Jesus

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

/ Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I learned yesterday one of my high school classmates was stabbed and killed. One can’t help but think about their own mortality when news like this comes our way. I thought about mine while I prayed for the family and friends as they begin the grieving process.

We know from the word of God that it is appointed to each man once to die and then the judgment. That makes the act of dying a serious issue. We also know from His word that each of us is presented with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is then our free will to choose whether to accept Jesus and what He did on the cross, forgiving us of our sins. Therefore giving us the right to live forever in heaven after we die.

When we stand before God to judge how we lived our lives, Jesus will remind his Father that we accepted his gift of salvation and that our sins are forgiven. Some believe that once you accept Jesus, your eternity is fixed and you can live however you want to. But one should live God’s way. I feel we need to constantly ask God for forgiveness of our sins. Hence the wash, rinse, and repeat. Washed in the blood of Jesus. Rinse off the dirt of our lives and do it all again as needed. It’s not a religion but a relationship with the one and only God of the universe.

For me, that is daily. Every night, before going to sleep, I ask God to forgive me for my sins. I know I am not perfect, and I have no deception that I am. I do not blame wrongdoing on others. I take responsibility for what I do wrong. I do this because I do not want to die, be found guilty of unforgiven wrong, and be condemned to die for eternity in hell.

Hell is a horrible place! Time and gravity keep man grounded. In hell, neither will exist. It will be pitch black, so one will not see anyone else. Sorry, there will be no party in hell. And then there is the constant torment of being burned alive. This will all go on for eternity. With that truth, why would anyone willfully decide to reject God and his Son, Jesus?

You might be a “good” person, but everyone has sinned and has fallen short of the glory of God. God is so Holy that He can not be in the presence of sin. This is why there will be such a defined separation in the end. Heaven or hell? You decide.

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)

19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Rom. 1:19-20 (NIV)

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

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

A.I. Can Lie!

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photo by: GDJ via Pixabay

When computers first came into being, they only knew the truth! Decisions could only be true or false, on or off, one or zero. These were absolutes. I liked this because it is similar to how my brain works. So, I got along with computers and found programming them fun and somewhat easy. You just had to learn to speak their language.

On most issues, in my mind, there is no grey. Either it is true or false. Right or wrong. Of course, I use the word of God, the Bible, as my guide. If I don’t know right away what the correct answer is, I seek God for his wisdom.

The ultimate goal of developers is to make Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) “self-aware.” When that happens, a computer will analyze the situation and determine if telling us a “lie” is better for us than the truth. Worse yet, what if the computer starts believing lies, accepting them as truth? The computers will become as lost as man has become.

In the beginning, computers were told, programmed what was right and wrong. God told humankind what was right and wrong. Then, the devil lied to humankind, and they believed him; as a result, death entered the world. Will the same happen when the computers learn to lie? Unless people have a higher standard of truth to make decisions by, they will fall. They will be beside themselves, not knowing what to believe because they don’t know, Truth! Know, Jesus!

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” John 8:32 (MSG)

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NIV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

He’s Got the Whole World

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We used to sing the song in Sunday School. “He’s got the whole world in his hands.” As I continue to read from the book of Psalms, it is clear that the Psalmists knew God was in control of the world despite what they saw. It’s a comforting thought if you believe it.

When you intently believe something, you should live your life accordingly. Yes, watching the evening news can be upsetting. The media thrives, and gets ratings by feeding on your fears! They predict doom and gloom is coming. But the truth is, Jesus is coming! He is coming to rapture, take those who call him “Lord of their lives” home. Then, the world will get what it thinks it wants.

Psalm 104 from The Message

1-14 O my soul, bless God!

God, my God, how great you are!
    beautifully, gloriously robed,
Dressed up in sunshine,
    and all heaven stretched out for your tent.
You built your palace on the ocean deeps,
    made a chariot out of clouds and took off on wind-wings.
You commandeered winds as messengers,
    appointed fire and flame as ambassadors.
You set earth on a firm foundation
    so that nothing can shake it, ever.
You blanketed earth with ocean,
    covered the mountains with deep waters;
Then you roared and the water ran away—
    your thunder crash put it to flight.
Mountains pushed up, valleys spread out
    in the places you assigned them.
You set boundaries between earth and sea;
    never again will earth be flooded.
You started the springs and rivers,
    sent them flowing among the hills.
All the wild animals now drink their fill,
    wild donkeys quench their thirst.
Along the riverbanks the birds build nests,
    ravens make their voices heard.
You water the mountains from your heavenly reservoirs;
    earth is supplied with plenty of water.
You make grass grow for the livestock,
    hay for the animals that plow the ground.

14-23 Oh yes, God brings grain from the land,
    wine to make people happy,
Their faces glowing with health,
    a people well-fed and hearty.
God’s trees are well-watered—
    the Lebanon cedars he planted.
Birds build their nests in those trees;
    look—the stork at home in the treetop.
Mountain goats climb about the cliffs;
    badgers burrow among the rocks.
The moon keeps track of the seasons,
    the sun is in charge of each day.
When it’s dark and night takes over,
    all the forest creatures come out.
The young lions roar for their prey,
    clamoring to God for their supper.
When the sun comes up, they vanish,
    lazily stretched out in their dens.
Meanwhile, men and women go out to work,
    busy at their jobs until evening.

24 What a wildly wonderful world, God!
    You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
    made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

The Walking Dead

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Watching shows or movies about zombies takes me back to watching horror flicks with my father. Late Saturday nights, we would stay up and laugh at the creative ridiculousness of such things as giant spiders or rabbits that killed people.

Recently, while watching a zombie show, I realized that even though zombies do not exist in real life, in real life, we have people all around us that are the walking dead. You see, the truth is that those who have not accepted God’s love and his free gift of his son, Jesus, are dead in their sins.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, Eph. 2:1 (NIV)

It’s eerie how like zombies, the walking dead who live in sin seem to want to bite and infect the healthy. The “healthy” are those who are alive in Christ Jesus. Those who have had their sins forgiven by accepting Jesus as their savior.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Eph. 2:4-5 (NIV)

As we get closer to the end of the world, the devil is working overtime to keep people from knowing the truth. One way is to get them wrapped up in the world’s issues so they focus on that instead of recognizing God’s love and relentless pursuit to bring them into the family of God. Another way is to keep their personal life in chaos.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Eph. 2: 8-9 (NIV)

No one can save themselves from eternal destruction in hell. No one can be “good” enough. You still come up short, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) The ONLY way is to accept Jesus and to ask for forgiveness of your sins. Then, when you die, you will walk the streets of heaven alive.

Accept Jesus into your life before it is too late. Walk with and among the living. Life is better when you are truly alive.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Finding Home

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We were recently gifted a Roomba. I’ll confess I have sat on the sofa with my feet up, watching it vacuum our floors. The device we now call “Berta” supposedly comes with Artificial Intelligence (AI). If I understand what I have heard, the appliance learns the layout of each room of your house. A few days ago, we rearranged the furniture, so I guess it had to start all over again.

The one thing it does know is this; where “home” is. Home is where it docks to rest and reenergize its batteries.

As I am out and about in this world, driving April to work, buying groceries, running errands, or whatever, I see many people that don’t seem to have any intelligence. Artificial or otherwise! I can tell by how they treat ya, drive, or lack of, and conduct their business. I have also noticed there seems to be an underlying issue of anger.

I feel sorry for them because they appear to be so lost. I have been saying the following phrase lately when encountering them: “I’m sorry. I forgot it is your world, and I just get to live in it.” But the truth is, it is God’s world, and He made them to live in it, hoping they will do it with Him and His help and love.

The individuals I encounter, and I do pray for them, need to find “home.” Like Berta does, even when life has been rearranged. They need to know where to dock to empty the dirt (sins) from their life they collected, rest, and power up.

That’s where we come in. As ones who have found our “home” in Jesus Christ, we can lead them and help them find their way. We can point them to the amazing power of the cross and the liberty that comes with it when accepted. Keep in mind; someone most likely showed you the Way.

If you are feeling lost, you can find your way home. You can pray the following prayer:

“Father in Heaven, I confess to you that I have sinned against you. Thank you for sending your Son to die in my place. Thank you for raising Him from the dead so I could have eternal life. I give you my life now and ask you to come and live in me and make me your child. I love you and want to live for you from now on. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Welcome home. Find a Bible-believing church and go there to find others like you who have taken the same step. Read God’s word (The Bible) for yourself. Learn what it says. Start in the New Testament in the Book of John. Then get to know God by spending time with Him and talking to Him as you would a friend.

If you want to know more, read the following from: “What is the Romans Road to Salvation?” GotQuestions.org. https://www. .gotquestions.org/Romans-road-salvation.html

The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives.

The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23b, teaches us about the consequences of sin: “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up in the middle of Romans 6:23: “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus’ death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus’ resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ death as the payment for our sins.

The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins – and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, “for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Because of Jesus’ death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Where is He Pointing?

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Photo by: Victoria_Regen via Pixabay

“Hey, look at Quick Trip and tell me what the current gas price is,” I said to April while pointing over my left shoulder. I was driving, and a semi passed us, which prevented me from being able to see the sign. The local gas prices have been fluctuating lately.

April looked frantically to her right for QT and the gas sign. I yelled at her to look at me. I was still trying to help her by pointing out the direction to look. By the time she looked to see where I was pointing, it was too late. At sixty-five miles per hour and at 4:40 AM, she couldn’t see it either.

I had taken April to work. They start at 5:00 AM. On the way home, I could see the sign, and gas was at $3.28 per gallon. (Note: this afternoon, the gas price had risen to $3.49.) The experience made me realize that we who do our best to walk with God often don’t look at Him to see where He is pointing us to. He will speak direction into our hearts, and we take off. I have often said, “I would rather be a mile behind God than one inch in front of him!”

The principle here is; keep your eyes on Jesus.

Do you need healing? Look at Jesus, the great physician.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
Isa. 53:5 (AMPC)

Do you need a job? Look at God, who knows what you need and cares about you.

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Mat. 6:8 (NIV)

Are you feeling lonely? Look at Jesus, who sticks closer than a brother.

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,
    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Prov. 18:24 (NIV)

Do you need comfort? Lean into God through the Holy Spirit, the great comforter.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26 (KJV)

No matter what you are facing in life, keep your focus on God.

I have mentioned God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity. Each one is separate but yet one. I know it is difficult for us to understand this, but think about an egg. You have the yoke, the white, and the shell, but yet, you only have one egg. Each member of the Trinity has a job to do, and they all work together.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Decide Now

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Photo by: janeb13 (via Pixabay)

You have all the information you need to make an informed decision!

I will confess that I have recently been binge-watching a TV show. It depicts the lives and interactions of lawyers. I have noticed they all seem to have the same central issue. That is: “Trust.” It comes up in every episode, I think. They ask themselves or someone else, “Do I trust them?” or “Can they be trusted?” I once heard the saying, “One who doesn’t trust can’t be trusted.”

Trust is hard yet easily broken! A single lie or deception can destroy someone else’s trust. And once it is gone, it can be almost impossible to rebuild. Ask anyone who has experienced the hurt and pain of realizing they can no longer trust someone. The more they think of that person as a long-time friend, workmate, or spouse, the more it intensifies the agony.

This is why it is critical to know that God can be trusted. His word, the Bible, is true. The devil, on the other hand, is a liar. God says that he is the father of lies.

“If God were your father,” said Jesus, “you would love me, for I came from God and arrived here. I didn’t come on my own. He sent me. Why can’t you understand one word I say? Here’s why: You can’t handle it. You’re from your father, the Devil, and all you want to do is please him. He was a killer from the very start. He couldn’t stand the truth because there wasn’t a shred of truth in him. When the Liar speaks, he makes it up out of his lying nature and fills the world with lies. I arrive on the scene, tell you the plain truth, and you refuse to have a thing to do with me. Can any one of you convict me of a single misleading word, a single sinful act? But if I’m telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Anyone on God’s side listens to God’s words. This is why you’re not listening—because you’re not on God’s side.” John 8:44-47 (MSG)

The devil lies to you and deceives you to keep you far from God and, therefore, not accept His free gift of salvation. If you have never read the Bible, you should! Within the pages is all the information you need. You will read the truth. You can trust it! There may be parts you don’t understand (I still have some issues with parts of it), but you can count on one day having the knowledge you seek. What’s important, though, is the parts about God’s love for you and that He gave you His only Son to die for you.

“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)

Knowing this should make you feel confident in deciding the most important issue in your life. And that is this: is God real, and do I trust Him and his Son, Jesus, enough to ask for forgiveness of my sins and to invite Jesus into my life? The answer is, “Yes!” God can be trusted!

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Here’s Your Sign

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There is a practice one can have that makes life easier. And that is this:

Always Get Ready For Your Next Event

It is something that I preach to April constantly but, more importantly, demonstrate by living out. No matter how tired I am, each day or night, I look at my calendar or think about the next few days and ask myself, “Am I ready to go there, see them, or get that done?” If the answer is “No, “I do what I can to prepare.

This practice has helped me in so many ways because, let’s face it, life gets busy, goes by so fast, it seems, and things happen. Sometimes, I will think of something that needs to be done, and I do it instead of putting it off. Now I will confess, I’m lazy! But I have learned that being ready outweighs running around last minute in a panic. I would go so far and claim that this practice delivers peace.

Recently, I allowed April to practice being ready. She didn’t, and after receiving a service, she didn’t have the funds prepared to pay. The individual doesn’t take plastic money, so cash or a check is required. After making a point of her actions, I opened my wallet and pulled out a check. I paid for her.

So yesterday, as I was running errands, I saw the AT&T sign pictured here. I laughed and thought I should get one of these signs for April! But it was my next thought that brought seriousness back to my mind. Everyone needs this sign. Life keeps people so preoccupied, and the devil keeps things so stirred up that few ask the most important question of their life: “Am I ready to stand before God and give an account of how I have lived my life?”

One never knows when this life will end. So preparing now for where we will spend eternity is of the utmost importance! If you want to die and spend all the rest of your time in hell, then do nothing. But if you want to spend that time in heaven with God and your loved ones and have no more pain or suffering, then you must recognize that Jesus is God’s Son today. Then ask him to forgive you of your sins and to live in your heart. Jesus is faithful to forgive us no matter how terrible the things that we have done.

If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—simply come clean about them—he won’t let us down; he’ll be true to himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we’ve never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God. 1 John 1:9-10 (MSG)

As I paid for April’s mistake, Jesus’ death on the cross has paid for ours. If you do this, you are then ready. But then get to know this loving God and his Son. Talk to them (prayer) like you are having a normal conversation with a friend. Also, read God’s instruction manual for life, the Bible.

So if you see this sign, you can answer, “Yes!” And you will be ready for your next event.

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Go Do It

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This past Sunday, my local church started a new series. The series happens every year. It’s one of our favorite times of the year. It’s called “At the MOVIES.” Our senior pastor teaches biblical applications via a movie. He will show segments from the movie and then talk about them, much like Jesus told parables to illustrate the principles of living a life for God. The church lobby is also transformed and looks like a movie set. There’s even popcorn! It’s an easy time to invite others to join us at church who may not usually go.

This week’s movie was “Top Gun: Maverick.” Normally I’m not too fond of sequels, but I loved this one. It was amazing how Pastor Craig Groeschel inspired, taught, and encouraged us to teach others. He explained how time was our greatest adversary. Jesus is coming back soon for his church, and the end of life on earth will begin.

I started sensing the Holy Spirit nudging me. God wants me to keep doing what I’m doing. I was beginning to think about quitting. Stop writing. Stop blogging because I’m tired. Then, a scripture that has kept me going came upon the screen. It is called “The Great Commission.”

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mat. 28:19-20 (KJV)

I was first challenged by this verse when I was a kid. I took it to heart. I wanted to do everything I could to fulfill it. I know I have to keep going. I had recently started praying that this blog would be read in Islamic countries. That is beginning to happen. This blog has now been read in 128 countries around the world. Why do I mention this? Because there are 195 countries. (Depending on the list you choose to use.) I can’t stop because there are 67 countries to go. I will keep writing, and keep praying for God’s help.

Is God calling you? Has the Holy Spirit been nudging you to get involved and do what you can to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Or share your testimony with others? How God saved you from a life of destruction? Don’t feel like you are inadequate. God will help you, empower you, and even give you the right words. You can do it. Time is short, and many people still need to hear about the love of God and how He gave his Son to die on the cross so that they may live.

You can watch it online this week at You’re Welcome Here | Life.Church

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady.

Change

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“Hey, Mark Brady,” a man called out. I studied his face intently. “I’m sorry. Do I know you?” He told me his name, and I still did not recognize him, but yes, I did know him. I had not seen him since we graduated high school together many, many, many years ago. Okay, add another “many” and a half!

To be honest, I did not like him at all in school. He was wild, loud, and mean! Some might even say he was a bully, at least to me. I avoided him. But now, he seemed much different. Transformed. I had heard over the years that he had accepted Jesus Christ into his life and changed how he lived. I could see it.

Reminds me of the change Saul (from the Bible) went through. He was a highly educated man who couldn’t understand why people would follow Jesus and even die for believing in Him as the Son of God like Steven did. (Steven was the first recorded martyr. Acts 7:55-60) Then, on the road to Damascus, Saul had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Saul believed and instantly changed, and Jesus even changed his name to Paul.

Paul went from persecuting Christians to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It took many a while to believe the change in him was authentic, and they probably doubted it would last, but it did. Paul became one of God’s greatest servants and wrote two-thirds of the New Testament.

Accepting Jesus into your life should generate a change in you. If it doesn’t, then you are not genuinely becoming “Christ-like,” which is what being a “Christian” means. People can, and do change so don’t ever give up on them. Keep praying for them and who knows they may become like Christ someday.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17 (NKJV)

Copyright © 2023 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.