Paying Attention?

November 4, 2025October 3, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

It was the trial of the century. A man was being prosecuted and persecuted for violating the Sabbath law by healing on the Sabbath, threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple, practicing sorcery and exorcising people by the power of demons, blasphemy, specifically claiming to be the Son of God, and claiming to be the Messiah.

The trial was taking place at the same time as the Passover holiday, so Jerusalem was at capacity and buzzing. By that time, most had heard of Jesus. They had probably heard his teachings and perhaps even witnessed some of the miracles he performed. They were no doubt moved by his message of love and acceptance. Who knows? Some may have even been fed by him as part of the 5000 men who ate the fish and loaves of bread until they were full.

So, when Jesus was arrested by the rulers of the day, they got scared. A week earlier, they were praising his name, but now they denied they knew him or, at the very least, kept their belief to themselves.

“Those who scream the most and the loudest are usually the ones on the wrong side of Truth!“

Well, as you may know, Jesus was found guilty and sentenced to be crucified on a cross immediately. The rulers of the day, the ones most threatened by the message He shared and lived, wanted him gone, dead, and buried.

Three days later, two men were walking down the road to Emmaus, no doubt discussing the recent events that had taken place concerning Jesus. Perhaps they were trying to see where the other stood on the issues, when out of nowhere, a man they didn’t recognize appeared. It was Jesus. “What are you discussing?” Asked Jesus. “Man! Where have you been the last three days? Stoned? Under a rock?” They were amazed he allegedly didn’t know what was going on. Jesus no doubt wanted to see if they recognized him, and they eventually did.

Would you recognize Jesus if he came alongside you? If you believe in him and who He is, then He is right there next to you. Are you paying attention to what is going on in America right now? At the time of this writing, earlier in the week, we witnessed a man killed for simply, lovingly expressing his opinion. I’m sure he had been threatened or even warned to be quiet, but God had no doubt asked him to be his spokesperson. What happened to “Freedom of Speech?”

As we go forward, we may see more and more persecution in America and around the world against those who stand up and speak Truth. Unfortunately, just like in Jesus’ day, people don’t want to hear the truth. They want to ignore their conscience and live however they want to; that pleases them.

If God asked you to stand up and be noticed for speaking about Him, would you do it? My main character in my novel, “Kill the Preacher Man,” had his life threatened and his family’s if he didn’t stop preaching and being used by God to heal people. He had to face that difficult decision.

I have no idea what the end times will look like exactly, but we need to pay attention, stay in prayer, and have no fear. Like the apostle Paul famously said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phi. 1:21)

If you would like to read about the interaction of Jesus and the two on the road, turn to Luke 24:13-35. I liked the version by J.B. Phillips.

God on Yelp*

March 25, 2025March 18, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Do you know God for yourself, or do you listen to other’s reviews of God? Do you look to see if He got five out of five stars? When it comes to restaurants, I tend to shy away from reviews. Unless the testimonial comes from someone I know and trust. I have learned that people tend to write reviews if they have a bad experience. Especially when it comes to places of business that offer a service. For all I know, a good write up for a business could have been written by the owner!

There are as many reasons why someone rejects God as there are people. One man I know feels as if he would have to change how he is currently living, and he doesn’t want to. Another man stays away from God because he was assaulted (I was led to believe, sexually) by his minister when he was young. Some people even judge how those who “go to church” or call themselves, “Christians” live and decide they are just as good as them if not better and they may be. One lady told me God didn’t answer her prayer when she was a little girl and to her that meant there was no God. I had a family member who said he didn’t want to be told how to live his life. In other words, he thought accepting God meant you had to live by a church’s set of rules.

I could go on and list more reasons I have heard but the bottom line is the same. These individuals are rejecting God and His Son, Jesus Christ. What they fail to realize is this; when they stand before God, he will only be interested in them and if they know Him. They may try to list their grievances, but it won’t matter. You either accept God or reject him. God means life eternal, and no God means death for eternity.

When it comes to God, people will share their opinion totally based on their experience, much like leaving a review on Yelp*. If you base your decision to accept God or not on one’s opinion, then you very well could get mislead. So where does that leave you? The one true thing you can do to help you decide if you want to accept God or not is to read what He says about himself.

But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
    who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
    directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
    make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
    sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.”
¹⁷But those who invested in the no-gods
    are bankrupt—dead broke. Isa. 41:15-16 (MSG)

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God, Isa. 43:2? (MSG)

God told them, “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.
Expect love, love, and more love! Jer. 31:3 (MSG)

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 (MSG)

Take Another Look

February 21, 2025February 13, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Have you ever noticed how many times a person can have a different opinion than yours? Are you surprised by this or angry? I mean, we want people to think like us or at least agree with us. One reason for this is due to the other person’s perspective.

Their perspective has been shaped by their upbringing, background, experiences, and even by their faith or lack thereof, and so has ours. It isn’t easy, at times, to see things from their vantage point. Unless you are discussing a matter of right and wrong, neither perspective may be correct or incorrect. Hopefully, you can agree to disagree if needed.

However, there is one perspective that is always right and true. That is God’s. How can one know his? By asking and reading his word, the Bible. There, you will absolutely know what is right and wrong, and you will know why very well. Some know how God sees things but refuse to agree with him, and they will continue to do things on their own.

Seeking God’s point of view in all situations is wisdom. A friend of mine and a fellow blogger lives by this and actually named her website “seekingdevineperspective.com.” There, she shares what God shows and teaches her, but more importantly, she lives it.

Changing your perspective can be revealing. Take another look at the photo. This time, I have posted it from the original perspective of the photographer. Do you see it? Simply a series of rocks or a man reading?

Be open to other’s views of life, but be more open to God’s.

“I don’t think the way you think.
    The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
        God’s Decree.
“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. Isa. 55:8-9 (MSG)

Three Men, One Opinion

January 27, 2023January 21, 2023 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Recently, I shared with three different men, at three different times, what was going on lately with April and me. Meaning, what God has us doing and why, as best as we understand it. I will admit it is not conventional, but when did God do things that made sense to us anyway?

In their own way, they proceeded to comment, share, or lecture me with their opinions on the matter. Needless to say, I didn’t like what they said, but I found it funny when one concluded with, “But the bottom line is between you, April and God.” If that’s the bottom line, then why did he feel the need to comment? Another said, “This is just a suggestion as a brother in the Lord.” It didn’t feel like it! The difference with the third one was that I could tell he wanted to comment on the situation, and I gave him an opportunity to by inviting him to speak into my life. He did. I still didn’t like what he said, but it didn’t hurt or offend me because I gave him an invitation.

The truth is this, none of them are walking in my shoes. What they see on the outside looks bizarre to them, and they don’t understand it perhaps. But why they felt they had to comment bothered me, so I asked God why. I woke up in the middle of the night, and their comments were still on my mind. Then, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “They commented because what you have they want. They are jealous of your situation.” I couldn’t believe it.

If God has directed you to do something, then it is best to be obedient no matter what it may look like to others. No matter if they understand it or not. They may criticize you out of jealousy but continue to walk in the way God leads. God loves obedience, and he rewards it by blessing you by, at times, making your path easy.

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 1 Sam. 15:22 (NIV)

Be the Movie

July 17, 2020January 7, 2021 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

A month ago I was the guest speaker at a writer’s group meeting. It was an honor, but this speaking engagement was different. You see with Covid-19 still a great risk, the group currently meets on-line. I had never done that before.

I was using my phone to attend the meeting, and the way it was set up, whoever was speaking is the person I viewed. The president of this group introduced me, so she was the last person I saw.

About 20 minutes into my talk, she gets up and goes elsewhere, leaving me with no one to look at while I was speaking. Normally, a speaker will scan the attendees, making eye contact, and looking for positive feedback at what is being said.

A few minutes later, she came back with a bowl of what looked like popcorn, and a drink. I thought, wow! now I know what it feels like to be a movie.

The truth is this; if you are open and outspoken about your faith, your relationship with God, then people are watching you. They listen to what you say, about current issues, our government leaders, and others around us. They watch how we respond to troubling times.

Would the people watching you give a positive review on “Rotten Tomatoes”? What if we had “Yelp” for humans? Would you, would I, receive a thumbs up, or down? Would people want to visit us after reading an accurate review on one of these platforms? Probably not, if it was negative.

“So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.”
John 13:34-35 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Jesus knew people will watch us, for they watched him. He was ever aware that he could only display the qualities of his father, God. Those would be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)

So be aware of this no matter where you are, whether at work, out and about, or at home. You want your life to be a movie people want to see over and over again.

When Others Say, “What?”

February 8, 2019February 9, 2019 / Mark Brady / 3 Comments

way Whenever you sense God leading you into a new direction, and more questions rise than answers, it can be difficult to say, “Yes” to him. If you share the plan with some others, their lack of knowledge of the power of God can cause them to react in a negative way. Don’t be offended. Don’t let them discourage you. If by now you have walked with God and you know his voice than by all means head it. No matter how crazy it may seem.

Their reactions come from not knowing God’s voice for themselves, or their fears, projected on you, probably stem from a lack of trust, perhaps from young faith. Never-the-less be obedient to God, and let your success be a testimony to them of God’s mighty hand.

My pastor, Joel Budd, of RiverGate Church in Tulsa, OK., has taught me a couple of things regarding this:

Be wise in who you share what with. You do not have to tell everyone what God has directed you to do.
Come up with short phrases to share the plan, or mission. For instance, when I recently moved to the Philippines, I told people I was getting married. Yet I believe there is a whole lot more God wants me to do while I am here than to only cultivate a young marriage.

Following God, no matter what, and letting the results speak for themselves, is wisdom. A healthy fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10)