Becoming A Person Of Integrity

“Embracing Change To Experience Life!” Becoming A Person Of Integrity 1 Chronicles 29:17; Proverbs 11:3

1 Chronicles 29:17…. “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” (NIV)

Proverbs 11:3…. “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (NIV)

INTRODUCTION What does it mean by "Becoming A Person Of Integrity?"

John Maxwell.... “Deciding to integrate my heart’s value into my daily actions.”

John 10:25…. “Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me’.” (NIV)

Jesus says.... “What I say and what I do TESTIFY as to who I Am.”

A person of INTEGRITY is VALIDATED by their words and their deeds.

"INTEGRITY" is making my DAILY ACTIONS line up with my HEART’S VALUES.

Let’s be realistic…. None of us will CHANGE unless we understand the VALUE OF CHANGE!

MAIN POINTS 1. 3 Things About "INTEGRITY"

A) "INTEGRITY" Provides Us With SECURITY (Greater Confidence)

Proverbs 10:9…. “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (NIV)

B) "INTEGRITY" Provides Us With GUIDANCE (Better Decision)

Proverbs 11:3…. “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” (NIV)

C) "INTEGRITY" Provides Us With HOPE (Future Rewards)

Job 4:6…. “Is not your reverence [fear] of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?” (NIV)

2. How To Elevate Ourselves To Model "INTEGRITY?"

How can we become people of INTEGRITY?

What can I DO or CHANGE in my life so that I can experience the benefits of “INTEGRITY” and the blessing of God?

A) ASK God To Test My Heart

1 Chronicles 29:17…. “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.” (NIV)

What you believe in your heart will determine how you act when placed in a tempting situation!

Psalm 26:2…. “Test me, O Lord and try me, examine my heart and my mind.” (NIV)

B) STUDY To Know What Is True

If we are going to live lives of INTEGRITY we must know what integrity looks like. It comes from spending time in the Bible with God.

2 Timothy 2:15…. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” (NASB)

The BIBLE is the only standard for living that is TRUE and UNCHANGING!

Ephesians 4:14…. “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.” (NASB)

C) APPLY God's Word To Your Daily Activities / Work

Psalm 15:1,2…. “(v.1) LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? (v.2) He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart.” (NASB)

"Walking in INTEGRITY" “integrating all of what God’s Word says into our daily activities.” It means… to be a doer of the Word.

James 1:22…. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (NIV)

Note: EDUCATION without APPLICATION is ABORTION!

If we DO what God says and APPLY what we learn to our lives, we will become "People of INTEGRITY" – weWILLhave hope, guidance, security and protection.

If we DO NOT APPLY what the Bible says to our lives we become shallow and empty.

A person of INTEGRITY is the same on the INSIDE as he is on the OUTSIDE, and that requires him to APPLY the Word of God to his life.

D) REMAIN Faithful In Spite Of Circumstances

Job was a man who went through an awful lot BUT remained faithful!

Job 2:3…. “Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.’”

God commends Job for his CHARACTER. God said Job is… Job never gave up on God! • Blameless • Upright • Fears God • Shuns evil

Isaiah 40:31…. “But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)

E) REFUSE To Be Persuaded By Others

Mark 12:14…. “They came to him and said, ‘Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, 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 taxes to Caesar or not?” (NIV)

Job's 3 friends.... • Eliphaz the Temanite • Bildad the Shuhite • Zophar the Naamathite … kept trying to convince Job that he had sinned against God and needed to get right with God.

Job 2:9,10…. Job's wife.... “His wife said to him, ‘Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!’ He replied,’ You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” (NIV)

We must never let othersDICTATE what we do. They must never come between us and what is RIGHT; what is full of INTEGRITY.

To become a "person of INTEGRITY" .... I must do what is right and refuse to be persuaded by others.

To be a person of INTEGRITY means… • You are WILLING to go against the crowd • if the crowd is wrong. 2. You are WILLING to stand alone for what is right.

Note: It means peer-pressure is no pressure for you!

Becoming A Person Of Integrity