“WHAT INTEGRITY IS”

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them with his skillful hands. (Psalm 78:72)
Recent headlines have taught us that many so called successes were built on a foundation devoid of integrity. As it is in government, corporations so it is in the church, all too often we find a moral laxity behind our pews and, even worse, behind the pulpit. What is integrity?
Integrity means “an unimpaired condition.” It means to be sound, complete and solid. You have integrity if you keep your word even when no one checks up on you. Integrity means the absence of duplicity and is the opposite of hypocrisy. If you are a person of integrity, you will do what you say.What you declare, you will do your best to be. Integrity also includes financial accountability, personal reliability, and private purity. A person with integrity does not manipulate others. He or she is not prone to arrogance or self-praise. Integrity even invites constructive and necessary criticism because it applauds accountability. It’s sound. It’s solid. It’s complete. Integrity is rock-like. It won’t crack when it has to stand alone, and it won’t crumble though the pressure mounts. Integrity keeps one from fearing the white light of examination or resisting the exacting demands of close scrutiny. It’s honesty at all costs.
But there are some things integrity is not. It is not sinless perfection. A person with integrity does not live a life absolutely free of sin. No one does. But one with integrity quickly acknowledges his failures and doesn’t hide the wrong. Integrity is essential in the church, in the marketplace, and especially in the home. When you walk in integrity, you leave it as a legacy for your children to follow (Proverbs 20:7). When you work with integrity, you honor the Lord. Regardless of your profession, your character and conduct are godly.
You want to stand out and alone? Start demonstrating integrity in all you do, in your relationships, doing what’s right when no one is looking. It takes real courage to stand strong with integrity in a culture weakened by pietism and pretence. Start today.

The Marah Tree

“Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people complained against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet” (Exodus 15:23-25 NKJV).

 

The passage is a powerful example of God opening our eyes to His availability. Just after the Israelites had been delivered from Pharaoh’s army, they went into the desert where they had no water. God led them to the waters of Marah which was bitter and deadly and therefore not good for drinking. But why will the good God do that? I believe it is show them His sufficiency, availability and relevance in their lives no matter the situation or circumstance they may find themselves.

 

We may have been faced with “bitter waters” many times in our lives. Situations, problems, or tragedies will arise to challenge our walk with God. The Holy Spirit has come to provide the wisdom, counsel, or might we need to turn those waters of life from bitter to sweet! God told Moses to take the tree and put it into the water. Moses’ obedience brought a miracle, and the miracle brought a revelation: God did not want them to drink bitter waters. He wanted to reveal their hearts in order for their hearts be changed where needed. The experience revealed that while Moses was God centred, Israel was not and that God is a good God; and Israel needed to know that. If they would simply obey Him, He would care for them.

 

Unfortunately, even after the great miracles, Israel would not continue to walk with God. They refused to listen to His instructions. Psalm 81 opens us into God’s heart as He was reaching out to His nation. “But My people would not heed My voice, and Israel would have none of Me. So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart, to walk in their own counsels” (Ps. 81:11-12 NKJV). Israel would not heed the counsel of God and no wonder they wandered in the wilderness. The Psalms tells us what would been the resultant effects had Israel heeded the counsel of God. “Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him, but their fate would endure forever. He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; and with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you” (vv. 13-16).

 

Their experience could have been much different. If they had learned the lesson from the bitter waters of Marah, they would have seen how to reach out for counsel and wisdom from Jehovah God. Counsel came to them as it does to us. The tree at Marah represents the Branch: Jesus Christ. He will turn the bitter waters of our lives into sweet.

 

May the tests of life bend us towards Jesus, that we might open ourselves to Him at every  new depths, heeding His word and experiencing His healing. By the grace of God, may we make the journey and know His healing that we might live the Jesus life. Amen.

Integrity: The Soul of Godly Character.

“The faithful have been swept from the land; not one upright person remains” (Micah 7:2 NIV)
Micah started with a grave statement; “Woe is me” (Michal 7:1a). Why, because of the disappearance of people of godly character and integrity. “I look at how people are living, and what I see across the nation is that godly character is being swept away. I look for models of upright living, but I’m not seeing them.” This is a fearful picture of a deprived, corrupted and demoralised state of society – a loss of men of character and integrity and the rise of individuals and groups of people with their own agendas and self-interest that has replaced the common good. Micah lamented, “As I look at what is happening among God’s people, it breaks my heart!”
Is this not the picture we see everywhere today, even in the church? The need for men of character and integrity today is perhaps as great as it has ever been. To justify our depravity, many view integrity as an out-dated idea whereas according to the order of heaven it remains the only prerequisite to credibility. Integrity involves an inner sense of wholeness which results from being consistently honest and morally upright and it is crucial in all aspects of life: professional, personal, social and spiritual. 
There is no other way to it, integrity is the basic element of Christian character. It is the first characteristic of those welcomed into God’s presence (Ps.15:2). It is the first characteristic that distinguishes godly leadership: “So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands” (Ps.78:72). Integrity is not determined by circumstances, based on credentials and is not to be confused with reputation. A person with the integrity of heart is a morally and spiritually healthy individual.
We have drifted from God, let us turn back to God and ask He builds us over again. The Scripture says “Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls” (I Peter 2:25). Turning back to God is more than words and plans -it’s action! It’s repentance without excuses or hesitations! (See: Acts 26:20; Matthew 3:8; Titus 2:14;3:8). It is in our turning that God will turn back

Killing The Root Of Bitterness

Killing the Root of Bitterness.
 
“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT)
Christians are supposed to forgive but many of us behave like there are exceptions to this rule. How could one get rid and forgive a betrayal of ‘first class’ order, or a hurt that caused an irreparable damage? The natural response is bitterness, but the Bible clearly paints the danger of this natural response. Hebrews 12:15 says, “…Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” The root of bitterness grows in the soil of hurt and produces fruit unforgiveness.
Once unfogiveness takes hold of a believer, it leads to the following: unremitted sins, separation from God (Isaiah 59:2), unanswered prayers (Mark 11:25) and exposure to satanic attack (2 Cor. 2:11). If the price is so much, it is important to constantly ask the Holy Spirit to daily reveal to us people or issues we haven’t completely forgiven and uproot the weed of bitterness out of the ground of once life, so that it won’t rear its head again. Ask for the grace to let go and release those who’ve wronged us as the passage instructs. It will, no doubt take the power of God to bring one to a place of being willing to forgive but when the power comes, you will be able to pray (Luke6:28) and love (Matt. 5:45) our enemies and release.
Forgiveness is the best revenge. It not only sets our minds free from the prison of hatred but it releases our offenders to God for Him to deal with (Proverbs 20:22). Faith it is that moves God but only forgiveness releases His power. 
I pray that we will find in God the sheer strength to battle through the feelings of anger, hatred, and bitterness, and fight our way back to the cross. That’s where Christ forgave us. And that’s where, by faith, we can find the ability to forgive those who’ve wronged us

KILLING THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS.
 
Do you have questions regarding this week’s issue of “In His Presence”? Please contact me via the email address below.
pastor@rccggoldenarena.org
Forgiveness is the best revenge. It not only sets our minds free from the prison of hatred but it releases our offenders to God for Him to deal with 
Ranti Orioke