A Spirit Bubble

September 17, 2024August 14, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I had never heard of a “Spirit Bubble” until last year while I was editing a book for someone else. I didn’t think much of it except that I pictured it as pink as bubble gum. I didn’t recall reading about such an item in the Bible, either. I told the author that I personally seldom share anything in writing that cannot be found in the Bible.

Over the last week or so, April and I were talking, and I expressed my surprise that April had never been proposed to before me. I mean, looks wise, she is so pretty and her personality so cute. She was in her thirties when we married, and before I came along, a few of the locals started to call her an “old maid.” April’s only answer as to why she did not get married earlier in life was, “God protected me.”

That phrase was stuck in my head. Even when I wasn’t thinking about it, I was thinking about it. I started asking myself, “What would that protection look like?” Then I had the thought, “The local young men didn’t “see” April. And the two guys she dated certainly didn’t see the hand of God on her life or went to battle against it. Then it hit me: it was as if God had placed April inside a bubble. I think of this as something different than a “hedge of protection” (Job 1:10) around her.

Then, my mind turned back to the book I edited last year. The author described God placing her inside a bubble that demons of Satan could not penetrate no matter how hard they tried. She mentioned times of being in a bubble during spiritual attacks of the enemy.

So, then, I begin to think about battles in the Bible. More specifically, personal battles. One that came to mind was when Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. Daniel told the King, “God sent his angel, and he closed the mouths of the lions.” At first, I thought Okay. No bubble. But days later, it dawned on me that Daniel was not hurt, and the lions could have clawed him to death. So, I went back to my first thought of God placing a bubble around Daniel, and the lions couldn’t see him. They might have still smelled him and that would be why the angel closed their mouths.

Daniel 6:16-23 (ICB)
¹⁶So King Darius gave the order. They brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May the God you serve all the time save you!” ¹⁷A big stone was brought. It was put over the opening of the lions’ den. Then the king used his signet ring to put his special seal on the rock. And he used the rings of his royal officers to put their seals on the rock also. This showed that no one could move that rock and bring Daniel out. ¹⁸Then King Darius went back to his palace. He did not eat that night. He did not have any entertainment brought to entertain him. And he could not sleep.

¹⁹The next morning King Darius got up at dawn. He hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰As he came near the den, he was worried. He called out to Daniel. He said, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Has your God that you always worship been able to save you from the lions?”

²¹Daniel answered, “My king, live forever! ²²My God sent his angel to close the lions’ mouths. They have not hurt me, because my God knows I am innocent. I never did anything wrong to you, my king.”

²³King Darius was very happy. He told his servants to lift Daniel out of the lions’ den. So they lifted him out and did not find any injury on him. This was because Daniel had trusted in his God.

It doesn’t matter if you believe in “Spirit bubbles” or not because it has nothing to do with getting into heaven. But I definitely know that if God wants to hide you or protect you from the devil or harm, He can. So, the key to this is believing and trusting in God.

Amen.

We’re Going to Need Another Angel

August 2, 2022August 2, 2022 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

With the blessing of April getting a new job that God is using to meet our financial needs comes a new path home. A much busier, longer, and more opportunities to encounter distracted drivers path. Although driving her to the employer at 4 AM is a bit safer with fewer drivers on the road, some reckless drivers are still out there.

A few days into our new thrill ride, we encountered a busy interchange. As I maneuvered into the cloverleaf while dogging cars entering the highway, I was almost rear-ended by someone going way too fast, considering the number of vehicles, short ramp, and rapidly slowing traffic. I was fearful as I watched the speeding car approach. I just knew they would hit us, but they didn’t. My heart raced as I thought that was close!

The next day, in the same spot in our travel, it happened again, but this time the car speeding toward the back of ours seemed to be guided by a laser determined to cause mass destruction. I cried out in horror as I watched in the rear-view mirror, “Oh God!” There was a look of sheer fear on the face of the driver as he dropped his phone and stood up on the brake pedal. I knew today we wouldn’t survive with a “close call.”

But then, at the point of impact, I watched as the driver moved forward in his car as if he had hit a wall, but there was no direct strike to the back of our car. I continued to look in the mirror as we made our way around the leaf and onto the intersecting highway. I was bewildered, trying to figure out how in the world we were not struck.

The only “satisfying” answer I could come up with is this; it wasn’t anything in our world but out of this world. Yeah, I believe an angel positioned himself between the back of my car and the other car. But the impact on that angel had to be so devastating that I could only imagine he was killed in the line of duty protecting April and me from harm. Or better yet, keeping us from the interruption of having to get our car fixed or replaced.

I was humbled and appreciative of God’s hand of protection upon our lives and the things, like the car that He provides to help us in our daily lives. The next day, I prayed over our commute, pleading the blood of Jesus over us and taking dominion over that spot on the highway. Declaring out loud that any demons of destruction had to go in the name of Jesus and that no harm to our lives or property could come upon us.

I am convinced that God’s hand protects us more than we know. Yes, I saw this angel do his job, but more than not, we don’t. Only when we get to heaven will we see God’s love in action for those who call him “Father.”

No, I don’t honestly believe the angel died, and there is currently a job opening in heaven, but I do know that Jesus died on a cross for us so that this relationship with the awesome loving God could be possible.

⁹Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹²In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone. Psalms 91:9-12 (NKJV)

As the World Turns

March 22, 2022March 5, 2022 / Mark Brady / 3 Comments

My mother claims she started watching the above “soap opera” when it debuted when she was only 16 years old. As my sister and I grew up, we knew not to interrupt mom’s “program”! In fact, the story goes that when I was only 4, I would hear the theme song play and start heading to my bedroom saying, “Time to go to bed!”

The program was about people and their lives, the drama they experienced. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I have never heard, or understood why they called these types of programs, “soaps”. Well the other day, I was talking to an old friend after a few years of losing contact with them. As they shared with me their family’s “drama” I started feeling dirty, if you will. When I began to figure out why I felt that way I realized it was because “God” was not involved in their lives!

Now there is no way I would say that I have lived a perfect, or spotless life, but it has all been washed by the blood of Jesus and my sins are gone. Plus, life is good these days. Yes, things still breakdown occasionally and we have some struggles and challenges with finances, but knowing that God is right here with me makes me feel better about the things of life. I feel clean. Also, I know He protects us from the evil one, who wants to kill steal, and destroy!

Many people know how they should be living, and some were even raised up in the church, but for one reason or another, they choose not to live according to God’s words. He gave us those very words, not to make our lives boring, or a drudgery, but on the contrary to give us real life. Abundant life! When He made man and woman, He placed them in a garden. That’s the kind of life He wants us to have, but out of freewill, many choose to live in the city dump. It breaks my heart that they are missing out now, and will miss out for eternity unless they accept Jesus and ask him to be Lord of their life. To cleanse them by washing their sins away through his death on the cross and making them white as snow.

Which Way Do I Go?

February 16, 2021February 15, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Direction. We seek it a lot, especially for those who have a strong and thriving relationship with God. We want to go in the correct direction and not waste time or resources. I sure messed up the other night. I live in a city that doesn’t receive huge amounts of snow that often and as a result the city doesn’t have the equipment to remove it as say, Chicago does. So when the meteorologist were predicting 6, 8 to 10 inches of snow, and hyped it up, I left where I was sooner than I needed to in order to get home safe.

I realize now I could have asked God for direction on when to leave, but I didn’t. I acted out of fear instead. At times, it’s hard not to. There is something innate about us that wants to be moving. This inward motivation makes it difficult to sit and wait, and when it comes to waiting on God for direction it is even harder. Do we not trust Him? We should! We have His word we can go to and read of His promise to guide us:

^1–2I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help.
But then I realize that our true help and protection
come only from the Lord,
our Creator who made the heavens and the earth.
³He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall.
God is my keeper; he will never forget nor ignore me.
⁴He will never slumber nor sleep;
he is the Guardian-God for his people, Israel.
⁵Jehovah himself will watch over you;
he’s always at your side to shelter you safely in his presence.
⁶He’s protecting you from all danger both day and night.
⁷He will keep you from every form of evil or calamity
as he continually watches over you.
⁸You will be guarded by God himself.
You will be safe when you leave your home
and safely you will return.
He will protect you now,
and he’ll protect you forevermore! Psalms 121 (TPT)

I was having a conversation this morning, with a friend, about this very topic. He has been asking God for direction when it comes to finding his spouse. There are a few potential mates and he has been trying to discern God’s will on the matter. As we continued to speak, it became obvious to both of us that he needs to stay in “neutral” right now. If you think about the gear shift on a car from neutral you can go forward or backwards, but you can move in an instant. Your only other option is “Park”.

A parked car doesn’t need to be steered,

because it isn’t going anywhere!

So I challenge you, if you find yourself needing direction, guidance from God, be patient and be willing to sit in neutral for a while. Keep your foot on the brake. You are ready to move, and you will, when the time and direction is right, therefore not wasting either time or resources, and when it comes to matters of love, possibly not suffering another heartbreak.

Have You Considered?

June 2, 2018June 1, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Covering of protection

Have you ever considered what your breaking point would be in life? How much you could take? What could you handle, but what is too much? Severe sickness of you, or of the ones you love the most? Losing your entire net worth? Being abandoned by the very ones you thought cared the most about you?

“And the Lord said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job?” Satan replied, “Have You not put a hedge (a covering) about him and his house and all that he has, on every side?” (Job 1:8 & 10 AMP)

God, because of Job’s relationship with him, had put a covering over him, or had his hand over him, so the results of a fallen, sinful, world could not affect Job, his family, or his possessions. Once I got really angry at one of my neighbors. I was so mad, I wanted to harm her, but I didn’t. Instead I prayed and asked God to take revenge on her for hurting me, After all, “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” (Rom. 12:19 MSG) One day I asked God what happens when he gets vengeance on someone. He whispered back, “I slowly remove my hand from their life.”

I shuttered! As time went on, I witnessed my neighbor losing her job, experiencing vandalism, and worst yet, the death of her oldest daughter. I prayed for her. I know God was hoping she would stop resisting him, and in turn, run to him. She finally did.

Job resisted the temptation to blame God for his troubles and die, but eventually repented of his prideful way of thinking. Then God restored everything back to him and doubled what he had lost. Could you have handled such loss? Or perhaps the better question is this, would God ever say to Satan, “Have you considered my servant: __________?“ (fill in blank with your name)