INTEGRITY = WHOLENESS

integrity may be defined as “the state of being whole, entire and undiminished” [or] “soundness of moral character and honesty.” (Dictionary.com)  In connection with Christianity, integrity is that quality of professing disciples by which gospel truth becomes verifiable to non-believers, who are the primary participants and proponents of the world system.

In order to process the importance of this, let’s go back to the beginning of time.  Since the dawning of creation, Almighty God has demonstrated a propensity to forge the substantial from the insubstantial.  For example, humankind (God’s highest creation) was divinely crafted from “the dust of the ground.” (Genesis 2:7)  It literally staggers the imagination to ponder God’s original vision for creation.  For our God was able to ‘see’ the extraordinary potential residing in ordinary specks of dust.  And so, on Day 6, he formed and fashioned the extraordinary from the frail fabric of the ordinary.  In a sense, we are walking dust-balls, only made special by an endowment of The Pneuma, the Spirit-breath of our Creator.  What a mighty God we serve!

The very essence of God, the character of God, and thus the creation of God are inherently supernatural.  And, according to the Word, we are created “in His image, after His likeness.” (Genesis 1:27)  Therefore, whenever the world observes The Church, there is an automatic expectation to see more of the super and less of the natural.  Herein lies our present-day quandary…our existential dilemma. 

For oftentimes, there is a dramatic difference and a considerable distance between the aspirations and the actions of believers.  Such a stark contrast between our testimony and our reality does much to generate doubt, disbelief, or cynicism among non-believers.  In the words of the Apostle Paul, the lives of professing believers are tantamount to “epistle[s]…known and read of all men.” (II Corinthians 3:2)

This is important because, in a sense, the life of every believer represents a crisis moment in human history.  The Chinese say that every crisis has two heads, one of danger and one of opportunity.  To wit, our time on Earth (and service in The Kingdom) constitute a dangerous opportunity for ourselves and for others.  It is opportunity because “many are called.”  Yet, it is dangerous because “few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)  For relatively few live up to the lofty standards of the faith.  Thank God for grace!  But the question is begged: ‘If GOD is looking for a few good men (and women), what will our response be?’  That is, what will the world see when they examine us, our lives, our lifestyles, our attitudes and our actions?  Will Christ be visible at all?  Or will it be just you and me to show up on the scene?  Can we state with spiritual authority and authenticity, “Look on us,” as Peter and John advised the lame man at the temple gate? (Acts 3:1-9)

There can be no doubt: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” (II Corinthians 4:3)

Clearly, the Lord Jesus Christ summons all of us to personal integrity, which is the caliber of wholeness that becomes an objective witness to (and verifier of) the gospel truth.  I will be fully transparent and freely admit to many errors I have made along the way.  Nevertheless, my sins, which were many, are all washed away!  I am acutely impressed by The Holy Spirit that this is the existential moment for The Church of The Living God to stand up and represent the gospel…by being the gospel.  We must never allow our dust origins to become an excuse for a continuation in sin and shame. (Romans 6:1-7)  Grace testifies for us: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (II Corinthians 4:7)

Remember this: Nothing you or I have done has ever caught God off guard or taken Him by surprise.  It occurs to me that Almighty God (who knew us before the foundation of the world) has factored into His divine plans every one of our life experiences (good, bad, ugly, indifferent) and via Calvary He transforms our faults, failures, foibles and fiascoes into tangible testimonies that serve as powerful agents for winning the lost in these end-times.  But we must choose wisely; we must make up our minds. (Joshua 24:15 and II Peter 1:10)  From now on, you and I will never allow space for Satan to distort or damage our witness.  Because of Calvary, we now possess God’s integrity.  We have wholeness.  We will represent and serve His Kingdom well, as “ambassadors of the King eternal detained on foreign soil.” Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed!

FIRST THINGS FIRST!

Jesus Christ, “the Author and Finisher of our faith,” admonished us to “seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:2 and Matthew 6:33)  It is important to note that our primary and pivotal entry-point into the Kingdom “highway” that is revealed in the Word of God. (Isaiah 35:8)  Jesus, Himself, declared that “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” (Mark 13:31)  Therefore, our initial thought and activity of each day should be reading and meditating on The Word.  It goes without saying that prayer is an indispensable prerequisite to processing, understanding and retaining all Kingdom truth. (Luke 18:1)

The longest chapter in the Holy Bible is Psalm 119.  Its focus is the centrality of The Word in both our covenant and communion with Christ.  I have reprinted selected verses below for your prayerful consideration.

Psalm 119 [Selected Verses]

¹⁰ With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

¹¹ Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

¹⁶ I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

¹⁸ Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

²⁴ Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

³³ Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

⁴⁹ Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.

⁵⁹ I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

⁶⁰ I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.

⁷² The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

⁹⁰ Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

⁹⁷ O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.

⁹⁸ Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰¹ I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

¹⁰³ How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

¹¹¹ Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

¹¹⁴ Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

¹²⁵ I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

¹²⁷ Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.

¹²⁸ Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

¹³⁰ The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

¹³³ Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

¹³⁷ Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.

¹⁴⁰ Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.

¹⁴⁴ The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.

¹⁵⁶ Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgments.

¹⁶⁰ Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever.

¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

¹⁷² My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.

Sisters and brothers, we must never major-on-minors; we must always major-on-majors…so first things first!  The Word equips and enables us to “walk by faith, not by sight.” (II Corinthians 5:7)  And instead of being deceived and misguided by sensory perceptions, we learn to completely rely on God’s eternal truth.  So at the dawning of each day, we resolve to allow The Word of God to be our pilot and our compass in order to navigate the uncharted seas of unknown life events.    Thereby, we shall be continually blessed.

THE VALUE AND BEAUTY OF DIVERSITY

The following story is actually a fable, but there is definite truth in it, so please read and carefully consider.  Our Creator did not choose to use a cookie-cutter approach when designing the universe, and most especially in His engineering of us.  Therefore, there is inherent value in diversity.  So we must learn to listen attentively and resolve to purposefully absorb life wisdoms from others.  We will surely grow as a result.

Once upon a time all the colors of the world started to quarrel.  All claimed that they were the best, the most important, the most useful, the favorite.

Green said:
“Clearly I am the most important.  I am the sign of life and of hope.  I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves.  Without me, all animals would die.  Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority.”

Blue interrupted:
“You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea.  It is water that is the basis of life and it is drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea.  The sky gives space and peace and serenity.  Without my peace, you would all be nothing.”

Yellow chuckled:
“You are all so serious.  I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world.  The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow.  Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile.  Without me there would be no joy.”

Orange started next to blow her trumpet:
“I am the color of health and strength.  I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life.  I carry the most important vitamins.  Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas.  I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought about any of you.”

Red could stand it no longer so he shouted out:
“I am the ruler of all of you.  I am blood - life's blood!  I am the color of danger and of bravery.  I am willing to fight for a cause.  I bring fire into the blood.  Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon.  I am the color of passion and love, the red rose, the poinsettia, the poppy.”

Purple rose up to his full height:
He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: “I am the color of royalty and power.  Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom.  People do not question me!  They listen and obey.”

And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority.  Their quarreling became louder and louder.  Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed.  Rain started to pour down relentlessly.  The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamor, the rain began to speak:
“You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying desperately to best and dominate the rest.  Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different?  Join hands with one another and come to me.”

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.

The rain continued:
“From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder that you can all live together in peace.  The unity in your beautiful rainbow will be a sign of hope.”

So whenever a good rain washes the world, and a rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.

--- Author Unknown

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed!