19/7/08 sermon-INTEGRITY-Brother Tim Chin

-Psalms 15:1-3

>Inner life is left underdeveloped due to spot-light of the other life.

>Develop your character

>Our inward character is the infrastructure that holds up through our life.

>With character,you can serve God much much more.

>The greater size is your gifts,the more time you must dedicate in developing your character.

>Your character lasts a much longer time.

>Eventually,the inside truth of you will come out.


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Reputation VS Character

1)Reputation-what you are supposed to be.
Character-what you are.

2)Reputation-comes from without.
Character-comes from within.

3)Reputation-what you have when you go into a new community.
Character-what you have when you go away

4)Reputation-made in moment.
Character-buld in lifetime.

5)Reputation-comes in hour
Character-comes to light only after a certain period of time.

6)Reputation-what men say about you on your tombstone.
Character-what angels say about you before the throne.
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>If i take care of my character,my reputation will take care of itself -D.C moody.
>What we are when we are alone,determines how far you can go.
-James 1:2-4

Integrity
>A lot of times we do things with integrity
>Integrity is
-more than just telling the truth even when no one knows the truth
-do what you do even when no one is checking
-keeping promises even when the other party forgets
-words and actions are the same even when you are alone.

webster.com>Integrity-adherence to moral and ethnical principles; soundness of moral character,honesty.

>It is crucial,similar to the foundation of the house.
>You need to have a strong foundation.

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Why integrity??
1)It protects you.
-psalms 25:21
2)It causes you to be secure.
-prov 10:9
3)Allows people to trust you.
-prov 20:6-7
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>Trust is the glue that holds people together.
>Person with integrity influences others because he wants to bring something that will benefit them,not to gain something out of them.

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What integrity is NOT.
1)It's not determined by circumstances.
-psalms 101:2-3
2)Not based on credentials
-psalms 119:1-3
-2 tim 2:15
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>You got to make a choice!
>Bend your actions to conform your principles,or bend your principles to conform your actions.

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How to start?
1)Commit yourself to be honest and reliable.
-psalms 26:2
-1 chronicles 29:17
2)Start small
-Luke 16:10
>Character is made in small moments of our lives.
3)Refuse to be persuaded by others.
-Mark 12:14
>Willing to stand alone,go against the crowd,peer pressure is not a pressure.

Want to start?Than do this homework!
>For the whole of this week, make commitment not to life,exaggerate or distort the truth.

not only for this week,but for your whole life.REMEMBER:integrity lasts a whole life.

this week's sermon notes may be a little long,but do look through it as it is a very good sermon.