Birthday Greetings On Social Media
There are many posts on social media wishing deceased loved ones “Happy Birthday” as if they were still alive. Uninformed relatives go so far as to say something like, “Happy Birthday, Mom on your 107th birthday.” Then you scroll down further and discover that the woman died 50 years ago at the age of 57.
The truth of the matter is that the word “die” means “ceasing to live.” The moment a person takes his last breath, he dies and ceases to live and never has another birthday. While time continues for the living, physical time stops for the deceased. Besides, there is no time in heaven because there is no day or night, according to Revelation 22:5.
If your mother died at 57 and you live longer than your 57th year, then you become older than your own mother. That’s because your mother’s birthday stopped but your birthday continues every year you live. If your children outlive you, then they will eventually be older than you were when you were alive. Everybody’s earthly age stops when they die.
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Important Things To Know About Birthdays
Here are several things this writer wants to emphasize.
Jesus Welcomes You Home
On monumental anniversaries, such as birthdays, we grieve once again.
On those special occasions, we may light a candle in their honor. We reflect on the memories and we mourn over their passing.
We imagine them celebrating their birthday with the King.
We envision them enjoying life in heaven with other loved ones. We may even picture them having cake and listening to others sing Happy Birthday .
On earth, we may release a balloon in their honor. We may open a photo album and gaze upon the memory of their face.
We may celebrate our loved ones birthday by listening to one of their favorite songs or watching a home movie.
We hold them close with the precious memories of the life we once shared.
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Are Our Loved Ones Looking Down On Us From Heaven
March 2, 2014 by Melissa
We often hear Christian people say that deceased loved ones are watching over them, taking care of them, smiling down on them, or sending them signs. The Bible doesnt specifically have much to say about this topic, but there are several clues in Scripture that seem to show that this is not true.
1. He will not return to me.
In 2 Samuel, we see David, a distraught father who has lost his only child. He has been fasting and praying that God might spare his sons life, but when the child passes away, David makes this statement:
But, now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.
David shows here that the child is now gone, never to return to this Earth. He talks about how they will one day be reunited in Heaven, but until that time, David indicates that they are separated. He does not seem to expect the child to leave him signs of any kind or to be a presence in his life.
2. Present with the Lord.
In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the Bible tells us that when we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord. In other passages we get glimpses of what being in the presence of the Lord might look like. Isaiah and Revelation both paint vivid pictures of the singular focus of those in Heaven, as they gather round the throne of God singing an eternal song of worship and praise, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.
3. No tears in Heaven.
If Roses Grow In Heaven Poem
If Roses grow in Heaven Lord, please pick a bunch for me. Place them in my Mother’s arms and tell her they’re from me. Tell her that I love her and miss her, and when she turns to smile, place a kiss upon her cheek and hold her for a while. Because remembering her is easy, I do it every day, but there’s an ache within my heart that will never go away.
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Comforting Bible Verses About Death For Those Dying In Christ
Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 2:9
What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.
Revelation 1:17-18
Revelation 14:13
Romans 14:7-9
Philippians 1:21-23
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Revelation 21:4
James 1:12
1 Corinthians 15:42-44
2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays The Biblical Answer
As Christians, we want to always hold ourselves to biblical standards rather than cultural standards. For this reason, some have questioned whether or not Christians can celebrate birthdays since it is a cultural practice. I searched the Bible to find the best answer I can to this question.
Should Christians celebrate birthdays? Christians can celebrate birthdays. There is nothing in Scripture that forbids it, nor is there any reason why celebrating birthdays could be considered unwise. Christians should feel free to celebrate their birthday in a God-glorifying way.
This has seemed obvious to me before, but after looking into it more I can understand a little why some might think the opposite of this statement. Some believe strongly Christians should not celebrate birthdays.
Ill give my research why I think Christians can celebrate them and also why some disagree with me.
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Doesnt The Bible Say That There Is A Time To Die
Yes, Ecclesiastes 3:2 says that there is a time to be born, and a time to die a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. However, the context of this verse shows that the Bible is discussing the continuing cycles that are common to life. God has not set our personal time to die any more than he forces a farmer to plant at a particular moment. Instead, the point is that we should avoid being so preoccupied with mundane matters that we neglect our Creator.Ecclesiastes 3:11 12:1, 13.
Practically Speaking How Does This Affect Your Life
Both regardless and because of the fact that God knows everything, we are to live each day for Him. After all, if He knows what’s going to happen , it might be a good idea to listen to Him. James 4:13-15 says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”
Make wise decisions about how you live your life and how you take care of yourself. God may know what we’re going to choose, but it’s still up to us to make those choices. Don’t worry about the time and day of your death. It’s not for us to know. Honestly, if I knew when I was going to die, I would probably be so focused on that date that I’d never get anything accomplished.
Not sure what’s the best choice to make? Guess what? God does. Trust that He is in control and ask Him. He wants to help you!
TL DR
Yes, Gods does know when you will die. After all, He’s God, and He knows everything . But that doesn’t mean He’s going to tell you.
Writer/Editor: Catiana N.K.
WILL
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In Response To Death We Must Respond And Prepare Practically
Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.
As we witness Abrahams purchase of a burial plot, we are reminded that when encountering death, we must respond practically. Some when encountering death bottle up and go into a cornerleaving the practical issues of death to others. But, pragmatic issues like burial, finances, and wills, must be addressed.
Some have wondered if God, by his grace, allows us to deal with these matters as a way to not be overwhelmed with death. It often helps with grieving and continuing to live after loss.
The practical issues of death must be tended to, and they should not only be considered after somebody dies but also before. Consider what God said to Hezekiah when telling him about his impending death in Isaiah 38:1. The text says:
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die you will not recover.
God told Hezekiah to put his house in order. This consisted of choosing an heir for his wealth and his kingdom. It also included preparing his family, friends, and nation practically, spiritually, and emotionally. Sadly, when people do not put their house in order, it often leaves undue stress on their family and friends.
In Response To Death We Must Remember Heaven Is Our Ultimate Home
Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead. The Hittites replied to Abraham,
InterpretationQuestion: What did Abraham mean when he called himself an alien and a stranger among the Hittites?
The narrative only spends one verse on Abrahams mourning and then moves on to Abrahams securing of a grave plot. This may seem like a ridiculous amount of space given to purchasing a burial place for Sarah however, we can learn many important principles from this correspondence.
From Abrahams interaction with the Hittites we must notice what he called himself in verse 4. Abraham said, I am an alien and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site so I can bury my dead.
What did Abraham mean when he called himself an alien and a stranger among the Hittites? Obviously, he meant that Canaan was theirs and that he owned no property in the land, but the writers of Scripture seem to imply that he meant much more. Hebrews 11:910 says this,
The writer of Hebrews says that the reason Abraham never owned land in Canaan other than his wifes burial site was because he viewed heaven as his home. He saw himself not just as a pilgrim waiting for God to give him the land of Canaan, but he also was waiting for heavenly Canaan.
David said the same thing in 1 Chronicles 29:1 and Psalm 39:12. He said:
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The Friends Of Israel Gospel Ministry
- Who We Are
Whenever I pass through the historical accounts of the Kings of Judah and Israel in the Bible, I am always amazed at that point in Judahs history when the Book of the Law had been buried and forgotten in the Land .
Unfortunately, the situation is not much different in our time. I am equally amazed at the high rate of biblical illiteracy in the American church today. Although the Bible is within reach of every American, it is virtually buried in many homes and churches. Nevertheless, it is because of biblical illiteracy and a few peripheral factors that we have misunderstandings over many aspects of our faith.
Misunderstandings over the afterlife are not by-products of biblical illiteracy alone its also because the afterlife is NOT being preached anymore. In fact, heaven is ignored almost as much as hell in many pulpits.
I firmly believe Scripture teaches that we will be able to recognize those we knew in this life once in heaven. However, there are also sincere, born-again believers in Christ who know the Bible well and would disagree with me, not because of biblical illiteracy or ignorance, but because they fear robbing God of His glory. Therefore, my purpose here is to lovingly reason from Scripture against that notion by articulating three objections from the opposing side and then answering them from Scripture.
About the Author
Cameron Joyner
In Response To Death We Must Properly Mourn
Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
After Sarah died, the text says that Abraham mourned and wept over her. Sadly, in many circles today it is considered a lack of faith to mourn. They would trumpet the fact that Christ defeated death , that God works all things to the good , and therefore, we shouldnt mourn. However, those statements do not represent the full counsel of Scripture. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept, even though he knew Lazarus would rise from the dead. When Jacob died, Joseph and the Egyptians mourned for over seventy days .
Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:34, Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
There is a place for sorrow and sadness. There is tremendous wisdom in it. It is the fool who tries to escape pain and drown it out with pleasure. In mourning, we remember the people, lament the loss, and find healing. If we do not properly mourn, we will handle that pain in an unhealthy way, which eventually affects us and others negatively. If Jesus mourned death, then so should we.
ApplicationQuestion: What are some normal stages of grief? What should distinguish these stages in the life of a believer from that of a nonbeliever?
The normal stages of grief include:
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Bible Verses For The Passing Of A Loved One
- God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.Matthew 5:4
- The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.Psalm 34:17-18
- Good people pass away the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly pathswill rest in peace when they die.Isaiah 57:1-2
- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.2 Corinthians 1:3-4
If you have a favorite verse that has helped you in times of trouble, please do share it in the comments!
How To Respond To Death In A God
How can we respond to death in a God-honoring way? How should we comfort those who have lost loved ones?
One of the purposes of Scripture is to equip the man of God for every good work , and one of these good works is responding to death well. Many dont like to think about death however, death is a reality that must be considered and prepared for. And in one sense, as Christians, we should be more prepared for death than others. Hebrews 9:27 in the KJV says, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. Scripture teaches us to live with a view towards eternity, and in order to do that, we must realistically view and prepare for death.
In this text, we see how Abraham responded to his wifes death, and we will, eventually, see his death as well. This is important to consider because we all will experience the loss of a loved one and ultimately our own death. And it is also important because people close to us lose loved ones. How can we prepare to minister to them and help them respond in a God-honoring way?
When Paul was confronted with the possibility of dying while imprisoned in Rome, he said this in Philippians 1:2021:
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
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