Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

6 April 2025

Reading From Luke 8:26-56

“When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.”

—Luke 8:34-39

     Jesus brings restoration to broken and hurting people.  He removes from our hearts and minds the unhealthy ways of thinking and patterns of behavior, heals us from the inside out and partners with us to bring our lives into alignment with the guidance of His life-giving Word.  The remarkable change that the love and power of the Lord made in the man who had been possessed by legions of demons brings me to tears.  I am so grateful for the transformation He brings about in the lives of each of His sons and daughters.

     Sometimes the great works that Jesus does in the very core of our being are difficult to put into words, but we need to try.  For the sake of our lost friends and family members, we must try. It is vital to the Lord’s ministry through you to contemplate the wonderful things He has done in your life and consider how to communicate with others about it.  Notice how Jesus directed the restored man to return home and share with others how much God had done for Him and in the next line of Scripture, Luke records that he did so but that He told them what Jesus had done in his life. 

     Jesus is God and the marvelous wonders He performs in our personal lives are too good to keep to ourselves.  We need to share the spiritual abundance He has blessed us with so that many more people will be rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Light.  This is major part of how we participate in His ministry of reconciliation in the world around us.

“Heavenly Father, I thank You for all that You do in the lives of Your sons and daughters.  You take us from the miry clay of sin and heartbreak, cleanse us with Your blood, anoint us with the oil of Your Holy Spirit, dress us in warm and clean robes of righteousness, place our feet upon the solid Rock of Christ and His Word and guide us into our destiny in Your celestial kingdom.  We are so grateful for revealing to us who we truly are and where we belong in Your eternal family.  I pray in a manner consistent with the heart and character of Christ Jesus.  Amen.”

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

Blessed is the one
    who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
    to those who turn aside to false gods.

—Psalm 40:2-4

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

—Isaiah 61:10