Marilyn and Sarah

Integrity of the Heart

The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. (Proverbs 11:3)

God wants you to be blessed in your health, relationships, finances, and in every area in which you have need. Sometimes we miss God’s blessing because we try to cover up our shortcomings or hidden sins. But God will bless the person who openly confesses and forsakes the gray areas within their heart. The Bible calls that person full of “integrity,” and that’s the kind of person God wants you to be.

God wants us to be completely transparent with Him so that He can dispel any darkness we may try to hide. If there’s some secret sin you’re covering up, allow the Lord to cleanse your heart from any defilement so that you can begin to enjoy the benefits of integrity.

Integrity will guide you: “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (Proverbs 11:3). Sin in our lives will block God’s directions for making right choices. Clear up any sin that may be hindering you from receiving God’s instructions and godly wisdom. Integrity of the heart will make it easy for God to speak to you and make a straight path before you to follow.

Integrity will preserve and uphold you: “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:21). David knew that the benefits of integrity were long-lasting. In addition, your personal integrity will be evident to those around you, and it will be a protection in times of need. Look at Job. Even God commented on his integrity after he had lost everything he had, except a nagging wife (see Job 2:1-10).

He was so intent on maintaining his integrity that when he was defending his righteousness, he said, “Let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity” (Job 31:6). In the end, God upheld him in his circumstances, and he was preserved.

Integrity will bless you. I believe that Christians don’t have to be poor because God wants to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). And look at what Proverbs 19:1 says: “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.” Do you see how important integrity is to God? God says it’s better to have integrity and be poor than to have everything and be living in darkness.

It’s okay to go to God with some dark spots in our hearts; He doesn’t expect us to wait until our hearts are perfect before we approach Him. Let Him cleanse away the sin and darkness and set you free. Walking in integrity will allow God to bless you!

Today’s blog post is taken from Marilyn’s new book, Beautiful Inheritance, A 101-Day Devotional.

Your Anchor of Integrity

The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. (Proverbs 20:7)

When it seems like the world has gone crazy, anchor yourself to integrity, for it is a key to God’s best. Even when you blow it, God can give you another change and bring you through. God wants you to have integrity in every area, because integrity pays big dividends. Don’t just go with the flow. Choose integrity and avoid the heart-wrenching consequences.

Integrity, or the lack of it, really shows up when you are under pressure. When the pressure is on, are you going to hold on to your anchor of integrity? Even if you’ve blown it and have not shown integrity at times, there’s hope. Three of the Bible’s greatest men—Abraham, Jacob, and Job—became men of integrity after acting just the opposite.

Abraham “the Liar”: Out of fear, Abraham lied two times, saying Sarah was his sister instead of his wife.
Jacob “the Cheater”: Jacob deceived his brother and his father. He manipulated his brother, Esau, into selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. Later, Jacob impersonated his brother to get all his father’s blessings.
Job “the Blamer”: Job had an incredible number of trials. He became bitter with God and his friends and wished he had never been born. He felt like God had deserted him.

Under pressure, each of these men blew it. Yet each one made a quantum leap and developed integrity. God saw potential in these men of failed integrity, and He sees potential in you, too!

God told Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice (Genesis 22), and he obeyed. God called Abraham a “man of faith.”
Following his wrestling match with a man, God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” and even named the nation of Israel after him (Genesis 32:28).
God Himself confronted Job and told him. “You are talking wrong, thinking wrong, and acting wrong. Look to me.” Job repented, and God restored double everything he’d lost (See Job 38-42).

How did these men make such a quantum leap of change? They pursued God. The pursuit of godly integrity is well worth it.

Integrity will preserve you: “Keep my soul, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:20-21).
Integrity will uphold you: “You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever” (Psalm 41:12).
Integrity preserves your children: “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7).

If God could bring Abraham, Jacob, and Job through their messes, He will bring you through, too. Ask Jesus to help you learn integrity. Begin to study “integrity” in God’s Word. Like Abraham, Jacob, and Job, integrity can be your anchor.