death

At Death, I Found Life

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
Image generated via A.I.

I was a common thief, a professional criminal. I didn’t want to work, and because my father passed while I was still at a young age, I didn’t learn the family trade. Here I was uneducated and had no skills, so I felt I was forced to steal from anyone I could in order to get by. I stole food. I stole tools that I could sell to buy things I needed. I could get water, and I managed to sleep just about anywhere, but it was food that didn’t come easily. 

I soon learned to create distractions while I stole from shop owners. I also learned a useful technique of bumping into people and then stealing their bag of money while at the same time asking, “Are you okay?”

Yeah, sometimes I would get caught, mainly by trying to steal from other thieves out there. Occasionally, I would get beaten and thrown in jail, but not that often. I knew stealing was wrong, but what choice did I have?

I traveled around a lot. That is how a professional thief survives! If you steal from too many in one place, word can get out and you are watched more closely. If you are new in town and the town is relatively large, you tend to blend in as just another visitor or businessman who belongs there.

It was in my travels that I first heard of the man named Jesus. Supposedly, he was the Son of God. I didn’t know for myself and really didn’t care. I mean, what could he do for me? I liked it, though, when he happened to be in the same town as me. He would draw these large crowds, and they would all be straining to get a look at this man who was performing miracles. Everybody just had to see a miracle!

I usually took in a good amount with him around distracting people. I mean, you really couldn’t ask for a better distraction than that. Umm, now that I think about it, maybe that was my miracle? Yeah, I heard his claims and his teachings about living for God and doing good, but I couldn’t see how to make money doing that! One time, I bumped into Jesus himself. We both just stood there for a moment and gazed at each other when, all of a sudden, Jesus said to me, “See you later.”  At the time, I had no idea what he meant by that.

A few years went by with Jesus drawing the crowds in when it was time to go back to Jerusalem. A Jewish holiday was approaching. I knew I had to be careful, for I had been arrested there many times, but I just couldn’t resist the crowd! The place would be packed!

I got to Jerusalem early, but it wasn’t long before the crowds started coming in. I wanted to get there so I could claim a somewhat nice place to sleep in an alley. I had come across it on a previous stay in Jerusalem. It was a little remote, but I felt safe, and there were a couple of places I could hide my loot.

The holiday was upon us. The pickings were good. Then I heard that Jesus had ridden into town a few days ago on a donkey being highly celebrated, kind of like a king. I thought, “Wow! Once again, Jesus is here, so I can work the crowd as he does his thing.”  But midweek, something happened, and the crowd, slowly began to turn on Jesus.

I then started to hear around town that the religious leaders were plotting against Jesus. Apparently, they were tired of his claims and teachings, but mostly his healings! They were upset that Jesus was getting so popular. They felt as though their power and authority over the regular folks was slipping away. They felt the only way to stop it was to make Jesus disappear for good.

As I was listening to this talk about doing away with Jesus, I was spotted in the crowd. I was instantly arrested and thrown in jail. There were two others already there. I’m not sure what the one man was in there for, but the other man, Barabbas, I believe, was accused of starting a riot and of murder. He seemed to me like a very violent man.

You can imagine my shock when I heard they had arrested Jesus. I mean, in my opinion, he was a good man. He went around teaching about how to live life in a way we had never heard before. He performed many miracles. One miracle was turning water into wine at a wedding after the host family ran out. People who were there said the wine they served at the end of the party was better than the first wine they had served. Usually, hosts would serve the cheaper wine toward the end of a party, thinking most wouldn’t notice. He also healed a lot of people. He healed the crippled, the lame, the blind, the sick, and some with a skin disease. He even raised a couple of people from the dead. His claim to be the Son of God was probably true after all because who else could have done all of that? There seemed to be a peace and calmness in my heart when I was around him.

I didn’t understand the action taken by the top religious leaders until it dawned on me he was a threat to them. Often, he would challenge their religious rules, which they thought pleased God, by showing a life that was based on a relationship with God. Perhaps they thought he would cast a demon out of them! I guess they couldn’t understand God coming here, as a child of an ordinary family, as rumor had it, to walk among us, especially in the manner in which he did. They thought their king of kings would come into town with trumpets blaring and in a chariot of the finest gold anyone had ever seen. No matter what they were thinking, Jesus certainly didn’t deserve to be beaten! I mean, I didn’t see it, but he was tortured!

He only went about doing good things for people. He didn’t cause storms, he calmed them! He didn’t cause death but raised people from it! He didn’t inflict disease on people, he healed them of it! God being among the people is the greatest thing that could ever happen! I mean, he played with the children, and children were “nothing” back then. He also respected women. He gave time to those most considered “unimportant.”  You know, after thinking about what I heard him teach and seeing how he lived, I guess I had concluded that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. He was the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

It was customary at this particular festival for the people to choose someone who was in jail, to be released. I couldn’t believe it when I heard the people shouting for Barabbas to be set free. “Were they nuts?” I thought. I mean, do they really want to have a known killer walking among them? After that, the people were asked what they wanted done with Jesus. Again, I was shocked when I heard them screaming, “CRUCIFY HIM!”  I guess when people don’t like being confronted with how they live, they want the person telling them the truth to go away. In Jesus’ case, they wanted him to go away forever!

We walked slowly to the hill they call “Golgotha,” meaning “The place of the skull.” Our pace was slowed by the fact that Jesus could barely walk, much less carry a cross. They finally pulled some guy out of the crowd and made him help Jesus.

Even when we got there, and the three of us were hanging on our crosses, the crowd continued to persecute Jesus. The other guy hanging on the cross on Jesus’ left was getting in on it, too. I couldn’t take it anymore! I yelled at him and said, “Hey, that is the Son of Almighty God you are disrespecting! We are criminals and deserve death, but this man has done nothing wrong! Leave him alone!”  Then I turned to Jesus and asked him to remember me when he came into his kingdom.”  My heart broke when, with all that was left in Him, he turned to me, and with the most loving look, he said, “I tell you the truth. You will be with me in Paradise this very day!”

I spent my whole life wondering around, drifting from here to there and doing nothing good. I never helped anyone! Life was always about me and what I could get for me!

Ironically, at the end of my life, after witnessing the greatest “giver” ever, I was ready to do something for someone else. I guess that was my motivation for standing up for Jesus. I’m glad I did.

(The actual account can be found in the Bible. Luke 23:39-43)

If you have never had your own encounter with Jesus Christ, know that you can. He is waiting for you to accept his offer of forgiveness for your sins. With that begins a relationship that brings hope, encouragement, comfort, and guidance with the added bonus of eternal life. Along the way, you can ask for help with anything. Problems in life, relationships, and healing. Having a relationship with Jesus is the best thing you will ever do with your life. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are real. So are heaven and hell. There are no other alternatives. Encounter Jesus and change your life.

Copyright © 2025 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

John 11:35

/ Mark Brady / Leave a comment
“And Jesus Wept” statue in Oklahoma City.

As a child growing up in church, there were often scripture memory challenges. The first scripture most kids learned was “John 11:35.” “Jesus wept.” Let’s face it, it was easy. I struggle today to remember the reference to where a scripture is, but at least I know what is in the Bible and what is not. I think knowing that for myself is more important than the location. Besides, I can type the portion of scripture I recall, and my computer will find the reference for me.

But back to this verse. If you recall, Jesus’ friend Lazarus was sick, and the family sent word to Jesus to come and heal him. Instead, Jesus continued to teach and do miracles while he ministered to others.

When he arrived at Lazarus’ home, they told him he was too late. That Lazarus had already died. There was much sorrow, and the family was stricken with grief. When Jesus saw how great their sorrow was, he wept. He didn’t weep because his good friend Lazarus had died because he knew what he was about to do, but instead, he was overcome with their pain and sorrow. I believe that is why he wept.

Jesus cares for us when we are sad and grief-stricken today, too. He wants us to lean on him to get through those times. At least long enough until the sting of death starts wearing off.

I once wrote about Lazarus from his point of view. My editor asked me with a snarky tone, “How do you know Lazarus wanted to come back to life?” Her question stumped me for almost a week. Then I received the answer from on high (God). I told her, “It didn’t matter if Lazarus wanted to come back to life or not. He just wanted to be obedient to the Lord Jesus!” So when Jesus called out, “Lazarus, come forth,” he obeyed.

Funny thought: If Jesus had only said, “Come forth,” I think all of the dead in that area would have come back to life. I’m not sure, but I could see it happening.

Jesus waited four days before traveling to Lazarus’ home. He wanted everyone to know that he had power over death, too. And he didn’t want anyone to say something like, “Well, Lazarus wasn’t really dead.” The fact of the matter is, he was so dead, he stunk!

Takeaways: Know for yourself what is in the Bible. You do that by reading it. Know that Jesus has power over death. That is how he can promise us eternal life if we accept him into our lives. And know that Jesus hurts when we hurt. He truly cares about us and what is important to us.

If you want to read the whole story for yourself, turn to John 11:1-44.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Some Famous Atheist (or at least used to be)

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Image by Alexa from Pixabay

Founder of the Church of Satan, the famous Satanist, Anton Szandor LaVey’s last deathbed words were, “Oh my, oh my, what have I done! There’s something very wrong, there’s something very wrong, there’s something very wrong!”

Voltaire (1694–1778), an atheist, said, “I am abandoned by God and man! I shall go to hell! O Jesus Christ!”

David Hume (1711–1776), an atheist, said while dying in utter despair, “I am in the flames!”

Sir Thomas Scott (1808–1878), an atheist, said, “Until this moment I thought there was neither a God nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there is both, and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty.”

The above, moments before their demise, saw a glimpse of what turned out to be real after all. All their lives, sadly, they had accepted the lies of the devil.

For the last several posts, I have keyed in on God’s judgment, eternity, heaven, and hell. I have felt an intense urgency to drive the point home that your time on Earth is extremely short, and then you will stand before God. You can believe now and start experiencing real life, or you can deny Him and continue to live as a dead man walking! Hear the words of some who found out too late! Learn from them.

Luke 16:19-31 (MSG)
19-21 “There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores.

22-24 “Then he died, this poor man, and was taken up by the angels to the lap of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell and in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the distance and Lazarus in his lap. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, mercy! Have mercy! Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool my tongue. I’m in agony in this fire.’

25-26 “But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you got the good things and Lazarus the bad things. It’s not like that here. Here he’s consoled and you’re tormented. Besides, in all these matters there is a huge chasm set between us so that no one can go from us to you even if he wanted to, nor can anyone cross over from you to us.’

27-28 “The rich man said, ‘Then let me ask you, Father: Send him to the house of my father where I have five brothers, so he can tell them the score and warn them so they won’t end up here in this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham answered, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets to tell them the score. Let them listen to them.’

30 “‘I know, Father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but they’re not listening. If someone came back to them from the dead, they would change their ways.’

31 “Abraham replied, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.’”

I share these words of truth with you because I don’t want to see anyone perish, and neither does God. He loves you and cares about you more than you’ll ever know! Eternity is too long to be wrong!!! Be informed. Please don’t wait until it’s too late. God is real.

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Even Graveyards Grow Flowers!

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Image by Frank Meitzke from Pixabay

My father loved to tell jokes. He was almost like a standup comedian who didn’t go on tour. But whenever someone came over to visit, he was on. He had his material down pat. There was one joke that I thought was so corny, and I hated it so much that I swore it would die with him! And don’t ask me to tell you which one. I won’t!

One joke in his repertoire was, “Why do they put fences around graveyards? Because people are just dying to get in.” Graveyards are not places we typically think of going to unless we want to rest in peace. They generally are quiet places unless the undertaker has a crew there mowing or digging a fresh hole.

Perhaps people don’t like visiting graveyards because they find them depressing. That may be due to the fact it reminds them of death and raises the question, “Is there life after death?” Personally, I don’t mind cemeteries. The reason is because “death” or the thought of dying doesn’t bother me. I am ready to stand before God and give an account of how I have lived my life. I shared that with a boss one time, and he almost literally fell out of his chair! I guess he didn’t have the same peace of mind as I do.

The only way I can be so confident about dying is I know how I am living. I have accepted Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior. I live without condemnation of my sins because Jesus paid the price for them when He died for me (and you) on the cross. He was perfect and without sin; therefore, He was an acceptable sacrifice to God. I do my best to live for God, according to His word, the Bible. I also do my best to follow His commandments and principles. Life is not perfect, but it isn’t bad six feet above.

If life isn’t working out for you on your terms, try God’s. Gain the peace of mind of knowing there is life after death, eternal life, and that you will live in peace with God. Then, go visit a graveyard, smell the roses, and perhaps pick a flower or two to take home.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom. 8:1 (ESV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:1 (ESV)

Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 1 Thes. 4:17 (AMPC)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.

Speak to Your Storm

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Image by Nature Nomad from Pixabay

April 27, 2024:  I live in “Tornado Alley.” The nickname is given to this part of America due to the fact that, historically, there are more tornados here than in any other part. If you have ever seen footage of the aftermath, then you know they can leave quite a trail of devastation, hurt, pain, and lost lives.

You know your life, home, car, and other belongings are at risk of being lost whenever you hear the tornado sirens go off. I have never actually seen one, but I have seen the atmosphere right before one strikes. There is this scary, aqua-green color in the skies. The clouds rotate above your head, and then there is a quietness right before the beast comes to life and roars. Most people have an intense fear of tornados. I respect them and take the proper safety measures.

On the night of April 27, Oklahoma had 24 tornados. One, an EF3 (winds between 158 – 206 mph), was headed for where I live. It had been on the ground for several minutes and got within 35 miles. When I saw this tornado’s forecasted track via a local weather station, I started praying, and then I spoke to the storm! I commanded it to stop and go away in the name of Jesus! After all, from reading the Bible, I learned that Jesus could control the weather, and he said that we, too, can do these things and more. So why not exercise my faith and take dominion over the earth?

The next thing I heard the weatherman announce was the storm front was moving in on that one tornado. When it did, it stole its energy, and the tornado dissipated. Thank you, God!

We have that kind of power in the name of Jesus. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one putting into practice a principle that we have been given. Also, that was not my first time doing that. I have seen it work several times since moving back to this area.

I would then challenge, if we can speak to a physical storm, then why not speak to other kinds of storms that blow up in our lives? Cancer? A rocky marriage? Unemployment? Why not? Satan wants to use anything he can to destroy or devour us. He wants us never to have or to lose faith in God. If he can achieve this, he wins. Another fact is April, and I faithfully tithe. One of the promises from God Himself is that He will stop the devourer on our behalf. The Bible is true and should be read and believed. There may be parts you have trouble with or don’t understand, but there is no reason to throw away the whole book. You can seek wisdom and understanding from trusted teachers of the word of God.

Below are the scriptures I stand on because they are true:

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mar. 4:39 (NIV)

12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14 (NIV)

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
Mal. 3:10-11 (KJV)

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen. 1:26 (ASV)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

It is Finished

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Endings can evoke a variety of emotions. For example, when you finish a good book, a good movie, maybe a bad movie, or when someone’s life ends. Sometimes, April will ask after we finish a movie, “Now what?” It’s a good question.

When Jesus died on the cross, his last words as a man were, “It is finished!” His thirty-three-year mission to boldly go where no God had gone before was over. “Now what?”

The very moment he died, here comes my favorite part: the curtain that hung in the temple was ripped from top to bottom. Now, there was no more separation between God and man. It meant that if we accept Jesus and ask him to forgive us of our sins, we now have access to God Himself. We can actually enter the throne room of heaven and have an audience with the Creator of the universe!

When man dies on Earth, it’s over. The end. It is finished. “Then what?” The very next thing he will see is God as he stands before him. God will look in the “Lamb’s Book of Life” to see if his name is written in it. If not, God will have no choice but to send him to hell. By the way, in the beginning, every name was written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” The only person that can remove your name – is you!

God wants people to love him freely of their free will. So, He gave man the right to choose to live for Him or to live for Satan. That’s it. There are no other sides to life. You will not be reincarnated. You won’t simply die and wind up in nothingness. You will live for eternity, either in heaven or hell. Choose life in heaven. Accept Jesus. Have your sins forgiven. The reason you must have your sins paid for by Jesus is because God is Holy and cannot be in the presence of sin. The End!

At that moment, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, top to bottom. There was an earthquake, and rocks were split in pieces. Mat. 27:51 (MSG)

Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City (heaven), and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will get in.
Rev. 21:27 (MSG)  In parentheses mine.

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Heb. 9:27 (NIV)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

When Will They Pay?

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Image by Max from Pixabay

I don’t recall ever getting out of a ticket! Speeding tickets, other kinds of moving violation tickets, nothing! I did manage to get one reduced though. It seems like any time I am out and driving on the road, I witness other drivers being reckless, excessively speeding, and, in general, putting others in danger! Okay, putting me in danger. I know, if I ever drove like them, I would definitely get caught. I don’t seem to get by with anything!

When I see this, I often fantasize about being a cop and pulling them over. I want to be the witness, the jury, and the judge. If that happened, they would pay big time! Honestly, I wonder if the fine would be steep enough to change their behavior.

This makes me think about others who do not violate the laws of man but live in disobedience to God’s commands. If they continue to live their life in such a way and never accept Jesus Christ, who forgives us our sins, they will certainly pay. Unfortunately, the fine will be steep – their life. Will knowing this change their behavior?

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom. 3:23 (NIV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom. 6:23 (NIV)

27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Heb. 9:27-28 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 (NIV)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

Game of Chess

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The game of chess came about in 1475. Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces, with the objective to checkmate the opponent’s king.

If you have never played, know that the different pieces can only move in specific ways and a number of spaces at a time. There is a hierarchy of pieces from the pawns to the king. There is only one King who becomes the final victor.

The battle between two sides has always been a key part of a good story. Good vs. evil. Light vs. darkness. And, of course, The Rebel Alliance vs. The Evil Empire. I have often thought of God vs. Satan as a chess game, and humans are the pieces that do battle for either side.

Satan wanted to be a god unto himself, but there can only be one at the top. When he and one-third of the angels rose up against God, He had no choice but to banish them from heaven forever. Ever since that time, Satan has been waring against God to get revenge, take over, and destroy His kingdom.

Chess is only a game, but life isn’t! When life ends, there is only heaven or hell. One may say they don’t believe in God. Heaven isn’t real. They may refuse of their own will not to accept God’s gift of salvation to be saved from hell. They may say, “I don’t believe in hell,” but hell believes in them. Satan is not playing a game. Out of hate, he is trying to win. He doesn’t care about humans. He will use them to get back at God and then destroy them. His biggest lie is that there is no God and that there is no punishment for not accepting Him.

I am definitely on God’s side. I am not the King, and I am certainly NOT the queen (LOL), but I have thought of myself as a mere pawn. My moves are limited; therefore, I need to follow the instructions of the King. Who is the King? That is Jesus Christ. The King of Kings. I hope you will choose to be on God’s side. Willing to be led by Him and live according to His ways, which are pure, right, and out of love. For when God says, “Checkmate,” it will all be over once and for all.

7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they [a]did not prevail, nor was a place found for [b]them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Rev. 12:7-9 (NKJV)

14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Rev. 17:14 (NKJV)

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev. 20:7-10 (NKJV)

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

Mayday

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Image by Alan Dobson from Pixabay

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t always sleep when I should. I suffer from “OMS” (Old Man Syndrome). Sometimes, when this is the case, I will turn on the TV. One of the shows I like to watch in the middle of the night is called “Mayday.” They go over actual airplane crashes and report “70% of all air crashes are due to human error.” At one time, I wanted to be a pilot.

While watching last night, I thought about people who have never accepted salvation. God’s free gift was through His Son, Jesus, when He died on the cross. They think because they aren’t hurting anyone and are basically a good person, then they should go to heaven. According to Romans 3:23, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You can’t save yourself, and you can never be “good enough!”

There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough;
    look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time,
    but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. Prov. 14:12,13 (MSG)

When they stand before God, they will realize they had a chance to have forgiveness, but they didn’t ask for it. Human error! It is then you may hear them cry out, “Mayday! Mayday!” for they will know they are going down. Crash and burn in hell!

I saw a photo on Facebook the other day. The couple was drinking wine, going to concerts, and, in general, living it up. No one usually posts the hard and ugly side of life. That might be called “Uglyfacebook.” There is life, and then there is eternal life. What we do now in life prepares us for the eternal. Ask Jesus into your heart. Ask him for forgiveness and receive it no matter what you have done in the past. Then move over and let God pilot your life. There may be turbulence, but you will reach your final destination, alive!

Copyright © 2024 Mark Brady  All Rights Reserved

DNR

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When I was in the hospital recently, as I was getting evaluated, they kept asking me if something happened, would I want to be resuscitated. I found this odd because if I didn’t want to live, then why would I have sought medical attention? (NOTE: I’m okay and will continue to write award-winning blog posts! LOL) If I had answered them “No,” then I would have been labeled as “DNR.” (Do not resuscitate)

My father chose “DNR” when he was asked. He said he didn’t want to go through dialysis just to extend his life another year or so. He was 83. He said he had lived a good life and was ready to stand before God, so he decided to leave his fate in God’s hands. He told me once he had asked God to let him die in his sleep. He did seventeen days later.

I have met people who need to be resuscitated. Even some who claim to have accepted Jesus before. They know right from wrong and good from evil. Yet the way they live their life or the words they speak to others demonstrates a lack of God’s love. Therefore, they need “CPR” (Christ Power Resurrecting).

3 I know you are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary.
4 But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Rev. 2:3-4 (AMPC)

Many of them do not see anything wrong with how they do life. They are also never wrong in their minds. It’s as if they are wearing a hospital bracelet that is labeled: DNR. If you know such a person, then pray for them. Pray that the spiritual eyes of their heart will be open. Pray they will fall in love with Jesus again and renew living out of an attitude of love.

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