Double-Mindedness And Integrity

I was thinking about double-mindedness today – there are only 3 verses in the Bible that mention this word:

Ps. 119:113 I hate the double-minded, But I love Your law.

Heb. ce’eph (Strongs: 5588) divided, destitute of firm faith and persuasion as to divine things, a doubter, skeptic,

The thing that keeps us from being double-minded in this verse is the Law/ways/Word of God

James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways

Gk. dipsychos (Strongs: 1374) from dis meaning “twice,” and psuche, meaning "mind." It means: wavering, uncertain, doubting, divided in interest.

Here is verse 8 in context – James is telling us to ask for wisdom with faith and not doubting:

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

The thing that keeps us from being double-minded in this verse is the wisdom of God

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

The thing that keeps us from being double-minded in this verse is the holiness of God

How do you know if you are double-minded?

- Are you the same in public as you are in private?

- Are you the same at church as you are with your family?

- Does your thought life match your testimony?

- Do you maintain your spiritual life when you are with unsaved friends/relatives?

The double-minded person has no integrity. The words “integrated” and “integrity” come from the same root word. Having integrity means that we are the same on the inside as we are on the outside – we are integrated.

The double-minded man lacks integrity. He is not whole, entire, or undiminished. He has no unifying factor that keeps him whole.

Here are five verses on integrity that are worthy of further meditation:

• Integrity clears and justifies us: Ps. 7:8 Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

• Integrity leads us to the presence of God and gives us the authority to stay there: Ps. 41:12 Because of my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.

• Integrity causes us to walk in safety and with a firm footing: Prov. 10:9 Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,
but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.

• Integrity causes us to walk with the guidance of the Lord: Prov. 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

* Integrity ensures that we are guarded and protected: Prov. 13:6 Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Integrity is consistently choosing the purity of truth

Integrity is what we do, what we say and what we say we do 

Don Galer

Integrity

The word “integrity” comes from the word “integrated,” meaning—we are the same on the inside as the outside.

Excellence is the result of habitual integrity.

Lenny Bennett

• The blessings of Integrity:

You will dwell in the Lord’s presence—Ps 15:1–2; 41:12

You will be preserved (protected) by your integrity—Ps 25:21

You will be vindicated—Ps 26:1

You will have peace—Ps 37:37

You will have every good thing—Ps 84:11

You will serve the Lord—Ps 101:6

You will be blessed—Ps 119:1

You will have the Lord as your shield—Pr 2:7

You will walk with safety and security—Pr 10:9

You will have guidance—Pr 11:3

You will be the delight of the Lord—Pr 11:20

You will be guarded by righteousness 13:6

You will bring blessing upon your children—Pr 20:7

You will be saved—Pr 28:18 

Job sought integrity with every last breath—

Job 27:3–6 As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils,

 My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.

 Far be it from me That I should say you are right; Till I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

David walked in integrity – it is not something you can earn—you have to step out and walk in it—

Ps 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity…

Pr 19:1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

7 Things For Worship Leaders

Here are 7 important things for worship leaders to consider:

Your life and walk of integrity are more important than your worship leading skills

Your brokenness and hunger for God are more important that the things you know

Your prayer life and personal worship are more important than your charm

Your team is more important than individual greatness

Your pastor is more important in worship than he/she knows

Your congregation are more important than your song list

Your ability to wait in His presence is more important than the time

Your ability to change is more important than your history of success

Integrity and Holiness

Chuck Colson died tonight

God Bless his family and friends

Chuck Colson said:

We must be the same person in private and in public.

Only the Christian worldview

gives us the basis for this kind of integrity.

I don't think the job of the church is to make people happy.

I think it's to make them holy.

Holiness

Is. 6:3               We behold Him who is holy

Heb. 12:14        We seek holiness

Rom. 6:19         We become a slave to holiness

Rom. 6:22         We must have the fruit of holiness

2Cor. 7:1          We must perfect holiness

1Pet. 1:15-16    We must become holy

1Thess. 3:13     We can be established in holiness

1Thess. 4:4       We must live in holiness and honor

Rev. 22:11        We must continue in holiness

1Chr. 16:29       Praise Him in the beauty and splendor of holiness (Ps. 29:2; 96:9)

Is. 35:8             He has set us on a highway of holiness

Heb. 12:10        His discipline leads us to holiness

Ez. 36:23          He will reveal His holiness in us and through us to the nations

Integrity

Serves as a guide in life’s moral decisions Prov 11:3

Hates falsehood in every form Prov 13:5-6

Is something to be held onto, even in tough times Job 2:3

Keeps its word even when it hurts Ps 15:1-4

Isn’t afraid to run when evil comes knocking 2Tim 2:22

Say both yes and no and means what it says Jas 5:22

Backs up what it says and how it lives Titus 2:7

Is what God looks for in a person’s character 1 Chron 29:17

Terrv Brown and Michael Ross “Communicate”

More on Integrity: HERE

Integrity and Obedience

• The blessings of Integrity:

You will dwell in the Lord’s presence—Ps 15:1–2; 41:12

You will be preserved (protected) by your integrity—Ps 25:21

You will be vindicated—Ps 26:1

You will have peace—Ps 37:37

You will have every good thing—Ps 84:11

You will serve the Lord—Ps 101:6

You will be blessed—Ps 119:1

You will have the Lord as your shield—Pr 2:7

You will walk with safety and security—Pr 10:9

You will have guidance—Pr 11:3

You will be the delight of the Lord—Pr 11:20

You will be guarded by righteousness 13:6

You will bring blessing upon your children—Pr 20:7

You will be saved—Pr 28:18

• Blessings that come from obedience:

• It will go well with you and your children—Deut. 12:28; Jer. 28:20; 42:6; Acts 6:1–2

  • God will bless you—Deut. 15:5–6; 28:1–6

  • You will be God’s special and holy people—Deut. 26:16–19; 28:9

  • Your enemies will be defeated and will flee 7 ways—Deut. 28:7

  • You will prosper at everything you set your hand to—Deut. 28:1–14; Job 36:11

  • You will have rain for your land–Deut. 28:12

  • You will have finances enough to lend to others—Deut. 28:12

  • God will put curses on your enemies—Deut. 30:7

  • Your rulers will follow the Lord—1 Sam. 12:14

  • God will be our God, and things will go well for you—Jer. 7:23; 11:4

  • God’s heart will turn towards you—Jer. 26:13

  • People from far away will come to build the house of the Lord—Zech. 6:15

  • You will be a friend of God—John 15:14

  • You will have the Holy Spirit given to you—Acts 5:32

  • Your obedience will lead to righteousness—Rom. 6:16

  • You will receive salvation—Heb. 5:9

More on Integrity: HERE

Integrity

Psalm 41:12

As for me, You uphold me in my integrity,

And set me before Your face forever.

Just a little follow-up on the thoughts regarding holiness - here are the spiritual blessings that come from integrity. I am only using scriptures from the books of Psalms and Proverbs:

You will dwell in the Lord’s presence—Ps 15:1–2; 41:12

You will be preserved (protected) by your integrity—Ps 25:21

You will be vindicated—Ps 26:1

You will have peace—Ps 37:37

You will have every good thing—Ps 84:11

You will serve the Lord—Ps 101:6

You will be blessed—Ps 119:1

You will have the Lord as your shield—Pr 2:7

You will walk with safety and security—Pr 10:9

You will have guidance—Pr 11:3

You will be the delight of the Lord—Pr 11:20

You will be guarded by righteousness 13:6

You will bring blessing upon your children—Pr 20:7

You will be saved—Pr 28:18 

The Webster Dictionary definition of integrity: moral soundness, excellence or purity, uprightness, honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character. As a person's integrity is, so is their character.

The Biblical understanding of integrity also includes the concept of  being made complete, perfect or innocent.

David wrote Psalm 25 during a time of great difficulty and trouble. He finishes up by saying: 

Ps 25:21

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,

For I wait for You (NKJV).

Use all your skill to put me together;

I wait to see your finished product. (Message)

Through integrity, David was made whole and preserved...he was interested to see what God would do on the inside and out. Even through hard times, the Lord can do His wonders by perfecting, completing and purifying us.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation...

because your character is what you really are...

while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
John Wooden (b. 1910)

It takes great courage to live a life of integrity -

but those who watch the growth of integrity within you will enjoy it's fruits forever

You do not wake up one morning a bad person. 

It happens by a thousand tiny surrenders of self-respect to self-interest.

~Robert Brault •www.robertbrault.com