Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

5 August 2025

Reading From Romans 1:1-21

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”—Romans 8:5-9

The flesh and the Spirit are at war within us. The flesh is prideful and rebellious; it does not want to please God, but thinks only of self. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, comforts in suffering, lovingly guides us to repentance, and empowers us to lead victorious lives. He causes us to bear the excellent spiritual fruits of love and blesses us with gifts to be used for the Father’s glory.

Part of how we know we are truly saved and belong to God is that we sense His Presence in our lives. Abundant life comes from keeping in step with the Spirit. We do this by responding to His love with humble obedience. Without Him living within us, we have no hope of eternal life. We must be born again or our lives are lived in vain. What we starve will die and what we feed will grow. Fill your life with godly influences; sow seeds of righteousness and you’ll reap a bountiful harvest of peace.

“Lord, help me not give in to the sinful desires of my flesh. Let my sole desire be to please You and honor You in all that I think, say, and do. Inspire me with Your love and grace to do good works and share Your ministry of reconciliation with others. May evil die and good endure.”

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy,^[a]drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do^[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.—Galatians 5:16-24