Examine Your Integrity
Are you standing in an even place?
Ps.26
Introduction:
- Pray – Read Passage – Sermon title from verse 1 and 12
- Integrity often confused with honesty – Davis Love III Illustration
- Integrity is soundness, wholeness, or unbroken state
- Something new is at the peak of Integrity – Examples…Car, ships, etc.
- Christians tend to get more integrity as they age Spiritually
- We are going to examine our Integrity with this passage
- Are you standing in an even place?
Self-examination –
- Verse 1-2 David is asking the Lord to Examine, Judge, and Prove him
First thing required in Spiritual integrity is Salvation – preach the Gospel
Verse 1-2, Christian are you standing on even ground and not sliding?
Rarely can the Christian walk be described as continuous upward trek
So Necessary to examine your integrity daily and ask the Lord to help!
As we preach this morning why don’t you ask the Lord:
[Psalm 139:23-24] Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
As seen in our morning Sunday school lesson, God has given us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in this process; develop a relationship with him.
Sanctification –
- Here is where God desires you to eventually be: [Romans 8:29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
- Sanctification is the process to get us there.
- Verse 3, Walking in God’s truth is the method.
- [John 17:17-19] Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
- [2 Timothy 3:16-17] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
- You have God’s words on your lap. You know where you lack Integrity.
- Do something about it! But what do I do? – Repent!
- A change in mind, that caused a change in heart, that causes a change in direction.
- Verse 6 compass the altar! ( to go to, embrace, or grasp)
- This alter is a perfect place to increase your Integrity, and get you in an even place.
Separation –
- Davis has separated himself Verses 4-5, 9-10
- Verse 4, David has separated himself from:
- Vain persons– Worldly (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life)
- Examples of the vanity of the world effecting your integrity
- Dissemblers – Hypocrites ( those who say one thing and do another)
- Example of Luxury homes and Image and appearance over Integrity
- These are the enemies of your wholeness, soundness, your integrity
- The direct relationship between the two; no wiggle room
- [Luke 11:23-26] He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
- You must replace that which you separate from:
- Verse 8, assembling with the saints, loving the habitation of thy house, the place where thine honour dewelleth.
- This church is an even place! It will make you sound, Integrity!
- Verse 7, if you believe this, Tell others. Rejoice!
Conclusion –
- Self-Examination
- Lost
- Saved
- Sanctification should lead to Repentance
- Separation should lead to Replacement
- Integrity, No sliding, Standing in an even place! Should lead you to Rejoice!