Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 May 2025

Reading From Luke 21:31-46

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

—Luke 21:31-32

     God loves everyone in the whole world and wants all of humanity to choose faith, confession and repentance in order to activate a healthy, balanced, life-giving relationship with Him, but He will not force anyone into this relationship.  He has chosen us, now it is up to us to choose Him.  There will be times in our lives, just like Peter, when we will wander from the path, but the Holy Spirit living inside of us will convict us, drawing us back to the fold with His kindness.

     The Lord knew beforehand that Peter would deny Him not once, but three times.  Most people see what happened in this disciple’s life as failure and it was.  But that was not the end of Peter’s story.  He had genuinely believed, confessed Jesus as Lord and turned away from his old way of life in order to follow the Savior.  Peter temporarily wandered from the path in a way similar to the Prodigal Son, but Jesus knew he would turn back and help others find the Lord, stay on the right path, continue in the faith and endure to the end.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for Your goodness, mercy and love for Your people.  Thank You for not treating us as our sins deserve, but according to the endless riches of Your grace.  As me and my brothers and sisters go through struggles and temptations in life, I pray that You would strengthen our faith and help us to remain true to You.  We are prone to wander and it is with the knowledge of our own weaknesses that we ask for courage and strength to persevere.  We also ask that You would soften our hearts and make us humble when we need to repent and accept a course correction from You.  In the Name of the One who is able to do all these things, Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.—Matthew 24:13

For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.—Hebrews 3:14

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.—Revelation 2:10

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.—Philippians 1:6

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because ofyour evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.—Colossians 1:21-23