Introduction

• Proverbs 10:9; 11:3, 5; 20:7
• The English word “integrity” does not appear in some English translations, but the concept is present in the Bible.
  • Strong’s number: H8537 – blamelessness, integrity

Integrity involves righteousness in all areas of life.

• Psalms 15
• Psalms 101
• I Kings 9:4-5 – David was help up as an example of integrity, despite his sin. Integrity doesn’t mean completely sinless. This should give us hope!
• Job lists areas in his life where he has had integrity:
  • Job 31:1, 9-12 – Moral purity
  • Job 31:5-8 – Not guilty of falsehood
  • Job 31:13-15 – Just in dealing with others
  • Job 31:16-23 – Care for the poor and needy
  • Job 31:24-28 – Not guilty of materialism
  • Job 31:29-30 – Has not cursed his enemy
  • Job 31:31-32 – Hospitality
  • Job 31:33-34 – Has not tried to hide sins like Adam

People of integrity live by God’s code of honor (even when others don’t like it)

• I Peter 2:13; 3:5, 17
• Psalms 26

You enjoy a clean conscience!

• Psalms 32:3
• Living with integrity helps us protect our conscience.
• Psalms 24:3-5
• Acts 24:16
• Romans 13:5
• Hebrews 13:18
• I Peter 3:16

Integrity makes you an incredible employee!

• Colossians 3:22-24
• Ephesians 6:5-8
• Proverbs 16:11
• Proverbs 19:1
• Proverbs 28:6
• Luke 3:13-14

Introduction

• Romans 12:10-13

Service to God

Time

• Acts 24:25-27

Money

• Matthew 15:4-6

Effort

• Haggai 1:2-5

Prayer

• Daniel 6:10
• I Thessalonians 5:17

Meditation

• Joshua 1:8
• I Timothy 4:15
• Do we ever just sit an think about spiritual things?

Worship

• Malachi 1:8, 13

Warning!

If things are tight, is it spiritual things that we cut first? If so, we are making Satan’s work easy!

Strategies to help:

Love God more!

• II Corinthians 8:1-5
• Spend time thinking about what God has done for us (Psalms 77:11-15).
• Read the Bible (Psalms 119:159-164).

Sacrifice self more!

• Matthew 16:24-25; Acts 4:34-37
• Jesus must be our first priority!

Make spiritual things important and urgent in our lives.

• Luke 12:17-23, 29-31
• The four quadrants of the important/urgent matrix.
• Luke 9:57-62 – Move earthly things back to the important but not urgent category.
• Luke 8:14; 10:40-42 – Limit not important, but urgent things as much as possible.
• Make sure spiritual things don’t end up in the not important and not urgent category!

II Corinthians 6

• II Corinthians 6:1-2 – Compare I Corinthians 3:9. The quote is from Isaiah 49:8.
• II Corinthians 6:3-6 – Paul was very cautious of his behavior so that his critics could not speak against him. See II Corinthians 11:23-28. Paul spelled out all that he had to go through to bring the gospel to them.
• II Corinthians 6:7-10 – See I Thessalonians 5:8. Paul spoke often of spiritual warfare.
• II Corinthians 6:11-13 – See Philippians 4:15. He had been open to them. He wanted them to be open in return. See I John 3:16-17. We must be willing to open our hearts to others and to serve them.
• II Corinthians 6:14-15 – This is a prohibition against fellowship with unbelievers. See Romans 1:29-32.
• II Corinthians 6:16-18 – Paul is showing how our relationship with God should work.

II Corinthians 7

• II Corinthians 7:1 – We should work to perfect our relationship with God. Is every part of my life glorifying God?

Introduction

• Matthew 4:23-25
• This sermon was a great departure from what most people thought true religion was at the time.
• This sermon was not a call to arms for physical warfare.

It is easy to misunderstand and misapply (if we ignore context and harmony)

• Matthew 5:14-16 – Jesus spoke in a way that everyone could understand.
• Matthew 5:29
• Jesus was practical and to the point.
• Matthew 5:44
• Matthew 6:7, 24
• Jesus was the perfect teacher, but it is still possible to take his words out of context and misuse them.
• Matthew 6:19; 7:1 – Is it wrong to have a bank account or judge others?
• If we fail to understand, the mistake is ours!
• Matthew 7:15, 7
• Matthew 6:33

There is a balance of dos and don’ts.

• Matthew 5:3, 11-12
• Matthew 5:13 – Be salty, don’t be tasteless.
• Matthew 5:20
• Matthew 6:2
• Matthew 7:13-14
• We want to have this same balance that Jesus had.

Jesus taught with obvious authority.

• Matthew 7:28-29
• John 7:45
• Matthew 5:17
• There was nothing physically unique about Jesus. It was the context of His teaching.
• Matthew 5:21
• Matthew 5:43-44
• Matthew 7:21-23 – Jesus is saying He will be there and be in charge at the judgment.
• Read with reverence!

Introduction

• II Timothy 3:2
• Proverbs 16:18
• Matthew 11:29

Humility with God

• Jeremiah 10:23
• Luke 18:9-14
• Romans 12:3-8 – Don’t underestimate yourself. Whatever God has given you the ability to do in service to Him, do it the best you can! Be competent and confident in what you can do!

Humility in leadership

• Numbers 12:3-8
• Numbers 16:3
• Moses was a leader but maintained his humility.
• Matthew 20:20-28
• Philippians 2:3-8
• People are more willing to follow when the leader is humble. The followers of a humble leader will also be more humble themselves.

Humility in parenting

• I Corinthians 9:17
• My job is to humble myself enough to pass on God’s instruction to my children.
• Proverbs 29:15
• I Kings 1:6 – Daved never disciplined Adonijah.

Humility with peers

• I Peter 5:5-7 – We must be humble to each other!
• Hebrews 10:24-25
• James 2:8-9
• Pride poisons relationships!