Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

5 October 2025

Reading From Philippians 1

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 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. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

—Philippians 1:3-11

     God has revealed to us through His Word the Bible what are identity, community and destiny are.  Salvation accepted through faith, repentance and confession makes an individual a son or daughter of the Most High God, part of His Bride the Church, and we are being brought together as the House of the Lord to dwell in the New Heaven and the New Earth.  From the moment a person is saved, the Holy Spirit is given them as a deposit guaranteeing them that their destiny will be in the Presence of God. 

     This guarantee for those who have truly been born again seems odd to us given that we know that between this point and eternity we will make many mistakes and commit sins along the way.  We are in the process of perfection, but the perfect will not come until the resurrection, judgment and Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  From the moment we are made temples of God, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. 

This means that by His grace, He has already factored in your faults and shortcomings and still has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.  He will help you process through your learning experiences.  He will guide you into all truth by His Spirit.  As you continue in the faith, walking in humble repentance, He will forgive you and offer course corrections along the way.  Rest assured that if you choose to walk with Him, He will be with you every step.

“God, thank You that life with You is a partnership.  Soften people’s hearts that they might hear Your voice calling them and respond in loving obedience. Help us to yield to the work of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. Flow through us as Your willing vessels.  I am so very grateful for the identity, community, and destiny I have in You.  I worship You Jesus.  Amen.”

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

—Ephesians 1:13-14