Exhort One Another

Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. - Hebrews 3:12-13 NASB

I recently watched a video clip of a young Christian woman who openly chose to walk away from her faith after encountering a New Testament verse that revealed an attribute of God she didn’t like or agree with. She read the verse aloud to a podcaster, whose show she was a guest on, and then explained why, in her mind, it justified abandoning Christianity altogether.

What stood out to me was not just the woman trying to justify her decision, but the response of the podcaster, someone who typically affirms Christian perspectives and nods along with Scripture-based arguments, suddenly shifting gears and affirming her conclusion instead. I watched the exchange patiently, with a discerning heart. And in that moment, two thoughts crossed my mind: first, this woman is willing to discard an expensive, priceless gift from God because she has never been properly discipled in the full counsel of Scripture about who He is and has now encountered a truth about Him that makes her uncomfortable…what a tragedy. Second, this podcaster is making millions speaking to and influencing Christians…through a forked tongue. And many are unaware.

The Need for Discernment

We are living in an age where deception is subtle and persuasive, often disguised as wisdom. This is why Christians must be strengthened on every front and sharpened in discernment, committing to help one another stay anchored in truth rather than being quietly led astray.

Paul says in the verse above, Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. It’s considered evil to have an unbelieving heart, a heart of faithLESSness. So, take heed to yourselves, beware of the deception around you, and perceive what is going on behind the scenes “spiritually” so that you can take the necessary action against such deceptions.

He goes on to say, But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Friends, we all need each other. We need to encourage one another every day because, honestly, today is all we get…right now, this moment. We are not promised tomorrow. So, if your heart is weighing you down, or you are struggling in your faith, reach out to someone for encouragement. The same is true if you see someone struggling in their faith. Step in with encouragement and exhort them.

To exhort means:

• to call near (as to receive or give help)

• to implore, entreat (to urgently ask for mercy or help)

• to exhort (to urgently counsel, encourage, or admonish)

• to comfort

The Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation. If we are not actively exhorting one another today, calling each other back to faith, courage, and obedience, we should not be surprised when deception finds its way in tomorrow.

Who can you call today for encouragement? Who can you encourage?

God Bless You,

Carole