Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Deeper Teaching by Pastor Kenton Cheek

As we follow Jesus in humble obedience, we become more like Him and reflect the Father’s glory.  We are called to know and speak His Word, share His love and message, and function in His authority in our daily lives.  These callings are preparing us for our eternal destiny.  Salvation is so much more than a “get-out-of-Hell-free card.”  It is the beginning of a journey to become

Prophet/Prophetess: someone who hears from God boldly speaks His Word, especially a timely message.  Prophets speak to people on behalf of God.

“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”—Acts 2:17-18

How do we develop our prophetic gifting?  We need to spend time with God in prayer, worship, and absorb the Bible.  Quiet time with the Lord provides space to listen.  When we hide God’s Word in our hearts, the Spirit will give us the right opportunities to speak into other people’s lives.

I Corinthians 14: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.”

Priest/Priestess: The Lord wants me to share His love and message with others. A priest goes to God on behalf of the people.  I come before Him with sacrifices of praise and prayers and share the Good News of Jesus with people in my life.  I also show God’s love in practical ways by serving and giving to others.

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹ God made him who had no sin to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”—II Corinthians 5:16-21

King/Queen: As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we are to function in His power and authority.  For this to happen, we need to ask Him to expand, strengthen and deepen our faith.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  The Bible is a treasury of knowledge and wisdom we can draw from to make godly decisions as we steward what God has given us responsibility of.  Jesus is the perfect example of what it means to rule with humility and meekness.  Meekness is power under control.

²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.—Genesis 1:26-28

When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?^[c]

⁵ You have made them^[d] a little lower than the angels^[e]
    and crowned them^[f] with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their^[g] feet.—Psalm 8:3-6

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.—Revelation 1:6

God wants us to be good stewards of the blessings He has entrusted to us.