Stay With It to the End

October 21, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

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“Behold! The coming of Jesus is so soon, it’s as if He is standing up now getting ready to go gather his church home!” I was about 8 years old, when that word of prophesy sure got my attention. I thought dang! I had better tie my shoes! I was ready then to stand before God and to give an account for how I had lived my life. After serious soul searching and one more prayer asking God to forgive me of all of my sins I can say right now I am ready to stand before God.

In these last days, one has to be intentional about staying focused on the prize of eternal life. Satan is working overtime, and with the help of the Russians putting out “fake” news to keep Americans stirred up (okay, kidding), but honestly, it can be extremely difficult to maintain a straight path toward heaven.

Mar 13:4-13 “Tell us, when is this going to happen? What sign will we get that things are coming to a head?” Jesus began, “Watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities claiming, ‘I’m the One.’ They will deceive a lot of people. When you hear of wars and rumored wars, keep your head and don’t panic. This is routine history, and no sign of the end. Nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler, over and over. Earthquakes will occur in various places. There will be famines. But these things are nothing compared to what’s coming. “And watch out! They’re going to drag you into court. And then it will go from bad to worse, dog-eat-dog, everyone at your throat because you carry my name. You’re placed there as sentinels to truth. The Message has to be preached all across the world. “When they bring you, betrayed, into court, don’t worry about what you’ll say. When the time comes, say what’s on your heart–the Holy Spirit will make his witness in and through you. “It’s going to be brother killing brother, father killing child, children killing parents. There’s no telling who will hate you because of me. “Stay with it–that’s what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved. (MSG)

All one has to do is read the above verses, and then turn on the world news. Am I predicting a date of Jesus’ return? NO WAY! If you read further down chapter 13 it goes on to say that only God knows the exact day and hour. Therefore, I beseech you, okay a little too much King James, but I urge you strongly to keep your focus on God, hold Jesus’ hand, and listen to the Holy Spirit, and you will make it home.

Your Permanent Record

February 19, 2017 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

permanent-record “This is going on your ‘Permanent Record’ young man!” Remember hearing that in school? Has anyone ever seen their “Permanent Record”? I haven’t. Was that a threat to get us to have better behavior and grades? Perhaps.

God sees and hears everything we say and do. He also knows the attitude of our hearts when our behavior is on display. Now if anyone was going to keep a permanent record it would be Him, and in fact He does. There will be a day when EVERYONE will stand before God, and give an account for how they lived their life, attitudes, words toward others and everything.

At the end of that time before God He will simply look in a big book (The Book of Life) and see if your name has been “blotted” out, or if it still remains. If your name remains that means you had accepted God’s son Jesus, and his death on the cross paid for all of your wrong doing.

Rev 20:11-15 I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there–before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived. Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death–Lake Fire. Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire. (MSG)

How Close Are You Following?

July 2, 2016July 2, 2016 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Disciple Ducks Yes, I know they are ducks, and the one I labeled Jesus is in reality a female, but “Work with me people!”

Growing up hearing the story of Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus had always bewildered me. I would often think, how could he do such a thing? A few years ago, while reading in my quiet time, God shined light upon my curious mind and helped me understand.

Basically it came down to this: Judas Iscariot did not get close to Jesus. He was a disciple, he heard the teachings, and saw the miracles just like the other disciples, but there was a difference; he never totally accepted who Jesus was as the Son of God. He never fell in love with Jesus Christ, because he was too far away from him to really get to know him.

Are we the same as Judas Iscariot today? How close do you follow Jesus? His teachings, or are you, and I guilty of only following the ones we like, or are easy? How little would it take for us to betray Jesus, to turn and walk the other way? A winning lottery ticket? A promotion? A really hot person to date, or a trophy wife? (She probably only came in third.)

The one sure way “not” to betray Jesus is to get close to him, and stay there. To know him personally, and deeply. To fall in love with him, want to serve him, and follow him no matter what is thrown in front of us, to tempt us, to betray him. Some of the other disciples went on to die for Jesus, and for the life he showed us how to live. Judas Iscariot died for himself.

Human Remains Found

January 18, 2015 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Isn’t it funny how you can read the bible several different times and each time see something new? I think that may have something to do with who you are and what you are going through at that time. Well recently in the following scriptures one word stuck out to me:

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (KJV)

When I was young people used to joke that in verse 16 “the dead in Christ” was referring to the Baptist, but it’s not! The portion of scripture that made me start thinking in particularly is verse 17 where it states, “Then we which are alive and remain”. I know this scripture is really just referring to those that are still alive and “remain” on earth, but what if we looked at this word “remain” a little differently.

What if this word “remain” really meant still living for God? So this verse would say, “Then we which are alive and still living for God shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Living for God has always been hard, because it calls us to living a life that is opposite of our very nature. It is easier to just be our natural self, especially when we see all of the evil and hatred around us. Living for God can cause us to get weary. Some get so disgruntled with not having what so many others have that they give up hope and fall away from living for God to living for themselves. That is why living for God takes God Himself helping us, encouraging us, and strengthening us.

Jesus is for sure coming back to call us home. I pray that you will still be alive and “remain” in Him. Our struggle is only for a moment compared to eternity of peace, joy and love with the Lord who loves us more than anything. With the Lord who actually died for us. When Jesus comes back may He find humans remain!