Joy to the World

December 10, 2021December 6, 2021 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I notice things. Annoying to April, but I think it helps me as a writer. Regardless, this holiday season I have noticed the word, “joy” everywhere. On buttons worn by Walmart employees, in TV commercials, in print, and placed on products. It almost seems as if after the last two years we have had experienced people are desperate for some “joy” in their lives!

They want it bad, so they declare it, they proclaim it, and they even wear it. People want “joy”, they need “joy”. But saying it, wishing for it, doesn’t make “joy” appear. Not real joy anyway. Real, lasting “joy” can only be found in Jesus Christ. By giving your life to him and recognizing that He gave his life to you. To die for you, as a sacrifice for every little thing you have ever done wrong in your life, otherwise known as “sin”. Real joy is:

J = Jesus
O = others
Y = you

You accept Jesus, make him the most important person in your life, read the book his father wrote, and learn to take on his nature, then “joy” begins. The next step in finding real “joy” is putting others before yourself.

Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.
Mat. 22:37-39 (MSG)

This is the formula for finding “joy”, not just at Christmas time, but all year round. Serving others brings “joy” as well. Another way to find “joy” is to marry it. You see I was divorced for 24 years. I was content with that, well most of the time, but I longed for joy. My first marriage had its good moments, but I always felt in my heart that it could be better. And now I know I was right. You see my second wife’s name is, “April Joy”. I have said it before, but when I am doing my part, to love her as Christ loves the church, then she fills my life with so much “joy” words cannot describe. She knows the formula for “joy”, and she is so full of the love of God in her life. That love oozes out and covers others.

Yes, it’s Christmas, and certainly “Joy to the World” indeed, but if you want real “joy” that can last a lifetime then pursue Jesus, love others, and love yourself.

Who Do You Say I Am?

February 26, 2021February 23, 2021 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Some time ago I met a lady at work, and the first thing she started informing me was she was the best one, on our shift, doing the job. She wanted me to know that her “rate per hour” never dipped below 500, and even on the day she poked herself in the eye she maintained her excellence. For reference, the average rate per hour is around 270. I must confess, her boasting was a turn off. Later I thought, if you are that great at your job then why haven’t I heard about you from others?

The second time I encountered this same woman she was bragging to some other coworkers, in the break room, of her greatness in doing her job. The third time I crossed her path she was wearing a shirt that proclaimed, “The Boss”. The very next day she wore a T-shirt stating, “World’s Best Mom”.

It got me to thinking, perhaps she is extremely insecure in who she truly is, and tries to command respect by telling everyone who she wants to be?

After thinking about this for a while I heard in my mind a question Jesus once asked;

“But you—who do you say that I am?” Jesus asked.
Mat. 16:15 (TPT)

Jesus knew who he was, and didn’t go bragging about it to anyone, or ware a tunic stating it. In fact, God declared who Jesus was when he rose up from the water after being baptized. God said, “This is my Son, whom I am well pleased.”

It’s important to know who Jesus is. He’s a healer, a brother that never leaves you, a calming source in any storm, but most important, he’s a savior whose death on the cross saves your soul from hell, if you accept who he is and ask him to forgive you for your sins, wrong doing. Your eternal life depends on this because one day you will stand before Jesus, and He will ask you, “Who do you say I am?”

False Advertising?

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

052220 I attended a funeral this week. My aunt. She was the last sibling to pass on, from my father’s side. There were 10 of them. After the grave side service I walked over to my father’s grave. I cleaned it off and told him I missed him, even though he was a handful to deal with in the last years of his life.

My father was 82 when he passed away. As I was looking at his tombstone, I saw his favorite photo attached to it. (See photo) I laughed as I recalled teasing him, before he passed, about ripping it off of there, with a crowbar. He’s the one who glued it on there in the first place. It dawned on me, toward the end of his life, this is how he saw himself, still 21 and a, “Lady’s Man”. At 70, divorced, he even had wallet size copies made up with his phone number written on the back of them. He would hand them out to women he met at the dance halls. I would say to my father, “That’s false advertising!” He didn’t see the humor in it.

This brings me to a point: Is how you see yourself, the same as others see you? Do you think more highly of yourself than you should? Do you consider yourself to be a better person than others would say you are? Or, would others say more good things about you than you would say about yourself? What about when you are at home? Are you the same person others see in public? At church? Ouch! I’ll admit, at times my wife sees my temper when it takes a lot for it to show up in public. Reminds me of the book, “Who You Are (When No One is Looking)”. The title alone was convicting.

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,…” Romains 12:3a (NKJV)

Having an accurate, positive, balanced, and God focused image of yourself is very healthy. I think it helps you relax, as well as those around you. Anything more could be considered, “false advertising”.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

November 20, 2019November 23, 2019 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The movie, “A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD” comes out tomorrow, starring, Tom Hanks. I wrote a post about Mr. Rogers in April 2018. In honor of the movie, which I heard was good, I am re-posting it.

FILE PHOTO Fred "Mister" Rogers Dead At 74

Some of us, old farts, have no problem remembering Mr. Rogers on TV. Below, are the lyrics of the song he sung, at the beginning of each episode:

It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
It’s a neighborly day in this beautywood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we’re together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Won’t you please,
Won’t you please,
Please won’t you be my neighbor?

Did Fred Rogers, get it right? Did he fully understand the 2^nd greatest commandment of God? Lev 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Most people do love themselves, and sometimes it shows by how they act and treat others. There are several other scriptures that warn about only loving those that are lovable, but God is commanding we love everyone as much as we love ourselves. To love him first, and then everyone else second. Why? Because love never fails.

It’s hard to hate and love at the same time. Yes, one can mistreat someone who is loved, but if the love is real the issue gets resolved rather quickly. Can you imagine saying to your worst enemy, “I’ve always wanted a neighbor just like you”? That is what we, who love God, are called to do. Love, overcomes all, overlooks all, and let’s go of all wrong. Love, is so generous, it causes you to share your resources. Love, encourages you to get your hands dirty by helping.

Yes, Fred Rogers got it right. Mr. Rogers wanted you to be his neighbor so he could love you, as he loved himself. So I ask you, “Please won’t you be my neighbor?”

God’s Opus

September 22, 2018September 21, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Opus Who’s standing at the podium of your life waving the wand? Who’s directing you? Who is orchestrating every step you take? Who’s responsible for the sound coming from your life? God, you, or someone, or something else? If you believe in God and you see in your life things just seem to work out, look up, and smile at the conductor. God is doing everything you will allow him to, in guiding your life.

I do see some, who say they believe in God, or even who have accepted him, whose lives are a constant struggle. Yes, I know, it rains on the just and the unjust, and bad things happening does not always point to a life that is less than full devotion to God!

Then there are those who have not accepted God’s free gift of salvation through his Son, Jesus. Some of those people seem to have very happy and successful lives. I would dare say something else is directing their life, the devil, perhaps to keep them from thinking they need God at all.

I didn’t even know what an “opus” was until I saw the movie, “Mr. Holland’s Opus”. I like the following definition: any artistic work, especially one on a large scale. I would say that is what God has, is and will be doing until his master piece is complete. I believe we are in the last days here on earth. Can you feel the crescendo coming? I hope you are allowing God to direct your life. You’re an instrument in the hands of the Almighty who knows how to take what you give him and make a beautiful sound with it. Even if it’s not the life you wanted, it’s great, because God is in it. Oh! I got to go. My solo part is coming up.

What Was Today About?

August 22, 2018August 21, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

august-2018 Today should not be about what I got wrong, but about what I got right!

NOPE

August 8, 2018August 7, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Satan’s imitation, will never be better, than God’s original!

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)

Whew! Sundays Over!

May 26, 2018May 25, 2018 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Photo by Michael Wall of Wall2Wall Foto

A girl in my 11^th grade English class once said, “I love being Catholic! I can have my sins forgiven Saturday night, and then live like hell the rest of the week.” Now, I’m just quoting her and not saying a thing about the Catholic faith, so please, no emails. I’m not Catholic, but being honest, have had similar thoughts. Only mine are more like, “Ok. I got the Sunday thing done. Now, I can indulge my flesh.”

A fight, a struggle. I want to do the right thing. I want to please and obey God, but I find no matter how long I have been doing this, I still struggle with thoughts of wanting to do what I want to do. Some are just down right thoughts of being lazy.

The great apostle Paul struggled as well.

Rom 7:18 I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it.
Rom 7:19 I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. (MSG)

So how, or what are we to do then? 1) Of course ask God to help us. We will never be able to do it on our own. 2) Bring every thought into captivity. Be honest about the thought, and if it is a bad thought then start looking for the door that has a sign above it that reads, “EXIT”. God promises to make a way of escape. Sometimes that exit may be praying. Have you ever sinned while praying? I haven’t. Leave the room. See what your family is doing, or call a friend. And if they are a trusted friend, tell them you are struggling.

My classmate, I mentioned in the beginning, was married. Her husband shoved a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger before that school year was over. I have often wondered what God thinks when people live like she did on a regular basis. I yield my opinions to God. This one thing I know for sure: I can overcome, because Jesus overcame first, and so can you.

God’s Top Ten List

May 5, 2018May 4, 2018 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The Ten

No other Gods before me.
I’m to be your first priority.
Nothing should be your idol.
Keep your life pure.
Don’t use my name when cussing.
Understanding this can bring humility.
Keep Sundays Holy.
Resting one day a week is a wonderful thing.
Honor your father and mother.
Doing so will bless your life.
Killing is not good.
Love is a much better way.
Committing adultery tears people apart.
Learning intimacy will bring people together.
Don’t take what isn’t yours.
If you do, you’ll never learn to trust.
Lying is a bad idea.
Honesty is always the way to go.
You shouldn’t want what isn’t yours.
Contentment brings peace to your life.

God didn’t come up with these 10 commandments to make your life miserable. He didn’t do it so we would become “religious”, and start a bunch of denominations with a list of “rules” to live by. He gave us these principles, to live by, so we could relate to him better, and with each other.