HeartSight: 7 Practices #3 Integrity

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HeartSight: 7 Practices #3 Integrity                      6-7-20

Bottom Line: Spiritual integrity is a life in honest pursuit of a relationship with God.

Introduction:

 A. What international best-selling book came out in the middle of our Civil War, 1862? Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables = The Miserables

   1. Complex story about Jean Valjean imprisoned for 19 yrs for stealing bread for his sister. Hard labor! #24601!

   2. Paroled, must wear show yellow ticket as ex-con. No breaks!

   3. Finds refuge in church – Bishops mercy saves him – vow to change

   4. Story of law vs. grace – connects w/ Fatine and Cosette – chased by relentless police guard Javert – Look alike arrested on trial – turns himself in – escapes to rescue Cossette, flee, success, Paris uprising

   5. A story of integrity! Seeking to do right, help others, give, sacrifice

 B. Integrity is living convictions that define who you are!

   1. A beautiful thing to see, but a better thing to experience

   2. It is who you are, and it can be destroyed in one small poor choice.

 C. Spiritual integrity is all about being who and what we need to be to have a relationship with God and represent Jesus.

   1. It is about seeking Him and pleasing Him

   2. It is having the right principles in our heart and the right practices in our life.

1. What is integrity?

 A. Denotation: An adherence to a code of values – incorruptibility

   1. Synonyms: character, decency, goodness, honesty

   2. Antonyms: badness, evil, immorality, iniquity, villainy, wickedness

 B. Connotation: What you are when no one is looking!

   1. Integrity is the gift you give yourself!

   2. “If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.”

   3. I love what Lincoln said leading a war-torn country, “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.”

   4. My definition on the wall of my office, “Integrity is the refusal to compromise character.”

 C. Spiritual integrity is defined by concepts like faithfulness, commitment, loyalty, and consistency.  Awareness of God’s presence!

2. What does Paul tell us about integrity?

 A. From principles to seven practices of a transformed life

   1. Authenticity, vs.25 “Put off falsehood and speak truthfully”

   2. Self-control, vs.26-27 “Do not let your anger cause you to sin”

   3. Integrity, vs.28 Read

 B. Why is that about integrity? The word it not in the passage?

   1. Choose to change = transformation (no longer) – like Jesus

   2. Choose to work & be useful = Productive – glorify Jesus

   3. Choose to share w/ those in need = compassion – like Jesus

 C. Jean Valjean decided to be a man of integrity because of the mercy of the Bishop. A life-changing event for him.

   1. We choose to change and be transformed by the love of Jesus

   2. Conversion is a life-changing event! Matt.16:24

3. What has my personal journey with integrity been like?

 A. It began with wanting it – desire = seeking! Becoming like Jesus!

 B. It has been a struggle all the way. Had peaks & valleys. Always will.

 C. The joy of growing is both satisfying and humbling! Being at peace with God is the true blessing of spiritual integrity

Conclusion: We are in desperate need of men & women of integrity!

A. Peter didn’t cower before the Sanhedrin – He proclaimed Jesus!

B. True transformation can’t happen until we choose integrity!

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Bible Study from: Seven Practices of a Transformed Life (3)

Sunday, June 7, 2020

1.  What is your favorite story of someone who chose to live with and be driven by integrity?

2.  What is your favorite quote or saying about integrity? How would you define integrity?

3.  What is spiritual integrity? Is it different than “normal” integrity?

4.  Why do you think integrity is a Christian practice and not just a Christian principle?

5.  Read Ephesians 4:28. Why is this about integrity? Is it about something else? Why or why not?

6.  How are spiritual transformation and spiritual integrity connected?

7.  What causes an individual to desire integrity?

8.  Can we truly be a seeker of Jesus without desiring to have integrity?

9.  Why is it true that having integrity is not easy? Or is it?

10. How does integrity help us to be at peace with God?

11. Why are we “in desperate need of men and women of integrity”? Is that a true statement? Why or why not?