The Road to Personal Integrity

 

Staying on the High Road: Part II

THE ROAD TO PERSONAL INTEGRITY

Daniel 6:1-10

1) It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,

2) with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss.

3) Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

4) At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.

5) Finally these men said, "We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

6) So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: "O King Darius, live forever!

7) The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions' den.

8) Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered--in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed."

9) So King Darius put the decree in writing.

10) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

 

What qualities in employees irritate bosses the most?

"If a company believes that an employee lacks integrity, all positive qualities--ranging from skill and experience to productivity and intelligence--become meaningless."

                                                           -Marc Silbert

Daniel 1:8

   But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.

I.THE DEFINITION OF INTEGRITY: ( vs. 1-5)

    INTEGRITY

         Integer =  whole or complete

Daniel 6:3

3) Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

Exceptional Qualities Trust worthy

Daniel 6:4 

"They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."

- Faithfull, Loyal & Dependable

II.THE DETRACTORS of INTEGRITY:( vs.6-10)

Daniel 6:5

"We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God."

1 Peter 2:11-12

11) Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

12) Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Daniel 6:10

10) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.

      Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

III.THE DESTINY of INTEGRITY: ( vs. 1-5)

Daniel 6:21-22

21)  Daniel answered, "O king, live forever!

22) My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."

Proverbs 28:10

10) He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

Daniel 6:25-28

25) Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: "May you prosper greatly!

26)   "I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.  "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.

27) He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions."

28) So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.