In her book, Settle For More, Megyn Kelly relates a time early in her broadcasting career about a rumor regarding her relationship with Britt Hume, her boss and managing editor of the DC bureau of Fox News.
Radar Online started the story. Kelly was called a “Hume wrecker.” And she was furious. Megyn wrote that there was no romantic relationship between the two of them–“not a single inappropriate or even borderline moment, ever.”
The next day Hume came into Kelly’s office with a “half-cocked grin” and asked, “Have you seen Radar?”
Kelly was not amused. She feared people would assume the worse. But Hume replied, “They won’t. Because we didn’t have an affair.” Then he offered this insightful answer.
“Therefore, there will never be proof of an affair. There will never be a text, a photograph, a phone bill, a doorman, a driver, an email, or anything whatsoever that suggests an affair. And people will come to see that it’s a lie.”
Hume’s reasoning was right. Later the person who began the vicious rumor was found and fired from their job.
This story reminds me of the Bible warning regarding sexual purity in Ephesians 5:3. “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
Did you get it?
“Not even a hint.”
In a world that winks at loose morals, it’s too easy for Christians to become influenced by what our culture approves, instead of what God commands. While the Bible condemns fornication, adultery and homosexual behavior, it also warns us against lust, lewdness, and lasciviousness. (Gal. 5:19-21). These are called “the works of the flesh.”
We are to have nothing to do with thoughts, fantasies, or actions that even suggest impurity. Sexual purity is more, much more than just refraining from illicit sexual relationships. It begins in the mind. In the heart.
Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man…” (Matt 15:19-20)
The challenge is that we can deceive ourselves. Yes, even our own heart. The prophet Jeremiah warned, “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer 17:9). Even a religious person can deceive their own heart.” (Jas 1:26).
So, Jeremiah asked the Lord to search his heart and test his mind. (Jer 17:10). What would happen, if the Lord did that to us and then sent us a text message with the results for us to read? Would there be any hint of impurity?
A quick glance?
A curious peek?
An indecent thought?
A flirtatious gesture?
A secret internet site?
A hidden magazine?
An amorous email?
A titillating text message?
A teasing wink?
A coy smile?
An unholy hug?
An erotic novel?
An obscene joke?
A bawdy movie?
An off-color remark?
A racy TV show?
“Be not conformed to the world,” (Rom. 12:1), is not a suggestion. It’s a command. If we’re really honest, it’s tough. Difficult. And demanding. But not impossible.
“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold,” as J. B. Phillips paraphrases this passage. Then he writes, “Let God re-mold your minds from within.”
That’s the answer to overcoming any hint of impurity. A heart directed by God. Divine mind control. Inner spiritual strength.
When there’s no hint of impropriety, rumors are quickly expelled. Lies are exposed. Our character is exonerated. And God is exalted.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
“When there’s no hint of impropriety, rumors are quickly expelled. Lies are exposed. Our character is exonerated. And God is exalted.” thanks for posting this! we all need to be reminded 🙂 Blessings
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Thanks for reading ThePreachersWord. And thanks for taking the time to comment.
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You are most welcome!
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Thanks, Ken, for your insightful, thoughtful, soul searching exhortation. Your scriptural concentration on the source of the inner sanctum of sexual sin, the heart of man, and your specific identification of its expression, were pointed and personal. Again, thanks.
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Thanks, Larry. I always appreciate your heart-felt comments of commendation. God bless, brother.
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I enjoy reading your posts.Thank you for this very insightful one. This reminds me of Mike Pence, a very wise man, in my opinion. I read where he makes sure that his wife is always with him and is never alone with another woman. No one will be able to accuse him of ungodly behavior.
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Thanks, Mary. I appreciate you reading ThePreachersWord. You are so right about Vice President, Pence. In fact, I wrote about that not long along. You might enjoy reading that post as well. https://thepreachersword.com/2017/04/04/boundaries-to-protect-your-marriage/
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Ken, Gonna share this with our members. Thoughtful. Timely. Needed. BTW, noting the J.B. Phillips rendition of Rom. 12. I’ve used that for many years–it states the idea so clearly.
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Please do. You’re welcome to reprint in your bulletin. Or just copy and hand out. Or give them the web address. As always, I appreciate the source, http://www.ThePreachersWord.com being noted.
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Thanks Ken for the pointed post, especially regarding the fact that God commands us to “be not conformed”…”be holy for I AM holy”, not just suggestions. The good apostle said he had to buffet daily and so must we.
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So true. Daily buffeting helps. A lot. As always, thanks for reading.
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Thanks Ken! Good work on this post today. Very timely after having studied for several weeks in our men’s study on sexual purity.
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Thanks Steven. I appreciate so much your encouraging words.
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A great and timely post Ken! Britt Hume is to be praised for his integrity
also! We need this reminder not to be like the world!
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Good point, Murphy. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Reblogged this on ThePreachersWord and commented:
As we continue our holiday break and reblog the top 10 posts of 2017 based on reader views, this one ranked #5. In view of recent revelations regarding sexual misconduct this is worth reading again.
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