Karunya University

(Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences)

Declared as Deemed to be University under Sec. 3 of the UGC Act, 1956

Karunya Nagar, COIMBATORE 641 114

Department of Value Education

10VE202 VALUE EDUCATION SYLLABUS

Credits : 2:0:0 Course Objectives: 1. To give an understanding of life in all its complexities and to provide practical opportunities and mold students to meet the needs of the people. 2. To sharpen the capacity of the students in enabling them to make right, moral and ethical choices. 3. To develop professionals with social concern reaching out to the Nation as leaders and serving the needy with Divine grace and power. UNIT-I Introduction: Vision and Mission of Karunya. Value Education, Purpose and priority areas of Value Education. Importance of Values in Life What is a Value system? Types of values, Value inculcation process, Clarifying values. Importance of Values in Life What is a Value system? What kinds of values need to be inculcated? E.g. Ethical, moral and spiritual instead of materialistic values, value inculcation, trend of values such as a permissive culture.

Character Building Advantages of good character, Importance of trust, Honesty, Integrity, Morality, and Reliability as qualities of a good character. Building Relationships Objectives, Ways to improve relationships, Issues that hinder relationships, Tools for effective relationships. UNIT- II Personality DevelopmentDefinition, types and ways to improve Personal effectiveness. Purpose and philosophy of Life Learning the purpose driven life, Decision making skills, Introspection, Moralization of desires. Leadership Qualities of a good leader, Types and Principles. Communication Principles and Types, Advantages and disadvantages to communication. Communication skills UNIT-III Foundation Definition, 1

for success Approaches for

successful living, Overcoming obstacles for success, and winning strategies Desire, commitment, responsibility hard work and discipline. Emotions detrimental to personal growth - Hurt feelings dealing with anger, guilt, depression and stress. Attitude Definition, Types, Factors and Steps to build positive attitude, Benefits of positive attitude and Consequences of negative attitude. Self-Esteem Definition, Types, Characteristics of high and low self-esteem, Causes of low selfesteem and Steps to build high self-esteem. UNIT IV Biographical Studies Founder Dr. D. G. S. Dhinakaran, Mother Teresa, Ida Scudder, William Carey, Amy Carmichael, George Muller Their life and secret to success, values inculcated by such personalities. Social Issues Corruption, Cyber Crime, AIDS Awareness, and Substance abuse-concept, source, consequences and remedy Jesus Calls Ministry History and Developments 21 facets of Jesus Calls ministry. UNIT V Concept of God Understanding and knowing God, Nature of God , Concept of the Holy Spirit The Gifts and the Fruit of the 2

Holy Spirit, Concept of Man His personality and accountability. Communication with God and Personal Devotion Prayer, Quiet time and Practical Christian Living. Sin and Temptation Nature and sources of sin, Ways to overcome temptation. Inner Life Integrity Understanding Personality, Selfcentered and Christ-centered Personality, Integrity in Time, Talent and Treasures. References: 1. C. Maxwell John. (2001). Power of Leadership, USA: River Oak Publishing. 2. Dr. D. G. S. Dhinakaran. Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Chennai: Jesus Calls. 3. E. M. Bounds. (2006). How to Pray Effectively, USA: Whitaker House. 4. Geoffrey Hanks. (1992). 70 Great Christians, Secunderabad: OM Books. 5. Khera Shiv. (1988). You Can Win, New Delhi: Mac Millan India Limited. 6. Mani Jacob, ed., Resource for Education, New Institute of Education. (2002). Value Delhi: Value

7. Valentine Davidar. (2000), Being Made

whole, Hyderabad: Haggai Institute.

UNIT I
Introduction
Importance of Values in Life
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Character Building Building Relationship

INTRODUCTION TO VALUE EDUCATION CHAPTER I CONTENTS: Introduction Vision and Mission of Karunya Need for Value based education Values inculcated through value education Priority areas in value education Conclusion

Try not to be a man of success but rather try to be a man of values.

INTRODUCTION: According to T.A. Mathias, Values are ideals, beliefs, moral or spiritual principles which are important to us and on which we base our living. Values come into full play whenever decisions are called for. When a student decides not to smoke a cigarette or not to copy in the examination, he is making a value decision. To sharpen this capacity, to make a moral choice is the task of value education. Indian Universities and colleges have laid stress on value education from the very beginning in the early decades of 19th century. It is believed that education not only imparts knowledge and skills but also the right values and attitudes, which lead to, balanced human formation. VISION AND MISSION OF KARUNYA: Karunya University was founded with the noble vision to raise professionals and leaders of high academic caliber and unblemished character, nurtured with a strong motivation and commitment to serve humanity. The Karunya Institute of Technology was started as a private self-financing engineering college on 4 October 1986. In 2004, the institute was awarded the Deemed to be University status in recognition of its academic excellence by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India and subsequently renamed as Karunya University under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 vide Notification No. 9-3-2000-U3 dated. 23.6.2004 of the Government of India. Karunya University is into its 25th year of service in Higher education with specific focus on Engineering and Technology. In the short span of its existence it has moved swiftly ahead to carve a niche for itself as an institution promoting all round excellence. In a nutshell, Karunya is a coeducational, fully residential, Technological University imparting holistic education to develop the body, mind and spirit of the students.

The Making of a University The origin of the Institution is amazing. In the year 1981, Late Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran, God's servant received the divine commission to start a Technical University which could turn out outstanding engineers with leadership qualities at the national and global level. Building up such a great Institution was not an easy task. The Dhinakarans had to face innumerable trials and tribulations including the tragic death of their dear daughter during the course of this great endeavor. But nothing could stop them from reaching the goal.

Karunyas vision: True to its name Karunya which means Compassion, Karunya University shall be a University with a social concern which will address the problems of humanity through teaching, research and extension in socially relevant areas. The students and faculty of Karunya University will be imbibed with spiritual discernment and a zeal to serve humanity and to eventually become leaders of society.

Karunyas mission: To accomplish the vision, Karunya University a Christian Minority Institution will be committed to transform lives through the following objectives. To raise undergraduate and post graduate students and research scholars to serve humanity by attaining high levels of academic excellence, professional competence, exemplary values and spiritual empowerment. To find solutions to human problems in areas relating to Water, Food, Health Care and Energy through Scientific, social and technological research as well as policy formulation. To set up care homes for physically and mentally challenged as well as the elderly and the terminally ill, to enable the students to understand the human needs and pain by participating in the services rendered to them on campus and thus enabling the students to dedicate themselves to work towards solving these problems through research, development, policy making at high levels and through providing spiritual care.

Inculcate in students values and make them appreciate the need for high ethical actions in personal, social and public life in order to enable them 6

to reach higher levels, to become leaders, to be wise in order to influence society and nation with a view to uphold and promote a just social order. WHAT IS VALUE EDUCATION? Value Education is the education that addresses questions like -How to live life well? How to find happiness? How to make others happy? How to manage all kinds of people and happenings? How to grow and succeed in the right manner? NEED FOR VALUE BASED EDUCATION: To understand who we are To understand who God is To understand what God has prepared for us To understand the purpose of life To develop better communication with God To develop better communication with people To prepare ourselves as successful human beings To encourage value based individual behavior, public policies and social interaction in life

VALUES INCULCATED THROUGH VALUE EDUCATION: Value education inculcates certain values, which are very essential for a successful living. The values are: Communal harmony, Respect for life, Sense of social justice, Self-reliance, Participation in social change, Integrity of character, Commitment to work for others PRIORITY AREAS IN VALUE EDUCATION Living as we do in a country that is a mosaic of contradictions being both democratic and feudal, full of corruption, violence etc we need to challenge and revamp our values. Some areas requires urgent attention which are dealt in value education course, they are Education: Education is the vehicle of knowledge, self-preservation and success. Education not only gives us a platform to succeed, but also the knowledge of social conduct, strength, character and self respect. The greatest gift education gives us is the knowledge of unconditional love and a set of values. Education what a huge meaning it has in our life, but sadly the meaning is reduced to the fact that it will go on to become our source of bread and butter nothing more and nothing less. Is this what education stands for in our life? Is not education a way to make life better? Education is not an accessory to life but it is a necessity. 7

Respect for Life: To know ones worth and to honor the worth of others is the true way to earn respect. Respect is an acknowledgment of the inherent worth and innate rights of the individual and the collective. These must be recognized as the central focus to draw from people a commitment to higher purpose in life. Respect begins within the individual. The original state of respect is based on awareness of the self as a unique entity, a life force within, a spiritual being, a soul. The elevated consciousness of knowing who I am arises from an authentic place of pure worth. With such insight, there is faith in the self and wholeness and completeness within. With self-realization, one experiences selfrespect. Justice: When we speak of justice, we usually refer to a trait in individuals, even if we conceive the justice of individuals as having some grounding reference to social justice. We have read that justice is "the first virtue of social institutions" so it is ambiguous whether "justice as a virtue" is intended for individual or social applications. However, even the idea of individual justice seems ambiguous in regard to scope. What individual justice most naturally refers to are moral issues having to do with goods or property. We say that it is unjust for someone to steal from people or not to give them what he owes them but these actions affect not only the individual but the entire community as well i.e. social justice. A student, who applies these values, should maintain justice at the individual level, thus becoming an agent of social change.

Issues of Women: From the beginning women have played a major role in shaping the society. The world would not have been the same lovely adorable and livable place without wonderful contributions so selflessly made by women. It has been said that, you teach a woman and you build up a nation. Women have always carried the responsibility of being a wife, mother and sister all on their own and we need not explain how magnificently they have carried these positions. Today women are equally competent in the home and in the outside world. Urban women in India always had more advantages and opportunities than women residing in rural places like better education, better economic resources, and better facilities for improvements. We have yet to attain the state of complete women empowerment though the signs of gradual improvement are definitely there. India in last few decades has remained more of a male-dominated society. . The women are considered less powerful and important than men. Many obstacles to the realization of women's human rights in India are social and cultural in nature, deeply rooted in the traditions of its communities. INDIA has elaborate laws to protect the rights of women, including the Prevention of Immoral Traffic, the Sati (widow burning) Act, and the Dowry Prevention Act. Women and children have figured prominently in the government's agenda of social reforms and initiatives. However the Government is often unable to enforce these laws, especially in rural areas where traditions are deeply rooted. Dowry, Female bondage and forced prostitution are widespread in some parts of India. A student who can rightly understand the value of women is better equipped to build a healthy society. Faith In God: Many of us see faith itself as if it were something we had to do or learn in order for God to love us and save us. Some think it is right beliefs or right actions or even having common cause on the right issues. Faith is the gift from God. God has given each individual a measure of faith. It's not our senses which give us faith, but the word of God, which enlightens us and directs our senses and our reasoning. It's not how strong our faith is, but it's who the faith is in. Faith is taking God seriously, that is believing and trusting in His purposes and plans for our lives. Trusting God shapes our perspective about life and redefines who we are. Faith is shown in concrete ways of daily living and in moments of truth where it makes the critical difference. Openness: Openness is an attitude, which is expressed by an emotional and ethical commitment to selflessness and acceptance of others regardless of caste creed colour or sex. Openness is loving one-another, i.e. seeing others as persons like us. Loving one another should not be mistaken for just having some feeling towards others. Love is often reduced to an emotion, when the beautiful reality of love is much more than that. Love is a way of existing that comes from God and thereby influences our actions. It is a way of seeing the world that makes us look beyond ourselves and consider others as well. Meaning of Success: A precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon, or being awarded a Nobel Prize? Personal success could be anything at all. it does not have to involve public recognition. Who is more successful? A millionaire who is unhappy or an unnoticed person who has led a simple, happy life? The simplest definition of success is 'to set out to do something and to succeed in doing it'. It really doesn't matter what, or how humble the undertaking is. Purpose and Ways for successful living: A successful life is a satisfying life. It is one where you are healthy, happy and fulfilled in your existence. Most people would like to lead such a life, but many think it is not easy to do. In fact, it is not that difficult. Much of what happens to you in your life is a result of 9 your philosophy or way of thinking and the principles you follow, as well as your attitude toward things.

CHARACTER BUILDING CHAPTER III CONTENTS: Definition Character values Character development Results of having a good character Pillars of Character DEFINITION Character is the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of a person, especially related to ethical or moral values. They make up the inner nature of a person and usually refer to positive qualities. A person with negative, unethical, or slothful attitude is considered as one without character. Having a good character will help establish a reputation of being a person who can be trusted and counted on. CHARACTER VALUES Qualities or values that make up good character include:

Character is what you are, when you are in dark

Honesty Morality Integrity Fortitude Reliability Responsibility Determination Courage Compassion Consideration Honorability

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Character building is a process, it cannot be achieved in a single day, it can only be acquired with a conscious effort put up by the individual himself, with the constant act of examination of the qualities that we possess, renouncing some that do not conform to the standards of

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humanity and adopting qualities that fosters the well-being of the community as a whole and the individual as a person. Result of having a good character You gain the reputation of being an honorable, courageous and respected person. People will feel they can trust you and count on you. They want to interface and do business with you. This also gives you satisfaction and self-confidence, knowing that you are well thought of. In conclusion, Character is an array of chosen values on which a persons moral or ethical actions and reactions are based.

PILLARS OF CHARACTER
TRUST Trusting another person has several meanings: 1. Trust means that you feel that the person is honest and will not lie, cheat or steal from you. 2. It also means that you can count on the person to do as he or she promised and that the person is reliable. 3. Finally, trust in a person means that you feel he or she can be counted on to do something important, will not shirk from duties, and will take personal pride in what he or she does. An illustration of trust can be seen when you are on a trip, and you stop at a filling station to ask the attendant for directions. You trust that he will not purposely give the wrong directions. You also trust that he is competent and responsible in being able to give correct directions. If he says he has to go in the back to get a map and will return right away, you trust that he will do just that and not take off for lunch. If you are caught lying or deceiving people, they will consider you having an untrustworthy character. It is then very easy for that bad reputation to spread. Once a person is considered as untrustworthy by others, they will tend to be cautious in dealing with that person or may avoid him or her all together. Being trustworthy is an admirable character trait. It is being honest, reliable and responsible. Others will respect you more and want to continue relationships and dealing with you. Also, you will feel a sense of self-respect. HONESTY

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A person who does not lie, steal or deceive, but instead tells the truth and shows integrity is considered to be honest. If you have a reputation of being honest, people will want to deal with you more, because they trust you. You also have a sense of pride in your honesty A person who is considered honest is one who displays integrity, is genuine and not deceptive . Honesty is characterized by truth and sincerity. Honesty denotes the quality of being upright in principle and action. Honesty implies truthfulness, fairness in dealing with others, and refusal to engage in fraud, deceit, or dissembling. Examples of being dishonest include, stealing someone's pencil in school, not telling our parents the truth, and not giving back something that a person has lost. Cheating on a test is dishonest. The benefits you get from being honest are that sometimes you get recognition and thanks for an honest deed. But in general, honesty is not something that is directly rewarded. It is a feeling you have about yourself. It is a feeling of pride and self-worth and character. INTEGRITY "Integrity" comes from the same root as "integer" - "whole number" - and "integrate" - "to bring together in unity." Integrity has something to do with wholeness, unity, or completeness. Integrity requires three steps: (1) discerning what is right and what is wrong; (2) acting on what you have discerned, even at personal cost; and (3) saying openly that you are acting on your understanding of right from wrong. On Carter's (Psychologist) understanding, integrity is thus just a matter of Knowing, Doing Saying, Being, and Feeling. A person of integrity is a certain sort of person. He or she is the sort of person who engages in enough moral reflection to discover and thus come to know what he should do. He feels that this is the right thing to do. And he then acts in accordance with his insight, doing so openly. Integrity is not just having convictions but also having the right convictions. Integrity means to be who you are. Being true to one's self, one's values, beliefs, and standards is essential when it comes to spiritual success. Everywhere around us people and situations are pulling at us to forget our priorities and fall back into unwanted, unsatisfying and unproductive ways. That is why it is difficult to make the changes we would like to make. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Integrity means treating people fairly and honestly Integrity is giving your word and keeping it. Integrity will protect you. Integrity is more valuable than riches. The Lord will test and judge your integrity. The Lord hates lies and lack of integrity. 12

7. It may be difficult to maintain your integrity. 8. Bad company can corrupt your character. 9. Integrity will be rewarded. 10. Your integrity should set an example. MORALITY A person who upholds high standards of decent behavior can be considered as moral. People don't respect those who are vulgar or act immorally. They would prefer to deal with those who are decent and have high standards. A moral person is one whose conduct is good or virtuous, especially concerning sexual and ethical conduct. It also means that you try to do what is right and ethical. Morality is usually based on moral laws such as the 10 Commandments. One commandment states that you should not commit adultery, but instead lead a decent life. Dedication to your family is also important is being moral. Some people being very moral and pious, but they are also self-righteous such that they look down at others who don't adhere to their standards. The self-righteous may be moral, but are guilty of lacking character in other areas. A person who lies and cheats is not considered to be a moral person. This is especially true for someone who deceives his or her spouse and has extra-marital affairs. A public official who takes bribes is considered unethical or immoral. A major area in morality is pornography, which are lewd and sexually oriented pictures. But also obscenity, hatred, discrimination, and intolerance are moral issues. Being moral gives you self-respect. You feel good about yourself when you know you are doing the right thing. RELIABILITY A person who does as promised can be considered as reliable. Reliability is an admirable characteristic. People don't like to deal with those who are unreliable. They'd rather give their business and rewards to the person they can count on. A person at work is often late on completing assignments, either because they are too difficult or he gets sidetracked with more interesting activities. His boss and fellow workers consider him unreliable. You cannot count on a person who is known to be unreliable to follow through on what he or she has promised to do. A person may promise to pick you up at the airport but then not show up, because "he forgot." Or a person may come to a meeting late, because she got involved in some other activity and lost track of time. The benefits of being reliable are that people trust you and feel they can count on you. A reliable person will get and keep friends much easier than someone who is careless in personal relationships and can't be counted on to keep his or her word. A reliable worker will be trusted to do the job as promised and can reap the rewards of raises and promotions. A business that has a reputation of being reliable or making reliable

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products will get repeat and new business, as well as reducing costs of rework or repair. DETERMINATION A determined person is one who has an earnest and unwavered purpose in life. He/she will not give up in their goal nor get distracted easily by some external factors. Determined person has the firmness of purpose. But many times people tend to give up their determination, in spite of having a goal in life. The reason for such a lapse is they think that the task is too difficult, or they have to work hard to achieve something.

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BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS CHAPTER IV

CONTENTS: Objectives Ways to improving relationship Issues that hinder relationship Tools for effective relationship

The best relationship is the one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

BUILDING SOCIAL RELATION SHIP Human being is essentially a social animal. Our first relationship starts at home. A good family leads to a good society and to a good nation. Therefore building strong relationships within the family as well as in the society is very important. Today the cause of several problems in the society is the weak bond of relationship. IMPROVING REALTIONSHIPS Trust Almost all relationships as parent/child/teacher/buyer/seller/are based on trust. A personal bond grows stronger only when there is mutual trust. Listen in a relationship there could be barriers as language and comprehension. A good listener can break these barriers, listening shows caring. When the other person feels he/she is being cared for he/she is motivated and becomes more receptive to your ideas. Avoid Arguments An argument is one thing you will never win .If you win you lose and if you lose you lose. The best way to avoid argument is to avoid it. An argument is an expression of temper whereas a discussion is an expression of logic. Develop a Sense of Humor A sense of humor makes a person likable and attractive. Humor helps one convey a serious message in a light manner, taking the sting out of the bite. Do not make Hasty Judgments Hasty and baseless judgment is the most dreadful enemy to relationship.

ISSUES THAT HINDER RELATIONSHIPS There are various issues and factors that hinder relationships, they are 1. Individualism and independence 2. Irresponsible behavior 3. Bad habits such as drinking and smoking 4. Not fulfilling certain obligations 5. Generation gap 6. Absence of appraisal 7. Peer group influence 15

8. Unhealthy competition TOOLS FOR EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIP Here are some tools to help you create the deep levels of authenticity found in power relationships.

Tool- 1. Relaxation The more comfortable you are around others, the more comfortable they will feel around you. It is natural human response to pull away from someone who appears nervous or uneasy. The best way to immediately build communication rapport is to smile and relax your body (and especially your face).This may seem simple, but is very important. A genuine smile presents an open door to communication. Tool -2. Power Listening Effective communication is far more than just talking the real key is effective listening. Power communicators focus on what the other person is saying, rather than worrying on how they will respond. If you have trouble communicating clearly with others, you may want to try the following communication power tool: Mirror their thoughts back to them, and ask them if you properly understood what they said. The simplest way to do is to paraphrase what they just said to you, and ask them if you properly understood what they meant. Tool 3. Provide Recognition Words either strengthen or weaken trust. It is not always possible to consider the impact of your emotions and words before you speak. In a tough emotion-packed situation, sometimes the best response is to hold your response for a few seconds (or minutes, if possible). One often overlooked, but extremely valuable power tool is the compliment. People are hungry for recognition. If you compliment someone for the intelligence and insights they've shared with you, you will encourage a relationship of mutual trust and respect. This is such a powerful tool it may amaze you. Tool 4. Provide Support The ultimate emotional support tool is empathy. Empathy is a foundation of power communication and simply involves seeing from another person's perspective, regardless of your own opinion or belief. Genuine feelings of empathy cement strong bonds of trust. Let people know that you respect them as a person. Offer understanding and encouragement in times of difficulty, and you will build even stronger bonds of trust. Tool 5. Authenticity

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Acting authentically with others basically involves acting with integrity. At its core, authenticity is simply acting in keeping with your own values. It means being truly honest with both yourself and others. In a power relationship authenticity is based on being yourself, and avoiding acts that create false appearances. You know how easy it is to spot someone that is putting on an act we all have this intuitive capability. Being authentic creates deep levels of mutual trust and true respect.

Tool 6. Acknowledge Generously Look for and acknowledge other peoples positive qualities. Appreciating their strengths and contributions builds strong bonds of trust. And remember to acknowledge your most important relationship - the relationship with yourself. Recognize your own qualities, and put them into action. Tool 7. Take Action Build a power relationship with your own self, and you will easily do so with others. Ask yourself: What thoughts and behaviors will attract the kind of relationships I desire? What one action can I take today to empower my current relationships?

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UNIT II
Personality Development
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Purpose and Philosophy of Life

Leadership Communication

PERSONALITY CHAPTER I
CONTENTS: Definition Characteristics Understanding human personality Steps to develop personality DEFINITION The dictionary defines personality as The quality or state of being a person 19

Personality is to a man what perfume is to a flower.

The complex of characteristics that distinguishes an individual The totality of an individuals behavior and emotional tendencies The organization of the individuals distinguishing character traits, attitudes or habits.

Personality is the combined total of all that an individual is and of everything that constitutes a persons physical, mental, emotional and temperamental make up. Personality in a simplified form of What a person really is Gordon Allport CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONALITY The main characteristic is Self consciousness. This social based trait centers around making continuous adjustments to environment and to ones inner life. The most commonly acknowledged dimensions of traits that constitute a persons personality are one: Appearance Intelligence Emotionality Sociability Submission Moral character Flexibility

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN PERSONALITY We can understand the human personality through Cross section of the human personality The behaviour level: - The outer most layer of our personality is the behavior layer. Ultimately, everything about us is seen by our behaviour. In one time acquaintance, one cannot judge a person. Therefore, behavior on the basis of one or two interactions cannot indicate the true personality. The feelings level: - Below the level of behavior is the level of feelings. Feelings are a very powerful part of human personality. Behavior can swing like a pendulum, dictated by feelings. The attitudinal level: - Attitude is the seat of decision-making. Ultimately, whether we let our feelings act upon our behavior or not depends upon our attitudes. Positive attitude changes our

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feelings and our behavior where as negative attitude produces the corresponding negative feelings and behavior. The value level: - The value level is made up of the basic scripting on our lives. The family upbringing, influence of our relatives and teachers, the word of God and our own exposure to various external and internal experiences in our lives determine our value system.

Values create attitudinal changes, attitudes change feelings and feelings ultimately affect our behavior. Therefore values ordained by God can bring about powerful changes in our personality. STEPS TO DEVELOP YOUR PERSONALITY Listen: Its possible to hear the words a person speaks without really listening to what He/she says. When someone has a problem, He/she needs someone to confide in, someone to understand. Develop the art of listening.

Don't jump to conclusions: You are not a mind reader. Try to think things out
before you judge a person. There is a big difference between imagination and reality.

Say "thanks: Everyone needs to know they are appreciated. When someone is kind to you or puts forth an effort to help you, say "thanks." Pray: You will encounter problems all your life, but do not let them get you down. Prayer fills one with humility and faith. It gives courage to go on. Prayer will help you live a happy, productive, loving life. Think: Take a "think break" every day. It is at such times that ideas are born. Ideas, when allowed to work, can change lives and accomplish much for God's kingdom. Pleasing Personality: Be kind, loving, caring, thoughtful, sympathetic, and positive to project self-image with confidence and firm in decision. A sunny nature with cheery heart leaves no room for gloom on ones face. Your attitude, behavior and manners project your inner self and win many hearts. Neat, clean, well dressed with maintained physique makes you confident, sure result oriented person. Cool disposition with maturity and sensitivity adds to charm and beauty in making an impressive personality. These qualities make you a different person - a cut above the others. Positive qualities once imbibed will inevitably become a part of ones nature. Cultivate a Smile: Be friendly and happy. A smile is the longest word in the world with a mile between the first and the last letter. The smile is the shortest distance between two people. People are more responsive to cheerful person. It enriches those who receive, create happiness in 21

homes, foster goodwill and business and is the countersign of friends. A smile reflects genuineness, a curved line that straightens up things right. It invites friendship, affection, and confidence and encourages the disheartened. A bubbling smile from the heart drives away balanced dark shadows to charm the sun again to brighten up the path to reach the goals. Give Honest Appreciation & Avoid Criticism: Appreciation is demanding to encourage enthusiasm in an individual. Every human craves for appreciation to develop his personality and possess the superior complex with lavish praise. Sincere appreciation and flattery are two different actions altogether. Appreciation means complimenting heartily to make a person feel important and raise his spirits whereas flattery is lame which a well aware persons heart fills with stubbornness, egoism and harsh reality puts either of the two involved in bitterness. Hence, appreciation with heart makes all the difference. Criticism in turn, wounds hearts, brings inferiority, discourages a person and leaves scars of despair. Tact should be implied instead of Criticism and all sarcastic remarks should be avoided to forego grudge. Tact: This is securely favoring position to make a person friendly. Avoid being irritated but firmly and kindly speak your say without entering into an argument. Be optimistic in views and avoid negative impacts of words. Voice Modulation: A persons voice reflects his personality. The way one feels, behaves, moods, attitudes are reflected through his voice. Soft, pleasant, husky voice with low pitch, not harsh, dull or lifeless, but bold, confident, clear, well pronounce play a vital role in self reflection. Mirror practice proves to be beneficial for better pronunciation and also find yourself in a corner of a room and repeat your name often till you find your voice clear, soft, but audible. Correct Posture: Stand erect with an authority with lifted face, chin forward and upward, face alert, shoulders straightened without standing stiff. Hand should not show signs of consciousness but either with fists closed, not clenched or easy with hands folded or at the back with slight one foot forward. Balanced in a natural looking way Tummy should be in and not get distracted and have presence of mind by avoiding all ways like scratching your nose, jingling keys or coins in pocket, rocking back & forth on your heels etc. Walk should be graceful with proper strides, easy, feet moving parallel to each other with arms swinging and shoulders relaxed. Palm should be towards the body. Sit erect with hands on your legs, with neat curves of your dress falling at your knees or feet together in a managed way. Be an Interesting Person: Be zestful in life and enjoy thoroughly. Be creative, pour new ideas and fill your life with Interest, hobbies, and ambitions, exhibit your talents. Develop your tastes, your positive 22

approach. Imbibe the habits of reading, music, creativity, walking, socializing and workaholics. This will widen your visions, improve on personal efficiency, concentration, and power of observation, optimistic and make you a lively person. Personality will widen your horizons with Happiness and is really the ability to strike a balance between an individual Lifestyle and art of living.

PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE CHAPTER II

CONTENTS: Introduction Learning the Purpose Driven Life Decision making skills Introspection Moralization of Desires Conclusion INTRODUCTION Life is the process of self-sustaining and self-generating action. Life requires action, and action requires values. Philosophy in general, and ethics in particular, attempt to answer the questions, "What do I do?" and "Why?. People study philosophy so they can know how to live their life. Hegel says in his Philosophy of Religion: Philosophy is not wisdom of the world, but is knowledge of what is not of the world; it is not knowledge which concerns external mass or empirical existence and life, but is knowledge of that which is eternal, of what God is, and what flows out of His nature. Philosophy is the search of reality. It is spiritual realization expressed in logical language, while passing through the mill of reason. It is the science of principles. All persons live in accordance with the philosophy of life that they have framed for themselves, consciously or unconsciously. Even the uneducated and the uncultured have a rough and ready philosophy of their own. Life without a philosophy is unimaginable. The purpose of life is to discover our potential so that it can be molded and channelized in such a way that it enables us to discover the goal of our life and make it meaningful. The meaning of life is to give life meaning. LEARNING THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE Is there a purpose of life? It is surprising that most of the people living on Earth pass their life without ever having a purpose in life. Every success 23

Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once. ~Lillian Dickson

in life demands a neatly defined purpose of life. And this purpose of life must be fixed in the earlier stages of life. You can start to find and develop your own purpose and intentions by stopping for a moment and asking yourself two questions: Why are we here? What is life all about? What is the meaning of it all? What is most important to me in my life? What are my deepest values and beliefs? By frequently reminding yourself of your purpose and intentions, you become more focused and effective in building a brighter future for yourself and for all around you. Bill Gates... the architect of the Microsoft Corporation and the developer of famous Windows program also had a fixed purpose in life. His teachers found him academically weak! Fearing he would bring a bad name to the institution... they turned him out of the so called place of wisdom! Destiny willed otherwise! Bill Gates pursued a goal of life dear to his heart. He fiddled with typewriters and gadgets which ultimately led him to develop computer skills which are unparalleled in the history of mankind. His famous Windows program now runs almost every computer in the world. Paulo Coelho is an award winning author who wrote the international bestselling novel The Alchemist. In this charming little book about purpose, a young shepherd boy searches to find treasure in his life. In it we are told: To realize ones destiny is a persons only obligation. What is your purpose for living? What is your obligation? Here are three simple strategies to get you going in the right direction: Strategy #1 Find your Inner voice: Find your inner voice. This strategy may sound simplistic, but for most it is quite difficult! In each of us, there is a small voice within that is connected to our purpose for living. But, this voice, most of the times, is drowned out by the static and noise of daily life. Of course, there is a lot to learn from others, but to find your purpose in your life, you must consult the only person that can give the advice you need and that, is YOU! Right now, you may not trust your voice. Have you become so overwhelmed with the opinions and statements and thoughts of others that you have literally lost the ability to hear your inner truth the voice of your purest self? Your inner voice wants to connect you to your purpose. Remember, your process of spiritual growth is your own responsibility not the responsibility of any other person. Activity: Find a way each day to be quiet on the inside. For now, take two minutes today and completely quiet everything inside you. All the voices and thoughts and distractions must go away. Do this and your 24

mind becomes clear the fog lifts briefly, and you will hear for perhaps the first time in a long time the REAL you. Strategy #2 Be a Jotter: Build and cultivate self-awareness. Become a jotter, a writer. Not necessarily a writer of books and novels, but simply journal messages from yourself to yourself. J.K. Rowling is a prolific note writer. In fact, she does what many people have done for millennium they have learned to listen to themselves through writing to themselves! Get things down on paper and then look through your notes; learn how to find purpose in life by writing and reading messages from yourself to yourself, each day! Journaling is a force of connection that will make your inner voice heard! Activity: Start by answering questions like, when I retire, what I want people to say at my retirement dinner? Or, what are some things I MUST accomplish before I pass on? Answers will come, and by and by you will start to pose and answer your own questions and ideas. Remember, the answers to your purpose MUST be within you because you are the only person that CAN have them! Strategy #3 Go and get it: Go and get it. You may ask, What? / should I go and get? Well, anything that feels right and qualifies under these five values such as honest, responsible, compassionate, fair, and respectful, hunt it. Activity: Take action. Learn about others. Learn about important ideas. Stay alert. Stay open to life. Dare to search and to find; dare to listen to find quiet in your day; dare to communicate with yourself; dare to learn and to grow. Sitting still does nothing for you. Take action to move forward. Facts to Remember: God has created you. You are not an accident. God has a Specific plan for you. You have a purpose in life. Always seek the will of God and pray for His guidance throughout the life.

DECISION MAKING SKILLS Decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision maker. There are several important factors that influence decision making. Significant factors include past experiences, a variety of cognitive biases, an escalation of commitment and sunk outcomes, individual differences, including age and socioeconomic status, and a belief in personal 25

relevance. These things impact the decision making process and the decisions are made through the thought process of selecting a logical choice from the available options. When trying to make a good decision, a person must weigh the positives and negatives of each option, and consider all the alternatives. For effective decision making, a person must be able to forecast the outcome of each option as well, and based on all these items, determine which option is the best for that particular situation. As defined by Baker et al in their 2001 study, efficient decision-making involves a series of steps that require the input of information at different stages of the process, as well as a process for feedback. We use our decision making skills to solve problems by selecting one course of action from several possible alternatives. Decision making skills are also a key component of time management skills. Decision Levels We all recognize that some decisions are more important than others, whether in their immediate impact or long term significance. As a means of understanding the significance of a decision so that we can know how much time and resources to spend on it, three levels of decision have been identified: 1. Strategic -'What?' Strategic decisions are the highest level. Here a decision concerns general direction, long term goals, philosophies and values. These decisions are the least structured and most imaginative; they are the most risky and of the most uncertain outcome, partly because they reach so far into the future and partly because they are of such importance. For example: Decisions about what to do with your life, what to learn, or what methods to use to gain knowledge (travel, work, and school) would be strategic. Whether to produce a low priced product and gain market share or produce a high priced product for a niche market would be a strategic decision.

2. Tactical - 'How?' Tactical decisions support strategic decisions. They tend to be medium range, medium significance, with moderate consequences. For example: If your strategic decision were to become a forest ranger, a tactical decision would include where to go to school and 26

what books to read. Or if your company decided to produce a low priced product, a tactical decision might be to build a new factory to produce them at a low manufacturing cost. 3. Operational - 'How will we deploy resources?'

These are every day decisions, used to support tactical decisions. They are often made with little thought and are structured. Their impact is immediate, short term, short range, and usually low cost. Operational decisions determine how activities actually get done. They are the 'grass roots' decisions about who is going to do what and when. For example: If your tactical decision is to read some books on forestry, your operational decision would involve where to shop for the books. You might have a personal policy of shopping for books at a certain store or two. Thus, the operational decision is highly structured: An important comment should be made here. Issues should be examined and decisions should be made at all of these levels. If you discover that nearly all of your thinking and decision making is taking place at the operational level, then you are probably not doing enough strategic thinking and planning. As a result you will lead a reactive life, responding only to the forces around you and never getting control of your life, your direction or your goals. A significant part of decision making skills is in knowing and practicing good decision making techniques. One of the most practical decision making techniques can be summarized in those simple decision making steps: Identify the purpose of your decision. What is exactly the problem to be solved? Why it should be solved? Gather information. What factors does the problem involve? Identify the principles to judge the alternatives. What standards and judgment criteria should the solution meet? Brainstorm and list different possible choices. Generate ideas for possible solutions. Evaluate each choice in terms of its consequences. Use your standards and judgment criteria to determine the cons and pros of each alternative. Determine the best alternative. This is much easier after you go through the above preparation steps. Put the decision into action. Transform your decision into specific plan of action steps. Execute your plan.

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Evaluate the outcome of your decision and action steps. What lessons can be learnt? This is an important step for further development of your decision making skills and judgment.

In everyday life we often have to make decisions fast, without enough time to systematically go through the above action and thinking steps. In such situations the most effective decision making strategy is to keep an eye on your goals and then let your intuition suggest you the right choice. INTROSPECTION I AM NEW Approach Life is Action, action and actions only. When the actions are not there then the living stops. Therefore life is the total sum of our actions from birth till death. Our actions have three major components, namely Thinking, Talking and Doing. Our actions are always based on the expectations of the results that it would produce. The results we expect are the ones that would make us Happy. Sometimes it may not happen the way we expect and therefore we analyze what happened and try to make some changes or improvements next time when we take the same action. This called the smart way of living with new approaches in life to make it better and interesting. For this we must know where we are now and then where we need to go. Our directions and actions must be clear to take us where we want to go. Such an approach is called Introspection or Self Analysis, so that we are clear in what we must do. This is called as I AM NEW approach. Each letter stands for a particular learning practice for bringing the change in us. The proof of the pudding is in the eating so also the proof of this approach is in it practice. Just knowledge alone will not help, practice leads to perfect. I - Introspection A - Analysis of Thoughts M - Moralization of Desires N - Neutralization of Anger E - Eradication of Worries W - Who am I?

An unexamined life is not worth living. - Socrates

Introspection Introspection is the self-observation and reporting of conscious inner thoughts, desires and sensations. It is a conscious and purposive process relying on thinking, reasoning, and examining one's own thoughts, feelings, and, in more spiritual cases, one's soul. It can also be called contemplation of one's self. It is used greatly as a spiritual examination. It is the process of analyzing and getting a total understanding of oneself. Introspection is a practical methodology for sublimating the negative emotions of greed, anger, vengeance, etc Introspection may be used synonymously with human self-reflection. Human self-reflection is the capacity of humans to exercise introspection 28

and the willingness to learn more about our fundamental nature, purpose and essence. Benefits of Introspection: Introspection will make a man to understand the value of his own existence. By constant research and by leading a virtuous way of life, one can dissipate the imprints of sins day by day. As a result, the soul becomes pure and perfect and his mind is peaceful. 1. By exposition and practical techniques of introspection, one is enabled to suitably modify his or her hereditary and past traits. 2. One is able to change one's personality and bring out the hidden talent and innate strength resulting in cheerful and successful life. 3. The process of analyzing and getting a total understanding of oneself. A systematic practice to get this understanding and to lead a life without causing pain to self and others. ANALYSIS OF THOUGHTS Living is action and action is based on Thoughts. "Thought" generally refers to any mental or intellectual activity involving an individual's subjective consciousness. It can refer either to the act of thinking or the resulting ideas or arrangements of ideas. For Happy Living - Understand/ Analyze thoughts. As you sow so you reap, every thought results in action. Constructive thoughts produce constructive results. Thoughts, Originate from Mind, as Mind is build up of past/present experiences and future expectations. Thought Steps Action Habit Character Personality.

Watch the flow of thoughts Catch any one thought Identify its root cause Assess consequences (Positive or Negative) Positive; Beneficial to self & others Negative; Painful & Damaging Strengthen positive thoughts for fructification Eliminate negative thoughts at the outset Practice to develop awareness on Thought Process Cultivate positive thought process

MORALIZATION OF DESIRES Countless desires arise in us during our life-time but all of them are not fulfilled. In the result, we feel disappointed, frustrated and miserable. Why should this be so? The main cause of 29

Develop asking question whether it is my Need or Want?

misery is that mind travels fast and far and the physical body is not able to keep pace with it. The obvious solution is for the mind to get adjusted to the pace, necessity and welfare of the body. Absence of this cooperation between mind and body leads to most of the troubles in life. Therefore, the process of moralization of desires is a must for all people who want to lead a qualitatively better, prosperous, healthy, and peaceful life. Desire is after all a thought and so whenever a desire arises, one has to first understand: What is the root of the thought? Whether this desire is good? Without this enjoyment or desired thing, can I not live? What will be the result if I achieve the desired thing or enjoyment? If I can live without such enjoyment or thing, why should I unnecessarily create an involvement? List out desires in quietness -Shortlist by Assessing Ask questions like - Is it essential? - Cannot manage without it? - What are the Positive consequential effects? - What are Benefits to self / others?

With these questions, every desire should be introspected. If the desired thing is necessary for life and is assessed to be good, then we have to expand our introspection to find out what is the method of planning and achievement. (1) The desire, (2) Plan, (3) Approach, (4) Achievement, (5) Enjoyment and (6) The assessment of the benefits - all six should go in line and in coordination with one another. Suppose you desire a particular thing. You conclude the desire is good by introspection. Then you have to think about other aspects regarding the desire such as ability, environmental opportunity and the sentimental feelings of others. In case your ability is not equal to the task of getting the desire fulfilled, you have to first devise a method for improving your ability. Then only there will be no conflict between the desire and the achievement. This kind of introspection will make the mind calm, relaxed, lighter and more peaceful NEUTRALIZATION OF ANGER Anger is a negative emotion that indicates inability to overcome obstacles in our path. It requires extra energy to overcome which the body cannot withstand. When in Anger:- Eyes get congested, Blood pressure shoots up, Strained nerves- Body, limbs, legs, speech tremble, Forget oneself, Life energy zapped out, Susceptible for Illness, Mind 30

registers a harmful habit, Hated by family / others. Therefore Anger is not to be suppressed as it leads to stress / vengeance. Hence it has to be neutralized. Neutralization of Anger Process 1. Write down names of persons on whom anger is shown. 2. Prioritize names depending upon the degree and frequency of anger. 3. Take the first name and analyze - Relationship - Reason to the core - Who is responsible? - My mistake, how much? - What efforts are taken to correct? - Did Anger remove the mistake? - Benefits / damage by this anger. - Contemplate on the efforts to correct mistakes. 4. Take following angry neutralization resolution and repeat every day by-heart morning and evening 10 times. I shall not be angry with this person in future whenever I contact him/her. I shall always be aware not to get emotional. I shall protect my wisdom without getting angry. 5. Meet that person with the above Awareness. 6. Practice for a week and check results. ERADICATION OF WORRIES Worry is a form of thinking that can be stressful if taken to extremes. Key features of worry are that it is repetitive and non-productive. When we are worrying, we are thinking about something over and over again but do not resolve the situation or arrive at a solution to the problem. When we continually think about the exam that will be given next week and imagine many distressing outcomes yet do not study or do something to release the tension, we are worrying. Worry bothers almost everyone periodically. Whenever you are facing problems, your mind will be addressing them and trying to figure out what to do. The mind is a remarkable instrument, able to call back past memories and to picture possible future events. Worry occurs when there is, difference between Expectation and Reality, Helplessness to achieve the goal, Poverty, Disease, Debts, Difference of opinion , Greed, Jealousy, Inefficiency, Fear of Losing-Wealth, Prestige, Influence, Death of dear ones, etc Worry is a problem; it should be completely eradicated as it eventually kills as a slow poison. Hence need to be solved and not to be worried about. Eradication Process 1. Worry / problems are part of life. Accept them and Act to resolve. 31

2. Set-apart half-an-hour. Sit in solitude with a pen and paper, at hand. Write down your worries Compile, Serialize and analyze them. 3. Observe Your Worries and Catch It Early 4. Face and endure: There is no point in worrying over spilt milk. Do something about it instead of keeping on worrying about it. 5. Track the outcome of Your Worries and draw up a well thought out action plan on time scale and actively follow through. 6. Ignore the rumors and insults passed on through someone. 7. Shift your focus of attention away from your worry. Practice "Thought Stopping" telling yourself to STOP your current thought and shift your focus to another more pleasing thought (a day at the beach.) 8. Learn physical and mental relaxation through techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation (God/Scriptures). 9. Avoid emotional quick solutions, as it would lead to more problems. 10. Seek Professional Help. WHO AM I If you know the Car, you drive the car better. If you know yourself, will you not drive yourself better? Man Lives in The World. World Lives in the Universe. Universe Live in??? I Lives in Man/World/Universe? Man Identifies: Others (easily) by Body, Name, Birth place, Parents, Profession, Achievements etc., Himself (uneasily) by - Self Assessment, Development of Consciousness, Self Realization. For Oscar Wilde, an Irish writer and poet, the aim of life is self-development, to realize one's nature perfectly. In order to live a meaningful life one must realize the self .Selfrealization is to know and experience directly who you really are! True permanent happiness is attained by discovering the real eternal nature of "Who am I". In a very simple term the Self-Realization is like returning of man to his real Home which is full of harmony, balance, equanimity, Peacefulness. It is establishing of oneself in ones true nature, which is not outside but inside the man. Determination and self-reliance are very necessary for success in Self- realization. It is a state of freedom (liberation) It is a freedom not simply to do but to be free from ego and attachments to selfish things. It is a calm, stress free, quiet and balanced mental state. The more you know yourself better, the more your life is focused. This realization starts from within which leads to holistic development and transformation. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What youll discover will be wonderful. What youll discover is yourself. ~ Alan Alda Activity: Genuinely write down your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, your achievements and failures, your goal and vision. Now analyze yourself and see where do I stand? Who am I? What do I need to correct myself?

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CONCLUSION Life becomes meaningful when we have some goal, we work for an objective, and we strive to reach some destination. Renewal is a continuous process of change and growth. Those who want better results today needs to change. Changing oneself starts from within. For such changes one need to introspect. Introspection begins with the stream lining of thoughts. To live a life successfully and happily, one must learn which values to hold and how to achieve them. He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. "The secret of success is constancy to purpose." -Benjamin Disraeli
(British Prime Minister)

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LEADERSHIP CHAPTER III

CONTENTS: Definition Meaning Models Principles Importance Techniques Qualities Conclusion DEFINITION Leadership has played an important role in the human history since earliest times. The historians have glorified heroes in battle and valued the importance of their deeds for the future generations. The roles of politicians, statesman and emperors in the development of empires, territories and nations have received considerable attention in the imperial history. In the modern society too, there is a great emphasis on leadership. There is a continual search for men with leadership qualities. The present day crisis in India is the crisis of leadership, which can give new dimensions to the peoples zeal in accordance with the concepts of democracy and socialism. MEANING: Leadership is a relationship of an individual to a group established in the interest of achieving some goal. Often it emerges according to the needs and situation. (Or) Leadership is a natural phenomenon in a group life, a dynamic process that emerges of the relationship among the individual. MODELS OF LEADERSHIP: Autocratic leadership This is a powerful, aggressive and one way leadership, where the leadership is a dominating personality Democratic leadership A majority accepts the leadership. It is consultative, delegating and there is two-way leadership where there is active participation of the leader and his members. Formal leadership The leader is officially elected, and holding a well defined position Informal leaders ship Though the leadership is not formal yet the leader is influenced by his behavior Popular leadership The leader is a famous personality and he has the ability to mobilize people 34

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.

Task leadership The leadership is of executive types, any task given to him will be done in a perfect way. Banyan tree leadership The leader is all providing, highly dominating, and very benevolent and does not allow anything to grow under it.

SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP 1. PRINCIPLE OF FOLLOWING: You cannot be a leader, and ask other people to follow you, unless you know how to follow, too." Have you ever told someone to do something that you would never do yourself? Gandhi hasnt: A woman once came to Gandhi and asked him to please tell her son to give up eating sugar. Gandhi asked the woman to bring the boy back in a week. Exactly one week later the woman returned, and Gandhi said to the boy, Please give up eating sugar. The woman thanked the Mahatma, and, as she turned to go, asked him why he had not said those words a week ago.Gandhi replied, Because a week ago, I had not given up eating sugar. The message from this story is quite simple, practice what you preach. Leaders recognize the need to attract followers. To follow, people must feel confidence in the direction in which the leader is headed. They are enabled and empowered to do their part in accomplishing the stated objectives. Further, people follow leader who are accountable and trustworthy. If progress towards accomplishing the goals ceases, the leader takes responsibility to analyze the problem he doesnt search for people to blame. So people can have confidence that their efforts wont be punished if they take reasonable and responsible risks. Followers need to believe that, at the end of the journey, they will be recognized and rewarded for their contribution. The leader must help followers answer the question, Whats in it for me? Successful leaders are honest about the potential risks inherent in the chosen path. They communicate, not just the overall direction, but any information followers need to successfully and skillfully carry out their responsibilities. 2. PRINCIPLE OF VISION: "The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It's got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion.

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Leaders have vision. They share a dream and direction that other people want to share and follow. The leadership vision goes beyond your written organizational mission statement and your vision statement. The vision of leadership permeates the workplace and is manifested in the actions, beliefs, values and goals of your organizations leaders. The leadership vision is powerful because the senior managers and leaders believe in the vision and mission. Not just a statement hanging on a wall, the leadership vision is even more powerful because people live the leadership vision every single day at work. Leadership vision is about being out in front of people, leading the way, showing them where to go and how to get there. Its about paying attention to subtle signs of problems, new patterns forming or challenges that followers may not yet be aware of. Congress says that India sees in Rahul Gandhi a leader with a vision for the country and its people. "Rahulji has set out to correct all that he perceives wrong in the party and given time, he is sure to succeed," the latest issue of 'Congress Sandesh' says. Rahul is a "man of few words", the journal says that "he is honest and forthright and does not mince his words. His speeches convey his sincerity in leading the party in 21st century. 3. PRINCIPLE OF LOVE: Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Mother Teresa is among the most fascinating and highly respected women of the twentieth century. She was a woman who saved lives and changed them through the sheer force of her faith and determination. Mother Teresa was devoted to be love in action on earth. In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. She and her fellow nuns took in dying Indians off the streets of Calcutta and brought them to this home to care for them during the days before they died, so that they might be able to die in peace and with dignity. In serving the people abandoned by society, Mother Teresa put love into action. Her spirit of giving inspired many to follow her, and her work eventually expanded to many other parts of the world. Today over 5000 sisters, brothers, and volunteers run approximately 500 centers worldwide, feeding 500,000 families and helping 90,000 lepers every year An inspiring thought says if you dont love the people you lead, youll never be a great leader. Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute Manager, but one of the key beliefs for effective leadership is to be madly in love with all the people you are leading. To lead effectively, you have to love people. Love is knowing and caring about what motivates people and what is important to them, and helping them fulfill those aspirations at work. This is a foundation of leadership. Sharing 36

knowledge, looking after employees wellbeing, giving people time and attention, respecting and acknowledging the contribution of others, all are important aspects of good leadership. 4. PRINCIPLE OF HUMILITY: To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them. For a man who spent most of his life in 10-feet wide and 12-feet long room filled with books, papers and borrowed furniture, its been a long journey to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This is why President APJ Abdul Kalams message of being a role model for the less privileged, cuts so deep and sounds so credible. Humility of the man, who has achieved so much, is unmistakably his hallmark. There has never been a hint of arrogance in his 75-long years in which he taught his disciples like a true guru and cracked the atomic code to blunt the enemys threat. His life-message is unique and inspiring, in particular for those who are groping to reach somewhere in life and discover a meaning. There is an end for everybody, but he has already left behind much to live forever as the one the greatest Indian scientists and the most humble Rashtrapati. Humility is to remove the status and personal gains from what a leader does and begins to look only at accomplishments in the lives of those who follow. Any accomplishment or changes come about through those we lead and without them. Its about recognizing and taking a far step away from any ego and closer to a compassionate and genuine concern to make others around better and able to do more. That is humble leadership. Learning to be more humble requires great attention and a change in your character traits to relate more closely to human relationships and lasting endeavors in life that includes others. Humility is all about maintaining our pride about who we are, about our achievements, about our worth - but without arrogance.

5. PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY: Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist. In his law practice Abraham Lincoln was noted for unshakeable honesty. It was a case in which he was for the defendant. Satisfied of his clients innocence, it depended mainly on one witness. That witness told on the stand under oath what Abraham knew to be a lie, and no one else knew. When he arose to plead the case, he said: Gentlemen, I depended on this witness to clear my client. He has lied. I ask that no attention be paid to his testimony. Let his words be stricken out, if my case fails. I do not wish to win in this way. 37

In managing the country store, as in everything that he undertook for others, Lincoln did his very best. He was honest, civil, and ready to do anything that should encourage customers to come to the place, full of pleasantries, patient, and alert. On one occasion, finding late at night, when he counted over his cash, that he had taken a few cents from a customer more than was due, he closed the store, and walked a long distance to make good the deficiency. People want to follow an honest leader. One of the most frequent places where leaders miss an opportunity to display honesty is in handling mistakes. Much of a leaders job is to try new things and refine the ideas that dont work. However, many leaders want to avoid failure to the extent that they dont admit when something did not work. . As a leader, showing people that one is honest even when it means admitting to a mistake, displays a key trait that people are looking for in their leaders. People will trust someone who actively displays honesty not just as an honest individual, but as someone who is worth following. 6. PRINCIPLE OF ENERGY: Leaders are not born. They are made. They are made just like anything else. . . through hard work. That's the price we have to pay to achieve that goal or any goal. Thomas Edison was known to sit for hours thinking of ways to make his inventions work. He remained persistent, even after many failed attempts, because he never ran out of idea. When most of us try to solve a problem we come up with the requisite 2 or 3 alternative solutions. If all three don't work, we give up. Thomas Edison didn't stop at 3 alternatives, or 4 or 5 or 10,000. Edison had persistence because he kept filling his idea so that it was never empty. Louis Pasteur said, "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity." Thomas Edison is a perfect example of a person with energy. When he reached experiment 9,999 he was asked by a reporter, "Sir, are you going to fail 10,000 times?" Edison confidently replied, "I have not failed at each attempt; rather I've succeeded at discovering another way not to invent an electric lamp." Leadership is about leading and driving change fearlessly. One develops these qualities if he or she is not concerned about personal benefit from change, but is instead driven by the desire to ensure that the change benefits a larger section of the population. Leaders should have vision and the ability to transform that vision into reality. This requires experience, creative thinking and skills of persuasion. Employees want their leaders to be energy givers rather than energy suckers! Leaders have to develop the art of being on all the time. 7. PRINCIPLE OF OPPORTUNITY: 38

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. Iced tea is a popular drink in the United States. Surveys have shown that around 2.2 billion gallons of tea are consumed in the USA every year, and at least 85 percent of the total is iced. Iced tea was first introduced at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. A man by the name of Richard Blechynden, who was the Commissioner of Tea for India, was also the director of the East Indian Pavilion. At the fair Mr. Blechynden had prepared samples of hot tea for fairgoers, and noticed that no one was taking advantage of them, as it was an unseasonably hot day and everyone was going for the coldest beverages they could find. He had the idea of icing down his hot mixture, and presented it to the public that way. The crowd loved it and word spread of this delicious way to enjoy a healthy drink. Life sometimes throws at us unexpected challenges that we find it difficult to foresee and take steps to prevent or avoid it all together. Nevertheless these unexpected turn of events offers us new opportunities that we would never have realized unless we face these challenges objectively. Albert Einstein once said: "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity". This rather simplistic observation has an iota of truth in that it is only when we are faced with difficult situations and conditions that we make a concerted effort to come up with some form of winning strategies to overcome these. There are many people who believe that opportunity might someday knock on their door and when it happens they prepare themselves to open it. However some of these people have to wait a very long time for this to happen and for others they wait fruitlessly. The truth of the matter is that opportunity is something that you have to seek and possibly capture it to put it to your use. IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP: Leadership is an important factor for making an organization successful Without an efficient leadership the organization cannot function efficiently and effectively. Organization is basically a deliberate creation of human beings for certain specific objective, to fulfill the objectives effective leadership is essential. Activities of the members should be directed in a certain way. Deviation from this way leads to the inefficiency of the organization. The members motivation is an important factor for work performance and an effective leader motivates his members. Creating confidence is done by directing them, giving advice and getting results through them.Building morale is the building of attitude of members towards the organization for high productivity and stability in the organization. TECHNIQUES OF LEADERSHIP: 1. Authoritarian Technique: In this technique there is greater dependency on the leader, there is marked inter-member irritability 39

and aggressiveness, low frequencies of suggestions for group action and group policy, dissatisfaction with group activities and low quality of productivity. 2. Democratic Technique: The leader encourages participation by members in deciding group matters and behaves in a friendly, helpful manner to the members giving technical assistance and suggesting alternative procedures. 3. Laissez-faire Technique: The leader allows complete freedom for decisions and activity keeping his own initiative and suggestions to a minimum. There is low incidence of inter-member irritability and aggressiveness; there is great satisfaction with group activities and an intermediate quality of production of high quality.

COMMUNICATION CHAPTER IV
CONTENTS: Introduction Objectives Principles Factors Characteristics Selecting best communication method INTRODUCTION Interpersonal communication is the foundation of human interaction. Its importance for innovation and change can hardly be overemphasized. In this section, communication from different viewpoints including listening and speaking is explained. OBJECTIVES

The basic building block of good communications is the feeling that every human being is unique and of value.

To introduce communication and to demonstrate the importance of communication in a variety of contexts including that of the manager of innovation and change. To evaluate and discuss the characteristics of good communication and how to improve our communication.

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any number of channels. Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic principles apply:

Know your audience. Know your purpose. Know your topic. 40

Anticipate objections. Present a rounded picture. Achieve credibility with your audience. Follow through on what you say. Communicate a little at a time. Present information in several ways. Develop a practical, useful way to get feedback. Use multiple communication techniques.

Communication is complex. When listening to or reading someone else's message, we often filter what's being said through a screen of our own opinions. One of the major barriers to communication is our own ideas and opinions. There's an old communications game, telegraph, that's played in a circle. A message is whispered around from person to person. What the exercise usually proves is how profoundly the message changes as it passes through the distortion of each person's inner "filter."

Environmental factors Communication can be influenced by environmental factors that have nothing to do with the content of the message. Some of these factors are:

The nature of the room, how warm it is, smoke, comfort of the chair, etc Outside distractions, what is going on in the area? The reputation/credibility of the speaker/writer. The appearance, style or authority of the speaker. Listeners education, knowledge of the topic, etc. The languages, page layout, design of the message.

PEOPLE REMEMBER:

10% of what they read 20% of what they hear 30% of what they see 40% of what they hear and see

CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATION Feedback (Listening) Getting and giving feedback is one of the most crucial parts of good communication. Like any other activity, there are specific skills that can enhance feedback. Listening is a key part of getting feedback: Listen to the Complete Message. Be patient. This is especially important when listening to a topic that provokes strong opinions or radically different points-of-view. In these situations, it's important not 41

to prejudge the incoming message. Learn not to get too excited about a communication until you are certain of the message. Work at Listening Skills. Listening is hard work. Good listeners demonstrate interest and alertness. They indicate through their eye contact, posture and facial expression that the occasion and the speaker's efforts are a matter of concern to them. Most good listeners provide speakers with clear and unambiguous feedback. Judge the Content, Not the Form of the Message. Such things as the speaker's mode of dress, quality of voice, delivery mannerisms and physical characteristics are often used as excuses for not listening. Direct your attention to the message--what is being said--and away from the distracting elements. Weigh Emotionally Charged Language. Emotionally charged language often stands in the way of effective listening. Filter out "red flag" words (like "liberal" and "conservative," for instance) and the emotions they call up. Specific suggestions for dealing with emotionally charged words include

Take time to identify those words that affect you emotionally. Attempt to analyze why the words affect you the way they do. Work at trying to reduce the impact of these words on you.

Eliminate Distractions. Physical distractions and complications seriously impair listening. These distractions may take many forms: loud noises, stuffy rooms, overcrowded conditions, uncomfortable temperature, bad lighting, etc. Good listeners speak up if the room is too warm, too noisy, or too dark. There are also internal distractions: worries about deadlines or problems of any type may make listening difficult. If you're distracted, make an effort to clear your head. If you can't manage it, arrange to communicate at some other time. Think Efficiently and Critically. On the average, we speak at a rate of 100 to 200 words per minute. However, we think at a much faster rate, anywhere from 400 to 600 words per minute. What do we do with this excess thinking time while listening to someone speaks? One technique is to apply this spare time to analyzing what is being said. They critically review the material by asking the following kinds of questions:

What is being said to support the speaker's point of view? (Evidence) What assumptions are being made by the speaker and the listener? (Assumptions) How does this information affect me? (Effect) Can this material be organized more efficiently? (Structure) 42

Are there examples that would better illustrate what is being said? (Example) What are the main points of the message? (Summary)

Sending Messages Messages should be clear and accurate, and sent in a way that encourages retention, not rejection

Use Verbal Feedback Even If Nonverbal Is Positive And Frequent. Everyone needs reassurance that they are reading nonverbal communication correctly, whether a smile means "You're doing great," "You're doing better than most beginners," or "You'll catch on eventually." Focus Feedback on Behavior Rather Than On Personality. It's better to comment on specific behavior than to characterize a pattern of behavior. For example, instead of calling a colleague inefficient, specify your complaint: "You don't return phone calls; this causes problems both in and outside your office." Focus Feedback on Description Rather Than Judgment. Description tells what happened. Judgment evaluates what happened. For example, in evaluating a report doesnt say, "This is a lousy report!!" Instead, try: "The report doesn't focus on the information that I think needs emphasis," or "This report seems to have a lot of grammatical and spelling mistakes." Make Feedback Specific Rather Than General. If feedback is specific, the receiver knows what activity to continue or change. When feedback is general, the receiver doesn't know what to do differently. For example, in an office situation, instead of saying "These folders are not arranged correctly," it's better feedback to say, "These should be arranged chronologically instead of alphabetically." In Giving Feedback, Consider the Needs and Abilities of the Receiver. Give the amount of information the receiver can use and focus feedback on activities the receiver has control over. It's fruitless to criticize the level of activity, if the decision to grant the necessary monies for materials, personnel or technology is made at a different level. Check to See if the Receiver Heard What You Meant to Say. If the information is important enough to send, make sure the person understands it. One way of doing this is to say, "I'm wondering if I said that clearly enough. What did you understand me to say?" or "This is what I hear you saying. Is that right?"

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UNIT III
Foundation for success
Emotions detrimental to personal growth

Attitude Self-Esteem
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FOUNDATION CHAPTER I

FOR

SUCCESS

CONTENTS: Definition Meaning Objectives Obstacles Dealing with obstacles Principles Steps to develop success

Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
Herman Cain

Introduction A precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon, or being awarded a Nobel Prize? What else? Personal success could be anything at all; it does not have to involve public recognition. Who is more successful? A millionaire who is unhappy or an unnoticed person who has led a simple, happy life? The simplest definition of success is 'to set out to do something and to succeed in doing it'. It really doesn't matter what, or how humble the undertaking is. Success means different things to every one of us. Some people believe it is measured in financial terms, i.e. having wealth; others believe it is helping others rather than helping them. Success is such a personal thing. For many, it is the very root of their being, the reason for existing is to achieve something worthwhile in our lives. To the vast majority of the population it doesn't matter much whether they want to be successful or not. Definition of Success Here are some of the dictionary's way of defining success: "degree or measure of succeeding", "favorable or desired outcome", "the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence", "the achievement of something desired'. 45

The Meaning of Success 1. To seek out and nurture the best in others. 2. To give the gift of you to others without any expectation in return, for it is in giving than we receive. 3. To have accomplished a task, whether it is saving a lost soul, healing a sick child, writing a book, or risking your life for a friend. 4. To have celebrated and laughed with great joy and enthusiasm and sung with exaltation. 5. To have hope even in times of despair, for as long as you have hope, you have life. 6. To be understood and to understand. Objectives To promote a greater clarity, focus, and awareness. So you make better choices. To find new solutions to your challenges and concerns. So you get unstuck and move ahead. To create and maintain a better balance and greater satisfaction in your life from among all the opportunities you have available to you. So you attain fulfillment in all areas of your life.

To clarify your goals, desires, hopes, dreams and needs to produce more fulfilling results. So you have the best that life offers. To help you find new ways to cope more effectively with the stress in your life, so that it doesn't get the better of you.

To help you to develop the resources you need to manage your responsibilities more comfortably. OBSTACLES FOR SUCCESS: barriers, external and internal. External barriers Health or physical limitations Location (you can't move from your current location for work or educational opportunities, or your spouse may have a job which requires frequent moves) Other duties, responsibilities, or priorities (affecting the hours you can work or the amount of time and energy you have available) Racism, ageism, sexism (you fall into a group which encounters prejudice from some people; and there may be subtle or not-so-subtle pressures not to take up certain kinds of careers) Lack of money (for returning to school, starting a business, or pursuing a similar goal) 46 There are two common types of

 Lack of support, moral and practical, from significant others, especially family Internal barriers Fear (more common than you think!) Low self-esteem Negative attitudes and/or interpersonal behavior Lack of required skills, experience, and/or education Lack of aptitude in certain areas Lack of knowledge (the "how-to" of reaching a goal) Procrastination

HOW TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES: Whether internal or external, there are things you can do to overcome most of these obstacles: Target your barriers The first step to overcoming your barriers is to identify them. See if you can put the barriers in order of most significance, with the ones that have the most impact on you first. Next, pick up to three barriers that you'd like to address. Start with an obstacle that seems easier to overcome.

Expect Success The first thing you need to do is to change your mind set to that of a successful person. This means that you should begin to expect to achieve things in your life. You deserve success, and you need to remind yourself of this fact every day. Not only do you deserve it, but you are, in fact, entitled to it, and it is coming your way--it is only a matter of time! If you convince yourself of this, it will be nearly impossible for you to fail. Success is a way of thinking, acting, planning and doing that changes everything. The ultimate objective of success is to deliver great value.

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Principles for a Successful Life A successful life is a satisfying life. It is one where you are healthy, happy and fulfilled in your existence. Most people would like to lead such a life, but many think it is not easy to do. In fact, it is not that difficult. Much of what happens to you in your life is a result of your philosophy or way of thinking and the principles you follow, as well as your attitude toward things. Road to Success

Spend time in prayer and meditation

If you don't have any set goals / objectives... or even if there's no clear purpose in your life then CREATE IT! Outline Priorities in your life and create a List of GOALS and Objectives Envision the END POINT of Success for each Goal (where you want to be) Sell yourself on the purpose and Course of action (plan) for Each Goal. Decide what steps are needed to get you from here to there. Get Motivated Inspire yourself by envisioning a sense of Accomplishment Surround yourself with POSITIVE, Motivated, Successful individuals Learn from and emulate those that have succeeded in these endeavors Commit to and believe in yourself and your viability of Success. Visualize yourself achieving the end point Successfully reinforcing a positive outlook. Stay Focused... block out any external distractions. Use all the resources at your disposal delegate if possible. Commit to doing whatever it takes to reach our Milestones along the critical path to success. Maintain and grow the confidence within yourself with each accomplishment. Time is one of your most precious assets use it wisely. 48

Success "BREEDS" Success!

EMOTIONS DETRIMENTAL TO PERSONAL GROWTH CHAPTER II ANGER

CONTENTS: Definition Causes of anger Understanding anger behavior Dealing with anger

When anger raises think of the consequences.

DEFINITION Anger is a powerful emotion, and one that can inflict lasting hurt on each of us and on others if we don't control it. If our anger doesn't inspire us to seek the will of God, it's just wasted time and energy. Anger is an intense but normal feeling that we all experience and it's no better or worse than any other emotion like happiness or sadness. CAUSES OF ANGER All sorts of things can trigger our anger. Sometimes the emotion is appropriate, such as when it is directed at crime, or at hypocrisy, evil or sin. But often - much more often than we probably care to admit - our anger is considerably less noble. When, for example, we rage at the car that cut us off in traffic, or at our slow internet connections, or at the coworker who doesn't seem to be pulling in the same direction as the rest of the team, or at the boss who just doesn't seem to understand. These are all signs of inappropriate expressions of anger. COMMON FACTORS THAT CAN LEAD TO ANGER External Triggers: These are the things that are done to us. Like someone lying or putting you down. Internal Triggers: These are the messages we give ourselves, called self-talk, that gets us all worked up. Sometimes it is based on assumptions or incorrect information. Frustration - It results when a persons progress toward the attainment of a goal is blocked or interrupted. The intensity of frustration depends on the importance of the goal, the size of the obstacles, and the duration of the frustration. Alienation It refers to any indication of rejection or isolation from a group or from your friends. Such isolation brings not only feelings of loneliness, but deeply felt questions about ones own identity. 49

Hurt or threat of hurt Anger also arises as a reaction to physical or emotional hurt. When one is insulted, made fun of, humiliated, ignored or threatened, the offended party will often respond with anger, whether it is expressed or not. Injustice Whether done to oneself, to a peer or even to the total stranger, perceptions of injustice can make one angry. Fear Fear may also prompt anger. Fear of not making the team, fear of flunking, fear of what others may say, fear of being embarrassed; all kinds of fear may lead to anger. Learned response A person may learn inappropriate ways of handling and expressing anger from their parents or others in the family or society.

Understanding Angry Behaviors THREE Choices Consider the consequences of each... 1. AGGRESSIVE: Anger is expressed overtly to hurt others physically, emotionally or psychologically. 2. PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE: Anger is repressed by internalizing and denying. 3. BEHAVIOUR CHOICES: Cold shoulder, revenge, nasty rumors, depression (Depression is defined as anger turned inwards) bottled up; it can eventually blow up aggressively. 4. ASSERTIVE: Anger is expressed directly in non-threatening ways that do not hurt UNHELPFUL WAYS TO DEAL WITH ANGER Many people express their anger in inappropriate and harmful ways, including:

Anger explosions - some people have very little control over their anger and tend to explode in rages. Raging anger may lead to physical abuse or violence. A person who doesn't control their hot temper can isolate themselves from their family and friends. Some people who fly into rages have low self-esteem, and use their anger as a way to manipulate others in order to feel powerful. Anger repression - some people consider that anger is an inappropriate or 'bad' emotion, and choose to suppress it. However, bottled anger often turns into depression and anxiety. Some people vent their bottled anger at innocent parties, such as children or pets. 50

DEALING WITH ANGER Here are some ways to deal with anger without resorting to violence: Learn to talk about your feelings - if you're afraid to talk or if you can't find the right words to describe what you're going through, find a trusted friend or adult to help you one-on-one. Express yourself calmly - express criticism, disappointment, anger or displeasure without losing your temper or fighting. Ask yourself if your response is safe and reasonable. Listen to others - listen carefully and respond without getting upset when someone gives you negative feedback. Ask yourself if you can really see the other person's point of view. Negotiate - work out your problems with someone else by looking at alternative solutions and compromises. Consider other ideas thoughtfully, yours may not be the best solution to the problem.

Anger for its own sake won't produce any positive result: it won't fix the problem, and it won't bring us any closer to God, who tells us to throw away our anger and rage (Ephesians 4:31). What's more, the Bible tells us that petty anger is a sin that will fall under God's judgment (Matthew 5:22). When we grow angry and bitter and nurse a grudge against another person, we're sinning against that person and against God, no matter what that person may have done - or what we believe they may have done (Leviticus 19:17-8). Even righteous anger can be twisted and made harmful if it causes us to sin (Ephesians 4:26). So the next time you're tempted to shake your fist or clench your teeth in anger at something or somebody, remember that God Himself is slow to anger (Psalm 86:15).

GUILT
CONTENTS: Definition Beliefs that make you feel guilty. How to stop feeling guilty? Consequences Areas Types Dealing

Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do.

DEFINITION Guilt is:

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A feeling of responsibility for negative circumstances that have befallen yourself or others. It is a feeling of regret for your real or imagined misdeeds, both past and present. A Sense of remorse for thoughts, feelings or attitudes that are negative, uncomplimentary or non accepting concerning yourself or others. A feeling of obligation for not pleasing, not helping or not placating another. A feeling of bewilderment and lack of balance because of not responding to a situation in your usual manner. A feeling of loss and shame for not having done or said something to someone who is no longer available to you. Accepting of responsibility for someone elses misfortune or problem because it bothers you to see that person suffer.

BELIEFS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GUILTY: I MUST BE PERFECT: Perfectionism is a set up for guilt. If one thinks one has to be perfect one cannot tolerate making mistakes. I MUST PLEASE OTHERS: People pleasers always fail, for its impossible to please everyone at all times. I MUST BE RIGHT: Having to be right is an impossible burden. I MUST BE IN CONTROL: People and situations have a way of getting out of control and some may not be able to handle this reality. I MUST HELP OTHERS: When their help is rejected, helpers may equate the rejection of help with personal rejection. I MUST BE SUCCESSFUL: An individual who believes that one must be constantly successful becomes an easy prey for guilty feelings. I AM INFERIOR TO OTHERS: People who see themselves as inferior to others may feel guilty that they have not accomplished as much or achieved as high a status as others.

HOW CAN I STOP FEELING GUILTY? Examine the purpose of your guilt. Analyze your beliefs and thoughts. E.g. Do you think you have to be perfect, right or always helping others? How does your belief lead to guilt? Write down your thoughts. Choose new thoughts - write out new thoughts using language that will reflect your remorse and lead to problem solving. Practice saying your new thoughts to yourself until your guilt diminishes. 52

Decide what you want to do. You have two choices: a. Continue to feel guilty b. Make a commitment to new future behavior. If you make this decision be sure to make plans that are specific.

CONSEQUENCES OF GUILT FEELINGS Guilt can make you feel responsible for everything that happens, striving to make life right. You overwork and you are willing to do anything in your attempt to make everyone happy. Guilt can make you over conscientious. You fret over every action you take as to its possible consequences to others even if this means that you must injure your deeds and desires. Guilt can make you oversensitive and distort the way that you see right and wrong in every aspect of your life. Guilt can immobilize you with the fear of doing something wrong. Guilt can interfere in your decision making. Guilt can have the mask of self denial, but we must learn to be selfless without entering into the bondage of guilt.

AREAS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GUILTY Guilty for ragging your friends. Guilty for copying the examination Guilty for having caused your parents illness because of your misdeeds. Guilty for losing placements and of having caused parents to spend much money. Guilt for having committed a grave mistake like losing the trust of your parents, getting expelled from the institution, losing your reputation, or having to keep a low profile amidst your friends/your teachers because of a tainted image. A guilt for having committed a grave mistake such as violating the norms of the society like stealing, extorting money, engaging in relationships that is not acceptable.

GUILT IN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: TYPES Paul speaks of the sorrow of the world and the sorrow according to the will of God. He says the sorrow of the world produces nothing positive. It leads only to death. In contrast, the sorrow according to the will of God is helpful. It leads to repentance. Psychological guilt the sorrow of the world produces self inflicted misery.

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Constructive sorrow the sorrow according to the will of God. produces a positive change of behavior.

Narramore and Counts illustrated the difference between psychological and constructive sorrow: PSYCHOLOGICAL GUILT Person in primary focus Attitudes or actions primary focus Motivation for change Attitude toward ourselves Result Yourself in Past misdeeds CONSTRUCTIVE SORROW

God or others Damage done to others or our future correct deeds. To avoid feeling bad (guilt To help others, to promote feelings) our growth, or to do Gods will Anger and frustration Love and respect combined with concern 1. External change for Repentance and change improper based on an attitude of love motivations. and mutual respect. 2. Stagnation due to paralyzing effect of guilt. 3. Further rebellion

HOW TO OVERCOME GUILT? Confront your guilt by asking yourself What is the cause?. Face your fears and doubts that cause the guilt. If you are deliberately in the wrong, accept your mistake take the blame and resolve to change. If you do not accept the blame there can be no change in your life, but the feeling of responsibility for this wrong should not become a stumbling block in making a positive change. Ask God to forgive you as we read about Gods response to the repentant hear I John 1: 9. Talk about your feelings of with the person concerned. If the person involved is not available then do it with a person who is close to you.

DEPRESSION
CONTENTS: Definition 54

"Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm."

Symptoms Causes Dealing

DEFINITION Depression is a widespread mental health condition. It is a significant social and personal problem. When one is depressed he or she may feel exhausted, discouraged, sad, hopeless, or experience problems in eating or sleeping behavior. Suicidal thoughts and even attempts are not uncommon with depression. The emotional changes occurring are often accompanied by the belief that she or he is inadequate and without value and that life is hopeless. Websters dictionary defines depression as a state of feeling sad. SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION Slower response times Appetite or weight change Sleep problems Feeling of despair and lack of self confidence Negative view on oneself, world and others Poor concentration CAUSES OF DEPRESSION Biological factors Depression often has a physical basis. Lack of sleep, insufficient exercise, side effects from drugs, physical illness or improper diet can all create depression. Thousands of women also experience depression as a part of monthly premenstrual syndrome. Ambivalence The sense of being trapped or being unable to remedy an intolerable situation. It occurs when one feels that all actions are futile no matter how hard one tries. Parental rejection Young people who experience a sense of rejection from parents often experience depression. Abuse The severity of abuse either physical or sexual is the single most powerful cause of depression. Negative thinking A person may view the world and life experiences negatively; life is seen as a succession of burdens, obstacles, and defeats in a world which is going down the drain. This person may have a negative view of himself and his future as well. Life stress The rupture of an intense relationship with a peer, family discord, parental separation, divorce, or death of a parent, unwanted pregnancy or abortion. Anger Depression has been described as anger turned inward. The person may be angry with a friend or loved one who has

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died, or at an abusive parent and without being dealt with in a healthy manner this anger may turn into depression. Guilt Guilt may arise along with self-condemnation and hopelessness to cause depression.

WAYS TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION Avoid being alone: The depressed one should surround himself/herself with people, even if they dont feel like it. Seek help from others: Seeking help from counselors and sharing their worries and anxieties with them. Sing: Music was the only cure for king Sauls moods of depression (I Sam 16:14-23) Praise and give thanks: Paul didnt tell Timothy to give thanks when you feel like it. He said, In everything give thanks (I Thes 5:18). Read Scripture: God can use the Scriptures to speak to and comfort a person when they are depressed. Reading them aloud will help. Get involved in new activities: Such as gardening, painting, photography or sports. Referral to a psychiatrist or physician may be warranted in some cases.

STRESS CONTENTS: Definition Sources of stress Range of effects Stress triggers Coping strategies Dealing with stress

Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency.

DEFINITION The word STRESS is derived from the Latin word strictus, meaning, to draw tight. Stress is your bodys response to people and events in your life; it is the mental and physical wear and tear on your body as a result of everyday life. Stress is inevitable, and it is not itself bad. It is the response to stress that determines whether it is good stress (eustress) or bad stress (distress). The same event can provoke eustress or distress, depending on the person experiencing the event, their interpretation of

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the event or the situation which influences the intensity of the stress that is experienced. SOURCES OF STRESS Stress comes from many sources: Life events (changes in relationships, finances, death of loved one) Chemical and environmental influences (weather, noise, food) Positive events (weddings, holidays) Lifestyle or emotional factors (anxiety, fear, rigid beliefs, demanding schedules) Relationships (conflict in communication, problems in personal relationships) Job concerns (loss, layoff, confusing job responsibilities) A RANGE OF EFFECTS Stress affects us in many ways, including: Emotionally - anxiety, depression, tension or anger The way we think - poor concentration, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, apathy or hopelessness Behaviorally - increased drinking and smoking, insomnia, accident proneness, weight problems, obsessive-compulsive behavior, nervousness, or gambling. STRESS TRIGGERS The more anxious you feel generally, the more stress can affect you. How stressful any trigger is can be affected by: How severely it affects you? Whether you have experienced anything like this before? Whether you can control what is happening? How long the event affects you? How important the outcome is to you? Whether you have friends and social support to help you cope? STRESS CAN CAUSE PHYSICAL ILLNESS When we feel under stress, our body kicks into high gear to deal with the threat. Our heartbeat, breathing rate and blood pressure all go up. The longer we feel stressed, the greater the demand on our body. The more often we are placed under stress, the more often we have to use energy to cope. Eventually our bodies develop illnesses as a reaction to this stress, such as cardiovascular diseases, ulcers and chronic fatigue. 57

COPING STRATEGIES To deal with stress more effectively, it helps to investigate your stresses and how you react to them. Try to: Understand what situations make you feel stressed. Understand what situations you can and can't control. Prepare for stressful events in advance, by thinking about the future. Keep yourself healthy with good nutrition, exercise and regular relaxation. Try to do happy things every day. DEALING WITH STRESS Read through Psalm 46 and Matthew 11:28, where the Bible lays out the godly response to stress. It quietly reminds us that no matter how much stress and anxiety the world throws at us, there is one place where we can always find refuge when we're feeling overwhelmed. That place is the refuge of God's love; and from that vantage point, the cares and worries of our daily lives are always put in their proper perspective. If you're feeling stressed out and weary or unsure how you'll get through the latest crisis, take a moment to listen quietly to your Father's promise to you: "Come to me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28)

ATTITUDE

CHAPTER III

CONTENTS: Introduction Definition Importance Classification Types Factors Benefits of positive attitude Consequences of negative attitude Steps to build positive attitude 58

The greatest discovery of generation is human beings can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.

INTRODUCTION Attitude is an inward feeling experienced by behaviour. A persons body language, words, looks and touch would easily reveal his attitude. It is the advance man of our true selves; it is the librarian of the past, speaker of the present and prophet of the future. Hence attitude is known to be an important aspect because it dictates performance. William James of Harvard University says The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by attiring their attitudes of mind. Hence attitude determines our approach to life. DEFINITION Attitude is the way the mind chooses to look, understand and respond to a person or a situation. Attitudes are likely influenced by past experience, faith and beliefs. Alice H Eagly defines attitude as a physiological tendency that is expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favour or disfavour. The psychological tendency refers to a state that is internal to the person and evaluating refers to all classes of evaluative responding whether cognitive, affective or behavioral. IMPORTANCE OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Positive attitude determines our approach to life. Positive attitude determines our relationship with people. Positive attitude can turn our problems into blessings.

CLASSIFICATION OF ATTITUDES: Mac Iver classifieds attitudes into 3 categories, they are: Dissociate attitudes which tend to deter men from friendly relationships. Restrictive attitudes are those, which limit social relationship. Associative attitudes are those, which promotes social relationships.

TYPES OF ATTITUDE: WIN-WIN ATTITUIDE It is the attitude of a person who wants to win and help others also to win. They are busy people keeping themselves happy and others happy. They do and say things that do not hurt others. 59

WIN-LOSE ATTITUDE People with this attitude are always selfish. They do and say things that makes them feel good at the cost of others comfort and happiness LOSE-WIN ATTITUDE When people allow others to take advantage of them, exploit them suppress them and dominate them, they are willing to suffer but will not allow others to suffer. LOSE-LOSE ATTITUDE It is an attitude of a person who does not benefit or gain and does not allow others also to benefit. POSITIVE ATTITUDE If a person looks at the advantages of a given situation or a problem it is considered as a positive attitude. They are known as the I Can people. NEGATIVE ATTITUDE When a person focuses the attention on the disadvantages of a situation or a problem. It is described as a negative attitude. FACTORS THAT DETERMINE POSITIVE ATTITUDE: 1. Environment: Home School Work place Media Social environment Political environment Tradition & beliefs 1. Experiences: Experience with people and events in life If we have positive experience, attitudes become positive If we have negative experience, attitude becomes negative 2. Education: Education not only teaches us how to make living but also how to live.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WITH POSITIVE ATTITUDES: People with positive attitude have personality traits as caring, confidence, patience and humility. 60

They have high expectations. They anticipate positive outcome They are like fruit of all seasons.

BENEFITS OF POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Increases productivity Enhances team work Solves problems Improves quality of work Breeds loyalty Increases profits Builds better relationships Reduces stress Develops pleasing personality CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ATTITUDE: Leads to bitterness Leads to resentment Purposeless life Ill health Increased stress level Negative environment at home and work Person with negative attitude passes the negative behaviour to others (Future generations) STEPS TO BUILD POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Focus for the positive - For 1 ounce of gold, tones of dust are taken, while digging for gold we look only for the gold rather than the dust. - Similarly we should be diggers of gold wherein we should see the positive character in others rather than seeing their negatives and finding faults. Cultivate the habit of doing it now We should be positive to do all things. Even if we are unable to do we should not lose confidence. Whatever jobs we are assigned, we should not postpone things rather we should cultivate the habit of doing it now. Develop an Attitude of Gratitude: We can develop gratitude by counting our blessings rather than the troubles. We should avoid being selective listeners. We should avoid critical thinking. Build a Positive Self Esteem: A person can build positive self- esteem by: Feeling good about himself 61

The person should learn to give and receive compliments The person should readily accept corrections He should have the capacity to auto suggest himself Stay away from negative influences: The company he/she avoids judges a persons character. Though there may be many negative influences from the peer group, we should try to avoid them (E.g.) Smoking, negative TV programmes, etc. Start the day with positive things: Starting the day with positive things helps to build positive attitude. 10 days of practice becomes a habit, habit becomes the behaviour and behaviour becomes the character. Hence if we start doing positive character and naturally our attitude also becomes positive.

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SELF-ESTEEM CHAPTER IV
CONTENTS: Definition Conditions for self esteem Characteristics of high and low self esteem Advantages of positive self esteem Steps to build positive self esteem

Poor selfimage leads to low selfesteem

DEFINITION: Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves, or assessment of our own. It is the opinion of us that influences everything from our work performance, relationship with others and our role in life. Self-esteem is known to be the, major component in determining success or failures in our lives. It is an internal drive that comes from an awareness of what is good or bad. Self-Image includes: What we think we look like physically How our personality comes across What kind of a people we are How much we like ourselves

To improve self-image: List the things you like about yourself (appearance, skills, personality) Change negative thoughts Remember the good things that people said about you Make certain changes as in your clothes, hairstyle, appearance, and behaviour in certain situations etc Accept things about yourself Accept criticisms in a constructive way Dont be limited by your self-image Take up challenges positively.

CONDITIONS OF SELF ESTEEM A sense of security A sense of identity 63

A sense of belonging A sense of purpose A sense of personal competence

CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WITH HIGH AND LOW SELF ESTEEM: HIGH SELF ESTEEM Talk about ideas Caring attitude Humility Respects Authority Courageous Confidence Concerned about character Assertive Accepts responsibility Sensitive Giver Respect others LOW SELF ESTEEM Talk about people Critical attitude Arrogance Rebel authority Coward Confusion Concerned about reputation Aggressive Blames the whole world Touchy Taker Look down on others

ADVANTAGES OF POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM: Direct relationship between feelings and productivity Gives respect to oneself and others Positive self-esteem makes a person self-motivated and ambitious It leads to better relationships Helps a person to give and receive criticism as well as compliments Makes a person happy, lively and energetic Brings out a persons abilities Brings self control during difficult situations

STEPS FOR A POSITIVE SELF-ESTEEM: Feel good about yourself Stop comparing yourself with others Dont run yourself down Turn scars into stars Learn to give and receive compliments Accept responsibility 64

Practice discipline Associate with people of moral character Become internally driven and not externally driven Autosuggest yourself Turn your weakness to strength Take your own inventory by listing your strengths and weaknesses.

UNIT IV
Biographies Social Issues

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Jesus Calls Ministry

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BIOGRAPHICAL STUDIES CHAPTER I

THE BIOGRAPHY OF DR. D.G.S. DHINAKARAN (1935 2008) CONTENTS: Background Life and achievements

Lord! Hear my prayer now and grant me your power! Or else, slay me! I don't want to live as a powerless and phony Christian!!

BACKGROUND: Dr D.G.S.Dhinakaran is the founder of the Jesus Calls Ministry. Born on July 1, 1935, he had a very tough life being torn by the ailments of poverty and agony of unemployment. Unable to bear the agony of these problems, on February 11, 1955, Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran decided to put an end to his life. He started towards the nearest railway track in his village to throw himself before the speeding train when he was stopped by his uncle who introduced Jesus Christ. He experienced a sudden wave of divine peace and hope, flood his heart. His mind was transformed and he returned home enlightened. After this incident, things started happening in him supernaturally. There arose an unquenchable thirst in him to spend hours together poring over the life-transforming pages of eternal Truth - The Bible, discovering secrets that could revolutionize human life. He spent hours talking to God and sought Him with all his heart. THE HIGH CALLING Seven years of diligently seeking the Lord Jesus Christ! On October 9, 1962, he tarried at the feet of the Lord Jesus in prayer till midnight. He pleaded persistently. "Lord! Hear my prayer now and grant me Your power! Or else, slay me! I don't want to live as a powerless and phoney Christian!" Next day dawned. 10th October 1962! After an exacting day in the bank, he returned home at 9.30 in the night. Supper over, he joined the family prayers. He longed to have a glimpse of blessed vision of Jesus. The very next moment, a divine presence appeared in front of him! He was thrown into an ecstasy of joy. The Lord opened His eyes and poured out His love and compassion in his heart! This love will console their broken hearts and heal their diseased bodies. BIRTH OF A MINISTRY 67

With a glorious vision and words of assurance, God blessed Dr. Dhinakaran His servant profusely for persistently seeking Him. Thus, the 'JESUS CALLS MINISTRY' came into being as a one-man ministry. Dr. Dhinakaran considered men and women from all over the world, irrespective of their caste, creed, race or language, as his own brothers and sisters. He considered their tears as his own and preached to them the love and compassion of Christ. He invoked the Lord's blessings and pleaded Him to perform miracles that will wipe away the tears of the multitudes. Apart from his job as a top executive in a bank, he devoted himself to God's ministry with utmost zeal. The power of Christ was manifest in his preaching and prayers. "Jesus Calls Ministry" spread far and wide. Today with God's grace, it has grown into a multi-faceted far-flung ministry, spreading the Good News to the world in 20 different ways. His wife Stella has stood with him in all his joys and sorrows and also extends her hand in the ministry of wiping tears of millions and building up broken homes. His son Paul has been working with him from the age of 18, when he received the call from the Lord. On November 4, 1986, Dr. D.G.S.Dhinakaran inaugurated the Karunya Institute of Technology, a residential Engineering College with strength of 2,800 students. THE TRIAL On May 21, 1986, a great tragedy struck this spiritual giant! That was his ultimate test of his faith. He lost his only daughter Angel Dhinakaran in a car accident on his way to the Karunya Institute of Technology, Coimbatore. He was shattered and forsaken. He recovered from the great shock and continued his ministry in wiping the tears of millions who are in need of Christ's love and compassion. Great servants of God, like Pastor.Benny Hinn, Dr.Pat Robertson, Dr.Dave Roberson, Pastor.John Osteen honour Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran as the apostle of this age in India. Having established this multi-faceted ministry, Dr.D.G.S.Dhinakaran continuously and fervently probes into various other possible ways of fulfilling the mission of carrying the love and compassion of Christ to the millions. Through him, people witness the miracles of Jesus Christ. THE HOME CALL Truly, Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran was a man after Gods own heart, who healed millions of broken hearted people around the world through his prayers. His prayers were so powerful because the anointing that was in 68

him was awesome. He also had the spirit of compassion in him which moved him to pray with tears for the suffering humanity. This great man of God, who was raised from a lowly state to pinnacles of glory and honour because of his obedience and faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ, slept in Him on 20.2.2008.

THE BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM CAREY (1761 1834) CONTENTS: Background Life and Achievements EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD. ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD

William Carey was an English Baptist missionary to India. Born in England in 1761, he was a pastor there before going to the mission field where he spent an active forty-one years serving the Lord in India, ministering as well as translating the Scriptures. "Shoemaker by trade, but scholar, linguist and missionary by God's training," William Carey was one of God's giants in the history of evangelism! BACKGROUND Carey was born in a small thatched cottage in Paulerspury, a typical Northamptonshire village in England, August 17, 1761, of a weaver's family. When about eighteen he left the Church of England to "follow Christ" and to "...go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." From there he joined the Congregational church at Hackleton where he was an apprentice shoemaker. It was in Hackleton that he married in 1781; and it was here that he began making five-mile walks to Olney in his quest for more spiritual truth. Olney was a stronghold of the Particular Baptists, the group that Carey cast his lot with after his baptism on October 5, 1783. Two years later he moved to Moulton to become a 69

schoolmaster; and a year later he became pastor of the small Baptist congregation there. MISSIONARY CALL It was in Moulton that Carey received the missionary call. For at twentyone years of age Carey had mastered Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Italian, and was turning to Dutch and French. His shoemaker's cottage became known as "Carey's College," because he never sat at his bench without some kind of a book in front of him. The more he read and studied, the more convinced he was that "the peoples of the world need Christ." He read, he made notes, he made a great leather globe of the world and, one day, in the quietness of his cobbler's shop (not in some enthusiastic missionary conference) Carey heard the call: "If it be the duty of all men to believe the Gospel ... then it be the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavor to make it known among all nations." And Carey cried out with tears, "Here am I; send me!" Thus Carey wrote his famed Enquiry Into the Obligations of the Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen. In this masterpiece on missions Carey answered arguments, surveyed the history of missions from apostolic times; surveyed the entire known world as to countries, size, population and religions; and dealt with the practical application of how to reach the world for Christ!

Careys Spiritual Mantra And he prayed. And he pled. And he plodded. And he persisted. And he preached. Perhaps the message he is best known for is his familiar: "EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD. ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD." The result of that message preached at Nottingham, May 30, 1792 led to the production of the particular Baptist Missionary Society, formed that Fall at Kettering on October 2, 1792. A subscription was started and, ironically, Carey could not contribute any money toward it except the pledge of the profit from his book, The Enquiry. It was in 1793 that Carey went to India. At first his wife was reluctant to go; but Carey set off to go nevertheless, and after two returns from the docks to persuade her again, Dorothy and his children finally accompanied him. They arrived with Dr. Thomas at the mouth of the Hooghly in India in November 1793. There were years of discouragement (no Indian convert for seven years), debt, disease, the deterioration of his wife's mind, and her eventual death, but by the grace of God -- and by the power of the Word -- Carey continued and conquered for Christ! 70

When he died at 73, in 1834, he had seen the Scriptures translated and printed into forty languages, he had been a college professor, and he had founded a college at Serampore. He saw India open its doors to missionaries, the edict passed prohibiting sati (burning widows on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands), and many converts for Christ.

THE BIOGRAPHY OF AMY CARMICHAEL (1860 1950) CONTENTS: Background Life and Achievements One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving.

BACKGROUND

Prior to her life as a missionary, Carmichael had grown up in a prominent North Ireland family. Shortly after her father's death when she was 18, her family experienced financial pressures, due to unpaid debts owed by her father's estate, and the family moved to Belfast. This was a providential move, for in Belfast, Carmichael became involved in city mission work that awakened a desire for missionary service. Upon making her decision known to Mr. Wilson, the chairman of the Keswick Convention, he gave her his blessings, and Carmichael was on her way to the mission field. MISSION CALL Responding to God's call on her life, Carmichael headed for Japan at the age of 24. Working with the Keswick Convention, she took off running only to be halted by her health and the Japanese climate. It took her a little over a year to realize that God did not want her in Japan and she headed for Sri Lanka without the prior approval of her board. She was not able to stay long though, since she was called back to Ireland to care for Mr. Wilson, her "second" father, who was seriously ill. Carmichael was a nonconformist from the start, yet a person of such fine character that it was hard to find a detractor among her fellow workers. Returning to the mission field after caring for Mr. Wilson, she arrived in Dohnavur, India, which would be her home for the next 50 years. It was there that she realized her life's work: rescuing children from the "secret" Hindu practice of temple prostitution Dohnavur Fellowship, the name of her organization, was soon actively involved in the rescue, care, feeding, and education of hundreds of children. She and her coworkers adopted Indian dress and voluntarily forsook marriage for the sake of their work (which primarily converted 71

Indian women). This eventually became the Sisters of the Common Life, a protestant religious order. The women were not bound by vows and could leave if they later decided to marry. Though a serious fall left her an invalid for the remaining 20 years of her life, Carmichael continued to appeal for her children and write books. She died in Dohnavur in 1951. The following time line will help you relate Amy Carmichael's life to other events in the world: 1860 Born in Millisle, Ireland in 1867 1890 Called to the Mission Field in 1892 1900 Began her ministry among the children in Dohnavur, India in 1901 1950 Died at Dohnavur in 1951

THE BIOGRAPHY OF DR. IDA S. SCUDDER (1870 1905) CONTENTS: Background Life and Achievements

to be Ministered unto But to minister."

Not

BACKGROUND Vellore Christian Medical College & Hospital, known simply as "CMC", is one of those unique organizations that you fall in love with at first sight. At its heart is the story of the founder, Ida S. Scudder, and the thousands of dedicated men and women who have followed her at CMC in India. The story of Ida Scudder's visionary mission begins in the late 1800's when she was a young American girl reluctantly visiting her medical missionary father, John Scudder, at his post in Tamil Nadu, South India. MISSION CALL One fateful night, Ida was asked to help three women from different families struggling in difficult childbirth. Custom prevented their husbands from accepting the help of a male doctor for them and being without training at that time, Ida herself could do nothing. The next morning she was shocked to learn that each of the three women had died. She believed that it was a calling and a challenge set before her by God to begin a ministry dedicated to the health needs of the people of India, particularly women and children. Consequently, Ida went back to America, entered medical training (practically unheard of for women at 72

that time) and, in 1899, was one of the first women graduates of the Cornell Medical College.

Shortly thereafter, she returned to India and opened a one-bed clinic in Vellore in 1900. Two years later, in 1902, she built a 40-bed hospital, the forerunner of today's 1700-bed medical center. In 1909, she started the School of Nursing, and in 1918, her fondest dream came true with the opening of a medical school for women (Men were later admitted in 1947). With the training of these women as doctors and nurses, Indian women would now begin to have access to health care professionals. This was the beginning of the vision of Ida S. Scudder that continues to grow to this day. In addition to the care of women, Ida Scudder saw the need for bringing health care to the poor, the disabled, and the neglected of India. She traveled regularly to outlying villages, bringing medical care to the doorstep of poor villagers, many of whom had never seen a real doctor or nurse, starting CMC's first "roadside" dispensary in 1916. Over the years these roadside dispensaries have developed into extensive rural health and development programs that have become internationally acclaimed in the Community Health field. These dispensaries have attracted members of the medical community from around the world (from young medical students and nurses to highly skilled surgeons) to study and contribute their skills. The 100 years since Ida Scudder opened the first small clinic have seen remarkable growth. Here is an example of the daily activity that goes on there today: 2,000 outpatients per day, 1,000 inpatients, 43 operations, 22 clinics, and 16 births. Ten Bible Classes are held each day and a Chaplain visits 380 patients. In addition, their work includes going to the villages and rural areas bringing methods of disease prevention, health care and community empowerment to tens of thousands more. CMC started with one woman and her vision and now employs over 4300 people today. In the words of Ida Scudder, we thank God for the way He has led us in the past and look forward to an even greater future.

THE BIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE MULLER (1805 1898) CONTENTS: Background Life and Achievements

A servant of God has but one

BACKGROUND 73

George was born on September 27, 1805, in what was then called Prussia. He was raised in a wealthy family who had little or no time for God. He was the favorite son of his father who spoiled him and excused or overlooked all manner of evil behavior in young George. Pierson notes, Before he was ten years old he was a habitual thief and an expert at cheating; even government funds entrusted to his father, were not safe from his hands. He continued down this wayward path to the point that he spent the evening of his mothers death in drunken carousing through the city streets God had other plans for this wayward life, however, and in his 21st year George Muller came to know the saving power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Somehow he found himself at a worship service where a simple servant of God knelt in prayer to ask Gods blessing on the meeting. It was the first time George had ever seen anyone kneel to pray and it made a profound impact. This would not be true for long; in the years ahead, he would excel in the discipline of prayer and it would become the cornerstone of all his lifes work! MISSION CALL Two years later, in 1827 Muller applied to the London Missionary Society to serve as a missionary to the Jews and traveled to London to prepare. He remained in preparation for the better part of eighteen months. In 1829 he wrote to the Society and declared his intentions to serve only on the condition that he serve without salary and that he labor only where and when the Lord should direct. This was unacceptable to the Society and so his missionary endeavor was cut short before it officially began. In 1830 Muller became the pastor of a small church at Teignmouth. He insisted in taking no salary trusting only on JehovahJireh for his daily provision. It was here that Muller set down as a firm life principle that he would never receive a fixed salary for any service rendered to Gods people. At the end of his life he would summarize this decision in these words: I have joyfully dedicated my whole life to the object of exemplifying how much may be accomplished by prayer and faith.

The orphanage
For over sixty years he saw God provide for five large orphan houses and for the daily needs of over 10,000 orphans. During that time he personally gave over 110,000 British pounds to Sunday schools and day schools where over 150,000 children were instructed. He gave an additional 90,000 pounds for the purchase and circulation of over 2 million Bibles and 3 million books and tracts. Besides all this, he gave over 260,000 pounds to missionaries in foreign fields. When you add all the money that was given to him for the orphanages to this amount, he gave away almost 1.5 million pounds to the Lords work!

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SOCIAL ISSUES CHAPTER II

CORRUPTION

CONTENTS Definition Sources Causes Forms Consequences Dealing

The first sign of CORRUPTION in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.

DEFINITION Corruption is the evil desire to exploit the unfortunate, the defenseless and the vulnerable. The heartless intensity of corruption is often the result of devious planning. In a corrupt society, laws are like spider webs that catch the weak and the poor but can be destroyed by the rich and the powerful. In a corrupt system, laws are made for self-interest not public interest, and corrupt and incompetent men will get appointed to positions of power. Public revenues will be squandered, the rights of citizens violated and ignored. When the government itself breaks the law, it breeds general contempt for law in society. With the degradation of values, illgotten wealth becomes the criteria of status and respect. When corruption becomes a way of life, freedom loses its meaning. WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF CORRUPTION? Bad Laws and Mad Men: Nothing destroys respect for the government more than having laws in place that cannot be enforced. Bad men in positions of power, much more than bad laws, are responsible for corrupt practices because, after all, it is they who create the bad laws. In a society, there are people of high moral values and low moral values. Experience shows that a small percentage of people, no matter how bad the laws are, practice ethical behavior. In a good system, a corrupt person has a hard time; whereas, in a corrupt system, an honest person has a hard time. Corruption in a society cannot be eliminated, but it can be minimized. When people who lack moral values obtain positions of power they endanger society and corruption becomes rampant. CAUSES OF CORRUPTION 76

Scarcity Corruption can result from scarcity of essential goods where demand is high and supply is low. This imbalanced function of demand and supply may be real or artificially created for ulterior gain. Abject Poverty For the sake of survival, a person may resort to corrupt practices. Acquisition of wealth To meet the objective of luxurious living, people can resort to corruption. Wealth attained by foul means helps people achieve high positions in a corrupt society and they are actually looked up to. When crime starts to pay, as it does in a corrupt society, it is given a more respectable name.

FORMS OF CORRUPTION Gifts An official accepting gifts which are given with the objective of influencing him to give undue advantage to the giver. Extortion the demanding of gifts or money by an official is extortion. The official is saying If you dont pay me Ill ruin your life! Embezzlement The siphoning of funds.

Regardless, of its form, corruption involves: Subordination of public interest to private gain Breach of trust Secrecy; lack of transparency Violation of duty and public welfare Deception Disregard of national welfare.

CONSEQUENCES OF CORRUPTION Corruption devastates smooth administration The morale of the nation and its citizens is adversely affected. When corruption grows, so does crime. Corruption does not let its citizens either live or die with dignity Corruption leads to lack of humanity and compassion.

DEALING WITH CORRUPTION Concerned citizens must come in to decision making positions and Pledge their commitment to eliminate corruption and injustice Create strong and honest leadership who will guide the citizens and the nation through this process. Check the lure of easy money and power through a strong judiciary.

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Must feel the absolute need to work towards enhancing their moral character and destroying the evil influences of corruption from the root. Form and support honest pressure groups to bring transparency and accountability in to the system. Create a national movement against corruption by educating citizens of their social obligations. Be prepared to sacrifice in the struggle for humanity, as opposition will come from vested interests.

The fight against corruption is a struggle for survival between the corrupt and the patriotic. Strong public opinion needs to be created against this social disease. Good citizens have to come out of their apathy and become intolerant of corruption.

CYBER CRIME CONTENTS: Introduction Definition Types

DEFINING CYBER CRIME Computer crime can involve criminal activities that are traditional in nature, such as theft, fraud, forgery, defamation or mischief; all of which are subject to the Indian Penal Code. A simple definition of cyber crime would be "unlawful acts wherein the computer is either a tool or a target or both". Let us examine the acts wherein the computer is a tool for an unlawful act. This kind of activity usually involves a modification of a conventional crime by using computers. Some examples are: Financial crimes - This would include cheating, credit card frauds, money laundering etc. To cite a recent case, a website offered to sell Alphonso mangoes at a throwaway price. Distrusting such a transaction, very few people responded to or supplied the website with their credit card numbers. These people were actually sent the Alphonso mangoes. The word about this website now spread like wildfire. Thousands of people from all over the country responded and ordered mangoes by providing their credit card numbers. The owners of what was later proven to be a bogus website then fled taking the numerous credit card 78

numbers and proceeded to spend huge amounts of money much to the chagrin of the card owners. Cyber pornography - This would include pornographic websites; pornographic magazines produced using computers (to publish and print the material) and the Internet (to download and transmit pornographic pictures, photos, writings etc). Sale of illegal articles - This would include the sale of narcotics, weapons and wildlife etc., by posting information on websites, auction websites, and bulletin boards or simply by using email communication. E.g. many of the auction sites even in India are believed to be selling cocaine in the name of 'honey'. Online gambling - There are millions of websites; all hosted on servers abroad, that offer online gambling. Many of these websites are actually fronts for money laundering. Intellectual Property crimes - These include software piracy, copyright infringement, trademarks violations. Email spoofing - A spoofed email is one that appears to originate from one source but actually has been sent from another source. E.g. Pooja has an e-mail address pooja@asianlaws.org. Her enemy, Sameer, spoofs her e-mail and sends obscene messages to all her acquaintances. Since the e-mails appear to have originated from Pooja, her friends could take offence and relationships could be spoiled for life. Forgery - Counterfeit currency notes, postage stamps, revenue stamps, mark sheets etc. can be forged using sophisticated computers, printers and scanners. Cyber Defamation - This occurs when defamation takes place with the help of computers and / or the Internet. E.g. someone publishes defamatory matter about someone on a website or sends e-mails containing defamatory information to all of that person's friends. Cyber stalking - The Oxford dictionary defines stalking as "pursuing stealthily". Cyber stalking involves following a person's movements across the Internet by posting messages (sometimes threatening) on the bulletin boards frequented by the victim, entering the chat-rooms frequented by the victim, constantly bombarding the victim with emails etc. Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks - This activity is commonly referred to as hacking. The Indian law has however given a different connotation to the term hacking, so we must differentiate between the term "unauthorized access" and "hacking". Theft of information contained in electronic form - This includes information stored in computer hard disks, removable storage media etc. Email bombing - Email bombing refers to sending a large number of emails to the victim resulting in the victim's email account (in case of an individual) or mail servers (in case of a company or an email service provider) crashing. 79

Data Diddling - This kind of an attack involves altering raw data just before it is processed by a computer and then changing it back after the processing is completed. Electricity Boards in India have been victims to data diddling programs inserted when private parties were computerizing their systems. Virus / worm attacks - Viruses are programs that attach themselves to a computer or a file and then circulate themselves to other files and to other computers on a network. They usually affect the data on a computer, either by altering or deleting it. Worms, unlike viruses do not need the host to attach themselves to. Logic bombs - These are event dependent programs. This implies that these programs are created to do something only when a certain event (known as a trigger event) occurs. E.g. even some viruses may be termed logic bombs because they lie dormant all through the year and become active only on a particular date (like the Chernobyl virus).

ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) CONTENTS: Definition History Transmission process Treatment AIDS in India DEFINING AIDS AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This is often associated with HIV. People with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can look and feel well, but as the virus attacks the immune system, an infected person will be open to a large number of illnesses. This means that there can be a wide variety of symptoms. HIV usually leads to AIDS, which is diagnosed when a person has developed one of several opportunistic diseases associated with the virus as well as underlying immune problems. These diseases include pneumonia, Kaposi's sarcoma (a form of purplish skin cancer not normally seen in young people before the advent of AIDS) and dementia.

HISTORY OF THE DISEASE The search for the origins of AIDS has been dogged by political controversy. According to the latest theory, published in Nature magazine and widely supported by leading experts in the field, the AIDS 80

virus first passed into people from a particular sub-species of chimpanzee in the Central African rainforest. Scientists believe that human infection occurred in the first half of the century as a result of people hunting and eating the chimps. This practice continues even today. The international team, led by Dr Beatrice Hahn of the University of Alabama, says genetic tests show the main human virus, HIV-1, is closely related to a virus that infects chimps but does not make them sick. They are now studying how common the virus is in chimps in the wild, but they face problems because the sub-species in which they found the virus (the Pan troglodytes) is endangered. Experts say there is evidence that HIV may have transferred to humans throughout history, but only became an epidemic in the 20th century, possibly because of increased sexual promiscuity, civil unrest and movement of people to cities. In 2003, researchers said they had found the first known case of AIDS in a Bantu man who died in 1959 in the Belgian Congo, now the Democratic Republic of Congo and home of the sub-species of chimps. HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED? HIV is relatively difficult to transmit, as it does not live for long outside the body. It is carried in the semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk and blood. The main transmission routes are through sharing needles, sex, blood transfusions, transplants, getting infected fluid into open wounds and breast-feeding. There are two primary ways a person can become infected. HIV/AIDS is most frequently passed through sexual intercourse with an infected person. Unfortunately, it is not the only disease passed in this manner. If a person has one of the other sexually transmitted diseases, they are at greater danger of contracting HIV. The HIV virus is present in some body fluids and can enter the body through contact with mucous membranes or cuts on the body. Many people infected with the virus show no symptoms and often have not been tested. The most predominant reason for not being tested, in almost one-fourth of the population, is that they are afraid of a positive test. That's why it is so dangerous for people to have unsafe sex. The one and only way to be absolutely certain of avoiding infection via sexual contact is through abstinence from sex, or having sexual intercourse only with your spouse who has been tested and has not engaged in any sexual behavior outside the marriage covenant. This is just one more reason why keeping sexual intimacy within the marriage relationship is beneficial not only to the individual but to society as well. HIV/AIDS is also spread by sharing needles. Sharing needles with an infected person, even once, is very risky. Many people have become infected with HIV and other germs this way. HIV 81

from an infected person can remain in a needle or syringe and can then be directly injected into the body of the next person who uses it. Sharing any needles, including needles used for drugs, steroids, vitamins, ear piercing, or tattooing, is very dangerous. One other mode of transmission is through blood or blood products. This mode of transmission is so rare these days that it is often not even counted as a possibility. Blood donors today are very carefully screened before they can even donate, and once they donate, all blood products are tested before they are used. One very important thing to understand is that you are not now, nor have you ever been in danger of contracting AIDS/HIV from giving blood. The needles are used once, and only once, and then they are destroyed.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT? HIV can be tested by contacting a doctor or a sexually transmitted disease clinic about a blood test. They will usually suggest counseling before you take an HIV test to make sure you are prepared for all the implications of the results, including the impact on life insurance and mortgages. AIDS organizations have reported that, in some cases, just taking the test can be enough for some companies to refuse you insurance or a mortgage. If the test is positive for the virus, there are a range of treatments that may be offered. The most popular is combination therapy, a variety of different anti-AIDS drugs, including AZT. The drugs can have powerful side effects (such as anemia) and not everyone responds well to them. Stigma Because of the way HIV is transmitted and the groups it has affected most (drug users, gay men, and the sexually promiscuous) it has attracted much media attention and prejudice. This has often made it hard for sufferers to come forward for testing. The all-parliamentary group on AIDS says tackling the stigma of the disease is vital for reducing its impact. Living in purity The best way to avoid getting HIV/AIDS is to commit ourselves to ethical purity and Biblical righteousness. If we follow Christian principles in honoring God with our purity and save sexual intercourse for the sanctity of the marriage relationship the likelihood of getting HIV/AIDS is reduced dramatically. AIDS IN INDIA An estimated 1% of India's one billion populations have HIV; however, experts believe the true figure may be substantially higher (upwards of 82

1.5-2 million people). There are also fears that the number of new cases could rise rapidly in the years ahead unless public awareness of the disease improves. A major challenge for India now is that of rapidly expanding the coverage of HIV/Aids programs to all vulnerable groups

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SUBSTANCE ABUSE CONTENTS: Introduction Definition Causes Myths Impact Prevention INTRODUCTION Substance abuse is a universal problem, but it is becoming very popular with the younger generation. This has become a campus problem as well. Consuming alcohol and hardcore drugs have become part of the campus culture. But studies show that in India, though it may not show up as predominantly in rural and semi-urban colleges, it has become a major problem in City Colleges. DEFINITION The term substance abuse was earlier used as drug abuse and it referred to taking a drug without prescription from a physician for nonmedical purpose (this also includes alcohol). The term Substance abuse is more favored as a lot of substances other than drugs are abused. Substance abuse is any chemical used by a person for altering their mood. It includes alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive pharmaceuticals, hardcore drugs like cocaine, and even substances like petrol and glues. CAUSES FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE It may be noted that many turn to drugs/alcohol early in life (even as early as their teens). Availability can be considered the major reason. In India alcohol is a legal drug and is easily available in the market. Many of the hardcore drugs are sold by peddlers, and the law enforcing and legal systems have not been very successful in keeping the drugs away from the youth. Curiosity is yet another driving force. The youth have a tendency to experiment with the unknown and there seems to be a common curiosity that revolves around the effects of taking drugs. Taking alcohol or drugs is considered a part of youth culture and fashion.

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Peer pressure is another significant cause of substance abuse. Students in college think that they should experiment with drugs to get social acceptance or that drinking alcohol is a sign of sophistication. Media has played havoc in sending destructive and immoral messages about drugs. Television and the cinema have a particularly large influence on the younger generation and they present alcohol as part of sophisticated life and drugs as an acceptable part of youth culture. The background of the person and his/her culture also serve as contributing factors. A young person from a family of addicts is more prone to turn towards drugs. In some families drinking is not considered wrong and alcohol is taken in family and social functions. In some communities consuming alcohol is part of religious rituals. There are many wrong role models for the youth. Elders, who are bound to show the way to the youth very often serve as stumbling blocks. Many people get trapped by addiction out of ignorance. They experiment with it believing that they can stop and come out of the habit anytime they want, only to find that they are tangled up in an addiction that they cannot control. The growing unemployment problem, the competitions in society and also the academic load can be cited as some of the causes for the tension. Many youth turn to substances as an escape from all the stress in their lives.

MYTHS ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE Some believe that alcohol is a health tonic and after a days hard work (physical or mental) it is good to take it. Some believe that it enables them to forget their worries. There are many who believe that it enhances manliness and sexual power. Some believe that it enhances creativity and claim that Cole Ridge would not have written his KublaKhan if he had not taken opium. IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE Addiction affects the total person, but it is the health of the individual which suffers the worst consequences of addiction. Drugs affect ones physical and mental health. It can lead to ulcers, cancers, liver cirrhosis, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and depression. Substance abuse among women is all the more dangerous as it can affect even the fetus.

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 A lot of money is wasted on drugs so it affects the economy of India. In a country like India, where millions live under the poverty line and struggle for one meal a day, it is indeed sad that so much of our money is wasted on drugs. Addiction is also the root cause of many personal and social maladies like domestic violence, broken families, suicides, sexual immorality etc. An addict fails to give the required attention to his family and his disorderly behavior has a traumatic impact on the family. Addiction is the major cause for broken homes. Some believe that taking substances increases ones efficiency. This is not at all true. Addiction spoils concentration and thereby affects the efficiency of an individual. Addiction impacts the ethical values of a person and naturally affects the self-respect of an individual as well. When a man becomes addicted he becomes like a slave to his addiction, resorting to unethical ways of finding money for his habit (such as lying gambling, stealing, misappropriation, pawning, and indiscriminate borrowing). An addict loses his power of judgment. It is the major cause behind industrial and road accidents. As judgment is impaired, an addict is bound to make wrong decisions that can have catastrophic consequences.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND COLLEGE LIFE Addiction has invaded many of the college campuses. It has become a menace that disrupts the peace and tranquility of academic life. Many young people, who come to colleges with a desire of giving shape to their future, take drugs and leave the portals of the institutions with shattered dreams. There are two types of victims in our campuses: those direct victims who become addicted to substances and the indirect victims who come from homes where addiction is a problem. Campuses shape the personality of a youth and hence the young people require a drug free campus. Many of the students, out of their ignorance of the evil effects, very easily become a prey to substances; especially during elections and celebrations. In the campus, there are canteens that sell pan masala, tobacco and cigarettes. Peddlers frequent the campuses and hard-core drugs are made easily available to our students. In short, attention is not paid to keeping drugs away from students and increased efforts need to be taken to raise awareness among college campuses. WAYS TO PREVENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN COLLEGES Students should be told to say No to drugs.

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 Awareness programs should be organized in the campus. In value education classes, the teachers should freely discuss the evil and make the students realize how drugs alienate one even from God. The students should be encouraged to come forward to declare the campus drug free. The students should be trained to spot or detect direct and indirect victims. If students can be motivated to form groups and get involved in campaigns/ action programs against addiction, an effective war can be waged against the drug menace.

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JESUS CALLS MINISTRY CHAPTER III

Jesus Calls is a global ministry founded by the world-renowned Evangelists Dr. D.G.S. Dhinakaran and Dr. Paul Dhinakaran with a divine vision to heal millions of brokenhearted people through the matchless love and compassion of Jesus Christ. The ministry operates with a dedicated mission. Pray for all people of all nations and all backgrounds - who are sick and troubled, having none to intercede for them so as to receive miracles from the Almighty God. Thus, Jesus Calls Ministry is fully committed to bringing Gods immense blessings and His healing touch to millions of brokenhearted people in their soul, mind and body through its 21 different facets that incorporate the mission: DIFFERENT FACETS OF JESUS CALLS MINISTRY KARUNYA Karunya University was founded with the noble vision to raise professionals and leaders of high academic caliber and unblemished character, nurtured with a strong motivation and commitment to serve humanity. The Karunya Institute of Technology was started as a private self-financing engineering college on 4 October 1986. In 2004, the institute was awarded the Deemed to be University status in recognition of its academic excellence by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India and subsequently renamed as Karunya University under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 vide Notification No. 9-3-2000-U3 dated. 23.6.2004 of the Government of India. Karunya University is into its 25th year of service in Higher education with specific focus on Engineering and Technology. In the short span of its existence it has moved swiftly ahead to carve a niche for itself as an institution promoting all round excellence. In a nutshell, Karunya is a coeducational, fully residential, Technological University imparting holistic education to develop the body, mind and spirit of the students. BETHESDA A TASTE OF HEAVEN The Prayer Centre In the year 1984, the Lord appeared in a vision to Dr.D.G.S. Dhinakaran and commissioned him to raise the Bethesda International Prayer Centre. He also explained the reason for it: "My son! When I lived in this world, of all that I did, the one that was close to my heart was to touch the sick with My hand and heal them! When you go to a town to conduct 'Jesus 88

Calls Good News Meetings' nearly half-a-million people throng the ground. I come there, lay My hand and heal the sick. But after that, you don't go to that place again. Sometimes you go there only after 5 or 6 years. Till then where will those people experience My healing power? So, to enable those who travail in body, mind and spirit to receive My healing touch, raise a structure like 'Bethesda' of the days of the Bible. When people come there and to pray, and when Prayer Warriors apply oil over them and pray for them, I shall touch them with My hand and heal them." True to this promise, the Lord has been blessing countless people, who throng to the Bethesda International Prayer Centre every day. The miracles that people experience here are truly astonishing! Bethesda International Prayer Centre is set amidst the scenic splendor of the Siruvani Hills, 25 kms away from the industrial city of Coimbatore. The landscape surrounding the Prayer Centre is beautiful with hills, waterfalls, green pastures and rivulets, providing the most peaceful atmosphere for prayer and meditation. The Prayer Centre is open on all days from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. SEESHA - SAMITI FOR EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL AND HEALTH ACTION, Seesha, a non-profit organization founded by the world-renowned spiritual leader, educationalist and social worker Dr. PAUL DHINAKARAN, with a noble vision to uplift the downtrodden. Enabling poor children to come up in their education and to uplift the rural people are his sole desire and mission. Our Vision is to promote the cause of those coming from poor circumstances in deprived areas and to enable them to attain decencies of life. Vision: To help the poorest of the poor and the needy by providing them much needed sustenance through our welfare and social assistance programs Services of Seesha: Catering to the needs of the poor & needy irrespective of Caste, Color, Creed, and Religion & Race. Provide food for the people living in poverty. Save lives by donating BLOOD through our Blood Donation Camps. Provide Health care to the rural poor and tribal groups through our RURAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. Medical help through our FREE MEDICAL CAMPS. Provide education aid to children in need through programs like Sponsor a child & free tuition centers.

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Conduct Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programs in the slums.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS As an extension to the God-given plan of the Karunya University, the Karunya Trust began the 'Community Development' service back in 1991 by establishing the Evangeline Matriculation School and dedicating it to the local poor and tribal people who live in the surrounding villages of Karunya Nagar. The school is well equipped and provides excellent education to nearly five hundred students every year. The other projects of the Trust, viz., the Poultry, Agricultural Farms, etc., not only help all the local people to get jobs to earn their livelihood, but also help in improving the living conditions of these people. The students of the Karunya Institutions also involve themselves in educating the rural people by conducting adult education programs, mass literacy programs, etc. The rural people, especially the tribal people who have so far not been exposed to such educational methods, now enjoy reading and writing and now have a better opportunity to survive in this challenging world. The Trust has also taken up the projects of laying roads etc., with the Public Works Department, and this greatly helps in improving the transport facility.

KARUNYA RURAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL YOUNG PARTNER'S PLAN What is the Young Partners Plan and who is i? Young Children fall prey to the evil snares of Satan. Children being tender and less protected, often become slaves to the enemy. The Lord appeared to Bro. D.G.S. Dhinakaran on 25th July 1985 and gave him a mandate to institute a plan for the young partners who are below the age of 25 years. The family members and the prayer warriors pray for these Young Partners to receive the following blessings in their life: 1. Protection from Evil. ("Keep them from the evil one" - John 17:15) 2. Wisdom to Shine. ("Your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children" - Isaiah 54:13) 3. Prosperity in life. ("He shall bless your Children" - Psalm 115:14) Accordingly, our prayer warriors pray for every Young Partner every day for all these blessings to be showered in their lives, along with their 90

prayer requests. Today millions of Young Partners are shining in many fields with richest blessings from God in each stage of their lives as they sustain this ministry through their earnest donations. BUSINESS BLESSING PLAN Sow into peoples lives & Reap your blessings in business The Jesus Calls Business Blessing Plan was divinely revealed by the Holy Spirit to Dr. Paul Dhinakaran to pray for the welfare of the businesses & business people for prosperity and wealth to be created to build Gods Kingdom CENTRE OF DIVINE EMPOWERMENT (CODE) The Holy Spirit inspired and spoke in the heart of Dr. Paul Dhinakaran and said, My son, every day thousands of people come and are blessed by the Jesus Calls Ministries. All these people should also have a personal experience with me and be filled with my Spirit and become a channel of blessing to others. Therefore My son, you should teach them how to listen to the voice of God and to walk with God and be the prophetic voice to the Nations governance." Our Vision Transforming form miracle seekers to miracle workers In obedience to this vision, the Centre of Divine Empowerment (CoDE) was established to shepherd the partners of Jesus Calls. The Mission of Jesus Calls CoDE is to train the participants worldwide

To help them to experience the saving grace of our Lord Jesus To lead them to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit To equip them with the power & gifts of the Holy Spirit To make them a prophetic voice to the nation

Christ

These objectives are achieved through conducting Prayer Seminars, Institute of Power Ministry and High Altitude Training Programs in different cities worldwide. VISION IN ACTION The CoDE team has so far conducted Prayer Seminars for overseas partners in Sydney (Australia), Colombo (Srilanka) and Durban (South Africa). In India, seminars were conducted in the following cities of Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Kolkata (West Bengal), Coimbatore (Tamilnadu) and in New Delhi. These seminars have created a great impact among the delegates who came testifying of their personal encounter with Jesus Christ and the revolutionizing of their prayer life. Still other have testified of their 91

experience in the Holy Spirit and committed to serve the Lord as Prayer Warriors, Ambassadors and Volunteers. TELEVISION CLUB PARTNER The Media Ministries was first started way back in the year 1972 through FEBA; and now we reach the highest number of people through the Television Ministry, we have more than 100 television programs per week in 13 major languages through which, an estimated 90 million people are being blessed. Under the TV Club plan one can pledge to support this facet of the ministry by making a donation of a minimum of Rs.100/- or more every month.

JESUS CALLS FAMILY BLESSING PLAN It has been started with a divine vision given by God to Dr. Paul Dhinakaran to pray for the blessing and prosperity of those who are to be settled in family life (Psalms 68: 6) and for the members of an existing family (Psalms 115: 12-15). This plan will provide a strong spiritual covering for each and every member of the family of a partner thro the everlasting love and compassion of God as the family of the Dhinakarans and the Prayer Warriors of the Jesus Calls Prayer Tower cover them with prayers to the Lord. PRAYER FESTIVAL The Jesus Calls meetings are one of the major platforms and channels through which the Ministry carries the love and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ to the millions of broken hearted around the world. The partnerships that have been established with us are precious in the sight of the Lord and our Lords heart will be gladdened and He will surely reward them richly not only in this life but also in the life to come in Heaven. The expenses for conducting these prayer meetings are quite enormous and much planning and effort has been put in with the sole aim of reaching the broken hearted. A Campaign partner can sponsor an amount of Rs. 10,000/- to Rs.10 lakhs for each campaign as per the leading of the Holy Spirit. JESUS CALLS AMBASSADORS "Love others as you love yourself" It is only upon the basis of this Divine Command that the Ambassador network of the Jesus Calls Ministries was founded. Anointed people who have experienced great freedom, healing and power of God volunteered their services to help others get this power too by spreading the love and 92

compassion of Christ. Bro. Jerry Manuel pioneered this endeavor by not only becoming the first Ambassador, but also by forming a network of live wire 'Jesus Calls' Ambassadors all over India and abroad Today Ambassadors represent the Ministry all over India and abroad. The main role of an Ambassador is three-fold: 1) As a Prayer Warrior/ Counsellor/ Evangelist - to meet and pray for all the needy and tell about the love and compassion of Christ (the founding principal of the Ministry). 2) As an Ambassador of Christ/ Promoter of Ministry - to be a liaison between the people, partners and Jesus Calls Headquarters, Chennai. And to introduce our magazines, books, cassettes etc. and other facets of the Ministry so that many more can taste the Savior's Love. 3) As a faithful steward - to be upright and honest for Christ's sake. They are indeed the ambassadors of 'Jesus Calls' Ministry, set as witnesses to Christ, and have been drawing so many to experience His love, compassion and power. WOMENS MINISTRY Reviving the Women: The Lord revival Special which has used Sis. Stella Dhinakaran mightily, bringing a great among women in India. The Jesus calls Ministries conducts Women's Conferences in various places of the country in Sis. Stella Dhinakaran and Sis. Evangeline Paul Dhinakaran deliver the Lord's message. These conferences are mainly conducted to empower women with the Word of God and to help them grow in the Lord. Thousands attend these meetings and the Lord's power is demonstrated through mighty miracles. Women from all parts of the city pour into the grounds where the Jesus Calls Public Meetings are held, to listen to the message that Sis.Stella Dhinakaran brings from God. The Holy Spirit would operate the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit from within her. Besides this, when public meetings are conducted a morning is devoted to the Family Blessing Meeting where peace is restored in thousands of broken homes. People surrender their lives to Christ with torrents of tears and the conviction of their sins. CHILDRENS MINISTRY Jesus Calls - Children's Club: "Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.'" (Mathew 19:14). Jesus Calls "Children's Club" is an exclusive club for children. They are taught to

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lead a spiritual life from a tender age through songs, stories and skits. They are equipped to live a life pleasing to God. The worldly pleasures are very tempting and it is a challenge to stay away from evil. But, Jesus Calls Children Club shows them the godly way to resist temptation and lead a life that is sure to be a blessing to the child as well as to the family. Children who attend can enjoy the godly fellowship and establish healthy friendship with kids in the club.

JESUS CALLS MARRIAGE BUREAU Jesus Calls Ministries has been building up the homes of many through its outreaches. One of the endeavors is helping people to choose the right partner in their marriage through its Marriage Bureau. EMPLOYMENT BUREAU As employment problems have been increasing, certainly we need not only others' prayers, but also their help. Thus, with a view to cater to the needs of the unemployed partners we at the Jesus Calls Ministries started an employment bureau in November 1994 to help the unemployed and job-seeking Youth to find the suitable Jobs. PRAYER AND COUNSELLING "'Am I a God near at hand,' says the Lord, 'And not a God afar off?'" (Jeremiah 23:23) Various prayer meetings are conducted in the Prayer Tower where people from all over India and abroad attend and obtain their healing. God has performed many mighty miracles in these prayer meetings. Prayer Warriors lay their hands in prayer on every sick person who attends these meetings. Today, over 5,000 people from all over the world contact the 24 Hours Prayer Tower every day, seeking prayers and counseling over the telephone. Our God answers every prayer made in this place and works miracles in the lives of the callers. The overwhelming number of testimonies from the callers bears evidence. OTHER FACILITIES CHAPEL

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"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:6) A beautiful Chapel functions on the Prayer Tower premises to facilitate the visitors meditation on the Word of God where they are led to pray to Him in secret. This is kept open from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. BOOK STORE The Prayer Tower also houses a bookstore, where you can find books, cassettes by the Dhinakarans and a variety of other Christian articles which can help you get closer to the Lord! CORRESPONDENCE MINISTRY: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Are you troubled? Are you weary? Feel free to write to us and we will pray for you. The prayers offered by the Dhinakarans and the Prayer Warriors at the prayer towers worldwide have yielded mighty miracles from God in the lives of millions of brokenhearted people around the globe.

MEDIA MINISTRY The History The advent of the electronic revolution has changed every aspect of life and has a marvelous impact on the lifestyle of people. Keeping pace with the changes that happen around us, the Jesus Calls Ministries has also been constantly evaluating the various means by which the Gospel can be reached, "unto the ends of the earth" and started the Media Ministry way back in the year 1972. The gospel is proclaimed through various media like TV, Audio, Video cassettes and CDs. TV Programmes: The Dhinakarans spend prime time in prayer to produce these programs, and many technicians work along with them to produce a complete program. We have 1768 television programs per month in 8 major languages through which, an estimated 90 million people are being blessed. Our programs attract viewers from many other commercial serials telecast at the same time and have received the maximum TRP ratings in almost in all the channels in which they are telecast. The Lord blesses each and every viewer of the programs; the miracles reported through our programs are growing day by day. We give all the glory to the Lord who is enabling us to reach millions of people. It is possible only because of the faithful prayers of our partners and their generous support. In turn, they enjoy the blessings of the Lord in their personal life 95

and bring healing to the aching souls. This operation requires financial support to sustain and send out the blessings every week. MAGAZINE MINISTRY The Jesus Calls Ministries, in its quest to reach out to the masses, started the Magazine Ministry back in 1973. A modest and humble beginning, with just 200 subscribers, the first 'Jesus Calls' magazine came out in the month of May, 1973 in both English and Tamil. But this facet of the ministry grew in leaps and bounds reaching more people by every passing month. In the year 1980, the Lord enabled us to introduce this magazine both in Malayalam and Telugu editions and 2 years later in the year 1982 the Hindi edition appeared. In the year 1986 the 'Jesus Calls' magazine got published in Kannada. Now 'Jesus Calls' magazine is in six different languages and reaches to an estimated 250,000 people every month and the readership of this magazine exceeds half a million.

BOOKS AND LITERATURE The Dhinakarans have authored a number of books, being filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, catering to the Spiritual needs of others. The first booklet was published in the year 1973 entitled "The Cause And Cure of Sickness". This was followed by 19 books one after another, published in 7 different languages. They have expounded to several hundred thousands of readers. Dr.Paul Dhinakaran took his pen in 1990s starting with a book for the Youth called "Born to Fly". His "Secrets for Success" is also desired by youth who burn to succeed in life. Not long ago he wrote a book titled "Blessings on the Beloved". Sister Stella Dhinakarans' has also written a book entitled "Priceless Pearl" which has merited an award and has touched the lives of many. AUDIO & VIDEO MINISTRY Many people who were unable to attend the crusades organized by Jesus Calls Ministries (as well as those who attended them personally) request us to record these unobtainable gifts of the Lord in these meetings. Now we have a huge library of cassettes with the messages of the Dhinakarans. The Lord has given The Dhinakarans the talent of singing. The Lord performs miracles through their songs and their voices coupled with the heavenly music and the Lord's blessings have brought blessings to many. Especially the young children of Dr.Paul Dhinakaran, Sam, Sharon and Sweety are the role models for many children of their ages. Their songs mesmerize little children and express the love and compassion of the Lord. 96

JESUS CALLS WEBSITES Certainly the last decade belongs to the explosion of Information over the Internet. All of a sudden information is available to everybody about virtually anything under the sun. No wonder millions of people are hooked on to this powerful media. Sensing opportunities to spread the Good News over such a powerful source, the Jesus Calls Ministries began the Internet ministry, by launching the first ever prayer portal www.prayertoweronline.org, in the November 1, 2000.

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UNIT V
Concept of God Communication with God and Personal Devotion Sin and Temptation Inner Life Integrity

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CONCEPT OF GOD CHAPTER I

CONTENTS: Understanding God Characteristics of God Nature of God Names of God

God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose.

UNDERSTANDING GOD God created us in His own image and we were formed to replicate God in every way. Yet, even then, there was no basis for comparison between Him and us. He is our "uncreated" Creator; and we will always be His "created" beings. Throughout the ages humankind has struggled to become gods. From Adam and Eve, who ate the fruit "to become like God," to New Age enthusiasts who believe that one day humans will reach their final evolution in reincarnation to become gods, mortals have been striving for the security found in being unlimited in terms of knowledge, power, space, and time. We tend to place God into the context of our humanity, and then attempt to label and categorize Him, based on what we know about ourselves. God's creation will never know the depths of the mind of their Creator. All we can know, is what He has chosen to reveal to us CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD Holiness - God is spirit, and His primary characteristic is holiness. Holiness is defined as "absolute purity," and is the entire unique substance, which is God. Because God is uncreated (a concept which can be baffling to created beings), we cannot say that God is "made" of holiness. The "person" of God (meaning he is a personal being, not merely some type of impersonal force,) is holy, and holiness is the "person" of God.

We could describe God as a bar of pure gold (except, even the most refined gold still has an infinitesimal amount of impurity in it; a quality which cannot be assigned to God). When someone asks, "What is the substance of that yellow bar?" we can respond confidently that it is "gold." The same can be said for God. When someone asks us, "What is the substance of God?" we can respond to them confidently that He is "holiness." He is unique, uncreated purity. Similarly, if someone were to 99

ask you, "What are you made up of?" you might respond, "Flesh and bone;" but in the same manner, God would answer them that He consists of "holiness." Holiness is also God's moral substance. Who He is, determines the laws of the Universe. Because God is uncreated and unchanging, His laws can never be changed. Who He is (holiness) defines what is right and wrong, moral and immoral. Righteousness - God is unique, unchangeable purity. Therefore, who God is, determines what is right, and again by default, what is wrong. When God's creation "agrees" with who He is and follows His ways, they are "right;" hence the word, "righteousness." However, when God's creation chooses to disagree with who He is, they are wrong. Justice - Because who God is defines the guidelines of morality and universal law, God Himself will not violate any of His laws. (God cannot contradict Himself in this manner, because it would mean He would have to change who He is. God is unchangeable, because He is uncreated). Because morality is defined by who God is, the person of God is also defined by His morality. Neither the "person" of God nor morality can be separated from the other. They are the same substance. It would be like trying to say that the "bar" was not "pure gold," or that the "pure gold" was not the "bar." They are each other at the same time. If the "bar" desired to change the substance of the "pure gold," the "bar" would end up also changing itself. Thus, if the "bar" is unchangeable, the "pure gold" is unchangeable as well. From this we see that God's justice is consistent, always fair (He does not waver because He likes one person better than another), and never changing.

NATURE (ATTRIBUTES) OF GOD

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

God is omnipotent -- Omnipotent refers to all-powerful. He has total power and control over His creation: Does this mean that God can do anything? No. God cannot do something that violates His nature, or that results in a logical contradiction. For example, God cannot lie; nor can God force one of His creatures to love Him since, by definition, love is something that cannot be forced. The attribute of God that describes his ability to do whatever He wills. God's will is limited by His nature, and He therefore cannot do anything contrary to His nature as God, such as to ignore sin, to sin, or to do something absurd or self-contradictory. God is not controlled by His power, but has complete control over it; otherwise He would not be a free being. To a certain extent, He has voluntarily limited Himself by the free will of His rational creatures. This means that if God says something will happen. He has the power to make sure that it will happen. . Just as He cannot sin, He has the power to forgive those who do. 100

God is omnipresent. Omnipresence refers to God's ability to be fully present everywhere at all times. God exists independent of His creation -- time and space are part of that creation. Therefore, when man is sinning God is there. If a child is doing something a parent has told him not to do, God is there. There is no place where man can go to hide from God. The attributes of God by which He fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. Not a part, but the whole of God is present in every place God is omniscient. God has full knowledge of all aspects of His creation; His knowledge is absolute: The attribute of God by which God perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known, past, present, and future. God knows how best to attain His desired ends. This, like omnipresence, demonstrates that man cannot hide from God because God knows all things. He knows the number of hairs on each head, He knows the heart and thoughts of every man. Just because no man is around to see us do wrong doesn't mean nobody saw it happen - God did God knows our intentions in the things we do. We need to be sure that our attitudes are congruent with our actions because God knows when we are doing things for the wrong reasons or motives.

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

GOD IS LIFE - Life is the vital principle, or breath of life, which God imparted to man, making him a living soul God has absolute life in Himself and is the source of all life. Since God is life anything other than God is death. God can think and act to protect His people. He can give life to those who seek Him. When His people pray to Him, He is able to hear them and He does answer them. GOD IS SPIRIT - God is a non-material personal being, self-conscious and self-determining. God is someone we can get to know. He, unlike ourselves, doesn't need to be told what to do. On the other hand He tells us what to do and how to live in a manner pleasing to Him. Just because He can't be seen by the human eye doesn't mean He is not there and therefore should be ignored. His creation demonstrates His existence. Also, since he cannot be seen, we need to devote ourselves to study everything that has been written about Him so that we can get to know Him like He wants us to and begin to live our lives in a way that pleases Him. GOD IS LOVE - The very nature of God is God is love. Love includes patience, kindness, and protection, trusting, hoping and persevering. Love is not envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered.

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GOD IS TRUTH the concept of truth is derived from the character of God and is the exact opposite of the concept of lying. It is impossible for God to lie. When he says about what will happen will actually take place. The secondary attributes of God also include that God is compassionate, comforter, provider, guide, father, friend in times of need.

CONCEPT OF HOLY SPIRIT WHAT IS HOLY SPIRIT? Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost [ghost, i.e., spirit, a translation of Greek. Pneuma=breath, air], in Christian doctrine, the third person of the Trinity (Triune God). The Holy Spirit is sometimes defined as the aspect of God immanent in this world, in human beings, and in the church ACTIVITIES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT What are some of activities of the Holy Spirit comforter? as helper or

The Spirit is the Energy of God in

1. He guides us into all truth. (John16.13) - But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak on his own initiative but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. The role of the Holy Spirit is to show us that we are sinners and to point us to, and guide us to, a clear understanding of who Jesus Christ is, leading us to a commitment to Him. He also helps us to understand Gods word and its application in our lives. He is the Spirit of truth and will only reveal to us. 2. He assures us that we are Gods Children. Romans 8.16- The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Its is like having an eternal binding contract with God that the Holy spirit seals, confirming that we are secure in our family relationship with the Father 3. He gives us hope. Romans 15;13-Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing , that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. The expression the God of hope means the God who inspires hope and imparts it to his children. He can be counted on to fulfill what still remains to be accomplished in us. He is not finished with us! 4. He strengthens us. Ephesians 3.16- Paul tells us to be Strengthened with the power through the Spirit in the inner man. The strengthening of the inner person comes when Christ takes up His permanent residence in us. So the strength is the presence of

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Christ in our lives Christ desires to bring us His strength if we will let Him. 5. He equips us to serve others. Ephesians 4:11&12 And he gave some as apostles, and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to be building up of the body of Christ. The role of the Holy Spirit is to equip us for the work that we have been called to do in Gods Kingdom. For example; some in the choir, to teach preschoolers, help keep the church clean, go out on visitation, participate in short term mission trips Etc. God has given to each one, one or more gifts to be used in the work of the Kingdom. It is up to each person to discover their gifts then use them in the Work of the service, to be building up of the body of Christ. GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS? Spiritual gifts are not our natural talents. God, through the Holy Spirit, gives them. They cannot be inherited. The spirit filled believer has a responsibility to function in the body of Christ, where God has set him. All believers have a definite function. You are a special instrument in the hands of God .Are we available and willing to be used? PURPOSES OF THE GIFTS

"A Gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it

Spiritual Maturity: You cannot strengthen someone who is weak unless you are mature yourself. Spiritual gifts help you mature so you can edify the Church and strengthen others (I Corinthians 14:12). Edification: Spiritual gifts are used for the edification of the Church and are tools that bring us into spiritual maturity: "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." (I Corinthians 14;12) Credentials: A credential is having evidence or testimony concerning your authority. When the gifts are displayed, it publicly confirms that you are a true believer, an ambassador of God: (Mark 16:17-18,20) Spiritual Prosperity: I Corinthians 12:7 declares, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." The gift of the Holy Spirit can be compared to a precious stone which brings prosperity. Proverbs 17:8 says that "A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth."

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WHO IS GIVEN A SPIRITUAL GIFT? Every Christian is given a spiritual gift as soon as he or she is born again. At that very moment the Holy Spirit will unite with that person's spirit (Romans 8:16-17). When we are born physically, we possess certain natural abilities. When we are born again spiritually, God takes these natural abilities and turns them into the means by which He can work through us supernaturally. Jesus "gave gifts unto men ... For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith..." (Ephesians 4:8, 12-14). Three Categories of Spiritual Gifts
SOURCE Gifts of the Father Gifts of the Son Gifts of the Holy Spirit REFERENCE Romans 12:6-8 Ephesians 4:11 I Corinthians 12:28 I Corinthians 12:7-11 CATEGORY Motivation Ministry Manifestation

CATEGORIES OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS REVELATION GIFTS 1. Word of Wisdom. 2. Word of Knowledge. 3. Discerning of spirits UTTERANCE GIFTS 4. Speaking in Tongues 5. Interpretation of Tongues POWER GIFTS 7. Faith 8. Healing 9. Miracles 6. Prophecy

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The gifts are the spiritual senses of the Church. Just as we have five physical senses that allow us to function in the natural realm (world), so we also have nine gifts of the Holy Spirit (the "spiritual senses") that enable us to function properly in the spiritual realm. These gifts are identified in I Corinthians 12:8-11 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." 1. GIFT OF WISDOM

The wisdom of God (I Corinthians 2:6-7) The wisdom of the world (I Corinthians 2:6) The wisdom of man (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18)

The gift of the word of wisdom is the application of knowledge that God gives us. (1 Cor. 2:67) This type of wisdom is a gift which cannot be gained through study or experience and should by no means try to replace them. The gift of the word of wisdom is seeing life from God's perspective. As the Christian exercises this gift, he begins to develop a fear of the Lord. This is the "beginning of wisdom" according to Proverbs 1:7. The gift of the word of wisdom is also the revealing of prophetic future; it is speaking hidden truths of what is not known. Furthermore, this gift involves having a sense of divine direction, being led by the Holy Spirit to act appropriately in a given set of circumstances, and rightly applying knowledge. The gift of wisdom is the wisdom of God. It is the supernatural impartation of facts; it is not natural. You can't earn it. It is received from God through prayer (Ephesians 1:17). The gift of the word of wisdom works interactively with the other two revelation gifts: knowledge and discernment. 2. GIFT OF WORD OF KNOWLEDGE A word of knowledge is a definite conviction, impression, or knowing that comes to you in a similitude (a mental picture), a dream, through a vision, or by a Scripture that is quickened to you. It is supernatural insight or understanding of circumstances, situations, problems, or a body of facts by revelation; that is, without assistance by any human resource but solely by divine aid. Furthermore, the gift of the word of knowledge is the transcendental revelation of the divine will and plan of God. It involves moral wisdom for right living and relationships, requires objective understanding concerning divine things in human duties, and refers to knowledge of God or of the things that belong to God, as related in the Gospel. The gift of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge function together; knowledge is raw material and wisdom builds on it.

3. GIFT OF DISCERNING SPIRITS Discerning of spirits is the supernatural ability given by the Holy Spirit to perceive the source of a spiritual manifestation and determine whether it is of God (Acts 10:30-35), of the devil (Acts 16:16-18), of man (Acts 8:18-23), or of the world. It is not mind reading, psychic phenomena, or the ability to criticize and find fault. Discerning of spirits must be done by the power of the Holy Spirit; He bears witness with our spirit when something is or is not of God. The gift of discerning of spirits is the supernatural power to detect the realm of the spirits and their activities. It implies the power of spiritual insight - the supernatural revelation of plans and purposes of the enemy and his forces. It is a gift which protects and guards your Christian life.

How to Test a Spirit? Observing what a person does. In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus explains that false prophets are known by their fruit - by their conduct and actions Observing whether or not a person exalts Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as Lord and Saviour (I Corinthians 12:3). By listening to what a person says (I John 4:1-3). Does their confession line up with the truth of God's Word?

4. GIFT OF FAITH The gift of faith is the supernatural ability to believe God without doubt, combat unbelief, and visualize what God wants to accomplish. It is not only an inner conviction impelled by an urgent and higher calling, but also a supernatural ability to meet adverse circumstances with trust in God's words and messages. This gift not only operates in healings and in miracles, but in the realm of the impossible as well. Saving faith produces the active faith of the fruit of the Spirit which, in turn, produces the gift of faith. When the gift of faith is empowered, the results are miraculous! 5. GIFT OF HEALING The gift of healing refers to supernatural healing without human aid; it is a special gift to pray on specific diseases. Healing can come through the touch of faith (James 5:14-15); by speaking the word of faith (Luke 7:1-10); or by the presence of God being manifested (Mark 6:56; Acts 19:11-12). The Bible speaks of "gifts" of healing because there are three types of healings: physical (diabetes, blindness, cancer, deafness, etc.), emotional (jealousy, worry, discouragement, and other destructive attitudes), and spiritual (bitterness, greed, and guilt, etc.). Although there are three main types of healings, there is much diversity with the gift of healings. While one person might have the gift of healing to rid a person of cancer or perform a creative miracle, another person might have a diversity of the same gift to correct lower back problems or remove a root of bitterness).

6. GIFT OF PERFORMING MIRACLES A miracle is the performance of something, which is against the laws of nature; it is a supernatural power to intervene and counteract earthly and evil forces. The word miracles comes from the Greek word dunamis which means "power and might that multiplies itself." The gift of miracles operates closely with the power gifts of faith and healings to bring authority over Satan, sickness, sin, and the binding forces of this age. Miracles can also be defined as supernatural intercessions of God. God exhorts us with energy to do something that is not natural or normal to us. Just as the ministry, gift of miracles is the expression of prayer, so is the function of the Holy Spirit to direct our prayers (Romans 8:26). However, the greatest miracle (and often least talked about) is the miracle of salvation. Sure, it doesn't appear as spectacular as parting a sea or even raising a person from the dead, but then again, we as human beings are truly impressed by the manifestations of outward signs and wonders. God, on the other hand, isn't so concerned about outward appearances and flamboyant showmanship but rather a person's heart condition. It is God's desire that believers utilize these spiritual gifts to combat unbelief and bring non-believers to repentance in order that spiritually dead people can be transformed into new creatures in Christ Jesus. 7. GIFT OF PROPHECY The gift of prophecy edifies, exhorts, and comforts (I Corinthians 14:3); helps us build up or strengthen; and should lead us to the Word of God. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come (John 16:8-11). Prophecy is divinely inspired and anointed utterance; a supernatural proclamation in a known language. It is the manifestation of the Spirit of God - not of intellect (I Corinthians 12:7), and it may be possessed and operated by all who have the infilling of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 14:31) Intellect, faith, and will are operative in this gift, but its exercise is not intellectually based. It is calling forth words from the Spirit of God. The gift of prophecy operates when there is high worship (I Samuel 10:5-6), when others prophets are present (I Samuel 10:9-10), and when hands are laid on you by ministers (Acts 19:1-6). There is a ministry of the prophet, but not everyone is a prophet. 8. GIFT OF TONGUES Gift of tongues is the Supernatural utterance through the power of the Holy Spirit in a person that manifests as spiritual language. The Holy Spirit energizes the tongue to edify believers through language and music. Diverse Tongues is the most misunderstood and dynamic gift. It is not your prayer language, but it can surface through intercession, or through the individual. Supernatural utterance in languages not known to the speaker; these languages may be existent in the world, revived from some past culture, or "unknown" in the sense that they are a means of communication inspired by the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 28:11; Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4, 10:44-48, 19:1-7; I Corinthians 12:10, 13:1-3, 14:2, 4-22, 26-32).

The Spiritual Gift involving the ability to speak in foreign language(s) not previously studied or to respond to experience of the Holy Spirit by uttering sounds are those, which cannot be understood without the gift of interpretation. At Pentecost the church received the gift to communicate the gospel in foreign languages (Acts 2). God gave His Spirit to all His people to empower them to witness and prophesy. In Corinth some members of the church uttered sounds the rest of the congregation did not understand (I Corinthians 12-14). This led to controversy and division. Paul tried to unite the church, assuring the church that there are different gifts but only one Spirit (I Corinthians 12:4-11). 9. GIFT OF INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES Interpretation of tongues is a supernatural verbalization and subsequent interpretation to reveal the meaning of a diverse tongue. This gift operates out of the mind of the Spirit rather than out of the mind of man. It is important to note that "interpretation" of tongues is not the same thing as "translation" of tongues, for the interpreter never understands the tongue he or she is interpreting. For example, the message in tongues may be long and the interpretation short because the interpretation only gives the meaning. On the other hand, one may speak a short time in tongues and then given a lengthy interpretation. Yet still, at other times, the interpretation is almost word for word. The Word of God says that if you pray in tongues, you should pray that you would also interpret - not only for the benefit of others - but for your own benefit as well. If someone speaks in tongues, you can ask God to move through you to give the interpretation so that others will understand, but you can also do this in your private prayers for your own personal benefit. You can pray, "Father, help me understand what I've just said to you in the Spirit," and the Lord will give you the interpretation. The gift of interpretation of tongues is the second of three inspirational or vocal gifts of the Holy Spirit. When combined with the inspirational gift of diverse tongues, the miraculous and supernatural phenomenon known as prophesies results. THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INTRODUCTION: There is an obvious difference between the The tree is known work and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is the direct result of the spirits active by its Fruits. Ministry. The fruit of the Spirit is the outcome of His indwelling and our yielding to Him. Gal.5: 17-23 is a sharp contrast between the works of the flesh and the fruits of the spirit. The works of the flesh (17 of them) are the natural outcome of the Adamic nature .The fruits of the Spirit is the result of the Holy Ghost operating on the new life.

The book of Galatians identifies the Christ-like qualities that God wants to produce in our lives: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." --- Galatians 5:22-23 KINDS OF FRUIT Gal 5:22-23 lists the NINE graces as a single unit one fruit The First THREE fruit focus on our RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. The Second THREE fruit focus on our RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS. The Final THREE fruit focus DIRECTLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL. 1. LOVE: This is Divine Love, an attribute of the indwelling God. 1 John 4:16; 1 Cor 1:3 2. JOY: Not the so-called happiness of the world but deep, deep gladness Phil 4: 4 3. PEACE: This is the peace of God that satisfies the soul completely Col 3:15 4. LONG SUFFERING: (Patience) the natural man is impatient. Saints are the opposite 5. GENTLENESS: (Kindness or Graciousness). Jesus was known by his graciousness 6. GOODNESS: (Benevolence). This virtue makes the believers full of good works 7. FAITH: (Faithfulness) .He is dependable .He can be relied on all things. 8. MEEKNESS: (Mildness of Temper). He is humble, particularly true of us. 2 Tim 2:25 9. TEMPERANCE: (Self Control) Moderate in appetite, dress, habit and fashions. These nine are all opposite or contrary to the filthy natural works of the flesh. These nine graces were beautifully portrayed in our Lord Jesus Christ for He was spirit filled. CHARACTERISTICS OF FRUIT Fruit is an evidence of Life: John 12:24 unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone: if it dies it produces much grain. If we are not dead we will merely bring forth the works of the flesh, because self has not been crucified. Fruit is necessary: John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away Luke 13:9. And if it bears fruits, well: But if not after you can cut it down. Fruitlessness and Favour with God cannot live together. Fruit affords identification Matthew 12.33 The tree is known by its fruits. Very often our lives are a paradox of cursing and blessing, sweetness and bitterness figs and olives. James 3:9-12 .Is it any wonder that the world is perplexed?

Purpose of the fruits: Matthew 21:34 He sent His servants that they might receive fruits Fruit is not exclusively for the tree. Others see our good works and glorify God. Source of the fruit Hosea 14.8 I am like a green cypress tree; your fruit is found in Me The source is in God. John 15; 4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. Fruit is the source of the propagation Genesis 1:11 Let the earth bring forth grass, herbs that yields seed and the fruit trees that yield according to its kind, whose seed is in it The seed is the fruit. If there is no fruit there is no seed or reproduction. If there is no spiritual fruit in our lives, then we cannot reproduce. Rather than being a blessing, our lives become a hindrance to the Gospel. CONCLUSION Lets consistently bear fruit and use gifts of the Holy Spirit since both are equally important. Be balanced. Example: (wings of a bird). Gods purpose in choosing us at all is to manifest the same features of His son Jesus Christ.

CONCEPT OF MAN
I. MAN AS TRINITY Man is a complex being. Bible teaches that man is a Trinity Man was created consisting of spirit, soul and body. Thus 1 Thess: 5:23 says, "May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly, and may last, and what was your spirit, soul and body be kept sound and blameless." Very created last is the often the spirit and the soul are confused because of their close basis of all things. affinity and characteristics. However Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two edged sword piercing to the division of soul and spirit; of joints and marrow; discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Thus soul and spirit are distinct entities as the joint and marrow are or thought and the intentions of the heart are. SOUL is associated with the personality of man, his intellect, mind, wisdom, emotions etc. Soul is the field of ideas where experiences are analyzed, stored and interpreted on the basis of previous experiences. Without it events becomes meaningless. Relationships are perceived by the soul. Laws of nature (material and spiritual) are derived in the soul. The observed facts of physical world are simply matter and its motion. Soul therefore is the real person as we think of a persons personality. It is the soul that sin and is held responsible for mans behavior. Thus the soul is generated, inherits the generic experiences and then goes on to grow as the person grows. BODY offers no confusion and exists in the three dimensional material world as well as in time.

SPIRIT is very similar to the soul. It is the life principle. It is the spirit that gives the body its life. Spirit is the life-giving go-between between soul and body. It is the spirit that acts as a cohesive force, the glue or communicator between the other two dimensions. Without the life giving spirit, body and soul cannot coexist. When the spirit leaves the body (i.e life foes out) the soul separates from the body.

If however the spirit, the soul and the body existed in entirely different dimensions, they could not have interacted as it really does. It should therefore be assumed that they share at least some dimensions with each other. Just as any two perpendicular lines share one common point, or two perpendicular planes share one common line, the three fields of spirit, soul and body must be sharing some points together, either together or pair wise. As the body (which is material - corporal) exists in space-time, soul and spirit must be having their own dimensions of existence. Time is one dimension is common to all the three - or at least by soul and body. A crude model of man, therefore, can be constructed as in fig.1 each reality exists in several dimensions of their own and shares one or more dimensions with each other. Intense interactions take place between these three fields thus constituting man.

Fig. 1 Model Of Man II. THE CREATION OF MAN Gen. 2:7 describes the act of creation of man thus: "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." The body of man is created out of matter the essence of which is Jesus, in whose image it is created and by the Word of God (i.e Jesus - the Logos) Then God gives the spirit, the breath of life, the essence of which is the Spirit of God. And man became a living soul. God did not create the soul - it came into existence as a result of the interaction of the spirit on matter. We can see here why man is the likeness of God. The soul belongs to man alone in that he has the right to be what he wants to be. It remains that man was created with a free will which God respects.

The soul is thus a qualitatively new entity evolved out of the interaction of matter and spirit and has an existence by itself. Once generated it grows, gathering more and more experiences. The mind of man stores up all the experiences and its analysis by the intellect for future reference. It is like an immense computer. Human brain contains some ten to the power ten nerve cells, which can act in ten to the power eight hundred ways. Compare this with the total number of atoms in the universe, which is estimated as ten to the power one hundred only. Thus each human mind is capable of storing the entire data for recreating the entire universe. But soul is not the brain. Brain is only material a part of the human body. It is the hardware. The soul never decay or die (2 Cor. 5:1), but is "renewed every day". (2 Cor. 4:16). The spirit of man returns to God who gave it. (Ec. 12:7). So at the cross Jesus committed his spirit to God. (Lk 23:46) The spirit is also the seat of wisdom. While the soul is the total compendium of all experiences and intermediate results of analysis and interpretations in the conscious and unconscious mind, the spirit exhibits the final conclusion derived not only from the external experiences but also from the spirit world experience and inferences. Thus the spirit can be broken (Pro. 15:13; 17:22) vexed (Ec. 2:11), haughty (Pro. 16:18), humble (Pro.16:19), wounded (Pro. 18:4), wise, understanding, judging, counseling and mighty (Is. 4:4; 11:2) Heart is considered as the seat of the spirit (Pro. 15:13)

COMMUNICATION WITH GOD AND PERSONAL DEVOTION

CHAPTER II

CONTENTS: What is Prayer? Why should we pray? Steps in Prayer Reasons as to why God speaks? Methods God uses to speak Why Prayers are unanswered? Why dont we pray?

WHAT IS PRAYER? Prayer is simply talking to God just like how you would talk to your very best friend. Prayer is not to inform God of something, which he may not be aware of, or to try to convince Him to love us more. He already knows our needs. Prayer is turning our hearts toward God and receiving His love in turn. Purpose of Prayer To assist us in building relationship with God.

WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

Prayer opens the channels of Gods blessing. You are on one side of a closed door and on the other side is God. When you pray you are turning the door knob. Prayer gives God the permission to do what he has been longing to do all time. STEPS IN PRAYER Bring the problem to Gods attention. Always keep the problem God centered and not problem centered. Supplication A very honest and clear confession that you need his help. Focus on God and not on the problem Always pray with thanksgiving God wants to talk to you, not in words, but through your mind and your heart. The true child of God can hear God speak just as clearly as if God was standing right alongside of them verbally talking to them. 4 RESONS WHY God speaks to you God desires to have fellowship with us. We are his most precious creation and he loves us dearly. God knows that we constantly need direction in our travels through life. To provide comfort to us through trials. God wants us to get to know him.

METHODS GOD USES TO SPEAK TO YOU Word, people, divine circumstances. 7 things to ask yourself each time when you pray Will the thing I am praying for, meet my Godly personal needs & will it fit in the righteous life style? Will I gladly accept whatever God is willing to give me? Am I submissive to Gods will? If my Prayer is answered will the result honour God? Will it harm / hurt/ interfere in another persons life? Will it please God or will what you pray for delight God? Does my request contradict word of God? Will what I Pray for bring me closer go God? 3 important things when you Pray FAITH, OBEDIENCE, PATIENCE WHY PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED? We center on problem and not on God. We tell God what to do. Unfortunately when people pray there is no Praise, Glory, Honor. We tend to focus on positive aspects and power of God than negative aspect. Dont pray for the problem but rather the solution of the problem.

WHY DON'T WE PRAY? We are too busy to spend time in Prayer. We expect immediate solution as well as we reason out things and some of us are too busy with others. We are like small infants who want to put the colorful and glittering piece of broken glass. Talking to God makes us comfortable and we dont want to give up those sins and have a fear that he may just change our attitude. We miss the pleasures those sin bring us. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD: QUIET TIME A practice that's most commonly associated with recent spiritual awakenings is that of seeking times of silence in our lives. It's hard to hear the Spirit with all the noise around us. So, many Christians have learned to take some small part of each day and set it aside for silence. This means shutting off the beeper, turning off the TV and radio, taking the phone off the hook, and closing the door. Or, it means walking off to the beach or garden or mountain, as Jesus Himself did, and not doing anything but leaving yourself open to the Lord. This time set aside for silence during the day is often called 'quiet time'. It's usually done first thing in the morning. Quiet time, as with other devotional activities, can help give some divine rhythm to the daily routine. That takes care of outside noise. But what about the inner noise? Our own mind is constantly thinking about what to do, what's going to happen, what others are thinking, and what we aspire to or lust after. That sort of stuff is also noise, at least to our spirit. To turn that off, the ancients did something very simple: they breathed. That is, they breathed through their nose, slowly, deeply, using their diaphragm, focusing their mind on the act of breathing. The body reacts to this sort of breathing by relaxing; muscle tension fades away, and blood pressure drops. The mind reacts, too. As your body relaxes, your thoughts focus down on the one bodily action you can't shut off. This leaves more of your mind free to hear God whispering to you. God will receive your prayers and will speak to you in the silence. Quiet time is more than just a daily appointment with God. It's more like a visit with your closest friend. It's especially important for those of us who've made our lives in such a way that we'd make God get an appointment to speak to us. Good relationships need the time; they can't live as just another item on the agenda, yet they are lost if time isn't specifically set aside for them. Quiet Time - Be Still and Listen Quiet time could refer to those precious moments after the kids are in bed, but for Christians, a quiet time is more than that. Quiet time, or devotion time, refers to our daily appointment with God, when we shut out as much outside interference as possible. During our quiet time, we may sing praise songs, pray, read Scripture or daily devotions, meditate on God's Word, or simply be still and listen. Making that appointment is one thing; keeping it is something else entirely! Quiet Time - The Outer Challenge Quiet time is a goal that sounds simple, but which meets with greater challenges than many physical endurance contests. In America particularly, we live in a world of noise. Everywhere we go, even in our own homes, there is some kind of noise to distract us, from telephones to TV to traffic. But making time for daily devotion is critical to hearing God!

Quiet Time - The Inner Challenge Quiet time involves an inner state of being, as well as an outward condition. Have you ever noticed that when you sit down to read your Bible or pray, your mind begins to wander or you suddenly remember what you needed at the grocery store? Inner "noise" can be just as troublesome as outer noise when it comes to having quiet time with God.
Quiet Time - What's the Big Deal? Why Is It Important? Quiet time can be so difficult to prioritize. It's tempting to make excuses or just not bother. Preparing our hearts to hear from God requires a focused effort. Noise, whether outside or inside, distracts us. If we fail to understand the importance of having a regular, committed quiet time with God, we are not likely to hear His voicethe one that whispers, "This is the way; walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21). God longs to spend time with us. Consider what He was willing to do for us, in order to reunite us with Him. Is it asking too much that we devote daily time to Him?

Quiet Time - When Should I Meet with God? Quiet time is such an easy habit to forget, especially if we haven't yet made it a priority. It's all too tempting to slip our lives into cruise control and forget that we need to gas up the engine before we can go anywhere. We may already have a grip on the Bible, the owner's manual of life, but without a daily filling we're in danger of burning out, running on empty, stalling on the side of the road. Yes, we can always put in a call to God's "auto club," but why not be prepared before the emergency occurs? King David sought God daily before he went into battle. Maybe you know the familiar melody put to the words of Psalm 5. If you do, sing it now: "Give ear to my words, O Lord. Consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King and my God. For unto Thee will I pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning. O Lord in the morning, will I direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up."

Quiet Time - How to Find It, Even in a Noisy World Quiet time can almost seem like a contradiction in this high volume world we live in. How can we possibly find quiet in the midst of loud music, cell phones, head-banging CDs pumped up to the max in the cars next to us on the streets, 24/7 news channels, or the leaf blower next door? With man it is impossible. But with God, Scripture tells us, all things are possible. Is being with God a daily priority for you? If you desire quiet time with God, but find it difficult to attain, try these tips:
How to Enjoy a Quiet Time with God The purpose of a quiet time is to meet with Godto come away from busy schedules and activities and have a divine encounter. God imparts deep spiritual insight during a quiet time- to come away with a sense of having been in the presence of Almighty God. Take these steps to maximize your quiet time meetings with God.

Step 1:Dont allow guilt to keep you from spending time with God. He understands these ebbs and flows; so dont feel guilty. Step 2 : Make your quiet time with God a pleasurable experience instead of a duty. Prepare your emotions, mind and body before you begin. Approach each instance with holy anticipation that God is going to reveal more of Him to you each day.

Step 3: Fill your quiet time with variety. While you may enjoy structure and routine, avoid doing the same thing over and over until it becomes a boring habit. To keep your quiet time fresh and vibrant, vary the things you do such as: How To Spend Quiet Time With God From the Bible, we understand how to spend quiet time with God. Jesus gave us examples in the Gospels where He stepped away from the limelight, retreating to a quiet place to commune with His Father. These quiet times spent with God had some very important elements in common. Jesus understood the importance of truly knowing the Father. The elements of how to spend quiet time with God are threefold: The place is free of distractions, use of prayer and thanksgiving, and use of Gods Word. Jesus set the example for us concerning quiet time. He took time to connect with the Father regularly, as the following Scriptures tell us: "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray'" (Matthew 26:36). "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark1:35). "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16) *An Area Free of Distraction Each time Jesus wanted to spend time with His Father, He always retreated to a secluded area free from distractions. He could talk with God, and listen to Him as well. The same is true of us. Our quiet times with God should be in a place where we are alone with no TV or phone -- only God and us. *Prayer and Thanksgiving - Jesus prayers were not always for Himself, but for others. In our quiet time spent with God, we use Jesus example by offering prayers for others and thanksgiving to God for what He has done for us. These prayers should also include a time of reflection on how God has seen us through the good and bad times. *Gods Word - Just as our bodies need food to keep it going, we need to spend quality time with God to feed our souls. Jesus often quoted from Gods Word in His quiet times. Quiet time with God is also a time to read Gods Word. If we dont understand a certain passage of Scripture, we can ask God to help us understand it. It is through daily prayer and reading Gods Word that we will grow in our walk with God. These are elements of spending quiet time alone with God. The importance is setting time aside each day to talk with God, because this is the best way to draw close to Him.
THE GOAL OF Having a Quiet Time With God When having a daily devotional or quiet time, there are two main goals. The first is to praise and worship God for all of the many wonderful things that he does for us.

The second goal is to for you to grow spiritually . This involves becoming aware of sinful thoughts, attitudes and actions in your life, confessing them, and seeking Gods forgiveness. Kay Arthur the great Bible teacher says that confession is simply agreeing with God that these things are wrong.
How to Have a Personal Daily Devotion

A distinction exists between religion - a things you have-to-do, and spirituality - a choice based on relationship. Daily devotions are important as they help us spend time with our Creator that helps us build that relationship. Here are just a few ideas on how to help the relationship grow on a daily basis:

1. Realize that personal devotions have to be a choice. If we have relationship based on a "have to" then it is more like a work relationship than a love relationship. Devotions have to be based on love. 2. Do devotions as soon as you wake up. Here you are still relaxed and setting the tone for the day, spending time reflecting on Gods Word must be beneficial in this. 3. Have a set place for devotion and certain ideas on how you will "do" devotion. 4. Start by listening to God, read the Bible and spend time meditating on it. Devotion is not a good time to follow a reading plan, otherwise you will get sucked into a "have to" and not spend time listening to God. However a separate Bible reading plan is useful as we need to know what God is saying and know how to place Scripture in context but this is different from a time of devotion. 5. Involve prayer in your meditation; you can pray verses or converse with God while reading the Bible; just make sure you are also listening to what God might be saying. A relationship is two way. Meditation should include quiet reflection and an open heart. 6. Set out to read a passage of Scripture rather than a verse or two, context is important; but if you do find that one verse has a lot to say to you allow yourself the flexibility to meditate on one verse. A relationship needs flexibility. 7. Do not beat yourself up about missing a daily devotion; make sure you complete it later in the day if at all possible, God is not an angry dictator but loves you enough to understand. 8. Keep a devotional journal. It can be a very useful tool for remembering how things touched you and reflecting further or at a later date. A dedicated notebook and pen or pencil are useful for this and should be kept with your devotion Bible. 9. Go through a few questions before starting, such as: Do I need to forgive anyone? Do I have to ask anyone to forgive me? Is anything in my heart blocking me from getting the most from this personal act of devotion? Do I need to confess any sin? 10. Enjoy the relationship. What a great way to start the day by conversing with God! THREE IMPORTANT STEPS: 1. Ask God to clean your heart prior to your devotions. 2. Read God's Word or a devotional book. As you read, ask yourself what is being said in this passage. Who was it written for? What is the main thought of the passage? (Keep in mind what was said in the preceding sections.) Is

there a particular truth that stands out to you? Is there a command to obey or an example to follow? Does this passage warn or caution you about something? 3. Communicate with God through prayer. If you are looking for help with your prayers, try the acrostic ACTSS: A - Adoration. Praise God for what He has done in your life. C - Confession. Ask God for forgiveness for the sinful things that you have done. T - Thanksgiving. Give God thanks for all of the many things He does for you each day. S- Supplication. Ask God to be the supplier of your needs. S - Silence. Make an effort to simply listen to what God is telling you.

SIN AND TEMPTATION CONTENTS: Introduction Assumptions regarding Temptation Is Temptation Sin? Components of Temptation Consequences of Temptation Channels of Temptation Conclusion INTRODUCTION:

CHAPTERIII

When we drive a car we must be alert to warning signs posted along the way that caution us of dangers ahead. In the same way, there are verses that God has given us in the Word of God that act as warning signs to alert us of spiritual danger during lifes journey. If we heed these words of counsel we will be spared many of the failures that others have experienced. The young teenager fighting lust feels guilty and assumes that he is the only one facing such a battle of the flesh. The lady struggling against doubt senses that isolation and withdraws

further into the darkness of guilt and defeat. The enemy tries to make you feel unspiritual and he wants to make us feel isolated from others. ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING TEMPTATIONS: There are two basic faulty assumptions that people live with that of temptation: First, people think that the temptation to sin is equivalent to sinning. That is wrong. The temptation to sin is not the same thing as committing the sin. A mother used to look at her son with loving eyes and gently say, Son, you cant keep the crows from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair. She was trying to help understand that there is a great difference between temptations that cajole us towards sin and the acts of sin that follow temptation. We must realize that temptation is only the bait that make us sin or disobey God. When we understand this truth we can studiously avoid entertaining temptation and escape the guilt often associated with temptation. We should only feel guilty if we actually commit sin. Second, when we are tempted we are often embarrassed to admit that we are tempted because we assume that anyone who is believes in God would never be tempted like we are. Always remember that you are never the only person tempted in such a way as you are being tempted. BASIS OF TEMPTATION: The power of temptation is directly related to the strength of the mental strong holds and the carnal desires which were developed when we learned to live independently of God. For example, if one is raised in a Godly home where dirty magazines and television programs of questionable moral value were not allowed, the power of sexual temptations in ones life will not be as great as for someone who grew up exposed to pornographic materials. The person

who was raised in an environment of immorality and sexual permissiveness will experience a greater struggle with sexual temptation. A person is less likely to commit any gross immorality if the needs to be loved and accepted were met by caring parents who protect from the exposures of such negative images. IS TEMPTATION SIN? Temptation is not sin. Still temptation should not be taken lightly. That's because it is the gateway to sin. Temptation is often strongest when we are at our weakest. In fact, the longer we allow it to brew in our thoughts the more dangerous temptation becomes. Therefore, we must learn to recognize temptation and keep it in check. WHAT'S SO TEMPTING? Temptation is one of the enemy's most powerful "schemes" for misleading God's people. It causes us to focus on the "passing pleasures" of sin instead of the rich rewards of serving God with a pure heart. The Scripture says, "Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death". Thus, our own lusts give temptation its power over us. Temptation says, "It's okay to sin just a little bit." But nothing could be further from the truth.

In God's eyes, there are no "small" or "big" sins. The wages of sin is always death. When we are tempted, we often convince ourselves that we can hide our sin. But as men and women since the beginning of time have discovered, there is no hiding from God. COMPONENTS OF TEMPTATION: 1. Temptation can be a physical object encountered. Temptation is beautiful women you can easily turn into an object instead of a person, by letting her pre-occupy your thoughts. Temptation can be piece of pie when you are trying to lose weight. Temptation is a pornographic magazine. Temptation is too much change returned by a cashier. If you want to avoid temptation, avoid these objects as much as you possibly can. Unfortunately, some of those objects are not easy to stay away from without becoming a hermit. 2. Temptation is a pressure situation. When everyone kids you and asks you to do something you would rather not. Temptation is when you are in a group of strangers who are laughing and having a good time among themselves, and you feel like creeping away and feeling sorry for yourself. In other words, temptation comes with pressure situations. By yourself you might not want to dot the things toward which those situations tempt you. Some of those situations you can stay away from, just as you can stay away from tempting objects. Other situations you may be able to defuse. Unfortunately, some of those pressure situations are not easy to avoid or change. Temptation seems inevitable. 3. Temptation is voice in your head. Temptation suggests, "you are worthless. Why try?" Temptation says, "If they treat you like that you ought to treat them the same way. They deserve it." Temptation says, "What difference does it make if you foul things once more time?" Temptation works from inside, calling into question what God says is true and scattering halftruths inside your mind. This is the most devastating aspect of temptation. Tempting objects and pressuring situations are not enough: they have to be accompanied y thoughts that operate inside your brain. CONSEQUENCES OF TEMPTATION: The following statements reveal the sinful results in a number of areas where we are tempted to take the good things that God created beyond the boundary of Gods will. Physical rest becomes laziness Quietness becomes non communication Ability to profit becomes greed Enjoyment of life becomes intemperance Physical pleasure becomes sensuality

Interest in the possessions of others becomes covetousness Enjoyment of food becomes gluttony Self care becomes selfishness Communication becomes gossip Anger becomes rage and bad temper Loving kindness becomes overprotection Judgment becomes criticism Sexual freedom becomes immorality

CHANNELS OF TEMPTATION: 1. The lust of flesh: Temptation is greatest when hunger, fatigue, and loneliness are acute. Yielding to the lust of the flesh will draw us away from the will of God. There is nothing sinful about eating. Eating is a physical need, and God created food so we could meet the need. Eating is necessary and right, but eating too much, eating the wrong kinds of food, and allowing food to rule our life is wrong. Sex as intended by God is beautiful and good, but sex outside marriage, homosexuality are out of bounds and lead to bondage. If we give in to the temptation to meet our own physical needs independent of God, we are yielding to the lust of the flesh. 2. The lust of eyes: The lust of eyes draws us away from the word of God and eats away our confidence in God. Fueled by the lust for what we see, we grab for all we can get, believing that we need it and trying to justify the idea that God wants us to have it. We lustfully pursue materialistic prosperity. 3. The pride of life: The greatest temptation is to direct our own destiny, to direct our own world, to be our own god. Whenever we feel that we dont need Gods help or direction, that we can handle our life on our own, that we dont need to bow the knee to God, beware that is pride of life. We stop worshipping and serving God and start worshipping ourselves. PRINCIPLES TO RESIST TEMPTATION; Temptation can be difficult to resist. But God has not left us as helpless victims of temptation. He has promised a "way of escape" to all who trust in Him. The "way" is not a program, but a person: That is God Almighty. 1. Know what we're getting into. One should think about the long-term results of how to act. Today it may be easier to fight and get our own way. But what kind of relationship are we building for the future? On the other hand, what will obeying God lead to? If we can see the attraction of the kind of life God wants to plant in us, we will be less tempted to choose some other, short-term pleasure. The Bible is full of commentary on how good God's life is. 2. Replace tempting thoughts with something better. We can't ignore temptation, but we can fill our thoughts with something else. Often prayer helps. Sometimes it is very helpful to remind ourselves of the power and love of Almighty, who is on our side, who lives with us. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to pick up an interesting book, call up a friend, or start working on a project. The problem with many temptations is that they are close and immediate. If we can put them off a while and give our mind a chance to recover from its panic, we will be in better shape to see the bigger picture.

3. Our mind tends to follow patterns. Change the patterns, and we change our mind. In a family, kids are always fighting over what TV programs to watch. They should change the patterns by figuring out ahead of time what shows they will watch and reach some compromise long before the tube is turned on. 4. Break the pattern of failure by confession. When we go over our mistakes with another person, it changes our attitude. For one thing we receive forgiveness; our mind is put at rest. For another thing, a friend can help us to hold to our decision not to give in to temptation any more. He or she can check up, encourage, and pray. 5. Above all, remember who you are: a child of God, loved by Him. When tempting thoughts come, one should recall that fact: "I could act that way, but does that really bring honor to God? I want to be loyal and loving to Him the way He is to me." The more you understand God's love, the more you will want to be close to Him and obedient to Him. Some of our temptations will simply vanish-they will begin to seem stupid. Their pleasures will be insignificant compared with the good things we are experiencing. CONCLUSION: We get stronger every time we beat temptation. Each success is an exercise building us up. The more we experience what joy God has for us in life, the less appealing that old sinful life seems. There will always be more temptations as long as we live on this earth. But the closer we come to God, the less we will want to disappoint Him. - "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it".

INNER LIFE INTEGRITY

CHAPTER IV

CONTENTS: Introduction Understanding Personality Self-Centered and God-centered Personality Integrity in Time, Talent and Treasure

INTRODUCTION Then He said to then all, If anyone desires to come after Me, Let him deny himself, and take up the cross daily, and follow Me.(Luke 9:23) The Lord searches our Hearts. What does he find there as the motives for our thoughts, words and action? Is the desire to enthrone the self? All of us are naturally grown towards glorifying the self. We want and desire an image for ourselves ad we expect people around us to accept this image of us. The self control us. The self naturally rules our personality. If we mature with God, we need to handle the self in the right manner. This need to be done earlier to move on to a life time of Powerful ministry for God. How do we know whether the self controls us? There are many children of God who begin well with God, but never took it upon themselves to deal with their egos. These people have reached a point where others are now tolerating them. If you find people changing the topic of conversation, as soon as you enter the room? Or Do you find people excusing themselves, as soon as u join the group?.These are the signs that tell u having a serious ego problem. Understanding the human personality Let us begin by trying to understand our own personality, using a diagram, which we call the cross section of the human personality. PERSONALTIY Behaviour Attitude Values Feelings

THE BEHAVIOUR LEVEL The outermost layer of our personality is the behavior layer. Ultimately, everything about us is unseen by our behavior. This is the part that is observed by the people. Behavior on the basis of tone or two interactions ,cannot indicate the true personality.Therefore by their fruits you will know them Matthew 7:20 Fruits take time to appear and do not appear overnight. Therefore observation of a person decides the persons behavior based on the fruits he produces. The feeling level Below the level of behaviour is the level of feelings. Feelings are a very powerful part of our personality. On some days we feel UP and on other days we feel DOWN. If a behavior of a person keep on changing it has to be understood they are still immature and yet a child. RESPONSIBILITY

STIMULUS

SPACE

RESPONSE

POWER TO CHOOSE OUR RESPONSE

IN OUR RESPONSE LIES OUR FREEDOM AND GROWTH Between the cause factor and the corresponding response behaviour , there is a space. a this space where our feelings dominate us , producing a positive or negative behavior response. And feelings play an important role in this space. In the space between the space and the response, we can let the holy sprit come and control and empower our feelings, and then the resulting behavior will be truly amazing. Mother Teresa the great person that she became in the history. She became deeply conscious of the space between cause and response and she decided to let the holy sprit deal with her feeling. Feelings, therefore, are a powerful part of our personality. The layer below, which is the level of attitudes, controls our feelings. THE ATTITUDINAL LEVEL Attitude is the seat of decision making. Ultimately we let our feelings act upon our behavior or not depend upon our attitudes. (A seminar was conducted for a group of trainees. Almost all the participants usually express strong positive feelings at the end of the sessions. But only minority of groups consists of those who allow positive feelings to lead into a change in behavior, because of a change in attitude. The others had just positive feelings. This majority, which consists of those who just felt positive, are the ones in whom an attitudinal change had not positive feelings died very soon and did not result in any major change in behavior. ) Therefore a positive attitude changes our behavior; where, a negative attitude produces the corresponding negative feelings and behavior. It could also be possible that, at he feeling level, we may feel like obeying the Lord but, since the attitude plays a key role, from within towards the outer portion of our personality.

THE VALUE LEVEL The value level is made up of the basic scripting or imprints our lives. Values are deep-seated paradigms that have seeped into us, due to various factors. These factors include family upbringing, influence of our relatives and teachers; the word of God and our own exposure to various external and internal experiences in our lives. Values are a complex combination of all the above factors and the many more.

It is the word of God that can change us from having unworthy Values, and script us with Godly values. he word of God creates deeper changes within us. Values create attitudinal changes, attitudes change feelings and feelings ultimately affect our behavior. Therefore, values ordained by the word of God create powerful changes in our personality. HOW THEN ARE ATTITUDES CONTROLLED? Attitudes are controlled from the very center of our personality, which is the ego. The ego, as we have seen already, demands attention and recognition all the time. All attitudinal decisions are controlled by the ego, which desires to remain on the throne of our personality. Therefore selfishness, envy, pride, selfish ambition and all other problems of the heart, are an outcome of the ego seeking importance. If we desire to see change in our personality, then the change has to take place at the very core .We have now come face to face with the core issue. The Ego HOW DO WE HANDLE THE EGO? The word of God gives us the answer to this vital question. The I can be handled I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galations2:20 There is no other way to handle the Ego but to nail the I on the cross. This is not a once in the lifetime event by a continuous process that happens day by day. This ego is a unique property, which is to resurrect out of the cross. We have to fight the battle and nail the I on the cross. HOW DO WE NAIL THE I ON THE CROSS? A practical example: A group of students are asked to attend a meeting in the college which is of serious consideration. Let us imagine we are one of the participants of it. We interacted well and participated well. The next day the meeting was published in the college newsletter. A full account of the meeting was given, the report also listed all the individuals who took part in the meeting. All the participants name were listed except yours and you could not understand why my name was left out. You are deeply hurt and your I the ego got deeply hurt. We went into ascribing all sorts of motives, for this action, to various people. You are routine in your work, but deeply hurt and your I is deeply hurt. The leader who allows the I to remain on the throne of his Heart, will produce behavior that will gravitate towards his own desires and ambitious. He will never be truly others concerned, but instead, will be self-centered.

SELF CENTERED PERSONALITY:

A wonderful result occurs when the I is nailed on the cross. The Lord deals with the problem, and what emerges, from within, is a beautiful, God controlled personality. In nailing the I on the cross, we do not become vegetables, but our personalities are molded, to be in closer proximity to the nature for Christ. I

SELF CENTERED PERSONALITY

CHRIST CENTERED PERSONALITY

Ego at the foot of the cross I

How to know that I were ruling the throne of our heart? Some of the symptoms are listed below to reveal an I controlled personality. If these symptoms appear we need to realize that we have an ago problem, and deal with the problem ruthlessly, by nailin the I on the cross and experiencing victory.

Ego Symptoms:

Autobiographical mindset: This is a person who is preoccupied with his own life the past, present and future. Failures and successes of his life haunt his mind, all the time. Win/Lose mentality: This mentally makes sure that the winning is sure whether it may be in discussion, decision, choice, action or anything else. This is a mindset that says, I must win at all cost, which would mean others would lose, but I am not concerned. Comparative thinking: This is a symptom where one is always comparing with other, ones own situation with somebody elses. Defensive mode: This is a mindset that operates out of a defensive mode. This person is busy guarding his territory. He cant tolerate people finding fault with him. His only aim is to make sure he is safe. The problem is with somebody else, but not with me. Assigning my motives for others action: This is a symptom, where we assign our motives for somebody elses action. In other words, it is assigning motive to people, for the action of letting our name out of the list of participants. Confessing others sins: This is commonly called gossiping, but is a more vicious form of it. It is discussing the sins of others for long hours. Empowering others weaknesses or strengths, to control my leadership: We are quick to give excuses, for not being able to influence change in our situation and instead, blame it on the strengths or weaknesses of others. Victim Mentality: Another serious I problem is the victim mentality. This person is so bothered and worried about his own unfortunate predicament. Oh! Poor me! bemoans this person constantly. He feels that he has been made the victim of the situation and is filled with self-pity. Unwillingness to submit to authority: Not willing to see all authority as coming from God but expecting things to happen according to his own desires. When things do not happen his way, this person permeates resentment in the organization, harbors ill will and may end up even in an open defiance of authority. Open defiance may never take place but if unwillingness to submit to authority is already controlling the heart, then it is an ego problem. Poor Listener: Unwilling to listen to others. This person may even pretend to be listening but is actually immersed in his own thoughts. Fear of rejection and fear of criticism: Unwilling to come forward and take responsibility because of these fears. The person is unable to accept anything negative spoken about him.

These are just a few symptoms of the I controlled person. For God to transform us from within, we need to be willing to crucify the I. Let us be people who are ruthless with our own ego, but merciful with the ego of others. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. John. 12:24. As we experience the crucifying of the ego, a miracle will begin to take place in our personality. From being I centered, we will become more and more Christ-centered. A Christ-centered person will be genuinely other concerned. The life of Christ will now flow from the very core of his personality. INTEGRITY OF TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE INTEGRITY OF TIME Each of us has been given enough time to accomplish God's purpose for us on this planet. The Scriptures exhort us to invest our time wisely, reminding us that God determines the length of our stay on earth. "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:15-16). Toward the end of his life, Moses prayed, "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom" (Ps. 90:12). Time is our most valuable asset, but without a proper perspective, we will spend it foolishly. A biblical perspective on time involves several things: (1) Life is brief, and we cannot be presumptuous about the future (Jas. 4:14). (2) The eternal gives meaning to the temporal (Rom. 13:11; 2 Cor. 4:18). (3) Like other assets, our time is owned by God (Ps. 31:15). (4) We must be sensitive to opportunities so that we can make the most of them (Eccles. 8:5; Col. 4:5). (5) Our use of time will reflect our priorities (Matt. 6:19-21,34). Just as it is wise to budget our financial resources, it is also wise to budget our use of time. Most time is wasted not in hours, but in minutes. If we do not regularly assess the way we spend our 168 hours per week, our schedules will get cluttered with activities that may be good, but not the best. How much quality time do we spend with the Lord, with our spouse, with our children, and with our non-Christian friends? God wants us to be faithful stewards, not squanderers, of the time He has given us. Exercise: Carefully evaluate your weekly use of time by filling in the 168- hour worksheet as accurately as possible. What areas need to be trimmed down, and where should you be spending more of your time? INTEGRITY OF TALENT We have seen that stewardship in the Scriptures always relates to the management of something that does not belong to us, but to someone else. Even our talents and special abilities belong to God. We own nothing that was not first given to us: "And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Cor. 4:7). God has entrusted us with aptitudes and abilities, and as good stewards, we must use them for His glory and not our own. This is true not only of musical, artistic, athletic, academic, business, and persuasive talents, but also of the spiritual gifts we have

received "And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly" (Rom. 12:6). Peter specifically relates spiritual gifts to the concept of stewardship: "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet. 4:10). Faithful stewardship of natural talents and spiritual gifts requires that we use them to glorify God and edify others. Our purpose is not to please ourselves, but to serve others. "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself" (Rom. 15:2-3a). Paul adds in Philippians 2:3-4: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Another aspect of good stewardship is that we learn to concentrate on the things we can do well and not worry about the things we cannot do. Our calling is to be trustworthy with what we have been given, and not to envy or covet another person's abilities or ministry. Our abilities come from God (see Exod. 31:1-3,6; 35:35; Dan. 1:17; Eph. 4:7; 1 Tim. 4:14-15), and He has equipped us to fulfill the purpose for which He has called us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). Each of us has an arena of influence, whether large or small, and a specific ministry that the Lord has placed in our care. "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Cor. 4:1; cf. Col. 1:25; Titus 1:7a). Regardless of what we have been given, every stewardship is tested by the same standard: faithfulness. It is not the size of our ministry that counts, but what we do with what we have been entrusted. INTEGRITY OF TREASURE In addition to our resources of time and talent, we have been entrusted with the stewardship of various treasures including our bodies (Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:19-20), our minds (Rom. 12:2; 1 Pet. 1:13), and our opportunities (Col. 4:5). In the remainder of this booklet, we will focus on the treasure of our financial resources, since Scripture has so much to say about this basic concern that affects us all. When it comes to governing our financial affairs, we must choose between two radically different approaches: the values of our society, or the values of the Bible. The first alternative tells us to find happiness and peace through money; the second tells us to find the desire of our hearts in the Lord and to be content with what He gives us. Money is a good servant but a bad master--if we follow the world's wisdom, money will dominate us, but if we submit to "the wisdom from above" (Jas. 3:17), money will serve us as we use it to serve God and others. While the Bible has about 500 verses on prayer and fewer than 500 verses on faith, there are over 2,300 biblical verses that deal with money and possessions. Without apology, our Lord said more about money than He did about any other subject, including heaven and hell put together. Over 10 percent of the New Testament relates directly to financial matters. Why is there such an emphasis? One reason is that God knew we would have trouble managing our money, and that we would spend a great amount of time earning, spending, and investing it. A second reason is that money has a profound effect on interpersonal relationships. Many people spend more than half their time thinking about money, and financial difficulties are a major cause of marital conflict and divorce. A third

reason is that the way we use our money is a real measure of our commitment to Christ. Scripture relates money to the love of God: "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). We can assume an appearance of spirituality in prayer, Christian service, and Bible knowledge, but we cannot fake the way we use our money and possessions. Our wallet reveals more about our character and walk with the Lord than we may think. Financial freedom should be a part of our new life in Christ, and the wise person seeks the timely practice of timeless principles in this vital area. We will look at the biblical guidelines concerning the proper attitudes toward money (ownership, priorities, contentment), and the proper actions with money (responsibilities, giving, borrowing, budgeting, saving, communicating).