Surviving, Starts With Believing

April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

041720 It has been said, faith isn’t grown in a crises, but displayed. I think today’s times would qualify as a crises. I’m not trying to brag, but I, as well as many others, have been at perfect peace for the last two months, or so. How did this come to be? It started a long time ago:

Jan 1, 2020 to present day = (57) Surviving the Corona Virus peacefully.
Jan 1, 2019 = (56) Trusted God to move to the Philippines and get married. That is working well.
November 2017 = (55) Followed God to a church, where I have learned more about Him.
September 7, 2017 = (55) Moved into my new house, back in my hometown. I love it.
September 6, 2017 = (55) believed in God to retire. I have enjoyed it. God has and is still providing for all my needs.
June 2012 to September 6, 2017 = (50-55) Survived a threatening work environment, where it seemed as if my boss tried to fire me every day, or make things so hard on me to get me to quit. If I had of, I would have lost out on half of my pension.
May 1998 = (35) God helped me survive a very rough divorce. (She asked for it, to go in a new direction.)
December 5, 1994 = (32) Started working at AT&T. God used that company to provide for me and the family.
October 1994 = (32) Trusted and followed God to a new city in hopes of a good job.
August 1990 = (27) Heard God correctly, and moved to a place where I landed a job in two hours.
June 1988 = (25) Got married for the first time. God had fulfilled the promise of getting married.
March 1986 = (23) Survived a moral failure situation, that at one time, tempted me to take my life.
September 1983 = (21) Followed God to be a youth minister, moved over 1,600 miles from home.
September 1980 = (18) Received a scholarship for more than my grades from H.S. should have allowed.
November 1979 = (17) Got serious about living for God. Dedicated my life to his service.
August 1967 = (7) While attending Vacation Bible School, invited Jesus Christ into my life, to forgive me of my sins.

God has been so good and faithful to me all these years. Not all has been perfect, as you can see, but I survived. Over the years, hearing and reading about God has taught me his true nature, and that is of love. God loves us so much. My knowledge, and confidence of God has led me to this present day, these current times, and is why I can live through them with peace.

You don’t have to accept Jesus as a child, as I did, in order to have this kind of confidence in God. You can start today, but that will require you trusting and believing before you have generated your own testimonies of God’s powerful, and loving hand to lead you, guide you, and sustain you. It can be done. How exciting would it be to say your first overcoming experience with God was surviving the Corona Virus, but it all starts with believing.

Psalm 57:1 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Triumphant Faith

Please, God, show me mercy!
Open your grace-fountain for me,
for you are my soul’s true shelter.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your embrace,
under the wings of your cherubim,
until this terrible trouble is past.

The Business of Restoration

April 14, 2020April 10, 2020 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

041020 “It’s a 3 alarm fire!” I woke up yelling a week ago, Tuesday morning, at 3:33 AM. It freaked me out. I sensed no present danger, so I proceeded to do what one does when they wake up in the middle of the night, while I asked God, “Why did I yell that?” I got no impressions as to why, and thought perhaps it meant things were really bad with the Corona Virus and I should be praying more. I did, and then went back to bed.

I was woken up at 9:00 AM to the deep rumble of engines, and to loud voices of men. It scared me. It took me a moment, or two, to realize my neighbor’s house was on fire and there were at least 6 fire trucks out front. Only the man of the house was home at the time, and he had just fallen to sleep when the smoke detector saved his life. He works the evening shift and gets home late.

When I went outside I learned my neighbors were okay, but the inside of the house had become disguised by blackness, and there was extensive damage to things that make up life, like family photos that once hung on the wall.

This morning it hit me that our lives can be disguised by blackness, evil, as well, but it seems to be subtle, over time, and not in a flash of flames. In other words, you change from who you used to be, but you don’t see it happening. I know it has happened to me.

Satan loves being deceitful!

My neighbours have taken a tighter hold of God’s hand today, as He walks with them through this time of restoration. I have a feeling God will use this opportunity to do some restoration work on their souls as well. When I was next door examining the damage up close, I saw a bright yellow, butterfly rise up out of the smoldering debris that was once bedroom furniture. It got my attention, beautiful life rising up out of what looks to be ruin.

Psalms 23:2-3 (The Passion Translation)
²He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
³That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure
and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honor to his name.

God has had to restore life, real life, to me as well. Looking back, there have been times when I have drifted from God’s plans, and purposes for me, but God has, in a tender way, restored me, brought life back. He can, and wants to do this for you as well. It doesn’t matter what you have done, said, or how far you have gone off track. God loves you, and if you will ask for it, forgive you as well. If you took a good, long, honest look in the mirror you might see the years of blackness on you. God says, “come here, I can wipe that off, and restore you my child to be who I destined you to be. It’s my business, and I’m good at it.”

The Naked Tree

April 10, 2020April 10, 2020 / Mark Brady / 4 Comments

91878710_1505334622963387_7096843525702025216_n My neighbor, across the street, is taking down his own tree, as you can see in the photo. I looked out the window and commented, “That tree looks naked.” I laughed, but then realized it will no longer serve its purpose. The tree’s beauty will no longer be admired. The shade, the tree once provided, the comfort, will no longer be there.

There is another tree, we tend to think about this week, in fact today, that was cut down, stripped of its leaves, and shaped to serve a purpose other than the one it was created for. That’s right, the tree that was used as the cross Jesus was nailed to. That tree would no longer be able to fulfill its original purpose, but was stolen by Satan, to be used for his purpose.

Then there is the Tree of Life, Jesus. At the prime of his ministry, the religious leaders cut him down, took action to stop him from fulfilling his purpose. They arrested Jesus, and made false accusations about him. They stripped him of his outer garment, he became practically naked. They beat him, and cut him as he was flogged with a whip that had stones in the ends of it. They nailed him to the cross, and couldn’t wait for him to die.

Neither could Satan.

People ran and quarantined, hid themselves in their homes out of fear. Kind of sounds like today’s times. They thought all hope was gone. Jesus had walked among them and showed them how to live, but more importantly, he showed them how to love.

The ironic thing, concerning the life of Jesus is this, those that were used by Satan to try to stop Jesus’ original purpose actually helped him achieve it. Three days after they thought the story had ended, a new chapter began. Jesus rose up and exited the grave, because he had defeated death. Many of you may be feeling like your story is about to end, but no one has written, “The End” yet. Jesus’ new story opens with him defeating all pain, all diseases, all sickness, and death itself.

Right now, it may feel like Friday night after Jesus had died, or Saturday afternoon, but Sunday is coming! You may be losing hope, but Hope hasn’t lost you. Your faith might feel weak, but the Author and Finisher of our faith is now seated at the right hand of God. (Heb. 12:2) And Jesus, the Tree of Life, is no longer naked, but clothed in glory!

Happy Resurrection Day Everybody!

Identity Thief

April 7, 2020March 25, 2020 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

WIYTGIG 1 I have a theory that human spirits are in heaven, with God, and then, the moment a child is conceived a human spirit is installed. It’s just a thought, okay? One reason I believe this is I was in a grocery store and I saw a small child in their mother’s arms. When the child saw me I smiled, and without hesitation the child tried to leap out of the arms of their mother into mine. The child’s spirit wanted to be reunited with God’s Spirit, which dwells in me.

the child saw God

I didn’t encourage the child at all. I simply smiled. I have thought about that moment and I came to realize the child sensed God’s Spirit within me. That led to the question, “how did the child know God?”

I have been reading “Translating God” by Shawn Bolz. He talks about seeing people as the original version of them God intended. This will help you relate to them better when you begin to see them as God does.

So what happens then? How do we get so off course from being the image of God he designed? Life, temptation, sin, and free will. Those are the things that steal our true identity. I know a man, who had a dream about his son before he was ever born. In the dream he got his name and his destiny from God. Sure enough a son was born, but today that son is not living a life anything close to what God intended. The man continues to love his son anyway, and continues to pray for him, and believe that one day the real version will emerge, and his son will be a mighty, spiritual warrior.

It’s like when we are born, our life is perfect, and wrinkled free. Then, as life happens we get wrinkled, but the moment we accept Jesus we go to the cleaners and there, the Holy Spirit, as steam, gets all of the wrinkles out. He restores us to our original design, and purpose. Yes, it takes discipleship, healing of the heart, and spending a lot of time with God getting to know him fully and his nature, but it can be done.

Jeremiah 1:5 (The Message)

“Before I shaped you in the womb,
I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
that’s what I had in mind for you.”

I encourage you to be hungry to be the person God intended you to be. Ask God to show you his plan, design, and purpose for your life. Then, I encourage you to live it. If you choose to do this you will never be happier!

Knowing the Way

April 3, 2020March 31, 2020 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

040420 When I was four years old I was able to show people how to get from our house to JCPenny. I didn’t know the street names, but I knew when to get off the highway, and when to turn and which way. This may be more important; I knew how to get back home.

Funny story; when I was five, we had been to JCPenny and other stores at the outdoor mall, it was the mid-sixties okay, and I had seen at least four different “Santa Clauses”. Something just didn’t add up. Then it hit me, and while we were on our way home, I blurted out the truth of how the whole thing worked. My mother almost wrecked the 1963 Chevy Impala trying to reach over the back of the front seat and slap my legs, or whatever she should make contact with and screaming at me, “Shut up!” My older sister started crying and whimpering, “It’s not true! It can’t be true!”

A couple of years ago, I was working security at my church, when a middle age couple approached me and asked for money. They said they had been in town to visit his sister who was in the hospital. They shared they had intended to drive into town, visit, and drive back home. Instead, they said they got lost and turned around several times. So much so, their gas tank was almost empty.

I felt bad for them, and I didn’t give them cash, so I walked across the street and filled up their car. While the man she was living with, it was an impression, went in to the store to do something, I had the opportunity to speak to the woman sitting in the car.

After meeting them I kept getting a feeling, or was hearing from God, that she used to go to church, but because of some bad choices in life had gotten away from the faith of her youth. I squatted down so I could look at her in the face through the driver’s window and said, “I feel like God wants me to give you a message. He wants you to know he misses you.” She started crying. I said, “I feel like you used to go to church when you were a little girl.” She, now wiping tears, mentioned, “My grandma used to take us kids every Sunday.” I encouraged her to, no matter what, with or without him, to go back to church again. I told her I was sure God wouldn’t hold it against her that she had been MIA for so long, because he just wanted to see her come home. Hang out, talk, and get caught up.

Before writing this blog tonight, I got the impression there is one, or perhaps many people who need to go home again. Not just to a “church building”, but to a place where you can learn the true nature of God. How much he loves you. I think the message God had for her is similar to the message he wants you to hear. If you don’t know how to find your way home, ask Him to help you. He will. He knows the way.

Truth or Dare?

March 28, 2020March 24, 2020 / 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.

350, 1 Hour, Serve

March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 / Mark Brady / 5 Comments

Charlie 0320 8 You go to a friend’s house and they serve a wonderful dinner. You go on and on over the entree and you even ask for the recipe so you can imitate it, or duplicate it at home. Then the day comes when you make the item, and you have great anticipation of it melting in your mouth the way it did when you first tried it, but it doesn’t. You go over the recipe line by line and you swear to yourself you followed it 100 percent. Disappointment sets in, perhaps even anger.

I have noticed whenever there is a guest speaker, people will flock to the church and sit there with pen and paper taking notes. The speaker may be sharing their testimony of what God did in their life. The people listen with intent. Then when they go home they start doing the things in their life, just like the guest speaker, but they don’t get the same results. Disappointment with God sets in, and perhaps even anger.

There are two reasons why:

1) You aren’t them. God worked in the guest speaker’s life in a unique way knowing the best process to minister to and through them. Now, with that said, there certainly are some principles based on the word of God that can be applied to every believer.

2) God is creative. I think he likes doing things differently for each person.

Is it the guest speaker’s fault?

No. There is nothing wrong with them sharing their experiences with God, because their victory can increase your faith. Just don’t expect God to do the same thing as he did for them at least in the same way.

A better way:

Instead of trying to duplicate someone else’s success with God try getting to know him. I mean know him so well you don’t ever second guess his commandments, or instructions. There are no shortcuts in this process. It takes time, lots of time hanging out with the creator of the universe. Did you know God had a great sense of humor? There is nothing like talking to God and then having a belly laugh moment with him! Get to know his nature, his love, and then imitate him.

Vacancy, For Rent, or Move In?

March 21, 2020February 29, 2020 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Charlie 032420 Is your heart a hotel for God? Let’s face it, some let God check in, but then tell him when check out time is. Worse, others may even post a “No Vacancy” sign.

Or perhaps you rent your heart to God. You let God in for a particular term of time. You specify the rules, and how things should be left when He moves out. It wouldn’t surprise me if you even asked for references.

Why are so many people afraid to give their heart to God? Because they are afraid he will make changes. Like clean up the dirt, get rid of the clutter and even rearrange the furniture. “No! Not the furniture!” So many people aren’t happy, but they don’t want to give up control.

If one wants God to do his best work they must sign over the deed to their heart. Allow him to clean, declutter and yes, even rearrange the furniture. I assure you, if you trust him to do what needs to be done in order for you to have a better life you will like the improvements.

Rick Renner, from his book “Sparkling Gems from the Greek” reminds us that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19) He leads us in a prayer and a confession:

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY Lord, I am so excited to think that You made my heart Your home. It is so overwhelming to think that You want to live inside me. Help me see myself as Your dwelling place and to honor Your Presence inside me by the kind of life I lead. I want to bless You and honor You, so please help me do the right things that bring You the greatest pleasure and joy. I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY I gratefully acknowledge that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit lives inside me. My heart is not a hotel where He occasionally visits; rather, my heart has become His home. He has invested His power, His gifts, His fruit, and the life of Jesus Christ in me. Inwardly I am highly adorned with the goodness of God. My spirit is so marvelously created in Christ Jesus that God Himself is comfortable to live inside me! I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Home Cooked Meals

March 18, 2020February 28, 2020 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Hotpot In the last blog post I mentioned a friend living overseas who had not found a church yet where he is getting a steady diet of spiritual nutrition. Not that he hasn’t tried.

We are very fortunate here in America to have many churches where the pastor feeds the people the word of God, and we can turn on the TV at any time of the day and find religious programming. Now hold on, I agree there are some that are much better than others. In fact there is a very small list of who I will give my time to. There is also opportunity to see some speakers of God’s messages on YouTube as well.

My approach in preparing to speak publicly is this, I pray and ask God what He wants to say. I call this process getting the meal plan. Then I want to get God’s recipe for the items He wants to serve. In other words, I don’t want to say the same thing the way I would, but I want to say those things the way God would if He was standing in front of the people himself. This step is my studying. Then, when I speak I serve God’s meal, his words, to the people.

Your pastor feeds you every week. When a guest speaker talks, it’s like eating out!

After more discussion with my friend, he got revelation that he needed to stop relying so much on others to feed him, and start preparing home cooked meals. We aren’t talking about TV dinners that you heat up in 4 minutes either. He is going to get back into God’s word. He is going to study. He’s going to pray. He is going to cook his own meals as God directs. He may have to eat alone, but then he can eat as much as he wants, and after he is full he can then go out and feed others.

Dietitians have been telling us for years that eating healthy foods, prepared at home is good for us. There is nothing wrong with eating out. There is nothing wrong with going to church and eating with others. There is nothing wrong with ministers on TV or via social media, as long as they are preaching the word of God, but remember to have a balanced diet.

“He poured great draughts of water down parched throats;
the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.” Psalms 107:9 (MSG)

One Mile till Empty

March 14, 2020March 14, 2020 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Charlie 0320 Just before a car’s engine runs out of gas it shakes violently, sputters, and knocks hard. It is then, the driver’s stomach does the same thing. Unless you are driving a very old clunker there is a light on the dash that does its best to tell you when you are running out of and in need of filling up again.

A friend of mine is living overseas. No friends, or family went with him. He has been there long enough to make new friends, get new co-workers, but he hasn’t found a church quite like what he had in America. In fact, not even close. We were talking the other day, and I said to him, “You are getting low on God.” How did I know? By the way he talked about life there, and I could tell he was forgetting a lot of the wisdom and understanding from the Word of God he had learned. He agreed.

It is critical, to the life of one who is a serious follower of Jesus Christ,

to keep an eye on the God gauge.

To know the signs of when you are drifting away from true north. When your half of the relationship with Jesus isn’t what it once was.

Some of the things that cause this to happen are; busyness in life, missing church, you know, the forsaking the assembling of the brethren, slacking off on your devotion to God, and over all lacking in spending time with Him. It happens slowly, and before you know it.

As we are entering into troubling times it is more important than ever to stay close to God. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt anything to draw near to God even more! Take you fears and concerns to him. Walk in confidence of knowing God, and knowing he knew long before the news channels what today would reveal. God loves you so much, and he cares about the things you are concerned with. Spending time with Him fuels you to overcome the things in life that can trip you up. When your tank stays full of God you wind up getting more MPG (Miles per God) in life. You never want to find yourself on the road of life and realize you are one mile till empty.