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By: Rich Puckett

Integrity is one thing not often taught and a word as well as a condition that seems to be disappearing in to day's world.

In the book Hand Me Another Brick the write defines integrity as what you are when no one else is looking. I think that is one of the best ways I have ever heard it expressed. Integrity is made up of many things and is a word that encompasses many attitudes. How many of our leaders have this wonderful attribute? How many Pastors or church members.

Pastors, preachers, teachers you are expected and must walk in integrity. The Bible says if you preach the word you must live by that word, this is integrity. Many in the world has lost faith in God and no longer trust the church because of men who said one thing and did another. What is worst is that when they made the err they did not repent, nor when caught did they admit to the mistake but lie instead. Let me make clear here that every time you make a mistake you should not run and call a newspaper reporter, or stand up Sunday morning and proclaim the err and details. You stand to answer to God, and its God who gives forgiveness, yet you must also must have the skill to admit to others that you are human and have failed, Paul used the terms like I was once. The bible says to confess your faults to each other, yet if you do you will soon be with out a church family for they are not very good at forgiving and better at ripping apart. So here is my advice, if asked never lie, if it something that effects them or could cause the church to be looked down upon then you must face the church and tell them. If it is some err that you have made that effects only you then confess to God and sin no more.

Each of you are the reflection of Christ and if you sin you cast not just doubt upon your self but on Christ and the church. Every thing we do effects others, our church, our family, our spouse.

President Clinton used some very bad judgement, he let lust win out and forgot all that was really important. My issue is that I can forgive the transgression, what bothers me more was a lack of integrity in that he lied when caught. The lying nature in him then became evident in other areas of his life as well. I remember with my kids I tried hard to teach that if you lie on one thing then how you be trusted on anything.

Dr. Martin Luther King, led thousands and many looked up to him as a man of God and hero for black rights. What bothers me was his lack of integrity for as he was calling him self a preacher a man of God he was in affairs on his wife. (According to many news reports based on investigations after his death) Knowing this how can anyone really trust any of the things he stood for, for if you are not worthy of trust in small matters how can you be trusted with the big ones.

Many TV preachers have been caught in sex scandals, in every case but one that I can think of when caught they lied. Then when more proof was brought forth then the matter was worse and they lost all they had worked for and destroyed many lives. Again they are human and thus if God can forgive them and they sin no more who am I to cast stones. Yet if they lie then they add to the sin and God tells us not to follow them.

I will say right now, if you read many of my works you find I admit that I have made mistakes, there have been times I used bad judgement. I have sinned, got low and depressed, not till after my wife left me and tore me down, I gave up. Before that I made mistakes but none which major and always I quickly repented of. You too could find Satan attack you and have those you love and trust turn againast you, feel like God has left you and fall. The problem is not falling, its staying down, get up look in the mirror see what happened learn by it and get right with God and use these things to help others. You will not fail God when you walk in the Spirit, I would of never made the mistakes in my life had I not got out of Gods Spirit. Yet because of the mistakes I have made God has taught me more compassion and understanding of how we all fail. We are not all like Job who stood all, I wish we were, and we should be, but fact is you are not Job nor am I.

King David failed, he lusted after another mans wife, took her, a man that was so close to God that he had even stood against giants. He paid a price for his sin, he lost a baby he loved very much, you will pay a price for you letting down on you integrity. Yet you do not have to be defeated in the end, David repented and God made his heart right again, so that later you find that the Bible says:

After David lost his baby and repented God still used him and will you.

Job was a man with a right hear (integrity) he had doubt that came into his mind, he cried as the things came on him, he wished that God would take him. What he did not do was turn from God. You must hold on and be strong and remember that you are the son or God.

Prov 11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Integrity is a way of thinking, its a honest and holy kind of thinking. Those who think the way God wants us to seek to please God and therefore will be guided to do the right things.

Prov 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

I was taught as a child that your word is your bond, better to be known as a person of you word then anything else. For a preacher his word, his standard in life is his integrity and that is what will make him a useful tool for God. A preacher that loses that will lose the trust and respect of those who followed him. If he repents people will forgive and he can be a better shepherd then before, but its far better to never lose it.

Prov 20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Children want to believe in their parents, and looks up to them, how can they if they cannot trust them?

1 Ki 9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

Job 27:4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

Job 27:5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

Job 27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Job 31:6 Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

Psa 7:8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

Can you say this God, judge me by how I think not what I say? If you cannot then get on your knees and seek God for my friend you will be judged by your heart as well as your deeds.

Psa 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

Psa 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Psa 26:1 A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

Psa 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Psa 26:3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Psa 26:4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

Psa 26:5 I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked.

Psa 26:6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:

Psa 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Psa 26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Psa 26:9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

Psa 26:10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

Psa 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

Psa 26:12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

Psa 41:12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.