Stay!

This is a special, like I mentioned before we would have some other writers as well; my friend Nathaniel Schreckhise is sharing a teaching with us.

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The value of Integrity is lost on many young people in our day. 

I heard of a dog who was training to become a search-and-rescue dog. She was very smart, and successfully passed all the tests to get her certificate. There was one test that lacked, and this one was harder than any other test she’d taken. Her master walked her to the middle of a big open area and told her to sit. He    then stepped away and said “stay”, and turned and walked out of sight. As soon as her master was out of sight, strange people began to appear and beckon her to come. They tried to beguile her with treats, waving them in front of her nose. They tried to beguile her by letting all her fellow dogs loose to run and play in the open area around her. Finally one man stepped up and placed a treat on the top of her nose to see if she would eat it. She did not understand what was going on, but she knew one thing; her master would not leave her here without a reason. The strange people saw that she was not enticed, and began to step up their antics. They began to set off explosions and loud noises. They put a pair of fire trucks beside her with sirens blowing. They did everything they could, short of physically touching her, to get her to move from her place. But the dog, true to her masters command, stayed firm in her place. After thirty minutes of this mental torture, she heard her masters voice and saw him beckoning. She jumped and ran to him, grateful to receive her reward. She had passed the test.

That is integrity.

Integrity

1) firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility
2) an unimpaired condition : soundness
3) the quality or state of being complete or undivided : completeness

Incorruptibility - Not able to be corrupted or polluted.

Soundness - The act of being solid, or firm. Immovable

Completeness - Not lacking anything

This dog showed these three traits in her training, and thus passed the test. She did not understand why her master had left her where she was, but she stayed in her place in spite of it all. She did not herself be corrupted by the treats (temptations) which she was offered. She did not let herself be moved by the strangers invitations to come, she showed soundness. She knew that her master would have the answer for her in due time, so she had no need to accept the wrong ideas. This dog showed INTEGRITY!

In our lives it is the same. God wants us to have integrity. Often God will place us in a test and tell us “stay” to see if we will obey. If we obey, and stay committed to God in spite of everything, we prove our integrity.

There was a man in the Bible from whom we can learn much about integrity. His name was Job.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name [was] Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Understand that God had blessed Job with flocks, herds, possessions, a good family, a good name, Job had EVERYTHING. But one thing Job had above all else was integrity. This man was so full of integrity that even God had excellent things to say concerning him.

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

God was so convinced of Job’s integrity that he dared Satan to try and take it from Job!

Job 1:9-12 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Such was God’s confidence in Job’s integrity that he allowed Satan free reign on all that Job possessed.

So Satan took all that Job possessed. Not even Job’s children were spared. And when it was all said and done this was Job’s reaction:

Job 1:20-22 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Integrity is more than an attitude, it is a lifestyle. You can’t have integrity one day, and decide not to have it the next. It is, or it is not. You have it or you don’t. And Job’s integrity was not contingent on his possessions. When he had lost all, he still maintained his integrity.

God gives us blessings, possessions, and loved ones. Therefore he has the right to take them anytime he wants. But there is something that God will not, CAN NOT, take from you. Your INTEGRITY! It belongs to you, and therefore only YOU can choose whether you’re going to maintain it or not.

So Satan went back to God:

Job 2:2-3 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

God threw it in the devils face. You may have taken his possessions, his loved ones, and his blessings; but you can’t take his integrity.

Job 2:4-6 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he [is] in thine hand; but save his life.

God said do whatever you want to Job, just don’t kill him.

Note: Only God has the power to give or to take life. The devil can’t kill you, only God can.

Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

Satan thought that, by simply touching Job’s health, Job would recant and say “I quit.” But Job understood the value of integrity. He had a revelation of what integrity really is.

And this is where I want to make my point:

Job 2:9-10 (KJV) 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Job’s own wife understood what had Job where he was. She nailed him with a question we often ask ourselves. Why are you holding to this integrity when God has (as far as the circumstances are saying) turned his back on you? What has he done for you to merit this integrity?

But Job was not fazed by her question.

10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job understood that integrity isn’t about what we get from God. It is about who God is. Job understood that, though God had seemingly yanked away all his blessings, God is still GOOD! Though he had apparently destroyed all hope of future blessing, He is still Faithful! Why should I turn my back on Him now?

That is real integrity. And God is searching for real integrity in his church.

God sent a word to Jeremiah and said:

Jeremiah 5:1 (KJV) Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be [any] that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

This describes men of integrity. Men who execute judgement, and seek truth... search for them. Why? God said if you find one, if you can find just ONE, I will pardon Jerusalem. That is the value of integrity. Your integrity can be the catalyst that causes God to forgive a city.

2 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV) For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him...

We often downplay the importance of our testimony and integrity. We treat it as something that is done inside the house of God, but is optional in our daily life. That is not the way it should be. You really prove your integrity when, like the dog, you do what the master wants even though he is not around. The value of integrity is often overlooked in our quest for “fun” or a “good time.” But God wants men and women of integrity.

Proverbs 20:6-7 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? 7 The just [man] walketh in his integrity: his children [are] blessed after him.

The word “walketh” means; to die, to live, a lifestyle.

Your integrity is more than just an attitude it is a lifestyle. And the most beautiful thing about it is that God uses people of integrity to reach their world.

Eze. 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

The Lord is searching, looking to find someone who has the integrity to stand when none else will. Stand on the college campus, stand in the unsaved home, stand in the worldly high school, stand when the crowd wants to do evil, Stay!

When God cannot find someone of integrity, the result is inevitable.

Eze. 22:31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

We cannot afford to play around with our integrity. There are souls in the balance. And God is looking to find young people of integrity!

Psa. 53:1 [[To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David.]] The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: [there is] none that doeth good.

Our world has come to the place where they no longer care about what is right. They declare that no God exists. They consume their bodies with sins such as drugs, alcohol, and worldly lusts. They have become corrupt, doing abominable iniquity. And they need someone to stand in the gap for them!

Today’s world reminds me of the days of Noah.

Genesis 6:5-7 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually.

6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

God looked down and said, “there’s just nobody who wants to do right.” I can see God scanning the earth saying, “Evil, evil, evil, evil, evil, ev... Wait a minute. There’s Noah! I can’t destroy him.”

Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

God was about to say “kill them all,” but then he saw Noah. Whatever God saw stopped Him in  His tracks. He chose to give mercy to anyone who’d listen to Noah’s preaching. Why? Because God saw that Noah had integrity! Sadly, none listened to Noah’s preaching, but he and his family were saved. All because Noah had integrity.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

That is integrity. Even though the world around me lives in darkness, I’M NOT CONFORMING TO THAT.

Psa. 53:2-3 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were [any] that did understand, that did seek God.

Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.

Never let it be said that we, as the church of Jesus Christ in the last day, could not have integrity in the face of temptation. Is that what Jesus sees in me, and in you? Will you stand? Can you maintain your integrity?

The little dog didn’t understand why everything was happening the way it was. All the surrounding circumstances indicated that her master had left her. But she knew how to stay firm even thought she didn’t understand it all.

Likewise Job, with all his integrity, did not understand why everything was happening the way it was. But Job decided to stay firm in his place.

I’ve often asked myself, why does God value integrity? The answer came as I wrote this article, and its so simple.

God values man and women of integrity because he knows that He can TRUST them. He knows that if he takes away their possessions, their blessings, their loved ones, even their health, they will still serve him. God knows that, just like the little dog in training, He can trust you to just sit tight and obey.

Is that how you are living? How’s your integrity?

Job ended up saying these words:

Job 27:5 (KJV) God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

God may take my possessions, he may allow temptation, he may allow tests to come... But I’ll NEVER let go of my integrity!

Psalms 26:9-11 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands [is] mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk (Lifestyle) in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

I WILL walk in my integrity! It’s more than just an attitude, it’s a lifestyle! It’s the way I am. In the good times, and in the bad times. Through thick, and thin. We need to maintain our integrity!

God help us to be like that little dog. No matter what may come; be it distraction, temptation, or trial, we have to stand. There are souls that are depending upon us in this world. We need integrity. We need to stand!

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

When all is said and done, will you stay?

Thanks for reading! God bless!

By Nathaniel Schreckhise.