Is it 10:00?

October 8, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“Betty, what are you doing?” asked the caregiver.

“I have to get dressed. I have a 10:00 appointment.”

“Its 2:00 Betty.”

“Morning, or afternoon?”

“Morning.”

She helped Betty get back into her hospital bed. Betty tried this again two more times.

“But I have an appointment at 10:00. I need to get dressed.”

“Betty, you don’t have an appointment today at 10.”

“Yes I do.”

“Here, let me help you get comfortable in your bed.”

Betty went to be with Jesus at 10:24 AM.

This is a true story. Betty was my great aunt. I wrote about her on her 97^th birthday this past January. I once told her that she has lived so long her friends, already in heaven, might think she passed and went the other direction. In another conversation, “Your place, that Jesus promises to make for us in heaven, must really be something, because it has taken a long time to get it ready.”

We all have an appointment to keep one day. When we too will stand before God. I hope you’re ready like my aunt was.

“I love you Aunt Betty! I’m going to miss you, but I’m glad you are home.”

Betty

They Walk Among Us

September 25, 2016September 25, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Jessica, while at a red light, feels moisture drip upon her cheeks. She can’t believe the hurt has reached her eyes. Roger, holds his head in the stream of water showering upon him while he mumbles words. A prayer perhaps? He hopes the sound of the falling water conceals his pain, his desperation. Cassandra stares at the dark ceiling, instead of sleeping, longing for an answer. An answer that would change her life. Manuel walks aimlessly, at times looking up, hoping any minute now God would heal him.

Just stories lines, or glimpses of real life? Perhaps they feel real because you have been there, or you are there now. No matter where you are, or what you are going through, know this; YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are not the only one who has ever walked the path you are on, even though it feels like it. There are others, who are there now, or who have found the exit.

Where are these people? Who are they? Include in your prayers to God to lead you to them. They might be in your church, or they might be your neighbor, or across the aisle at work, but the truth is they walk among us. They can help you. They can listen to you. They can pray for you, or with you. But in order for that to happen they have to know. They have to know what you are going through. Take a chance on being honest when someone ask you how you are. And if you are one who hears a story of real life going on dare to listen int 051312_01-3jb ently. Believe with them for God to deliver them, answer them, or heal them. Life is hard, but it is even harder by yourself.

If you struggle finding someone, or trusting someone enough to open up with the truth, you are still not alone. There is no where you can go to escape the eye of God, or His love. Have faith, have hope for your exit may be within the next mile.

To Know

September 4, 2016 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

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.

Are You Afraid of Sin?

August 6, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

When the serpent was talking to Eve, why didn’t she run? Today if a serpent was around, most of us would run. Before Eve’s eyes were opened she didn’t know any fear. She didn’t need to, with the exception of fearing God, meaning respect Him, and His words. Here in front of her was sin, evil, the downfall of mankind and the world, yet she wasn’t afraid.

Are you afraid of sin? Are you afraid of your sin? A lot people must not be because there is a lot of it going on. Sinning that is. Why? 1) Some people don’t feel what they are doing is wrong. They justify it in a number of ways. Real deception is when they think the wrong they are doing is actually right. 2) The other reason they aren’t afraid of their sin is they don’t know what it cost. Ultimately it will cost them their life. Before that it may cost them a good job, a loving family, friends.

All sin must be paid for. There are only two ways to do this. 1) Either you pay for your own sin, which means dying eternally in hell, a lake of fire, and utter darkness. 2) You accept the fact the Son of God, Jesus Christ died on a cross to pay for your sins, which means you will live in eternity in heaven.

Live in heaven forever, or die in hell forever? Are you afraid of sin now? You should be.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (KJV)
Rom 6:23 Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. (MSG)

Church Windows

July 9, 2016 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Gothic church window “I was reared in church. The whole family went every Sunday morning. I heard the stories, I heard the sermons, but I don’t feel I got anything out of it,” said my friend. “Many times I would wonder, if there really was a God would He hear me? As I got older and became aware of family problems I would watch how my father would question his faith, but my mother, hers seemed to strengthen. I found it all so confusing. Then there were the times I would look out the church windows and see my friends having fun. I wanted to have fun, so I quit going.”

“Life has now come and gone. A lot of time has passed, but I never once looked inside the church windows. I felt I was doing life just fine on my own. Just as good as the next guy.”

I spoke to my friend about the difference in going to church, having a “religion” with God to having a “relationship” with God. I explained to him how “religion” is man’s way to God, but a “relationship” is God’s way to man, which is why it works.

I invited him to accept Jesus, and begin a “relationship” and to ask Jesus to forgive him of his sins. He said he wasn’t sure. Then I said these words, “My friend, heaven won’t be the same without you…but hell will.”

Finding Your Way

June 25, 2016 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Finding Your Way You run to work. You run home. You run to gatherings. You run to family events. You are always running, somewhere, but do you ever feel …”lost”? Do you ever ask yourself, is there more?

I have recently “unplugged” from life feeling perhaps I wasn’t on the right road. I’m one who usually is very confident about where I am going. So much so I tell my GPS where to go, but yet I was feeling like I needed to for a few days, (94 Days) a season, pull over, and yes ask for directions. I was in need of finding my way. Perhaps re-calculating.

The best source I have found for asking directions when it comes to life is God. God hasn’t showed up yet to give me my destination, but He has made it very clear I was right by pulling over. I was reading from the book of Psalms last week from “The Message”, and I could identify with the writer. I looked and it was chapter 94. I was at my writer’s conference two weeks ago and I liked what one of the speakers read from her book, so I bought it. It turns out to be, “Finding Your Way” by Jane Rubietta. The short daily devotionals have been amazing. Then this very morning, again reading from “The Message” Psalms 101 I read this:

Psa 101:2 I’m finding my way down the road of right living, but how long before you show up?

God is truly amazing. If you are feeling uneasy, perhaps lost, pull over. Ask for directions, but be sure to seek those directions from God, and not some other place where anyone can tell you where to go who doesn’t really know you. God knows you. He knows where He desires you to be. He created all of us for more. More to life. More of Him. You will find God, in finding your way.

The Final Edit

June 7, 2015 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

As I mentioned last week I was going to a writer’s conference. I did. As a result the mechanics of writing is in the fore front of my mind. As I was walking around the campus, and thinking on what those that have “been there and done that” taught me, I was also searching God concerning a host of thoughts. One of those was about you.

One of the nice things about writing is the fact there is usually time to re-write. This act creates many drafts of our first words. Even up to this point I have hit the backspace key seven times. During my walk God reminded me life is different than writing. In life we only get one draft. No rewrites, and there is no backspace key! Wouldn’t it be nice if there was? You could take back what you said, or did.

You only get this one time, now, to live life. This is why life is so precious. How you choose to live your life is important. For there will be a day when you stand before God to give an account of how you chose to live your life. It is at that time God will perform the final edit. As it says in Hebrews 9:27 “Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences.” (MSG)