Benefits of Christian Practices 11

Memory Verse: …  ‘The things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things [in daily life], and the God [who is the source] of peace and well-being will be with you’. Philippians 4:9 (AMP).

Text: Matthew 5:3-12

Spiritual Emphasis: Christian practices are any regular and intentional activities that establish, develop, and nourish our personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Being a Christian is more about practice than belief. For us to grow spiritually, Christian practices are essential. It is important to note that for us to experience the full benefits of these practices, these elements must form the foundation of our Christian practices – it must be regular, and it must be intentional. Then and only then, we will be able to establish, develop, and nourish our personal relationship with God, and be transformed by Him.

      Benefits of Integrity in the life of a Christian

• Integrity is doing what is right and acceptable before God. This is so because it is almost impossible to live in our world with total uprightness without having a God factor in you. So, ‘acceptable’ and ‘right’ can only be achieved with a belief in God.

1. Integrity guarantees heaven: As children of God, our greatest desire should be to spend eternity in heaven. But the Bible recorded that, liars, fornicators, thieves, murderers, and all evil doers will not make heaven. So, who then will make heaven? Not just church goers, or religious people, but men and women of integrity and have a relationship with God – Rev. 21:8; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
2. Integrity can bring success and prosperity: Joseph in the Bible was a man of integrity, even though he was a domestic servant in the house of Potiphar in Egypt. We know how Potiphar’s wife harassed him on a daily basis, but Joseph refused to give in because of his integrity. The Bible recorded that God blessed and prospered everything that Joseph put his hand to do. Many businesses, homes, and even government will prosper and succeed if we have men and women of integrity in charge – Gen. 39:1-9.

Questions/Activities: How do we retore integrity in our homes, society, and government?

Conclusion. Not many of us would disagree that our world would be a better place if people lived with integrity. The damage caused by a lack of integrity today is seen everywhere. All a person has to do is watch the news or read on the internet about someone who everyone thought was the “real deal,” only to learn they had fallen into some shocking behavior. As believers, reading the Word of God daily, meditating on the Word, and doing everything in the Word, is the only way to truly be like Christ and enjoy His benefits He has for us. 

Shalom! Self-Study: Daniel 6:10; Mark 1:35; 1 Tim. 4:15; John 3:21; Rom. 12:13; 2 Peter 1:10; 1 John 3:10; Matt. 6:1; 1 Tim. 4:7-8; Lev. 18:3; Gal. 5:21; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Thess. 3:6; 1 Cor. 15:1-3; Nehemiah 2:1-8.