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There is danger in neglecting the Spiritual Disciplines. The great- est danger of neglecting the Spiritual Disciplines is the danger of missing God—forever; not because personal piety earns anyone a place in heaven, but because it characterizes those who are on their way there. In other words, some who fail to practice the Disciplines disregard them because they simply have no appetite for them, and they have no appetite for them because they have no hunger for God. They do not know God, so the God-given means of person- ally experiencing and enjoying God have little appeal. To them, the Spiritual Disciplines are tedious religious duties to be endured as little as conscience or reputation will allow, not a banquet of God on which their famished souls long to feed as much as possible.

The key to your growth, your fruitfulness, and your fulfillment in Jesus Christ–in life as a human being–is integrity of heart. The key to growth is not the Bible; it’s not studying the Word of God. That is a key to growth, and you cannot grow without the Word of God, but that is not the key. There are many people who study the Word of God that do not have a heart for God. Integrity has to do with a heart for God.

Prayer is not the key to spirituality. You cannot be a spiritual person without praying, but it is not the key to spirituality. Integrity of the heart is the single, foremost factor you must come to terms with in your own life.

I could go through and list any single thing you can think of that has to do with spiritual life and growth-giving, service, ministry-mindedness, Spirit-fullness, gifts, fruit of the Spirit. You could go in through a dozen or more examples, and I would still tell you the same thing. Those are not the key. Integrity of the heart is.

Integrity is a wholeness of heart before God.

By integrity, we’re talking about a wholeness of heart toward God. Wholeness–I didn’t say holiness. Holiness flows from wholeness, but the essence of integrity is completion. You see, of David–who in his lifetime did some very unwise and sinful things–it is said that he had a heart after God. The Lord said: This is a man after my own heart.

Why? David says in Psalm 25, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me.” In the next chapter, Psalm 26, he says: “Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I trust also in the Lord. Therefore, I shall not slide.” David says “There are two things I must do. If I walk in integrity and trust the Lord, I can’t slide. My steps will not lose their footing. I won’t fall off the path. I will make headway.”

Now, regarding the matter of integrity of heart, we need to see two large concepts. First, the word for integrity in the Old Testament occurs around 20 times. It’s the word tom. It means “complete.” The simplest comparison in our own language would be the word integer–a number, a single number, a whole number, an integer. Integer and integrity are related terms in our language, and the concept in the Hebrew means the same thing. It’s whole. It’s complete. It is not compromised or eroded by personal dishonesty. It means: I don’t sandbag myself. I don’t refuse to discuss things with my own mind or conscience–it has a commentary on me.

Every person within the sound of my voice has shared with me that feeling of your heart speaking to you, but you deafening your inner ear. And the saddest thing in the world is the speed with which I can close off the voice of my heart. I can stop it without a sputter. It may lift its voice again to be heard another time, but there will come a time when it will cease to speak.

And I’m dealing with more than simply my heart. I’m dealing with a God-ordained, internal umpire of my personality. And it can be seared. My conscience can be silenced; burnt-over, cauterized–it doesn’t even bleed anymore. Integrity is that which keeps your heart soft, sensitive and responsive. It is absolute honesty with God and yourself.

The idea of integrity occurs frequently in the rest of the Scriptures. In the New Testament, it takes on different language. The word integrity isn’t used. There are two words: “the peace of God ruling in the heart,” and also the concept of worth–being worthy, walking worthy. The word worthy doesn’t mean how many brownie points you’ve gained with God. It means your willingness to keep the full weight of you personality from being eaten off by insensitive responses to the prompting of your heart by the Sprit of God or your own conscience. It means having integrity of heart.

God knows us at the heart, not in our works (even though he does know our works). He knows us at the heart, not in our prayers (even though he does hear our prayers). He knows us at the heart, not in our studies (but he does call us to study). He knows us at the heart: “For man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” I’m calling you to be sure that you’re protected by living your life in front of Jesus.

And the way to ensure that you’re maintained in the Lord’s way is to walk in integrity of heart, with the peace of God ruling in your heart. Not because you’re sinless or perfect, not because you’ve overcome every weakness, but because you answer in your heart to the summons of the Savior and say: “Yes, Lord. I’ll say yes, Lord.”

Extracted from (and longer version @):

http://www.foursquare.org/news/article/integrity_of_heart#comment

A man who wears 2 watches is never sure of the time.

Who do you pledge alligiance to?

Yourself? Your work? Your relationship with people? Your finances?

Or, God?

The purity of the heart is to will 1 thing.

What is that 1 thing？Who is that 1 thing?

Thankful that I was able to send a prayer text message to my colleague T to comfort and encourage her.

Thankful that my friend initiated to find me for lunch, waited for me for almost an hour cos I was stuck in a meeting, and yet was still so good spirited throughout.

Thankful that my colleagues who were ever so helpful and went the extra miles to ensure that everything I needed was okay.

Thankful that I was able to hear about testimonies of what God is doing in the lives of people around.

Thankful that despite my impatience, my mum still loves and cares for me the same.

Thankful that my friend stuck around and reminded me of things I’ve forgotten/lacked courage recently.

Thankful that I’m just a wretched insignificant life saved by His grace.

Thankful that God knows best even when I don’t.