Author: Mark Brady

The Other Side

/ Mark Brady / 1 Comment

DogWhat is it about the other side?  What is it on the other side that looks so appealing?  Is it really better than what we already have on the side we are on?  If we waited long enough would what is on the other side be on our side?  Will what is on the other side satisfy us any better than what we have?  Or will going after what is on the other side cause us to get stuck?  Stuck in a bad relationship, a bad job, a bad business deal?  Causing us to ask ourselves, “Now what?”  Perhaps it is always better to just be content with what we have on the side we are on.

Paul (from the bible) said it like this:

Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.  (Phi. 4:11-13  MSG)

 

Author Shauna Niequist once said, “If you want the grass to be green on your side of the fence then water it.”

So be happy with what you have.  Stop looking to see what is on the other side.  You might just learn that what you have is pretty good after all, and perhaps everyone else is wanting what you have on your side?

Does God Move You?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

If you believe in God and believe in him to lead you and guide you, have you ever stopped to think just how He does that?  I think it would blow our minds right out of our skulls if we could even begin to comprehend the enormity of such a task.  You see in order for God to put us in the right place at the right time, He also has to orchestrate, not just our steps, but the movements of others thus putting everyone where they need to be at any given moment in time and space.

Some might say things just have a way of working out, while others would call an encounter a coincident.  I once heard someone say that a coincident is a small miracle where God insist on remaining anonymous!  I’m not sure, but I like the thought of that statement.  He certainly doesn’t brag when He pulls off a complicated task in just 3 moves and say, “Hey, did you see what I did there?”

But back to God, He already knows where He wants us and how many moves it will take to achieve his plan.  He knows the order of events that must take place, and to think all of this isn’t just for your life, but He also does this for everyone who has surrendered their life to him.  Sometimes we wonder why certain things we ask God for take so long to happen.  I assure you if you tried to make things happen in your life it would take much longer, because we cannot move others to where we might want them.  Those others do not surrender their lives to us.  And then, and then when we do try to make things happen and wind up going in the wrong direction for a while God is still able to get us back on his path.  I assure you we do not surprise God, or throw him any curve balls.  He knows, so He has already taken into account how many more moves it will take.  This is why it is important to remember to let God move you!

Saying Goodbye

/ Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Saying goodbye is goodbyehard sometimes.  Today as I was driving, while running errands, I noticed that nature was saying goodbye to summer.  Instead of a grey, sad, display of emotion I saw a bright, brilliant colorful celebration of change.  This summer here in Chicago was one of the best ever.  The weather was pleasant, the temperatures were comfortable.  I really do hate to see this summer end.  And now as we do say goodbye to summer we get to enjoy exuberant colors.  Nature knows how to say goodbye gracefully.

In life there are times we have to say goodbye to people.  Some move away, others go to college, some go back to their homes far away after a nice visit, and then there are those in our life that just move on.  Some you say goodbye to knowing again you will see them, and yet others you may never see again.  Those can be the hardest to say goodbye to.  It is in those times we have an opportunity to display grace and understanding or we can choose something darker that can hurt.

When Jesus left the face of the earth he left in a cloud.  Not a bad way to travel I must say.  I would joke that He flew “Standby”, but actually He had a reservation.  When He said goodbye He gave us a promise.

“What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world. These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud.” (Act 1:8-9 MSG)

As you can see saying goodbye, though hard, can be good.  In nature the earth rest during winter.  Getting ready for a new year, a new season of life.  When Jesus said goodbye He gave us a promise of the Holy Spirit to help us minister and live with power.  We should learn to say goodbye gracefully, and accept the change.

(The image above has an embedded link to the song by Skillet on YouTube.  Click on it)

Are You On the Right Road?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

My daughter called me the other day, and as our conversation continued the subject of “road rage” came up.  She asked me, “Dad?  How come it is so hard sometimes to remain Christ like when you share the road with people who drive like idiots?”  I laughed, and thought, “Well I certainly know where she got that from!”  “Her mother of course!”  Okay, she got it from me.  I feel really bad that I cannot even drive the 9 blocks to the train station sometimes without getting put out with how someone is driving.  As a result I tend to think and even say out loud words that I know would not bring glory to God.  I feel so bad, and I say, “God I’m so sorry!  Please forgive me.  I don’t want to be like this.  Help me God.”  Knowing I was going to write about this subject you cannot begin to fathom the joy and excitement I had when while I was having my chair time with God I came across the following verses:

“There will be a highway called the Holy Road. No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road. It’s for GOD’s people exclusively– impossible to get lost on this road. Not even fools can get lost on it. No lions on this road, no dangerous wild animals– Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening. Only the redeemed will walk on it. The people GOD has ransomed will come back on this road. They’ll sing as they make their way home to Zion, unfading halos of joy encircling their heads, Welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night.”  (Isiah 35:8-10 MSG)

What a promise that God gives us!  (And God always keeps His promises!)  A road with “no one rude, dangerous or threatening”?  It’s almost unbelievable.  I can be on the road and have nothing happen to me that would generate a response out of me that would cause my halo to fade.  I certainly need to learn to change how I look at others on the road that potentially could cause me harm.  When I see them, knowing they obviously don’t see me, I need to pray for them.  I need to pray that God would intervene in their lives.  That He would be God and smooth out their lives so they are no longer so troubled by life that they have difficulties focusing on driving.

This promise that God gives us of a highway called the Holy Road, is only for those whom have accepted Jesus Christ to be the Lord of their life.  Are you on this road?

Second Chances

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Have you ever dsecondone something and wished that you had another opportunity to go back and handle it differently? I sure have!  I mean if I was going to make a list where would I start?  You would like to have those words back, or not gone somewhere you shouldn’t have.  Maybe not expressed your thoughts or desires to someone who had no business hearing them.  Possibly a marriage gone wrong, or the treatment of one you really loved, but your own short comings hindered you in expressing it correctly.  The list could go on, and on, and does.

So should one live a life of regret of what could have been or maybe should have been?  No.  That does no good.  The only good that can come from looking back is learning how to go forward.  How not to ever do that again.  A person should take their mistakes to the One who can forgive, heal, and help you move on.

Then there are those rare opportunities that come around every once in a while; second chances.  Sometimes we are blessed with a second chance by the One who never needed a second chance! We have an opportunity to face a situation or relationship again and this time we pray we get it right.  Have we learned?  Do we know where we went wrong the first time?  I hope so.  Take second chances when you are presented with one and make the most of it.  Make it beautiful, make it worthy of being offered to you.  Make the way you handle it this time please God.  God is the God of second chances.  He made a way for us to be cleansed of all of our wrong doings, and to try again.  Take what God has paid a high price to give you and this time do it right with His power and might, and not your own.secondchances

**Preview for next week:  “Road Rage – Remaining Christ Centered while Thinking Everyone on the Road is an Idiot” **

“Because I Can”

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

What makes you do the things you do?  Especially when you know ahead of time it is wrong?  It is one little letter.  The letter “I”.  You see because God gave us “free will” we get to choose which direction to go when we are faced with doing right or doing wrong.  It’s kind of sad, but just one little letter can make the difference between a life you “run” to a life that you “ruin”.

When “I” do what “I” want to do it can often lead to wrong.  This happens because we are basically selfish, and want to satisfy ourselves rather than God. “I” can hurt people. “I” can destroy relationships. “I” can take from others. “I” can put anything in place of God. “I” can verbally tell someone just what “I” think.  “I” can lust after what my neighbor has. “I” can even kill.

The truth is God gave us a better way to live, not to enslave us, but to set us free.  Jesus said that He came to give us life and to give it to us more abundantly. (John 10:10b) Abundant life?  You mean it can be better than this? “Yes!”  You accept Christ and live the way He instructs and your life will be different.  Even a life that is in “ruin” because of “I” getting everything it wanted.  Accepting Christ is not winning the lottery, but you will face life with richness.  When you live in God’s peace you begin to learn contentment.  Peace and contentment combined puts “I” in its place. When “i” yields to God it becomes little.  When “i” becomes little and yields to what is right one is more likely to do the right thing.  Doing the right thing always makes for a better life.

Love? Or in Love?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I met a woman today who was absolutely beautiful! As we talked I could discern this woman was also wise.  While talking the subject turned to marriage.  Her face lit up as she spoke of love, and marriage.  She shared with me the great love of her life. You see the woman I was speaking to was a widow. She mentioned how it is a give and take of both sides.  She said one has to give 50%, but at times you may have to give more like 70%, and one should be willing to, for a season.  She told how a marriage takes work and lots of it!  She mentioned how today too many take marriage so lightly.  She said a lot of people “love”, but asked how many couples are “in love”?

Wow!  My heart was stirred by how she spoke of love.  I asked her if she would like to go out on a date.  She asked me if I had my own car and could still drive? Oh, I guess I should mention this beautiful lady was 92 years old.

I’m divorced, and for the longest time feared of allowing myself to love again knowing I could get hurt again. If you want to be married you must first be willing to risk.  If you don’t take the risk of being hurt or having your heart broken again then you aren’t going to live life fully!  Sure, you can play it SAFE, but is that living?

Jesus risked all to love us.  He gave 100%.  He was willing to live among us in order to really love us.  He knew his heart would be broken many times by the very ones he loved, yet Jesus is still “in love” with us.

Today I Saw Jesus

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I work in downtown Chicago.  Just walking from the train station to my building I see a lot of humanity.  The best and the worst of mankind, but today, today I saw Jesus.

I had run out of my house this morning to catch my train and did not take time to eat breakfast.  As a result I stopped by a fast food establishment to pick something up.  I saw a woman who appeared to be taking her time in ordering breakfast.  The line was getting long.  I didn’t know until later that she was ordering something that she usually doesn’t and she wanted to make sure the person behind the counter got it right.  I got my order in, grabbed it, filled my drink and hurried out the door, and that is when I saw Jesus.

I saw the woman who had taken so much time ordering, who had held up the line, giving a homeless man his breakfast.  She saw me watching, and the next thing I know we were talking.  I told her that was very cool.  She then said, “If a man is hungry how can you not feed him?”  As she went on to share with me the words of Jesus, “Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me–you did it to me.” (Mat. 25:40 MSG), I sensed the Holy Spirit, the presence of God.  If Yoda, from “Star Wars”, was a Christian he might say about her, “The Holy Spirit is strong with this one!”  It is an awesome feeling to sense God’s presence oozing out of a person who is so filled up with God it can’t help but come out!

I know Jesus would have fed the homeless man too, and he would have also fed his soul.  If you look around at humanity you will see there are a lot of people who need to be fed.  Here I am talking about their soul’s need to be fed.  They need to hear hope.  They need to know there is One who knows them, sees them, and not only loves them, but gave his own son for them.  They are starving.  There is a spiritual famine in this world today.  That is why there are so many conflicts going on all over the world.  The worse thing is some don’t even know they are hungry.  They have ignored the spiritual hunger pains so long they don’t even realize why they hurt inside.  Be Jesus today.  Be Jesus every day.  Feed the multitudes.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

This is one of my favorite times of the year.  You see I like to watch football.  Last Thursday night was the kickoff of the 2014 professional football season.  I have learned how to man the remote control with such proficiency I can actually watch two games at one time on one TV.  You see it sort of works out that while one team is in a huddle on one channel on another channel they will be running a play.  When that play is over you quickly switch back to the other channel.  I usually start a regiment of exercises for my index finger in early August.  I practice this move during preseason.  I also have a backup finger just in case my starting finger gets knocked out of the game!  I love football!

I have to be careful though not to spend 10 ½ hours on Sunday’s watching football.  There are things that are way more important that need to be taken care of.  With this realization I now limit myself to only watching one game. (And a few quick peeks in on the action.)  What is more important than football?  Well, a number of things, but for me touching lives.  Today I have two letters to write to two different men who are “tenants” of their respective state.  (Inmates)  I will spend time praying for the week ahead that I will be aware of those that I encounter that may need a few more minutes of my time.  In those few minutes they may express their hurts, their fears, or what they need prayer for.  I want to be ready.  I will also plan out how I can purposely touch the lives of the ones I care about.  How I can surprise them with a word that lifts them up, put a smile on their face, lets them know they are loved, and thought of.

Touching someone’s life in a Godly manner takes time, takes practice, and takes opening your eyes to see the needs.  It means not being so self-concerned about your own needs.  You should already know your needs will be met.  In a book I am currently writing I spend a whole chapter describing ways to touch lives.  What is your favorite way to do this?

My church always considers this time of the year as the start of a new ministry season.  I tend to think that way as well.  So the question isn’t, “Am I ready for some football?” the question is, “Am I ready for some ministry?”

Wait

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

GodsAnswerWaiting on God is hard.  We ask, we seek, we pour out our hearts to him, and then we don’t see any change.  When this happens it is easy to wonder, “Have I done something wrong?  Is God trying to punish me?  Is he even listening to me?” The longer we wait, the harder it becomes to have faith.  Remember faith is:  “The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see.”  Heb. 11:1 (MSG)

So what is going on while we wait?

The longer you wait on God, if you will endure, your faith becomes stronger.  It would be easy to believe in God and wait upon God if he delivered solutions faster than Amazon Prime!  And aren’t you glad that there is no “prime” service with God to those who may appear to be more spiritual than us?  I assure you Billy Graham, and Mother Theresa have waited on God just as much as we do.

When you do exit “God’s waiting room” (as Scott Cochrane puts it), and you will, you become assured that he did hear you, and he counted every one of those tears that poured out of your eyes.  You see waiting on God builds character within us.  Not only is your faith stronger when you get to the other side, but you have also developed Godly character.  Please, no matter what, do not try to answer your own prayers, but wait on God to answer your prayers his way, in his timing.  You will be glad you did.

Isa 40:31  But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.  (AMP)