Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, honor, and honesty
Opposite: Devious, corruption, Deceitful
Mark 12:14 (AV)
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
Mark 12:14 (NIV)
14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?
Meaning: Speak the truth no matter what anyone thinks or says
Spiritual maturity is rooted in commitment.
Zacchaeus – Lk 19:1-9
- Went from one extreme for himself To the other for Chrisrt
- Integrity is built one choice at a time
- Living by integrity does not guarantee success.
Ted Williams was a baseball great of the 1950s. In 1959 when a pinched nerve in his neck caused his batting average to suffer badly, he was offered the highest salary in baseball history—$125,000. He sent the contract back to the Boston Red Sox and asked for the largest pay cut allowed, 25 percent.
"My feeling was that I was always treated fairly by the Red Sox when it came to contracts . . . now they were offering me a contract that I didn’t deserve." So Williams cut his salary by $31,250 – an enormous sum in 1`959
Williams’ integrity cost him money, but it also made him a legend
Movie “Courageous” has an example of integrity
Blessing Promised
Psalm 112:4–5 (NET)
4 In the darkness a light shines for the godly, for each one who is merciful, compassionate, and just.
5 It goes well for the one who generously lends money, and conducts his business honestly.
Blessing Extends to His Family
Proverbs 20:7 (NET)
7 The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him.
Receive Deep Inner Peace
Without integrity there is guilt
Proverbs 10:9 (ESV)
9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.
With Integrity We Form Respect & Reputation
Proverbs 22:1 (ESV)
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
Ecclesiastes 7:1 (ESV)
1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.
Hebrews 11:39 (ESV)
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
Captains of Two Sinking’s
Three years ago the world recognized a hero, Captain Sullenberger, (author of “Highest Duty”) landing a commercial airplane on the Hudson River. This week the world is drowning in tragedy and shock as the exact opposite continues to emerge from what appears to be foolish and harmful choices by a cruise ship captain.
On January 15, 2009, Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger safely guided all 155 passengers and crew aboard US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing in the city’s frigid Hudson River. The Airbus A320′s twin engines had apparently shut down after sucking in a flock of birds.
Sullenberger walked the unflooded part of the passenger cabin twice to make sure everyone had evacuated before retrieving the plane's maintenance logbook and being the last to evacuate the aircraft
No one died
On January 13, 2012, the Captain Francesco Schettino made an unauthorized maneuver from the ship’s programmed course — apparently to show off the luxury liner to the island’s residents. The Costa Concordia, having more than 4,200 passengers and crew on board, slammed into the reef off the tiny island of Giglio.
The order to evacuate the ship was not given until 22:50 Captain was one of the first to abandon ship and had all ready left by 23:30
At 03:44, the air force officer reports that 40 to 50 people are still onboard. At 04:46, the evacuation is noted as being "complete"
As of Jan 25/12 16 dead, 16 missing
In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception “that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior.
1 Corinthians 6:19 (GW – God’s Word)
19 Don’t you know that your body is a temple that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, lives in you. You don’t belong to yourselves.
You’re acquainted with house sitters. Not wanting to leave your house vacant, you ask someone to stay in your home until you return
Let me describe two nightmares.
The first house sitter redecorates your house, changing white paint to pink, Berber carpet to shag. His justification? “The house didn’t express me. I needed a house that communicated who I am.”
Your response? “It’s not yours! My residence doesn’t exist to reflect you! I asked you to take care of the house, not take over the house!”
You might choose him, however, over nightmare number two. She didn’t redecorate; she neglected. Never washed a dish, made a bed, or took out the trash. “My time here was temporary. I knew you wouldn’t mind.”
Of course you’d mind!
Both house sitters made the same mistake: They acted as if they owned the dwelling. How could they?
But how could we? When it comes to our bodies, the Bible declares that we don’t own them.
- We need a strategy to help us monitor our integrity and our commitment with God.
- An outline to examine our faith.
Psalm 139:23–24 (AV)
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
1. Is My Walk Genuine
- Do I sense the presence of God in my life
- Evidence or Love, Joy, Peace – Ep 5:22
- How do I Worship
- Worship involves our action, will & emotion
- Do the things of earth grow strangley dim in the light of His glory & grace?
- Meditating & taking in His Word through reading, memorizing & prayer, Give joyfully
Psalm 43:3 (AV)
3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
2. Is My Mind Pure
- We are what we think
- What I think determines what I do
- Our minds take on the character of what it feeds on
Proverbs 23:7 (AV)
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…..
Matthew 15:19 (AV)
19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
- The mind forms our attitude
- To change my behavior is to change my mind
- As the alarm goes off to get out of bed – I do it
- It’s discipline – Deliberate focus meditation on the Lord
Colossians 3:5 (AV)
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Colossians 3:5 (The Message)
5 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God.
- The mind cannot empty.
- If you are to stop thinking about one thing, you must fix your attention on something else.
I tell you, "Don’t think about slimy, writhing, poisonous snakes crawling down your chimney, slithering up your furnace ducts, hiding in your slippers."
- What do you think about?
- Snakes, naturally. The more you tell yourself not to think about them, the more you do.
- Now I tell you to think about your favorite kind of dessert— pecan pie, German chocolate cake, almond fudge ice cream, you name it." - Picture it in your mind—can’t you just taste it?
Do you realize what’s happened? For a few moments your attention was diverted frill om snakes. Unpleasant thoughts were displaced by good thoughts.
- Fill your mind with Christ by meditation, memorization, songs of praise & worship
Philippians 4:8–9 (AV)
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
3. Is My Heart Humble
- Andrew Murray - "Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you,"
- If God had a top 10 hate list PRIDE would be on top
Proverbs 16:5 (AV)
5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5 (NIV)
5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5 (NIV)
5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
- Am I teachable?
- Am I obedient?
Psalm 25:9 (AV)
9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
4. Are My Convictions Firm
- Committed to live what we believe
- If you are not convinced of truth you will not be committed to truth
John 14:21 (AV)
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him
- Ignorance is the reason many people have no convictions
- We than do what ever we like
- Example Daniel & his 3 friends
- Faith is the ingredient - Deep faith
Isaiah 50:7 (AV)
7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
Isaiah 50:7 (The Living Bible)
7 Because the Lord God helps me, I will not be dismayed; therefore, I have set my face like flint to do his will, and I know that I will triumph.
- Learn from your experience
- Check again & again
