Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

3 October 2025

Reading From Ephesians 5:17-33

“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

—Ephesians 5:17-21

     How do I understand what the will of the Lord is?  His will is found in His Word illuminated by His Holy Spirit.  Spiritual matters are spiritually discerned.  Romans 12:2 reveals, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  So how then do we have our mind renewed?  Do not conform to the pattern of this world.  Don’t go along with how the rest of the world lives.  

     My mother told me when I was a boy that the whole world could be doing something and it still could be wrong.  We know the difference between right and wrong by studying, meditating upon and living according the God’s Word the Bible. Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” And Paul wrote in Titus 3:5, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”

     There is much controversy in the Church about the use of alcohol.  Here the direction is clearly given not to get drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit.  Elsewhere we find that Jesus turned water into wine, Paul recommended wine for medicinal purposes, and throughout Scripture we see wine used for celebratory purposes.  Drunkenness is not something that should be part of the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.  Getting drunk is not the way to renew one’s mind; seeking more of the guidance and jubilation of the Holy Spirit is. 

     I love Paul’s encouragement for us as brothers and sisters to speak to one another musically.  What a great way to communicate God’s grace and truth with one another.  Churches would function so much more lovingly and efficiently if we remembered to submit to one another rather than insisting on having our own way. Let the Spirit have His way.

“Lord Jesus, thank You for Your guidance for our everyday lives.  I love Your grace and truth and I pray that I would become more like You along with my brothers and sisters in Your eternal family.  Help us to submit to one another, but more importantly I pray that we would be united in our submission to good, pleasing and perfect will.  In the holy Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things, Amen.”

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

—Colossians 4:6