The Essential Ingredient for a Godly Life, Part 2

Some things cannot be learned in the classroom virtues remodeled rarely taught academic settings, and yet few qualities are more powerful women and men were filled with this one.

Proverbs 10 nine says he who walks in integrity walks securely.

Proverbs 27 we read our righteous man who walks in his integrity. How blessed are his children after him today on Insight for living.

Chuck Swindoll continues her brand-new series that started yesterday titled his first message. The essential ingredient for a godly life again with prayer magnificent model of integrity. This man of God use unusual dreams of such especially in a day filled with corruption, lives false promises meanderings empty words. Thank you for models like Daniel who inspire us to become men and women who carry out your truth in everyday life.

I pray today for those in high places that you would use those godly men and women rare, though they are few, though they are to reach the hearts of those without your son Christ give them the courage to speak openly of him. Equally important, give them the character to live in such a way that nothing in their life belies what they say of Christ.

Use us as well. Lord we live in this area equally in need of models of truth speak to us in this series as we learn of men and women who walk with you in such a unique way that others were impacted, thank you for the confidence we can have, to live like this because others have done so as well. You have placed them in your word is models to motivate us to encourage us to stimulate us toward love and good works. We realized having gone through all the memories of yesterday that our country is going through an enormous amount of trials, heartache, death, sorrow and grief as well as great heroism determination, integrity we pray Lord that you will sustain us by your grace, that we do not deserve it, that you will use the memory of yesterday to give us a brighter and hope filled tomorrow so that our lives know the joy of your promises fulfilled help us in this decadent and difficult era to serve you faithfully to do so with clear and pure motives. I pray for those who gathering this worship building today that you'd speak to all of us, from an ancient book about an ancient life who model a message that is as needed today as it was in that day and replace before you the week that will unfold guide us, we might walk in the truth we say we believe these things we ask in the name of Christ our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for even Jesus. Everyone's a man you're listening to Insight for living to search the Scriptures with Chuck Swindoll sure to download his searching the Scriptures. Studies by going to Insight world.org/studies Chuck titled his message. The essential ingredient for a godly life. The back story of dad's life is the Medo Persian Empire, which is vast, governed by a king named Darius we read in the first verse that he decided to divide the kingdom into provinces or hundred 20 of them, and to appoint a high officer drew over each province, and on top of that he chose three to watch over those 120 translated administrators to supervise the high officers and to protect the king's interest, but one stood out above the others. We read that Daniel proved himself more capable so that would be the one even, not only over the Empire, but over the other 122 officers.

The news of Darius's plan quickly spread among those hundred and 22 others. The governors and the supervisors.

There is a mixture of resentment in the jealousy never fails. So what do well we we see it in action verse four, then the other administrators in high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs so they couldn't find anything. They were frustrated in the verse four says they couldn't find anything to criticize or condemn because he was faithful responsible, completely trustworthy. I'm speaking to you today and to myself as well. Believe me I been in this for weeks now. A lot of soul-searching going on in our lives.

Even at this moment, all of you who are hearing me are thinking this is a corrupt time in which we live. I'm never known of national leaders with less integrity in my life I've never heard such lies. I've never witnessed such false and empty promises. I've never seen little of examples of dishonesty like I see now the only way you know most of them are lying as their lips are moving. It goes on all the time people shrug it off pass it off quite well. That's where it is with politicians. It's not the way that's the way it is when you lack integrity. That's what this you and I long for, regardless of our political persuasion is nothing to do with that is everything to do with character. Everything we know ministers who lived one way and then when they're gone. Figure found out that revealed they were living that way. There was another life going on, which breaks the hearts of their family members who knew nothing of it because the heart out of what was once an effective ministry. You cannot have an effective ministry and lack integrity not in the long haul MR single person must be perfect. I want to repeat again this is not mean your sin less, it means when you do wrong you say it was wrong.

You put checkpoints in your own life and you acknowledge this is a weakness.

This is an area where I made a bad mistake this was a decision I should never make not because my predecessor set me up, but because I'm the one doing I if you knew what I was holding back and be proud of me right now.

There's so much more I can say. The fact is, it will get on with it here their field investigation was twisted into conspiracy of deception.

They set the king up for decision and they knew what they were doing. Even the motive in this decision was wicked. They want to Darius. They appeal to his pride. They said to Darius to be great to set up a law for 30 days that no one could pray to anyone. No one could worship anyone but you. Okay Darius being the common guy was said sounds good to me.

Bring on the road.

They wrote it out, signed it suddenly realize Daniel is now the target they'd never mentioned that it's another thing about integrity.

You don't hold back information to make yourself look better, or to make the story look good matter-of-fact it's always been amazing to me when I was a child that Daniel didn't wind up in the lion's den because he did something wrong he was there because he did things right. He continued to pray as it always done to the God of heaven, three times a day. It was worried about those hundred and 22 envious men or a king that he made a stupid decision. He answered to his God. He has an audience of one.

How rarely we think of that were not called the desert to please people are called to live our lives before an audience of one fewer those who do that.

That will mean criticism of cut your legs out from under you, I came across an interesting story about that. When asked why he was not stung by a vicious attack from a fellow member of the parliament. Winston Churchill replied, if I respected him, I would care about his opinion but I don't so I don't. Why do you care so much about someone else's opinion especially when you know the whole truth, and they don't.

Especially when you know you answered you only one who will be your judge and your reward. No one else in this room will be either only your God. Hesiod's. He's the one who we answer, lest you think that gets you off the hook. Remember he sees us day and night, public and private when no one else is around or even aware, our God is there. Back to the audience of one.

That's a Daniel live his life so when he was promoted to the lands, then God protected. I've always loved to burn these answer to that, by the Lions didn't sink their teeth into it. He was three force Crystal and the rest backbone. There was nothing to eat. God protected him miraculous. Of course he's not out of miracles there rare their available they're always up to him if it requires that you protect your integrity as it did with Daniel. You'll make it happen.

They came to the king.

The king signed the and then realized what happened in the king was awake all night, hoping that nothing would happen to the man he knew was a man of integrity. I started this message by reminding you of when I began this man my ministry I took you back a number of years. I now want in this message by reminding you of the end of your life, whenever that will come. I do not know when but it will someday you will be on your deathbed will be surrounded by those who know you best and love you the most or least they think they know you will sing their songs though run their fingers through your hair and kiss you on the cheek will pray in the say the kindest words you will have ever heard is your dying that you will be gone leaving all the evidence behind what is that everything in your computer.

Everything on your record all the private mail notes, pictures.

I have a friend named Bob Agrippa. Bob was for many years the Dean of students at Dallas seminary wonderful man box from a large Italian family and if not the oldest among the oldest and was chosen as his dad died of a sudden heart attack to be the one to go through his personal effects in want to do that you understand Bob's dad was remarkable man to hear Bob tell it. He loved Bob's mother dearly and deeply.

It seemed every evidence was that he was loyal and faithful. He was a man that you could rely on His word treated his family very well played no favorites, carried himself with honesty and dignity. Bob's fear was that she would begin to go through his things that he might find something that no one else is known about some secret that have been Some private sector pictures, some other woman or women. Nevertheless, he took the responsibility seriously in one weekend.

He tightened his belt and decided now is a time for me to do this. She said none of his father's desk.

Picture this over drawers. Others had not opened took out boxes other his others had not seen in into them red letters. Others had not read with two files. Others are not seen. Spent time literally searching reading sometimes smiling. Other times, tears came as he remembered this found out about that. To his delight, when all the search was over and the sun was setting, he had found nothing. Nothing against his father, not even anything suspicious or questionable, he was as clear and clean as Bob and his siblings had hoped he was now he knew he was.

Bob told me he went audibly out of gratitude. The man he admired and respected throughout his life was everything he had believed him to be. There was no skeleton, no potential scandal though ugly piece of information to share with the family later to break their hearts he'd been a man who was genuine to the core back to my opening lines. A man of integrity. I pray that will be true of me when I pass. I also pray that will be true of each one of you. I bring this message not because I'm any model of anything near perfection. You know me well enough to know that I am not but I long to be a man of integrity in the long for you to be the same manner woman of integrity for someone to meticulously and tediously go through your things and of the end of the day. In the end of the life find nothing to break their hearts if today you find yourself deeply convicted, though a Christian. This is a great day to turn the corner to determine the from this day on and put the date in your in your journal. From this day on going to clean up your life in a later life before the Lord God, you're going to confess to him those areas that have been negligent in perhaps even things that have been downright unlawful, perhaps shameful in the going to stop you. Go to cleanup the record, because the Lord your God is the most understanding and forgiving one you'll ever know. If you are without Christ. See the cross hanging behind me, come to the foot of the cross and look up and think the father for sending his son to die for you to pay for all the sins of the world, all the wrongdoing, all the corruption all the lies all the failures all the wrongdoing he will forgive you when you trust in Christ.

That's right.

Trust in Christ. That's was necessary. Say it doesn't sound like much.

Oh, it took Christ's life. He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When I trusted in Christ. God transferred my sin to the cross and Christ's righteousness to my life.

I'm now able to walk in a righteousness that is not natural or normal for me and the same for you. Without Christ that's impossible must come to terms with that. Now I ask you to bow your heads, please just right now. Let's not move about, but sit quietly and think. Are you absolutely certain that you have Christ in your life. Absolutely certain there was a time when you came to the foot of the cross. You acknowledge that your center you believe in Christ died for you.

You take him you took him into your life wonderful. There's never been such a time. Now is the time now is the time God in his grace will accept you. Just before I priest you heard the song and can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood died he for me. Yes he did. The one who knew no shame for me died. Can it be.

It is by his grace. You can know eternal life and sins forgiven you will be given power to live like you've never been given before but you must turn to Christ for that power trust him now, simple prayer, Lord God, I'm lost your distant from me. I now turn to Christ. Please come into my life make me new. Forgive me clean meal inside out that I might live a life like Daniel. Let's pray dear father, we thank you for the hope there is always hope in Christ, thank you for the cross. You are always willing to accept us when we come to you through Christ.

Thank you for forgiveness.

Thank you for strength to live in a way that we are unable to live on her own, we pause this day and commit to you our weaknesses and accept your strength. We returned to you our sins.

Christ is paid for and we take your righteousness. Thank you for coming into our lives and giving us the ability to live a life of integrity in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior). Everyone's here among those who made this decision to follow Jesus Christ I'm going to give our address in just a moment and would love to hear from you.

In addition, we encourage you to visit our website to discover ways to take your first steps, you find a variety of helpful resources online insight world.org what today's message from Chuck Swindoll is the first in a brand-new series titled walking with integrity in times of adversity. If you looking for an inspirational book to help you start the new year and one that ties in naturally with his new teaching series, then we highly recommend Chuck's book called Joseph a man of integrity and forgiveness.

Joseph's epic journey from obscurity to fame will guide you through whatever adversities the year 2022 might bring a friend left a comment describing the impact of Chuck's teaching on integrity. It's a Chuck, thanks for placing words to what we know inside but cannot put into words on our own.

Ask for the book about Joseph, a man of integrity and forgiveness is available for purchase@insight.org/offer or by calling us if you're listening in the US dial 1-800-772-8888 to all those who give generously to support this nonprofit industry were deeply grateful insight for living relies on the support friends like you. And it's not too late to make an impact by giving a donation right now effect our incoming mail messages on our website will confirm that God is using insight for living to awaken people to the power of his word. So thank you once again if you're listening in the United States. The phone number to dial is 1-800-772-8888 or give online insight.org/those who support insight for living with the monthly give truly have a ministry all their own God's amazing grace is our overarching theme every day. One insight from living in fact it's quite possible that God is used in our daily program to extend his grace to you and I know is your Bible teacher, I have been a grace recipient as well. Our monthly companions are first recipients of God's grace. But when you begin to give monthly God is deploying you as a courier of his grace.

Today we're inviting you to join the team. Please jot down contact information follow the Lord that coming.

Okay, the sweet fragrance of God's grace here at home all around for some unsuspecting person when someone wants it for you become a monthly companion glistening in the United States. Call 1-800-772-8888 or go online insight.org/month companion. Join us when Chuck Swindoll describes what he calls the integrity of enduring obedience Thursday on insight for living.

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