June 2024