Do not be deceived

Ever been deceived? It’s not fun. You think that something is true until the rug gets pulled out from under you and you feel foolish. . That’s one kind of deception. Yet, another kind of deception is when we are self-deceived. When we convince ourselves of something that isn’t true or when we avoid facing uncomfrtable truths. This is the kind of deception that James says we are all prone towards in times of suffering or as we walk through various trials in our lives. As we face these external pressures, we are prone towards believing lies internally; specifically lies about God, the situation that we are in, and our own purity of heart and desire. However, for our good and maturity as Christians, James shines a spotlight onto the darkest parts of our hearts so that we might not be deceived. He also gives us some truths to fight this self-deception so that we remember the goodness of God as we walk through suffering. The only question is: are we ready to face some of these uncomfortable truths about ourselves? It won’t be fun, but it will lead to our joy. Towards this end, we’d love to invite you to listen in this weekend as we discuss James 1:13-18.