The Daily Remedy

The Daily Remedy
Words of Faith 1-23-26
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2026
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Hebrews 3
[12] See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. [13] But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. [14] We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. [15] As has just been said:
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

The Writer challenges every Believer to see to it that none of us has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Wow. But how can we really know if our hearts have grown sinful, unbelieving, or have turned away from the living God?

Sometimes the answer is quite obvious. We know when we choose deliberately to rebel in matters that we know quite clearly are not Godly. In fact, to get to that place, we must harden our hearts in order to make the excuses and rationalizations that pave that road. But sometimes turning away is more subtle.

Sin can be so very deceitful. The word the Writer used here means "something that creates a delusion." We can find ourselves in a place where we are deluded by our own opinions or our piety. We can feel very self-righteous, and yet be quite deluded. We may argue from some sense of religious fervor, but we, in fact, confuse our own strong opinions with what we think the Lord wants. This is sin's deceitfulness.

The Writer suggests that we find hope only when we encourage one another daily. We need another heart, another set of eyes, and another set of ears. The word used is one of his favorites in this letter: parakaleo. The KJV translates it "exhort," but it has a broad meaning—  to call near, invite, invoke by imploration or consolation, to beseech, call for, be of good comfort, or entreat. It is a word that speaks of lovingly guarding one another through mutual concern and admonition.

One commentator writes: "This exhortation is still completely pertinent to any local congregation at the present time, where the hardening tendencies of sin can often be counteracted by truly concerned fellow Christians" (Bible Knowledge Commentary).

We are called as a community to call one another to our side. We are not called to criticize or accuse. We are not called to gossip in the parking lot or pick at each other. But we are called to come alongside each other to encourage, lift, invoke, comfort, and call forth the blessing of God from one another. We are called to help one another keep from deceiving ourselves. We are called to encourage one another to trust in God rather than leaning on our own understanding. We are called to point one another back to the living God. This is what will keep us from being hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

This is not an occasional prescription. It is not even a weekly injunction. The Writer calls us to daily encouragement through the Body of Christ as long as it is still Today and we are not home with the Lord.

Our daily goal is to share in Christ as we hold on till the end to the confidence we had at first. Starting with Christ is not the hard part. Beginning the journey is not difficult. The tough part of the journey is down the road when the deceitfulness of sin threatens to harden our hearts. "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion."

Father God, soften my heart to You and to my fellow Believers. Teach me the careful walk that will keep my ears and heart open to You. Show me the art of encouragement. Teach me the joy of coming alongside another Believer. Show me the protection of daily encouragement. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2026
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2026 Jeffrey D. Hoy.