The death of a loved one leaves us with mixed emotions.  The Bible is a source of encouragement for Christians who are experiencing the loss of a loved one.

Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for all Christians.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.  And you know the way to where I am going.” (John 14:1-3 NLT)

 Anyone who has accepted the gift of salvation will spend eternity in heaven.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17 NLT)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13 ESV)

“Jesus said …, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’”   John 11:25

Grieving the loss of a Christian is different from grieving the loss of an unbeliever.

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

 Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 & 18 NLT) 

A partial description of heaven in scripture is found in Rev.21: 4 which says, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

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We were not created to be served by God.  We were created to serve God.

How do we serve God?

Scripture tells us that we are serving God when we are serving others.

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.  For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.

 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’  (Matthew 25:34-40 NLT)

Are you looking for ways to serve?   You could:

Feed the hungry.

Care for the sick.

Visit prisoners.

Give clothing to the poor.

Give a drink to the thirsty.

Invite a stranger into your house.

You don’t have to look far to find opportunities to serve others.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 

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Too many Christians are living in fear.  Fear varies from person to person, but it seems that almost everyone fears something.  Some people have a fear of failure.  Some fear criticism.  Some fear financial insecurity.  Others fear the unknown.  This list of fears could go on and on.

In the scriptures, God repeatedly tells His people to “fear not”.

“be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic … . For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NLT)

David faced many dangers but he knew that God was watching over him and protecting him from his enemies.

The Lord is my strength and shield.
I trust him with all my heart. (Psalm 28:7 NLT)

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?  (Psalm 27:1 NLT)

 As Christians, we are God’s children.

 …  you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”  For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.  And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. (Romans 8:15-17 NLT)

 As God’s children and heirs to God’s glory we should not be living in fear of anything.

 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:7 NLT)

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.  (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

STOP LIVING IN FEAR!

Even when I walk through the darkest valley I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.  (Psalm 23:4 NLT)

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Recently I watched a potter working with a lump of clay.  In a very short period of time this skilled artisan transformed a worthless lump of clay into an attractive functional vase.  Every bit of the work was done by the potter.  The clay did nothing.

In Scripture, God is described as the potter and we are described as the clay.

 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.  (Isaiah 64:8 NLT)

 We are God’s masterpiece.

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

 Scripture tells us that it is foolish to deny that God is our creator.

How foolish can you be?
He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!
Should the created thing say of the one who made it,
“He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say,
“The potter who made me is stupid”?  (Isaiah 29:16 NLT)

 Take some time right now to recognize God as your creator.  Thank Him for creating you.

 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. (Psalm 139:14 NLT)

Make sure that Jesus is in the “potter’s seat” of your life.

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ (Isaiah 45:9 NLT)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.  (Matthew 16:24 NLT)

… As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.  (Jeremiah 18:6 NLT)

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God has provided Christians with the armor needed to resist Satan’s attacks. (Read the post “Know Your Enemy”) We just need to put this armor on and stand our ground.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  (Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT)

The armor needed by Christians to resist Satan’s attacks:

Belt of truth
          Know God’s truth (scripture) and act with integrity and truthfulness in all you do.

Breastplate of righteousness
          Maintain a right relationship with God (through Jesus).

Sandals of peace
          Stand firm and confident knowing that your relationship with Jesus Christ will give you peace in any conflict.

Shield of faith
          Believe and trust in God’s Word and in His promises.

Helmet of salvation
          Know that in Christ you are a part of God’s family and Jesus is your hope and strength.

Sword of the Spirit
          Know and use God’s word (your most powerful weapon) to fight Satan and his demons. 

Remember
Never stop praying.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)

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Are you experiencing a broken relationship with family members?  Are you arguing with neighbors?  Are you struggling to get along with your employer?  Do you feel like non-Christians are out to get you?  Is a particular political party the cause of all the problems our nation is facing?  Are Muslims the bad guys?  Are Communists the enemy?  How do you feel about ISIL (ISIS) or the Taliban?

Family members, neighbors, employers, non-Christians, a particular political party, Muslims, Communists, ISIL, or the Taliban may be perceived as the enemy.  In reality, these are not the enemy.  Scripture tells us that the real enemy is Satan and his demons.

The real enemy.

^…  we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NLT)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)

… the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.  (Ephesians 2:2 NLT)

Satan, who is the god of this world…  (2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT)

^… the world around us is under the control of the evil one.  (1 John 5:19 NLT)

This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world— (Revelation 12:9 NLT)

Equip yourself for the real battle. Put on the full armor of God.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  (Ephesians 6:13-17 NLT)

Know the enemy.   Act accordingly.

(More details about the armor of God in a future post).

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Most of us recognize that we don’t have answers for all of the challenges and questions that come our way.  Too many of us, however, are hesitant to ask for help and we try to “go it” on our own.

• Scripture makes it clear that we can talk to God about anything and everything.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need… (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

• Scripture also tells us to get counsel from other people.

Get all the advice and instruction you can,
so you will be wise the rest of your life.  (Proverbs 19:20 NLT)

Scripture tells us that we are being foolish if we don’t listen to counsel from other people.

Fools think their own way is right,
but the wise listen to others. (Proverbs 12:15 NLT)

Being too proud to ask for help can result in conflict.

Pride leads to conflict;
those who take advice are wise.  (Proverbs 13:10 NLT)

If you want to be successful, surround yourself with many advisers.

Plans go wrong for lack of advice;
many advisers bring success.  (Proverbs 15:22 NLT)

Need help?  Start with prayer.  Know that God may answer your prayers by putting people in your life to help you address your concerns.  Ask good questions and listen carefully to the counsel of the people that God sends your way.

The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense.
(Proverbs 27:9 NLT)

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Are you feeling discouraged and need some words of encouragement?

Take a moment to reflect on who we are in Christ.

In the Bible Christians (those saved by the blood of Jesus) are described as:

Chosen

Ephesians 1:4

Holy

Colossians 1:22

Blameless

Colossians 1:22

Forgiven

Ephesians 1:7

United with Christ

Ephesians 1:11

Redeemed

1 Corinthians 7:23

A Temple of the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:19

A slave to Righteous Living

Romans 6:18

Heirs of God

Romans 8:17

Co-heirs with Christ

Romans 8:17

 Blessed

Ephesians 1:3

Will live with God for eternity in Heaven

John 3:16

If you are a Christian (redeemed by Jesus), the words and phrases listed above describe you regardless of how you may be feeling today.  Christianity is about Biblical truths, not feelings.

If you do not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ I would encourage you to check out the post Whoever Believes ….

 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.  (Colossians 1:13-14 NLT)

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In Bible times Roman soldiers had various pieces of armor that they used in battle.  To protect himself, a soldier wore a breastplate and a helmet and he carried a shield.  For most solders, the offensive weapon was his sword. Soldiers depended on their swords to defeat the enemy.  If a soldier lost his sword and was unable to replace it, he was no longer a threat to the enemy.  Soldiers depended on their swords to win the battle.

Christians are surrounded with evil and need to learn to go on the offensive. The Holy Spirit has given us a weapon to use against the enemy.  We are told to “^… take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  (Ephesians 6:17 NLT)

If you want to overcome the enemy you need to learn how to use your sword (the Word of God) effectively.

 
To be a good “soldier” you need to:

S      Study the scriptures daily.

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.  (Joshua 1:8 NLT)

W      Write scripture on the doorposts of your houses or in terms that make better sense to us,             surround yourselves with visual reminders of God’s Word.

 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates … (Deuteronomy 11:20 (NLT)

O       Obey the teachings of scripture.

 “Whoever hears these teachings of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. (Matthew 7:24 ERV)

 R       Remain faithful to God and His Word.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:31-32 NLT)

D       Delight in scripture.

^… delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.  (Psalm 1:2 NLT)

Are you equipping yourself to be a good soldier?

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷ God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.                                (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)

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God’s mercies are fresh each morning.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.  (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT)

Each day God’s love, grace, mercy, goodness, forgiveness, truth, compassion, and faithfulness are always present and available to His people.

How should we respond?

Today is a new day.  Sing a new song to the LORD.

Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Sing to the Lord; praise his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.  (Psalm 96:1-3 NLT)

Don’t fret about messing up in the past.  Think about how you will serve the Lord today.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,  I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)

Challenge:

 … tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders. (Psalm 78:4 NLT)

 Share with others how God has, and is, changing your life.

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song.
    Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
               (Psalm 149:1 NLT)

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