quiet

The Quiet Man

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I have always admired the man with experience in his hair and wisdom in his eyes. You’ve seen the type. They usually are tall, thin, and have grey hair. They typically have a subtle smile on their face. They watch and observe but say very little unless asked to contribute.

I think of the man pictured here in this post. I recall a time when I was mowing the church lawn, and I can’t remember why I was upset, but when Pastor Russ pulled into the parking lot, I immediately felt an atmosphere of peace come over the place. It was then I nicknamed him “Moses” for he helped me that day, and I considered him “my deliverer.” God knew what was going on. He knew my struggles, and He had heard my complaints. God sent me Moses.

I desire to be a “quiet man” without grey hair. Even at age 60, I still have a decent head of hair and very few grey strands. It’s the only good thing about my physical being. Trust me, I’ve seen the rest of it! But I respect the demeanor of a “quiet man.” I find it difficult to hold my tongue often, especially when I witness an injustice, or am offended. Too many times, I speak out first.

The hoary [grey] head is a crown of beauty and glory if it is found in the way of righteousness (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation).
Prov. 16:31 (AMPC)

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:19-21 (MSG)

So if I want to be a “quiet man,” I need to apply the word of God in my life. After accepting this truth, I should practice and practice and practice being slow to anger and listening with my heart. I should have started working much earlier on this. I will probably have grey hair by the time I master it.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Can You Hear Me Now?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

When a friend of mine was in Tokyo, and getting ready to board a plane heading to Chicago, he looked out the window and noticed an airplane from Taiwan Airways. A few days later, he realized God was speaking to him about moving to Taiwan.  A year later he learned no such airline existed.  God used an open vision to help speak to him about his future.

Fast forward three years: my friend, now living in Taiwan, is currently seeing area codes of a particular major city in the United States.  We were discussing this the other day, and I reminded him, “God doesn’t always speak to us in the same way every time.  He loves being creative, and changing things up.”

God doesn’t get bored!

God is so creative.  His imagination didn’t stop after creation.  His designs of interacting with his children is genius, and can be fun as well.  God also has a lot to say.  He will share things with you if you ask him to, and if you take the time.

The devil can stir up trouble and emotions in us, and in our lives that hinder us from hearing God. Those are the times we need to focus harder on listening to him.  God speaks to us in so many different ways.  Through his word, the Bible, via dreams, through our pastor and friends.  He can use anything that we see, hear, smell, touch, speak, or even taste.

“For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.” Job 33:14 (NKJV)

One of his specialties is using his creation to speak.  A coworker, several years ago, was questioning if God existed.  He went on vacation to the Grand Canyon where he sat on the rim, and found his answer.

One of the best ways to hear God is to get quiet.  Many times it is when we are still we finally are able to hear his gentle Spirit whisper to our soul.

“Be still, and know that I am God…” Ps. 46:10 (KJV)

Remember; just because God has spoken to you before, or even several times in a particular way, it doesn’t mean he is this time.  Nor count on him speaking to you the way he spoke to someone else.  When a famous person preaches on how God spoke to them, or how God used them to accomplish something, or to receive healing, don’t run home and try to follow a recipe and expect the same result.  Doing so and not receiving an identical outcome can cause you to get disgruntled with God.

So, when God ask, “Can you hear me now?” I hope your answer will always be, “Yes, Lord, your servant is listening.”

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Grumpy Old Man?

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I believe I have expressed how much I dislike “injustice” before, but it seems like I am becoming more vocal when I see it.  Either out loud, or under my breath.  I don’t like how it makes me feel, and if I am not careful, I go on way too long about it.  This is a pattern I’m not too fond of.

The other day, and I wish I could remember the source, I was involved in my devotional time and I came across the phrase, “a gentle and quiet spirit”.  It keeps resonating in my head.  Kind of like a “LSS” (Last Song Syndrome).  You know, the last song in your head that you keep singing over and over.  It seems I can’t get away from thinking about it, so I determined, this must be something God is calling me to.

Now, raising awareness of an injustice is needed and getting loud about it is important for it can draw attention to the situation and cause others to stop, look and decide to join you in your fight to alleviate it, but in everyday life, how you call out something that isn’t fair and or even mention it at all, is important.  That’s where I have been failing in recent days.

Not using the right words, the correct volume or the Godly wisdom to get my point across.

So mush so, I could be labeled as a “Grumpy Old Man”!  I don’t want to be known that way.  When I hear that phrase, I think of the old man in the Disney movie, “Up”.  And now that I think about it, there was a movie titled, “Grumpy Old Men”.

So I am now in the process of transforming my mind.  Training it to “capture” every thought of negative, grumpy, stinking, old criticism and renewing it to handle what I see that bothers me in a “gentle and quiet” way.  I may actually find that technique gets more people to hear what I am saying.

“Do not be shaped by this world. Instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.”  Rom. 12:2 (ICB)

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.