David

Are You God’s Supervisor?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments
Photo by: August de Richelieu

I’ve been reading from the Book of Psalms. I have noticed, mainly David’s, some Psalms were written where David tells God what to do. As if he is God’s supervisor or God needs to be told how to be God. Take the one below for instance:

Psalms 59

4-5 Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
    God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
    don’t be soft on these hard cases.

11-13 Don’t make quick work of them, God,
    lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
    take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
    catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
    —every muttered curse
    —every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
    Finish them off for good!

I think you get the idea. But I must ask, are we sometimes doing the same thing? Are there times in our prayers and conversations with God we try to tell Him how to answer our requests? I know I’m guilty of doing this, especially after an individual hurts me.

Okay, first of all, God doesn’t need a supervisor! He knows how to deal with every kind of person very well because He knows their heart and motives. He knows things about them we could never know. Also, He hopes that his way of dealing with an individual would ultimately bring them into a relationship with him. From scripture, we know that God has his way of doing things and why.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isa. 55:8-9 (NIV)

So we have to trust God. There is nothing wrong with asking Him to take care of a situation or a particular person, but we have no business trying to tell Him how. God doesn’t have someone over Him. You cannot speak to his boss, and you don’t need to.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

You Are the Same God

/ Mark Brady / 3 Comments
Photo by: SHVETS production

Yesterday at church, I was so encouraged by the lyrics to the following song, “Same God.” It was good to remember that despite what is happening in the world, in my country, or in my personal world, God is still God. He is not affected by current events or swayed by popular opinions. He is still the same God; if He did it before, then I know He can do it again for me, my country, and my world.

I’m calling on the God of Jacob
Whose love endures through generations
I know that You will keep Your covenant

I’m calling on the God of Moses
The one who opened up the ocean
I need You now to do the same thing for me
For me, for me

O God, my God, I need You
O God, my God, I need You now
How I need You now

O Rock, O Rock of ages
I’m standing on Your faithfulness
On Your faithfulness

I’m calling on the God of Mary
Whose favor rests upon the lowly
I know with You all things are possible

I’m calling on the God of David
Who made a shepherd boy courageous
I may not face Goliath
But I’ve got my own giants

You heard Your children then
You hear Your children now

You were providing then
You are providing now

You moved in power then
God, move in power now

You were a healer then
You are a healer now

You are the same God
You are the same God

You were a savior then
You are a savior now

You’re faithful God
Jesus, You’re the same
Yesterday, today, and forever

You freed the captives then
You’re freeing hearts right now

You touched the lepers then
I feel Your touch right now

Never changing
Oh, forever
We feel You now
You’re the same God

I’m calling on the Holy Spirit
Almighty River, come and fill me again
Come and fill me again

(Let that be your prayer)

Songwriters: Patrick Barrett, Christopher Joel Brown, Steven Furtick. For non-commercial use only.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Underdog

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I like to root for the underdog unless they are playing against one of my favorite teams. There is something about a team or an individual achieving something they shouldn’t be able to do. Like in the movie, “Rudy.” If you have seen it, then you know how emotional it is when he finally achieves his childhood dream of getting to play football for Norte Dame. “Rudy, you’re too small. You’ll never make the team.” It played on late-night TV the other day again. I told myself, “I’m not going to cry this time.” I have seen it probably, 18 times. I cried like a big o baby at the end. Fortunately, April was asleep!

Whenever someone beats the odds.

A famous biblical example is David defeating Goliath. Men who do not know God or his power look at things in the natural. With their eyes, like Goliath did.

The Philistine started walking toward David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. He kept coming closer, 42 and when he got a good look at David, he was filled with scorn for him because he was just a nice, good-looking boy. 43 He said to David, “What’s that stick for? Do you think I’m a dog?” And he called down curses from his god on David. 44 “Come on,” he challenged David, “and I will give your body to the birds and animals to eat.”

45 David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the Israelite armies, which you have defied. 46 This very day the Lord will put you in my power; I will defeat you and cut off your head. And I will give the bodies of the Philistine soldiers to the birds and animals to eat. Then the whole world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and everyone here will see that the Lord does not need swords or spears to save his people. He is victorious in battle, and he will put all of you in our power.”

48 Goliath started walking toward David again, and David ran quickly toward the Philistine battle line to fight him. 49 He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath. It hit him on the forehead and broke his skull, and Goliath fell face downward on the ground. 50 And so, without a sword, David defeated and killed Goliath with a sling and a stone! 51 He ran to him, stood over him, took Goliath’s sword out of its sheath, and cut off his head and killed him. (1 Sam. 17: 41-52  GNT)  David knew what God could do with a willing servant!

Men are not the only ones who will try to tell you there is no hope in trying. To give up. To sit down and be quiet. The devil will do all he can to convince you of the same. Someone who believes doesn’t stop, doesn’t quit, or gives up. They keep going until the impossible is accomplished.

The underdog becomes an unstoppable force as one believer under God.

If you find yourself in an impossible-seeming situation, recall what God has done with you and for you in the past or read what God did with others in the Bible. God never runs out of power, and He never changes. I think God likes to say, “Oh really? Huh. Watch this.” So don’t listen to anyone else but God. When He asks you to do something, know that He will be with you, empowering you to do His will.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Plan “A”

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

“I know!  Let’s confuse the wise, by doing the unexpected.”

“What do you mean?”

“Their looking for a king, and we’ll provide one, but not in the manner they are expecting.”

“So what are you thinking?”

“A baby.  A baby born to a virgin.”

“Oh, like that won’t mess with their heads!”

“So who is going to be the baby?”

“You.”

So when the proper time came about, God sent an angel to announce part of his plan to Mary, and God’s plan was launched.

28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Rejoice, beloved young woman, for the Lord is with you and you are anointed with great favor.”

29 Mary was deeply troubled over the words of the angel and bewildered over what this may mean for her. 30 But the angel reassured her, saying, “Do not yield to your fear, Mary, for the Lord has found delight in you and has chosen to surprise you with a wonderful gift. 31 You will become pregnant with a baby boy, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be supreme and will be known as the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will enthrone him as King on the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign as King of Israel forever, and his reign will have no limit.”

34 Mary said, “But how could this happen? I am still a virgin!”

35 Gabriel answered, “The Spirit of Holiness will fall upon you and almighty God will spread his shadow of power over you in a cloud of glory! This is why the child born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your aged aunt, Elizabeth, has also become pregnant with a son. The ‘barren one’ is now in her sixth month. 37 Not one promise from God is empty of power. Nothing is impossible with God!”

38 Then Mary responded, saying, “Yes! I will be a mother for the Lord! As his servant, I accept whatever he has for me. May everything you have told me come to pass.” And the angel left her. Luke 1:28-38 (TPT)

Fast forward; we know God’s plan worked.  Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52)  He stayed in constant communication with his heavenly Father, and despite his own will completed the plan.  It’s a good thing too, because there never was a plan “B”.

Why would God do such an incredible selfless thing for you and me?  There is only one reason; LOVE.  God is love, and He loves us so much that he spared no expense to rescue us from our own selves and our eternal demise.  We celebrate God’s love by celebrating Christmas.  The event that if believed and accepted gives us life.

Merry Christmas

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.