Posted in Bible Study

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today. so that none may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13

Have you ever stopped and wondered how you became discouraged? Or have you stopped to consider why doubts are plaguing your thought life? Is there someone in your life that encourages you, someone that says," You are doing such a great job or Boy you sure have grown in the time I have known you? " Do we realize how important that is to our Christian walk?

When I was a new believer, the Lord gave me , Miss Cathy! Miss Cathy had a very unique way of discipling me. Every morning she would call me and ask me what the Lord had said to me today. This meant I had to be in my Bible before she called. There were times when I said "It's been a busy morning, kids are driving me crazy, etc." She very calmly would say, Okay, I will call you back in half an hour! Miss Cathy encouraged me daily!  And man did I grow!

Do you have someone like that in your life? Your spouse, a sister in the Lord, you child that loves the Lord so intently she/he causes you to be in awe and repent?

I always knew being encouraged mattered, but this morning I noticed the end of this verse, "so that none may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness". I hadn't paid much attention to that lately, but I sure have seen the fruit of it lately. I especially notice it in a few young men in my life. They are Christians without fellowship, without discipleship and with hearts that are being hardened by sin daily. They have had sweet fellowship with the Lord Jesus, but the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of sin has led them away from the faith of their youth. Pray they return to the God of their childhood.

So Today, while it is still called Today, encourage those around you. Tell them you see Jesus in them and hopefully they will tell you the same. Nothing is sadder than being a Believer and having someone witness to you because they didn't think you knew the Lord. Fruit on a tree is a very good indicator to the world that you are a fruit-bearing tree.

And if today you find yourself discouraged, take heart, you are only a prayer away from restoration. 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins... This means to come to the point of saying the same thing God says about a specific matter. If God says anger is sin and he detests it and you are angry, confessing is saying" God I know that anger is as the sin of murder since one can lead to the other. And although my anger is not at that point, I know it hurts your heart and for that I am sorry. I confess my anger to You and relinquish its hold on me as you wash me clean. You desire me to be set free and to be forgiven so in the same way teach me also to forgive."  That alone is a wonderful reason to be encouraged, God delights in setting us free from the sins that so easily beset us. Today you start a new.

Be encouraged by the love of Jesus as long as it is called Today.