Integrity & Legacy

The INTEGRITY of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them. Proverbs 11:3

For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 2 Chronicles 16:9

Keeping a good job is hard… Unemployment is hard… Choose your hard.

Marriage is hard… Divorce is hard… Choose your hard.

Obesity is hard… Fitness and staying in shape is hard… Choose your hard.

Being in debt is hard… Being financially disciplined is hard… Choose your hard.

Following Jesus is hard… Doing nothing spiritually will make life harder… Choose your hard.

Having integrity is hard… Lacking integrity is hard when found out… Choose your hard.

1. What’s an example of a situation that’s common in your everyday life where integrity and honesty are difficult to maintain?
2. We often exaggerate the truth during our daily interactions, especially with our employer, clients, customers, or close relationships… all due to “pleasing man”. If this is you (be honest w/ integrity) how will you address this going forward?

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. Proverbs 21:2

1. Are there wicked/ungodly people in your circle that influence you, where you know they need to be removed from your circle? How difficult will that be and when will you achieve this?
2. BE HONEST… Is your heart hard and reluctant to things of the Lord? Is your heart not fully aligned toward God? What changes could you make in your life to better embrace truth and produce fruit?

Julie DeVore – Association of Certified Biblical Counselors

“Believers who pursue heart change through the Holy Spirit will be refreshed seeing how the Holy Spirit brings conviction, desire, inducement, and power to fuel obedience and godly habits. Godly habits will begin to form naturally and joyfully as believers pursue a Christ-like heart. Seeing how God has saved us and changed our hearts allows us to put off our old habits or self, and instead “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10). 

Joseph’s life -shows us that when we live with integrity, we may face trials and difficulties, but God will honor our faithfulness in due time.

Job’s life – Job’s story reminds us that integrity is not just for times of ease but is tested in times of great adversity. Job’s friends wrongly accused him of sin and suggested that his sufferings were a punishment from God. But Job remained steadfast in his faith and refused to compromise his integrity by agreeing with their accusations. Job’s story shows us that integrity requires not only steadfastness in our faith but also in our convictions.

Daniel’s life – A reminder that integrity requires courage and conviction. It is easy to compromise when we face pressure from the world, but Daniel stood firm, knowing that God was with him.

1. How does integrity affect your relationship with the Lord?
2. How does a lack of integrity affect your relationship with the Lord? Read the following verses aloud to assist with your answer.
   Proverbs 14:2, Proverbs 11:20, Proverbs 15:8
3. Between Joseph, Job, and Daniel, which one stood out to you the most in how they showed integrity? Why?

• Guard your heart – Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
• Renew your mind – Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will e able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
• Abide in Me – John 15:4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
• Flee sexual sin – 1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexuality immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

William McDonald – “The heart speaks of the inner life, our mind, our thoughts, our motives, our desires. The mind is the foundation from which our actions spring from. If the fountain is pure, the stream that flows from it will be pure. As a man thinks, so is he. So, this verse emphasizes the importance of a clean thought life.”

1. How have you been serving God faithfully and walking with integrity in your day-to-day life?
2. How will the GRAF card charge your spiritual workout routine? Which one of the 4 is most difficult right now in your life? What is your plan to address it?