Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

16 October 2025

Reading From I Thessalonians 4

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own bodyin a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

—I Thessalonians 4:1-8

     It is imperative for our salvation to be made complete that we yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in us and through us to transform us from glory to glory, to be remade in the spiritual image of the Lord Jesus.  The precepts and principles found in the Bible were given by God through His prophets and apostles so that God will be glorified in His people.  As we read the Scriptures, unless a prophet or apostle explicitly tells us that the content is their opinion or suggestion, commands are given through them by Jesus Himself.  The lifestyles of modern followers of Jesus should be crafted by careful attention to the guidance of the Holy Spirit both in daily life and pivotal life decisions.

     It is the will of God that we control ourselves and not allow ourselves to be carried away with lust.  He has given us so much guidance on how to do this. Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, Bible study, meditation, and worship help to keep our attention fixed on the Savior. Putting faith into action through engagement in the ministries of the church is an excellent way of keeping on the covenant path rather than being distracted by the world with its temporary pleasures that lead to destruction. 

I believe that it is good and healthy for young people to search for someone compatible with them who they can love and cherish in holy matrimony.  Human sexuality is meant by our Creator to be experienced within the context of healthy, loving marriage between one man and one woman.  This is what is best for our personal lives, our families, and society as a whole. 

If someone is able to be celibate and follow God in holiness as a single person, that is commendable.  But for most people and for the flourishing of our faith, marriage and discipleship are necessary.  To raise children in the Way is more efficient than to disciple an adult who has no knowledge of the ways of the Lord. Churches grow through evangelism and procreation, but regardless of how a person comes into the church, God calls each of us to learn and grow in love and holiness as His disciples.

     We are inspired by the love of God to lead holy lives that please Him.  Love should be the motivation for sexual purity and other godly choices.  Holiness is not an attempt to earn our position in the Kingdom of God, but rather it flows from the right standing we have by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus.  Our good deeds and righteous lifestyle cannot add anything to the atonement, rather these are our responses of love to who God is and what He has done for us.  Even as we decide to follow Him and put our faith into action, the knowledge, wisdom, power and strength we do these things comes from Him and therefore it is He doing the good works through us. Make good choices!

“Lord God, we know that it is for our own good that we build our lives on the solid foundation of You and Your Word.  Empower us with Your Holy Spirit to resist temptation, to extend compassion to those who need Your love, and to make disciples in our communities, regions and world.  May the light of Your truth and the warmth of Your love shine brightly through Your sons and daughters.  Show us the way forward in faith.  Give us guidance in making difficult decisions about how we act in our present reality.  Let us decrease so that You increase in our lives.  Have Your way in us.  In the Name of the Lord Jesus I pray these things, Amen.”

For in him we live and move and have our being.  As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.

—Acts 17:28