Exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin(Hebrews 3:13)
Every testimony we hear should be exhortation! Today's baptism service made me look back, 'twas in my 4th yr of B.E on a weekend that I took baptism at a Pastor's church in Dindigul. The time we choose didn't make it possible for family to be with me although mum and dad n few were praying! I was the last one to take water baptism at home. There was no church to witness just the pastor's family and an evangelist of the church. The day following my baptism I attended church meeting and wasn't asked to testify coz my Tamil was poorly or may be the Pastor thought I wouldn't be up to it!
I knew I had a different standard but even slightest sin lies to us, causing us to harden our hearts and draw away from God in unbelief (verse 12).
Whether the sin is lust, anger, pride, greed, it deceives us into thinking that satisfaction or fulfilment is found somewhere else than in God through pleasure, or gaining more "stuff." But God has taught me that it is all a lie. Today when I see a prayer answered in the life of others, there is a profound joy only found in the path/presence of our living God. My needs, wants or even aspirations seem dead and limp.
The fellowship of saints brings exhorting, lest sin have its hardening effect on our hearts. We may walk faithfully for a week, a decade, or half a lifetime but constant vigilance, and the exhortation of others, is needed in order to avoid sin's pitfalls today, no matter how successful we've been so far!! So once again Father God in the name of Jesus I ask you to accept me, mould me in to your likeness to run this race for You!!
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