Walk in Integrity
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - Now by this being New Year’s Ever, and the last Sunday before we enter a New Year there are some preachers who will try to give a prophetic word for 2024. Some will come up with a catchy cliché like God will open doors in 2024, well I don’t have any catch cliché for the upcoming year, I don’t have a prophetic word from God saying all your troubles will end in the coming year and all your financial needs will be met. However, I do believe that this coming year will be a year of breakthrough for the church. We will breakthrough lies, breakthrough hypocrisies, breakthrough false teachers and preachers, breakthrough the masquerade and propaganda of the false church and move closer to God and advance His kingdom not for everyone, but for those that desire the meat of His word more than the gift of His hand.
Today I feel directed by God to address the subject of Integrity. Whether you are a preacher, an employee, a student, a toilet bowl cleaner, or whatever you may be integrity is vital. As children of God, we must walk in integrity understanding that any lack of integrity will destroy the purpose of what is to be accomplished.
Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations”. Now let me change this a little, not to distort or compromise the Word of God, but to Hermeneutically expound upon the Word of God and because many people get stuck on a title and forget all about purpose. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee with purpose”. We must understand God has a purpose for us and as we draw closer to Him, He reveals that purpose to us, and it is our responsibility to fulfill that purpose with integrity. Before we were formed in the belly, He sanctified us and ordained us to fulfill that purpose. WATCH THIS: - The devil is not concerned about your title, he doesn’t care if you are the chief prelate, apostle, bishop, pastor, or the one that gave their life to Jesus and was Baptized yesterday it doesn’t matter to him at all. He only understands that if you realize your purpose he will be defeated. If he can cause you to stain, corrupt, nullify, or lose your purpose he wins. Before you were saved if you fall, mess up, don’t operate with integrity you were not criticized to much, but when you make the proclamation and say Lord, I’m yours there becomes a level of expectation that we must walk in in order to fulfill the purpose and we must walk in integrity.
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURES: - 2 Timothy 2:1-4, Jeremiah 1:5, Haggai 2:6-9
I truly believe as we enter 2024 that there is a shaking taking place within the Body of Christ, God is trying to get the attention of His people saying wake up and come out of her, come out of the lies, the hypocrisies, the false apostate church, stop having a form of godliness and live holy and walk in integrity. Haggai 2:6-9 says, “For thus saith the Lord of host; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill the house with glory, saith the Lord of host. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of host. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of host; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of host”. For far to long we have been under the bondage of religiosity, propaganda, lies, false preachers, false prophets, false evangelist, false Bishops, and false so-called Apostles that act like the Pharisees making their position, pockets, and titles something and placing upon the people to observe and do bind heavy burdens and grievous upon the shoulders of the people but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. So, I believe God is shaking the church to open the eyes of the people of God to come out from among her, the false apostate church, and move closer to God and advance His kingdom while exposing what Isaiah 56:10 calls “Dumb Dogs” operating in the pulpit.
Sadly, many people are duped by charlatans and shysters because they can speak eloquently with enticing words selling propaganda building peoples hopes and dreams on the idea of prosperity. They have mastered the homiletical techniques of peaching, but their message lacks power, sure they can stir emotional responses in people having them believe they are being slain in the spirit under a holy anointing but they themselves cannot walk in integrity. Any good cheerleading squad can get you excited about the game but they themselves can’t play and that is unfortunately what is happening in the apostate church today.
Walk in Integrity.
Definition: - Integrity is defined as honesty, sincerity, pure heartedness, singleness of purpose. It doesn’t mean a person is perfect, but that their heart is right, sincere, and genuine. They will admit their sins or faults without trying to make excuses or pass the blame onto someone else.
It doesn’t matter if you are a preacher, a public servant, a student, a toilet bowl cleaner integrity is vital, because a person with integrity understands the importance of a good name. Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of ones birth”. My grandmother used to say, “You can’t stop people from talking bad about you but you sure can make sure what they say isn’t true”. Revelation 12:10 says, “:for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night”. The devil is on his jobs bringing all kinds of accusations about you before God, we must walk in integrity making sure that what we are being accused of is not true. Unwarranted accusations we have no control over, but when we place ourselves in certain situations and give credence to such accusations then we reap what we so.
Proverbs 20:7 says, “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him”. When you walk in integrity not only do you develop a good name but your children, your offspring, your heritage, the next generation after you is blessed. Proverbs 19:1 says, “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, then he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool”. Every parent will not be able to leave the children a major inheritance but you sure can bless than with integrity. There was a commercial on T.V. over the Christmas holiday here in Michigan that said every gift doesn’t come in a box, give the 529 College savings plan, and give something more. The idea is to give something that will truly benefit them in the future the opportunity for a college education. When you walk in integrity you deposit in your children something that will truly benefit them in the future. Listen your children are not necessarily you natural children but those you lead to Jesus Christ.
Integrity implies moral incorruptibility and as men and women of God we must stand for Holiness and not be tainted by sin. We must let our light shine so the world can see God in us and glorify Him. We can’t compromise our integrity to try to be accepted by the world, to be popular, or achieve fame, status, or position. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by Him”. Every word we speak, everything we do, every place we go we do in the name of Jesus. That doesn’t mean you go to the club and say I’m dropping like its hot for Jesus and think you are glorifying God. We can’t let our good be evil spoken of Romans 14:16-19 says, “Let not your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another”. When you walk in integrity you ask yourself is what I am doing acceptable to God is this edifying someone or causing them to stumble. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:13 “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend”. That’s integrity making sure not to offend another but edify another. We must maintain integrity because there are people looking at us and we are the only representation of Jesus they see.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of so-called preachers that are forgoing integrity, compromising, and distorting the word of God trying to be popular and friends with the world. They appear to be successful pastoring Mega churches attracting people’s attention, gathering large crowds, having television shows, rubbing elbows with celebrities, financially prosperous, etc. However, this is just temporary, their destruction will come, God will pull back the covers, He will reveal what is being done in secret and behind close doors. Luke 8:17 says, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest, neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad”. You may get away with it for a while, but God will expose it and you soon.
TEXT: - 2 Timothy 2:1-4 says, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witness, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier”. Here Paul is telling Timothy, his son in the gospel, and us as well, to be a preacher, pastor, man, or woman of God that has integrity. He warns that when you lose your integrity you destroy your reputation.
WATCH THIS: - Your reputation is what people say about you. Reputation takes a lifetime to build but is destroyed in moments. Character is what God says about you. God said David is a man after His own heart because even though he made mistakes his character was integrity. Remember I said integrity is not being perfect, but it is admitting your faults, mistakes, and shortcomings without trying to pass the blame on to someone or something else.
Understand in a normal culture people are not willing to listen to anyone that does not have integrity. It is only in a culture that has no values, no morales, a sin sick world where truth, honesty, and sincerity have been destroyed and dishonesty, lies, and falsehood is celebrated.
Vs#1: - Paul says here “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”. Jesus is the epitome of integrity, when Satan tempted Him, He didn’t sell out, He didn’t compromise His integrity bowing down and accepting what he offered Him. Understand people of God that if we misrepresent on integrity the devil will use it to dilute the power of the gospel that you try to preach. WATCH THIS: - If my house is falling apart because of neglect and I try to say you need to fix your house who in their right mind is going to listen to me, no one they will say you need to fix your house first before you tell me what to do with mine. So, Paul is saying have integrity, be strong, be steadfast in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Walk in integrity.
Vs#2: - And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witness, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Paul says here what you learned from me teach others to maintain integrity. Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…”. The older church when the saints of God maintained a standard of holiness, when the world knew that they were saved, and they didn’t even want to be around them because they knew that the older saints would begin to pray and cast the devil out. They didn’t compromise the Word of God, they stood for holiness knowing that Holiness without no man shall see the Lord. They called right - right and wrong - wrong and if someone was offended, they maintained their ground on the unadulterated word of God. That’s what Paul is saying here what you learned, the old paths, commit to that standard of integrity and teach others to do the same. People are watching you, when you say Yes Lord and begin to live your life for God people are watching to see if you have integrity and are learning about Christ through the testimony that you live as well as the words you say. We are epistles read of all men so we must walk in integrity.
Vs#3: - Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying to have integrity when things come against us, when the pressures of life begin to weigh you down, when trials and tribulations are beating the ever-loving life out of you, endure, be steadfast, unmovable, be the rock of Gibraltar, don’t compromise your integrity, remain dedicated to Jesus Christ, the cause, the word, and the purpose. We must remain durable, deliberate, and dedicated to God and everything Holy.
So often you will hear a lot of so-called preachers when asked certain questions will all the sudden become mousey and beat around the bush losing all integrity not answering the question or giving a sugar-coated answer trying to appease the world. They will often twist the question around as being an attack against them like they are suffering undue trials and tribulations for being a so-called preacher and trying to get everyone on their side and have pity on them.
Listen to this question – Do you have to believe in Jesus to be saved? But we have so-called preachers saying things like well I don’t want to say that I believe God wants you to be happy and successful and if you live a good life, He will be happy with you, and you will prosper in this life and in heaven as well.
Romans 10:8-11 says. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed”.
Walk in Integrity. We must endure hardness with integrity dedicated to Jesus Christ and give the truth of the Word of God, integrity tells the truth no matter the cost.
Vs#4: - No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. Tis is powerful. Paul is saying you are in a war fighting against sin and everything that is not Holy. You cannot get wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in the world and expect to fight against the world. James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together except they be agreed”.
Understand you can’t be a woman or man of God and be friends with the world. Yes you treat people of the world with kindness, respect, and love, but you can’t do what they do, you can’t go where they go, you can’t party with them and twerk and drop it like its hot thinking you are going to witness to them and tell them they need to give their life to Jesus because you lost your integrity. Now there are infidel so-called preachers/so-called people of God that do all these things and tell the world that has itchy ears what they want to hear then they will accept you, they will say this is my pastor, this is my religious advisor, but your integrity is gone, you call yourself holy and are nothing but are the product of Satan and vengeance is mine saith the Lord I will repay - Deuteronomy 32:25.
CLOSING: - Integrity is built brick by brick upon the foundation of character beneath the surface where only God can see. It is constructed as we live everyday by our thoughts and deeds in the eyes of God for, He knows the intents of our hearts. Integrity is built during times of hardness without compromise remaining dedicated, deliberate, and durable to the things of God and making our calling an election sure.
Integrity doesn’t mean we are perfect but that our heart is right, we are genuinely sincere and truthful striving to do what is right. You admit faults and mistakes without excuses or trying to pass the blame. Integrity understands you can’t stop people from talking bad about you, but you can keep your integrity and make sure what they are saying is not true.
Integrity cause you to be honest in all things. We must walk in integrity, be known by others as a person of integrity. Don’t get caught up in the prosperity misconception twisting and distorting the truth for gain, popularity, fame, and friendship with the world, have integrity, obey the Word of God, and be blessed – Proverbs 10:25 says, “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it”.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
