Preach To Them

October 11, 2024September 7, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

3 ^1-2Next, God spoke to Jonah a second time: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.”
³This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying God’s orders to the letter.
Nineveh was a big city, very big—it took three days to walk across it.
⁴Jonah entered the city, went one day’s walk and preached, “In forty days Nineveh will be smashed.”
⁵The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers.

A lot of believers get shy when it comes to sharing their faith. When I was growing up, most people thought it was only their preacher’s job to share the gospel and reach people. In reality, the minister’s job is to “equip the saints for ministry.” (Eph. 4:12)

Anyone can talk about God, and there are different ways to make a statement. Like mowing your elderly neighbor’s lawn, and when they ask why, you can say, “Because God wanted to love on you today, and He wanted to do that through me.” That will get their attention and, over time, give you an opening to share your testimony or faith in God. I call that kind of witnessing “Lifestyle Evangelism.” You show them “God’s love” and that you are NOT some weird fanatic! Your life makes an impact and gets their attention.

But what if you don’t like someone? Perhaps you are like Jonah above, and you have little concern if someone faces destruction. What I didn’t post was the first two chapters of the book of Jonah. God asked him to preach to the people of Nineveh to give them one last chance to accept Him and amend how they are living their lives. Otherwise, God was going to destroy them. Jonah didn’t obey at first.

People far from God, whether rich and famous, poor and obscure, leaders or followers, all need to hear about God. Regardless if you like them or not. What if you were the one that someone would listen to and you don’t share God with them? The words God gives you to share could make the difference between them having eternal life or being destroyed. Our duty is to speak the truth about God. If you ask him, He will be faithful to you to lead you in what to say to someone. Preach to them, and then leave the results up to God. For, after all, He is the Lord of the harvest!

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Obedience School

June 28, 2024May 25, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

It’s challenging to do the things you don’t want to do. It’s even harder to do the things God asks you to do, but you really, really don’t want to.

I can not imagine the struggle the Prophet Hosea dealt with when God asked him to marry a prostitute and have a child with her. I mean, think about the first time he took her home to meet the family. It might have been like a scene from “St. Elmo’s Fire” where Wendy’s mother whispers things that are unmentionable. “Did you all hear about John down the street?” She whispered, “Cancer.” So, when she asked Billy, “Where did you meet our daughter, Wendy?” Billy whispered, “Prison.”

“So, Gomer, what do you do for a living?” I can imagine her whispering, “I’m a prostitute.” I have a feeling they already knew that and possibly one of the men around the table might have been a customer!

Hosea, a real man of God, obeyed, but he also knew ahead of time why God was asking him to do this thing. Have you ever been obedient to the Lord but did not know what God’s plan was? That seems to be the norm. In those situations, it is best to obey, and at some point, you will most likely know “why” someday. Or you may have proof later down the road that you did the right thing.

The first time God spoke to Hosea he said:
“Find a whore and marry her.
Make this whore the mother of your children.
And here’s why: This whole country
has become a whorehouse, unfaithful to me, God.”
³Hosea did it. He picked Gomer daughter of Diblaim. She got pregnant and gave him a son.
Hosea 1:2-3 (MSG)

Then Samuel said, Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—
    empty rituals just for show?
He wants you to listen to him!
Plain listening is the thing,
    not staging a lavish religious production.
Not doing what God tells you
    is far worse than fooling around in the occult.
Getting self-important around God
    is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.
Because you said No to God’s command,
    he says No to your kingship.
1 Sam. 15:22-23 (MSG)

Another Trip Around Needed?

September 29, 2023September 27, 2023 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Are you tired of sand in your britches? Do you long for an exit out of your desert? Do you honestly recall how you got there in the first place? Could it be because you did not take God at his word? You struggled to believe what He whispered into your spirit by his Spirit? So you didn’t obey in faith?

The good news is, you’re not the first. The bad news is you may have to make another trip around Mt. Sinai. God is waiting for that sand to do its job. To irritate you about your current situation so much that you give in. Until you are willing to surrender to his will. To take him at his word and go where He wants you to go. To do what He wants you to do. To say what He wants you to say.

Obedience to God opens doors. It defeats your enemies. It opens the door for God to meet your needs. Why? Because obedience pleases God! I think He gets excited and says to himself, “Oh, this is going to be fun!”

The better news is you don’t have to be prepared first before you start. You only have to be willing. He will train you and equip you either before you go or as you go, but regardless, if you lean on him, you will know what to do in every situation. If you can’t see the answer, then ask God for it.

There have been many times God has asked me to go, do, say. And I didn’t think I could, but I did it. In his strength, not mine. And when I obeyed, it always worked out. God proved himself faithful over and over. Stop ignoring what God has made you to do. Stop believing the lie that living life on your terms is going to bring you true happiness. Go with God. Go, do, and say. If you do, you will never look back with regret!

This blog was inspired by reading Psalms 106 from The Message translation.

There’s No Other Way!

March 29, 2022March 12, 2022 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

It happened before I knew it. Facing a trying time, where facts were present regardless of having an understanding as to why, was very difficult for me. When you have to do another withdraw from your savings when in your mind you keep saying, “But, God, I know for sure we heard you!” I don’t understand why this venture has cost us financially, when it should have grown our finances.

By Saturday, while sitting in front of a warm fire, I realized I had not read from my current devotional, “Jesus Calling” all week. I went to get it. Ironically? No, but smacking me in the face was the overall theme for the week was, regardless of the circumstances, keep trusting me, and obeying also.

I needed to read that message every single day of this past week, but I wasn’t. Funny how quickly we take ownership of our situations in our minds. Then what’s odd is we seem to allow those situations to take ownership of us.

There are SO many good stanzas in this old hymn. Words that need to be taken to heart, and lived by.

“Father, I repent for taking my eyes off of you this past week. Please forgive me. I know and believe, that you are sovereign and you do know what you are doing in my life. I gave it to you. Help me not to take it back again. Thank you, God. Amen.”

Go

October 15, 2021October 15, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

This past week, William Shatner boldly went where no other 90 year old had gone before. When asked, “What do you want to do when you get there?” Shatner replied, “Come back down!”

It got me to thinking, Am I where God wants me to be? Have I gone where God has asked me to boldly go? Being obedient to God’s calling can be challenging some times. It may also offer opportunities to be scared. I can’t announce it yet, but He has recently asked me to go do something that in the natural doesn’t make sense. The few close friends I have told have been greatly surprised, and are probably secretly wondering if I am qualified.

But I am going. I have found over the years that when I am obedient in an area I do not feel naturally comfortable that it is in those times I rely on God all the more. I lean not to my own understanding. As a result, I am happy that I obeyed. I generally realize the task was easier than it first seemed in my mind. And when made known to me, I am excited with the results of what God did through me.

God is speaking to some of you right now. Reading this post has brought to your mind something God’s Spirit has whispered to your heart to go do. It may not be to go to the mission field, but possibly go across the aisle in your office, or across the street. Go. Go boldly. You don’t always get to know the results of your obedience this side of heaven, but you should go anyway. Don’t judge the results by what your eyes see, or don’t see. You are not responsible for the results. You’re simply asked to be obedient.

You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him—hold on to him for dear life! Deu. 13:4 (MSG)

It’s All About Obedience

October 20, 2018October 19, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

simple truth I have been reading from the Bible book of Exodus. Today, I read a portion of chapter 12. The true story of Pharaoh and the children of Israel has always intrigued me. In meditating, upon this portion of God’s word, I realized one thing, being with God, being in his presence, is all about obedience.

You see, it was disobedience, by Adam and Eve that caused mankind to be separated from God in the first place, when they ate fruit from the tree, God told them not to. Then, God gave us his son, Jesus, and it takes obedience of accepting him to be back in God’s presence.

Growing up in an Assembly of God church, we sang the song, Trust and Obey. Some words in that song say, “there’s no other way.” Simple truth, but truth none-the-less that will save your soul from eternal damnation. God knows that when you obey him, and come into his presence, you enter into the greatest love story ever written. It’s an amazing feeling to wake up loved, to lay down at night and close your eyes wrapped up in love, and living in between with God’s love abounding in your life. God welcomes you, invites you, to partake of his love. All you have to do is obey him, and stop eating the fruit the devil keeps putting in front of you. A simple verse, but a true, loving verse none-the-less:

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (Joh 3:16 AMP)

“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?

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

obey