Integrity. Are You Worth Following? Series

INTRODUCTION

• PC VIDEO

• SLIDE #1

• As we continue with our Learning to Lead series, I want to remind all of us that we are all leaders, that we all in some fashion lead other people, we do not have to be Generals and CEO’s to be leaders.

• Last week we examined how important the concept of investment is. WE need to invest in ourselves, then others, and we need to encourage our investments to grow!

• This week, we ask the question, “Are you worth following? If no one is following you, you are simply walking alone.

• This is an important question for us to consider. I am worthy of beginning followed by anyone?

• What is one quality that makes one worthy of following? Is it rank or position? Is it knowledge of the field?

• Those things can play into one’s worthiness of being followed.

• In a scene prior to our video clip, Javier was asked by the boss if he was given the promotion if he would fudge some numbers for him.

• Then in our scene Javier gave the answer. It was NO!

• Javier was rewarded for his INTEGRITY!

• Integrity is defined as follows, “the quality of being honest, and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness.”

• Leaders without integrity are not leaders, they are not worthy of being followed.

• The late Chuck Colson stated concerning integrity, ““We must be the same person in private and in public. Only the Christian worldview gives us the basis for this kind of integrity. http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-integrity-20-important-scripture-quotes/#ixzz3o11CfHDx

• Without personal integrity, who could trust you? Leaders to be effective need to be trustworthy. They will ask people to do some difficult things at times and those following them need to know that their leader is looking out for them and the team.

• We have all worked for folks at some point that lacked integrity, you could never trust their word, promises or decisions. You knew that when things got tough, they would not have your back.

• Today we will examine a few verses to help us grasp the importance of possessing personal integrity. Let us begin by looking at Psalm 101:1-3

• SLIDE #2

• Psalm 101:1–3 (HCSB) — 1 I will sing of faithful love and justice; I will sing praise to You, Lord. 2 I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house. 3 I will not set anything worthless before my eyes. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me.

• The first issue we need to understand when it comes to personal integrity is…

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. God calls us to pursue personal integrity.

• This passage was most likely written by David, and it was probably used during a coronation ceremony.

• The King was going to lead the people, the Psalmist said he would sing about faithful love and justice.

• He did not stop there.

• Let’s talk about today, 2015 for a moment. It is so easy to sing praises to God; it is awesome to lift up your hands to the Lord.

• David says he will sing of faithful love and justice and that he would sing praise to the Lord.

• Know this is David, the adulterer, the murderer, the man who was a man after God’s own heart.

• A man who was far from perfect, yet when he would stumble, he would get back on track. He did not continue on the wrong path.

• We are not perfect, we struggle, we too can get on the right track. But here is something that David knew that we need to understand.

• Praising God and His attributes entails more than just singing and lifting our hands, it is about bringing your life in harmony with God’s.

• David knew God desired him to pursue personal integrity.

• Look at verse 2 again.

• SLIDE #4

• I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house.

• He says he will pay attention to the way of integrity. He will live with a heart of integrity.

• Another part of the definition of integrity states, the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: LIKE to preserve the integrity of the empire. sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition. LIKE the integrity of a building structure.

• David seeks to live with a purity of heart. That his life lines up the best it can with the praise he offers to God.

• SLIDE #5

• Hosea 6:6 (HCSB) For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.