| Dear
Believers,
Last
month Wayne Clapp, on two of the Sunday Service recordings
from Tipp City, shared from the Scriptures on the topic
of not quitting. To not quit or faint, at times, can demand
a great deal of courage. I asked God to show me what would
be the key ingredient to the development of a mind that
would stay the course, not get weary, not faint or quit.
The answer I came up with was integrity. I did not know
that the word integrity was mentioned in God’s
Word so many times.
The word integrity means,
“an unimpaired condition, soundness, adherence
to a code of moral values, a state or quality
of being complete or undivided, wholeness, uprightness,
innocence and a simplicity that keeps you from mischief
or ill-design.”
Adherence to a code of moral
values. Doesn’t that just say it all? Adherence means
fidelity, steady attachment, an act or state of adhering
or adhesion, to stick fast, cleave, cling, to be devoted,
to be attached as a follower or upholder, to hold closely
and finally, to be consistent.
I once heard someone define
integrity as: what you do when no one is watching.
I like that definition because if we are truly adhering
to a code of moral values, then we will stand fast on
the Word of God, not only in the presence of God’s household
but even when we are alone. We will never quit as long
as we cultivate and maintain personal integrity
based on God’s Word, despite the ups and downs of life.
It somewhat reminds me of
some of the accounts in the book of Job.
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 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’s wife certainly lacked
integrity. Can you believe the advice she gave her husband
while he fought through this difficult time? Her quality
of being complete or undivided and her adherence to a
code of moral values was lacking.
Job 27:5
God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will
not remove mine integrity from me.
That’s the attitude we need
to take. We cannot let anyone or any set of circumstances
remove our integrity. We live by faith not by sight.
Job 31:6
Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know
mine integrity.
Those are some powerful
scriptures. Job was human just like us, he was experiencing
some challenging times, just like we do, but guess what?
He never quit! Why? Because he had integrity.
Job’s code of moral values would not allow him to faint
or quit.
Psalm 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.
Psalm 25:21
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait
on thee.
It is our integrity
that will help preserve us and keep us from fainting.
Psalm 26:1
Judge Me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity:
I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not
slide.
Psalm 26:11
But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: Redeem
me, and be merciful unto me.
Psalm 41:12
And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity,
and settest me before thy face for ever.
If we as believers can stick
fast to, cleave, cling, be devoted and be consistent to
what God would have us to do, we will have great
integrity, and its that Godly integrity
we develop that will help sustain us and prevent us from
falling short of the finish line.
Proverbs 11:3
The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the
perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
Let the integrity we have developed
through God help guide us through life and the accomplishment
of our goals.
God Bless You,
Bob Faller
Park Ridge, NJ
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