relationship

What They Need

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image by James Chan from Pixabay

I once visited a third-world country. Most of the people who lived there were extremely poor. Every day was a struggle for them to find food to feed their families. Jobs were difficult to come by, and “good” paying jobs were out of reach for most. In talking to one lady who had made it to America, she shared with me that she made more in two weeks than she did in six months there.

While I was there, I attended one of the local churches. The minister spoke both the languages of the country and English. I’m not sure what his motivation was, but he began to go around the room asking the parishioners how much they would commit to paying each week. I felt terrible for them as they squirmed and were not making eye contact with their pastor. As the people threw out an amount, one of the pastor’s family members recorded their responses.

Later that day, the pastor asked me what I thought of the service. Now I squirmed and finally asked. “You want me to be honest?” “Yes,” he replied. I said, “Well, I felt awful for the congregation. You put them on the spot. Of course, they were going to say they would commit to giving a certain amount every week. What they give is between them and God. They live difficult lives. They don’t need “rules” to live by, that’s guilt and “religion.” What they need is to hear about how much God loves them, knows what they are going through, and cares about them so much. What they need is a stronger “relationship” with God. One they can rely on and survive the week to come.”

The pastor stared at the floor and then struggled to admit he had made a mistake. I suggested he apologize to his flock and strive each week to hear God’s encouraging word for them.

I would go out on a limb and guess that what you need is to hear the same message. God knows you, and He loves you so much! He cares about what you are facing, and He wants you to trust him to work on your behalf. That is accomplished by having a great “relationship” with God. That is what you need. That is all that you need.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Mat. 11:28-30 (MSG)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

The Standard

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I got spoiled and took it for granted. I love Chinese food! When I lived in the Chicago suburbs and worked in downtown Chicago, I had several excellent Chinese restaurants around me. Within a five-mile radius of my home I had five alone that were good! I didn’t realize how good I had it until I moved back to my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, after retiring from AT&T.

April and I tried another place today for lunch. I was excited, and my hopes were high. Let’s just say I tried to like it, but the taste fell far below what I wanted. I have analyzed the situation and realized the bar was set high when I lived in Illinois. There was one place where the head cook was known as “Grandma.” I would walk in and ask, “Is Grandma back there cooking?” If the answer was “Yes,” then I knew it was going to be good. In fact, when Grandma retired, the quality went downhill, and I stopped eating there. Grandma had set “The Standard.”

There are many “religions” around the world, and those who follow them will say they are satisfied with their choice of following that “religion.” My choice is Christianity, where I don’t follow a “religion” but rather have a “relationship” with the Creator of the universe, God Himself.

“Religions” usually come with a set of rules and spiritual practices that one must follow in order to achieve some kind of spirituality with the hopes of being “good enough” to make it into heaven. In my relationship with God, as long as my sins have been forgiven via his Son, Jesus, and the attitude of love resides in my heart, I am promised by God himself to live with him in heaven for eternity. In my opinion, what I have learned about other “religions” seems lifeless, burdensome, and demanding. God has set The Standard when it comes to being spiritual and Jesus Christ set the bar!

Jesus Christ is the only One who taught, walked, and lived out a life of perfection and love but then died and rose again to be with his Father in heaven. No other priest or teacher did that. Not Buddha, Muhammad, or any other person. They’re still dead!

As I watched today several customers come in to eat or pick up their orders, I asked myself, “If the food here isn’t that good, then how can this place be so busy?” Then the answer hit me. “Duh! Their standard of good quality Chinese food is low. They haven’t partaken of the best!” The same goes for the masses who have not accepted Jesus Christ into their life. Asking for forgiveness for their sins and then walking in a loving “relationship” with God.

Consider a “relationship” with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. That is why He died a horrible death for you on the cross! Even if you were the only person on Earth and you sinned and did something wrong, Jesus would have gone through the pain and agony of dying for you. That is how much He loves you.

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Ps. 34:8 (AMP)

“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)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Time Out? Or Out of Time?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

One thing I learned from my father was that spending time with people was a gift and to be generous. I have noticed an alarming trend. When desiring to get together with others more often than not they will respond, “We just don’t have time.”

I feel as though people have “time” for what they want to spend it on. Kind of like money. They spend it on what is important to them at least in most situations. There are times when their life situations prevent having extra time or money.

Jesus was busy! He could easily be one to say, “I don’t have time” and be justified in saying it. Yet He spent time with people. He made time for them, and there were moments when they interrupted what He was planning on doing. (Matthew 14:14)

“As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.”
Luke 5:16 (MSG)

More importantly, Jesus spent time with his heavenly Father, God. Since he set the example of how often and how important it was to do so, then we should as well, especially in these current times, but if the truth was known every period people needed to spend time with God. We should be generous with that time as well.

Take time out and spend it with God before you run out of time.

Tell him what bothers you. Share with him your concerns, what scares you and what you are thankful for. Ask him for help with everything. Ask for guidance and direction. God loves you so much and cares about what you care about. He wants to spend time with you as well. You will walk away feeling recharged, encouraged, but most of all, loved.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.

Walking with God

/ Mark Brady / 1 Comment

080212 327“God, I want to walk with you.”
“Then let me set the pace.”
“But I can’t wait to reach my promise land.”
“”Then you will miss the lessons along the way.”
“Do I really need them?”
“You will when you reach my destination for your life.”
“But I thought you gave me the desires of MY heart?”
“I do, after they line up with MY will.”

“God, we have been walking for a long time.  Aren’t there any shortcuts?”
“There is a lot in you that I have needed to adjust.”
“It’s not my fault!”
“It’s not mine either.”
“Are we there yet?”
“Just a little bit longer.”
“Ya know God, I think I like walking with you.”
“This is what I intended for man all along.”

Copyright © 2018 Mark Brady, All rights reserved