Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

18 October 2025

Reading From II Thessalonians 1

“To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

—II Thessalonians 1:11-12

     It is not for us to make ourselves worthy.  We are made worthy by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus.  Every resolve for good and every work of faith is not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit.  The new birth experience is the event of our salvation, our spiritual growth and sanctification is the process of salvation, and glorification is the goal of our salvation.  All three must be present in our lives for salvation to be made complete.

     Notice that Paul writes here that the Name of our Lord Jesus is to be glorified in us, but also that we will be glorified in Him.  This is all made possible by receiving through faith the transformative grace of God.  His glorious love makes us want to please Him through holiness and compassion.  Obedience comes from a heart of love rather than trying to earn our position in His Presence.  His grace and mercy provide us with that.  Matthew 23:12 reveals that, “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  If we are faithful to Him and endure to the end, we will be rewarded with perfect unity with God and we will live in harmony with Him for eternity.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for the bright hope we have in the glorious appearing of Your Son, Jesus Christ.  We long for the day when our salvation will be made complete at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  As we study Your Word, we catch glimpses of Your glory.  In and of ourselves, we are unworthy to partake of Your divine nature.  But through belief, repentance, confession and acceptance of You as Savior and Lord, we are made worthy as we are cleansed spiritually in Your blood.  Wash our sins away that we might be presented to You on that glorious Day as holy, blameless and pleasing in Your sight.  Help me to please You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.  It is in the matchless Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God I pray these things.  Amen.”

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

—II Peter 1:2-4