Integrity: Don’t Leave Home Without It | Part 1

Need to be sure, and hard to listen to Adrian Rogers blessed all those who have integrity in their heart blessed all your heart, what we mean by that. We thought about giving your heart for Jesus in your heart speaks of total commitment mascot that is the core of individual is that part of the individual that dictates the character directs the will and dominates the affection you are going to make sure my dear friend, you must be pure in heart.

Before you can be pure in any other way, welcome to the kind Adrian Rogers said the heart of the human problem of it seems every institution nowadays is touched by scandal problems and underneath it all is an integrity crisis. This is why it's crucial that we are men and women of integrity and dare not leave home without it, not the definition of the word integrity has to do more with unity or singleness of the heart or mind. In this context.

Matthew five verse eight means. Blessed are those who have integrity without divided hearts.

How can we be sure that we are pure in heart.

If you have your Bible turned out in Matthew chapter 5 verse eight is Adrian Rogers begins with integrity don't leave home without it turning God's word which equates to Matthew chapter 5. As we continue our study of the sermon all about it. Under the general heading that we have entitled the keys of the kingdom.

These are the Beatitudes.

These are sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ that start with the word blessed which means to be congratulated have joy to be happy to be thankful. It is really a hard word to translate other than just the word blessed and the Lord Jesus is teaching us here that character is far more important than any thing else these Beatitudes deal with character Beatitudes that ought to be good as well been said that a child rejoices and what he hands are you rejoices and what he does, but an adult rejoices and what he is, whether that's always true or not I want to say that the more mature you are.

As a Christian.

The more you will rejoice not in what you have or what you do but in what you are through the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's what these Beatitudes talk about. Let's look at them again verse one and seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain when he was set, his disciples came up to him and he opened his mouth and taught saying blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy, and then we come to verse eight. What a beautiful Beatitudes. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Today I want to talk to you about integrity and the title of the message is this integrity don't leave home without it. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. There is an integrity crisis in America, and it touches every area of America, whether it be Watergate Iran gate are pearly gates every all of the institutions in America are being touched by scandal in my problems, and underneath it all is an integrity crisis. Three things I want you to notice as we look at this wonderful Beatitudes and first of all what I would call the principle of integrity. The principle of integrity.

Blessed are the pure in heart.

What is his word to remain. It's the word we get our English word catharsis from catharsis which which means a a purifying, whether it be physical or emotional.

A catharsis and the word does not have to do so much with cleanliness, although that is inferred, it has to do more with unity are singleness of heart and mind. It literally means Blessed is that which is on mixed the word literally means singleness of heart. Now the Lord Jesus Christ amplified that look in chapter 6 in the same sermon and verse 24 and you pick it up. No man can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot. You cannot serve God and Mammon. You cannot be double minded. You cannot have an impure heart and see God you want to worship God. You must do it. My dear friend without duplicity and without hypocrisy. Now there are a number of verses. I want to give you today. I think if you just stay parked in Matthew chapter 5. Unless you're very nimble with your fingers. Jot the Scriptures down. Let me give you some of the Scriptures were all of the Bible comes down really on this one verse.

Blessed are the pure in heart. Blessed are those who are single-minded.

Blessed are those who were not double minded.

Listen to the James four verse four you adulterers and adulteresses know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity that is warfare with God. Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. What he saying is you can hold the world with one hand, and Jesus Christ, with the other and then James goes on to say in James chapter 4 and verse eight drawing nigh unto God and he will draw nigh unto you, I listen to this. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded literally in the Greek it is you two sold double sold people have spiritual schizophrenia, you double minded. You got to have a single mind.

If you going to serve the Lord, you know what David was called in the Bible, King David. The Bible says in acts chapter 13 in verse 22 that David was a man after God's own heart. I remember talking about the heart and were talking about integrity.

Blessed are the pure in heart. I want you to see how David illustrates what we're talking about when God was wanting a king over Israel and God came to measure David God did not measuring by putting the tape measure from his head to his feet. God didn't measure to see how tall he was, nor did God put the tape measure around David's biceps. God put the measure around David's heart.

Remember all of the sons of Jesse had come in there and Samuel is looking for the nice campus written by the Holy Spirit. Samuel is trying to discern which one is the one that God's chosen and Jesse brought his big tall son, outdated lab, and he looked like a king meeting look like some sort of an Adonis there and they came out no profit looked at it, God said to Samuel, look not thou on the height of his stature. Barone's countenance for God doesn't see as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart.

The little boy named David.

She always just little babies and bring them only here I want to look into his face. I looked into his heart was and God said that's the one I want and I want him because of one thing I want him because man after my own know what is a man after God's own heart will ease a man with integrity. I will give her some verses that David wrote and by giving you these verses that David wrote you going to see what made David the man he was.

Jot them down. Psalm seven verse eight David said the Lord shall judge the people. Then he said to judge me oh Lord, according to my righteousness and according to mine in integrity. You see it my integrity. I'm not double minded.

Just fast-forward Psalm 25 and look at the women. Verse 21. Here's the prayer of David. Here's a man after God's own heart led integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on the David knew that when he waited on God. That is a great resource was his integrity.

Malik and Psalm 26 and verse one. Judge me oh Lord, for I have wall in mind, integrity. I have trust also in the Lord. Therefore, I shall not slide Psalm 26 and verse 11 but as for me I will walk in my integrity redeemed me and be merciful to me. Go to Psalm 41 in verse 12 and as for me, Balcones meet in my integrity.

By now I hope you're catching something by now I hope. A thought is forming in your mind. When God looks at David God said David bears a man after my own heart and what was David's heart, David's heart was a pure heart sure means integrity. It means single mindedness you say but didn't David send. Yes, David's sin, David's sin horribly. He failed God, but I want to do something that David David may have had a sinful heart.

We always had a single seat. David was not a hypocrite and when David send it broke David's heart as well.

As it broke God's heart and David never offered an alibi. David offered a confession and he said in Psalm 51 against Lee and they only have I said another's evil in my sight that must be justified when I speak is been clear without judges. David knew what it was to be right and David knew what it was to be wrong. Yes, he wasn't sinless.

My dear friend.

He was single.

He was not a hypocrite. Now I will ask you question my dear friend, you have that kind integrity. Do you have absolute integrity. I'm getting to the age now where young preachers come to me and I say to me past Roger's brother Rogers give me some advice. What would you say that I need in the ministry and what I tell them integrity. Just have everything. Blessed are the pure in heart goals are single-minded not double sold job with all their heart and that's the principle of integrity.

Second thing I want to think about the place of integrity. Notice what he says. Blessed are those who have integrity in their heart. Blessed are the pure in heart of what we mean by that. We talk about giving your heart for Jesus and the skeptics is what you do reach in the thorax, a cavity and bring out that pulsating muscle and get back to God know when the Bible uses the word heart is not talk about the muscle that pumps the blood is talking about the core of the individual is talking about the seat of our emotions. It's talking about the inner person is talking about what I would call in modern language master control your heart speaks of total commitment. When people fall in love the call, what sweethearts NetSuite heads airheads.

But sweetheart they fall in love makes the heart that is the core of individual is not part of the individual that dictates the character direct the will and dominates the affections. Here's a verse Proverbs chapter 4 in verse 23 keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. If you're going to be pure my dear friend, you must be pure in heart. Before you can be pure any other way. And that brings us the real problem is a verse I want to return to its found in the Old Testament.

Jeremiah is the classic verse on the hard Jeremiah chapter 17 and I want to look at it with me today and turned it because we don't get right down to the crux of the matter right here Jeremiah chapter 17 verses nine and 10 now the Bible says would be blessed if we are pure in heart, but very frankly by nature, none is looking.

Here's what Jeremiah says and this is a classic passage. Jeremiah 17 verses nine and 10. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked who can know it are the Lord search the heart, I try the reins to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

I here's what Jeremiah says about my heart in your heart.

First of all, he says it's disease you see that where this is desperately wicked. In verse nine that word literally means incurable. He sick Jeremiah chapter 15 verse 18. He uses the same word and he says my wound is in incurable, it refuses to be healed.

It's the same word that is used for desperately wicked.

It means that you have a heart problem. My dear friend, you have a heart ailment and I'm not talking about the physical ailment you have an ailment that you resist all medication.

My wound is incurable. It refuses to be healed all the spiritual exercise and all of the spiritual diet in the world will not cure the disease of your heart. The heart is sick. It resist meditation now so many people don't understand that the problem is the heart and the trying to medicate the heart when they need a heart transplant there trying somehow, someway to cure the problem of sin, but sin is on the inside and even if you reform amounts. I do not dealt with the problem heart heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart not going to the sawmill from time to time and been very interested in watching them put the logs on that cradle and lop off the edges they will take a big old log out of the woods. It may have bumps in knots omitted may be a little crooked, but they lay it on that cradle and run it through their and lop off one side of that log bring it back and turn it run it through again and lop off another side bring it back. Turn it run it through again and cut off another side and finally on the outside is perfectly square and you stand look now, it is perfectly straight. But if you go and look at the end of the heart is still crooked hard. That's the way it is with some individuals, some individuals up.

They have her call outwardly, but the Bible says the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. That's the reason they just reformation is not enough.

You need regeneration of a man is a drunkard. For example, and he quits drinking without getting saved. All that means is you go to hell. So I mean he still got to be saved. The problem is not only outside primarily the problem is on the inside. Listen to what Jesus Christ said in Mark chapter 7 and verses 20 and following.

And he said that which cometh out of the man that the file of the man for from within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil falls of adultery's fornication murder. This covetousness, wickedness to see lasciviousness and evil blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

All these things come from within and defile the man. And my different all of these things are in your heart to say murder is not in my heart. Fornication is not in my heart.

Adultery is not in my heart. Blasphemy is not in my heart that just proves that you don't know your heart, your heart is deceitful above all things, and it is desperately wicked what Jesus Christ is saying is that all of these things are residual and potential in every human heart and we little made their green. The potentiality for evil that lurks in our hearts. It is there down in the heart. And Jesus said it just comes out of the heart everything that you see wrong in the world today has originated in the heart of me these things come out of a heart if using an apple with a wormhole and don't be afraid is a worm, and that after know the hole was not there to let the worm in the hole as they let the warm out the worm was already in the Apple the whole says the warmest amount added the worm get in the. The worm was hatched in the blossom and the worm was inside that Apple and it simply came out and these things that we see in the world today. They have come out of the heart of man they are inbred in human nature that my dear friend, is the diagnosis of the heart of the heart is disease your heart is disease and not only is it disease is deceitful. It's so deceitful look again and Jeremiah go back to Jeremiah chapter 17. The heart is deceitful above all things, this word deceitful is the same as the name Jacob, you know we said the name Jacob means Sir planter. It means con artist Bev Europe.

If your name is Jacob today. Let McKay that Jesus transform that name. The mean prints today, so be proud of your name on the putting down the name Jacob is a wonderful name, Jacob is one of the brightest stars in the Hebrew heaven, but that he wasn't until Jesus bought through the Old Testament spirit of God in a changing, but the name basically met this evening, and remember it was Jacob who deceived his father old blind up Isaac and Jacob how Jacob deceived his father. He put some goat hair on the back of his hand and came in and pretended that he was Esau an old blind Isaac who just simply went my feelings like so many people do.

He felt the back of Jacob's hand and he said well he said that the voice is Jacob, but that the hand is Esau's and he gave Jacob the blessing Isaac made a mistake like so many Christians today, he went by feeling, rather than by the word.

He made a mistake. That way just bought by feeling how easily people are deceived and easily deal Jacob and all of us does the sea people but my dear friend what God is saying is that your heart is a Jacob that will deceive you get what it wants. It is incurably ill and it is very deceitful. I don't let your heart my heart. The heart is deceitful above all things. What's most deceitful thing in the world today you say the media framed the media is only deceitful because of the hearts of the people in the media, the most deceitful thing is not Hollywood's most deceitful thing is not the media, the most deceitful blank is not some con artist, but most deceitful thing in all of the world is the human heart is deceitful. The Bible says about all thing. I don't say that God said that we don't want to recognize the problem of the heart preacher friend of mine told me that I was out so winning that I was in a home and said the man, and at home was a wife beater and a drunkard and an adult and he said she wanted me to come and witness their husbands and I was in there talking to and try to get them under conviction of sin, and she sitting over there hoping he will get mad and so she said to me, but preacher he's got a good heart friend that was his problem. That was his problem is far deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and so you need understand just how foolish it is to follow the this world is says let your conscience be your guide. That's like saying that your heart be your guide so you can be sincere. If your heart is deceitful you be sincerely wrong. That will conclude today's insightful message and will hear part two of it tomorrow. In the meantime, maybe have a prayer request that you'd like to share with us and love worth finding one of our greatest honors is to come alongside you, and pray with you, go to our website homepage LWF.org/radio and scroll down to find our prayer wall will find the option to either submit a request order pray for others.

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This message is also part of the insightful sermon on the Mount series. The keys to the kingdom with the complete collection all eight powerful messages: number 1877 love God or go online to order@lwf.org/radio or you can write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183 thanks for studying the Scriptures with us today. Remember God's eyes go right past to see where and search your heart but we find you have a single-minded heart devoted to serving God thing about that today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for part two of this message right arm where I love what a listener said recently on Facebook. Adrian Rogers is trustworthy in his theology and presentation of God's word even though he is no longer with us.

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