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September
7-8, 200 INTEGRITY – WHAT
THE WORLD NEEDS NOW!
Selected LIVING WITH INTEGRITY! è DUPLICITY: Contradictory double-ness
of thought, speech, or action. è INTEGRITY: The quality or condition of
being whole or undivided. HOW CAN WE LIVE WITH
THIS KIND OF INTEGRITY? 1. BY
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRITY! A. INTEGRITY DELIGHTS
GOD! è WE WERE CREATED TO WORSHIP GOD! WORSHIP IS DELIGHTING GOD! *** 1 Chron. 29:17 “I know, my God, that you
test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” [New International Version] *** Job 2:3 “Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is
the finest man in all the earth—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and
will have nothing to do with evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even
though you persuaded me to harm him without cause." [New Living Translation] *** Proverbs 11:20 “The Lord hates people with twisted hearts,
but he delights in those who have integrity.” [NLT] B. INTEGRITY IMPACTS MY FAMILY! *** Pr. 20:7 “The good people who live honest
lives will be a blessing to their children.”
[New Century Version] *** Psalm 112:2
“…the children of honest people will be blessed.” [NCV] C. INTEGRITY STRENGTHENS MY COMMUNITY! *** Proverbs 11:11 “Upright citizens bless a
city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.” [New Living Translation] *** Proverbs 28:2 “When there is moral rot
within a nation, its government topples easily. But with wise and knowledgeable
leaders, there is stability.” [NLT] *** Proverbs 16:12 “Good leaders abhor
wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.” [The Message] *** Proverbs 14:34 “Doing what is right makes
a nation great, but sin will bring disgrace to any people.” [NCV] D. INTEGRITY SUPPORTS MY WITNESS! *** Matthew 5:16 “Let
your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven.” [NIV] *** 1 Peter 2:12 “People who do not believe
are living all around you…. Live such good lives that they will see the good
things you do and will give glory to God on the day when Christ comes again.” [NCV] E. INTEGRITY BLESSES MY LIFE! *** Proverbs 11:3 “The integrity of the
upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” [NIV] *** Proverbs 11:5-6 “Moral character makes for
smooth traveling; an evil life is a hard life. Good character is the best
insurance….” [Msg] è EVIL IS THE OPPOSITE OF LIVE RIGHT! *** Proverbs 10:9 “The man of integrity walks
securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” [NIV] 2. BY
ADOPTING INTEGRITY AS OUR LIFESTYLE! è INTEGRITY ISN’T SOMETHING YOU DO…IT’S
SOMETHING YOU ARE! A. BY ALWAYS SPEAKING THE
TRUTH! *** Ephes. 4:15 “Speaking the truth with love,
we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head.” [NCV] è TWO THINGS THAT GO TOGETHER: TRUTH and TRUST! *** Proverbs 12:22 ‘The Lord hates those who
tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises.” [NCV] *** John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free."
[NIV] *** Proverbs 4:24 “Don't use your mouth to
tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true.” [NCV] B. BY AWAYS STANDING FOR
THE TRUTH! *** 2 Cor. 13:8 “Our responsibility is never
to oppose the truth, but to stand for the truth at all times.” [NLT] *** James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the
good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” [NIV] è YOU CAN’T HAVE “RIGHTS” WITHOUT “WRONGS”! è CHRISTIAN’S HAVE TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
AND WRONG! *** Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the
earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It
is no longer good for anything….” *** Proverbs 20:28 “Love and truth form a good
leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.” [Msg] C. BY ALWAYS STAYING IN
THE TRUTH! *** Phil. 2:15 “You are to live clean,
innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse
people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.” [NLT] *** Genesis 6:9 “Noah had God's approval and
was a man of integrity among the people of his time. He walked with God.” [God’s Word for the Nations] 1. BY CHOOSING THE RIGHT KIND OF FRIENDS! *** 1 Cor. 15:33 “Don't fool yourselves. Bad
friends will destroy you.” [CEV] 2. BY CHOOSING INTEGRITY OVER IMAGE! *** Proverbs 28:6 “Better to be a poor person
who has integrity than to be rich and double-dealing.” [GW] 3. BY CHOOSE CAREFULLY WHAT GOES INTO OUR
LIVES! *** Psalm 101:2-3 “I will be careful to live a
blameless life—I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and
vulgar.” [NLT] “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.” Philippians 4:13 [Living] |