A HEART OF INTEGRITY

made with Proclaim

Jeff Hopson

Fellowship Baptist Church

BIBLICAL WORSHIP • Sermon • Submitted a year ago • Presented a year ago • 33:25

1 Kings 9:1–14

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Series: Hearts for God

Text: 1 Kings 9:1-9

Title: A Heart of Integrity

Introduction:

The heart of the matter is always a matter of the heart.

The heart of man is where he develops and maintains his innermost thoughts.

Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.”

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Integrity-(Def.-Websters)- moral soundness or purity, honesty, comprehends the whole moral character but has special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings. Sincerity of heart and motives.

We need to admit that there is a great need for a return to the integrity and commitment which made America the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.

Realizing that our nation is no stronger than our churches and our churches are no stronger than the families and our families are no stronger than the individuals.

The needs of our time can be changed by individuals deciding to follow the direction of God for their lives and not their wallets, feelings, pressures of society.

We need men, women, teens, children that are developing hearts of integrity: purity, honesty, moral soundness.

God’s main concern is not…

Stock market going up

Housing market cooling off

The number of college graduates that we have

The number of games the Colts win

How many religious acts that we do, but

He is deeply concerned with the hearts of His people!!!

You see this is good news because there is not a lot that I can do about those other things, but I can do a lot about the state of my heart!!!

In I Kings 9 God appears to Solomon after the completion of the temple. God challenges Solomon with the fact that the temple building by itself could not secure Israel’s future.

God’s main concern was the heart of Solomon (vs. 4)

Let us look at Solomon and learn about developing a heart of integrity.

I. He Communicates With God- vs. 1-3

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies beyond the will of God

Prayer is that slender nerve that moves the hand of God on our behalf.

A. Solomon’s prayer was personal- vs. 3b

“thou hast made before me”-See 1 Kings 8:22-54

1. God listens for the prayers of his people

Psalms 10:17

(17) LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Jeremiah 33:3

(3) Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Psalms 77:1

(1) I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

Psalms 86:5-7

(5) For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

(6) Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

(7) In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

2. God leads in the prayers of his people

Matthew 6:7

(7) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Luke 22:40

(40) And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

B. Solomon’s prayer was answered- vs. 3a

1. God listens with the intent of answering our prayers.

Jeremiah 33:3 KJV 1900

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

2. Sometimes it seems that God does not answer when He is just waiting for us to change our prayer to meet His will for our lives.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 KJV 1900

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

II. He Consents To God- vs. 4-5

Note the “conditional” requests given by God

Note- God has some requirements that we must meet in order for Him to work in our lives.

Note- “if”, “then” statements in verses 4 and 5

A. Walk before me- vs. 4

Note- this implies “practicing his presence”

Note- this is elsewhere stated as the “fear of the Lord”

Genesis 17:1

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

Psalms 116:9

(9) I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Ephesians 2:10

(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

B. Walk with honesty

“walk with integrity of heart”

Proverbs 11:3

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

Proverbs 20:7

The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

Quote- Abraham Lincoln- “if a man will ‘train up a child in the way he should go’, he must walk that way himself.”

Quote- Integrity- “Keeping my commitment even if the circumstances since I made the commitment have changed”

C. Walk in obedience

“Do according to all that I have commanded thee”

Note-This is where most of us as believers miss out on all that God has for us…simple daily obedience!!! Doing the things that we know that we should be doing.

Joshua 1:7-8

(7) Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

(8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Proverbs 3:5-6

(5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

(6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Note- a maturing Christian realizes- the purpose of life is not to find our freedom but to find our master! When we find our Master then we find our freedom!

Note- our master will be the Person, thing, or desire that we follow!!!

Romans 6:16

(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

D. Working of God as a direct result of obedience- vs. 5

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV 1900

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

John 8:31–32 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

III. He Considers God’s Warning- vs. 6-9

A. Warned about his walk- vs. 6a

My heart will always direct my walk with God…that is why it is so important to “keep my heart” for the things of God.

The number one way to “keep my heart” for God is to obey and do the things that I know I should!

Colossians 2:8 KJV 1900

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

B. Warned about his worship- vs. 6b

Worship can be either towards God or it can be anything that I worship/focus on more than God. It is often demonstrated by that which keeps me from obeying God:

Example: we are commanded to attend church…if you continually allow something to interfere with that…then that “thing” has become your god and it has become an object of worship!!

John 9:38 KJV 1900

And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

C. Warned about the welfare of the people- vs. 7

Note-God is not obligated to meet the needs of disobedient children!!!

Note-Don’t you blame God for the consequences of your half-hearted obedience and worship!!

if you or I choose to sin, we should not be surprised at the consequences!!!

D. Warned about the watching of the world- vs. 8

Note-your life is a living testimony for God…it can either be a good one or a bad one…

Matthew 5:13 KJV 1900

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

E. Warned about the judgment of God- vs. 9

Romans 14:11–12 KJV 1900

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Conclusion:

God help us to: commune in prayer, to consent to His requests, to consider His warnings and be a people of integrity.