What in Hell Do You Want?

By James Alfred Bradford

What in Hell Do You Want? is taken from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus with a surprising twist. Hell can be in your mind. Hell can be in your job. Hell can be a living, breathing part of you. Hell can also be stopped. Good habits are learned just like bad habitsthrough practice.

It brings awareness of the decisions and choices a person makes and their impact on his life.

The power of knowing is what you live by. The rich man lived abundantly, and Lazarus lived in obscurity. Why?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Mar 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781504364041

James Alfred Bradford

Bradfords’ early training in music was with Smokey Robinson. James founded JAB Ministries - Word of Faith in response to the needs of hurting men and women, both within and outside of our churches, who are searching for answers to their everyday challenges. “What in Hell Do You Want?” is taken from the parable “The Richman and Lazarus”, with a surprising twist. Hell can be in your mind. Hell can be in your job. Hell can be a living breathing part of you. Hell can also be stopped; good habits are learned just like bad habits…through practice It brings awareness of the decisions and choices a person makes and the impact on their life. The power of knowing, knowing is what you live. The Richman lived abundantly, and Lazarus lived in obscurity…. WHY?

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 James Alfred Bradford.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-6403-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-6404-1 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 02/28/2017

The title – What in Hell Do You Want? is not talking about a point of view; the question is more geared at or toward a place Hades, Hell. In this place of torment, what would you desire?"

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Foreword Written by: Priscilla Bradford

Introduction The Pre-Rog-A-Tive

Chapter 1   Self Love

Chapter 2   Money Love

Chapter 3   Uncommon Love

Chapter 4   The No-Man Zone

Chapter 5   Enlightenment

Chapter 6   Paradise

Chapter 7   The Gilded Cage

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgments

The problem or the symptom…

When I was in high school in the 11th grade in my P.E. (Physical Education) class the teacher had us to compete in wrestling. So each boy in P.E. class matched up against each other as the teacher instructed. We each had a certain amount of time to challenge our opponent to beat them; who would get the other guy the fastest in a half nelson or a full nelson. (it means when you have your opponent in a position where you have pinned one shoulder (half nelson) or both shoulders (full nelson) on the floor or mat, and hold them in that position for a certain amount of time.

The wrestler on top who has pinned down the opponent wins the match. The results of the wrestler who lost is…the symptom…he got pinned. The problem was he got pinned because the winner of the match was faster and stronger. When I was called to wrestle, my opponent was physically stronger and I fought hard to physically overcome him.

We were both on our knees and suddenly he switches his position and had me on the mat with one of my shoulders on the mat I knew I had to do something extraordinary to change this or I would lose the match. Let me tell you, I don’t like to lose. So with all my might and everything within me I go back on my one knee, my hand, my right hand was tangled in his arm pit and partially on his back side, I lifted him up off the floor and flipped him over. When I flipped him, to gain the advantage, I bent my right ring finger all the way back to my wrist and broke it. When I broke the bone in my right hand I screamed so loud, that all the guys in my PE class thought I had died. The teacher who was also the referee separated us and grabbed me and asked, what’s wrong James…what’s wrong? He looked at my hand and saw my finger bent all the way back and they rushed me to the doctor’s office (hospital). This happened at Derby High School in Derby, Kansas.

To this day when I look at my right hand I’m reminded (as if it were yesterday) what happened to my finger. People who happen to notice it say to me, What is the problem with your finger or how did that problem happen? My response is, the way my finger looks is not the problem, but the symptom. The problem in High School wrestling was how I got myself in a position to overcome my opponent not realizing what was going to cause my finger to bend back toward my wrist, because of this I did what I did, my fraction and resetting of the bone and swelling of my finger is the symptom I am left with.

Look at the media today, the news always talking about Isis. Isis is the problem of the United States of America, but you have to ask yourself are they? Or are they the symptom of past decisions, past problems? Trying to express my point of view was always a problem for me and the symptom was writer’s block.

I have overcome writer’s block because of the following people:

Dr. Wayne Dyer and Deepak Chopra. They helped me learn to express myself or explain myself better, and clearer. Reading their books, listening to their CD have challenged my life for the better. I wish I could have met Dr. Wayne Dyer, I would have let him know what a positive impact he was in my life.

I would like to acknowledge the following people who also have made an impact on my life; I have been blessed in meeting and being a part of their lives as well. My Spiritual Advisors Bishop David Michael & Dr. Claudette Anderson Copeland, for teaching me how to express my thoughts and my feelings. Smokey Robinson for allowing me to write music for him. My mother Julinda Boggs, my SHERO, pioneer and entrepreneur. My friend and sister Mary Johnson, Gene Cargile (my eagle scout), Alfred Green, Ricky Green, Noonie Green, Cecil and Dennis Seal, my covering Apostle Fredrick & Dr. Betty Price, Tom Fift (electrician), my brother and sister Reginald Boggs and Christine Crowder, my grandpa who has passed on Manual Frese, who accepted me with open arms and taught me that all family is family no matter who you are.

My children Shaheed, Jesse Jonathan, Aaliyah, and Erica, my surrogate daughter Camille Marbury, my grandchildren Isaiah and little Priscilla. In this book all my comments regarding religion or non-believers or idol worship are not intended to be judgmental or prejudice. The comments made are strictly a position of observation. The observation is based on my life’s journey and internal-view.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge my wife, Priscilla my internal view is the same as my external view, she is wonderful. I thank her for helping with my thoughts in writing this book. My prayer is that God bless and strengthen her every day; she is a statesmen and down to earth, SAV-OIR-FAIRE is a part of her DNA. SAV-OIR-FAIRE – that quality to connect with people, just about anywhere. Call it the favor that God gives to someone to be able to get along and fit in with people of any country, any situation, any belief – that’s my wife. She’s so smart, sharp and beautiful. Because of her maturity, warm heart and always grounded, it has helped me to stay grounded and helped me to see life as she does; that life isn’t unfair, life is just life and God made it for us all to enjoy the best of it.

Foreword

Written by: Priscilla Bradford

Matthew 13:35 "This fulfilled what

God had spoken through the prophet:

‘I will speak to you in parables.

I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world." (NLT)

Jesus was good at speaking in parables, which I call word pictures. If you notice each parable He spoke, was for a different group of people. With His disciples in recruiting some of them because they were fisherman, He told them they would become fishers of men. They understood that terminology because they were fisherman. They knew what it took to prepare to go fishing and what bait to use. So in their teaching and being with Christ they understood the process. This is one of many examples of Jesus’ word pictures in the Bible, which takes me to the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus. The story is not very long, but it is a powerful one. I have to believe as the other parables the crowd consisted of rich and poor people alike. Every word picture Jesus was trying to make a point as simple as possible.

We have our ideas about rich and poor people. So when He begins to describe the rich man’s way of living, which is no surprise to us, it isn’t what He says about the rich man that interest me; it’s what He doesn’t say. You notice the rich man isn’t given a name, by Jesus, just status, a title, definition, a description; but Jesus gives Lazarus a name, which also describes and defines him. His name is important, because it tells who he really is. The life he chose to live, what motivated him and defined him.

Everyone in life behaves, makes choices, and lives life for the benefits they receive. There are benefits in holding onto stuff or letting it go. In general, you are defined by what you have acquired in your lifetime. Stuff you picked up along the way. Your value somehow is determined by the stuff you have. Wealth comes in many different ways, has many different faces; some positive and others negative. You can have a wealth of pain and can go from relationship to relationship with baggage as you will. You know Stuff! Your whole life will revolve around that stuff, you become a victim and can’t see a way out, or don’t want to see a way out because as I said before there is a payoff in holding onto it. You become comfortable with the pain, it defines who you are, miserable, rude, depressed, and hateful, can’t do this, and can’t do that, oh poor me… You like it, it gives you attention, you’re not invisible, and people can see you, even if it’s in a negative light.

Or you may have a wealth of knowledge, and pride yourself on how much you know. You can boast about what you know, quote words that have no meaning unless you live it, experience it. How can you talk about love, but really never experienced it? How can you talk about pain, forgiveness, compassion and you never stop to experience it for yourself? Knowledge is only good, if you live it. Book smart, or street smart! There is