Scriptures: Daniel 6:1-16, 1 Kings 9:4, Job 2:3, Psalm 7:8, Proverbs 11:3, 19:1, 20:7, 1 John 1:5-6, 1:8, 1:10

What is integrity? The Oxford English dictionary says the word comes from the Latin integritas, which means "holiness," "entireness," "completeness". The root word is integer, which means "untouched," "intact," "entire." A person with integrity practices what he preaches, and preaches what he practices. Integrity lies at the heart of the problems we have today in the church. We have seen Watergate, weapons of mass distruction-gate, and Wall Street-gate. But the worst scandal of our time may be Pearly-Gate--preachers and church leaders falling like flies, entire ministries crumbling like day-old bread. There is a crisis in our age because we have failed to understand integrity and practice lives filled with it. John described a person without integrity as someone who actually thinks that darkness is light. In this message, Dr. Merritt details the importance of integrity, how we lose it, and how we can gain it back and keep it at the center of a life lived effectively for Christ.

"Let me give you a piece of advice. Always live your life today in such a way that you need fear no investigation tomorrow. I want to urge you and encourage you to be on the inside what you try to make people think you are on the outside." --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: Daniel, integrity, upright, faultless, microscope, examine, Charles Spurgeon, Evan O'Neal Cain, Great Wall of China