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September 25, 2019 1:00 am
He says that way in my house that I want to walk. We ought to walk with integrity among those that know us best it means when they hear you in the house talking to somebody on the phone they know that what you're saying is true, they will hear you calling in sick, knowing, watching, having seen you load your golf clubs in the trunk of the car when you shake somebody's hand on deal before you ever sign the contract that that I'm sure that one of your desires is to be a person of integrity. We know that having excellent character brings honor to God when we lack integrity dishonors God but it's hard. There are times when honesty and integrity are costly organist see a biblical example of that today were also going to learn that integrity is worth the cost. This is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi. Stephen is the senior pastor of colonial Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina and the president of shepherd's theological seminary also in Cary today. Stephen has a lesson for you called the price of character will be in Joshua chapter 9. So if you're in a position where you can open your Bible, go ahead. As we get started with today's Bible lesson.
Frankly, there is an epidemic of dishonesty that is sweeping the planet. It is impacting the church and it will affect more people than a bullet or any other virus that you can imagine, and it is equally dangerous. Sadly, Christians are as likely as non-Christians to allow this besetting sin.
This ever ready temptation. This practice that will harden your heart like nothing else to wrap itself around our ankles and trip us up. Well, as we explore this particular issue. I want to explore in a positive sense and will just do it in a word one word. The word is integrity. Let's explore it that way when I want to do is just define it.
Cross reference it principal Isaacs to three times in that I want us to watch it demonstrated in the life of a believer and I want to tell you right up front defining integrity is a lot easier than demonstrating somebody once said that every day you get out of bed. You will face a test of integrity in some form or another. In the Old Testament the word finds its roots in the Hebrew word thaw which signifies completeness or wholeness. In other words, there's nothing hidden there's nothing missing to first thing that the high priest in the Old Testament was to where this breastplate, and as a part of that breastplate, he will leave it included through meme. That's the plural form of thaw through meme, which literally meant perfections or integrity's when he appeared in formal ministry service. He wore the dream and through meme or a means lights through meme integrity's or perfections. They were part of his breastplate that covered his heart of many Old Testament scholars believe the jury and through meme more precious gem, or maybe even some stones that he would talk into a pocket hidden inside that breastplate. The Lord commanded Aaron and he said when you appear before me, you are aware these over your heart. Exodus 28 verse 30 no high priest could approach God without his heart, as it were, symbolically covered by integrity. I think we have a wonderful New Testament analogy. By the way, since we are all priests, since we all can approach God's if we all could represent God to our world. We we stand in his presence. We should stand in the presence of our world with our hearts covered with integrity and were told. In fact, are we not to battle in an armor and that armor those pieces of armor include a breastplate of righteousness analogous to wholeness or integrity that you cross-reference this word of this Hebrew root word you discover. First of all, it is a defining characteristic of holy Scripture. David wrote the law of the Lord is perfect. Psalm 19 verse seven there's that word. The law of the Lord is whole for the law of the Lord is without corruption. When God speaks, in other words, he always tells the truth.
It's impossible for God to lie. Secondly, integrity is part of a godly testimony. Joe would insist even though he is suffering dearly in Job 27 verse five until I die I will not go away by integrity from the same root word David would write in Psalm 101 verse 12 that I will walk with integrity of heart within my house, which informs us that integrity isn't perfection, at least from a human's perspective, it is being fast as they would say. He says I don't walk that way in my house that I want to walk which is another way of saying we ought to walk with integrity among those that know us best.
Those who are closest to us. We will keep our work, which means that you will keep your valves to your wife or your husband means you'll keep your word to your children if you say you show up you show up at if you forget or you can't, you will ask forgiveness it means when they hear you in the house talking to somebody on the phone they know that what you're saying is, is the true they will hear you calling in sick, knowing, watching, having seen you load your golf clubs in the trunk of the car when you shake somebody's hand on deal before you ever sign the contract that handshake matter as much as your signature.
Those who know you best know you mean it when you sign on for some ministry assignment you're going to be the teammate that finishes the job carries the way you do right Your Honor's the average citizen lives with a sense of suspicion regarding those in in power of being dishonest back the chaplain of the Kansas Senate made it into the news sometime ago, when he prayed as the center was open and he prayed this prayer, all-knowing fathers recently called him that all-knowing father, help us to know who is telling the truth today one side tells us one thing and the other just the opposite. If neither side is telling the truth would like to know that to edit each side is telling half the truth. Give us the wisdom to put the right halves together.
They met the apostle Paul uses the same idea. It's the New Testament word blamelessness for those who believe in the church. Those elders honesty for those deacons according to first Timothy chapter 3. Honesty is a prominent characteristic for leadership in the church they should be men of integrity.
In fact, if there handshake doesn't matter if it can't be counted on the confidences of those who follow them are then undercut in the church is hurt the man or woman of integrity doesn't necessarily put on a show. They are the same in the dark as they are in the light show you a demonstration of integrity from someone who would have been applauded for violating that's why want to take you to this particular narrative, everybody would be cheering him on, for violating his oath to Joshua the book of Joshua while you're in sticking the pages. There let me set the scene for you.
Joshua is leading the Israelites into the promised land. Just because the land is promised doesn't mean that it's going to be handed to them packets filled with idolatrous God hating child sacrificing demonized kingdom with the help of God. The people of Israel are going to effectively become judging hand of God in wiping these nations.
They will be brought the judgment the Lord miraculously parts the waters of the Jordan, the people of Israel march across on dry land they encounter. Jericho, you remember that story, God miraculously blows over the walls and the Israelites showed faith that is spread of course terrified kings form quick coalitions to battle Israel and they drop in battle array. Not according to the plan of God. There are seven Canaanite nations living in the land who are to be put to death, it'll be capital punishment judgment from God. Deuteronomy chapter 20 informs us that they are unrepentant idolaters confirmed in their rebellion against God. There are people groups and nations beyond their land that they could form peaceful covenants with these in the land dug in their heels and are going to fight God tooth and nail.
With that in mind. Notice how one nearby city comes up with a rather ingenious plan. Go to chapter 9 and look at verse three but when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho in the AI they on their part acted with cunning and wind and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacs from their donkeys and wineskins, worn-out torn men did worn-out patched sandals on their feet, worn-out clothes reminded me of college days. By the way, verse six they went to Joshua in the camp of Joe Gallen said to him, and to the men of Israel, we have come from a distant country.
So now make a covenant with us, but the men of Israel said to the Hittites. Perhaps you live among us then how can we make a covenant with you and they said to Joshua, we are your servant Joshua said to them, of who arguing where you come from and they said to him from a very distant country, your servants have come again are stressing this because they could be allowed to live. We would come from Bar Harbor off off country because of the name of the Lord your God, and we heard a report of him and all they did in Egypt like McDevitt herself. 11 so our elders and the inhabitants of our country, said it was take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them in and say to them. We are your servants.
Come now make a covenant with us.
Here is our bread, it was still warm when we when we took it from our houses as food for the journey on the day we set up come to you, but now look at dry probably. These wineskins were new when we fill them in the holding the first these garments and sandals of ours are worn-out. The very long journey, so the leaders took similar provisions. That is, they inspected them but did not ask counsel from the Lord and Joshua. Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to let them live in the leaders of the congregation swore that his sworn oath to let them live no notice of discovery is made in verse 16. At the end of three days after they made a covenant with them. They heard that they were their neighbors.
The that they lived among them as they they they live nearby fact what they're going to discover is the city their living in his located 6 miles away from Jerusalem and other words Joshua in the people are duped Joshua as the leader among the leaders and he feels it more severely than the other but they discover that these particular Ninevites living in the city of Gibeon don't live six weeks away or six days away. They live less than six hours away from what would become the capital city you imagine I met for the ink dried on this piece treated Gibeon as winner of the corner they double over in laughter.
Can you believe we pull this all is Oscar-winning performances of you ever seen the those Israelites are so na�ve and that Joshua was the is green nor what.
This is great that the real question is, what's he going to do Joshua going to do now that he has discovered he has been fooled going to happen to his promise.
Well I can tell you without looking what most would say well hey, that's just a piece of paper that according to Joshua and the leaders. Look at verse 18, but the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation that sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, though, Mrs. Little, Drake University, then all the congregation that is the entire Israelite nation murmured against their leaders. There's Joshua. He's in a lose lose situation I'm in the entire nation is willing them out and wipe these people out and in so doing restore. You would think lease this is how it sounds and it sounds good. The credibility of their leaders eliminate this problem.
Justices no no are you kidding we can destroy these people think about it. Joshua is stuck in the middle. He's literally not defending the people all made a fool out of skip over to verse 26 so he Joshua did this to them and delivered them out of the hand. The people of Israel and they did not kill them and others.
Joshua had done something wrong. He had asked for device before signing this peace treaty. It only looked at the stuff in their hand. DNS the Lord for wisdom to see the stuff in their hearts now faces an incredible test of integrity is a going to break his sacred oath to people who obviously don't deserve it. Joshua in these men, even though keeping their word made their lives miserable thought about the fact that that the temptation to lie or to be dishonest or to break about or to violate a promise is to make our lives better to make something easier to smooth something out to eliminate pressure to move from unpopularity to popularity. We rarely want to suffer for being honest right.
Maybe you lost a job that way it made your life miserable by doing what was right. You lost that client because you would lie and say look, we can get that product to you for three weeks. You wanted one so will tell you, you can get it. One even though we know we can't. You lost the client.
If you lost a friend, maybe lost a passing grade.
Maybe you lost a boyfriend relationship because you were honest. One author wrote about his daughter and son-in-law on their three children who went for months without adequate housing in Vienna, Austria, Austria. That part of the city had scarce housing. The real problem. Those landlords who had available housing were demanding that they sign the lease falsely claiming pain less for the rent than they actually had to pay that with the owners could claim less revenue and pay less taxes, but couldn't find an honest landlord to Joshua here, don't miss it.
He is the victim of his unwillingness to break his promise. So the pressure mounts, he suffers a major drop in the polls.
He's defending his enemies rather than eliminating his enemies. All because of integrity. So what does he do well. You'll notice he gives them their request, they'd asked twice to be the servants of Israel. So he says all right I'll let you do that you can live with verse 27 Joshua made them that they cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and notice this and for the altar of the Lord. To this day in the place that he should choose most Old Testament scholars I read see in this Joshua's commitment to the gospel of God's grace. Joshua's assignment of these Gibeonites these idolatrous Gibeonites keeps their idolatry from re-taking hold because there were just going to be carried on in connection with the tabernacle.
It's more than that though there there work and this is Joshua's plan there.
Work is going to expose them directly to real genuine legitimate worship of the true and living God like somebody you know stealing.
They get caught. They've robbed your house. I mentioned several months ago we had been broken into and they violated Those guys. They targeted pastors and they will online. They did some searches really want to replace our big church picture online with a little shack you know because they assume that we have a lot so they they they they rob from nine pastor and I told you all about that.
They did catch got a letter this past week that they have been sent to jail. Well, you know, if I had a choice and an opportunity to repay them. But what I do a few thoughts come to mind on sanctified thoughts. But what if I said you were punishment is going to be to clean facilities of our church every day and an usher during services kind what he does. Severe penalty is to bring you in and you get to be around priests and worshipers in the hall.
This would this water read see people worshiping God and he knows the 20 influence them dramatically is going to expose them to the glory and the grace of God, even in his difficulty. He cared most about his testimony. If you track through the Old Testament, by the way you discover the Gibeonites will later refuse to follow rebellious Israelites who go back into idolatry, you discover that when the nation is divided. David places the tabernacle in Gibeon safety you discover 500 years before the birth of Christ. During the leadership of Zerubbabel.
The genealogies recorded among those who long to return from exile to Jerusalem are these Gibeonites. One of the more fascinating things I discovered in Israel's history is the public commitment of the Gibeonites in the record of Nehemiah's own journal when Nehemiah returned to rebuild the city of Jerusalem, who would volunteer to help him but these Gibeonites they help them complete the reconstruction of their former home. Their forefathers have been deceivers, but their deception had been overwhelmed by a man of integrity and a lineage of faithful service to God had begun even thought about the fact that you're about to go out there and enter world and be surrounded by Gibeonites idolatrous pagans who don't know what it means to worship the true and living God. Do they know who you are when you do business with them, how we do business there going to deceive you at the drop of a hat, but can they trust your word. Can I trust your commitment to integrity, your promises, your work ethic. Your your honest every believer faces a test of integrity. Every day we don't know is to look like tomorrow when asked God to help us get ready to close with this I got a letter from a man recently who just been released from prison. I got a couple weeks ago while incarcerated in the Texas prison system. He had begun listening to our program and for some time was corresponding with the wisdom's office. His name is Brian and he wrote this my quote after 21 years eight months and one day I was released from the Texas prison.
My how the world is changed, why does everyone constantly stare at your mobile phone. There is definitely an adjustment phase, but I'm prepared for that because now of my solid foundation in Jesus Christ want to thank you for all the free material you sent over the years which gave me a solid biblical ground stand upon.
It wasn't long after I was released I was tempted to compromise my integrity a few days ago I took my written computer driving exam and I passed barely. The customer service rep scheduled me for driving test one week away, then excuse me to leave and I sit and wait, what about a permit that allows me to act this driving she said will better cost you $11 listen. It's only a week away. Once you save yourself the money and practice without anybody being the wise no way to practice doing the right things for the right reasons, even if it costs me a little more about doing that. That's another way of him saying listen, my character is working more than 11 bucks. Way to go. This test that we face will never take a holiday it will not take a semester off waiting for you and me tomorrow as you go about the rest of your day, you will face situations where your integrity is tested. I hope this time in God's word will help you face that test successfully.
I'm glad you joined us here on wisdom for the heart.
Stephen Davey is working his way through a series entitled breaking up stony ground he's exploring various matters of the heart that shape who we are. Today's lesson is called the price of character. We always enjoy receiving correspondence from our listeners, and I want to share some of that with you if you're one of our financial partners. You're making this ministry possible and I hope you'll be encouraged by hearing about some of the fruit of your investment. Nancy, who listens on a BBN station in her town wrote and said this, I want you to know how much I appreciate your radio ministry being disabled means that the radio is often the only means by which I'm able to sustain my biblical ground, making it vitally important to my faith your program has been a true blessing. Thank you so much Nancy for writing, and thanks to all of you who make this ministry possible were honored to bring you this Bible teaching and will be back in God's word tomorrow. So join us at the same time here on wisdom for the heart