Truth

Be a Truth Teller

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments
Photo by: Magda Ehlers

It amazes me how powerful the mind is. It can convince one to do unspeakable things, and they can actually believe their action is okay. For instance, have you ever heard someone on trial make a ridiculous statement like, “God told me to murder my mother.”? And the defendant believes that to be the truth.

What one calls “truth” may be anything but the truth. This is one example of how powerful the mind is. Someone can go and do something and even say, “I heard from God!” What they really heard was their own truth spoken to themselves because, whether they admit it or not, they are a god unto themselves. And they go so far as to reject the “real” truth when they hear it, even if they give the teller of that truth permission to speak into their life. And even if that speaker is a trusted friend, a fellow follower of Jesus Christ who only wants the best for them out of Godly love.

The above kind of behavior is dangerous. It is immaturity and or spiritual immaturity on their part. If it’s compounded by a “defense mechanism,” then when they hear the “truth,” they will quickly defend their behavior or actions and, in the most childish of ways, throw insults and low–blows back at you. If you are speaking to them via a phone, they might even get so upset they throw out a lame excuse, say, “Goodbye.” and hang up on you.

If you are the teller of “truth,” it is essential for you not to take it personally. It is also important to recognize when the conversation is not producing good fruit and to find a way to end it peacefully or change the subject. But you do not have to take, put up with, or endure their insults, yelling, and lies.

Knowing how powerful the mind is, the Apostle Paul urges us strongly to renew our minds. You certainly don’t want to act like those in the world who do not have the love of God in them. Seeking revenge or at work only doing your job and not being willing to help your coworker, or as Jesus called it, “Going the extra mile.” Nothing says “love of God,” like doing something for another when you don’t have to or are not required to.

Place Your Life Before God

12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Rom. 12:1-2 (MSG)

If you think you may be believing “false truth,” then pray and ask God to help you renew your mind. Remember this; the truth will set you free! Even from strong defense mechanisms. Give the people or the situation to God and trust him to take care of it. Know that if you were indeed wronged, then God will make it right. So stop walking around wounded.

If you are a “truth” teller, then be encouraged. Keep sharing the ‘truth” with others if given the opportunity to or permission to. It can set them free! The other person may call you names or never speak to you again, but know that God will deal with them, and they will be held accountable because they heard the truth. Keep loving the person and praying for them.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Telling The Truth Can Cost You

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

A father was acting out concerning a relationship. He was unhappy about how it was going, and the other person was not acting the way “he” wanted them to, which upset him to no end. There were some names spoken that were not flattering. The father talked about the situation over the phone with his son, and his son listened, but when he tried to correct his father’s attitude, the father got mad and hung up the phone. When the son called back again, he was rudely hung up on by his father.

The son’s motivation was pure as he wrote his father a letter. He tried to get his father to understand how he was treating people in several relationships and was pushing them away, and people did not want to be around him anymore. The son tried to tell his father the truth as lovingly as possible.

The father went ballistic and set out to get revenge on his son. He lied to his son and tricked him into going down to the bank to get him to sign a document that would remove him from all of his accounts and his safety deposit box. Then he removed his son from the deed to his house and even cut him out of his will. Apparently, he really did not like hearing the truth!

When Jesus walked the earth, he successfully told people the truth. Some heard him and accepted his message, changing how they lived, but others did not. They chose to get enraged.

People may not want to lose control over their life, so they will not accept the truth. Or they may fear not knowing what life will be like if they change. Others are deceived into thinking they are fine the way they are, and some feel they will lose status or power if they change. Then there are those who blame others for their actions instead of accepting the truth.

The truth is; the truth will set you free! (John 8:32)

I know of one pastor who won’t share with his wife what the word of God says about how marriage and the home should be set up. On this matter, he once told me, “You may be right, but you will be alone!” What he was saying is that “he” feared being alone if he dared to share the truth with his wife. The sad thing is the problem in their home of the wrong person being the head of the household transferred into their ministry. Whenever the home is not set up right, or the ministry, people get hurt! And in the case of their church, there is a very long list of people who have gotten hurt and have left. If the truth were accepted, their home life would be different, and the wall preventing their church from becoming a world leader would finally be lifted.

Yes, telling the truth can cost you. It could cost you thousands of dollars, your inheritance, a job, or family relationships It cost Jesus his life which is the ultimate price to pay for sharing the truth. Jesus wasn’t afraid of being alone. You may be isolated from friends and family, but you will live in freedom. If you find yourself alone, know that you are not, for you are in the company and presence of God.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

“Well!”

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

You’ve encountered them.  You might possibly even work with one.  And there is the regrettable chance you live with one.  “Who?” you ask.  The person who is ALWAYS right in their own eyes.  The self-righteous ones. The perfect among mankind.

“Self-righteousness has killed more people than smoking.” John McCarthy

Of course we, the realistic people of earth, know there is no such thing as a perfect person, but don’t you dare tell them they aren’t perfect.  They will argue that fact.  If you have encountered such a monster then you know how frustrating it can be to do life with them, or to have any kind of interaction with them at all.

If finding fault generated wealth then they would be among the richest people on earth.  “Well, if you hadn’t of …” so quickly and easily comes out of their mouths.  What shocks me is how deceived they are.  It’s like they are allergic to truth. They defend the smallest of actions.

Job, from the Bible, had this issue I believe:

“We’ve all heard Job say, ‘I’m in the right,
    but God won’t give me a fair trial.
When I defend myself, I’m called a liar to my face.
    I’ve done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.’
Have you ever heard anything to beat this?
    Does nothing faze this man Job?  Job 34:5-7 (MSG)

The burning question on my mind is this, “Will they dare try to defend themselves when they stand before Almighty God and give an account as to how they lived their life?”  Will they try to blame God?  Of course God is perfect, as his son Jesus is, and has done nothing wrong.  I’ve been talking to a friend lately about this, and I have told them, “It’s okay to be wrong!”  In fact, it’s admirable, and respectful when one can sincerely say, “I’m sorry.  I was wrong.”

The Bible actually says, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)  Of course knowing Truth, or Jesus will set you free.  Free from your sins and free from eternal damnation.  But knowing, owning up to, and admitting the truth is living free.  If you find yourself always defending your actions then stop it!  Try being wrong once in a while.  You might like how it feels.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Search Me?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life. Ps. 139:23-24 (MSG)

It takes guts to pray the above prayer.  Most of us don’t want to face the truth of who we really are.  And in fact go great lengths at times to hide the darker side of ourselves, from others, and even from ourselves.  My pastor last Sunday challenged us to do just that.  To have God examine us and see if there was any wrong in us.  Whether deeds, motives, or actions.

There are some people that have such an intense time facing who they really are that they try their best to stay busy.  One guy I know said he is always looking for the next party.  The worst time for these people is when they are alone in the dark and they can’t sleep, their conscience begins to speak.  That is probably why these same people medicate themselves before going to bed so they do not have to listen to their inner voice.

That inner voice is doing its job.  It’s trying hard to get a person to face truth.  Truth they have done some things in life that were wrong and they are in need of having those things forgiven.  Another force at work is that of the Holy Spirit.  One of his jobs is to draw us to God via the forgiving power of Jesus.

If you find yourself in this situation the only thing to do is yield.  Give up trying to write your own religion and accept the relationship that God has already provided.  Say to God, “then guide me on the road to eternal life.”

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Stop Trying, and Start Believing

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I feel so sorry for them.  For those individuals who spend their whole life, time, money and energy trying to prove that life came about in some way other than God.  That somehow the right two cells combined and evolved and then came crawling out of the water and over time became man?  It seems as if that requires more faith to believe than believing in a loving God that made us.  Are you aware that Darwin even doubted his own theory?  No, of course not!  That chapter is not mentioned.

Scientists search tirelessly on other planets hoping for something they can point to and declare, “There is no God” for they think life can start without him.

I feel so sorry for those who fear climate change.  Yes, man is probably not helping ourselves by emitting tons of hazardous chemicals and agents into the air.  But I ask this question, ”What was the temperature of the earth before the floods of Noah?”  After the world was covered with water the temperature had to go down, causing ice to form.  How do we know we are now just getting back to what the globe’s thermostat read before it started raining?

Take God at his word.  Stop the struggle and the fight to do life on your own.  Give up and give in to truth and find love, joy and peace in living life.  Ask if you have to this; “God I believe, but help my unbelief.”  He will.  God will make himself known in a multitude of ways.

Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will reveal myself to him.” John 14:21 (TPT)

No one, if they will be honest with themselves, even in the dark when they are alone, and no sounds to distract them, will be truly satisfied with their own answers as to the questions, “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?”, and “What am I to do while I am alive on the face of this earth?”  Any answers that may come to mind are false, and only substitutes offered up by the devil.  He wants so bad for you to accept anything but God.  For he knows that those who find God, find life!

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

To Tell the Truth

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

At current time, there is a popular game show on TV where celebrities try to figure out which of three individuals is telling the truth and is the actual person described at the beginning of each round.  The real person is the only one who has sworn to tell the truth.

The Bible says that the truth will set you free.

“For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.”
John 8:32 (TPT)

Telling the truth can be difficult, at times, but as I trained my children, “speak the truth, for the truth can always be dealt with.”  Dealing with lies is even harder.  Lies, create mistrust.  But what do you do if you need to speak the truth to someone about their life?  You don’t want to hurt them, or take the risk of them getting mad and never speaking to you again, so a lot of the times we don’t say anything.  We sit back and watch them struggle or continue with a habit in their life that hurts others, while hoping all along they will see the light, and change on their own, but that doesn’t happen very often or quick enough.

One principle I have learned is to “ask” permission to speak into someone’s life.  I will say something like, “May I speak into your life concerning something I see that I feel needs to be corrected?”  Now it is up to them to grant that permission or not.  If they say, “No” then I say, “Okay” and I move on.  But if they agree then after I share the truth to them that I feel they need to hear, they cannot get angry with me, because they gave me permission to speak first. It is important though to always speak the truth with love when touching on a personal issue.

They may disagree with what I said, or they may not understand it right away, and there is a chance they will not want to correct their behavior, but that is all on them.  Using this principle is very effective.  After a person hears the truth and then chooses to accept it, they will begin to journey down the path that leads to freedom, not just for them, but for all the people in their life.  Especially for those they previously hurt with their old behavior.  This new found freedom fosters love and acceptance in their family, friends, and working relationships.  God’s word is again proven to be correct.  He gave us these words to help us have better and happier lives on earth, which was part of his original plan all along.

To truth and freedom.  May both spread without hesitations and roadblocks.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

The Lies about Lies

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Job, from the Bible says, “Your lies might convince a jury – but would they convince God?” Ch. 13 (MSG) Then he goes on to say, “… they’re for nothing but gathering dust.”

It amazes me how often people lie.  What amazes me more is when the liar will defend themselves knowing they had lied.  Of course the first lie ever told was by Satan to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he said to her, “You will not surely die.”  Some lies have half trues embedded in them.  No, Eve did not die immediately, this was true, but she did die spiritually in the moment she took that first bite, ever separating her from God.

  • There is no such thing as a “white” lie.  Where did that even come from?
  • There is no such thing as a “little” lie.  A lie is deception no matter what.
  • A lie is okay if it protects someone else’s feelings. Nope!
  • They will never know.

The truth always comes out in the end.  I used to teach my children, “Tell me the truth, for the truth can always be dealt with.”  Lies hurt people, create distrust, and can cause division.  A lie, no matter how small one may think it is brings about destruction.

Real harm is when people lie to themselves.  Some lie so often they can’t even remember who they have lied to and what lie they told, so they tell more lies to attempt to cover themselves.  The truth is this; there will come a day, when we all stand before God and all truth will be revealed.  Your lies might convince a jury – but would they convince God? There will be no denying the truth as God knows it, and certainly no defense mounted that can hold up to the truth.  Scriptures tell us that the truth sets us free, and the real Truth, Jesus, sets us free indeed.  Free from eternal damnation in hell.

Now you know the truth.  Please accept it, and live free, now and forevermore.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

It’s a Spirit

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

A lot is changing in the world, and fast too.  I don’t like what I am seeing either.  I know there has always been evil in the world, but it seems like it is taking a predominate place in our society.  Some other people see it too, and have shared their observations via social media.  We are entering, if not there already, in the end times.

It amazes me how people can believe a lie and go to their grave proclaiming it.  It astonishes me how a group of people can have a hold of the media, and only their words are heard over the airwaves.  It bewilders me how individuals can hear or read something and blindly believe it, just because it was on TV, radio, or social media.

Think for yourselves people!

Is ignoring a lie easier than standing up for truth?

I understand the pressure of being the minority in a group that has a difference of opinion from the others.  Jesus understood this kind of pressure as well.  His life example and teaching went against the power figures of his day.  Yes, it is true, they killed him, but the truth he gave lived on, and empowered by the Holy Spirit was spread by a very small band of believers.  What is also true, is they stayed on point and eventually changed a large portion of the world.

Although we hear words coming from people, most of the time we are battling a spirit, an evil spirit.  Here is what God says on this subject:

10 Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you.

11 Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! 12 Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. 13 Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious.

14 Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart. 15 Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace.

16 In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! 17–18 Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God. Eph. 6:10-18 (TPT)

So take heart, and stand for what is true no matter what.  Your solid stance for what is true may convince others to listen to the life giving words coming from your mouth.  They might believe in Jesus and find salvation that will put them on the right side of the battle, and even if they die on earth they will live forever in heaven.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

“You Can’t Handle the Truth!”

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The title of this post comes from the famous line delivered by Jack Nicholson in the movie, “A Few Good Men”.  He was right.  There is truth out there we don’t want to know.  We can’t handle.  For instance, we are just learning, in main stream media, about cults, or groups that enslave women, children for the sexual pleasure of others.  That truth is so heavy it is difficult to comprehend.

Not all truth is so burdensome.  Like when two individuals have a disagreement. A “He said this, he said that” scenario.  Others who hear one side of the argument have only heard half of the truth if any.  A wise person will seek out the other person and listen to them, hear their version of the truth before making judgement.  Honestly though, seldom do people seek out the whole truth.  They listen to the side of the person they like the most, as if truth had something to do with popularity.

Truth is so important our judicial system will ask each witness, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”  Why?  Because judges know that proper judgements can be made when the truth is known.

Here is something else that is true that needs to be said; individuals, who are getting killed by the police, as some have alleged, “without cause”, should comply with the officer’s orders.  In other words, simply put, when the police arrive on a scene they don’t know who is right, or who is the threat.  They try to calm everyone down, make sure the scene is safe, so they can investigate, and then decide what action to take.  If those getting “unjustly” killed by the police would listen and follow their orders they would live.  If they are as innocent as their mother says they are the police will find that out during their investigation.

So what does God say about truth?  Jesus said that knowing the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)  Yes, He was specifically talking about knowing him will set you free from the bondage of religion, but knowing truth is freedom.

I used to beg my children to always tell me the truth.  I did my best to instill the idea in them that the truth can always be dealt with.  Right now in my personal life there is some hard truth to face, but admitting it is there has helped me determine the best approach to handling the situation.

Sad truth:

Some individuals, after meeting God, and hearing how much He loves them still turn their back and reject him.  They believe the lies of the devil that they know more than God what is best for their life.

Even sadder truth:

When those who reject God die they will be judged and receive eternal death of their own freewill.

Good truth:

For those who accepted God will have an advocate, named Jesus Christ who will say to his heavenly father, “Their debt, sin has been paid by me.”  Then that individual will be ushered into heaven for eternity.  That’s the truth, nothing but the truth so says God.

Now, how are you going to handle the truth?

Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Truth or Dare?

/ Mark Brady / 3 Comments

Charlie 030720“YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH!”  A famous line from the movie A Few Good Men, yelled at Tom Cruise by the one and only Jack Nicholson.  Jack’s character thought his actions, which wound up killing a man, were right, because of the location of where they were serving in the military.  He thought his truth was real.

In my early elementary days, a school bully forced me to do something that was wrong, very wrong.  I didn’t tell anyone because I was bound by fear of getting beat up if I did.  I think the bully lived in fear of being exposed.  I found it odd when that same bully came up to me at our 10 year high school reunion and apologized.  I think his admission of guilt, once and for all, set him free.  All those years he may have justified his actions in a number of ways thinking it was truth, but it wasn’t.

I have witnessed firsthand, the damage that can be caused when someone’s truth is their reality, when in reality their truth isn’t the truth at all.  Some may be afraid to face, or own up to the truth.  Those individuals may be afraid of what the truth coming out will do to them, or to their reputation.  I can’t help but think of big time movie producer who recently was found guilty of wrong doing.  Now that people have learned the truth his life will never be the same.  Fear can bind you up, but the truth can set you free. John 8:32

Will you accept the truth, or forever dare to believe a lie?

There have been so many times people around me have chosen to believe lies told about me.  Those situations always seem to hurt the worse.  What really hurts is when those same individuals haven’t even asked me for my side of the story.  The only comfort I can grab a hold of is this; the truth always comes out.  If not here, while on earth, then one day, as we all stand before God, the truth will finally be told.

Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.