Some Famous Atheist (or at least used to be)

September 13, 2024August 13, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

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.

Happy Birthday!

September 3, 2024August 10, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Whenever your birthday rolls around, and it seems like they appear every year, do you reflect upon your life? I tend to. I think about what I have achieved, my regrets, and where I want to go in the future. I thank God for what I have achieved, and I appreciate his grace and forgiveness, which covers my regrets. Then I pray for my future.

The one thing I don’t regret about my life is trying my best to maintain a good relationship with God. Relying on him for strength, comfort, wisdom, understanding, and guidance. I sometimes trip up and struggle to keep an appropriate attitude toward God. This means that, at times, I get angry about how life is going at the moment and even have the audacity to blame him. Knowing full well He gives us freedom to make our own choices, and if those decisions don’t work out, then it’s my fault.

Birthdays are great for reflecting and celebrating. They’re also good for making course directions in your life. You’re never too old to start over, start new, or get back on track in your walk with God.

So be very careful to act exactly as God commands you. Don’t veer off to the right or the left. Walk straight down the road God commands so that you’ll have a good life and live a long time in the land that you’re about to possess. Deu. 5:32-33 (MSG)

But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. Mic. 6:8 (MSG)

Birthdays should make you mindful of God’s grace and goodness. He has allowed you to survive another trip around the Sun. It could be to show his blessings upon your life., or it could be to give you another opportunity to accept His Son, Jesus, into your life so that your sins are forgiven and you spend eternity with him in heaven. Don’t think you will live forever because you won’t! Don’t put off another day without accepting God’s free gift, no strings attached, salvation. Your life came with an expiration date. “Best if used by: ??/??/????.

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.” James 1:13-15 (MSG)

This Old House

August 27, 2024August 3, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

While April and I were working on remodeling another portion of our house yesterday, I was reminded of how God remakes us. Today, I am tired and sore! Making something new again takes commitment to finish the task and a lot of hard work. But in the end, the result is worth it. With God, though, it’s not about how the outside looks but how the inside is.

Like a house, God starts with our foundation. We must be built on solid ground.

^24-25“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

^26-27“But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” Mat. 7:24-27 (MSG)

Then He addresses the condition of the walls, the doors, and the windows of our soul. He straightens walls, fortifies doors, and replaces broken or worn-out windows. Why? Because He wants us to walk straight, upright. The door, because He is concerned about what or who, we are allowing in our lives and the influence they may have upon us. The windows, because He is aware of what we see and how much it affects us. Our eyes are the channel that makes an impression of what we think.

^22-23“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! Mat. 6:22-23 (MSG)

And let’s not forget the roof. God wants to be our covering. Providing safe shelter in the stormy times of our lives. A place where we can rest and sleep instead of being up all night worrying. A place where there is an atmosphere of the Fruit of the Spirit of God. Love, joy, peace, etc.

Our house is getting closer to being completed. But there is one room that still has the old color of paint. I called it beige, but April corrected me and said it was camel or tope. That room is the garage, and it still has a popcorn ceiling. It’s ugly! I will address it, too, someday. Some people will always leave a portion of their old life intact. As if they are afraid to totally let go of the “old man” or the way they used to be. Perhaps they like to look back, like Lot’s wife. I can recall fine where I came from and what I used to be like before God started His remodeling project of my life.

I hope you will be willing to allow God to remodel you. The good part is the project won’t cost you a thing. It is already paid for by His Son, Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross, it not only provided you the forgiveness of your sins but also a relationship with the Master Contractor, God. And Jesus knows a thing or two about being a carpenter.

The Practice of the Holy

August 23, 2024July 20, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

The title of this blog post came to me, and I’m not sure why or where it came from. I thought it was the title of a book. After searching, I realized it wasn’t. So, what does it mean to practice the Holy?

Practice means: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient to train by repeated exercises.

Do you ever get a sense God is calling you to a life of holiness? This means that in everything you do and say, there is no darkness. If so, it’s because this world needs pure light. Pure truth. Nothing dimmed or tainted by our filters or perceptions but unadulterated Truth from God, his Son, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and his word, the Bible. Practicing the Holy is an everyday exercise to the best of our ability so that we may become proficient at it.

People around the world are getting mixed messages—diluted truth. They need so much to see the absolute Truth! For example, when people encountered Jesus, they knew they had met an honest, pure, and loving man. They didn’t lie, make excuses, or work hard to redirect the attention off of them. They didn’t blame others, either. At that moment, they knew with all conviction that they needed Jesus in their lives. May it be the same when people encounter us.

“Being holy refers to something or someone set apart or consecrated for a specific purpose. In a religious context, striving for holiness means having a relationship with God defined by obedience to His will and being shaped to have His character. It makes the believer set apart from the evils of the world and useful for His kingdom.”
Christiananity.com

Holiness is not visible on the outside but an attitude of the heart. It’s not a uniform! It also is not a set of rules. What does not eating something on a particular day of the week have to do with God? Yes, in the Old Testament, God gave the Jewish people instructions not to eat certain animals, but I am convinced that was to keep them safe. Today, we know how to process animals so we do not get sick or die from eating them. Having a particular dress style or a list of rules is nothing but “religion,” and it has nothing to do with loving God, having a “relationship” with Him, loving others, or getting into heaven!

So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” 1 Pt. 1:13-16 (MSG)

If You Want to Live Well

August 20, 2024July 15, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Hosea 14 – The Message

Come Back! Return to Your God!

14 ^1-3O Israel, come back! Return to your God!
    You’re down but you’re not out.
Prepare your confession
    and come back to God.
Pray to him, “Take away our sin,
    accept our confession.
Receive as restitution
    our repentant prayers.
Assyria won’t save us;
    horses won’t get us where we want to go.
We’ll never again say ‘our god’
    to something we’ve made or made up.
You’re our last hope. Is it not true
    that in you the orphan finds mercy?”

* * *

^4-8“I will heal their waywardness.
    I will love them lavishly. My anger is played out.
I will make a fresh start with Israel.
    He’ll burst into bloom like a crocus in the spring.
He’ll put down deep oak tree roots,
    he’ll become a forest of oaks!
He’ll become splendid—like a giant sequoia,
    his fragrance like a grove of cedars!
Those who live near him will be blessed by him,
    be blessed and prosper like golden grain.
Everyone will be talking about them,
    spreading their fame as the vintage children of God.
Ephraim is finished with gods that are no-gods.
    From now on I’m the one who answers and satisfies him.
I am like a luxuriant fruit tree.
    Everything you need is to be found in me.”

* * *

⁹If you want to live well,
    make sure you understand all of this.
If you know what’s good for you,
    you’ll learn this inside and out.
God’s paths get you where you want to go.
    Right-living people walk them easily;
    wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

“Just Lucky, I Guess”

August 16, 2024July 15, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” the former president said while addressing the shooting at his Pennsylvania campaign rally on July 13. _{[Source: People]}

I’m writing this post the Monday after the assignation attempt on former President, Donald Trump. A lot of people believe in luck. I don’t, but I do believe in the mighty hand of God. Many times, God will intervene in one’s life journey for his purpose. In President Trump’s case, God is not finished using him for America and or the world!

I met a man a couple of years ago. I don’t recall how the conversation was steered to this, but he begins telling me how he had survived falling off of three roofs, driving off the road and landing his truck up in trees, and not getting electrocuted after hitting an electrical line while digging a hole. He said, “I was just lucky, I guess.”

At first, I was shocked. I said, “Wow! God had his hand on you.” He said he didn’t believe in God. I replied, “Well, God certainly believes in you!” Later, I shared God’s plan of salvation with the man and how much God loved him. I told him, “It wasn’t luck. It was God giving you time and opportunity to accept him because He doesn’t want to see anyone perish.” Sadly, he listened but refused to accept God’s love for him.

It takes more faith to believe in “luck” than it does God!

What have you been through? What have you survived? Do you contribute it to “being lucky?” Are you sure? Isn’t there the slightest chance that God intervened? Is He giving you more time to accept him? Or He has a purpose for your life? I suggest you think about it. Or better yet, talk to God about it.

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Prov. 16:33 (ESV)

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Prov. 16:9 (ESV)

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, EPH. 1:11 (ESV)

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Pt. 3:9 (NIV)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

August 13, 2024July 13, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

If you look at recipes much, you will find the instructions, “salt and pepper to taste.” As you can figure out, it means to add the amount of those spices to please your pallet. To make it happy, to please yourself.

When I saw this phrase the other day, it reminded me of how people prepare their relationship with God. They add just enough “religion” to make them feel safe. Safe from winding up in hell, they hope! Others want to see their god, so they build idols or allow things of this world to become their idol. Life is so much easier when done God’s way. Some try so hard to do things their way and yet get nowhere. No true happiness, no true life!

Hosea 13:1-3 (MSG)
Religion Customized to Taste

13 ^1-3God once let loose against Ephraim
    a terrifying sentence against Israel:
Caught and convicted
    in the lewd sex-worship of Baal—they died!
And now they’re back in the sin business again,
    manufacturing god-images they can use,
Religion customized to taste. Professionals see to it:
    Anything you want in a god you can get.
Can you believe it? They sacrifice live babies to these dead gods—
    kill living babies and kiss golden calves!
And now there’s nothing left to these people:
    hollow men, desiccated women,
Like scraps of paper blown down the street,
    like smoke in a gusty wind.

Hosea 14:9 (MSG)

God’s paths get you where you want to go.
Right-living people walk them easily;
wrong-living people are always tripping and stumbling.

Late

August 2, 2024June 29, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

My father disliked waiting for people. He would invite a friend to go hunting or fishing with him and say, “We will leave at 7 AM.” Then, after waiting and waiting for them to arrive, he would get mad. Some were so late, so often, he quit inviting them to go with him. Perhaps I inherited that attitude from him. The real issue is this: I don’t treat others that way.

Sure, life happens, and things can always come up, but when you know you must be somewhere at an agreed-upon time, then get ready for that event ahead of time. Take care of the things of life that might prevent you from being on time. Can you tell I am waiting on someone right now? They first said they would be over last night to receive some items April and I want to bless them with. Then, at the arrival time, they texted and said it would be today at a certain hour. It is now an hour later, and yes, I am getting disgruntled!

I am so glad God is never late! Now, He may not answer when we want him to, but when we are in need, He is never late. Many years ago, I stepped out in faith and took a youth pastor’s position in a small church that prewarned me they could not pay me a salary. So, I was truly walking by faith. It wasn’t easy.

To make ends meet, I once ate a cheese sandwich every meal. A family that was paying my rent didn’t send the money before the first of the month. I wrote a hot check because the landlord was scary and didn’t understand. It bounced! I got mad at God and accused him of being late. He quickly responded rather forcefully, “I AM NEVER LATE! I spoke to them, but they have not responded!” A few days later, I received their check with an apology note saying they thought the other spouse had dropped it in the mail.

When God spoke that day, He went on to tell me, “Mark, I could make the money you need appear in your living room, but I delight in working with people.” I apologized to God and asked for forgiveness. I certainly learned a valuable principle that day, as well as more about God and how He answers our prayers.

Don’t overlook the obvious here, friends. With God, one day is as good as a thousand years, a thousand years as a day. God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change. 2 Pt. 3:8-9 (MSG)

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Pt. 5:7 (ESV)

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! Ps. 27:14 (ESV)

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Phpns. 4:19 (ESV)

NOTE: They finally showed up one and a half hours late. They felt bad and apologized, and I forgave them in my heart, and we moved on.

Crossroads

July 26, 2024June 27, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Are you stuck? Lost? Find yourself in the middle of nowhere or at an intersection, and you have no idea which way to go? It happens to all of us at one time or another. Life was going good as if on cruise control and then one day you woke up and thought, “What am I doing?” Or you may be at a juncture in your life you didn’t expect. Like after getting divorced, losing a job, or the death of a family member.

Newsflash: You do not have to navigate life alone! There is one who is ready and able to help you, guide you, point the way, and give you the encouragement and strength to get there. And his name is JESUS!

The word of God has scriptures that say He will lead us:

The very steps we take come from God;
otherwise how would we know where we’re going? Prov. 20:24 (MSG)

By your words I can see where I’m going;
    they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
    from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, God;
    put me together again with your Word.
Adorn me with your finest sayings, God;
    teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
    but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
    but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
    what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
    I always have and always will. Ps. 119:105 (MSG)

The steps of a [good and righteous] man are directed and established by the LORD, And He delights in his way [and blesses his path]. Ps. 37:23 (AMP)

The Standard

July 23, 2024June 21, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I got spoiled and took it for granted. I love Chinese food! When I lived in the Chicago suburbs and worked in downtown Chicago, I had several excellent Chinese restaurants around me. Within a five-mile radius of my home I had five alone that were good! I didn’t realize how good I had it until I moved back to my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, after retiring from AT&T.

April and I tried another place today for lunch. I was excited, and my hopes were high. Let’s just say I tried to like it, but the taste fell far below what I wanted. I have analyzed the situation and realized the bar was set high when I lived in Illinois. There was one place where the head cook was known as “Grandma.” I would walk in and ask, “Is Grandma back there cooking?” If the answer was “Yes,” then I knew it was going to be good. In fact, when Grandma retired, the quality went downhill, and I stopped eating there. Grandma had set “The Standard.”

There are many “religions” around the world, and those who follow them will say they are satisfied with their choice of following that “religion.” My choice is Christianity, where I don’t follow a “religion” but rather have a “relationship” with the Creator of the universe, God Himself.

“Religions” usually come with a set of rules and spiritual practices that one must follow in order to achieve some kind of spirituality with the hopes of being “good enough” to make it into heaven. In my relationship with God, as long as my sins have been forgiven via his Son, Jesus, and the attitude of love resides in my heart, I am promised by God himself to live with him in heaven for eternity. In my opinion, what I have learned about other “religions” seems lifeless, burdensome, and demanding. God has set The Standard when it comes to being spiritual and Jesus Christ set the bar!

Jesus Christ is the only One who taught, walked, and lived out a life of perfection and love but then died and rose again to be with his Father in heaven. No other priest or teacher did that. Not Buddha, Muhammad, or any other person. They’re still dead!

As I watched today several customers come in to eat or pick up their orders, I asked myself, “If the food here isn’t that good, then how can this place be so busy?” Then the answer hit me. “Duh! Their standard of good quality Chinese food is low. They haven’t partaken of the best!” The same goes for the masses who have not accepted Jesus Christ into their life. Asking for forgiveness for their sins and then walking in a loving “relationship” with God.

Consider a “relationship” with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. That is why He died a horrible death for you on the cross! Even if you were the only person on Earth and you sinned and did something wrong, Jesus would have gone through the pain and agony of dying for you. That is how much He loves you.

O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good;
How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him.
Ps. 34:8 (AMP)

“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)