Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

5 June 2025

Reading From John 15

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

—John 15:5-12

     John 14 was one of my Grandpa Cheek’s favorite passages.  I love it too, but I would have to expand on that sentiment and say that all the writings of the Apostle John have a special place in my heart.  One vital word in this particular chapter is “if.”  Don’t miss the “if.”  It is a matter of spiritual wellbeing and ultimately a matter of life and death that we understand what is being said by our Lord here. 

     As we come to Him for salvation from our sins, salvation from ourselves, we must earnestly seek Him.  When we are found in Him, we should not put ourselves on auto-pilot or cruise control or feel as though we can coast into eternal bliss.  Life with God is an active adventure.  Continue to seek the Lord’s will for your life.  Feed yourself on His Word, drink deeply from the refreshing Holy Spirit, and exercise your faith by putting His powerful principles into action in daily life.  We must be nourished and active if we are to grow healthy and strong.

     Life is not easy.  Challenges will come our way.  The manner in which we handle those challenges proves that our faith in Jesus is genuine.  Sometimes we will fail in handling those hard times in a way that pleases the Lord.  We have a choice in that moment to either give up and walk away or we can pause, reflect, confess and repent.  The former leads to chaos and destruction, the latter leads to life and peace.  To choose a lifestyle of belief, confession and repentance is to remain in Him.  No mistake is wasted with God if we handle it with humble, contrite hearts in the manner laid out in His Word.  He wants us to learn and grow, not to be bitter and disconnect ourselves from Him as our life-giving Source.

     We express the radical change He has made in our hearts and lives by loving Him in return, loving others and loving ourselves in a godly way.  His commands and the fruit in our lives that come from obeying Him are all about love.  God is love.  The fruit of the Spirit is love.  We obey Him because we love Him.  This lifestyle brings joy, fulfillment and satisfaction to us.  Following Jesus in a loving way is the secret to having joy.

     As we hide His Word in our hearts through reading, studying, meditating, and putting it into practice in a loving way, we cultivate a life that is in alignment with His truth.  As we remain in Him, His desires will become ours.  We will want what He wants and we will pray accordingly.  This guarantees that our prayers will be answered in the affirmative, because we will pray in accordance with His will. 

     When we ask Him for things with wrong motive or that are not in alignment with His principles, then James 4:3 comes into play, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  As we pray, we should wait patiently for the answer and know that solutions from the Lord sometimes come in unexpected, but always profound and marvelous ways.  There are times when I struggle to see His plan coming together, but as I reflect back on how He brought all the moving pieces together, I am amazed and my response is to simply thank Him and worship Him.

“Lord Jesus, I am so grateful for Your love.  You are Love!  Help me as I learn and grow in Your love.  Thank You for Your forgiveness of my sins as I repent and confess them to You.  Fill me to overflowing with Your love.  Give me the strength I need to love others who may be difficult to love.  I acknowledge that there are times when I am difficult to love and You love me just the way I am.  I am profoundly thankful for You, Lord.  In Your Name I pray these things.  Amen.”

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

—Matthew 24:12-14