the Holy Spirit

God’s X-ray Machine

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
A woman holding glowing symbols representing deception and truth levitating between her hands
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An X‑ray machine can do something our natural eyes will never accomplish. It looks straight through the surface, revealing what is hidden beneath. Bones, fractures, blockages, foreign objects. All the things we could never see on our own suddenly become clear.

In the same way, God has given His people spiritual “X‑ray vision”. Not to judge others harshly, but to see beneath the surface of the heart through the gifts of the Spirit, especially discernment. Words of knowledge are very similar.

An X‑ray machine doesn’t care about outward appearances. It doesn’t admire clothing, hairstyles, or smiles. It goes deeper. That’s exactly what scripture says God does:

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

God sees motives, wounds, hidden sins, and hidden strengths. Nothing is concealed from Him. And because He loves His people, He equips the church or individuals with spiritual gifts that help us see what He sees, not perfectly, but purposefully.

The gift of discernment is like a spiritual X‑ray. It helps believers recognize what is true, what is false, what is healthy, and what is dangerous. Paul describes this gift clearly:

“To another the discerning of spirits, and words of knowledge…” 1 Corinthians 12:10-11

Discernment is not suspicion. It’s not intuition. It’s not a personality trait. It is a Spirit‑empowered ability to see beneath the surface. To detect spiritual realities that are invisible to natural perception. Just like an X‑ray reveals a fracture that explains the pain, discernment reveals spiritual fractures that explain confusion, conflict, or deception.

A doctor doesn’t order an X‑ray because someone looks sick, but because something deeper is wrong. Likewise, God gives discernment so the church can identify:

  • Hidden motives — when actions don’t match intentions
  • Spiritual deception — teachings or influences that look right but aren’t
  • Unhealthy patterns — cycles that keep people stuck
  • God’s direction — clarity when choices are cloudy

Discernment protects the church the same way an X‑ray protects a patient, by revealing the truth before the damage gets worse. An individual with these gifts is not special, but only in the way they have made themselves available to God to be used by him.

Before God ever uses us to discern others, He lovingly shines His light on our own hearts. David prayed:

“Search me, O God… and see if there is any wicked way in me.” Psalm 139:23–24

This is a spiritual X‑ray at its finest. God reveals what needs healing, cleansing, or strengthening. And when He shows us something about ourselves or someone else, it’s never to embarrass or shame us; it’s to heal us.

Just as a doctor uses an X‑ray to help, not harm, discernment or a word of knowledge must always be used with:

  • Humility
  • Love
  • Restoration

Discernment without love becomes criticism, and discernment with love becomes healing.

An X‑ray machine reveals what is hidden, so healing can begin. God’s gift of discernment does the same. It exposes what the enemy hides, reveals what the heart conceals, and guides the church or an individual into truth, purity, and spiritual health. When using these gifts to minister to an individual, I find it important to “ask” for permission to share what God has shown me. There is power in invitations.

When the Spirit gives an individual the gift of discernment, or a word of knowledge, and they speak to an individual and reveal what God has shown them, it’s not to embarrass them but to get their attention. Someone should never be in awe of the spiritual gifts but rather be in awe of the loving God behind the gifts. Words of knowledge or discernment, knowing things that only God knew, are only to get someone’s attention for what God wants to do or say to them next!

May God give us eyes to see what He sees, hearts to love what He loves, and courage to respond to what He reveals.

1-3 What I want to talk about now is the various ways God’s Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable. Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it? It’s different in this life. God wants us to use our intelligence, to seek to understand as well as we can. For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say “Jesus be damned!” Nor would anyone be inclined to say “Jesus is Master!” without the insight of the Holy Spirit.

4-11 God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. 1 Cor. 12:1-11 (MSG)

Copyright © 2026 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

What Are the Three “P” s?

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There is a TV commercial that seems as if it airs constantly. The gentleman is trying to get you to buy life insurance, and he mentions the 3 “P” s. Then, inquiring customers ask, “What are the 3 ‘P’s?” He explains that the 3 “P” s are: “A Price you can afford, a Price that can’t increase, and a Price that fits your budget.”

I heard this commercial the other day and thought of God’s three “P” s.

Salvation was God’s Plan, Jesus’ Participation, and the Holy Spirit’s Power!

You may be thinking, “That’s great, but what’s my price?” With God’s salvation plan, a Price you can afford, a Price that can’t increase, and a Price that fits your budget.

You see, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on a cross to pay for your sins, all the things you have ever done wrong in your life. All of them! So you owe nothing. This was God’s Plan that Jesus Participated in. You can never be good enough to earn your way into heaven. You can never follow the rules perfectly because with God, there are no rules, yet there is a better way to live than I would suggest you are now. After Jesus died on the cross, He was laid to rest in a tomb. But on the third day, the Holy Spirit raised him from the dead. So it was the Holy Spirit’s Power.

The price of salvation has been paid in full and so will never go up. I think that fits your budget quite well. To accept Jesus into your life and receive eternal life for the rest of time.

“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 © 2026 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

High Cholesterol Christians

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Diet fads and beliefs seem to come and go. One day you should not eat meat, and the next day, you should drink a glass of red wine. (As in one!) They tell you not to eat eggs, then a few years later, they tell you it’s okay. I guess it had something to do with the yoke being bad for someone who suffered from high cholesterol. In my humble opinion, the yoke is the best part! I love eating an egg sunny side up.

In recent days, I have heard some Christians talking about Jesus and how, when He walked the Earth, He was both God and man. They go on to believe that is how He was able to know things and to perform miracles. The part that bothers me with this kind of thinking is when they believe that we cannot do what Jesus did. I feel this is wrong.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Phi. 2:7 (MSG)

Thinking as they do, I call them “High Cholesterol Christians.” They seem to miss the fact that Jesus was able to know things unseen and perform miracles because of the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Trinity is like one egg, but the egg has three parts.

The shell, the white, and the yoke. With the Trinity, you have God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, yet they are one.

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. He demonstrated that is how we should walk this Earth as well. He became a man, a man filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit gives us power and supernatural gifts as He sees fit.

21 One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” Luke 3:21-22 (NLT)

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, Luke 4:1

Then Jesus himself in Acts 1:8 said, “But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.” (AMPC)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:12 (NLT)

We must accept the whole Trinity of God. We should walk with confidence because Jesus said we could. And if you have not been filled with the Holy Spirit, ask God to fill you. Don’t be afraid of what perhaps you have not been taught. Use the faith you have that brought you to God in the beginning. When you sense the Holy Spirit stirring inside, you will be moved to say things for God that you have never said before. You will be bold in asking someone if you can pray for them. When in what used to be uncomfortable situations, you will have the power from God to handle them. You will know what to say and what to do. As a Christian, eat the whole egg. It’s good for ya.

Copyright © 2026 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Yes – Yes – No Pizza

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A woman told the man who was abusing her that she was going to order a pizza. Instead, she called “9-1-1.” The dispatcher caught on quickly as the woman said, “I would like to order a pizza, please.” The operator asked, “Are you in trouble?” “Yes,” the woman replied. “Does he have a gun?” “Yes.” “Has he pointed the gun at you?” “No.” “Okay. Stay as calm as you can, and the police will be there soon.”

People you know are talking to you. You understand the English words they are saying, but you are not hearing them. They are ordering a “Yes, Yes, No Pizza!” They are talking in code. They’re trying to tell you something. Perhaps they are lonely, scared, or hurting.

Hearing people requires real listening and reading their body language. It means not being a narcissist and asking about them. Then, not just taking a casual answer like “Fine.” Of course, it helps when the Holy Spirit whispers a clue to you. Last Sunday, while in church, the Holy Spirit spoke into my spirit, “Pray for the man in front of you.” After the service, I said to him, “I hope this doesn’t seem weird, but I sensed the Holy Spirit told me to pray for you this week.” “Oh, thank you,” he responded. “Our family is going through a lot right now.” I had just met him as it was their first time attending our church.

If you come across a person who is ordering a “Yes, Yes, No Pizza,” I hope you pry enough to see how you may be able to help them. Don’t just say, “Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. I’ll be praying for you.” If you can’t help personally, then help them find a person or place that can help them.

Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing. 1 Thes. 5:11 (AMPC)

Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]. Gal. 6:2 (AMPC)

Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others. Phi. 2:4 (AMPC)

Copyright © 2025 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?”

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Image by Angeles Balaguer from Pixabay

The Christmas carol “Do You Hear What I Hear?” asks three questions.

“Do you see what I see?”
“Do you hear what I hear?”
“Do you know what I know?”

The Holy Spirit is asking people those same questions today.

“Do you see what I see?”
He wants those who are taking the time to look around to see the need for people to see Jesus as God’s Son and to accept him as their Lord and Savior. To ask him for forgiveness for their sins and to enter into a life with God.

I have mentioned many times that if we trust God with our needs and concerns, we are free to see the needs of others. Satan wants us not to trust God and not see others’ need for a Savior. He works so hard to keep people’s lives in chaos!

“Do you hear what I hear?”
Do you hear people crying out for help? Not only America but every country has enormous needs and big problems. People are trying so hard to fix those issues with their strength and mind. The root problem for most of them is there is a lack of love! Some know the answer is found in God, but they fear turning their lives and countries over to Him for help, guidance, wisdom, and solutions.

“Do you know what I know?”
The Holy Spirit wants us to feel the urgency of the hour. The clock is ticking, and time is winding down to the triumphant return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is also whispering like a wind to those who are quiet, content, grazing in green pastures, “See, Jesus. He is Dancing in the night.” He is asking the shepherds, “Hear, Jesus. He is singing high above the trees with a voice as big as the sea.” Then, the Holy Spirit is asking our leaders, “Are you warm and comfortable with the way things are? Yet Jesus is here waiting to help. Come. Ask, and give Him the praise and glory He is due.”

The Holy Spirit is hoping the leaders of the world will say to the people everywhere, “Listen to what I say! Pray for peace, people, everywhere, listen to what I say! The Child, the Child sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light.”

But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,

A sight to take your breath away!
Grand processions of people
    telling all the good things of God!

But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to.
Rom. 10:14-17 (MSG)

Are you like a lamb, listening? A shepherd watching? Or perhaps you are one who has the resources to help others.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

24/7/365

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April and I were discussing one of her friends recently. They were going through something. Sorry, I don’t recall what it was. I suggested April do something for them. She didn’t respond. I enquired. Finally, she admitted that she didn’t want to do that for her friend. After a few minutes, she asked, “Am I a bad friend?” I thought for a moment, trying to find some words of wisdom. Then I responded, “You’re a friend. You’re just not a good friend.”

 Maybe you are a good friend to others. Perhaps you give them as much time as you can when they call and are upset. You provide them with a ride to the airport no matter the time of day. When they are sick, you stop by their house to give them a helping hand or to provide a meal. In other words, you are always there for them. They know they can count on you.

 A few days later, I was sitting at a traffic light. I looked up and saw the billboard pictured here in this post. It made me think of Jesus. Then I thought of the above conversation with April. One of Jesus’ characteristics is that he says he is a “friend” who never leaves you.

There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Prov. 18:24 (RSV)

 But Jesus is one part of three. They are one yet individual, and together, they take complete care of you.

God.

“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” Deu. 31:6 (MSG)

And nothing you can do can separate you from the love of God.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Rom. 8:38 (MSG)

The Holy Spirit is there to comfort you and to give you power when you are ministering to others. He can give you words to say when you have no idea what should come out of your mouth. He also has a list of supernatural gifts that he gives out to whoever he wants.

Being in a relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is the best. They are our God, our friend, and our comforter. Jesus isn’t “just” a friend but a good friend. They are always there for me. I love doing life with them. They are with me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

To Know

/ Mark Brady / 4 Comments
Image by Jupi Lu from Pixabay

To know unconditional love;
is to know God.
To know real forgiveness;
is to know Jesus.
To know perfect direction;
is to know the Holy Spirit.

To know pure laughter;
is to know true friends.
To know great joy;
is to know a child.
To know time;
is to know an elderly person.

To know gratitude;
is to feed the hungry.
To know security;
is to clothe the naked.
To know health;
is to visit the sick.

To know peace;
is to know contentment.
To know lasting hope;
is to know faith.
To know wisdom;
is to know the Word of God.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

My Lowest Point

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I was still sobbing, but nothing more was falling out of my eyes. The stain of tears on the church carpet was about 18 inches in diameter. After an hour or so, I got up and accidentally stepped in the puddle, and the salty discharge rose, almost covering my toes. I was genuinely sorry for what I had done. To the church, to the group I had led, to my pastor, to the married woman I had fallen in love with but mainly, to God.

From that day forward, I felt connected to King David. And the words of Psalms 51 would forever ring in my heart. I was 23 and single but had allowed the devil to deceive me without realizing it. If he had come straight at me, I would have quoted scriptures and commanded that he leaves me in the name of Jesus. His attack came from behind. He used the strong desires of my heart to be loved, causing me to stumble and fall.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”

I wanted so badly to be forgiven!

“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”

I knew God would judge me for my actions. It was only fitting.

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.”

I, too, asked God for a clean heart. For a fresh start.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

To me, hell is being absent from the presence of God. So I pleaded. And I also asked Him to let me keep His Holy Spirit inside me. For that was my source of true power in ministry.

“Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

I wanted God to allow still me to minister and teach people. He has, but to be a pastor and shepherd of a church I will never get to.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

God answered my prayer. Throughout the following years, He was faithful to His promise to rebuild me. He gave me a ministry in writing, which is one reason I do my best to seek Him every week and post a blog to encourage others to grow in their relationship with God. And every once in a while, I have the pleasure of being someone’s pastor. Thank you, Father God. You are truly good.

The portions in quotations are from Psalms 51 (KJV).

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Just Add Water

/ Mark Brady / 3 Comments

April and I visited a church that we had never been to before. It was one of those “mega” churches. The worship was great. I sensed God’s presence in the house, His house! The sermon was good as well. The pastor spoke about the attitude of giving. I had found two pennies earlier that morning and told April, “Here’s our offering today. Like the widow’s mite.” He spoke about the attitude of the widow when she gave her offering. April turned to me and smiled.

Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, “The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all!” Luke 21:3-4 (MSG)

Then, at the end of the service, the worship team was again singing. A bright light came on to the right of the platform. There, standing in water, were several individuals huddled up. They broke the huddle, and one by one, they were baptized. Now I have seen many water baptisms in my lifetime, so when my eyes teared up, it surprised me.

It didn’t take me long to realize that the one who was being baptized was being led through the process by, most likely, the one who led them to God in the first place. That technique I had never witnessed before. As each person rose out of the water, the congregation applauded with enthusiasm. It was then I got a glimpse of heaven and angels standing, looking over the edge and applauding as well. More tears flowed. I later learned this church does this at the end of every Sunday service.

Pastor Robert Morris teaches that there are three baptisms.

  1. Baptism into salvation. The act of accepting Jesus as God’s Son and what He did on the cross to forgive us of our sins.
  2. Water baptism. The act of going public with your decision to accept Jesus into your life and symbolically the washing away of your sins.
  3. Baptism into the Holy Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is getting the power to minister and the ability to be used by God supernaturally as He leads.

Water baptism is an important step in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. If you haven’t taken this step, I pray that you will consider getting it done soon. You won’t believe how clean you feel when you rise up out of the water. Find the one who introduced you to God, and then just add water.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

There’s One More

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

When I was a kid, we would open all presents under the tree on Christmas day. My father was in charge of supervising the cleanup. Making sure that only the paper wrapped around the gifts and used bows were thrown away. He was concerned that part of someone’s gift would get thrown out. After a thorough inspection, would he include boxes.

That’s it. The gift-giving portion of Christmas would be completed. The floor was clean, and the entire Christmas tree skirt was once again visible. But before everyone was dispursed to carrying away their haul, one of my parents would announce, “Hey, I think we forgot one. There’s one more.” Again, the seasonal excitement and anticipation would rumble in your stomach. “What? Another one? Where is it? There’s nothing left under the tree.”

One year my sister and I were told to go to the garage. There, waiting for us, were brand new bikes. Another year, my father brought into the living room a big square box and placed it in front of me. I said, “This isn’t mine!” My mother quickly put me on the witness stand and asked, “How do you know?” No way was I going to confess to unwrapping it after I found it in their bedroom days before. I suppose my writing creativity kicked in, and I quickly replied, “Because it’s so big!” I was good at peeking. I liked the challenge of not getting caught. I would use an Exacto knife and then put the exact length of tape back over the ones I sliced.

God knew our greatest need was a savior, so He sent us his son, Jesus. The best Christmas gift of all time! No one had an opportunity to peek, but God gave plenty of advanced notice as to what He would do. And those that were on a “need-to-know” basis knew.

Jesus came. He grew up and ministered truth, light, salvation, healing, and deliverance, showing us a better way to live. Then, He humbled himself and died on the cross. He died for three days and then showed He even had power over death and hell. He then ministered for a few more days, but as He was about to leave, He told his disciples, “Oh, there’s one more.”

Jesus promised us that He would send us the Holy Spirit when He left. The Holy Spirit would give us the power to minister. Jesus had the Spirit on him. When He was baptized, the Holy Spirit lit upon him when He came out of the water. Jesus knew we also needed God’s Spirit in our lives and ministries.

I love having the Holy Spirit on me. I don’t know how I would live or minister without Him! Not a bad gift to learn about that was one more.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NET)

After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. Mat. 3:16

Christmas may be over, but if you have never been filled with the Holy Spirit look for Him as another gift. Seek Him out and ask to be filled with him. You will be surprised what a difference He makes in your life.

Oh, in case you were wondering, my big gift was a black and white TV with knobs and an antenna telescoped out from the inside. No coaxial connection and no remote, but I loved it. I had it for several years and actually sold it in a garage sale.

Copyright © 2022 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.