“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12 NIV
We are warned to protect our hearts. This is because a sinful, unbelieving heart causes us to become insensitive to God. It is like cancer that slowly eats away at our ability to trust and rely on Him. This does not happen overnight but like a callous thickened by constant rubbing, our hearts can become hard and insensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This happens when we are swept away by the deceitfulness of sin. Unbelief is the result of a choice. The choice may seem insignificant at the time, but over-exposure to the lure of this world will wreak havoc on our hearts and our ability to trust God. If over-exposure to sin causes hardness of heart, then being built up and encouraged daily will prove just the opposite. It will keep our hearts soft, pliable and receptive to the Lord. This is why the writer of Hebrews instructs us to find daily encouragement in one another, because it strengthens us for the day ahead. Knowing that Jesus promises to be in the middle of the relationship, when we share our lives with other believers, drawing encouragement from them, we are also built up in faith, ready to operate as God’s ambassadors in this world. In finding both joy and encouragement in each other’s lives, we will rejoice and celebrate the Lord Jesus, being built up in the faith, waiting expectantly for amazing things to result from our time with fellow believers.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Holy Spirit, as we encourage one another, strengthen our faith.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, as we find both joy and encouragement in each other’s lives, we will rejoice and celebrate You, we will be built up in the faith, waiting expectantly for amazing things to result from our time with each other. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Acts 9:1-9
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