For those of you that are here, if you're able, I'll ask you to stand. If not where you're seated is fine.

You can follow along as I read. Beginning in verse 26, James by the Spirit writes,

those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rain on their tongues deceive themselves and their

religion is worthless. I'm sorry, I'm chuckling. Religion, verse 27, that God our father accepts

as pure and faultless is this, to look after orphans and

widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Let's pray if you would please join with me.

Oh, Lord, thank you for your word and this passage that we have before us today here in your word.

Lord, this particular passage is one that really requires

the Holy Spirit to open up the eyes of our understanding so that we can see what it is that

you want to show us here. Because arguably at

first read, it's a little bit, I don't want to use the word confusing, but it can be easily

misunderstood. And so Lord, would you give us understanding? Would you clear up this issue

regarding religious and religion for us today? And in so doing, Lord, would you minister to us?

And as now we're in your word, Lord, we want your word to be in us.

We search the Scriptures, but the reality is that the Scriptures search us.

And that's what we want you to do today is by the Holy Spirit as only you can search our hearts

and see if there be anything at all that is hindering us or keeping us from knowing you,

hearing you, loving you, Lord.

And Lord, if there is, put your finger on it and as you're always

so gentle to do and faithful to, just would you remove it, Lord? Because we don't want

anything to hinder us in our relationship with you. And certainly

religion can do that. So Lord, we're asking to bless our time together in your word. Today

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