Life Skills | Lecture 2 : BC315-LS-20260820

Okay. Um let's uh let's pray. Okay. Let's pray. Father, we thank you Lord. Thank you for this day. Thank you for this time. Master, we we commit um this class into your mighty hands. We pray that you will speak to us, Lord. Father, we thank you that um you are the God of the everyday, the routine, what sometimes we think as mundane, oh God, you are there in every moment of every day. And Father God, we thank you that you have the best in store for us. And we know that um Lord, you want us to uh progress uh in life, Father God, in ministry, in all areas. You want us to grow um and you're looking for progress in our lives, Father God. and we thank you and we give you all the praise and all the glory at this time in Jesus matchless name we pray. Amen. Amen. Okay. Um so last class we um began by looking at um you know the need for skill or you know practical skills in our lives and um what the scriptures talk about that right we see in proverbs also where uh proverbs I forget the reference but it says that you know he who is killed will stand before kings like and not before ordinary people he will stand before kings right so we we see that um So skill in something skill in all areas of our lives is something for us to develop. Right now when we when we think of skill we normally we think of um you know uh maybe uh special abilities, maybe special giftedness. Uh skill can be uh something that we use for everyday things, right? Driving a vehicle is skill, right? Using a particular machine is skill, right? I remember um in the first uh place that I worked in to be able to use the fax machine right that was skill right uh I don't think any we we use fax machines you know today it was a printer and a fax machine um maybe we use scanners now but that's a skill right it you you learn something new right to be able to learn something new to to be able to have a skill is always good right so we think of it in that way. And uh when we are skilled or when we improve our skill at something um well the Bible says that you will not serve before ordinary people but you will stir I mean serve before people of influence and people who make decisions which means that you will serve before leaders right um and you will be a leader yourself. So, so this is something that is u important for us and then therefore you know we go through the subject life skills in ministry. We know that we need to have knowledge of the word. We need to have uh an intimate relationship with the lord. Now those are um non-negotiables meaning that is something that has to be there as foundations for our lives as something that we need to continue in our life's journey that needs to be there that that we cannot do without right but even in our ministering it is good for us to improve in the skill of ministering. Today we during the um you know mentoring hour we looked at how uh ministering is serving right so if we're going to be serving well there are certain skills that that we can actually develop in right um sorry um so it could be a skill of language, it could be the skill of leadership, it could be the skill of delegation, it could be the skill of you know uh resolving solving conflicts. It could be the skill of uh leading a team, right? It could be the skill of organizing like getting things done. So these are skills that will help us in what we call as a spiritual work uh something like ministry right these are important skills and so um it is something for us to uh keep in mind that hey I need to grow in my learning as as much as I'm learning and growing in my learning and understanding of the word understanding of God uh my relationship with God and so on but so also I need to move or in or improve in my skills and some skills are very important for us. They are um necessary for us. Right. So today we are looking at the third chapter. Okay. Which which talks about personal planning. Okay. Now this is something that we have uh this is basic or common knowledge, common information but we are looking at it so that um it can be useful for us so that we can be reminded of us right if if we have already know it we can be reminded of this right um so planning for like so this this topic is personal planning right so first of all I just want to ask us you know is planning good or bad planning is good is planning spiritual or unspiritual. Spiritual, right? So the thing is when we look at planning, it seems like a very unspiritual activity because you know we have this in our minds that we as believers we are to be spiritled. Now being spiritled is that uh is that again very important? Yes. Right. Being led by the spirit, being prompted by the spirit, being directed by the spirit of God is very important. So that does not mean that the spirit of God will not lead us to plan. Right? The spirit of God will lead us to plan. So the thing is we need to accommodate the Holy Spirit. We need to accommodate God and his leading and his wisdom in our planning. Right? So the mistake we do is we think okay planning is a very human activity and maybe being led by the spirit that is something which is spiritual. No, personal planning, planning for ourselves can be a very um word centered, very god- centered and spirit-led activity, right? So um so so I just wanted to share that at the beginning itself why we look at the several questions with regard to personal planning right. So why do why should we plan for our personal development right um in various uh stages of our life right um we know that we need to grow in certain skills right various stages of our lives okay now we might be uh maybe we are we we have to okay I think it's just one second yeah Okay. Um maybe we we we reach certain stages in our life in our growth and development and every stage of our life there will be need for a particular skill right uh for for a particular uh learning that we need to be good at. Right? Now let's say if you are going after finishing Bible college um to plant a church right what skills would you require? We know that okay you you would need to basic things like sharing the gospel like sharing from the word uh prayer all these things would be there. What other skills would you require? Okay. Uh those are some things that we are you know picking up uh here. play an instrument, lead worship or get somebody to lead worship who plays an instrument. Right? So those things. But um apart from that, what what other skills do you think you would require? You are going to a new place, you are, you know, ministering there. What other um skills would you do you think? Do you think there's a requirement for a skill or no? Yeah. So what skill would you need? Online class as well. You can >> build a proper >> okay so if it's a new place if it's a new language so uh the the primary thing would be to learn that language right maybe God has put in your heart to go to that place you can manage with translation for some time, right? For a season, we can manage with translation. But otherwise, uh we need to learn the skill, right? And um even if you have a translator, it is always good to know the language, right? It is always good to have some level of expertise in the language so that we can have common conversations so that we can buy things um and you can read the sign boards, right? What does this sign say? You don't have to always ask someone what is this saying? What where does this bus go? You can read that, right? So, so that's a skill, right? So that season of life, that stage of life, we need that skill, right? Maybe uh you know, you need to live by yourself and so certain skills like maybe cooking, maybe taking care of your organizing things on your own, right? Those are some skills that we need to learn, right? And maybe you're going from one place to another and maybe uh you know uh you don't know how to drive and maybe there is a vehicle but so that's another skill right to to be able to drive from one place to another and maybe you know you go there and then you realize that okay for my livelihood you know there is a land maybe I can make use of the land um you know things to generate income maybe that's another skill right maybe you can set a business maybe maybe you can you know grow things for yourself right plant things grow things that's a skill also right so these are skills at every stage in life there is a need for a skill I mean there there will be a need for a skill uh there will be need for some expertise something that we need to understand and learn and so we need to certain things we learn quickly certain things we need to be able to put in effort and time right so we need to be able to plan in order to do this right plan and say okay how can I learn this skill you know now the thing is it's not the only skill that learning that skill is not the only thing right you have so many other responsibilities right um now maybe if you're a student that is the only responsibility right you just need to show up in class learn of course apart from taking care of your other needs and you know taking care of other responsibilities that come with staying in a hostel or you know but that's the primary responsibility right just learn 90% of your time would go into okay attending class learning learning things new things right but if you have other responsibilities like maybe family maybe you know other other things that you need to do then we you realize that this needs to be prioritized or this needs to be intentional and it needs to um what we would call as have we need to have a personal development plan. Okay. So here are a few things that we can look at. I'm at page nine on the in the notes right first thing again everything that we have seen before a clear vision a clear vision of where you want to be and a clear vision of who you want to be right and why right now it's a clear picture because if uh like this morning we heard that statement right we need to have goals and press towards the goals right if you don't have goals you know I was just thinking of that statement if you don't have goals we will achieve it right which means if you have if you don't have goals we will end up achieving it what will you achieve no goals right if you don't have goals we will end up achieving at the end of maybe one year we will end up achieving it and what is the achievement hey I didn't have any goals I achieved what did I achieve no goals right so that will be the thing so the thing is to have a clear picture by the end of this year or 6 months, what do I want to achieve? Where do I want to reach? If it's something that you know that that needs change in you, who do you want to be? Who should I who do I want to be? What areas do I build do I want to build strengths in? What areas do I want to diminish some of my limitations and weaknesses? Right? So to have a good perspective understanding of that right we need to have that and if we can just write it down somewhere record it somewhere so that we can look at it and say okay this is the time frame this is what I want to do and track it right um and a good understanding of what are those skills that are required in order to reach right in order to reach that goal what are the skills that are required Right? If you want to be a an expert in something, there are certain skills that are required. It will not come without those skills and us planning to learn those skills. Right? See if you want to become a good chef, let's say, you know, a chef who you have some 20 30 dishes uh with which you want to create a menu and start a maybe maybe even an online you know uh thing kitchen and you want to sell stuff uh maybe baking. Now basic skills would be you know cutting, cooking, how how the what the ingredients are those are the basic things you know basic knowledge right? If you we want to we we it's a great thing. Oh, this is the goal but the basic skills of how things work when put together and you know how do I use some of these things that is something that I need to learn. a good understanding of what are the skills that are required for this particular um for for this reaching this particular goal right and some you know in the notes we have some questions here this which would apply to you know ministry and also apart from ministry let's say God is you know calling you or taking you to work in the workplace now that's not a sinful thing right I hope we all understand that right uh maybe it is back to uh in a workplace place to minister in the workplace. Maybe it's in the in the business field. Maybe it's in government. Whatever it is, we know it's it's not a unscriptural thing, unspiritual thing. God could lead us to do that. So if he is let's say leading you to the workplace in order to get a particular job, what skills are required? Right? Maybe people say that I want to be a you know computer programmer or I want to be in IT or I want to be you know proficient in AI and and use of that. So what skills are required right we need to learn those skills in order to get that job. So so those are things. So similarly in ministry also just plan out and see okay if I need to achieve this what skills are required what skills are lacking and therefore what skills are required. You know you mentioned about music. Okay, maybe you you want to be someone uh maybe you feel that stirring. Okay, God is calling me to minister in worship, minister in song, minister in music. Okay, I felt that you know time and time again there are some challenges right I'm not able to keep time I'm not able to figure out what key to start what note to start the song in. you know these are challenges or you know if uh okay somebody's uh uh starting off on a you know different note I've learned the song in key of C right and somebody is unable to sing in key of C uh and uh I know only that key I can play that song only in that key so but then if somebody starts off in another key another scale what do I need to do I need to be able to play in that so that's a skill that I need to learn right um I recently went for u a meeting and it was a in a house the thing is there was a music there was a person ready to play the keyboard okay it's a family there's a person ready to play the keyboard but the person who was actually leading in song did not wait did not wait to hear what that chord is she will start okay And u the person who was playing the keyboard knew only that key right. So you can imagine the scene. So this person was singing just started off any note started off and you know and the other person who was playing the key keyboard was only that key she knew small girl so she played in that key she knew and that's how every song was done. So by chance if they both of them were on the same key it was a happy coincidence otherwise it was you know a little bit chaotic right. So okay so you know okay this is a limitation which means I need to be able to play in every you know if there is a song if I learned it in this key I need to be able to play um so you know just added information for musicians then you would think that okay I need to learn the natural number system right so if I learned to play the song in the national number system and if I know the chords uh if I'm proficient or you know in the national number system that means any song if I know the thing not by change of chords but change of numbers and I would play in any key any scale I would be able to play cuz it's 1 4 5 6 or something like that right uh two minor or 3 minor any any uh scale I just have to fit in that and play it right simple as that right okay so That's a skill. Okay, you get the idea. Okay, third thing is what are the standards that I need to achieve. Okay, so skill level also you can be at 40%, you can be at 100%. Right? Language proficiency, I can barely, you know, I I know how to read certain things. Uh that could be a certain level of proficiency, right? uh a certain level of standard right where I know that okay I can go I see something uh or I see a sign board I going to understand right now is that the standard you want to build the skill or do you want to be able to say that okay Sunday I want to be preach I want to be able to preach in that language now looking at signboard and finding out where that place is that's a skill but to be able to preach in that particular language that's a whole different skill altogether right what is a standard it's quite big right you are actually uh you know very very comfortable with the language you are fluent in the language that's what it means so to be able to preach to be able to pray you know it's like you're thinking in that language you've reached that level right so that is the standard so even when it comes to skill what is the standard standard of skill that you are aiming for. Right? That is also something we need to be clear about so that you can practice or learn. Okay? Uh fourth thing, a level of priority. Okay. Prioritize. Now we know we have 24 hours and in that 24 hours also several things have to be done, right? Um maybe there's cooking, cleaning, maybe there's taking care of stuff, maybe there's learn several things need to be done. So we need to prioritize and say okay in this first 3 months there's only be realistic right and prioritize and say I'm going to I I'll be able to put in only so much time and therefore I'm aiming for this right this level of or this standard um of skill or maybe you can say you know there are five things that I need to learn but in this year I can I'm going to plan for only two things Right? Uh sometimes it happens right maybe when it comes to e-learning right everything okay I can be very ambitious and say in one semester I want to finish whatever courses are there you know first year second year third year subjects whatever subjects are there in e-learning uh I want to be able to finish it right it's a very ambitious plan right and uh not everyone has the time to do that right because cuz you see that okay you have how many subjects are there? Eight which means uh eight for second years eight for first years right sorry how many >> eight >> per se semester eight yeah exactly that's what I'm saying so for this semester you have eight you have eight second year will have eight third uh first years will also have maybe eight or six right so which means it's 24 subjects in a semester for if you want to do e-learning like e-learning you can actually do everything right uh whatever is offered in that semester you can pick first year, second year, third year you can actually pick e-learning. So there are some people who have actually done it. Yeah, they they picked a lot of subjects uh across first year, second year, third year and they've done it right uh in a semester they finished finished now. Yeah. So which means they had the time to go through the lessons to answer you know go through the quizzes and all that. So you but you need to understand okay in my you know in my season of life in with all the responsibilities that I carry what is it that I can do for this year what is it that I can uh I I can learn you know prioritize there's no problem to push certain things to a later date right maybe end of the year I'll do this or second half of the year I will do it right so this is this is what we call as planning in detail Hale right specifically it's not you know it's not like saying oh I'm going to reach this I'm going to do this end of the year I will be this right but get into the details right and see what is the skill that is required what is the time that is required and what is it that I need to do now and what is it that I can do later right um so that is something that we need to do uh again as uh a very practical thing is to make it one step at a time, right? One step at a time. And even before that, a realistic um analysis or a realistic uh look and reflection at where we are. Okay, where we are meaning what standard, what level of skill are you at at present, right? on a scale of 1 to 10, is it zero or is it five or is it eight? Right? So that will determine time and effort also right. So you you you ask yourself a very honest question, a very I think brutally honest question and say okay where am I right now with regard to you know learn because we can't look at others and compare ourselves and say okay that person is also same age same class same you know course so you know that person we are all at the same no it need not be right you could be maybe at a higher level or you could be maybe at a lower level of understanding and skill-wise right so take a good look and say okay I'm at this level so I need to change I need to improve uh and so these would be my efforts I need to put in my efforts right like for example if you're you know uh if you're considering next semester right you have something called you have a p subjects called a subject called independent research paper right IRP so it's something that you do fully start to finish right. It requires presenting a report. It requires uh you know certain at certain stages making presentations. It it requires preparing a questionnaire based on the report. It it requires all that. So now I would say it requires a certain level of language like language proficiency. It requires right because you're going to be maybe interviewing someone, maybe you're going to be putting together a questionnaire. It requires a language proficiency. So you look at take a look at yourself and say okay with regard to you know personally if I see this this is where my lang language skills are and I need to work on it. Right? I need to work on it. Um you know if you by yourself if you were to write on a particular topic right how how does it look right? maybe one page about the Holy Spirit, right? And you just want to, you know, whatever you've learned, whatever you've understood, if you were to present it, how does it look grammatically with regard to spelling, with regard to, you know, your the thoughts that you're putting together? How does it look right? Logically, does it make sense? You know, just think about it. So that would be the proficiency level of the language skill that you have at present. So you have still time to work on uh till the end of the year in addition to all the other subjects that you're learning. Say okay I need to improve I need to you know push up my language skills so that I can be ready. So just an example right? So take a good look at where your skills are and and then you work on it right. Okay. So one step at a time taking it one one step at a time and uh we cannot improve on everything at the same time but take it slow it's a process you take it one step at a time right and that's why personal development um also has this aspect of continuous learning okay what does that mean that means that you know this development is not something that you stop once you finish college or stop once you you know get into uh a job. It is something that is lifelong, right? They continue to have that mindset of continuing to learn, continuing to be curious, continuing to improve like on skills. So that's a good mindset to have and that's a good perspective to have so that we can continue through life. We can at every stage in life, every season in life, we can improve ourselves, right? Okay. Any questions? Any questions based on what we looked at? Um I know it's a very general thing saying, you know, personal planning, personal planning for personal development. Uh but any if there are any questions on anything of a specific nature right we can answer that no nothing at all. Okay. Okay. So if you want to improve skills do you know where to go? That's my question. Right. If you want to improve, let's say you're saying, "I want to improve my language." Okay. So, where will you go? What will you do? Sorry. Practical. Correct. Uh so, but if you want to really, you know, improve your language skills, so where will you go? Is there an institute? Is there something online? right? Uh which which will suit you. Right. So that that's something that you need to know. So obviously you know right now Bible college since you're in hostel and everything online would work best right and if it's online there are so many so it's good to find out you know which app which website offers it and maybe you don't want to spend too much money on it or maybe you don't want to spend money at all. Right. Um and you can just find out right and uh I'm sure you you know you heard of an app called Dualingo right so you can use that app um is it free or subscription model it needs subscription ask okay okay so you see okay do I need this thing at subscription level or can I Dolingo okay you can use that u and definitely Corsera and Udemy are also there um I once registered for a course uh to learn Canada in Udemy. I'm still learning. So that's the thing know when it comes to online things uh you need to actually pursue it. You know say okay every Monday I want to watch this video every you know I think e-learning students will understand that you know you need to be highly disciplined and so I I've still not finished it. uh I have a lot more videos to you know go through and a lot more exercises but the thing is it is possible it is there it is interesting it is easy it is uh something that we can do so there's so much that we can learn right so if it is a skill where do I go to learn the skill that's part of the research and it's a it's a thing that we need to do quickly so that you can actually start working on the skill right Okay. Okay. Let's move on to the next uh chapter. We may not be able to complete it. So it's personal goal setting. We may not be able to finish it in this session. Right? So personal goal setting, right? So um personal goal setting it requires some motivation, inspiration and wanting to achieve. Right? Otherwise we will never set the goal right. Um so we need to have the right reasons we need to have the right motivation in order to set goals. Now you know we we we see in scripture we see in um uh you know uh I think it's in the book of James where we see that you know about personal ambition right uh personal ambition um so or selfish ambition sorry not personal ambition selfish ambition so many times we think being ambitious itself is wrong right I don't want to be selfish selfishly ambitious so being ambitious itself is So I just want to ask is you know what do you think about ambition? What is ambition? >> Sorry. >> Aim. Um it's not just aim. It's uh you know where you're personally motivated in order to achieve that whatever aim is right. You you're saying okay I want to be there. I want to do that right and it's a strong thing which is in you strong passion stirring in you so I want to ask this question was Nehemiah ambitious he was right he was stirred up he was ambitious enough to you know whatever discouragement came right whether it was the uh um you know the discouragement of San Balat and Tobayas and you know all those people who are discouraging them and um the threat of uh you know even to his life and threat of enemy attacks even in the face of all that he still went ahead and he said okay we need to finish building this wall he was ambitious right so what is the difference between ambition and selfish ambition because the Bible says don't you know we should we should put away selfish ambition. Yeah. What do you think? Is there a difference? So what is the difference? online class. You can you're a little quiet. You can also put it on the chat because Philippians 2:3 right um says let nothing be done through selfish ambition. So he's saying okay I don't want to do anything. I don't want this whole thing of ambition itself. Am I being selfish? Am I you know it's good to be ambitious for the right reasons right um just read that verse maybe I'll just put it on the chat for the online students also um can we just look at that chapter itself right let's look at Philippians 2 Okay. So the context is this. Um Paul in writing to the church in Philippi uh he um you know he is verse two if you read it sets the context fulfill my joy by being likeminded right having same love being of one accord one mind. So he's talking about unity and in in that context being one accord one mind having the same love for God for people right he says let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit or pride right but in loneliness of mind let each esteem better than himself uh let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others Right? So selfish ambition is, hey, I must do well. I don't care if you don't do well. Right? You're being ambitious for your own needs and requirements, but you don't care and you're unwilling to look at others, right? Or even progress at the cost of others downfall, right? I I need to do well. I need to have things done my way and I don't really care what happens to others. Right? If I'm doing well and it is at the cost of others not doing well. If I'm, you know, I if I'm getting things done, I'm getting things for myself. But if that means that you have to suffer, then that is selfish ambition, right? So Paul is just addressing that. He's saying, okay, this is what it is. So he says in verse four, let each of you look out not only for his own interests. So okay, it's good to look out for your own interests, right? Uh okay, I need to do well. My family needs to be provided for. Uh I need to do well at work. I need to do well in my career. I need to do well in ministry. Yeah, fine. Says not only for his own interests, but also what does that mean? You also look out for the interests of others. Right. So um so having seen that and that's the context so we see that yeah Paul is actually not against being ambitious in any way right so we need to be ambitious in order to achieve right and we one needs to have that motivation that inspiration in order to set personal goals right uh otherwise we will not even be motivated or inspired to set goals. Right? So, um coming to goals or life goals, goals in life. Okay. What are some things that we can look at, right? Um what are some goals in life? We can put it in different categories. Okay. Um one can be an academic goal, meaning in terms of studies, I want to reach this. Like people might say okay I want to do a post-graduate I want to do I want to become or get a PhD right I want to do research I want to do doctorate start and then so academic goals right um career goals career goals is in terms of work okay I want to reach this kind of a in this career I want to reach this position I want to have this kind of a responsibility I want to be able to do this career goals monetary goals again with regard to money right um I want to be able to you know provide for my needs and needs of others I want to live a comfortable life is monetary goals ethical goals right um uh are we uh to be involved in a good cause to be involved in some charity so things like that you know creative goals domestic goals physical goals uh with regard to sport or with regard to our own you know physique and physical activity So we can categorize these goals into these different areas. Right? Now what is the what is the benefit of doing that? So we can be a little more focused and a little more specific. Right? The benefit of putting it in categories. Uh categories always help us like that. Right? It help us to remember. It help us to be focused and it it helps us to be specific in in achieving that. Right. Um, so when when you're making goals, you know, it's it's good to uh remember this acronym or this short form smart, right? This word S M A R T Smart. It's good to remember this. Each letter in that word start uh st stands for something you know S stands for being specific. S M A R T specific, measurable, attainable, relevant. And um T stands for time, right? Time bound or um uh it is it's got a time box to it, right? So we look at it in detail in our next class. But you know it it means that a goal should have these characteristics. You're saying okay I have a goal. I have what is the goal? I want to be the next prime minister. Great goal, right? Uh but when you look at that goal, it's fantastic. Maybe God has put that desire in you, right? I want to be able to lead a nation, right? Consider these characteristics, right? Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant. So the need to become a prime minister. Well, this characteristic of being relevant, right? That is something that we need to check against. Okay. Um, okay. God has led me so far. He's led me in this direction. Now, this sudden goal of wanting to be a prime minister, is it relevant? Right? Is it relevant to the way in which God is leading me? Is it relevant? So, yeah. So, this will help us to set the right goal to set the goal in the right manner. Right. Okay. We'll stop here and we'll meet to the next class. Right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh was there a question? I could hear some voices. Okay. If there a question, we'll address it next class, please. Right. God bless.