How Fortunate!

June 25, 2021June 23, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I seldom get down, and depressed, but it happened the other day. I knew what all was bothering me, but I could not come up with an answer to the problem.

I asked God, “What should I do?”

I sensed He whispered, “Love”.

I thought for a moment and said, “What else you got?”

His answer seemed impossible considering the circumstances, so I continued to remain quiet, and sad.

I wrote, just last week, how God gets creative whenever He communicates with us. Last night, He just showed off! A friend texted with a request to help her and so we agreed and went over to a different neighborhood than ours and took care of her need. I could have completed the task by myself, but thought about the restaurants in that area and asked my wife if she would go with me. I didn’t tell her what I was planning, but I knew one of her favorite eating establishments was close by.

I took care of the deed, and then drove about a block to the Chinese restaurant. The look on my wife’s face of pure excitement and joy was worth the trip alone. We ordered and she went and found us a place to sit to enjoy our meal. I, on the other hand, got our drink, plastic ware, napkins, soy sauce, and of course a fortune cookie. There was a whole basket of cookies, but I randomly picked one.

We ate and then I cracked opened the cookie. Now, I am not one to believe in fortunes, or horoscopes, or the like, but when I read the message inside, I knew it was meant to be. It read,

“Hope is the most precious treasure to a person.”

As the, so called, “random” message sunk in, I sensed a feeling of love, and God saying, “Gottcha!” I believe in hope, I write about the importance of hope, and of the power of hope. In that moment all of my depression left, and I knew the situation was going to be okay, and yes, his earlier message of “Love” was going to be the key.

God speaks. Look for his words, seek them out, expect them, and listen when He does whisper to your soul. He communicates because He loves us so much.

God always answers, one way or another,
even when people don’t recognize his presence.
Job 33:14 (MSG)

Why Do You Let Your Emotions Take Over?

April 6, 2021April 5, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The title to this blog is a good question. One asked by Job’s friend, Eliphaz in Job 15 from the Bible. The reason we do is because it’s natural. We instinctually go there first, to our emotions that is. Expressing one’s emotion has gotten so popular these days we can even respond by sending an “emoji”. Of course, not all emotions are harmful, and not all are based in fear.

I remember a time when I got extremely mad and hurt from my father. On the way home, from that encounter, I ordered a pizza. I dropped it onto the asphalt on the way to my car due to high winds. I had to go back inside and order another one.

When I finally got home and was eating it, God whispered, “Why didn’t you turn to me first?”

OUCH!

I thought about it and answered, “Because you weren’t my first thought, God.”

That’s probably why we turn to our emotions first and allow them, or empower them to take over us. We have not yet trained ourselves to think of God first, and allow him to help us react to life in a peaceful manner. Or to respond to a person and or situation with one of the fruits of the Spirit. Can you imagine how much better life would be, or go if we could retrain our minds? It is possible! While in the midst of the process of getting my wife’s immigration to America completed I got depressed, and instead of turning to food, and allowing my emotions to rule, I prayed.

A key to learning to change our behavior is asking God for help to do so. I had to do this as well. God loves us so much and doesn’t want to see us get bogged down because we allow our emotions to rule us. So the next time something happens that “gets your dandruff up”, or raises a red flag, stop, and ask God to help you. I know you will be glad you did.

Give it to Me

October 9, 2020October 11, 2020 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

A child grows up believing they’re an awful person, because their parent told them so. The only time they heard words come out of their parent’s mouth was when it was a complaint. And perhaps the volume was turned up way too high when those words were spoken. The parent’s own hurt created a toxic mess in the child’s heart. Know this; it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

Years go by, and that ungodly belief sticks to the heart of the child, and it actually affects every future relationship that child grows up to have. One way to relate to hurt people is to wear a hazmat suit when around them, but those things are hot and heavy, and not readily available. So what is the answer?

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

That beaten down and battered child grows up denying the pain exist. Even saying things like, “Oh, its okay. That’s just the way my parent was.” Yet they walk on in life struggling to carry the weight of it all, believing the lies. At times they buckle under the load and they wind up hurting someone else. Perhaps their own child, or spouse. Those hit by friendly fire walk away questioning, “What did I do?”

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

There is only one way to fix it, to get delivered from the burden. In case you haven’t noticed I’ll repeat it one more time, give it to Jesus. He wants to take the load from you. He has been there your whole life, patiently waiting, but his heart broke when you wouldn’t surrender it to him. He has felt your pain, and every time you hurt he did too. Jesus doesn’t like to see those he died for hurting, and he died for everyone. Every time you have cried most likely he did too.

Jesus says, “Give it to me.”

Please, you have carried it way too long. It’s time to give it to Jesus. He can handle it. Don’t go another day living with the pain and trying to carry the load. Don’t fall asleep one more night on a wet pillow. Simply ask, “Jesus, will you take this from me, and heal my heart.” Then trust that he has heard you and will do just that. You will feel so much better. Your steps will be lighter, and you will see your world in living color.

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Mat. 11:28 (TPT)