1st Thessalonians 4:9-18
9 Now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write you—for you yourselves are taught by God[d] to love one another. 10 In fact, you even practice it toward all your brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to keep progressing more and more 11 and aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, just as we directed you— 12 so you may behave properly toward outsiders and not have need of anything.
13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, so with Him God will also bring those who have fallen asleep in Yeshua. [e]15 For this we tell you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall in no way precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the blast of God’s shofar,[f] and the dead in Messiah shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left behind, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air—and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
With my mother passing away the Lord gave me peace that cast away all doubt in my mind about death.
He then brought me here.
Paul here does not say you cannot grieve but that you may not grieve "like the rest who have no hope."
Many times we make decisions to avoid death. Either socially or physically.
But we see that we have Hope in the Promises of the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Death has been hovering around because we let it.
And it effects everyone in the community.
Dont believe me? Look at the plagues that hit the WHOLE community for the sins of one family or sins of one person.
Our *secret* sin affects those we hold dear.
So hold hope in the Lord. Turn away from your secret sin.
Repent and be washed clean.
The time is now.
Today, Pray for the Lord to reveal the places you have concealed.
To show you the places that you allow Death to operate in your life.
Then repent. Tear those places down. Rip out the roots and be ready to place life giving things going forward.