struggling

Scratching in Public?

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
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Occasionally, I’ll come across people scratching off lottery tickets while still at the store. It’s almost like they are at a “Lottery Bar,” and after a card is scratched, they tell the person at the counter, “Hit me again.” They sometimes will stand there for a while hoping, but spending on more cards the few dollars they win. They are taking a “chance” to win it big! Going from struggling to living on “Easy Street.” They don’t want to wait or work for it, but instead have it given to them as if they deserve it.

Some people have a similar attitude toward living life. They hope for things to change quickly and for the better. It seems as if these same individuals resist doing what they can to change things. They wind up leaving “life” to chance!

But they don’t have to.

If a person will give their life to God, accept his Son, Jesus, and ask for the forgiveness of their sins their wrongdoings, then they will enter a life where God will want to bless his new child who has entered into his family. Yes, there are Godly principles (not rules) to live by that make a difference in how your life goes. Now, I would be irresponsible if I told you that nothing bad will ever happen to you again. But if and when it does, God is there to lead you and guide you through it. And while experiencing an uncomfortable time, He is also there to comfort you. You may not understand why you are going through this, or you are asking, “What does this have to do with God’s plan?”

But if you trust him with the question, then you can trust him with the answer, whether you know it or not.

You don’t have to leave your life to “chance” but instead can have divine direction and deliverance. You won’t need to stand before God, “hoping” or “scratching” your way through life! Instead, you can be confident that the one who loves you more than you will ever know is right there with you. Oh! And please don’t scratch in public!

Don’t panic. I’m with you.
    There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
    I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isa. 41:10 (MSG)

Copyright © 2025 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

When You Don’t do Life God’s Way

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
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If people aren’t living their life according to God’s word, the Bible, then they are living life their way. God is okay with that because He gives us free will. The reason He gives us that is He desires to have a people who choose to love him back. Of course, God knows that living life his way is better.

I have a friend who says they love God and have accepted him but fails to attend church services, tithe, or other “religious” activities that would grow their relationship with God. Because of this, I think they do not fully understand how much God loves them! They post a lot about their life on Facebook. It’s usually bad news. Things are happening to them, their children, and other aspects of their lives. They’re a good person, so witnessing this breaks my heart.

This has bothered me for a while. Then, this week, a verse came to my mind that explains at least part of the problem.

10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.

11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, Mal. 3:10-11a (NKJV)

Notice verse 11a. “Rebuke the devourer for your sakes.” It’s as if the devourer, Satan, has his way with my friend’s life. They take a step forward, and he eats away ground they had just gained. In other words, they are getting nowhere! Then, another verse came to my mind.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV)

Jesus taught that Satan comes to hurt you, and one way he does that is hurting your life. His intention is for you to blame God and keep you from accepting Him. Jesus continued his teaching to share that He comes to give you real life and lots of it!

This is what happens when you don’t live life God’s way. You will struggle in life, and most likely, you won’t be happy. Give up and give in. Accept God and His Son, Jesus, and start living life abundantly.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

Stop Trying, and Start Believing

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I feel so sorry for them.  For those individuals who spend their whole life, time, money and energy trying to prove that life came about in some way other than God.  That somehow the right two cells combined and evolved and then came crawling out of the water and over time became man?  It seems as if that requires more faith to believe than believing in a loving God that made us.  Are you aware that Darwin even doubted his own theory?  No, of course not!  That chapter is not mentioned.

Scientists search tirelessly on other planets hoping for something they can point to and declare, “There is no God” for they think life can start without him.

I feel so sorry for those who fear climate change.  Yes, man is probably not helping ourselves by emitting tons of hazardous chemicals and agents into the air.  But I ask this question, ”What was the temperature of the earth before the floods of Noah?”  After the world was covered with water the temperature had to go down, causing ice to form.  How do we know we are now just getting back to what the globe’s thermostat read before it started raining?

Take God at his word.  Stop the struggle and the fight to do life on your own.  Give up and give in to truth and find love, joy and peace in living life.  Ask if you have to this; “God I believe, but help my unbelief.”  He will.  God will make himself known in a multitude of ways.

Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will reveal myself to him.” John 14:21 (TPT)

No one, if they will be honest with themselves, even in the dark when they are alone, and no sounds to distract them, will be truly satisfied with their own answers as to the questions, “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?”, and “What am I to do while I am alive on the face of this earth?”  Any answers that may come to mind are false, and only substitutes offered up by the devil.  He wants so bad for you to accept anything but God.  For he knows that those who find God, find life!

Copyright © 2021 Mark Brady.  All rights reserved.