Don't Be Led Astray

Ephesians 2:18 ~ Because by Yahshua there is access for us, by one Spirit, to the Father. Wherefore we are not strangers (foreigners) nor sojourners but are fellow-citizens with the Set Apart believers and of the household of Yahweh.

And we are built upon the foundations of the 12 Apostles and the prophets; and Yahshua the Anointed One has become the head of the corner in the edifice. And in him all the edifice is framed together and grows into a Set Apart temple in Master Yahweh; while we also are built in him for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

First Peter 2 ~ Therefore, cease all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and jealousy and backbiting and be like very small children and crave the Word as being the pure spiritual milk by which you are nourished up to life; if you have tasted and seen that Master YHWH is good. You have been drawn to His Son because he is a Living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but with God elect and precious. And you also as living stones are built and become spiritual temples and Set Apart for the offering of Spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable before the Father through His Son the Anointed One.

Romans 12 ~ I plead to you, therefore, my brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, Set Apart and acceptable to Him by rational service to Him. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renovation of your minds and discern what is the good and acceptable and the perfect pleasure of Our Father.

This is how it is done folks! We are told to be like young children craving the Word; not to be shaped and controlled by worldly things but to allow our character to be changed by what we have learned by reading Scriptures - His Words - especially His Instructions (Genesis through Deuteronomy). By this we learn to discern what He desires of us, and because we love Him we act accordingly. We have not been called to be 'warriors' = Yahweh is our Warrior.

Exodus 15:2, 3

Yah is my strength and might; He is my deliverance. This is my God and I will glorify Him. The God of my fathers, I will exalt Him - the Warrior - Yahweh is His Name.

There are folks who stir up their 'followers' with this warrior mantra and sometimes it seems as if they are using 'fear' to whip up a mental frenzy. We know the battle is in the spiritual realm and we know we are in the physical realm and we should not be trying to fight a war that is out of our control. That is a big distraction from 'being like little children' don't you think? Folks pushing the Warrior doctrine are leading others down a rabbit trail.

 

Yahweh is our Warrior and our Shield. Putting on the 'armor of God' is clearly explained in Scriptures as to what that means and it does not mean we are to be enlisted as 'warriors'.  We put on Yah's Spiritual Armor so that we may be able to stand against the strategies of the Accuser.

 

Clothing ourselves with
the Spiritual Armor of our Creator consists of 

living our lives in:

•Truth 
•Righteousness
•The Good News of Peace
•Faith which gives Confidence
•Salvation
•The Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God)
•Constant Prayers for Set Apart Believers

 

It is not our job to save the world - Yahshua will do that at his return. It is not our job to drag anyone to 'church'. It is, however, our responsibility as Set Apart believers to share the Good News of His Kingdom.  This is what is meant by the Seed Parable.

 

The Good News is that our Heavenly Father and His Anointed Son are righteous and just and all who put their Faith in Yahweh are being called into righteousness to walk as Yahshua walked. He is the Way, Truth and Life.

Luke 8:1- Yahshua was going around in the cites and in the villages and was preaching and declaring the Kingdom of God.
Romans 10:13- For everyone that will call on the name of Master Yahweh will have life. How then will they call on him, in whom that have not believed? Or how will they believe in him of whom they have not heard? Or of whom will they hear without a preacher? how will they preach if they are not sent forth? 

In Acts 2:38 we read in order to be saved (from the curse of eternal death) that we are to repent (return to Yah, turning away from our old sin nature) and be immersed (ritually cleansed) so that we may receive His Set Apart Spirit. By sharing the Good News of His kingdom with others we are planting seeds; those who take it to heart can make the choice to get on His Path and move along towards our inheritance = the promised land = the land of Canaan.

 

Here is some sound advice we can apply to this topic from sayings in which truth is found. Also known as Proverbs:

 

📖 Learn wisdom and discipline.

📜 Understand words of discernment (be able to separate truth from deception). 

 

🙏 Acquire discipline for righteousness, justice, fairness and success. Endow the simple with the ability to have sharp insight in practical affairs, and the young with knowledge and foresight.

🚧 If sinners entice you, do not give in, do not go with them. Keep your feet from their path - it leads to evil.

 

👂 Make your ear attentive to wisdom and your mind open to discernment.

📚 If you seek understanding and discernment, search for them as if you were searching for treasures, then you will understand the fear of YHWH and attain knowledge of Him. He is a Shield for those who live blamelessly.

♛ You will understand what is right, just and equitable because wisdom will enter your mind and knowledge will delight you. Foresight will protect you and discernment will guide you and save you from the way of evil men.

So follow the way of the good and keep to the paths of the just, for the upright will inhabit the earth and the blameless will remain in it. 

The wicked shall vanish from the land and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.

Lets not forget:
Yahshua taught us that folks who are poor in spirit, who are mourning, and meek; who hunger and thirst for righteousness; those who are merciful and pure in their hearts; who make peace; and those who are persecuted because of righteousness; are cursed and persecuted and every evil word is spoken about them falsely because of him; that all who do these things and suffer the outcomes should rejoice and be glad because our reward in heaven is great !! Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven where they will be comforted, and they will inherit the earth; they will be satisfied because mercies shall be upon them and they will see Yahweh when that day comes, because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Take a Good Look around

Quote, lightly edited:

.... the fall of Kabul painted a vivid picture of the crumbling of the United States of America. The US military, hell bent on going “woke” with transgenderism and gays in the military, is utterly unable to protect its own personnel overseas....

As Biden’s rigged regime is ending, so is the United States of America as a “united” nation. With outrageous levels of fiat currency money printing, the collapse of the rule of law, blatantly rigged elections, government-enforced censorship of conservative views, media-fomented racial animosity, left-wing efforts to defund the police, racist CRT indoctrination in the schools and even a CDC director “doctor” who cannot admit that only women can get pregnant, the once great United States of America has fallen into a pathetic state of collapse.

The military cannot defend the country, the “President” cannot run the country, the Treasury cannot fund the country and the “science” establishment can’t even bring itself to recommend vitamin D to save the country from a pandemic that was launched by the scientists themselves. The United States government now functions by waging war against its own people with forced shots, engineered food shortages, massive government looting via money printing, and the designation of anti-lock/vax/mask protesters as terrorists.

There is now no federal government agency that serves any real interest of the public. ATF, DEA, FBI, FDA, CDC, IRS, HHS, DHS and more, they only now exist to enhance their own power by waging war against the very people they claim to represent. The FBI runs the terror plots… the CDC runs the biowarfare attacks… the FDA attacks supplements… the ATF tries to banish the Second Amendment… the DEA runs the drugs… and HHS, which is supposed to stand for Health and Human Services, has a decidedly anti-human agenda.

Above all, the federal government under Biden now sees the American people as their enemy.

Beyond the incredible corruption that now characterizes the US federal government, the United States of America remains steeped in a dark, demonic world stemming from mass abortions, infanticide, organ harvesting from babies, the transgender indoctrination and mutilation of children, the rejection of God and the embracing of Lucifer across pop culture, censorship attacks on 'believers' and the embracing of depopulation bioweapons on a national scale, disguised as a public health program.

God knows what's going on, and while He is patient, His patience will run out. We must be prepared for the collapse of civilization as we know it.

Those who are spiritually prepared will be able to walk through that shadowy valley of death and fear no evil. Be prepared both spiritually and physically. Physical preparedness means having our pantries stocked, emergency supplies on hand and readiness for the collapse of food distribution, electricity, telecommunications and the rule of law. Spiritual preparedness means living by the Instructions originally given us by the Creator, standing strong in faith and following in the footsteps of His Son.

 

America has collapsed into a nation of sin, and that sin will eventually be wiped from the Earth at the return of the Son of God - but it is not the end yet.

Teachers•Ministers•Pastors•Preachers

Colossians 2:8 - Beware lest any man rob you by philosophy, or by empty deception, according to the teaching of men and according to the principles of the world and not according to Yahshua the Anointed One.

 

There are many groups available to choose from on Facebook that are spreading the Word of God.  There are many good people looking to learn more and get a better understanding of Scriptures and that is a very good thing.  But here's the catch: there are many people who consider themselves chosen by God to teach, or to share their so called God inspired insights.  And if you follow one of these types you should realize sooner or later that they are not basing their teachings or perceived leadership on Scriptures but on flights of fancy; others are leading by their pride and arrogance.  Others just complicate the simplicity of God's Word with pictures and quotes from ungodly men and women. Somewhere along the line, while their intentions were once good, they fell into one of Satan's snares and have been thoughtfully tossing out those stumbling blocks for their 'flocks'.  When these types consider themselves the center of the group, in essence, they are setting Yahweh aside and teaching others to do the same thing.  One more proof that they are not speaking for God is when confronted with something they shared which isn't quite right, doesn't line up with Scriptures, is slightly out of whack or down right misleading, they immediately go on the defense, praise themselves and gloss over the issue brought to their attention. It is almost narcissistic in nature.

Narcissistic personality disorder — one of several types of personality disorders — is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.

I am all for helping people move along Yah's Path of Righteousness as others have helped me to keep moving. There is nothing wrong with 'fellowship' found in cyberspace but the danger is in the feel-good tactics used by some (aka ear tickling) to get you hooked, reel you in and keep their group growing.  If you have never met a person in real life you cannot 100% trust them in cyberspace.  Looking for other Set Apart believers online is a challenge. 

Yahweh tells us not to be taken in by those who teach by speculation, who hand out empty deceptions concocted by men according to worldly desires; who ignore the teachings of Yahshua, His Son.

 

The 12 Apostles continued to teach The Way of Yahshua, who taught them everything from Our Father. The disciples continued to teach and follow in the footsteps of Yahshua as they learned from the Apostles. And this is how it should be with us today, we share the Good News of the Kingdom to come, just as the Apostles taught, just as our Messiah taught. And we do this because we were given His Set Apart Spirit.

 

Everything we share we should be able to back up with the written Word of our Creator; not by speculation or imagination or plain old guess work. If we do not know or are not sure of what God instructed we should not substitute what we think is right. This is Not my 'philosophy' but lessons learned from reading Scriptures.

Women, repectfully, know when to be Silent

1 Corinthians 14:34 ~

Let your women be silent in the assembly for it is not permitted them to speak but to be in subjection as also Torah says. And if they wish to be informed on any subject let them ask their husbands at home for it is unbecoming for women to speak in the assembly.

Genesis 3:16 ~ To the woman He said:
‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
In pain you shall bring forth children;
Your desire shall be for your husband,
And he shall rule over you'

Paul refers back to this incident in his first letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:11-15:

“Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to be assuming over the man, but let her remain in stillness. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not seduced, but the woman was and transgressed the command. Yet she will live by means of her children, if they continue in the faith, and in love, and in being Set Apart and in wisdom."

 

“Let all things be done decently and in order” 

(1 Corinthians 14:40)

It is not forbidden for women to talk about Scriptures but when they are gathered in the assembly where men are teaching, women respectfully remain silent. It is not her place to become a preacher etc... but she is a helper: Genesis 2:18 Yah says "it is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him."

Examples of women in Scriptures are used by some women to support their idea that women can be ordained ministers etc.... but they are just skimming the surface of those verses, trying to justify their own opinions. I am a woman who shares what I have learned from my research and study of Scriptures. I am a suitable helper for my husband and remain respectfully silent when in an assembly of believers. But I am happy to share the good news of the kingdom to come, and any knowledge I have gained by His Spirit with anyone who will listen, in the real world or in cyber space. I am scattering seeds.

 

Here are a few biblical women used to support females in ministries:

2 Kings 22:14 ~ Hulda was a prophetess married to Shallum. She lived in Jerusalem and was consulted by priests, sent by King Josiah, in regards to a scroll recently found. She did not have her own ministry. She spoke for Yahweh in response to the inquiries made.

Judges 4:4 ~ Deborah was married to Lappidoth, and was a prophetess. The Israelites once again did what was offensive to Yahweh and He gave them to King Jabin of Canaan. They were oppressed ruthlessly for 20 years. At this time Deborah led the Israelites. She could be found sitting under the palm tree in the hill country and the Israelites would come to her for decision making. Deborah was trusted and held in high esteem so much so that Barak wanted her to be there when he went to battle, else he wouldn't go. She did not have her own ministry.

Romans 16:1 ~ Phoebe was a servant of the assembly in Cenchrea and an assistant to many, including Paul. She was not a bishop, nor a minister. She was a helper.

Philippians 4:3 ~ Paul is making note of all the women who have worked hard with him sharing the Good News of the Kingdom to come, along with Clement and the rest of his helpers. These people are 'helpers' and not preachers nor do they have their own ministries.

Setting the perceived power trip aside, women who are just as noteworthy are Rahab, for one example. She married Salmon, they had a son named Boaz. Ruth, a Moabite, was adopted into the house of Israel, married Boaz and they had Obed, who fathered Jesse who fathered David, future king of Judah and the royal lineage which qualifies Yahshua to be our future king in the promised land of Canaan.

Many women were important, or served a necessary purpose throughout Scriptures but none of us should use them, thinking we can raise ourselves up beyond what Our Father has Instructed.

What in tarnation is "Reincarnation"

The theory of reincarnation has its roots in Hinduism. Later on Greek philosophers taught that after death the soul could own another body, human or animal. In the 1800s a Frenchman believed he was reincarnated and wrote a book about it which spawned a new religion: Spiritualism.

 

Remember that one of Satan's desires is to be worshiped as a god... the belief in reincarnation plays right into his hands. All religions point in Satan's direction to one degree or another as they are instruments of division.

 

Continuing our study in Scriptures we learn the truth about what happens after we die: we rest in peace, sleep, until Yahshua returns. There is not even a hint of 'reincarnation' attached to any of this. This is affirmed by what is recorded in Scriptures.  We also know we are to be one, as the Father and Son are One, by His Set Apart Spirit.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 ... the living know they will die but the dead know nothing, they have no more recompense.... Their loves, hates, jealousies have long since perished and they have no more share till the end of time in all that goes on under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 ~~ Whatever is in your power to do, do with all your might. For there is no action, no reasoning, no learning, no wisdom in Sheol (the grave) where you are going.

Taking these verses into consideration one could say the bible mentions reincarnation by not mentioning it, but by teaching us about physical death; as if asleep with no knowledge of the passage of time; and being gathered from the grave and among the living when Yahshua returns.

 

Mordecai the Benjaminite

Esther 2:5

In the fortress Shushan lived a Hebrew by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Mordecai was foster father to his uncle's daughter, Hadassah (Esther), after her parents died. Scriptures record she was 'shapely and beautiful'.  She, as well as Mordecai, were descendants of Benjamin and not of the tribe Judah = they were not 'Jews'.

Ahasuerus (Xerxus) was king over 127 provinces from India to Nubia/Ethiopia and his throne was in Shushan. It was in his 3rd year of kingship when he gave a banquet which lasted seven days with no restrictions on how much a man could drink.... they got drunk, very drunk. On the 7th day of this party King Ahasuerus wanted to show off his beautiful wife who refused his drunken chauvinistic requests which really pissed him off. He was convinced by his 7 ministers of Persia and Media to pass a royal edict that Queen Vashti would be banned from the king's presence and all her royal belongings he would keep to bestow on another deemed more worthy than she. Included in this edict the king makes it law that every man should wield authority in his own house, meaning wives should do whatever their husband demands of them.

This probably wasn't the first time the king put his beautiful wife on display but it was the last. We don't know much about Vashti but the only thing she did 'wrong' was refuse to be an object dangled in front of a banquet hall full of drunkards, her husband included. I think she had had enough of that.

Some time afterwards when Ahasuerus sobered up and his anger subsided he thought about what he had done against his wife. His servants came up with the idea of collecting 'beautiful young virgins' and bringing them to Shushan to add to his harem and he agreed. Over 12 months these new girls were cleaned up, made up and dressed up so that the king could choose one to replace Queen Vashti. Hadassah was one of them. She changed her name to Esther to hide the fact that she was a Hebrew. Mordecai kept tabs on his cousin even though he wasn't allowed inside the court of the harem.

At the end of the 12 months, the time prescribed on beautifying them (six months treated with myrrh oil and six months with perfumes and cosmetics) each girl would go to the king's chambers and spend the night, leaving in the morning and going to the other harem which was for concubines.  They would not go again to the king unless he sent for them. It was Esther who gained the admiration of all who saw her. The king 'loved her' more than all the other virgins (who were probably no longer virgins) and she won the position of 'queen'.

As the story goes, Mordecai warns about the plan to kill the king by telling Esther who reported it to the king. The two who planned this were found out and impaled on stakes. Mordecai's actions were recorded in the book of annals. Later on Haman, an Agagite, was promoted to a high position where others would kneel and bow to him by order of the king. Everyone except Mordecai complied; he would not bow to him because Haman was a descendant of Agag who was an Amalekite.

Descendants of Agag were Amalekites
•Exodus 17:14-16; Yah says He will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven
•Deuteronomy 25:17-19; Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey after you left Egypt; how undeterred by fear of Yahweh he surprised you on the march when you were famished and weary and cut down all the stragglers who fell behind. Therefore when Yah grants safety from all you enemies around you in the promised land you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven - Do not forget.
•1 Samuel 15; Yah exacts a penalty for what Amalek did to Israel - that assault he made on them on the road on their way up from Egypt. Samuel relates this to Saul to go and attack Amalek and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one but kill both man woman and child, cattle, sheep, camels and asses. Saul did everything except kill the king. He captured King Agag of Amalek. Saul disobeyed Yahweh and he and his troops only killed and proscribed what was cheap and worthless, keeping the best of everything for themselves.

Haman became enraged with Mordecai for being defiant, causing him to think about how to get rid of not only Mordecai but all the Hebrews in all the provinces. Ahasuerus had now been king for 12 years when Haman brought to his attention to certain people scattered about the king's provinces who don't follow the king's laws but follow their own laws (Yah's Instructions aka torah). The king agrees to Haman's suggested edict that all Hebrews young and old, women and children will be destroyed, massacred and exterminated in one day (13th day of the 12th month). The king and Haman sat down to feast but the city of Shushan was dumbfounded.

Note that the plan Haman provides is pretty much the same as the command Yahweh gave Saul: attack Amalek and proscribe all that belongs to him. Spare no one but kill both man, woman and child, cattle, sheep, camels and asses. Saul failed to follow Yah's commands, leaving King Agag alive, and now we have Haman, who held a grudge, planning his revenge.

When Mordecai heard about all of this he was mortified. He went through the city crying out loudly as he came to the palace gate; he could not enter because he was wearing sackcloth. All the Hebrews were weeping and wailing in all the provinces where they lived. Esther was told about Mordecai out there in sackcloth so she sent her servants to him to find out what was going on. He told them that he was begging her to go to the king to plead for the life her people. She replied that she had not been with the king for the past month and could not even approach him unless she was summoned. Mordecai lets Esther know that her own life was being threatened and even if she kept silent in this crisis, "relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father's house will perish. Who knows, maybe you are where you are in order to deal with such a crisis."

How did Mordecai know help would come from somewhere else if Esther failed to convince the king about his crisis? Was Esther Plan A while he had a Plan B up his sleeve?

You know the story. Esther plans to set Haman up, baiting him with food and drink and as the only guest invited to dine with the king and queen. Esther tells the king about Haman's plan. Haman is impaled on the stake that he had previously put up intended for Mordecai's death. The king has letters sent out to all the provinces permitting Jews to fight for their lives if any province or people attack them on the 13th day of the 12th month.

The Hebrews ended up killing 500 men in Shushan that day, killing the ten sons of Haman. Now this is what really gets to me about Esther. Ahasuerus asks her what she wants done with the dead bodies of Haman's sons. She says: let them be impaled on stakes. This is not what any Hebrew God-fearing torah believer would say or ask to have done. It seems that Esther, like Solomon, has been corrupted by the company she kept with their false gods and religions - she had been living in the palace for about 5 years by this time.  The Hebrews fought again on the 14th day killing 300 men in Shushan.

 

The rest of the Hebrews throughout the provinces killed 75,000 of their enemies on the 13th day.  They rested on the 14th day and made it a day of feasting and merrymaking.  Those in Shushan fought on both the 13th and 14th days so rested on the 15th day and made it a day of feasting and merrymaking.  It was Mordecai who sent dispatches to all the Hebrews throughout the provinces charging them to observe the 14th and 15th day of the 12th month, every year, as days of feasting and merrymaking, for sending fits to one another and presents to the poor.  The Hebrews assumed this obligation which Mordecai prescribed for them.  This goes against the commandment to set apart each 7th day as a day of rest, not a day to party.

 

Esther wrote a letter confirming with full authority that which Mordecai prescribed.  All these events were recorded by Mordecai. He was not a priest or a prophet or otherwise noted by Yahweh as being commanded to act in any way. None of this should be included in Scriptures. Nowhere do they credit, praise or give thanks to Yahweh.  The holiday of Purim is a man made tradition and not one of Yahweh's set apart times for us to observe.

 

The scroll of Esther should be filed away somewhere, along with the report about the re-dedication of the temple, for historical reference only.

 

 

 

Death

No one wants to talk about death.  If folks knew what it means and what is to come then maybe it would have been a topic of conversation started long ago.  This lack of knowledge has made talking about death some sort of taboo.   By not talking about it many are satisfied with speculation and children grow up not knowing any better.

Quote from Life Hope and Truth:

While it may be comforting to those struggling to cope with the death of loved ones to think of them as 'looking down from heaven', this belief is false. Instead, God’s Word comforts us with the fact that there is no suffering in the grave. And since those (who have died no longer think or feel) there can be no awareness on their part of the passage of time. When they are resurrected, it will be as though they have awakened from sleep. (end quote)

There are different ways that death occurs: natural, by illness or suddenly, for example: expected and unexpected.  Each one affects us differently emotionally but physical death is the same for everyone and what happens afterwards is the same for everyone until the return of Messiah. Many will be shocked to learn that we don't die and immediately go to heaven to be greeted by St. Peter at the pearly gates!  Others don't automatically end up in hell either.

Matthew 24:29
And immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shine its light. And the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then will be seen the sign of the Son of man in heaven... :31 And he will send his Messengers (angels) with a large trumpet and they will gather His chosen ones from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. (His Set Apart believers are rescued before the darkness and gloom)

...the 7th Trumpet is sounded. The earth is ready for harvest. Set Apart believers are removed from the earth temporarily for if their time was not shortened they would not be able to witness, understand and survive the heart breaking destruction to come, the final 7 cups of Wrath. 

Our Father has taught us to not put our trust in mortal man who cannot save. Our breath will depart at our physical death and our bodies decompose back into dust. It is appointed for all of us to die but when His Son Yahshua returns on that last day, his followers, both those who have died and those still living, will be raised up and gathered together to receive eternal life. (Psalm 146:3)

John 5:28 ~~ Do not marvel at this for the hour is coming when all those who are in the grave will hear his voice!

John 6:39-40: (Yahshua is speaking) “This is the will of the Father who sent me, that of all He has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

If we study Scriptures we learn the truth about what happens after we die = we rest in peace, sleep, until Messiah returns. We learn there will be two resurrections and we best hope we are part of the first one. 

Ecclesiastes 9:5 ... the living know they will die but the dead know nothing, they have no more recompense.... Their loves, hates, jealousies have long since perished and they have no more share till the end of time (when Yahshua returns) in all that goes on under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 ~~ Whatever is in your power to do, do with all your might. For there is no action, no reasoning, no learning, no wisdom in Sheol (the grave) where you are going.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 ... you should not mourn over them who have fallen asleep (died), like other people who have no hope... :14 For if we believe that Yahshua died and rose again, even those who sleep will The Father, by His Son, bring with him. :15 and this we say to you by the word of Messiah, that we who may survive and be alive at the coming of Messiah, will not precede them who have slept (died before us) :16 Because our Messiah will descend from heaven with a mandate and with the voice of the chief Messenger and with the trumpet of Yahweh; and the dead who are in Messiah will rise first and then we who survive and are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet our Messiah... And so comfort yourselves one another with these words...

We cannot 'rise' to meet Messiah when he returns if we are already in heaven. The dead who were believers rise first and the living believers witness this before they are gathered up with them. This is the first resurrection. The Apostle Paul clearly teaches that the first resurrection and the 'catching up' will occur at the return of the Anointed One, the Son of Yahweh. The sounding of a trumpet signals his return.  All eyes will see and understand that the Day of Wrath has come. Many things will happen before the sounding of that last trumpet. We have been told these things beforehand so we will know what to expect that we Set Apart believers not be taken by surprise, as if by a thief in the night. Yahshua returns on the Last Day.  And this, my friends, also proves there is no 'rapture' prior to the end of the world as we know it. We will be blessed to be gathered up prior to the final cups of Yah's Wrath that will be poured out upon the earth and those left behind.  They will be part of the second resurrection.

Quote from Bible Info: 

The Bible compares death to sleep more than fifty times. After death we are asleep, we are unconscious; we are not aware of the passing of time or of what is going on around us. That is what death is like as well. It makes sense that after Lazarus was raised from the dead, he doesn’t share what he saw or experienced. He didn’t have anything to tell, except that once he was dead, and now he is alive! He didn’t experience hell or heaven. He was simply “sleeping” in his tomb.

Revelation 20:5 ~ This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Set Apart is he that has part in this first resurrection; over them the second death has no dominion....

John 5:24 ~ I (Yahshua) say to you that whoever hears my word and believes in Him who sent me has life that is eternal, and does not come into judgment but has passed from death into life. :29 And those who have done good things will go forth to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil things to the resurrection of judgment.

Death is part of life.  We should live our lives knowing some day death will come and we need to teach our children the same so when death does comes it won't be such a shocker to those still living. We know sudden death is more dramatic to deal with compared to waiting on one who is dying of an illness or expecting one to pass on from old age which gives us time to 'reflect' and prepare; yet knowing a day will come when believers will be reunited should help ease one's mind and comfort one's heart.  This is not to say we won't feel sadness at the loss of a loved one, but we should not allow that sadness or grief to control us for days or months or years to come. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we should not mourn over them who have 'fallen asleep' like other people who have no hope.  Satan will use grief to snagged us and we must not let it run our lives. This is what happens to those who don't understand death, who have no hope. Knowledge and Understanding are strong allies to our mental state of being.  We are both physical and spiritual and it is the spiritual that goes on living in the Promised Land during Yahshua's thousand year reign as King and High Priest on this earth.  No one has 'gone to heaven' yet.  

Let us boast about our troubles because we know

Trouble produces Endurance

Endurance produces Character

Character produces Hope