Not long ago I read an all-too-familiar story: another preacher got caught.
He was looking at pornography on his computer, then switching to his Bible software program to work on his upcoming sermon, then back to porn . . . all in the span of a few hours.
Are you shocked?
Unfortunately, you’ve probably seen too many headlines to be too surprised.
I don’t know this preacher, and I don’t know any of his circumstances, but I think I can guarantee one thing about his ministry: his Bible study was falling flat.
He may have been parsing Hebrew and Greek verbs, but he wasn’t connecting with the Author of the Scriptures.
He may have memorized his text for the next sermon, but the word of God wasn’t sinking into his heart.
I know that because of what James writes here:
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).
I don’t want to cast too many stones, because I know of too many times that my own Bible study has been hindered by some sin I’ve hung onto.
Maybe you can relate to this.
Have you been struggling with your devotional time?
Has the Bible seemed distant lately?
Has your heart remained untouched by the words from God?
According to James, it might be because you’re ignoring some particular sin in your life.
In the verses just before this one, James is talking about anger—are you angry with someone right now? Are you bitter about something someone said or did?
It could be that we’re too interested in money and stuff; greed puts blinders on us when we read Scripture.
Or it could be sexual sin, or gossip, or selfishness, or pride.
But here’s the point we need to get: the truths of Scripture won’t open up to us when we’re living in sin.
Any sin that we’re unwilling to confess will put a veil over the word of God.
So in our devotional time this week, let’s ask God to use his Spirit and his word to reveal anything that might be keeping the word from implanting in our hearts.
It might be we’ll feel a wonderful sense of relief—and renewed vigor in our Bible study—simply by getting rid of something we’ve been ignoring.
—Chuck
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