James 1:19-20

“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”

Coming off of verse 20 where James tells us that anger does not produce the kind of righteousness that God desires, we are left with this question: So…what does produce this righteousness?

First of all, James tells us that it’s time to clean house! Identify your sins, confess them, and repent. Put a lid on your mouth and get a hold of your anger. Your heart can’t receive God’s Word and be full of garbage at the same time. They are mutually exclusive. You have to prepare the soil to receive the seed, and the only way you can do that is to “get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives.”

Secondly, you must “humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts.” In other words, you need to have a sober-minded view of yourself. You need to be able to say that you need help…lots of help…and that you are ready, willing, and able to be taught by the Master. The best students are teachable. They are attentive. They are seeking truth, and, they know they don’t have all the answers.

Are you cleaning house in your life? Do you have a humble opinion of yourself? Are you aware of your need for teaching, correction, and rebuke? If “yes,” then you are ready to move on to the next level. If “no,” there can be no moving on. The choice is yours.