Memorise: "That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forwarned you and testified'' (1 Thessalonians 4:6).[twitter]babalobi[/twitter]
Read: 1 Samuel 12:1-5
One vital component that the believers of old had which is becoming a scarce commodity in the Christian faith today is integrity. Integrity is the quality of being honest and morally upright. It entails fulfilling promises made, being sincere and truthful as well as being above board in financial matters. The craze for material wealth, position and power has made many to throw this all important attribute into the wind.
According to 2 Timothy 3:1-5, one quality which the manner of behaviour of the last days is fast eroding, is integrity. The spirit of covetousness is making many to break agreements with reckless abandon. Most ministries built on truth and integrity are gradually grinding into a halt for lack of the same virtues.
"That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forwarned you and testified" (1 Thessalonians 4:6). Some believers collect money from other believers with the promise of performing one task or the other. Yet the task is not performed and the money is not refunded. That is a case of fraud. The worst people to cheat are believers. Why? God promises to revenge on their behalf. If you are in that situation, immediately repent and restitute by refunding the money to them or keep your promise.
As a minister of God, you must avoid anything capable of eroding your value and integrity. If you have lost integrity in ministry you have lost everything. In 2 Corinthians 11:9, in order to maintain his integrity Paul refused to make himself a burden to the church. Today, pastors and ministers virtually beg.
A pastor who goes begging members for sustenance automatically loses his worth with them. Before long, they may start to treat him like a nobody. Similarly undue closeness to the opposite sex can affect your integrity. The brother who is always visiting single sisters alone and at 'ungodly' hours knows what he is looking for. Proverbs 6:27-28 says such a fellow can be burnt.
The way you handle church money should not only be clean, but must also be seen as such. Records must be properly kept. Money for stated projects must be used accordingly. Avoid diversion of funds. When Samuel was about 60 years old, he called the Israelites together and asked, Have I taken your ox, received bribes or oppressed you? No one could fault him. His integrity was intact. If you are receiving bribes or oppressing Christ's servants you were supposed to nurture, you have lost your integrity. Where do you stand today? See http://christonline.info/blog/?p=8593, http://christonline.info/blog/
Some start with integrity but end in shame. Pray for grace to start and finish with your integrity intact.
