Why You Should Not Want to Go to Hell

July 17, 2026May 29, 2026 / Mark Brady / 1 Comment

Hell is hot, loud, miserable, eternal, and has zero customer service. Also, the Wi‑Fi is terrible.

Wooden sign with text 'HELL IS NO JOKE. FIERY WARNING. The wages of sin is death. Repent.' near a smoky, burning canyon — Image generated via AI.

1. The Climate Is… Suboptimal

Hell makes Death Valley in August look like a breezy Colorado morning. If you’ve ever stepped outside in July and said, “Wow, it feels like the devil’s armpit out here,” congratulations—you’ve already experienced the mild setting. Jesus described hell as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:50). Translation: no shade, no breeze, no Sonic Happy Hour. If you’re thinking, “Well, I like warm weather,” let me lovingly challenge you with eternal consequences. Eternity is a long time to be medium‑rare.

2. The Neighbors Are… Not Ideal

You know that one driver who cuts you off, then slows down, then signals left while turning right? Imagine being stuck behind that guy forever. Hell is full of people who said, “I don’t need God, I’ll do things my own way.” Which is basically the spiritual equivalent of saying, “I don’t need Google Maps, I’ll just vibe it.” Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” In other words, your gut feeling is not always your friend.

3. The Noise Level Is Worse Than a Walmart on Black Friday

Jesus described hell as a place of “wailing.” (Matthew 13:42) Not singing. Not humming. Not even off‑key karaoke. Wailing. Forever. If you’ve ever lived in an apartment with upstairs neighbors who apparently train elephants at 2 AM, you already know the ambiance.

4. Zero Comforts, Zero Breaks, Zero Escape

Hell has:

No vacations
No naps
No iced coffee
No Chick‑fil‑A
No air conditioning
No hope

Revelation 14:11 says the torment “has no rest day or night.” Even your worst Monday has a bedtime. Hell doesn’t. It will be constant torment for eternity.

5. God Doesn’t Want You There Anyway

Hell was never designed for humans. It was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). So, going to hell is basically crashing a party you weren’t invited to…

…except the party is on fire
…everyone is screaming
…and the host hates you.

God’s heart is clear: “He is not willing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9). He literally went to the cross to keep you out of hell.

6. Heaven Is a Much Better Option

Heaven has:

Joy
Peace
God’s presence
No tears
No pain
No death
No HOA fees

Revelation 21:4 says God will wipe away every tear. Hell, meanwhile, hands you a towel and says, “Good luck.” Hell will be missing one key element that heaven will be full of…LOVE.

Final Thought:

Hell is real, terrible, eternal, and absolutely avoidable.
Jesus didn’t just warn us about hell—He made a way out.
And He did it because He loves you more than you can imagine.

God’s rescue plan is not vague, complicated, or hidden. It’s shockingly direct, painfully costly, and unbelievably generous.
Here’s the clearest way to understand it — the way Scripture itself frames it.

The Problem:

The Bible describes the human condition as more than “mistakes” or “bad habits.” It’s a spiritual catastrophe — separation from God, corruption of the heart, and a destiny we cannot escape on our own.

Sin separates us — “Your sins have separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2).
We cannot fix ourselves — “No one is righteous… not even one” (Romans 3:10).
Judgment is real — not because God is cruel, but because sin destroys everything it touches.

This is the “cosmic disaster” — a spiritual death we cannot outrun.

The Rescue:

God’s plan is not advice, not self‑improvement, not religion. It is an intervention.

Jesus enters our world — fully God, fully man.
He takes our place — “He became sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He absorbs the judgment — the wrath, the penalty, the separation.
He rises again — proving the rescue is complete.

God didn’t send a plan. He came as the plan.

The Offer:

This is where the gospel becomes almost offensive in its simplicity.

Grace — God does the saving.
Faith — you trust what He did.
New birth — God gives you a new heart, new identity, new destiny.

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith… not by works.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)

You don’t climb to God. God comes down to you.

The Result:

The moment you accept Jesus Christ, the moment you ask Him into your life:

Your sins are forgiven
You are adopted
You are made new
You are sealed for eternity
You become a citizen of heaven

This is not behavior modification. It’s rescue, rebirth, and relocation.

The Response:

God’s plan is complete. The only unfinished part is your response.

Turn to Him
Trust Him
Follow Him

Not by trying harder. By surrendering.

The Great Rickenbacker Funeral Stakeout

July 9, 2026June 13, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Wooden casket with floral arrangement in a chapel filled with seated mourners dressed in black — Image generated via AI.

Alice Rickenbacker had many hobbies, collecting ceramic frogs, alphabetizing her cereal boxes, and overthinking literally every social interaction she’d ever had. But her true passion, the one that kept her up at night, was wondering what people really thought of her.

Not what they said to her face. Not the polite “Oh Alice, you’re so… unique.” She wanted the unfiltered, unvarnished, brutal truth. And so, naturally, she did what any completely reasonable, emotionally stable adult would do: she faked her own death.

Alice lay stiff as a breadstick inside a rented casket from Morty’s Budget Memorials, the only funeral home with a coupon program. She had a tiny airhole, a thermos of iced coffee, and a notebook titled “Operation: What Do They Really Think?”

Her plan was simple:

Play dead.
Listen.
Rise dramatically if someone said something unforgivable.
Profit (emotionally).

The service began.

Her best friend, Marla, sniffled loudly. “Oh, Alice… she always borrowed my clothes without asking, but she returned them… eventually.” Alice scribbled: Marla: mild resentment, but manageable.

Her coworker, Todd, stepped up next. “Alice was… well… she was definitely in the office.” Alice wrote: Todd: neutral, possibly a goldfish in human form.

Then came her neighbor, Mrs. Dingleberry, who always smelled faintly of cabbage and judgment. “Alice was a strange woman,” she declared. “She once yelled at my begonias for ‘looking smug.’” Alice wrote: Accurate.

Everything was going fine, better than expected, actually, until she heard the next comment. It came from her cousin, Brent, who had the emotional depth of a damp paper towel. He cleared his throat. “Well… at least now she can’t ruin Thanksgiving with her conspiracy theories about squirrels.” Alice exploded out of the casket like a jack-in-the-box powered by pure indignation.

“SQUIRRELS DO HAVE A SECRET SOCIETY, BRENT!”

The crowd screamed. Mrs. Dingleberry fainted into a floral arrangement. Todd dropped his phone and whispered, “I knew it.” Alice stood there, hair full of funeral lilies, pointing dramatically at Brent like a resurrected Phoenix of Petty. “You take that back! I have never ruined Thanksgiving. That was Aunt Patty and her ‘experimental gravy.’” Brent shrieked and dove behind a pew.

The Aftermath

Once everyone calmed down and once the funeral director stopped hyperventilating, Alice explained her plan. Surprisingly, most people forgave her. Marla hugged her. Todd asked if he still got bereavement leave. Mrs. Dingleberry demanded reimbursement for emotional damages. And Brent… well… Brent refused to make eye contact with her for the rest of eternity, which Alice considered a win.

Moral of the Story

If you want to know what people really think of you, you could try honest communication, emotional vulnerability, or healthy self-reflection. Or you could do what Alice did. But maybe… don’t.

A Royal Flush

June 29, 2026June 13, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Shannon’s house was packed. Friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and even a few people who weren’t entirely sure how they knew her but came anyway because they knew Shannon’s husband Evan.

The spread was impressive: mini quiches, BBQ bacon‑wrapped water chestnuts, tiny sandwiches cut into shapes that suggested Shannon had spent too much time on Pinterest, amongst other items. Everyone mingled, laughed, and tried to guess what the occasion was. But then Shannon clapped her hands and said, “Alright, everyone, follow me.”

And like obedient, slightly confused ducklings, they followed her down the hallway… into the master bedroom… and then into the master bathroom. A bathroom was large enough to host a small conference. A bathroom with a soaking tub, a double vanity, and most importantly, a toilet that suddenly felt like the main character.

People exchanged looks. Someone whispered, “Why are we in here?” Another whispered back, “Maybe it’s a home renovation reveal?” A third muttered, “If she asks us to help install tile, I’m leaving.” Finally, someone asked Shannon directly, “What’s going on?”

Shannon smiled with the serene confidence of a woman who had planned something deeply unhinged and was proud of it. She turned to the minister she had invited.

He cleared his throat, opened his little black book, and began solemnly, “We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Shannon’s husband, Evan.” It was then that some realized they hadn’t seen him.

A collective gasp rippled through the bathroom. One guest raised a hand like they were in a classroom. “Um… why are we doing this in the bathroom?” Shannon clasped her hands, beaming with the enthusiasm of someone about to reveal a surprise she’d been dying to share. “Because,” she said, “after the minister is finished saying a few words, we will be flushing Evan’s ashes down the toilet.”

Silence.

Then chaos.

One quest choked on a mini quiche. Someone else whispered, “I knew Shannon was cheap, but this is extreme.” A third person asked, “Are we being punked?” And another said, “Oh, this is going on Facebook!” as they pulled out their phone.

The minister, consummate professional, continued his eulogy as if this were the most normal venue imaginable. Shannon nodded along, misty‑eyed, holding a decorative urn that looked suspiciously like it came from HomeGoods. When he finished, she lifted the lid, walked to the toilet with ceremonial reverence, and said, “Goodbye, Evan. You always said this was your throne, and when you sat here, you felt like royalty, and besides, you wanted a simple send‑off.” And with that, she poured.

A swirl.
A flush.
A gurgle of plumbing doing its best.

The guests stood frozen, unsure whether to clap, cry, or call a plumber. Shannon turned back to them, smiling brightly. “Finger foods are still available in the kitchen.”

Cheaper Than Therapy

June 18, 2026June 10, 2026 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

Man aiming and firing handgun at a cracked computer screen in a home office — Image generated via AI.

There once was an author named Clive McGrimm,
Who smiled very politely… but harbored things within.
He’d nod when you spoke, he’d say, “Oh, how nice!”
Then go home and edit your fate in a trice.

Oh, Clive had a hobby, no, scratch that, a need.
To write little stories at lightning speed.
And in them were people, quite real, more or less,
But thinner on patience and thicker on mess.

You see, if you crossed him, cut in line at the store,
Or talked through a movie, or knocked on his door.
At 6 in the morning with leaf-blower cheer
Well… you’d find yourself fictionally vanishing, dear.

“Oh look,” Clive would murmur, adjusting his pen,
“Here’s Nigel, who double-parked twice last week when
I circled for ages. Now Nigel, my friend
You’ll trip on page three and meet quite a quick end.”

And type-ity clack went the keys in delight,
As Nigel fell from some suspiciously tall height.
Not graphic, not gory, Clive wasn’t a brute.
Just sudden and final, with dark comic loot.

There was Amber, who blasted her music at night,
Boom-booming the walls till his tea shook with fright.
Clive sighed as he wrote, “Amber, rave queen of doom.
You’ll anger a ghost in a haunted spare room.”

And poof in the tale, she was gone in a blink,
A cautionary note with a sarcastic wink.

“Oh, I feel much better,” he’d say with a grin,
As fictional justice restored calm within.
His anger dissolved into paragraphs neat,
With karmic conclusions, both tidy and sweet.

His editor asked, “Why so many abrupt ends?”
Clive chuckled, “Oh, purely symbolic, my friend.”
He never explained (thinking this is how it should be):
His stories were definitely cheaper than therapy.

So, if you meet Clive, be considerate and kind,
Use turn signals, chew softly, and wait your turn in line.
For though he seems gentle, well-mannered, and fulfilled…
You really don’t want to be written in and then killed.

Are You Salty?

May 22, 2026April 21, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Salt-encrusted statue of a robed figure standing on a hill with a fiery, smoke-filled city in the background — A statue resembling a salt-covered figure stands overlooking a burning city in a desert landscape. (Image generated via AI.)

The story of Lot’s wife, though brief, is one of the most sobering moments in Scripture. Found in Genesis 19 and later referenced by Jesus in Luke 17:32 with the simple but piercing command, “Remember Lot’s wife,” her fate stands as a warning that transcends time and culture.

A Brief Look at the Story

Lot and his family were living in Sodom, a city steeped in corruption and moral decay. God, in His mercy, sent angels to rescue them before judgment fell. The instructions were clear: “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back.”

Yet, as they escaped, Lot’s wife looked back—and instantly became a pillar of salt. The text doesn’t tell us her name, but her action speaks volumes. That backward glance wasn’t just curiosity—it revealed a heart still tethered to what God was calling her to leave behind.

Why Did She Look Back?

Her glance was more than a physical act; it was a spiritual one. It suggested:

Attachment to the past – She couldn’t fully let go of the life, possessions, and relationships she had in Sodom.
Distrust in God’s plan – Looking back implied doubt that what lay ahead could be better than what she was leaving.
Divided loyalty – Her heart was split between obedience to God and longing for the world she knew.

The Warning for Us Today

Jesus’ reminder to “Remember Lot’s wife” is not about ancient history—it’s about the condition of our hearts right now.

Don’t cling to what God is calling you to leave.

Whether it’s a toxic relationship, a harmful habit, or a mindset rooted in fear, holding on will only hinder your freedom.

Trust God’s future more than your past.

The unknown can be scary, but God’s promises are always better than the comfort of familiar chains.

Guard against spiritual complacency.

It’s easy to start strong in faith but drift back toward old patterns. Keep your eyes fixed forward, on Christ.

Living With a Forward Focus

Lot’s wife teaches us that obedience is not just about starting the journey—it’s about finishing it with our hearts fully surrendered. The Christian walk is a forward-moving call. Paul echoes this in Philippians 3:13-14: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…”

Reflection Question:

What “Sodom” in your life is God asking you to leave behind without looking back?

(In my humble opinion, I think God used fire to destroy Sodom because the city was filled with individuals who had aids. Anyway, just something to think about.)

The Granite Carver

February 6, 2026January 20, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

His work is seen by many in the oddest, most solemn of places. Photos are taken for posterity. He charges by the letter, so most clients pass on the minimum info. In most cases, that means the name, middle initial, birth date, a dash, and the date of death. He has learned to have the one making a request sign a document verifying that the data is correct.

As he engraves into the stone, he wonders what the individual looked like. If they were kind. If they smiled a lot. Was their life marked by happiness or pain? Did they give of themselves? Or did they only take from others?

He enjoys his craft but is always mindful of the grey cloud that hangs over each stone. Sometimes, he makes up a story about their life to occupy his mind, yet he wonders if they lived a life that was pleasing to God or not. He hopes they did. For he knows that to be absent from the body is to be standing before God. That there is no other reality coming, no matter how hard some want there to be, instead of God. Like reincarnation. And that every man will have to give an account of how they used the free will that God gave them.

He has thought about it several times, yet the truth remains. By the time he starts engraving, it’s too late. Their eternity is already set in stone. Too late for them to decide about their eternity. Too late to accept Jesus as the Son of God and definitely too late to ask for forgiveness of their sins.

If you are reading this blog, it’s not too late for you. No one is etching your name in stone, yet! But hopefully, your name is etched or written in the Book of Life. There, no one can remove it except you by rejecting Jesus.

Thus shall he who conquers (is victorious) be clad in white garments, and I will not erase or blot out his name from the Book of Life; I will acknowledge him [as Mine] and I will confess his name openly before My Father and before His angels. Rev. 3:5 (AMPC)

How Many People Does It Take?

January 30, 2026January 30, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“She died because not enough people prayed.” I heard those words once in my spirit after a friend of mine passed away with cancer. I have never mentioned this until now. Why? Because I wasn’t sure if it was scriptural or something I made up. But after years of reading God’s word, I might be able to say it is.

Prayer, combined with faith, is a powerful force. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, even a little can move mountains. We read in James 5:16 that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective. These are verses about one person praying. But what about groups of people praying?

Matthew 18:20 states that when people pray together that Jesus is in their midst, therefore, making their prayers more powerful. In Acts 1:14, we see where the early church joined together in prayer daily.

When I was a child, perhaps I was about nine years old, one Sunday morning, there was a commotion in church while the pastor was preaching. I don’t recall her name, so let’s call her sister Hawthorne, an older woman cried out, stood up, and then collapsed. We had several firemen who attended our church, and they rushed to her aid and started CPR. She had died. Of course, as time passed, about fifteen minutes, more and more people were looking at what was going on than listening to the pastor.

Reverend H.D. Pieratt finally noticed and, being the man of God that he was, asked, “What is going on?” One of the firemen responded, “Sister Hawthorne has died.” He asked, “Did you pray?” When the reply came back, “No,” he said, “Church, let’s pray.” We did. As soon as “Amen” was said, sister Hawthorne got up. She said she was fine but was encouraged to go to the hospital anyway.

There is power in corporate prayer! Then I have to turn my attention to the scripture in Deuteronomy 32:20:

“How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had closed them up?”

Deuteronomy 32:30 emphasizes the power of divine assistance, illustrating that with God’s help, even a small number can achieve great victories against overwhelming odds.

So, do I believe that some situations, needs can only be accomplished if enough people know about it and pray? Yes! Is there a certain number? I don’t think so, but when someone has a need, we should spread the word, not as gossip, but as a call to prayer, so that we will be obedient in making our request known (to man) and to God, so God can fight for you!

“It’s Not Fair! I Wasn’t Ready!”

January 27, 2026January 9, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

You remember when you were a kid, and you and your friends were outside playing? You decide to have a race or something, and one kid would lose and claim, “That’s not fair! I wasn’t ready!” They will probably be the same ones to complain to God about not being ready when He sends His Son, Jesus, to call us home. Too bad. They will be left behind.

Numerous scriptures discuss the end times. Some warn us about “fake news,” while others provide key insights into what’s to come, but the overall message is to be prepared. Ready to meet up with Jesus when He comes to take his bride or church.

No one knows when this event will take place, not even the Son of God, believe it or not. I remember hearing a word spoken in church when I was about eight or nine. One of the elders stood up and said something about Jesus coming soon. But this part I remember. He said, “Jesus’ return is so close it’s as if He is standing up now to leave.” I thought, “Wow! I had better put my shoes on!”

You don’t have to be left behind. You can be ready to meet Jesus in the air and be ushered into heaven. Or ready to stand before God and give an account of how you lived your life if you happen to die before Jesus returns. We never know when we will take that last breath. Instead of focusing on what is happening on Earth, it is more important to be mindful of the things of heaven.

God is fair and just. He has given us all enough time to be ready. There will be no excuses and no exceptions.

Mark 13:14-37 (NLT)

¹⁴“The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration^[e] standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. ¹⁵A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. ¹⁶A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. ¹⁷How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. ¹⁸And pray that your flight will not be in winter. ¹⁹For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. ²⁰In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

²¹“Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. ²²For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. ²³Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

²⁴“At that time, after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
²⁵the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

²⁶Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

²⁸“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. ²⁹In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. ³⁰I tell you the truth, this generationwill not pass from the scene before all these things take place. ³¹Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

³²“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. ³³And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!

³⁴“The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. ³⁵You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. ³⁶Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. ³⁷I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

Clarence Odbody, AS2

January 20, 2026January 2, 2026 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Most of you have probably seen the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” That’s where we are introduced to Clarence Odbody. He’s a “Second Class” angel who hasn’t received his wings yet. He’s sent to Earth to prevent George Bailey from committing suicide. George is facing a situation that he sees no way out of, and to him, hope has run out.

I believe that’s what often happens when someone considers suicide. The person thinks, “There is no more hope.” But let me say this: as long as you are alive, there is hope! The devil gets excited when someone reaches what they think is the end of their rope because they are about to end one of the greatest gifts God gives us—life.

Clarence shows George what the lives of those around him would be like if he’d never been born. Seeing the pain and distress was enough to cause him to change his mind. Clarence tells George:

“Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”

“You see, George, you’ve had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?”

Several years ago, I had my own “Clarence Odbody” moment. I was a young minister, and I made a bad decision that led me to leave the ministry God had called me to. I was distraught, unsure of what to do next, and afraid to face my family and friends again. I was reaching into the closet for my shotgun when my “Clarence” appeared.

Before I could grab the gun, I thought back to my childhood in church. I was probably about eight years old. One Sunday, as our pastor was preaching under a heavy anointing, a scream and commotion erupted at the back of the sanctuary. It was Sister Woodward. (I don’t remember her actual name.) She gasped and then collapsed.

Several firemen in our church rushed to her aid. After about twenty minutes, the pastor asked, “What’s going on?” One fireman responded, “Sister Woodward has died.” The pastor asked, “Did you pray?” “No,” they answered. “Well, church, let’s pray.” He led us in a prayer of faith, believing. The moment he said “Amen,” Sister Woodward got up, insisting she felt fine but agreed to go to the hospital for a checkup. By then, an ambulance had arrived.

Standing in my closet, staring at my shotgun, I thought, “That woman had no future, and her hope was gone as she took her last breath, but then God stepped in and made a way.” That thought kept me from taking my own life. Instead, I grabbed my car keys, left the house, and didn’t return until I knew I wouldn’t harm myself.

Life is precious. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or deeply down, I encourage you to reach out and talk to someone. In America, you can dial “988.” Or simply start talking to God as if He’s sitting right there with you. He already knows what you’re going through, but speaking out loud can help. He might even send angels to minister to you. You may realize later it was your own “Clarence Odbody” moment.

God loves you, and so do I. You may never realize how much your presence touches the lives of others.

“Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?” Heb. 1:14 (AMPC)

A Time for Life

January 9, 2026November 30, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

Today, April and her Filipina Bible study group are surprising one of their members. It is her 45^th birthday. They have gathered at our house until everyone is here, and then they will go to her house all at one time. I must say, since marrying a Filipino, I have witnessed how sincerely honest and excited they are when it comes to celebrating life together. One member of the group had a brother in the Philippines who passed away this past week. The group mourned with her and shared words of comfort and support.

The Bible says a few things about life. Like how it goes and how we should do it together. Sadly, though, it seems as if in today’s times, people are narcissistic and selfish. It’s all about them. And if you are involved in their life, it’s as if they say, “What can you do for me?” I know that below are more scriptures than I normally share, but God really does know best how to do life with others.

3 To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven:
²A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted,
³A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up,
⁴A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away,
⁷A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak,
⁸A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecc. 3:1-8 (AMPC)

12 ^1-2So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

³I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

^4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.

^6-8If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

* * *

^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

^11-13Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

^14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.

^17-19Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”

^20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. Rom. 12 (MSG)