salvation

Home Not Heaven // Micah

James 1:12-13 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

The primary “temptation” James instructs us to “endure” is the one he talked about in the verses immediately proceeding, namely the temptation to allow material goods to take an improper place in our lives. Not only do we tend to worship money, use funds for selfish ends, and hoard resources intended for Gods work, but we then turn around and blame God for tempting us by giving money to us in the first place. The disease infecting our first parents, blame-shift sickness, is a virus now universally contracted.

James responds to those blaming God for their giving into temptations with three important truths:

God is impervious to evil and does not tempt anyone with sin.

Temptation comes from our lust to have it our way over God’s.

God grants endurance and reward to those who turn from evil to Him.

The fight against evil requires a commitment to truth and reliance on grace and comes with a reward for the steadfast. In Christ alone lies the truth and grace needed for salvation and the endurance leading to eternal rewards.

Lord, help us to see ourselves in the light of truth, confess where we fail, and endure in the grace found through Christ’s gospel. When we sin, may we remember that deflecting blame causes us to miss the fact that our temptations lie on the doorstep of Home, not Heaven.

- Micah McElveen

Eternal Night Light // Micah

These days, it seems, each news cycle blows in a stormier forecast than the last, predicting the rapid arrival of an increasingly large cloud. The societal message insists that long-standing political instability is ushering in a national solar eclipse, in which impending darkness is guaranteed to snuff out any ray of hope.

As Christ Followers, our faith should no doubt shape our world view and guide the formation of our political perspectives. That notwithstanding, it is easy to intertwine them to the point where our hope becomes anchored in "the two" as if they were one. Unwavering optimism rooted in the guaranteed promises of Christ is swapped for highs and lows as volatile as political appointments and subsequent policy change. Joy rooted in our sovereign Lord is exchanged for the wavering strength returned to those who bank their happiness in stocks driven by speculation. Is any light able to survive such a dark night?

In times as these, we do well to remind ourselves of Christ's truth found in...

"The Word [Jesus] gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it." John 1:4-5

Christ is the origin of life. Christ's radiance is global. Christ is still piercing the night and no matter the age He will never be overcome by darkness. He's the effervescence in the noonday light and the glow dispelling the midnight darkness. When dawn settles in we need not despair, for our path is lit by the Eternal Night Light.

- Micah McElveen