Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

1 January 2026

Reading From Genesis 1-3

“So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

—Genesis 1:27-28

     We are told by Jesus in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  It is important to the health and balance of our understanding to interpret Scripture with Scripture.  There is perfect harmony in the Word of God.  Human beings are made in the spiritual image of God.  This image was corrupted by sin and can only be restored through the three phases of salvation: the new birth experience, the process of sanctification, and glorification at the resurrection. 

     In the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed perfect, uninhibited relationship with God, reigning over creation through His perfect authority.  We are meant to be stewards of creation, given free will to choose to reign in altruism which leads to peace and joy, or reign in prideful, selfish ambition which causes the world’s problems.  The choice and the power is ours.  What kind of ruler are you?  The best course of action is to relinquish control to the Holy Spirit, so that He can do His marvelous work in us and through us, bringing about godly, positive change in the world around us.

     To begin this restoration to the life God originally intended for mankind, one must decide to trust in Jesus, turn away from sin, confess one’s need for God’s grace and receive Him as Savior and Lord.  This begins a lifelong process of sanctification, becoming more and more like Jesus in love and holiness.  The culmination of this process is glorification.  One day, when Jesus returns, the dead in Christ shall rise and we who are living will be caught up with them.  Everyone who has followed Him will receive glorified bodies, free of sin and its corrupting effects of weakness, sickness, debility, and aging.  We will be perfectly united with Him as His eternal family and reign with Him forever in the New Eden. 

     Part of God’s original purpose for humanity was for them to multiply and rule over the Earth.  It breaks my heart that many people today see individuals as liabilities rather than assets.  God loves people and sees wonderful potential in everyone.  This is why He wants people to have children either physically or spiritually.  His plan is for us to raise up righteous descendants through procreation between husband and wife in healthy marriage relationship, but also through discipleship.  There are people who cannot have physical children of their own, but ever born again believer is called to be a witness to the lost, help them be born again, and then raise them up in the faith.  People are a blessing and can be restored through the love and message of Jesus Christ.

“Father God, thank You for Your plan of salvation which offers us the hope of abundant and eternal life.  If we are born again, continue in the faith, and meet You when You return, our restoration will be made complete in the New Heaven and the New Earth.  There we will live in the New Eden, the paradise of Your Presence, worshipping You and having miraculous adventures forever.  Thank You for this bright and glorious hope in You, Lord Jesus.  Amen.”

You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

—Psalm 8:5-9

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

—Revelation 7:9-12