Be Consistent

July 11, 2025June 28, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

My friend, David, loves God and loves people. He is always looking around, observing his world to see if he can help someone who has a need. He believes that gives him an opportunity to share about God and God’s love. Some may minimize lifestyle evangelism and think that people only accept Jesus after hearing a sermon, but more are likely to after you meet a need in their life. This was Jesus’ approach many times. He met their need, and then they accepted him.

David said he went to a restaurant the other day, and while he was eating, the lady who had taken his order came up to him. “You’re religious, right?” she asked. “No. I’m not religious at all, and I don’t like religion. Religion is about rules. But I do have a great relationship with God. He loves us so much, and I love him back,” he told her. “Aren’t you the one who bought the homeless man dinner a few months ago?” “Yes. That was me,” he replied.

David said that he was surprised she remembered him. Evidently, his actions made an impact on her. It got her attention. He went on to tell me that as he was eating, he noticed how many customers were coming in. The restaurant was getting slammed! He also noticed that the customers who left didn’t get their tables bussed. He knew what he needed to do.

He said he quickly jumped up and continued where the waitress had left off. He stacked the dirty dishes in the tub, along with the glasses, silverware, and trash. He also knew to wipe off the tables and wipe out the seats of the booth. The tub got full, and he knew he couldn’t take it into the kitchen, so he left it on the table across from his.

With the newest customers’ orders now in the system, she returned to the dining room. “I know that is not where I left the tub,” she commented to David. She looked around and saw a lot of clean tables. “Did you do this?” she inquired. “Maybe an angel did it,” he said with a big smile on his face. “Thank you. You didn’t need to do that,” she said. “But you all were getting slammed, and the new customers needed clean places to sit and eat,” he commented.

David knows that she will definitely remember him. She witnessed his consistency in putting God’s love on display and in motion. And he knows that the next time he goes in there to eat, she will be primed. This means that her heart will be open and ready to hear more about God’s love for us and his Son’s gift of salvation. For the harvest is ready, but the number of workers is few.

Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God’s field in which we are working.
1 Cor. 3:5-8 (MSG)

“Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest-ready fields.”
Matt. 9:38 (NET)

Would You Take 5 Minutes?

July 8, 2025July 9, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Have you noticed how every store and company lately is asking you to take a few minutes to fill out their survey? They sometimes entice you by saying your name will be entered for a “chance” to win a prize. I have often wondered if anyone “ever” wins. One definition of the word “survey” is to investigate the opinions or experiences of people by asking them questions.

I don’t think I am brave enough to send a survey to April, but if I did, I might get her to take five minutes and fill it out if I offered her the “chance” to go on a shopping spree. The survey would probably look something like this:

On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is “Not satisfied at all,” and 10 is “Very satisfied,” rate Mark on the following issues. Please circle your response.

“How is Mark doing with helping out around the house?”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

“How is Mark doing with seeing your needs?”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

“How is Mark doing with loving you?”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

“How likely are you to want to stay in this marriage with Mark?”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

“How likely are you to tell a friend about how Mark is doing?”
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

“Is there anything you would like Mark to do better?”
Comment: _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

“Please list anything you would like Mark to change.”
Comment: _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

“May we contact you concerning your responses?”

I don’t need to send April a survey. Over the last five, no wait, six years, I have noticed that when I am doing a good job, she sings around the house. She is more relaxed. She gets funny and goofy, which I love.

The other day, she was throwing items into our shopping cart as if they were basketballs. Then, when she wanted to verify that the item she wanted to purchase was the correct one, she opened the package in the store and said, “This is America. I can do this!” (You don’t open items in stores in the Philippines.) Both actions made me laugh.

So, today, I got it right. I loved on April enough to cause her to sing. It’s almost as if when I hugged her or squeezed her, joy came oozing out.

His anger lasts only a moment.
But his kindness lasts for a lifetime.
Crying may last for a night.
But joy comes (oozing out) in the morning.
Ps. 30:5 (ICB) [words in parentheses, mine.]

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly…singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:16

Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.”
James 5:13b

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.”
Psalm 126:2

God Will Provide

July 4, 2025June 19, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of and forecast our household budget and expenses. Sometime last year, I started declaring at the top of each month’s sheet, “GOD WILL PROVIDE!” Then I list our income and expenses by date. You know how a budget works.

After I balance each month with my bank statement, am I the only one who still does that? I make the following declaration: GOD DID PROVIDE!

I admit that our budget has tightened with the current expenses of remodeling our house and buying some new furniture. So when God started whispering to April and me to be benevolent for a particular cause, my first thought was, “Ouch!” That is going to make life a little more uncomfortable for a bit. It’s kind of like putting on an old pair of jeans after months of not wearing them, and you realize you have gained ten pounds or so! “Ouch!”

Now, April and I can do our part and not eat out like we did last month, and we can do what we can to keep our utility bills down, but that is only going to help so much. But here’s the thing: I know God. I know how He works, and if we continue to tithe and live in a way pleasing to him, God will provide! I don’t know how, but He always does!

I don’t have to know how He is going to do it, but I know that He knows what we need, and our heavenly Father, who loves us, will take care of our needs.

The exciting part of where the money went is it has the potential to change a person’s life for eternity. And their changed life may very well change the lives of countless others. I feel honored that God would speak to our hearts and allow us to be a part of his plan and the great love story that He is writing in that individual’s life.

That individual had a need, and at some point, they probably had no clue as to how God would provide for them. I hope they never forget that He came through in the last hour.

I tell you the truth: living with God and for God is the most fun you will ever have and the greatest adventure of your life. I hope, if you never have, you will accept him and his Son, Jesus, into your life and start down the road of faith. Faith pleases God.

April and I have faith that God will provide!

But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. Heb. 11:6 (AMPC)

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Mat. 6:30-33 (MSG)

God Has a Secret

July 1, 2025June 18, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I can’t recall when or how God told me his secret, but He did. It might have been a dream, or perhaps a thought all of a sudden came into my mind. I do remember thinking, “Why me? I can’t be the best Christian on Earth right now. Not even close!”

My next thought was, “What am I to do with this secret? Keep it? Spill it to everybody? Convey it in a video blog and post it on Facebook and YouTube? I did feel honored, though. Actually, kind of special. Then I wondered if this was how Mary felt when the angel of the Lord revealed to her that she would have God’s Son, Jesus.

Wow! I know God’s secret. Before this, I only knew Victoria’s Secret. Do you want to know what God’s secret is? Of course, you do. Humans are naturally curious. If I tell you, will you respond correctly? Will you share it with others? Will you place the right amount of importance on it? I hope so.

Have you ever noticed those videos, like on Facebook, where they say they are going to share with you the secret to something? But all they do is talk around the secret or about the secret, trying to get you to click on a link and eventually get money out of you. Those are annoying.

Okay. Here it is; God’s secret is when his Son, Jesus, will appear in the sky above the Earth and call his church home. The religious word for that event is the Rapture. God didn’t tell me his secret. In fact, He hasn’t told anyone, not even his Son, Jesus. And here is why I think that is. If He did, people would live a life pleasing to God right before the event would take place, only to escape going to hell. God wants people to love him and accept his Son, Jesus, and then live a life in his presence, loving others and sharing the gospel with them, hoping they would enter his kingdom.

Share God with others as if Jesus’ return is today, and it very well could be. Compel them, Luke tells us in his gospel, to come into the kingdom of God, to join his family. Tell everyone about God’s secret. Now that I have told you, will you respond correctly? Will you share it with others? Will you place the right amount of importance on it? I hope so.

“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.” Mat. 24:36 (MSG)

¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thes. 4:16-17 (KJV)

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. Luke 14:23 (KJV)

Was That an Angel?

June 27, 2025June 19, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed.” The writer of Hebrews encourages us to show hospitality. “Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!” (Heb. 13:2)

Many years ago, I was the best man at a friend’s wedding. I’m sure there were many better men than me there, but that was the title and role I was asked to serve. Having a small amount of authority at the event, it was brought to my attention that a man was seen stuffing cake into a napkin and placing it inside his pocket. I approached the gentleman and started the interrogation. “Friend of the bride or groom?” I asked. The man put his head down and said he would leave quietly.

As I convinced him he was okay to stay, I soon learned he was homeless and hungry. The wedding and reception were ending, and I asked him to stay put while I completed my duties. He did.

I told him he could spend the night in my apartment. On the way there, we stopped at a Burger King. He ate as if it was his first time eating in months, and perhaps it was for a hot meal. After getting home, I realized he needed his clothes washed and a shower. I offered both to him, and he accepted. Then I found out that those were his only clothes, so we went into my closet, and he picked out a shirt and a pair of pants. The only problem was he was much taller than me. So, after he went to bed, I let out the hem as much as possible.

I slept on the sofa, and the next morning, I fixed him a hearty breakfast and packed a lunch. I invited him to my church, but instead, he asked to be dropped off in town. I did. Later, I started crying as Matthew 25:36 came flooding into my mind.

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

Ever since that night, I have wondered if I indeed entertained an angel. Never once did I fear for my life while that man was in my presence. Instead, I felt good for helping someone in need.

Being able to help someone with resources means living within your means. That way, you can meet someone else’s needs. One of the reasons April and I got the upstairs of our home remodeled was so we could offer a safe, warm place to one who needs to feel full, comfortable, and secure.

Rich Man, Poor Man

June 24, 2025June 27, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“People don’t know how expensive it is to be poor!” From the movie “Straw.” It is hard for me to relate to the above quote. I’m not privileged or from a wealthy family, but compared to 99% of the rest of the world, I am rich.

None of us get to choose who and where we are born. If given a choice, most of us would pick a wealthy family in America so we would have opportunities. The movie Straw portrayed a side of life that a lot of people deal with every day. The movie was good, but the language was very rough. Honestly, it was difficult for me to relate to, but I feel for anyone who is struggling financially.

There are situations where individuals struggle due to their own issues and decisions. There are usually ways out of your current situation and ways or means to better your life. I’m sure doing so is a huge fight and it probably feels like trying to climb Mt. Everest, almost impossible. But there are stories of people who do it.

Struggling financially is certainly not the life God had wanted or planned for people. He placed Adam and Eve in a garden. And Jesus said in John 10:10 that he had come to give people life and to give it to them more abundantly. The one word that determines abundant living is “contentment.” Someone who is just barely making ends meet might say they are content. They have a warm, safe place, food on the table, and reliable transportation. For one who has limited resources, if any one of those needs more and they don’t have more, that is when they can get into trouble.

They can quickly find themselves without a place to live, struggling to put food on the table, or having a vehicle they cannot afford to maintain. They may suffer a physical illness that they can’t afford, or if they can’t get to work, they could lose their job, and that might cause them to lose where they are living. I can understand why someone would get depressed and potentially snap.

Living a life that is surrounded by sin and that is open to demonic influence doesn’t make life easy either. In the first part of John 10:10, Jesus tells people that Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Satan wants to influence people to the point where their lives are ruined!

I contribute what I have to God. He has guided me in making good decisions. I’m not bragging because it was God, and I am not a financial genius, but I was able to retire at the age of 55. I have a home that has increased in value by $134,000 from when I bought it eight years ago. I live within my means, and I tithe on the income I have. God upholds his end of the tithing thing. He closes the mouth of the devourer. (Mal. 3:10-11) I do drive an old, beat-up car that is 15 years old, but it is dependable. I give God all the credit and the glory.

Do life WITH God. Accept Jesus, have your sins forgiven, and get on a road that leads to contentment. Learn how to live life abundantly.

One Man’s Journey

June 20, 2025June 9, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I met a guy the other day who admitted he wasn’t a Christian. I think he said he wasn’t sure about the whole man needs saving from his sins thing and that the only way to heaven was through Jesus. His wife recently asked Jesus into her life because of the change in her father after he did and then the miraculous healing that took place in him. Perhaps I’ll share his testimony in some post.

As the guy and I talked, I kept saying to myself, “Don’t be weird, and don’t be ‘religious.’” I don’t think Jesus was when he had conversations with those who had not yet accepted him and had not started following him. I wanted him to see that some Christ followers are just regular people who love God because He first loved us.

The man was highly intelligent and extremely funny, although some of his humor was a little dark. Speaking of dark, he told me he tried to get his wife to put some kind of balls in her pockets when she was baptized. He said it would have turned the water black. He laughed, implying that perhaps she hadn’t bathed in a while. I thought about it, and I said, “She should have!” He looked at me with a strange look. “I said that would have been symbolic of what happens when one accepts Jesus and gets baptized. Their sins, their filth, are washed away, and they come out clean, forgiven.”

As we were ending our time together, I told him that it was okay, as he was on his own private journey to God. I also told him that we (the church) loved him. He was surprised and asked, “Why? You all don’t know me.” I replied, “True, but God does, and He loves you, so we love you.” The Holy Spirit whispered that line to me. I’m not that smart.

I hope and pray those last words will become like a pebble in his shoe. As he walks and continues his journey, the pebble, those words will not depart from him, but will be like a goad that leads him to Christ.

And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice in the Hebrew tongue saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you continue to persecute Me [to harass and trouble and molest Me]? It is dangerous and turns out badly for you to keep kicking against the goads [to keep offering vain and perilous resistance]. Acts 26:14 (AMPC)

How to Train Your Wife

June 17, 2025June 6, 2025 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

PLEASE READ IN IT’S ENTIRETY BEFORE FIRING OFF EMAILS!

There is a new movie being advertised, “How to Train Your Dragon,” and for some “old-age” reason I heard, “How to Train Your Wife!” I know, right? I have no idea what caused such a brain fart to occur. I mean, is that even possible? And God help the husband who dares try! He will probably be speaking soon to the law firm of “You Dumb Butt” and “It’s Over!”

But seriously, what if your spouse needs “tweaking?” How does one go about it?

Our spouse is our helpmate, but if you cannot agree on an issue, what do you do? April allows me to be the head of the household. When it’s the other way around, people get hurt, and not just in the immediate family. She knows if we cannot agree, I will make the final decision. Now, this is not to lord over April, but she knows that I am accountable to God for the decision that was made. A position not to be taken lightly.

A few years ago, she revealed her secret as to how she gets (sometimes) what she wants or what she thinks is best for us. She doesn’t get mad, kick and scream, or give me any attitude at all. What she does is, she prays. She goes to God and appeals to him to speak to my heart. She asks Him to guide me and lead me as I do my best to lead our family. She knows that I know how to hear the voice of the Lord, and when I do, I have no problem changing my decision. And I certainly want God’s help. I know I definitely need it!

April commented the other day, “I pray every morning for God to change me.” What she meant was to help her in the areas of life where she struggles sometimes. I replied to her, “Maybe God likes the way you are or the way He made you?”

If there is a way to train your wife or husband, I would say it is through prayer. It’s a loving, gentle approach to changing someone. I have heard several testimonies of women praying, sometimes for years, without giving up for God to change their husbands. Don’t quote me on this, but I think Miss Kay of Duck Dynasty fame is such a woman. Not only did God change her husband, Phil, but his change also affected an entire family and perhaps countless others!

Thank you, God, for praying wives. Perhaps I should change the title to “How to Train Your Husband.” Encourage us all, Lord God, to pray without ceasing when the person or situation requires change. I, for one, am so grateful for change.

^13b-18Live together in peace, and our instruction to this end is to reprimand the unruly, encourage the timid, help the weak and be very patient with all men. Be sure that no one repays a bad turn by a bad turn; good should be your objective always, among yourselves and in the world at large. Be happy in your faith at all times. Never stop praying. Be thankful, whatever the circumstances may be. If you follow this advice you will be working out the will of God expressed to you in Jesus Christ.
1 Thes. 5:13b-18 (PHILLIPS)

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. Jam. 5:16b (AMPC)

Life, When Not on Stage

June 13, 2025June 3, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Most people share their “happy moments” on Facebook. Smiles and friendly hugs. Love and happiness. But what do snapshots of their lives look like when they are not intending to post on Facebook? When they are not on stage?

I tend to be a private individual unless being open helps me minister to someone. But other than those times, I would rather keep my struggles, weaknesses, and bad thoughts to myself! Our pastor admitted last Sunday that he hates getting behind people who walk slowly. And that he had just spent several days the previous week at the Magic Kingdom. Probably the capital of people who walk slowly. He said he doesn’t wish them harm but like a virus to come upon them that would prevent them from being there.

I get it. I used to fuss in my head about senior citizens being at the grocery store after I got off work. I just wanted to run in, grab what I needed, and get out, but “No,” I had to deal with them in front of me. I used to think you had all day to be here. Why now? Now that I am counted among them, I understand how hard it is to get out of bed, get dressed, and get motivated to leave the house.

And that’s the kindest of my evil thoughts. I have worse ones than that. And sometimes those thoughts lead to bad actions that I certainly wouldn’t want posted on social media.

Whenever we encounter a situation that we don’t like, a bell will go off, and our first thought is to respond out of our flesh. But if we can pause just long enough, a second bell will go off, and we can choose to act in a spirit of love, demonstrating one of the fruits of the Spirit. Or multiple ones, in my case! The challenge then becomes reducing the amount of time between the bells going off.

The truth is this: we are always on stage before God. He sees our actions, hears our words, and knows our darkest thoughts. We should strive to always walk in love and by the Spirit. In my case, if I did, fewer people would get hurt. Knowing how difficult that is, I pray and ask God all the time to help me represent him well.

²and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Eph. 5:2 (NET)

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23 (NET)

Knowing and Being Known

June 10, 2025May 26, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

April and I have started going to a church that is new to us. We agree with their philosophy of keeping faith in God simple. They preach Jesus and him crucified. When you start going to a new church, it can take a few weeks before you start knowing people and being known.

At our previous church, we went there for over a year, and only two or three people knew our names. To add insult to injury, when we tried to join a “Home Group,” the leader of that group never called us. So, we started staying home and watching the services online. I call that “Bedside Baptist” with Pastor Pillow and Sister Sheet. We still got spiritually fed, but it’s not the same.

There is something warm and fuzzy about someone saying, “Good morning, Mark. How was your week?” But it takes some effort on your part, too. You have to be bold and go up to people and ask them what their name is. Then, ask them something that reveals a little about that individual and helps you remember their name. You can’t simply sit around and wait for people to come to you.

You may say, “But I’m shy.” Or “It’s hard for me to approach people.” Hey, I get it. I’m naturally an introvert. Most writers are. No one believes me when I tell them that, but what they don’t know is I have to force myself to “walk across the room,” as one pastor put it, and greet someone.

That is what it takes to know and to be known. Jesus had no qualms about going up to someone and talking to them. Several times, it was he who started the conversation that ultimately changed someone’s life. Aren’t we supposed to imitate him? You never know who will make a connection with you, feel they can trust you, and then open up and reveal their greatest need. You may be the very one who leads them to trust God and to lean on Him.

Trust me when I say I can be very comfortable attending “Bedside Baptist.” If you have read this blog very long, then you know when it comes to encountering people, I find it challenging and would rather not. But inside me, I know that doesn’t please God, because He is all about people. They are his favorite pastime because God is love.

You’ll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God’s sheer genius, I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. 1 Cor. 2:2 (MSG)

God, investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in! Ps. 139:1-6 (MSG)

If God goes to great lengths to know us and then invites us to know him, then shouldn’t we do the same with our fellow mankind? Yes, we should.