After driving to their picnic site, the man and his date sat down to open the meal and enjoy some chicken together. They discovered a whole lot more than chicken - over $800!

This man was unusual - a man of great integrity. He quickly put the money back in the bag. They got back into the car and drove all the way back to the chicken place. Mr. Integrity got out, walked in, and became an instant hero. He looked the manager in the eye and said, “I want you to know I came by to get a couple of chicken dinners and wound up with all this money. Here.”

Well, the manager - who had been frantic - was thrilled to death. He said, “Oh, great, let me call the newspaper. I’m gonna have your picture put in the local newspaper. You’re the most honest man I’ve ever heard of.”

To which our hero quickly responded, “Oh no, no, don’t do that!” Then he leaned closer and whispered, “You see, the woman I’m with is not my wife...she’s uh, somebody else's wife.”

This morning we want to talk about integrity - living moral - upright - honest and sincere lives - before God and others.

I invite you to turn with me to Psalm 15.

There are a tremendous number of people in this world who are looking for men and women of integrity - who are looking for someone - anyone - they can trust - and follow - and who will stand with them through the circumstances of their lives - and who can help them to know God and His answer for their lives. These are people we rub shoulders with every day of our lives - at work - our family - our children. And each of us struggles with integrity - because we fall short - and we long for the stability and confidence in our own lives - that comes from integrity.

How can we be a person of integrity - to have stability - confidence - and courage in life?

In Psalm 15, David asks a question. What kind of person can enjoy fellowship with God? And receive the benefits of that relationship - integrity.

(1) “O Lord, who shall sojourn in Thy tent? Who shall dwell on Thy holy hill?”

His answer starts in verse 2 - the character of someone who dwells with God. (2) “He who walks blamelessly, and does what is right, and speaks truth from his heart; who does not slander with his tongue, and does no evil to his friend, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; in whose eyes a reprobate is despised, - he avoids being influenced by people who practice sin - but who honors those who fear the Lord; - He seeks out the friendship and guidance of those who obey God - who swears to his own hurt and does not change; - he obeys God even when it hurts (5) who does not put out his money at interest, and does not take a bribe against the innocent.” - he doesn’t take advantage of others in need.

The result is in verse 5 - a promise for our lives - “They - those who dwell with God - shall never be moved.” Whatever the circumstances - the experiences of life - the situation - the adversity - the man - or woman - who lives by these qualifications will never fall. They will live life with integrity - stability - confidence - and courage - because they dwell in an unshakable relationship with God.

First, David says,

1. Integrity Begins In Our Personal Relationship With God

David describes the flawless character of the man who may draw near and remain in God’s presence - He begins with our personal - inner - relationship with God.

As a professional golfer Ray Floyd was getting ready to tap in a routine 9-inch putt, when he saw the ball move ever so slightly. According to the rule book, if the ball moves in this way the golfer must take a penalty stroke.

Consider the situation. Floyd was among the leaders in a tournament offering a top prize of $108,000. To acknowledge that the ball moved could mean he would lose his chance for big money. No one knew the ball had moved - and no one would ever know - he could just tap it in for his par. I have trouble with this kind of decision just playing miniature golf - with no money on the line.

Ray Floyd assessed himself a penalty stroke and wound up with a bogey on the hole.

As someone has said, “The true test of our character is who we are when no one is looking.”

David says that we must be:

Blameless - not perfect - but desiring to live a life that is pleasing to God. We are to do what is right - to live righteously before God. And, David says, we are to speak truth from our heart - from the seat of our being.

All of these qualities come from the depth of our personal relationship with God. And ultimately - only God - and we - know the depth of that relationship.

Imagine coming to church on Sunday and hearing a sermon about the giving of our time, money, and abilities to God - as an option. That church attendance is not important. If you have something better to do - a family obligation - sports to watch - whatever - its okay. And sin. Well, let’s not get hung up on technicalities. Just avoid the major ones. In fact, prayer - reading your Bible - hey, not everyone has the kind of time they used to. God’ll understand - just say you believe and its okay - even if there is no evidence from your life to prove the reality of what you are saying.

We’d never tolerate preaching like this from the pulpit. But, that is how many Christians live their lives. They treat a deepening relationship with God as an option. And then wonder where God is - why they’re lost - and overcome - when the difficult circumstances of life come upon them.

Integrity begins with salvation in Jesus Christ and continues as our inner relationship with God deepens.

Secondly, David says our...

2. Inner Relationship With God Is Demonstrated In Our Relationships With Others

In verses 3 - 5, David gives us a list of character qualities that focus on our relationship with others. Each of these qualities is a requirement for the Godly man. They’re a test.

We are suppose to compare these to our lives. If we score well on this test - we prove to ourselves that we are living in a deepening relationship of integrity with God. If we score poorly - then we know that there is more to be done.

On this test, our actions towards others speak loudly as to the quality of our heart towards God.

March 11, 1942, was a dark, desperate day at Corregidor. The Pacific Theater of War was threatening and bleak. One island after another had fallen to the Japanese. The enemy was now marching into the Philippines. Surrender was inevitable. As he stepped into the escape boat, General Douglas MacArthur, had only three words for his comrades - “I shall return.”

A little over 2 1/2 years later - October 20, 1944 - he stood - once again - on Philippine soil after landing safely at Leyte Island and said, “This is the voice of freedom, General MacArthur speaking. People of the Philippines: I have returned!”

MacArthur kept his word. Regardless of the odds against him, including the pressures and power of enemy strategy, he was bound and determined to make his promise good.

What impresses me most about the inner quality and character - the integrity - of General MacArthur - is not his words but his actions.

David says, integrity comes from the heart. To find out what our heart is like we need to examine our actions. Are we living with others in a way that’s consistent with what we say is the condition of our relationship with God?

Thirdly David says,

3. Live With Godly Integrity And You Will Not Fall

That’s a tremendous promise: Live this way - and regardless of the circumstances of life - you will have confidence in life - courage - stability - that can only come from dwelling day-by-day with God.

In 1991, a survey of Americans, asked the question, “What are you willing to do for $10,000,000? Interesting question - think about that for a minute - if someone offered you $10,000,000 - what would you be willing to do?

25% said they would be willing to abandon their entire family

25% said they would abandon their church

23% said they would become prostitutes for a week or more

10% said they would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free

7% said they would kill a stranger

and this one that really bothered me - 3% said they would put their children up for adoption

61 % of high school students had cheated on an exam during the past year

33% of high school students said they’d stolen something in the last year

32% of college students said they’d lied on a resume or job application

Jurors often have reason to doubt the testimony of a witness on the stand. Parents, likewise, have reason at times to doubt their children’s word - and vice versa. Citizens frequently doubt the promises of politicians - the credibility and intentions of employers are doubted by employees - and vice versa. Creditors can no longer believe a debtor’s verbal promise to pay. And, a many a spouse has ample reason to doubt the word of his or her partner.

The world - our community - our families - our Armenian nation - and even the church - is desperately looking for men and women of integrity who walk with God - and point the way for others.

Godly people - who bend but do not break - whose word is their bond - who live exemplary lives of righteous character - who honor God even when it hurts - and who are deeply concerned with the misfortunes of others. Godly people - of integrity - because their strength - their stability - their fortitude comes from God.

This morning - each of us should be challenged to ask a very difficult question, “Am I such a person?”