trust

Why it’s so Wrong

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I looked up again and saw—surprise!—a book on the wing! A book flying!
2 The Messenger-Angel said to me, “What do you see now?”
I said, “I see a book flying, a huge book—thirty feet long and fifteen wide!”
3-4 He told me, “This book is the verdict going out worldwide against thieves and liars. The first half of the book disposes of everyone who steals; the second half takes care of everyone who lies. I launched it”—Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies—“and so it will fly into the house of every thief and every liar. It will land in each house and tear it down, timbers and stones.” Zec. 5:1-4 (MSG)

Zechariah 5 is a chapter in the Bible that presents a message of hope and a reminder of God’s intolerance of sin and His divine judgment on those who transgress His laws.

Lying and stealing are so bad they both made God’s Top 10 List. And David Letterman thought he was the first one to do a Top 10 list. Why does God hate both of these?

Lying is so deceptive! It misleads people. It can also confuse individuals because they may not know what or whom to believe. But ultimately, it breaks down “trust.” Trust is hard to earn and even harder to earn back. I always told my children, “Just tell me the truth. No matter what it is, I can deal with the truth.” I’m not convinced they believed me, but it was a true statement nonetheless.

Stealing, well, it is also wrong! It is taking something that is not yours. You didn’t work for it or earn it. Or it wasn’t given to you by someone else. You have no right to it. It’s cheating! It causes the rightful owner to have to replace it if they can afford to. When someone steals, it usually has a monetary cost to it.

This is why God detests both of these sins. They hurt people. And God doesn’t like to see people in pain. He will deal severely with those who practice such things. It is also why God is such a champion for truth! The truth sets people free.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Steady as She Goes

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments
Image via A.I.

This post won’t appear for a few weeks from the time I am writing it. Today is a big day for America. November 5, 2024. The day we have the privilege of voting for our next president.

The candidates couldn’t be more different. For instance, one is pro-life, while the other is pro-choice. That one issue tells you a lot about the individual, mainly their views on whether there is a God and how much they value life and eternal life. For me, the choice was an easy one to make.

I have voted for a president ever since I was 18. That was many, many, okay, one more, many years ago. And the one thing I have learned is not to place my hope in the newly elected president. They’re not perfect, and they still have to work with other elected officials in order to get anything done, but that doesn’t always go well. Our country has become so divided that little seems to be done.

I pray for my country and its leaders. I ask God to lead them in doing the right things, the best things for the people. To make decisions that help us and not just make ones that make them richer.

Instead, I place my hope in the Lord. I keep my focus on him and not the president of the United States. I watch the news but pray for help in knowing the truth. You have to listen closely, but they love to use words like “allegedly,” ” supposedly,” and “according to.” They tell you what they want you to believe.

God also tells you what He wants you to believe. It is written in His word, the Bible. The difference between what He says and what the general media says is that He is not going to lie to you. It is the devil who lies to us. In fact, he is the father of lies.

Your father is the devil. You belong to him and want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was against the truth, for there is no truth in him. He is a liar, and he is like the lies he tells. He is the father of lies. John 8:44 (ICB)

The devil will use anyone or any means he can find to mislead, misguide, and confuse you. If you struggle with knowing the truth and believing, then pray and ask God to help you. He will!

It isn’t easy to know who to trust and believe in this world. Without God’s gift of discernment, it’s challenging to know someone’s motive. Even presidents.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Prov. 3:5-6 (MSG)

Knowing who you can believe in and trust is comforting. If you struggle with trusting God, ask him for help with that, too. He will. Not bending back and forth in your faith is vital to living a comfortable life. He will keep you steady as she goes.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Decision 2024

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments
Image by Amber from Pixabay

It’s another election year. Both candidates are making promises of what they are going to do for the people, me. I have often wondered, if the incumbent has these great ideas to better our lives, then why didn’t he/she do it in his/her first term? There is a people group in America that is usually featured. They are starting to realize that the party they traditionally vote for never seems to come through on those promises! It has come to this writer’s observation that a lot of people are putting their trust in men to solve their problems and to make their lives better.

We have a lot of serious issues in America! Each candidate says they can fix them. I will certainly vote, but I’m not going to hold my breath, and I am certainly not counting on them! The portion of scripture below from Amos chapter 5, verses 5 – 15 (MSG) comes close to describing our country today and, honestly, our world.

“Seek me and live.
    Don’t fool around at those shrines of Bethel,
Don’t waste time taking trips to Gilgal,
    and don’t bother going down to Beer-sheba.
Gilgal is here today and gone tomorrow
    and Bethel is all show, no substance.”

6 So seek God and live! You don’t want to end up
    with nothing to show for your life
But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground.
    For God will send just such a fire,
    and the firefighters will show up too late.

Raw Truth Is Never Popular

7-9 Woe to you who turn justice to vinegar

    and stomp righteousness into the mud.
Do you realize where you are? You’re in a cosmos
    star-flung with constellations by God,
A world God wakes up each morning
    and puts to bed each night.
God dips water from the ocean
    and gives the land a drink.
    God, God-revealed, does all this.
And he can destroy it as easily as make it.
    He can turn this vast wonder into total waste.

10-12 People hate this kind of talk.
    Raw truth is never popular.
But here it is, bluntly spoken:
    Because you run roughshod over the poor
    and take the bread right out of their mouths,
You’re never going to move into
    the luxury homes you have built.
You’re never going to drink wine
    from the expensive vineyards you’ve planted.
I know precisely the extent of your violations,
    the enormity of your sins. Appalling!
You bully right-living people,
    taking bribes right and left and kicking the poor when they’re down.

13 Justice is a lost cause. Evil is epidemic.
    Decent people throw up their hands.
Protest and rebuke are useless,
    a waste of breath.

14 Seek good and not evil—
    and live!
You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
    being your best friend.
Well, live like it,
    and maybe it will happen.

15 Hate evil and love good,
    then work it out in the public square.
Maybe God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
    will notice your remnant and be gracious.

Do you want to make a decision in 2024? Decide on God! Accept him through his Son, Jesus Christ. Put your trust in him. You won’t regret your decision!

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

That Girl Can Sleep!

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

April has a hidden talent that few know about. She can fall asleep within three minutes, and it doesn’t seem to matter where she is, either. Needless to say, I am envious! I suffer from OMS these days. “Old Man Syndrome.” That means if I wake up in the middle of the night, I am usually awake for hours before I can attempt to go back to sleep.

The other day, April fell asleep in the car while I was driving us home in heavy traffic. I was thinking, “How in the world can she sleep?” I don’t make a good passenger. I find it difficult to trust others and their driving skills. And sleep while they are driving? Forget it!

Then it hit me: April trusted me and my ability to drive. She knows I am going to get her home safely. She felt safe and secure.

Isn’t that how we should feel when we are walking with God through life? We pray and then trust Him to address our needs and act on our behalf. Doing what is best for us. If we do that, we can “rest” and perhaps find the sleep we need that otherwise escapes us.

Nothing and no one is holy like God,
    no rock mountain like our God.
Don’t dare talk pretentiously—
    not a word of boasting, ever!
For God knows what’s going on.
    He takes the measure of everything that happens.
The weapons of the strong are smashed to pieces,
    while the weak are infused with fresh strength.
The well-fed are out begging in the streets for crusts,
    while the hungry are getting second helpings.
The barren woman has a houseful of children,
    while the mother of many is bereft. 1 Sam. 2:2-5 (MSG)

“Trusting God” isn’t simply a statement of faith but a way to live. It will show, too, if your life reflects your speech. Many know the right things to say or scriptures to quote, but few will act them out daily.

Look at Luke 8:22-23 (MSG): “One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’

Getting to his feet, he told the wind, ‘Silence!’ and the waves, ‘Quiet down!’ They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.”

This passage has been preached so many times! It is usually pointed out that the disciples who walked with Jesus should have known they weren’t going to die. If Jesus had said, “Let’s cross the lake,” then they would have made it to the other side.

If April had been in that boat, she would have been asleep as well, along with Jesus! Let your request be made known to God. Lay them on the altar and then walk away, leaving them there. Then, walk with boldness and the confidence that things will work out.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Talking to God

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Some may not even know they can talk to God. Others may have learned as children to do it every night before going to sleep. How many genuinely believe that He hears you? A bigger question may be, how many believe that He can answer you?

God can answer in many ways. He can respond immediately with a supernatural act. Or He may use someone else to provide the answer on his behalf. The one way most dislike is with silence. In a world where we are used to “instant” anything, we may find it challenging to wait for his answer.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Jer. 33:3 (NIV)

Have you ever wondered what in the world He is doing while we sit in silence? He could be getting us, or our hearts, ready to receive his answer or action. He could be moving certain people into places that He desires to be a part of his master plan.

There was an elderly lady in the Walmart parking lot who was struggling to get 12 packs of soda out of the bottom of those mini carts. I was heading to Walmart but got mad when I didn’t go the route I had wanted to. I realized later that if I  had gone the way I wanted to, I would have arrived too early. As it turned out, I was right on time, God’s time to help the lady.

She let me help her but asked, Where did you come from?” I immediately answered, “God sent me!” The look on her face was priceless. She didn’t say if she had asked him for help or not, but she needed help. God does care.

God wants to hear from us. He loves us. Remember, before the fall, Genesis tells us that God walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden. He wants to know what is on our hearts and minds. There are times when His Spirit will whisper an answer into our spirits. You can learn how to hear and recognize his voice.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 (NIV)

It’s comforting to hear God speak, but when He doesn’t, we have to trust Him. Know that He has heard us and is working on our behalf. Some may talk to God without even knowing for themselves that He is real and alive. If an individual is on a plane that is going down, they will cry out to God to save them just in case.

I recall the story of Beth. She was in distress over her home life. One day, when she got home from school, she found herself alone in the house. She sat at the kitchen table and said out loud, “God, if you are real, move this cup.” The cup didn’t move. Nine years later, she was sitting on a school bus talking to the driver. The driver had a great relationship with God. She paused the conversation and then said to Beth, “I feel like God wants me to tell you that the cup just moved.” when she witnessed Beth’s reaction of tears, she knew, somehow, the message made sense.”

God could have physically moved the cup, but how much more powerful was his demonstration of revealing that He is real? It was to use a friend who didn’t know what Beth had asked. Sometimes, people will refuse to believe in God no matter what they see or hear.

Talk to God. See and know that He is real and that He really cares for you. He already knows what you are going through and may be simply waiting for you to invite him into the situation.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

Where Storms Go to Die

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I was watching the weather the other day. They were showing what was happening across the entire United States. There was one storm system on the East Coast that would be exiting during the day. I thought to myself, I wonder where storms go to die?

I mean, what happens to them after they leave America? Do they stay together and go to Iceland? Europe? Perhaps somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, they simply dissipate. I really do not know and have never enquired. I know things like land mass or warm ocean water can feed a storm.

What about the storms that come up in your life? Are there conditions that feed them? I mean, do certain things cause these storms to take place? Last year, and I will admit for selfish reasons, April and I made a decision and acted upon it. That single decision brewed a storm that we are okay from now but still paying for.

Once we realized what we had done, we humbled ourselves, repented, and cried out to God for help. His love and grace are indeed amazing. It’s as if He stood up and said, “Peace be still,” and showed us a path to exit from underneath the dark clouds, and the storm went off to die.

What are you facing in your life? Is it one of the scariest storms you have ever encountered? I live in Tornado Alley. Sometimes, we get storms that set off the sirens telling us to take cover. The part of those storms that makes the hair on the back of my head stand up is the sound of the wind. After the average storm passes, I check to see if there is any damage. I might find a limb and some leaves or trash, but no real damage.

What I am saying is there may be a lot of wind blowing in your life. Cry out to God to calm the storm. To keep you safe and to minimize any damage. Then trust Him. God is faithful, and He is good all the time. I have learned it doesn’t really matter where storms go to die. It’s reassuring to know they do!

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. Ps. 107:29 (NIV)

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all; Ps. 34:17-19 (NIV)

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Cor. 4:8-9 (NIV)

God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, no matter how desperate the trouble. Nahum 1:7 (MSG)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

God on the Spot

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

I have said it before, but here it goes again. “God really does care about the little things in our lives.” The toilet upstairs in our house gets easily clogged if too much toilet paper is used, even if the paper is like that thin restaurant toilet paper.

It happened again, and I had been struggling to unclog it without removing the toilet from the floor. After several attempts using a plunger and a plumber’s snake, I was still defeated. The toilet could handle one but not two, if you know what I mean.

Today, I knew I needed to get it resolved, but we didn’t have the money to call a plumber. I started praying. I asked God, “What do I have in the garage that I can insert in the end of the plumber’s snake that has teeth?” Like a meat-cutting knife. I went into the garage and started looking around. Then I saw my jig saw. It uses small blades. I took the blade out and inserted it into the end of the snake. Then, it was too long to make the bends in the back of the toilet, so I had to break it in half.

Once the blade was where I thought the clog was, I turned the snake around and around and then back and forth. I removed it, and the toilet still didn’t flush smoothly. I heard in my spirit, “Plunger it aggressively.” I did, and it must have finished knocking the clog loose because it worked. The toilet now flushes normally.

Perhaps you are saying, “So what?” To me, it was a big deal and an answer to prayer. I love knowing that God hears us and cares enough to help us. “God knows all the answers to every question if man would only ask.” Bill Johnson from his book “Dreaming with God.”

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Pt. 5:7 (NIV)

I challenge you to tell God what is bothering you. See if, afterward, you don’t sense a loving warmth coming over you. Ask Him how to fix something or solve a problem that you are dealing with. Then, listen for Him to answer. He’s real, He’s alive, and He loves and cares so much about you and what you are going through.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

How to Live Life

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Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

I decided to start 2024 reading from the book of Proverbs and, this time, from “The Message.” The introduction to the book used the subtitle of “A Manual For Living.”

1-6 These are the wise sayings of Solomon,
    David’s son, Israel’s king—
Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right,
    to understand what life means and where it’s going;
A manual for living,
    for learning what’s right and just and fair;
To teach the inexperienced the ropes
    and give our young people a grasp on reality.
There’s something here also for seasoned men and women,
    still a thing or two for the experienced to learn—
Fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate,
    the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women.

Start with God

7 Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God;
    only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Prov. 1:1-7 (MSG)

The wisest man on earth says to start with God. Some of you may have a problem with that advice right there. You are still thinking that you know more about yourself and your life than He does. Others may have an issue with this because they feel God is nothing more than a bunch of rules. If this is you, then perhaps the problem is you don’t trust God. Maybe you look at someone else’s life who claims to be living for God, and yet they are not doing things that you approve of. Therefore, you have decided you don’t want to be like them. That is judgment and ultimately only an excuse.

The beginning of a new year is a great time to start new things like a new lifestyle. Evan a new perspective on God and try trusting Him more. If Soloman found it essential, then it is! Yes, you may have to die to yourself, but you begin to live life like never before.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

The End

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Image by Colleen ODell from Pixabay

Reaching the end of something can evoke many emotions. The end of a good movie, a job, a family or friend’s life, or perhaps even a marriage. There may be mixed feelings about the end of the year. Most people said they were so happy to see the end of 2020!

We will come to the end of 2023 in a few days. In some ways, it was a challenging year for April and me, but we got through it. I remember at one point feeling as if God had turned away from us and left us to ourselves because we had made a wrong decision. We know now that He was busy orchestrating our lives, intersecting with another’s in order to fulfill His will.

At the time, it seemed so difficult to wait upon the Lord. I cried out many times for His help. For God to deliver us from ourselves and to set us back on the right track. God proved himself faithful again. God helped us. He gave me a clear mind to make sound decisions on what to do that would give us a chance to recover.

I have no idea what 2024 will have in store for us, but I know God is already working on our behalf. If you have never accepted God’s gift of Jesus Christ into your life and have asked for forgiveness, then now would be a great time. Wow! That would be a great way to end 2023 and start 2024.

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that. 1 Cor. 1:7-9 (MSG)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady

My Favorite Phrase

/ Mark Brady / 1 Comment
Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

Life brings its own set of challenges. Keeping on top of everything or ahead of it all is a full-time job. But what if God gives you a command or challenge to carry out? Do you blindly obey with all the faith you have? Do you say, “Okay, God, but help me.”? Or do you debate why He should probably choose someone else?

Earlier this year, April and I went to Texas on a mini vacation. The hotel we stayed at, of course, had a swimming pool. I talked April into joining me. The water was warm, but the air was a little cool, so as we entered the shallow end, we kneeled so the water would rise to our necks. We were having a good time when I suggested to April we go to the other side. She agreed and climbed onto my back as I swam to the deep end until she could grab the edge. April trusted me to get her to the other side even though she couldn’t swim. She remained calm and didn’t put up a fight or resist. She went for it.

A dear friend from one of my past churches I used to attend in another state told me God asked her to bake pies and to take them to her neighbors. It was a way for her to get to know them and to have an opportunity to share the gospel. Some of those neighbors lived on the other side of the street. She obeyed.

What is God asking you to do? Jesus once told his disciples, “Let us go to the other side.” They did.

35-38 Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

39-40 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?” Mark 4:35-40 (MSG)

The above is a popular portion of scripture preached a lot about faith. And it is good. I mean, Jesus told them they were going to the other side, so they should have known they weren’t going to drown. My favorite part is what happened next in Chapter 5. Jesus set a man free from the possession of a demon named Legion, for there were many demons in him. As a result, a whole town heard of Jesus and had an opportunity to accept Him.

So, if God is asking you to do something, obey. Don’t argue, don’t resist, believe and go, even if you can’t swim. He will calm the storms that may try to prevent you from reaching the other side, but have faith. For what is on the other side most likely has eternal dividends.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.