God’s Top Ten List

May 5, 2018May 4, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The Ten

No other Gods before me.
I’m to be your first priority.
Nothing should be your idol.
Keep your life pure.
Don’t use my name when cussing.
Understanding this can bring humility.
Keep Sundays Holy.
Resting one day a week is a wonderful thing.
Honor your father and mother.
Doing so will bless your life.
Killing is not good.
Love is a much better way.
Committing adultery tears people apart.
Learning intimacy will bring people together.
Don’t take what isn’t yours.
If you do, you’ll never learn to trust.
Lying is a bad idea.
Honesty is always the way to go.
You shouldn’t want what isn’t yours.
Contentment brings peace to your life.

God didn’t come up with these 10 commandments to make your life miserable. He didn’t do it so we would become “religious”, and start a bunch of denominations with a list of “rules” to live by. He gave us these principles, to live by, so we could relate to him better, and with each other.

It Hurts!

May 27, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

HURT You listen as they describe their current pain, despair, nightmare of a life. They go on and on without the slightest glimmer of hope on their face, or in their voice. They want relief, they want out, they want something so different then what they have. Like a blind man looking for his glasses, their searching is in vain.

You’ve heard it before, from them and from others you care so much about. Will this be the time they listen to you? Have they reached the end of their rope? Have they had enough? Maybe, maybe this will be the time they here you share the life they could have if they would only accept the free gift of Jesus Christ. How His death provides life. How His taking on the whole worlds sin and sorrow deliveres eternal joy, happiness, and peace, if we just say, “Yes” to His offer.

It hurts, when we hear them say, “Thanks, but it’s not for me.” It doesn’t make sense. It’s hard for us to understand. Irwin McManis put it like this, “People would rather live a bad life “they” purchased, than a great life that is free.”

Keep praying and trusting God for those you care about.

Choose to Live

November 20, 2016November 20, 2016 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

20161119_112851 A young man hid in the bushes. When he judged the train was too close to stop in time he ran out and dove onto the tracks.

I was riding that train on my way to work this past week. I have been commuting in and out of Chicago for 23 years, but this was the first time I have actually been on the train that struck a pedestrian. They ruled it a suicide immediately.

While the investigation was proceeding I thought about this person and wondered, how bad was his life that he decided he had no more hope? What was going on? Satan won a victory that morning. John 10:10 tells us, “Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy.” Anything God has created, or made, including mankind, Satan wants to get rid of it.

Pastor Robert Morris, of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas once said, “As long as you are alive, you have hope.” If you are hurting, if the pain is more than you think you can bare, then please talk to someone. Please, I beg you. There are numerous organizations that are set up to help in all kinds of ways, but you must contact them. Depression, and mental illness is not something that shows up on the outside. Most people may not ever know, until you speak up. And if someone speaks up to you, I pray you will love and care about them enough to listen intently, and help them. Life, can be a beautiful thing. Choose it.

They Walk Among Us

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Jessica, while at a red light, feels moisture drip upon her cheeks. She can’t believe the hurt has reached her eyes. Roger, holds his head in the stream of water showering upon him while he mumbles words. A prayer perhaps? He hopes the sound of the falling water conceals his pain, his desperation. Cassandra stares at the dark ceiling, instead of sleeping, longing for an answer. An answer that would change her life. Manuel walks aimlessly, at times looking up, hoping any minute now God would heal him.

Just stories lines, or glimpses of real life? Perhaps they feel real because you have been there, or you are there now. No matter where you are, or what you are going through, know this; YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are not the only one who has ever walked the path you are on, even though it feels like it. There are others, who are there now, or who have found the exit.

Where are these people? Who are they? Include in your prayers to God to lead you to them. They might be in your church, or they might be your neighbor, or across the aisle at work, but the truth is they walk among us. They can help you. They can listen to you. They can pray for you, or with you. But in order for that to happen they have to know. They have to know what you are going through. Take a chance on being honest when someone ask you how you are. And if you are one who hears a story of real life going on dare to listen int 051312_01-3jb ently. Believe with them for God to deliver them, answer them, or heal them. Life is hard, but it is even harder by yourself.

If you struggle finding someone, or trusting someone enough to open up with the truth, you are still not alone. There is no where you can go to escape the eye of God, or His love. Have faith, have hope for your exit may be within the next mile.

The Life You Should Really Want

May 3, 2015May 3, 2015 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I was talking this past week with someone and it didn’t take long before I realized they were depressed. I asked them why, and they responded they weren’t sure. I asked them if they were happy with their current situation concerning life. They replied, “No.” Then the question of all questions came to me, so I asked, “If your world looked like you wanted it to what would it look like?” I mean this is the kind of question my friend Steve usually comes up with, but not me, so it had to come from God! The person I was talking to said that was a really good question, but wasn’t sure how to answer it.

What if you were asked that question? Would you be able to answer it? Would you have a different job? Live somewhere else? I hate to ask, but would you be in a relationship with someone else? If your world could look like you wanted it to would that world be the result of making better decisions? Have you really learned from the life you have lived in the past?

You can’t live in the past, and you shouldn’t live with regret. Whatever it was, it happened. Okay? So get over it with God’s love, help, and power. Learn from it. Give it to God, and allow him to use it to help someone else who is about to do the same thing. Paul tells us:

(Phi 4:11) Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances.

Contentment is a powerful thing to say, but even a more powerful thing to practice in your own life! I think once you learn to accept and relax in your current situation it is then that God can begin to lead you to the life He wants for you, and I assure you, this is the life you should really want.