Integrity has become “mission-critical.”

Look at the present national state of hyper-sensitivity to anything that looks, sounds, or smells like corruption.

Integrity is the currency of influence.  Power and success are like paper money but integrity is the GOLD.
    
Job, in the Old Testament, "had integrity."

WHAT ARE THE FIVE ELEMENTS OF INTEGRITY HE POSSESSED?

Fake news” is a big topic right now.  Is the media truthful?  It’s probably a good time for us to ask that of ourselves:  “Am I truthful?”   You will be known by your truthfulness.  You will be respected by your truthfulness.  Your business will be known by your truthfulness.  Your marriage will continue only if you are truthful.  Can you pass the “truth test?”

Here is why you have to tell the truth:

As a pastor for 33 years, I often wondered why so many new believers drop out of the Christian “race.”  Their conversion is genuine but their endurance is sporadic.  It seems to me that as many as 2/3 of the conversions in our churches never connect or fall back into the world.  Where are we missing it?   

Jesus told the “parable of the sower.”  It gives us the secret to our problem. 

Perhaps we should make this parable into the process by which we help believers to become fruitful disciples:

God despises pride.  He is all-powerful yet humble enough to wash the feet of His disciples.   He knows that pride was Satan’s downfall.  When I review the history of God’s generals and kings, I come to one grand conclusion:  “STAY LOW.”

Here are 5 ways to guard your humility:

You might be saying, “I don’t need this.  I would never have an issue with sexual temptation.” You are the perfect person to read this (see point one below!). Satan targets the most stable, fruitful leaders in an attempt to land a dart right in their heart.

Pay close attention to these thoughts and guard your heart:

Everyone needs mentoring.  Mentoring is listening to someone who has made more mistakes than you.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in 47 years of ministry, and they all boil down to these ten: 

Of all the characters in the Bible who rose to the top as a secular leader, Daniel is my favorite.  In a totally hostile, godless environment, he became the top official next to a king who basically ruled the world.  What were the qualities that put him in that position when enemies everywhere were trying to depose him?  He even spent a night with the lions and they still couldn’t get rid of him! 

Here are the five qualities I notice most about this powerful man and how to survive the lions: