How Satan Gets In

June 17, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Sieve Jesus warned Peter (Simon) Satan wanted to get inside him and tempt him. Satan wanted to see if Peter’s life was rattled, shaken would his belief in God remain.

Luke 22:31 “Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat.” (MSG)

So how does Satan get inside our hearts in the first place?

Perhaps when a family member hurts us. – Resentment
Maybe when a neighbor gets a new car. – Jealousy
Could be when difficult financial times fall upon us. – Fear
When your boss rides you, even though you work very hard. – Hatred
It could be after the loss of a loved one. – Grief, or sorrow
Through a battle with a serious illness. – Desperation
If a child goes astray with their life, or departs from God – Hopelessness
You feel there is no one out there who really loves you, understands you. – Loneliness
A situation or person ticks you off – Anger

These are only a few examples of how our lives can be shaken, sifted. If this is happening to you will God remain? I hope so. One way to make sure is to do an evaluation of what is in your heart. Clean it out and then keep the door to your heart and soul SHUT! And it wouldn’t hurt to lock it either.

Recognize quickly when Satan tries to sneak into your heart, because he will, even if the door is barely cracked.

It Hurts!

May 27, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

HURT You listen as they describe their current pain, despair, nightmare of a life. They go on and on without the slightest glimmer of hope on their face, or in their voice. They want relief, they want out, they want something so different then what they have. Like a blind man looking for his glasses, their searching is in vain.

You’ve heard it before, from them and from others you care so much about. Will this be the time they listen to you? Have they reached the end of their rope? Have they had enough? Maybe, maybe this will be the time they here you share the life they could have if they would only accept the free gift of Jesus Christ. How His death provides life. How His taking on the whole worlds sin and sorrow deliveres eternal joy, happiness, and peace, if we just say, “Yes” to His offer.

It hurts, when we hear them say, “Thanks, but it’s not for me.” It doesn’t make sense. It’s hard for us to understand. Irwin McManis put it like this, “People would rather live a bad life “they” purchased, than a great life that is free.”

Keep praying and trusting God for those you care about.

“In God We Trust”

May 21, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

US coin Our founding fathers didn’t declare this, but congress did in 1956. They could have declared a lot of things when they were deciding what to inscribe on our currency. Something that would be used around the world. I’m sure after a lot of thought, it became obvious, the only thing to say was who they trusted in. Those men knew God and His word. After all, men came to this land for the “pursuit of religious freedom.” It just makes cents!

2Sa 22:31 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried. He is a Shield to all those who trust and take refuge in Him. (AMP)

There is an old hymn my church sang when I was young, that had the following line; “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way.” I know, it’s hard to do. You can’t see God, but if you trust Him, you might just see His hand move about your life. You might hear His voice calm you in the midst of life’s storms. By the way, you can’t see the wind either, but what fool would dare deny its existence?

Whats inscribed upon your heart? What do you declare to the world to trust or believe in?

God?

April 30, 2017 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

It would be so much easier if you could see God, touch Him, and hear Him audibly. But if all that was possible don’t you think it would cheapen your faith? I mean faith’s value goes through the roof when you chose to believe in who you can’t see, touch, or hear, and yet the things you have been talking to God about, happen.

If you asked God for His will for your life and the next morning you found an email in your inbox from God telling you to do something that you didn’t like you probably would label it as “Spam”. Or, you might be tempted to click on “unsubscribe”. You see God has a way of taking His desires for our lives and developing them in us to the point we start asking Him for the same thing. Thinking it was our idea. Steering wheel isolated on a white background

One thing about God’s will is the timing. Maybe you do know His will, but do you know His timing? A good way to discover His timing is by moving. It’s hard to steer a car when it is parked. When you are moving in the direction you think is God’s will He can steer you, but you have to prayerfully watch the road signs. It’s like this, just because someone offers you a job out of the blue, doesn’t mean it is God’s will for you to work there.

Another way to find His will and timing is to talk to mature Christians who have been there and have done that. They can counsel you in the ways of God, and also be praying with you. Remember this verse: Isa 55:9 “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think.” (MSG) Trusting, believing, and obeying provides you the greatest adventures you will ever have and the most rewarding, and satisfied life.

That’s All I Wanted

March 12, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Holding His people

I just wanted people to love me first. To make that choice, and live by it. I gave them free will, and I always hoped they would use theirs to put nothing else as a god before me. Was that asking too much? In turn, I would be their God. I would lead, guide, protect, and bless them if they served me, and kept my commandments.

You know, I came up with those 10 things, believe it or not, to make life easier, not harder. But that free will thing gets in the way and it sometimes gets people hurt. It’s the only way this whole God and the people I made relationship would really work, and have true meaning to it.

I made these people, and then gave them free will. Well, as you know, it didn’t take long for them to screw it up, so I taught them how to offer up a sacrifice for their sins, and it needed perfecting. Yes, that is when I gave my people my Son. Perfection. His death bought back the people that belonged to me in the first place, because I made them. It was out of pure love I gave them their free will again. All I wanted was their perfect love given back to me freely of their own will.

What do you do with your free will?

Flat and Colorless as a Shadow

January 28, 2017 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Ecc 8:12 Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I’m still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence,

Ecc 8:13 and that the evil person will not experience a “good” life. No matter how many days he lives, they’ll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow–because he doesn’t fear God. (MSG) shadow

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my days to be as flat and colorless as a shadow. I want them to be in full living color and have substance to them, to have meaning. Whether I always know and understand that meaning or not. I do that by giving my life back to the Life Giver. To go, do, and say as He leads. To fear God, meaning respect Him, and His words written in His book the Bible. (All of them.)

Looking Your Best for God

January 8, 2017January 9, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

big-hat There was an emphasis on wearing your “Sunday best” when I was growing up. Every week at church most would be decked out in the nicest piece of wardrobe in their closet. “You should look your best when going to church,” was often heard. Believe it or not, in some churches, the hats worn on Easter are so large one cannot see the pastor when sitting behind such monstrosities.

Now there is certainly nothing wrong with looking nice when one attends a church service, but note that wearing your best is on the outside. God probably appreciates the effort, but what is likely more important is someone coming into God’s house looking nice on the inside. In other words, having a contrite heart, or a heart after God’s heart. A heart that is concerned for others, and where they will spend eternity.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.” Psa. 51:10 (AMP)

Knowing this, perhaps here at the beginning of a new year, it is time to clean out your “spiritual” closet. Get rid of all of the things that make you look good only on the outside. Let God examine your heart, and guide you in where changes need to be made.

The Greatest Plan…Ever!

December 18, 2016 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

gods-plan The greatest love story. The greatest gift. The greatest promise…kept.

Who, but God could have come up with a plan to place his son Jesus, in a young virgin. Very few looked there. The politicians didn’t, the religious leaders didn’t, and most of the people didn’t either.

God, through his word, told what He was planning on doing, so it wasn’t a secret, but people have a tendency of not knowing God, or his word. This causes them to take God’s plans and play them out as they understand, or worse, want.

How all of this life on earth ends is also part of God’s plan. It’s not a secret, or mystery. Yet people still do not get to know God, and believe how they want to. Read God’s word. All of it. Even Revelation. Though you may not understand, believe it will happen…according to God’s plan. So far, God’s plan has worked out perfectly. Remember this, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) Faith…use it.

Close Gifts

December 12, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

red-cross Mary held him close enough to hear him breath. To feel his chest move in and out. To see every radiant color of his eyes. Her heart melted when he smiled. Just think what an honor it must have been to be that close to God. To hold God in your hands.

Jesus said, “For the Father and I are one.” (John 10:30) Mary held God. Today, God can hold you.

When it hurts, when you’re scared, when you’re confused, run into God’s arms. Because God gave us His son, His son gave us God.

Jesus is Lord!!

December 4, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

A young lady in my church, who hides behind a recliner to talk to her parent’s bible study group stands up with boldness in front of her class. The 15 year old shared with them why God should be allowed back into schools. She revealed students have a right to proclaim “Jesus is Lord”. She stood there in the power of the Holy Spirit as He enabled her. In her own might it would never happen, but she loves God and wants to be used by Him.

We are in full blown Christmas mode right now. This is the easiest time of the year to share “Jesus is Lord”. After all, Jesus is the reason for this season. People are hungry for truth and Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. All, who know “Jesus is Lord”, should be watching for opportunities to share their faith. Ready to give an answer to those searching. The Holy Spirit has been drawing them to God. Now we need to be asking the Holy Spirit to help us to be ready and bold, like the young lady in my church.

This holiday season give more than an earthly gift. Give the gift God gave us. His son Jesus. Share with all, why Jesus is the answer to their needs. Give a gift that hopefully no one returns.