Integrity is an Important Key
Integrity is key in conforming into the image of Jesus Christ, and we are told in
Ephesians 5:1-10 “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk
in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and
a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes
saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient; but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger,
nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for
because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. Be not you therefore partakers with them. For you were
sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord, walk as children of light.
For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Proving
what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them”.
The devil knows how important integrity is for our lives, that’s why he sends
people to us to challenge our integrity, seeing if we will follow the Bible or fall into
the flesh and try to defend ourselves. Hebrews 12:14-15 says “follow peace with
all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking
diligently less any man fall of the grace of God, less any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled”. Remember that even
while Jesus was on the cross, He forgave those who mocked and killed Him.
Integrity is a long term character trait. Caleb was faithful, he was one of the
original spies sent into the promise land (Numbers 13:30-33) “and Caleb stilled
the people before Moses, and said, let us go up at once; and possess it; for we
are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, we be not
able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they
brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the children of
Israel, saying, the land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that
eats up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of
great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the
giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight”. Caleb saw the same giants and great cities that the others saw, yet he
knew God would help the people conquer the land. And because of his faith,
God promised him a personal inheritance of the land (Numbers 14:24) God says
“but My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed
Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereto he went; and his seed shall possess
it”.
Forty five years later, the land was given to him (Joshua 14:10-14) “and now,
behold, the Lord Yahweh has kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five
years, even since the Lord Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while the children
of Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five
years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me
as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out and
to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord Yahweh
spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakins were there, and that
the cities were great and fenced; if so be the Lord Yahweh will be with me, then I
shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord Yahweh said. And Joshua blessed
him, and gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron
therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite to
this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord Yahweh God of Israel”. His
faith was still unwavering. The integrity with which he had boldly contradicted the
cowardly advice of the ten spies years before was as strong as ever. Although
his inherited land still had giants, Caleb knew the Lord would help him conquer
them. Like Caleb, we must be faithful to God, not only at the start of our walk
with Him, but through our entire lives.
Integrity is commanded of God, He tells Moses “judges and officers shall you
make in all your gates; which the Lord Yahweh your God gives you, throughout
your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. You shall not
twist judgment, you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift for a gift does
blind the eyes of the wise; and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is
altogether just shall you follow, that you may live, and inherit the land which the
Lord Yahweh your God gives you”. Jesus also said “let your communication be,
yea, yea; nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil”.
Integrity provides guidance (Proverbs 11:3) “the integrity of the upright shall
guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them”; also
Proverbs 20:7 says “the just man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed
after him”. God provided the way for us to have integrity in our lives, by
providing the Bible as our guideline.
If ever we needed two powerful forces to preserve us along life’s way, we need
integrity and honesty. The psalmist David asks for these to protect him (Psalms
25) “to You O Lord Yahweh, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me
not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on
You be ashamed; let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show
me Your ways, O Lord Yahweh, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth,
and teach me; for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord Yahweh, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindness; for
they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions; according to Your mercy remember You me for Your goodness’
sake, O Lord Yahweh. Good and upright is the Lord Yahweh; therefore will He
teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will
He teach His way. All the paths of the Lord Yahweh are mercy and truth to such
as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord
Yahweh pardon my iniquity, for it is great. What man is he that fears the Lord
Yahweh? Him shall He teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell
at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord Yahweh is
with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever
toward the Lord Yahweh; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn You to
me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my
heart are enlarged; O bring You me out of my distresses. Look upon my
affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are
many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me; let
me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness
preserve me; for I wait on You. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles”.
David was known as a man after God’s own heart, he prayed prays like this and
we can too.
Jesus teaches integrity, in Luke 16:10-12, He says “he that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust
also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,
who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in
that which is another man’s who shall give you that which is your own”?
Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. God calls us to be honest
even in small details we could easily rationalize away. But if we are not
trustworthy with our money here, no matter how much or how little we have, we
will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. Don’t let your integrity
slip in small matters, and it will not fail you in crucial decisions either.
Integrity brings rewards (Psalms 18:19-24) “He brought me forth also into a large
place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me. The Lord Yahweh
rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my
hands has He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord Yahweh,
and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before
me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also upright before Him,
and I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore has the Lord Yahweh recompensed
me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in
His eyesight”. Also in Psalms 24:3-6, it says “who shall ascend into the hill of the
Lord Yahweh? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands,
and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the Lord Yahweh, and righteousness from the
God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek
Your face, O Jacob, Selah”. And then Proverbs 28:20 says “a faithful man shall
abound with blessings, but he that makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent”.
Jesus called for purity of heart (Matthews 5:8) and purity of motive in Matthews
chapter 6. Galatians 6:7-9 says “be not deceived; God is not mocked; for
whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 29, 2010
Integrity is key in conforming into the image of Jesus Christ, and we are told in
Ephesians 5:1-10 “be you therefore followers of God as dear children. And walk
in love, as Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us an offering and
a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor. But fornication, and all
uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becomes
saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not
convenient; but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no whoremonger,
nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in
the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for
because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. Be not you therefore partakers with them. For you were
sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord, walk as children of light.
For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Proving
what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works
of darkness, but rather reprove them”.
The devil knows how important integrity is for our lives, that’s why he sends
people to us to challenge our integrity, seeing if we will follow the Bible or fall into
the flesh and try to defend ourselves. Hebrews 12:14-15 says “follow peace with
all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking
diligently less any man fall of the grace of God, less any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled”. Remember that even
while Jesus was on the cross, He forgave those who mocked and killed Him.
Integrity is a long term character trait. Caleb was faithful, he was one of the
original spies sent into the promise land (Numbers 13:30-33) “and Caleb stilled
the people before Moses, and said, let us go up at once; and possess it; for we
are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, we be not
able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they
brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched to the children of
Israel, saying, the land through which we have gone to search it, is a land that
eats up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of
great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the
giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight”. Caleb saw the same giants and great cities that the others saw, yet he
knew God would help the people conquer the land. And because of his faith,
God promised him a personal inheritance of the land (Numbers 14:24) God says
“but My servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and has followed
Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereto he went; and his seed shall possess
it”.
Forty five years later, the land was given to him (Joshua 14:10-14) “and now,
behold, the Lord Yahweh has kept me alive, as He said, these forty and five
years, even since the Lord Yahweh spoke this word to Moses, while the children
of Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five
years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me
as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out and
to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord Yahweh
spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakins were there, and that
the cities were great and fenced; if so be the Lord Yahweh will be with me, then I
shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord Yahweh said. And Joshua blessed
him, and gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. Hebron
therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite to
this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord Yahweh God of Israel”. His
faith was still unwavering. The integrity with which he had boldly contradicted the
cowardly advice of the ten spies years before was as strong as ever. Although
his inherited land still had giants, Caleb knew the Lord would help him conquer
them. Like Caleb, we must be faithful to God, not only at the start of our walk
with Him, but through our entire lives.
Integrity is commanded of God, He tells Moses “judges and officers shall you
make in all your gates; which the Lord Yahweh your God gives you, throughout
your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. You shall not
twist judgment, you shall not respect persons, neither take a gift for a gift does
blind the eyes of the wise; and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is
altogether just shall you follow, that you may live, and inherit the land which the
Lord Yahweh your God gives you”. Jesus also said “let your communication be,
yea, yea; nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil”.
Integrity provides guidance (Proverbs 11:3) “the integrity of the upright shall
guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them”; also
Proverbs 20:7 says “the just man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed
after him”. God provided the way for us to have integrity in our lives, by
providing the Bible as our guideline.
If ever we needed two powerful forces to preserve us along life’s way, we need
integrity and honesty. The psalmist David asks for these to protect him (Psalms
25) “to You O Lord Yahweh, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; let me
not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on
You be ashamed; let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show
me Your ways, O Lord Yahweh, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth,
and teach me; for You are the God of my salvation; on You do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord Yahweh, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindness; for
they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions; according to Your mercy remember You me for Your goodness’
sake, O Lord Yahweh. Good and upright is the Lord Yahweh; therefore will He
teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will
He teach His way. All the paths of the Lord Yahweh are mercy and truth to such
as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord
Yahweh pardon my iniquity, for it is great. What man is he that fears the Lord
Yahweh? Him shall He teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell
at ease, and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord Yahweh is
with them that fear Him and He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever
toward the Lord Yahweh; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn You to
me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my
heart are enlarged; O bring You me out of my distresses. Look upon my
affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are
many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me; let
me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness
preserve me; for I wait on You. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles”.
David was known as a man after God’s own heart, he prayed prays like this and
we can too.
Jesus teaches integrity, in Luke 16:10-12, He says “he that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust
also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon,
who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in
that which is another man’s who shall give you that which is your own”?
Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. God calls us to be honest
even in small details we could easily rationalize away. But if we are not
trustworthy with our money here, no matter how much or how little we have, we
will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. Don’t let your integrity
slip in small matters, and it will not fail you in crucial decisions either.
Integrity brings rewards (Psalms 18:19-24) “He brought me forth also into a large
place; He delivered me, because He delighted in me. The Lord Yahweh
rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my
hands has He recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord Yahweh,
and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before
me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also upright before Him,
and I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore has the Lord Yahweh recompensed
me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in
His eyesight”. Also in Psalms 24:3-6, it says “who shall ascend into the hill of the
Lord Yahweh? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands,
and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the Lord Yahweh, and righteousness from the
God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek
Your face, O Jacob, Selah”. And then Proverbs 28:20 says “a faithful man shall
abound with blessings, but he that makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent”.
Jesus called for purity of heart (Matthews 5:8) and purity of motive in Matthews
chapter 6. Galatians 6:7-9 says “be not deceived; God is not mocked; for
whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh
shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit
reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not”.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: June 29, 2010
