God’s help

God Did It

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

A mother wanted to take her children to a special event where they would learn, grow, be inspired, and empowered. She knew in her spirit it was the right thing to do, but her bank statement was telling her otherwise! She finally told them, “I’m sorry kids. Your father and I have done everything we can think of in order to get you all there, but we just can’t. But, if God really wants you there as well, then He will make a way.”

This is what God says,
    the God who builds a road right through the ocean,
    who carves a path through pounding waves, Isa. 43:16 (MSG)

Thirty minutes later the mother received an email inviting her and the children to the very event they wanted to attend…free of charge.

Yes, there will be times when God’s involvement in our lives is obvious, but there are other times when it is not. In the aftermath, of something good happening, if we were to sit and look back on how it happened, if we were to investigate it, like a crime scene, we just might see the hand of God. There could be a faint trace of his hand, his presence in our lives.

Recognizing that God made a way, when there seemed to be none, when He led us to employment that will meet our needs, or lead us to the right doctor who He can partner with to heal us. They say, “Seeing is believing”, and there is truth in those words, but when we believe “before” we see, it does something within us. It builds our faith, encourages, and helps us know we are loved by God. He will make a way, even when there seems to be none.

Look around your life. You might just see traces of God.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Ask God

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I just finished editing my novel, with its cover design, and got it successfully sent off to the publisher. A huge undertaking to say the least. There were more issues that I ran into than there were tissues in the box. “Honey, we need more tissues!” Sorry, but I think she was making out the shopping list for the week. Yes, quitting, or giving up came to mind, more than once.

You see, this novel has been a seven year journey. I enjoy the story every time I read it. And even though I know what is coming next it still makes me laugh, or tear up. Knowing how I felt about the story I didn’t just want to throw it away.

So how did I get it completed? I asked God for help, a lot! He gave it to me too, It came in the form of wisdom not to run and buy software in order to load a tool I was in need of using, but He directed me to go to April’s computer and it had the necessary system requirements. He guided me who to reach out to for technical help. Not buying new software saved us money and that was a great thing! There was several other ways He helped as well.

I believe in “asking” God for help. In fact, it is one of the subjects in my next book I am going to start working on and finishing. I have been making this principle a part of my renewed mind in order to “ask” quickly, so I am not wasting my time struggling on my own.

He has even directed me to the internet to seek out answers. Isn’t that cool to know God knows about the internet? He will also help you find things that are lost, or misplaced, and you just can’t seem to find them. There seems to be a special anointing on items that are lost. I even asked God why He helps us find things that are lost and immediately I sensed in my spirit, “Because you were once lost!”

So the next time you need to know something, seeking wisdom and understanding, or are looking for something you can’t find, ask God for help! You will be amazed at the results. This is just another way God demonstrates how much He loves us and cares about the everyday things that matter to us. Also, remember to ask God to help your friends, and family members, loved ones to come to know him and accept him, for until they do, they are lost.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” James 1:5-8 (MSG)

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

God, Help!

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Charlie 8978Should it turn left or right?  Come to think of it, I have never turned the water off at the street.  The valve was hard to turn as well.  I got frustrated, and while looking down into the dirty, yucky, spider enticing hole in the ground I said, “God, I need help.”  I literally looked up, from the hole, and down the street, about three houses away, was a city water department truck.  I tell you the truth, the truck was not there when I started the task.  I walked to the truck and the employee drove down to my house and helped me.

Then, with the water turned off, I was ready to remove a leaking valve in the bathroom.  I could not get the valve to come off.  Again frustrated, “God, I need help again.”  I called a place, I trusted, to get a number for a plumber they trusted.  No one could come out that day unless it was after hours which would have cost a lot!  Then, the woman on the phone transferred my call to what I pictured was a grey haired pipe wrench turner wearing blue denim overalls.  I explained my situation and he told me what type of plumbing I had and how to fix it.  It worked.  No charge, even though I called back and offered to pay for their knowledge.

God does know you, and He sees where you are, and what you going through, but more than that, He cares.

He wants to help you, and He wants to bless you.  What loving father doesn’t want to do good things for their children?  If you have accepted him, then there should nothing holding you back from asking for help in your time of need, even for every day stuff.  Here is a scripture of God’s promise to us:

“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
“I’ll get you out of any trouble.
I’ll give you the best of care
if you’ll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I’ll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!” Psalm 91:14-16 The Message (MSG)

“Hey God, Thanks!”

Copyright © 2019 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Have You Considered?

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dome 1

Covering of protection

Have you ever considered what your breaking point would be in life?  How much you could take?  What could you handle, but what is too much?  Severe sickness of you, or of the ones you love the most?  Losing your entire net worth?  Being abandoned by the very ones you thought cared the most about you?

“And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job?”  Satan replied, “Have You not put a hedge (a covering) about him and his house and all that he has, on every side?” (Job 1:8 & 10 AMP)

God, because of Job’s relationship with him, had put a covering over him, or had his hand over him, so the results of a fallen, sinful, world could not affect Job, his family, or his possessions.  Once I got really angry at one of my neighbors.  I was so mad, I wanted to harm her, but I didn’t.  Instead I prayed and asked God to take revenge on her for hurting me,  After all, “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” (Rom. 12:19 MSG)  One day I asked God what happens when he gets vengeance on someone.  He whispered back, “I slowly remove my hand from their life.”

I shuttered!  As time went on, I witnessed my neighbor losing her job, experiencing vandalism, and worst yet, the death of her oldest daughter.  I prayed for her.  I know God was hoping she would stop resisting him, and in turn, run to him.  She finally did.

Job resisted the temptation to blame God for his troubles and die, but eventually repented of his prideful way of thinking.  Then God restored everything back to him and doubled what he had lost.  Could you have handled such loss?  Or perhaps the better question is this, would God ever say to Satan, “Have you considered my servant: __________?“ (fill in blank with your name)

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

Whew!  Sundays Over!

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Church 1 (2)

Photo by Michael Wall of Wall2Wall Foto

A girl in my 11th grade English class once said, “I love being Catholic!  I can have my sins forgiven Saturday night, and then live like hell the rest of the week.”  Now, I’m just quoting her and not saying a thing about the Catholic faith, so please, no emails.  I’m not Catholic, but being honest, have had similar thoughts.  Only mine are more like, “Ok.  I got the Sunday thing done.  Now, I can indulge my flesh.”

A fight, a struggle.  I want to do the right thing.  I want to please and obey God, but I find no matter how long I have been doing this, I still struggle with thoughts of wanting to do what I want to do.  Some are just down right thoughts of being lazy.

The great apostle Paul struggled as well.

Rom 7:18  I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it.
Rom 7:19  I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. (MSG)

So how, or what are we to do then?  1) Of course ask God to help us.  We will never be able to do it on our own.  2) Bring every thought into captivity.  Be honest about the thought, and if it is a bad thought then start looking for the door that has a sign above it that reads, “EXIT”.  God promises to make a way of escape.  Sometimes that exit may be praying.  Have you ever sinned while praying?  I haven’t.  Leave the room.  See what your family is doing, or call a friend.  And if they are a trusted friend, tell them you are struggling.

My classmate, I mentioned in the beginning, was married.  Her husband shoved a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger before that school year was over.  I have often wondered what God thinks when people live like she did on a regular basis.  I yield my opinions to God.  This one thing I know for sure:  I can overcome, because Jesus overcame first, and so can you.

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved