God’s love

How Many?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

A friend recommended a good movie for me to watch the other day. He did say it was a tear-jerker, but he failed to suggest I go first to Costco to stock up on tissues! I’ll admit it. I cried my eyes out mainly because it touched several hurts from my past.

The Hill is a 2023 American biographical sports drama film about baseball player Rickey Hill overcoming a physical handicap in order to try out for a legendary major league scout.*

While watching the movie, there was one line that got my attention. “How many miracles do you need to see?” asked Ricky’s mother to his father (played by Dennis Quaid). The line made me wonder about those who struggle to believe in God.

I know God loves everyone. He may not like how they live, but He still loves them. Knowing just how much He loves, I know He has pursued you and others to the uttermost parts of the Earth, trying to reach you. If you were honest and thought back, you would most likely see countless times God has had his hand in your life. How many times he may have saved you from hurt, pain, or even death! How many miracles do you need to see?

“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue. Luke 15:4-7 (MSG)

Stop running from God. Stop resisting his love. When an old friend learned that I was a “Christian,” she remarked in disgust, “How many times am I going to bump into one?” It took me a moment to understand what she was saying. But when I did, I responded with, “Well, can’t you see how much God loves you? Every time you disregard one friendship with a “Christian,” God puts another one in your life. He wants to show you his love for you through them!” Sadly, I, too, was thrown away, but I did not take it personally.

“The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me.” Luke 10:16 (MSG)

Watch The Hill and watch for God’s love in your life. But this time, accept it! God loving us is a miracle in itself!

*via Wikipedia

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

How To Change the World

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“I’m dying,” said the man sitting across from me in the small café. I looked around but didn’t see anyone sitting near him. “Did you hear me? I said I’m dying!” He said again. This time, I looked directly at him. “You talking to me?” I asked. “Well, do you see anyone else here?”

I picked up my drink and laptop and moved to his table. “You must want to talk about it.” “I do. I want people to know what took me a lifetime to learn.” “What is that?” I inquired. “How to change the world. You change the world by changing people. You change people by showing them love. There is no greater love than laying down your life for a friend. This is the exact formula Jesus used. He demonstrated perfect love to people, and then He died for them. He also died for you and me. Shouldn’t you be writing this down?” “Oh, yes, sir. I’m typing it into my PC.”

“To be like Christ, we must love people so much that it changes them. Of course, some people will squirm but remain living their way, thinking they know best. Or, they are afraid they will have to give up too much here on Earth. In other words, they would rather think they have something now for a few days than have everything for eternity.

Love wins! Love always wins, and love will always win! Love is the right way to make things better. Love is the best way to say, ‘I hear you.’ Love doesn’t insist on proving it is right. You see, “love” doesn’t seek it’s own. Love thinks of the other person first. Love understands where they are coming from. Why they are the way they are without compromising who they are.

Love shows they kindly understand but gently challanges the other to grow in the right direction and the proper ways without imposing a deadline for them to achieve, but doesn’t get loud in speech when they don’t. Love hopes for the best in everyone.”

“Wow,” I replied. “I can see how those receiving love would want to respond positively and then share that kind of love with others.” “You’re right,” he said. “I just wished I had learned this much earlier in life. I didn’t, and as a result, I hurt many people. I thought I was loving them by wanting them to live life the way I do. My life has been simple, with little chaos, and extremely organized. I accepted Jesus at a young age, and my relationship with God has made life bearable. I wanted others to have what I had. Though my motivation may have been pure, my words and methods weren’t always the best.”

“I appreciate your wisdom and your honesty. I assure you I will share this with the world. I hope others will take it to heat and start doing more to love people.” I said to the man. He got up and threw out his trash. When he returned to our table, he had a tear in his eye. He thanked me for listening and sharing what took him a lifetime to learn.

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:7-18 (NIV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

God’s Love Reflected

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Photo by: srkcalifano via Pixabay

I quietly walked into the bedroom and positioned myself to see through the partially opened bathroom door. April was getting ready to go out. She was busy and didn’t notice me standing there watching her. I was admiring my beautiful wife while she was using the mirror to apply stuff (I have no idea what it was) to her face.

Then, somehow, she noticed me, and without turning to face me, her eyes glistened, and she smiled. I hope I remember that moment and image for the rest of my life because it was the warmest, softest look of love I have ever seen. That one look melted my heart, and I felt loved.

April knows God, and God is love. (1 John 4:8) Therefore, April knows how to love because God first loved her. Even when she was still a sinner, God loved her. April displays a lot of the characteristics of true love. She is patient, kind, forgiving, and understanding, among other things. God watches all of us all the time. I imagine the look of love I saw April share is expressed on God’s face when we stop and look at Him.

The world needs true love these days more than ever! People need to see unselfish love in action. Love, God’s way, takes time but speaks volumes when it is said. The world is hurting and in so much pain. They’re desperately looking, searching for one to love them unconditionally. That is why revealing the source is so important for us who have found that kind of love. Stop hiding it from people. You have nothing to lose by sharing God’s love, but they have everything to gain.

The Way of Love

13 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2 If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. 1 Cor. 13:1-7 (MSG)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

An Eternal Mistake

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

April’s mistake might change where a young woman spends eternity.

My wife, April, enjoys creating videos and posting them on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxCVluI_lWrk-bwaie1QF7w

When we married, she was doing all the work to produce such a video using only her phone. I suggested we get her a laptop and better editing software to make this passion easier. We have slowly been investing in her hobby. Purchasing a wireless mic, a GoPro camera, and even a green screen background. Our dining room is now a mini studio.

After receiving her new laptop, powerful enough to run editing software, she did her research and picked one to purchase and download onto her PC. She thought she was selecting the option to have lifetime access to this software, but either in her excitement or it was kind of small, she neglected to see a box “pre-checked” that also included a monthly subscription.

I was looking at April’s checking account the other evening when I saw a charge I wasn’t expecting to see. I asked April about it; she didn’t know why it was there either. I logged into her editing software account and saw that she had a monthly subscription. Thinking this was a mistake or a scam, I felt we needed to call our bank. I was going to call after the Labor Day Holiday, but something inside me kept whispering, “Call now.”

While talking to the young woman in the bank’s Fraudulent Charges Department (say that three times), something came up about birthdays. She informed me that she would never celebrate another birthday. Honestly, I thought she didn’t even sound old enough to be 29 and, like many women, never want to turn 30 for reasons unbeknownst to me.

I inquired with curiosity as to why and it was then she told me that this past July, her only brother died the day before her birthday. I know! My heart sank, became heavy, and tears filled my eyes. What do you say after hearing something like that? Fortunately, the Holy Spirit knew what to say and started prompting me in my spirit as to the words she needed to hear.

She thought my calling was a coincidence, but I immediately corrected her and shared that it was God. He wanted her to know how much He loves her and her grieving family and that He knows exactly how she feels and that He cares. She seemed interested in checking out a recent sermon by my pastor online, and she seemed open to accepting God’s love which I pray will lead her to accept his son, Jesus. Once she does, she will then spend eternity in heaven.

April’s mistake may cost us financially, but it’s nothing compared to what Jesus paid so this young woman, you, and I can live forever in heaven. Thank you, God, for going out of your way to love us and to show just how much you love us.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 (AMPC)

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

The Greatest Moment in the History of Sportsmanship

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Photo by: Tima Miroshnichenko

It happened in the very first inning of the Southwest Region championship. Two boys who when they woke up this morning only cared about one thing… get to Williamsport. Suddenly everything changed, because in real life things happen just like that … things change in a heartbeat.

Kaiden Shelton is the big man on the powerful Pearland team, their big pitcher, their big hitter. Isiah Jarvis is the shortstop on the scrappy Oklahoma team that had through incredible perseverance made it to the championship game . One team has already been to Williamsport, the other has never been.

The Pearland team scored 3 runs in the top of the first, but Oklahoma came right back at them in the bottom of the inning , they scored 2 runs and had a big rally going on, there was noise everywhere, coaches were yelling for the pitcher Shelton and the batter Jarvis to ”Battle” “win the battle.”

Then it happened, a twist of fate, Shelton lost control of a fastball and hit Jarvis right in the helmet, and Jarvis fell in a heap at home plate

Suddenly nobody was thinking about Williamsport anymore. With Isiah laying there and coaches and medical staff rushing to his prone body, Shelton kind of circled around the area between home and the pitchers mound. The staduim was silent. Jarvis’s mom stood in the stands , one hand clasped to her face, the other to her heart. And every mom who has ever sent their boys into these games was right there with her.

The Pearland players took a knee, eventually so did Shelton. Seconds seemed like hours. On one knee, Shelton was totally alone with his thoughts. But going through his mind were the words of the umpire immediately after Jarvis had gone down .”Oh my God” the umpire had said.

Finally they helped Jarvis to his feet , on replay you could see how the ball had hit his helmet in a good spot , it got more helmet then anything, Jarvis had been more frightened then anything . He trotted down to first , but now the trouble was with Shelton.

Before that pitch he had only one thought – Battle… win the battle … the words of coaches…now the only words he could hear in his mind… were the words of the umpire: “Oh my god.”

And just like that he started to cry. He was standing on the mound crying, and nobody went to him, not his teammates, not his coaches . Then one person did go to him… Isiah Jarvis left first base threw his helmet off, walked right to him and hugged him. That hug said… it’s okay. It was just what Shelton needed at that particular moment , I am sure his mom had wanted to Rush out there and hug her boy, Isiah took care of that for her , because Shelton was a big kid with a big heart and he didn’t want to hurt anybody , he didn’t want to hear an umpire say “Oh my god” over something he did . He was there to play baseball and make new friends, he hadn’t bargained for this

The game resumed , somebody won , somebody lost, one team went to Williamsport, the other packed their bags for home, it will all be forgotten , but that moment of perfect sportsmanship will live for as long as there is human competition

Before the tournament Isiah Jarvis said his biggest dream was to make sports center . I think it’s going to happen.

His name is Isiah and in the book of Isiah there is a famous passage about coming quickly to the rescue “I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” It’s almost perfectly symbolic that a boy named Isiah would come quickly to the rescue and do it when it was most needed.

(I searched but could not find the author of the above post.)

Hundreds reacted to this post with comments they were fighting tears. This true story touches our hearts because for a moment love was displayed. We don’t always see it sadly, these days, but when we do we sit up and pay attention. Whether a person is a child of God or not their spirit man sees the love of God in action and is drawn to it.

You see, in real life, we are the pitcher who throws a foul ball but in our case sins and hurts a real person. The batter is Jesus Christ. And like in this story He comes over to the mound and offers us forgiveness. If you were touched by this story then perhaps the Holy Spirit is tugging at your heart. Saying, “It’s okay. Don’t get hung up on what you did that was wrong, that hurt people, or yourself. There is One who has already paid the price for your foul ball. His name is Jesus and He died on a cross for you, because he wanted to demonstrate just how much He loves you and cares.” I pray you will react to the Holy Spirit by accepting that forgiveness and accepting Jesus into your life.

for all have sinned (thrown a foul ball) and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23 (NKJV  Italics are mine)

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

God, Crazy?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

If you created something, perfected it, and then gave it away, most would call you crazy!

If you gave your only child’s life, so that someone else could live, most would call you crazy!

God did those very things. He made you, and then gave you away to exercise your own freewill! And when you failed, and would then die for eternity in hell, he gave you his only Son, Jesus to pay for your failures, sins. Jesus’ blood was spilled for you. God’s only Son purchased you back, so you could live for eternity in heaven with your maker. BUT then he gave you away again, because He wants you to CHOOSE to love him, and accept him.

Some might call what God did, “crazy”,
but He calls it, “love”!

Yes, God loves you that much! It doesn’t matter what you have done, He loves you regardless.

“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)

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Rom. 8:37-39 (MSG)

“I don’t think the way you think.
    The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
        God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
    so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
    and the way I think is beyond the way you think.  Isaiah 55:8-9 (MSG)

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Show God Cares

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

It amazes me still, how God can lead our steps, and direct our timing so we will be where he needs us to be, to work with him in showing love, support, and encouragement to others. He cares so much for people and what they are going through that He will position his servants where He needs them.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
Ps. 37:23 (KJV)

April and I were talking about this subject last week. I reminded her of one thing; you have to see the people and recognize the need. It may mean your own agenda gets interrupted, or you may get behind, but showing God’s love is more important.

I remember one time I had taken the wrong road to get to Walmart. I was angry with myself because I had gone the slow way when I was in a hurry! When I arrived I looked over and saw an older woman struggling to remove packs of soda from her cart. I went and asked if I could help her.  She let me. Then she asked, “Where did you come from any way?” I replied, “God sent me!” The look on her face was priceless. One of amazement realizing, perhaps for the first time, God cared!

Show the world how much He cares about them and even the little things of their life. The results may be eternal life, for them!

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.