Ø 2 Timothy 3 16 — 17 16

Ø 2 Timothy 3: 16 - 17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Ø After surveying thousands of people around the world and performing more than 400 written case studies, James Kouzes and Barry Posner identified those characteristics most desired in a leader. In virtually every survey, honesty or integrity was identified more frequently than any other trait.

Ø The scripture doesn’t call for perfect leaders; it calls for those who are models of progress in their faith

People of Integrity Completion Project

I. Integrity Defined Ø INTEGRITY The state of being complete or undivided. ● Singleness of heart or mind ● it’s a matter of having the right heart and allowing the person you are on the inside to match the person you are on the outside ● Hypocrisy is the opposite of integrity

II. Biblical Examples of Integrity Ø Job 1: 1 There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.

Ø John 1: 45 - 47 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth. ” 46“Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth? ” “Come and see for yourself, ” Philip replied. 47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity. ”

Ø A part of Integrity is complete honesty – even when you are wrong

Ø Psalms 78: 70 - 72 70 He chose his servant David, calling him from the sheep pens. 71 He took David from tending the ewes and lambs and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants —God’s own people, Israel. 72 He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands. (NASB - he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart)

Ø God’s appeal to Solomon - 1 Kings 9: 4 - 5 4“As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, 5 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel. ’

● Confronted of his wrong – by the prophet Nathan – 2 Samuel 12 ● David’s repentance – Psalm 51

Ø It’s possible to live one life publicly and another life privately. That’s not integrity; it’s an invitation for God’s discipline. We are to live with consistency in public and in private, because our Father “sees what is done in secret” (Matthew 6: 4). Ø The test of integrity – is your private life the same as your public life?

Ø “How do I live when no one’s looking? ” It’s easy to look like a person of integrity when people are watching, but do I live my private life with the same level of consistency as I live my public life?

Ø Contemporary example of integrity – Billy Graham

III. The Biblical Strengths of Integrity Ø Security ● Proverbs 10: 9 "He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out. ”

● James 1: 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

Ø Influence ● “A person who lives right and is right has more power in his silence than another has by words. ” Phillips Brooks ● “To be persuasive, we must be believable. To be believable, we must be credible. To be credible, we must be truthful. ” Edward R. Murrow

Ø Titus 2: 7 And yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

Ø The scripture doesn’t call for perfect leaders; it calls for those who are models of progress in their faith

Ø Psalms 101 – a lifestyle of integrity