“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13 NIV)

Too often, we who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, view our lives as being ready to go to heaven and to attend church on a Sunday Morning and for a growing number even going to church is a sometimes thing. Yet when we look at scripture and the teaching of Jesus and His followers, we see a life lived day by day, every day. It is a daily lived life.

After Peter’s confession that Jesus is “The Christ of God.” (Luke 9:20b) Followed by Jesus’ acknowledgement that “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Luke 9:22) Here is the reason Jesus came and the promise of hope which Jesus had been teaching them. This hope is seen at the death of Lazarus where He tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Then, He raises Lazarus from the dead. This is the hope of all believers.

He now tells Peter and the disciples “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) When we take up the cross and follow Jesus, we acknowledge that it is now Jesus who is alive in us. Paul would tell the Churches of Galatia, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) He would tell the Church at Rome, that we live our lives by faith. “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17b)

How do we live this life of faith? We live our lives of faith one day at a time. We live it daily as Jesus said.

That is the challenge for us as followers of Jesus that everyday our lives are lived in Him. In view of this daily life, what do we need to live this life? The writer of Hebrews gives us aid in how we are to live this life. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13) This is the activity of the church, as fellow followers, we are to encourage each other. We are to encourage everyday. Through our bond in Jesus Christ, we are here to help one another. The writer of Ecclesiastes gives us an illustration of the need for others in our lives. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

The beauty of the Christian’s life is that we are never alone, and every day we are first to come to God and pick up our cross where God meets us with the life of Jesus. “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, . . .let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:19, 22-23) Let us now turn to each other with words of encouragement for each other. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

When we live our lives day by day with God, and with each other encouraging each other then we have a hope, not just a desire to go to heaven when we die. Now, we know God and some of those who will be there, and we look forward to; “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:3-5)

Today, let us encourage each other!

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block