Men's Meeting at Ludlow Falls Camp
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Integrity is about what we flee from.
Integrity is about what we flee from.
1 Tim 6
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
First, Paul says that a person of integrity is defined by what they will not do. Notice here in the NIV translation it say, flee from all this.
The word flee in the Greek text is "φεύγω” say that with me, φεύγω “pheugo” it means to flee, run away from, avoid, to turn from.
But what is it that we, as men of integrity, should flee from avoid, or run away from. Well if you look up a little higher in the text we will find out.
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
1 Tim
Men of integrity flee false teaching.
Men of integrity flee false teaching.
So Paul says to avoid people who don’t teach the truth, he called it godly teaching. He reminds us that some people are always looking for unhealthy controversies and quarrels.
A person of integrity, knows what they believe, and why they believe it. They don’t have to argue with everyone.
I have noticed the people who have argued the hardest with me in life, are often, time show, the least strong in their faith.
Let me explain. If I believe something, the argument for me is over.
I recently found myself in a group of church leaders who are supporting the ordination of homosexuals. As you can guess, I don’t agree with that position. But I found they would often slip the subject in the conversation. The book we had to read for the class supported their position.
Some of them tried to get me to discuss it. However, I just let it go, why? I was not going to change their minds, and they were not going to change mine. If I had quarreled, it would have just added fuel to the fire.
Let me give you another example, I believe in gravity. I do. I believe if I was to climb to the top of this building and jump off, I would fall, I would not float, I would not fly, I would fall. Mike, I would fall, and I would fall hard. And I would get hurt. Because old people don’t bounce, we break.
I believe in gravity, but I don’t remember the last time I got in an argument about the reality of gravity. Just because I believe in it, does not mean I have to argue about it and debate everyone I meet. In fact, if I did debate everyone about gravity, people would think I was touched in the head.
Yet I see people all the time, argue till they are blue in the face, and red under the collar about the Bible. Really, just state what you believe and let it go.
Men of integrity know what they believe, and why they believe it. When they hear false teaching, they flee from it.
Men of Integrity flee false wealth.
Men of Integrity flee false wealth.
They not only flee from false teaching, they flee from false wealth. They realize that money is not the answer to life’s questions. They know that happiness is not found in more money or more stuff, or more power.
Money can destroy our understanding of what is important.
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 tim 6:9-10
I you are not careful you can fall into the money trap. The trap says, “make money any way possible.” The gambling industry lives off the money trap.
I you are not careful you can fall into the money trap. The trap says, “make money any way possible.” The gambling industry lives off the money trap.
We often hear about people who have gone to Las Vegas or Atlantic City and have won huge jackpots. We don’t hear about the majority of people who go to these places and lose--sometimes just a little bit, but sometimes their house payment or their grocery money. According to a report in the New York Times, gamblers in Las Vegas casinos lost $6.1 billion in one year alone. As someone familiar with the lure of gambling has said, the only way to double your money in Vegas is to fold it and put it in your pocket.
As men of integrity we know that the really important things in live cannot be bought. You can not buy the love of your family, the feeling of pride from an honest days work, or a good reputation.
Some one has said, “A good reputation takes a life time to build, and only a second to lose.”
Men of integrity know their actions are more important then their bank account total. They will not risk they family, or they reputation for a quick buck.
True wealth is not measured by your bank balance, the model of our car, or the size of your house.
Men of integrity know that money can buy a house, but it can never buy a home.
First, men of integrity flee false teaching, and they flee dishonest gain.
Men of Integrity Flee False Actions.
Men of Integrity Flee False Actions.
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
What does it mean to be a person of false actions, it means the person is a hypocrite, it also means someone who pretends to be other than what he is.
Barclay M. Newman Jr., A Concise Greek-English dictionary of the New Testament., 1993, 189.
one who outwardly plays the part of a religious man to perfection, but is inwardly alien to the spirit of true religion
Did you know that God hates hypocrites. Listen to this out of God is speaking. Listen, and see if you can see not others, but something of yourself in this text. I know I can.
My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.
Eze
The amplified bible puts it this way.
And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear the words you say, but they will not do them; for with their mouths they show much love, but their hearts go after and are set on their [idolatrous greed for] gain.
Eugene Peterson paraphrases it this way.
They show up, as people tend to do, and sit in your company. They listen to you speak, but don’t do a thing you say. They flatter you with compliments, but all they care about is making money and getting ahead.
Wow, that is pretty strong, people listen to the preacher, teacher, men’s group leader, but don’t do a thing that was said.
I am reminded of a new pastor who came to a church. He preached a great sermon his first Sunday on loving your enemy. Everyone congratulated him on the fine message at the end of the service.
The next Sunday he got up in front of the same expectant crowd, and delivered the exact same message, word for word.
The people gave him the benefit of the doubt, new pastor, new church, he must have made a mistake.
But the next Sunday the same thing happened. One of the elders met him at the back of the church and said, “Pastor, I know this is a great sermon, but we have heard now three times do you have any other sermons?”
“Oh yes,” said the pastor cheerfully, “I have hundreds. And as soon as you live up to this Sermon, we will move on to number two.”
Men of integrity don’t just listen to the message, they do what it says. They let the Word of God inform their conscience.
Exemplary Spiritual Leadership: Facing the Challenges, Escaping the Dangers Integrity and the Conscience
When we inform the conscience with biblical truth we are telling it to accurately hold us in check against the standard of Scripture.
Exemplary Spiritual Leadership: Facing the Challenges, Escaping the Dangers Integrity and the Conscience
A heart of integrity is cultivated by striving to maintain a clear conscience.
Men, you have an internal accountability partner, you conscience. It acts as a witness in our hearts and minds.
Men, you have an internal accountability partner, you conscience. It acts as a witness in our hearts and minds.
When we inform the conscience with biblical truth we are telling it to accurately hold us in check against the standard of Scripture.
Exemplary Spiritual Leadership: Facing the Challenges, Escaping the Dangers Integrity and the Conscience
There is grave danger when a leader ignores the cries of his conscience. All discernment is lost, pride blooms aggressively, and self-deception spins out of control.
Exemplary Spiritual Leadership: Facing the Challenges, Escaping the Dangers Integrity and the Conscience
There is grave danger when a leader ignores the cries of his conscience. All discernment is lost, pride blooms aggressively, and self-deception spins out of control.
Exemplary Spiritual Leadership: Facing the Challenges, Escaping the Dangers Integrity and the Conscience
There is grave danger when a leader ignores the cries of his conscience. All discernment is lost, pride blooms aggressively, and self-deception spins out of control.
Men of integrity listen to their conscience. God often uses it to speak to us.
So men of integrity flee from
So men of integrity flee from
False teaching
False weath
False Action