believing

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“Hey, Mark Brady,” a man called out. I studied his face intently. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” He told me his name, and I still did not recognize him, but yes, I did know him. I had not seen him since we graduated high school together many, many, many years ago. Okay, add another “many” and a half!

To be honest, I did not like him at all in school. He was wild, loud, and mean! Some might even say he was a bully, at least to me. I avoided him. But now, he seemed much different. Transformed. I had heard over the years that he had accepted Jesus Christ into his life and changed how he lived. I could see it.

Reminds me of the change Saul (from the Bible) went through. He was a highly educated man who couldn’t understand why people would follow Jesus and even die for believing in Him as the Son of God like Steven did. (Steven was the first recorded martyr. Acts 7:55-60) Then, on the road to Damascus, Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Saul believed and instantly changed, and Jesus even changed his name to Paul.

Paul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It took many a while to believe the change in him was authentic, and they probably doubted it would last, but it did. Paul became one of God’s greatest servants and wrote two-thirds of the New Testament.

Accepting Jesus into your life should generate a change in you. If it doesn’t, then you are not genuinely becoming “Christ-like,” which is what being a “Christian” means. People can, and do change so don’t ever give up on them. Keep praying for them and who knows they may become like Christ someday.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Cross That Line

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The best I can recall, most stories in the Bible involved a person who wasn’t qualified, had a natural defect, or an attitude. They didn’t know how to do what God had asked of them, felt they weren’t good enough to accomplish the task, or didn’t want to.

When God called me into the ministry, I started out as a youth minister. I had been in a couple of youth groups, but had never led one. I didn’t feel qualified, and believe it or not, I felt as though I was too short to be respected. After all, some in the high school group were taller than me. Even some of the girls! At the age of 21, after accepting who I was in height, I actually grew two more inches. I was told that was impossible.

Since I felt so unqualified I realized I needed God, a lot! I once prayed for two hours, one morning, a very long request of God to help me at anything I may encounter in ministry. I titled it my, “Oh God” prayer. Boy, did I pray it often. I would find myself in situations I was either uncomfortable, or simply just didn’t know what to do or say. I would pray under my breath, “Oh God”. He knew I had asked him to honor that two hour prayer any time I said those words. He did then, and still does to this day, honor that prayer!

David was short, but slew a giant. Joshua led a generation into the promise land who had heard from their parents and grandparents, probably more than once how the land was filled with giants. Jonah had an attitude. Moses stuttered. Peter denied Christ. Noah endured years of ridicule to build a boat when it had never rained. The prophet Elijah called down fire from heaven. There are so many more.

You see, the one thing all of these individuals had in common is this, they couldn’t say, “No.” to God, and they then accepted and believed that He would help them, and He did! He helped them and He will help you as well. God will help you accomplish the task and cross the finish line.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Until a Person Finds God

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My eye doctor informed me that my eyes will never get better, or go back to the way they were before the disease set in them.  He said, “All we can do is maintain them so you can continue to see.” I said, “So the only chance I have then is if God heals me.”  He didn’t say anything.  I continued, “I know God can do it, and I ask him to and thank him for the healing often.”  Still nothing from him.  Then I had the bright idea to ask, “What would you do if God did heal me and I came in with perfect vision?”  He thought, for an awkward amount of time and then stammered.  I said, “You would be speechless like you are now.”  Then he said something I will never forget.  He said, “Well, I know one thing, I would not contribute the reverse in your condition to God healing you!”  After he stepped out of the exam room I said, “Okay God, the stage has been set!”

I do realize it can be difficult for highly educated individuals, doctors, scientist, etc. to get out of their “natural mind”, and think on a “spiritual” level.  The issue is compounded if they struggle to believe in a God they can’t see. They would rather make something up, even if its not true then believe in God. For example; scientist have done that with the subject of evolution. God explains the issue like this:

Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him. He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:14 (TPT)

The ironic thing is this; when my eyes are healed the eye doctor will see God’s work done by his hand, which could be thought of as “seeing God”.

A co-worker of mine, many years ago, was trying to see if God was real.  He went on a trip to the Grand Canyon, saw his handiwork and immediately accepted him into his life. Regardless if people know it, or ever admit it, they are seeking God their whole life until they find Him. One’s spirit man desires and seeks to be reunited with the Spirit of God once they have sinned and separation sets in.

Please take my word for it, accept God is real, and that He loves you so much. For He is always there waiting for you to look up and see him and take his hand.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Don’t Forsake the Children

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Her family just emigrated from India.  Mother, father, little brother, and Anara.  Anara is only three years old, and when she arrived in America, just a few short months ago she couldn’t speak any English.  Anara’s parents thought it would be best to enroll her in preschool, so they did.

Anara is smart, and soon she started learning the language, but she also started learning the Bible stories the preschool taught.  It wasn’t long before she begin sharing her excitement, of those stories, with her family.  They witnessed Anara’s happiness, and joy as she grew in her love for the one true God.

Intrigued, her father inquired of the school, and asked if they could get an advance copy of those stories.  From the mouth of a three year old, the gospel of Jesus Christ is going forth.

Jesus: Let the little children come to Me; do not get in their way. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to children like these.  Mat. 19:14 (The Voice)

Children accept Truth easier than adults.  The older one is, the more their mind gets in the way of faith.  Simple faith, like that of a child is just believing.  Not questioning, and not reasoning, because a lot of the things of God don’t make sense to mankind.  And that is because God’s ways are much higher than ours.

Be like a child, be like Anara, and simply believe.  Then, as time goes by, and you begin to experience the love of God for yourself and see his hand in your life, only then will you understand.

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Stop Trying, and Start Believing

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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.

Surviving, Starts With Believing

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041720It 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.

Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Believing Builds Believing

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“I just don’t believe there could be one, all-powerful being,” David said.

“So you would like proof, first, before you would choose to believe in God,” I replied.

“Yes!”

“God asks us to believe in him by faith,” I said.

“I need proof.”

“Okay.  Let’s say God will, because of how much he loves you, let you have proof first.  What would it take?  What would you need to see, or witness, in order to believe in God?” I asked.

As David sat in his office chair, he was visibly considering my question.  After ten minutes, he turned, looked at me, and said, “I don’t know.  I don’t know what would be enough.”

God_you thereA somber event took place in front of me.  The reality is this; for a man, using his own reasoning, which is limited, nothing could satisfy him.  No proof would be enough.  Everything God might do, or has done, to prove his own existence, some men would reason it away, and have.  It’s as if they try to make God conform to their rules of existence, and that’s just not going to happen.

Another reality is this; God does exist.  I have met him.  I have talked to him, and he has answered me.  I have seen his work, in creation, in the most intricate details of nature, and in the life of a man.  Only God, can take the vilest of men, and change him forever.  One example is Saul.  He saw Jesus.  Saul had a life changing encounter with Jesus, and he went from wanting to kill those who believed in God, to preaching to those that didn’t.

All this time Saul was breathing down the necks of the Master’s disciples, out for the kill. He went to the Chief Priest and got arrest warrants to take to the meeting places in Damascus so that if he found anyone there belonging to the Way, whether men or women, he could arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. He set off. When he got to the outskirts of Damascus, he was suddenly dazed by a blinding flash of light. As he fell to the ground, he heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you out to get me?” He said, “Who are you, Master?” “I am Jesus, the One you’re hunting down. (Act 9:1-5 MSG)

If you want to see God the Father, then study the life of Christ.  For Jesus himself said, “To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?” (Joh 14:9 MSG)

(Note: The person’s name, in this real story, was changed.)

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

It’s About Time!

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clockOld Testament time:  Mankind was given “time” by God.  He created light, and separated it from dark.  He called the light “day”, and the dark “night”.  That was day one. (Gen. 1:3-5)  Pastor Robert Morris says, time gives us stability, and rhythm to life.  During eternity, there will be no need for time.  Jesus operates in a whole different realm than we do.  He is not bound by time.  He can go back in time, and forward in time, in no time.

Abraham’s wife, Sarah, had time reversed for her body and appearance.  She did not look like an old grandma when she had Isaac at the age of 90, but like a beautiful young woman.  So much so, while Abraham was camping in Gerar, he lied, and said she was his sister so he would not be killed for actually being her husband. (Gen. 20:1-18)

New Testament time:  When Jesus’ mother, Mary, asked her son to turn water into wine, while at a wedding, he answered her request.  One of the wedding guest commented the host saved the best wine for last.  Good wine takes 2 years to make.  How did Jesus do it?  I’m not sure, but I believe he could, can and did.  Mary believed as well. (John 2:1-11)

Your time:  I heard a testimony the other day where a kid closed the car door on his hand.  His mother prayed that his hand would go back to how it felt 2 minutes before the accident.  When she got done praying, he said his hand didn’t hurt any more.

Why am I sharing this?  There is a realm, we who call ourselves believers, need to move into.  The realm of possibilities that Jesus lives in.  A realm that is not bound by time.  Being “Christ like” can be for these days, and not just after we arrive in heaven.  Why now?  Because as we approach the last days our faith will need to be stronger.  We will need to know the impossible has always been possible, if we just learn to believe it, and ask for it, like Mary did.  We don’t have to know how, but that it can be done.  The Holy Spirit is sharing this with others around the world.  Jesus will help us and welcome us into this new realm of believing and living.  In fact he will probably say, “It’s about time!”

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

Is This It?

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20171122_144820

The church, where I first learned about a better life.

Have you ever asked yourself is this it?  What’s next?  Is there more?

As I was giving thanks to God this week for His many blessings upon my life, a thought hit me.  One I don’t recall having before.  For those who have never accepted Jesus as their savior, and had their sins, wrongs forgiven, then this is it!  This life is the best they will ever have.  For them, there is no hope for an even better life.

This life, with its hardships, struggles, and pain.  This life with its sickness and diseases.  With its final blow, death!

But we don’t have to settle for just this life.  We can choose to have the hope of a better life.  A life with no hurt, sickness, and no death.  Think of it this way; if those who believe and have accepted God are wrong then we have only gotten the same as you.  This life.  But, if we are right, if our faith delivers the hope God’s word says is waiting for us then we have so much more.  So much more than just this life.  And on the way to that better life, is God.

Act 2:26-28   I’m glad from the inside out, ecstatic; I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope. I know you’ll never dump me in Hades (Hell); I’ll never even smell the stench of death. You’ve got my feet on the life-path, with your face shining sun-joy all around. (MSG)

 Copyright © 2017 Mark Brady, All rights reserved

The Ironic Paradox

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PhotographHow do you convince, “believe in someone you can’t see”?  How is it understood?  Why is it easier for some and yet others find ‘having faith in God’ is like believing they could fly around the room.  God knew it would prove difficult, so He gave everyone, yes even you, a “measure of faith” to start life with.

God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Rom. 12:3 KJV+)

A pastor once preached a faith message series titled, “Walking off the Edge of the Map”.  You wouldn’t dare take another step once you got to the edge if you didn’t know where you would land.  But what if someone else knew?  Would you trust them?

You look at a photograph, but your eyes have to stop at the borders of the photo.  But there is one who can see beyond the borders of a photograph.  We are limited by what we see and know, but God is not.  He can see beyond the edge of a map, and past the limits of a photograph, and even the boundaries of your eyes. He sees, He knows, and the truth is, He cares.

God wants us to have faith in Him, because of all of the above.  God is not limited; by anything!  It doesn’t make sense, but by believing in God, whom you can’t see you are able to see beyond your own understanding.  And it’s nice knowing in your heart that because He sees what’s coming He’s already preparing you to handle it, go through it, or go over it.  Faith in God is knowing, “He’s got this!”

Copyright © 2017 Mark Brady, All rights reserved