Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

22 November 2025

Reading From James 4

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

—James 4:7-10

     These verses give so much practical spiritual direction for believers in every age.  Surrender to the Lord and submission to His will is vital to our salvation (implicit in repentance), and is also necessary for our spiritual growth and sanctification.  We are being saved as we surrender different areas and aspects of our lives to His control.  As we do so, we become more and more like Jesus and are transformed from glory to glory.  The culmination of this sanctifying process is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when He will bring consummation through the resurrection, judgment and Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  Then we will be like Jesus and be one with Him and with one another. 

     I believe that ever since the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, God is speaking to every soul who has ever lived, drawing them to Himself.  Acts 2:17a tells us, “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”  It is up to us as to whether or not we choose to listen and respond to the Spirit’s promptings.  “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”[1]  God wants everyone to be saved and His welcoming arms are extended to all, but He will not force anyone into healthy relationship with Him.  We must draw near to Him.  “God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”[2]  If we follow the plan of salvation laid out in Scripture, we will experience deep and lasting happiness and abiding, eternal joy.

“God, thank You for wanting me.  Thank You for drawing me to Yourself by the Holy Spirit.  Help me to resist the devil.  The desire of my heart is to obey You out of love.  I just want to please You, Lord.  Empower me to do so.  Anoint me with Your Spirit to share Your love and message with others.  In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray these things.  Amen.”

The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.

—Psalm 145:18

Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.

—Isaiah 55:6

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 

–Hebrews 10:19-22

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[1] John 3:16

[2] I Timothy 2:3b-4