Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

4 June 2024

Reading From Proverbs 7-9

“Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

By me kings reign and rulers issue decrees that are just;
by me princes govern, and nobles—all who rule on earth.
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver

I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,
bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me and making their treasuries full.”

–Proverbs 8:10-11, 15-21

     Everyone in the world who has access to the Bible has access to the wisdom of the Lord.  Each of us is in a different financial situation and at a different place in our walks with Him.  God meets us where we are at and begins to bless us there.  If we are impoverished materially or blessed with more than we know what to do with, we can not only find practical advice on stewarding the resources we are entrusted with, but we also see the deeper truth of how spiritually blessed all of us are in Christ Jesus.  Our destiny with Him in abundant, eternal life is worth more than anything money can purchase.  Jesus calls His spiritual Kingdom “the pearl of great price.”

     We have learned that part of our identity and destiny in Christ is to reign with Him as kings and queens by His authority.  Here in Proverbs we are blessed with a wealth of wisdom as to how to do that.  Yahweh gave humanity a tremendous amount of responsibility when He granted Adam and Eve dominion over the Earth.  This means that we should not wait until the New Heaven and the New Earth to seek God’s knowledge, wisdom and power to rule.  We need Him right now. 

     We have the ability to use our free moral agency to make decisions that either benefit or harm ourselves, those around us and future generations.  How fortunate we are to have the perfect, shining example of Jesus to lead with humility and wisdom.  Meekness is not weakness, it is power and strength under control. 

As we walk in the Spirit, we are to be servant leaders functioning in the fruit and gifts produced by God as He lives within our hearts and is gradually permeating every fiber of our being.  The fruit of the Spirit is love.  All His other virtues flow from love; in fact He is Love.  Therefore, we must rule in love. In Him we live and move and have our being. We reign together with Him and one day our royal community will be perfect. For now, we are all in this messy, wild, beautiful process of perfection together.

“As I make decisions great and small, I pray that I would seek Your wisdom in what I ought to do.  Remind me of the value of obeying Your Word rather than chasing material wealth and possessions.  You are of the highest importance.  I pray that I would put You first in my life.  Align my priorities with Yours.  I pray these things in the marvelous Name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

–Ephesians 1:3-14