The Call to Integrity

The Call to Integrity

Integrity is a wonderful thing, though it’s all too rare even among Christians today. We need to understand and heed God’s high calling to the perfect and blameless life. When the Word of God is given the prominent place in our lives it deserves, the standard set in the scripture becomes our measuring rod for personal integrity. You and I can’t live a life of integrity in our own strength, and we’ll admit that if we’re honest with ourselves. But, the Good News is the Holy Spirit dwells in us to make us people of the highest biblical character.

Righteousness, uprightness, and trustworthiness are the attributes the Bible ascribes to a person of integrity. Examine these excerpts from Psalm 15:

v. 1,2 “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell on your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart…” v. 3b “…does [no] evil to his neighbor…”  v. 4b “…he who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (or, one who keeps his word even when it hurts). v. 5b  “…nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.”

Wow! This man or woman God describes “shall never be moved.” That speaks of the solid, unshakable faith and character the Holy Spirit develops in those who are determined to live open and transparent lives before God and His people. This chapter also speaks of abiding in God’s tabernacle and dwelling on His holy hill. What a beautiful picture of intimacy with God, and this picture is one He is painting for all who strive to live and love honestly.

The Lord calls you and me to be people of spotless integrity. We may not find many examples of integrity in the media or even in our personal relationships and travels. But the less regard for truth we witness in the world, the greater the witness of Jesus Christ in us becomes. What IS important is that we find integrity when we look in the mirror! The mirror I’m speaking of is the Word of God. You see, when we read God’s Word, Christ is revealed, and so are we. All that the Word exposes leads to us beg Christ to help us, then he imparts His Spirit and integrity to us.

So let’s be true to the One who leads us into all truth. He IS the truth, and that truth lives in us, truly making us men and women of integrity.

Love and peace,

Pastor Eric

Pride

Pride

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  Psalm 139:23, 24

Satan is not our most dangerous enemy, because he can only operate where we allow.  When we walk in intimacy and obedience to Christ, the demons have little or nothing in us to work with.  Not even the world, with all its temptations and pleasures can touch us, because we have overcome the world in Christ!  No, our greatest enemy is not in hell or the world system of things  . . . our greatest enemy is pride!

Pride is the most dangerous of sins, because it is completely blind to itself.  Pride plans, acts, and thinks without considering the Lord.  It is a bold affront to Him, and we're all guilty of it -- yet it is so subtle that we rarely detect it or confess it. Pride distorts our self-concept, props us up, puffs us up, and makes us believe things of ourselves and others that are not true. It makes us think of ourselves first and last, it takes and demands more credit than it deserves, and it talks about itself more than it should.  Pride doesn't respond to correction very well.  I'm sure each of us can immediately point to at least one person who fits this description.  The proof that we are blind to our own pride is we didn't point to ourselves.

Remember, children of God are called to be as wise as serpents, and that wisdom begins with knowing God and understanding ourselves. Nothing but the searchlight of the Holy Spirit and the mirror of the word of God can reveal these things to us, and we suffer with pride to the degree that we ignore what they show us.

   

Perhaps you know all this already, and it's not for you.  Then again, maybe that might be your . . .

Love and perfect peace,

Pastor Eric

Resist the Devil

Resist the Devil

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.                                                                                                                                                            James 4:7

Resistance through humility is the most aggressive posture a saint can take against the wily tactics of Satan. Humility is a most formidable weapon that the devil has no answer for, because he cannot humble himself. A decisive blow is delivered to the darkness around us when we fall to our knees and submit ourselves to our Father’s will. The saint who is bowed low in worship and prayer cannot be touched by the lies of the accuser, the lust of the flesh, nor the lures of the world. Down at His feet is the most high place!

Satan will offer you a great number of options, but none of them will involve humility. He will convince you to offer lip service without truly serving another – to feel sorry for your actions, yet fall short of godly sorrow which leads to repentance, to establish your own kingdom and call it  ministry. Yet, our Lord tells us to humble ourselves in the sight of God and men, because He resists the proud and lifts up the humble. What an honor it is to respond to His call to be like Jesus, Who laid aside His glory to serve us and die for us! Listen closely and you’ll hear Him calling you to a point of humility. Will you answer the call?

Love and peace,

Pastor Eric