INTEGRITY!

One of thing in today’s society that was prevalent that is now decreasing is integrity. Before a man’s (person’s) word or a mere hand shake could be trusted; a person would do what they promised/said they would do, uphold an agreement where the terms of the deal are accurate and true. What is integrity? Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness. There are many in our society do not have this quality. If a person has “true” integrity – not just “lip service”, they would not lie, try to “get over” on others, true to their word, and will not hurt others. The Word of God says a man would transgress you for a piece of bread. But even when someone lies or think they are getting over on you in whatever way, we are to do good to them and in doing so we, Christians, are heaping coals of fire on their heads (Luke 6:27). In other words, they are doing a disservice to themselves. Second Timothy 3:2-4 state in the last days: For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. 3 [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. 4 [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. In a nutshell, this passage is saying people will lack integrity. People will be lovers of themselves, without natural affection (callous and inhuman); they will not take into consideration of what they are doing to harm others. People will scheme and lie to increase their own wealth, their own agenda doing great harm in seeming harmless ways – what they do may be lawfully right, but not Godly right – no integrity. There are those in our world who will scheme and do underhanded things knowing that they are exaggerating the price or the accuracy and truthfulness of what they are saying is not right. Proverbs 28:20 states: A faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich [at any cost] shall not go unpunished. In other words and man/person with integrity shall be blessed, and a man/person without integrity will not go unpunished – he will be cursed. He or she will get their just reward or non-reward. People who operate like this hands are unclean. Proverbs 11:3 states: The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the willful contrariness and crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy them. Proverbs 19:1 also states: Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his speech and is a [self-confident] fool. It is the LOVE of money that is the root of all evil; not money itself – the LOVE. People have lost loved ones and good friends because they cared about money more than the relationship. I really don’t know how people live with themselves or sleep at night knowing that they are lying; not truthful. Proverbs 6:12-19 states things that God hates: seven that are an abomination: 12 A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth; 13 He winks with his eyes, He shuffles his feet, He points with his fingers; 14 Perversity is in his heart, He devises evil continually, He sows discord. 15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy. 16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren These people know that they are being crooked, and think they are getting over on you, but this will destroy them in the end. It will hurt them much more than you. They may seem to have won, but God will have the last say. For vengeance is the Lord and He will repay. Don’t worry if someone has dealt with you without integrity. God sees all; even if you are unaware, God knows. Don’t stoop down to their level with tiff-for-tat or pray ill-will on them. Anything we can try do to them is nothing compared to what God will repay them for acting without integrity in all their crookedness. You do as God has instructed and love your enemies; reach out to them with compassion. Don’t let what anyone has said or done control you, consuming your life and your thoughts. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone is giving you a hard time or has done something underhanded, take the time to pray for that person. It’s hard not to pray doom and gloom on them, but pray God’s blessing on them and their family; pray that they come to know Christ. You win; they do not! You might be wondering what someone has done to me for me to write so strongly about this topic. I say “Nothing my God cannot and is not handling.” Stand firm and watch the salvation of your God! Remember there's a sinner's prayer on this site. If you have back-slid or haven't tasted and seen that the Lord is Good, say this prayer. You don't have to be in a church building to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. There is a moment that will happen, and it will happen in a twinkling of an eye (as fast as you can blink), and those who have confessed Jesus as Lord and have walked according to the Word of God will be raptured up to be with Him forever and ever. Yes, it sounds too fantastical to be real, but don't take the chance that it's not and be left behind. So don't put this off. No one knows the hour or the day when this will take place, but it is for us to be ready when it's time to go. The first step is to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you say this prayer, contact me; let me welcome you and personally encouraged you in your new life with Jesus! Did you put your armor on today??? Be Encouraged Today!!!