book 06 new attitudes.pdf

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THE PURITY PROJECT OF OKLAHOMA CITY PRESENTS

NEW ATTITUDES

MENTORING AND RECOVERY SERIES, WORKBOOK 6

By David Lowry, Ph. D.

New Attitudes is the sixth in a series of nine study manuals designed to assist those enrolled in faith-based

recovery programs. These lessons were produced for The Purity Project by Dr. David N. Lowry.


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Copyright 2009 David Lowry. All rights reserved.

Other Workbooks in this series:

1. Admitting Need2. Getting Help3. Letting Go4. Coming Clean5. Making Changes6. New Attitudes7. Repairing Relationships8. Maintaining Momentum9. Recycling Pain

The Purity Project of Oklahoma Cityhttp://www.purityprojectokc.com


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... iii

Introduction To Book 6 ................................................................................................................................. viii

Celebrate Recovery's 8 Principles ............................................................................................................... ix

The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous ............................................................................................... x

Lesson 51 Gratitude...................................................................................................................................... 11

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 14

Psalm 106:1 (New International Version) ............................................................................................. 14

Philippians 4:6 (New International Version) ......................................................................................... 14

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (New International Version) ............................................................................... 14

Scripture Reflections ................................................................................................................................ 14

Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 15

Exercises in Gratitude ............................................................................................................................... 15

Five and Five ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Finding Gratitude in the Mundane ....................................................................................................... 15

The Rosary ............................................................................................................................................ 16

Lesson 52 Contentment ............................................................................................................................... 17

Submission Steps ..........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

Step Reflection .............................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 20

Joshua 24:15 (New International Version) ........................................................................................... 20

Luke 4:5-9 (New International Version) ............................................................................................... 20


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 22

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 2Selfishness .............................................................................. 22

Recovery Reading ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Lesson 53 Forgiveness .................................................................................................................................. 23


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Submission Steps ...................................................................................................................................... 24

Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 24

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 25

Psalm 86:15 (New International Version) ............................................................................................. 25

Proverbs 22:24 (New International Version) ........................................................................................ 25

Ephesians 4:31 (New International Version) ........................................................................................ 25

Ephesians 4:26 (New International Version) ........................................................................................ 25


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 26

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 3Anger and Rage ....................................................................... 26


Lesson 54 Humility ....................................................................................................................................... 27


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 28

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 29

Job 5:2 (New International Version) ..................................................................................................... 29

2 Timothy 2:24 (New International Version) ........................................................................................ 29


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 30

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 4Resentment ............................................................................ 30


Lesson 55 Patience ....................................................................................................................................... 31


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 32

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 32

Lamentations 3:38-40 (New International Version) ............................................................................. 33

Philippians 2:14 (New International Version) ....................................................................................... 33


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Philippians 4:11 (New International Version) ....................................................................................... 33


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 34

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 5Entitlement ............................................................................. 34

Lesson 56 Discipline ..................................................................................................................................... 35


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 36

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 37

Psalm 103:13-14 (New International Version) ..................................................................................... 37

James 3:2 (New International Version) ................................................................................................ 37


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 38

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 6Perfectionism .......................................................................... 38


Lesson 57 Integrity ...................................................................................................................................... 39


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 40

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 41

1 Samuel 15:23 (New International Version) ....................................................................................... 41

Proverbs 17:10-12 (New International Version) ................................................................................... 41

Romans 13:3-5 (New International Version) ........................................................................................ 41


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 42

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 7Rebellion and Authority .......................................................... 42


Lesson 48 Reflective ..................................................................................................................................... 43



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Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 44

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 45

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (New International Version) ..................................................................................... 45

Luke 9:59-62 (New International Version) ........................................................................................... 45


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 46

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 8Procrastination ....................................................................... 46


Lesson 59 Honest .......................................................................................................................................... 47


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 48

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 49

Proverbs 30:8 (New International Version) .......................................................................................... 49

Colossians 3:9-10 (New International Version) .................................................................................... 49


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 50

A Look at Our Character Defects Part 9Dishonesty .............................................................................. 50


Lesson 60 Tolerant ....................................................................................................................................... 51


Step Reflection ......................................................................................................................................... 52

Scripture Study ......................................................................................................................................... 53

Psalm 1:1-3 (New International Version) ............................................................................................. 53

Hebrews 12:1 (New International Version) .......................................................................................... 53

James 1:27 (New International Version) .............................................................................................. 53


Recovery Wisdom ..................................................................................................................................... 54


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A Look at Our Character Defects Part 10Becoming Entirely Ready ...................................................... 54


Index of Appendices ..................................................................................................................................... 55

APPENDIX 1: Seventh Step Prayers .......................................................................................................... 56

APPENDIX 2: Selected Scriptures for Submission Steps ...................................................................... 57

APPENDIX 3: A Look at Our Character Defects ........................................................................................ 61

Part 1, Overview ................................................................................................................................... 61

Part 2, Selfishness ................................................................................................................................. 62

Part 3, Anger and Rage ......................................................................................................................... 63

Part 4, Resentment ............................................................................................................................... 65

Part 5, Entitlement ............................................................................................................................... 66

Part 6, Perfectionism ............................................................................................................................ 68

Part 7, Rebellion and Authority ............................................................................................................ 69

Part 8, Procrastination .......................................................................................................................... 70

Part 9, Dishonesty ................................................................................................................................. 71

Part 10, Entirely Ready ......................................................................................................................... 72


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INTRODUCTION TO BOOK 6

Whenever a major disaster strikes the land, the time comes when an important

official, such as a governor or president, boards an airplane so that they might survey

the exact nature and extent of the damage. The same is true for us. In order for us to

heal we need to conduct our own type of fly-over so that we might objectively learn

about the extent of the damage in our lives. In the previous step, we conducted a

detailed moral and spiritual inventory. In STEP 5, we will look at some of the more

common defects of character that greatly impacts our addictive and compulsive

behaviors. We do this so that we might learn more about the exact nature of our

wrongs; and, by doing so, become entirely ready to have God remove them.

Just as we lived lives of denial about our addictions, we now must face that we

have lived in denial about our character defects. If we wish to become whole, we must

understand that it is just as important to understand our defects of character as our

addictions! Character defects lead to compulsive behaviors and perpetuate them

indefinitely. Unless we are willing to identify and work on our character defects, we aredoomed to repeat our addictive cycles.

In this series of lessons we will examine the defects of selfishness, anger and

rage, resentment, entitlement, perfectionism, rebellion, procrastination and dishonesty.

While there are many other defects that could be studied, our purpose is to get us

thinking about some of the more common attributes that trip up most of us. Well

conclude this series by offering some useful advice on overcoming our character

defects.


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CELEBRATE RECOVERY'S 8 PRINCIPLES

R = REALIZE I'm not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong

thing and that my life is unmanageable.

"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor."

E = EARNESTLY believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that He has the power to help

me recover.

"Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

C = Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christs care and control.

"Happy are the meek."

O = OPENLY examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to another person whom I

trust.

"Happy are the pure in heart."

V = VOLUNTARILY submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask

him to remove my character defects.

"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires."

E = EVALUATE all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and makeamends for harm I've done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others.

"Happy are the merciful."

"Happy are the peacemakers."

R = RESERVE a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to

know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Y = YIELD myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and

by my words.

"Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires."


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THE TWELVE STEPS OF ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Step 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become

unmanageable

Step 2 - Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity

Step 3 - Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood

God.

Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves

Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our

wrongs

Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character

Step 7 - Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings

Step 8 - Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them

all

Step 9 - Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would

injure them or others

Step 10 - Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it

Step 11 Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we

understood God, praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry

that out

Step 12 Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this

message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs


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LESSON 51GRATITUDE

No matter how terrible you think your present situation may be, rest assured

that more than 5 billion people would trade places with you in an instant! According to

census data, the world has an estimated population of near 6.8 billion people. Of these,

80 percent, or some 5.4 billion people, live on less than ten dollars a day. Two and a

half billion people live on less than 2.5 dollars a day. Yes, the world can be a cruel and

desperate place; even so, billions of people around the world would be willing to trade

their problems for yours sight unseen! Think about this these things the next time you

feel like murmuring or complaining. The truth is we have almost every reason to give

thanks and almost none to complain.

Gratitude Defined

We define gratitude as a conscious way of living where one remains alert for

opportunities of expressing appreciation, thankfulness and praise to God and others for

the people places and things in their lives. Grateful people realize that every breath is a

gift of the Lord and that all we have is a gift of His mercy and grace. A grateful person

doesnt take the kindnesses of others for granted. They notice the little things as well as

big things.

Gratitude lives with eyes wide open and constantly says Thank You!

A grateful person has an awareness that blessings are everywhere around us.

People without an attitude of gratitude take people places and things in their lives for

granted. They hardly notice the great abundance about them. A grateful person

doesnt need to be reminded of their blessingsthey notice them as they occur. They

live in amazement as they experience the rich blessings of family, friends, relationships,

work, health and spiritual blessings. And, as they experience these blessings, they

cannot help but respond in thankfulness to their God and those about them.


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Gratitude is a new way of living

Imagine a new life based in gratitude. The first thing in the morning as you wake

up and open your eyes, you thank God for protecting you during the night and blessing

you with sleep. You thank God for the bed you slept in and the roof that covers your

head. As you bathe, you thank God for the clean water and soapso many people

dont have these things you know. As you put on your clothes, you thank God for the

fact that you have clothes to wear. You thank God for your education, work, and

relationships. You thank God for the transportation you have; and, as you travel to your

first appointment of the day, you thank Him for the beauty that you see around you.

You thank God for each person he brings before you during the day and you thank him

for the acts of kindnesses that others show you as well as the acts that you can show to

others. As you go to bed, you thank God for another day of care and blessings.

There are three ways we may receive something.

Gratitude is an attitude we carry as we receive Gods wonderful gifts. Sadly,

many people go through life unaware of the blessings God has given them. To hear

them pray youd think God never did a thing for them. They are always aware of needs

that arent being met and focusing upon what they dont have. These people take much

of their life for grantednever stopping to say thank you. Like the ten lepers Jesus

healed, only one of them returned to say thanks. The other nine were wrapped up in

their own affairs. We can be like these people as well.

Others receive with arrogance. They seem to expect good things to come theirway. They blame God and act indignant if their lives dont go as they think it should.

Their prayers, if they pray at all, instruct God about how He should best go about

meeting their needs. Its as if they see God as some coin operated being who should do

as they ask; but, a grateful heart and arrogance cannot exist in the same place.

The third way we can receive Gods blessings is with awareness and

thankfulness. This is what God desires of us. He wants us to become aware of the care

he bestows on each of us. As we become more aware, we marvel at the completeness

of Gods love for us. We stop taking things for granted. We marvel at His nature and

the people places and things he brings before us. We feel blessed. We stop telling God

how to bless us and start thanking him for what hes done for us.

Finding Gratitude in the Mundane

What could be more mundane than a daily cup of coffee? Yet, for every cup of

coffee there are any number of people, places and things that deserve our thanks. First


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we can thank God for the rain, soil, plants, growing season and coffee crop. We should

also give thanks for the people who grew and cultivated the coffee on the plantations

and farms. And, we can give thanks for others who worked long and difficult hours to

create a product for us to enjoy. Further, we have untold thousands of people to thank

for complex system of transportation that is to deliver our coffee to the store. Equally,we should be thankful for the personal means of transportation we used to go and buy

our coffee. Finally, we owe a debt of thanks to God, our family, an educational system

and our employers for all the skills and finances available to us that we might purchase

our coffee. Yes, even in the mundane we have innumerable blessings to be mindful of.

A grateful heart understands the power of contentment.

It lives in the realization that it doesnt need people, places, or things to make it

happy. Instead, it finds pleasure in whatever circumstances the Lord may bring. As the

Apostle Paul once said, I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to haveplenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether

well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. A grateful heart feels

contentment because it understands the great abundance of physical and spiritual

blessings it has received from God in his mercy and grace.

Gratitude is based in a healthy perspective.

It knows that everyone suffers trials; and, whatever trials we are going through,

others have it worsesome much worse. It understands that even when we feel fear,

pain and anxiety, we can say, as Psalmist David did, Yea though I walk through thevalley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evilfor thou art with me. Gratitude

understands that we are never abandoned by God. Grateful hearts have little room for

murmuring, complaining, or thoughts of victimization.

Gratitude is based in optimism.

This optimism continues even when as we go through strenuous trials. As a

refiners fire makes gold more valuable and pure, so we too, become more fit and useful

as we pass through our difficult trials. Gratitude helps us understand that the things we

once cursed and feared are the very things that make us strong once we pass throughthe fire. Gratitude helps us see Gods plan through our pain and suffering. It realizes

that what appears to be an unanswered prayer today may become one of our greatest

blessings tomorrow.


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SCRIPTURE STUDY

PSALM 106:1 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Praise the LORD.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with

thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

________________________________________

SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

Write your answers in the Space below.

1. List five things these scriptures teach us about gratitude.

2. Think of something you are anxious about and describe what God wants you to dobased upon these scriptures.

USE THE BACK OF THIS PAGE IF YOU NEED TO WRITE MORE.


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RECOVERY WISDOM

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. Meister Eckhart:

________________________________________

WHAT DOES THIS SAYING MEAN TO YOU? GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS IN YOUR

LIFE.

EXERCISES IN GRATITUDE

FIVE AND FIVE

Go back to the discussion about gratitude and highlight 5 insights. Be ready to discuss them ingroup.

Write five of your own personal insights about gratitude and be ready to discuss them in group.1.

2.

3.

4.

5

FINDING GRATITUDE IN THE MUNDANE

Refer back to the reading about Finding Gratitude in the Mundane. Think of an ordinary

blessing that you are tempted to take for granted each day and explain the various aspects

about it that we should be thankful Try and be detailed.



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THE ROSARY

A Catholic rosary is a string of beads or a knotted cord used to count prayers while the eyes are

shut or in a meditative mood. Typically a rosary will have 59 beads that are sectioned into 5 sets

of 10 beads--leaving the remaining nine beads to hang down. The rosary can be a useful tool for

counting blessings. Think about getting your own rosarybut for nowsee if you can list 59things you are grateful for. Try doing this exercise each day for a week.

1. 2. 3.4. 5. 6.7. 8. 9.10. 11. 12.13. 14. 15.16. 17. 18.19. 20. 21.22. 23. 24.25. 26. 27.28. 29. 30.31. 32. 33.34. 35. 36.37. 38. 39.40. 41. 42.43. 44. 45.46. 47. 48.49. 50. 51.52. 53. 54.55. 56. 57.58. 59.


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LESSON 52

CONTENTMENT

Sadly, we live in a world where, for many, the worth of others is measured by

the people we know, the possessions we have, and the jobs that we do. This

performance driven mentality requires us to meet the high expectations of others and

sends the message that our worth is based only in the level of our accomplishments.

We pay a high price for all of this. We find ourselves working to please and meet the

high expectations of others while having little or no margin in our lives to do the thingswe want to do. Our personal debt is at an all time high as we strive to buy more and

more things. Our stress is through the roof while our relationships falter at

unprecedented rates. The use of antidepressants to calm our fears and anxieties has

never been more prevalent. We were not meant to endure all of this stress and many of

us have sought escape in all the wrong places. A life like this robs us of all contentment.

Contentment Defined

Contentment may be defined as a serenity of spirit when we can be satisfied

with who we are and the things they havedespite our personal situation. It is notbased upon having everything we want; rather, its a state of harmony which exists

when our desires are in balance with what we have. When we are contented, we live in

a state of ease, instead of anxiety. We are freed from the slavery of senseless striving

based in a sense of lack and inadequacy.

The truly contented understand that happiness is not based upon other people

places or things; instead, they do their best to practice a healthy stewardship of the gifts

and abilities God has given them. They place their faith in God and believe that he will

take care of their needs. This frees them from these anxieties and the belief that

everything is up to them and allows them to channel their energies to sharing and caring

for others.

We live in a world of stress and drama.

A first step to regaining contentment is to notice any time that harmony leaves

your life. A sign that this is happening is discontentment and the feeling that your life


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isnt what it ought to be and should be more than it is. We start by daily monitoring the

signs of unnecessary stress and drama. Some stress is good for us; but, unnecessary

stress takes away from our inner harmony, outer productivity and lessens the quality of

our relationships with others. Some obvious signs that our harmony is disturbed include

quarreling, complaining, anger and rage. When we notice negative emotions, such asanxiety, fear, depression, sadness and so forth, and cannot get rid of them, we can be

certain that our lives have fallen out of harmony. Once we notice this, we will then

need to determine which thoughts and behaviors are responsible for our pain.

Why dont we have contentment?

The simple answer is that we are looking in the wrong places for our happiness

and we have been deceived to think that who we are and what we have isnt enough.

As a result we try and fill the holes of our hearts with things that can never satisfy. Here

are some common reasons why we dont have contentment.

Holes in the heart cannot be fixed with money, people, places or things.

While deep down, we know this is true; there is often a wide chasm between

what we know and our actions. We life in a consumption driven society that constantly

says we must buy things to be happy. The abuse of credit and debt has never been

higher as people become accustomed to living beyond their means. Debt robs us of our

contentment and leads us into a form of slavery. Long ago, the scriptures wisely

reminded us that A mans life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Besides the constant striving for possessions, we live in a society where

pornography is rampant and women are constantly objectified for financial gain. Our

culture portrays casual sex as a norm and tries to convince us that well find happiness

and fulfilling relationships with it. Sadly, for those of us who bought into these lies,

weve learned that sex outside of its proper context leads to devastating

consequencesincluding sexual addictionsthat only destroys our relationships and

robs us of the peace and contentment that could have been ours.

Others seek happiness through their jobs. But our jobs are only the means given

us to provide for the needs of ourselves, our families and others. Jobs were neverdesigned to fill our innermost needs. Truthfully, most jobs are designed to get the most

work possible out of usno matter the personal costso that others might profit and

benefit.

We have sin in our lives.


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As stated in earlier lessons, sin is missing the mark with our lives or transgressing what

God says is right. The bible says that the wages of sin is death; and, contentment dies

when we suffer from the guilt, shame and blame associated with sinful living.

We are suffering the consequences of our poor choices.

Every cause has an effect and there is a consequence for every action. Our choices

are important because we must live with the consequences of themmany times long

after we have changed our ways. For instance, if we dont watch our spending, we may

have to spend many years working to be free of debt.

We fill our lives with too many things.

It is easy to become over stimulated with work, school, family, friends, church,

activities and events around us. For many of us, the temptation is great to fill every

moment of our lives to the point where we have no time for rest or relaxation.According to researchers, most people do not get enough rest and their body and minds

suffer from lack of repair! The bible reminds us to be still and know that I am God.

We live beyond our means.

It is hard to have contentment when we are in debt over our heads and cannot

pay our bills. Financial strain is one of the biggest contributors of divorce and is

consistently listed as one of the top five causes for disagreements in marriage.

We arent content to live with reasonable limitations.

Somehow we want to believe that we can have anything we want, accomplish

anything we choose and become anything we wish. Perhaps we could were our

ambitions in line with our gifts, talents and personal situations; but so often, this mythos

of the American Dream only leads us to a never ending striving for things beyond our

reach and drives us to base our worth only on our accomplishments. The truth is, we

live in a world of limitations that we have little or no control over. While we should not

remain complacent or content with being mediocre; we must learn to find contentment

when we have done our bestno matter what the outcome may be. Our contentment

needs to be based in doing the best we know to do with the resources we have in the

moment trusting that God will work all things for good to those who love him.

Happiness with your life situation

We can become content


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Dont confuse contentment with these things

Happiness

Giving up

Denial of real needs

No ambition or drive

Doing the best we can versus a never ending striving

Refusal to make needed changes in our lives

How to Develop Contentment

Take the focus off of your self

God First

Others second

Reframe negative situation

Practice gratefulness

Keep your life in perspective

Learn what you really need

SCRIPTURE STUDY

JOSHUA 24:15 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom

you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the

Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the

LORD."

LUKE 4:5-9 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)


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The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.

And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me,

and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

_______________________________________


1. Weve been discussing the idea ofsetting aside selfishness and volunteering to makechanges that God wants us to. What do these scriptures teach us about this?

2. List 5 Gods beyond the river and kingdoms of the world that you have beenfollowing.

3. How do these false gods compare to the LORD that Joshua and Jesus speak of?USE THE BACK OF THIS PAGE IF YOU NEED TO WRITE MORE.


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RECOVERY WISDOM

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.

Napoleon Hill

_______________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 2SELFISHNESS

GO TO APPENDIX 3 AND COMPLETE PART 2. FEEL FREE TO WORK AHEAD IF TIME PERMITS.

RECOVERY READING

Lifes Healing Choices;p. 139 - 148

WRITE THREE INSIGHTS YOU RECEIVED FROM TODAYS READINGS.

1. WRITE THE PAGE NUMBER AND QUOTE,2. THEN EXPLAIN THE INSIGHT YOU RECEIVED.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152870.htmlhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/napoleonhi152870.html


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LESSON 53FORGIVENESS

Once upon a time there was a man working in the fields who was suddenly

bitten by a poisonous snake. Rather than calling out for help, the man became very

angry and started chasing after the snake so that he might kill it. In his rage and physical

exertion his heart began beating so quickly that it pushed the poison even deeper into

his body. Rage kills!

Many of us are like this man. Weve chased after all kinds of snakes without

realizing the deadly outcomes. Anger darkens the mind to reason and causes us to

rationalize harmful behaviors such as physical, emotional and verbal abuse. It gives the

devil a foothold into our life and drives the poison even deeper into our soul.

Anger is a violence directed against ourselves and others. As we do the work of

recovery and learn more about why we turn to anger, it may surprise us to discover that

most of our anger isnt about others. True, we may carry anger towards others for the

way weve been treated; but, just as much of our anger is ro oted in our sadness, hurts,

fears and frustrations about the way we live and treat ourselves. As we become more

skillful in living and keeping our side of the street clean, well come to see that feelings

of anger can be a useful barometer to alert about a part of our life that needs attention.

In this lesson we will look reflect on Godly ways of handling our anger that doesnt harm

ourselves or others.


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SUBMISSION STEPS

Voluntarily submit to any and all changes God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to

remove my character defects.(CELEBRATE RECOVERY: STEP 5)

Matthew 5:6 Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires.

We admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our

wrongs. (STEP 5 OF THE 12 STEPS)

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that

you may be healed.We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

(STEP 6 OF THE 12 STEPS)

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings. (STEP 7 OF THE 12 STEPS)

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and

purify us from all unrighteousness.

STEP REFLECTION

STEP 5 states that, We admitted the exact nature of our wrongs. As you think back over the

lists you generated in STEP 4,

1. How does anger and rage factor into your problems?2. Another form of anger is depressionwhich many professionals say is anger turned

inward (we want to be careful here because not all depression is anger related!). Have

you suffered from depression? Can you see links between anger and the things youve

been depressed about?



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SCRIPTURE STUDY

PSALM 86:15 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

PROVERBS 22:24 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,

do not associate with one easily angered,

EPHESIANS 4:31 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

EPHESIANS 4:26 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

"In your anger do not sin" Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

________________________________________


1. Why do you think God is so concerned about anger? Why should he care?2. List ten things you could do to become slow to anger.



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RECOVERY WISDOM

Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to

the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way,

that is not within everybody's power, that is not easy. (Aristotle, Greek Philosopher)

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 3ANGER AND RAGE


RECOVERY READING

Life's Healing Choice; Choices; Choice 5; Please read the testimonials on p. 149 - 164

IN THE SPACE BELOW, WRITE THREE INSIGHTS YOU RECEIVED FROM TODAYS READINGS.

1. WRITE THE PAGE NUMBER AND QUOTE2. THEN EXPLAIN THE INSIGHT YOU RECEIVED.



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LESSON 54

HUMILITY

The biblical story of Cain and Able is more than a bible story about the first

recorded murder. It clearly describes what happens when we hold on to anger and

resentment.

But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked

with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look withfavor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain,

"Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not

be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to

have you, but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the

field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:4-8 (New International Version)

Resentment is the discontent and anger we feel towards other people and

situations as we hold on to our memories of past hurts and disappointments. Instead of

forgiving, releasing and moving on; we carry grudges and replay our perceptions ofunfair events over and again in our mind. As we do this, we create barriers between us,

God and others. Instead of trusting that God will make all things right, we internalize

our anger and frustration until it erupts into a boiling rage. As with Cain, so with us; sin

is crouching at the door. In this lesson we will look at the futility of resentment and look

for ways of ridding ourselves of painful grudges that weve been carrying.


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SUBMISSION STEPS











1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and justand will forgive us our sins and


STEP REFLECTION

STEP 6 says that We are ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Perhaps

one of the biggest defects of character for many of us is resentment. Resentment is defined as

a feeling of anger and of deep and bitter ill will.

1. Review your list of resentments from STEP 4. How are you doing with this list? Haveyou been able to make any positive changes in this area lately? Why or why not?

2. Make a list of five things you think your resentment towards other people, places orthings have brought you.

3. Why do you think we hold on to our resentments?USE THE BACK OF THIS PAGE IF YOU NEED TO WRITE MORE.


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SCRIPTURE STUDY

JOB 5:2 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Resentment kills a fool,

and envy slays the simple.

2 TIMOTHY 2:24 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach,

not resentful.

________________________________________


As you think about your present life situation,

1. What do you believe is the meaning of Job 5:2 and provide a personal example fromyour own life.

2. How would your life be better if you didnt have your resentments?3. For those who desire to be the Lords servants, how does setting aside the things

mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:24 make us a better servant?



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RECOVERY WISDOM

Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 4RESENTMENT


RECOVERY READING

A Hunger for Healing; Please read p. 85 93



http://thinkexist.com/quotation/resentment_is_like_taking_poison_and_waiting_for/214912.htmlhttp://thinkexist.com/quotation/resentment_is_like_taking_poison_and_waiting_for/214912.html


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LESSON 55PATIENCE

All of us have beliefs about how we should treat others and how they, in turn,

should treat us. The problem is that its easy to feel let down when others dont meet

our expectations. Lets face it; people dont always act towards us as we think they

should. Our relationships can sour rather quickly if we give into frustration and impose

our thinking about whats good, bad, right and wrong on others. Its one thing to have

expectations that are based upon contracts or mutually agreed goals and values; but,

another thing entirely if we expect others to measure up to some high and arbitrary

standard carried about in our minds. Entitlement is the belief that we are due

something from another whether or not we have done something for them.

For instance, when we do someone a favor, most of us expect a please and thank you.

But if we stop and think about it, none of us are necessarily entitled to courtesy just

because we have decided to do something nice or kind. Its always a good thing if

others say thank youbut were not entitled to a courteous response just because of

what weve done. In situations like these, as well as numerous others, we must learn toseparate the things we do, and the reasons we do them, from the outcomes that follow.

Our job is to do the next right thing because it is the right thing to donot judge others

for what they do or do not do for us. In this lesson we will learn to spot attitudes of

entitlement that each of us carry within.


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SUBMISSION STEPS













STEP REFLECTION

1. As we go through recovery, it is easy to become impatient about our character defects;but according to STEP 5, God is the one who removes our character defects. He will

remove it in his perfect timing provided we are entirely ready for him to remove it. Inthe meantime we must be careful lest we fall into murmuring and complainingwhich

is just another form of entitlement thinkingor the belief that we deserve good things

in our lives because WE are working on our problems. Entitlement thinking is the false

notion that we deserve good things because of who we are and what we do that is

outside the bounds of reality. Everyone does this to some extent; but, when you factor

in our tendency to live in denial; you have a person who thinks they deserve far more

from other people and things than what reality would dictate.

2. Think back over your recovery period (not just the one you are in right now) and listyour ten biggest complaints or murmurings that youve made about people, places or

things.3. As you look back over your thinking, what are five entitlements that have clouded your

thinking?

USE THE BACK OF THIS PAGE IF YOU NEE D TO WRITE MORE.

SCRIPTURE STUDY


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LAMENTATIONS 3:38-40 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that both calamities and good things come?

Why should any living man complainwhen punished for his sins?

Let us examine our ways and test them,

and let us return to the LORD.


Do everything without complaining or arguing,


I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the

circumstances.

________________________________________


1. List three reasons why we should not complain for the punishment of our sins.2. From scripture, it is clear that God does not like complainers. The Israelites were

doomed to wonder in the wilderness for 40 years as a result of their complaints against

God.

a. List five reasons why you believe that God dislikes complaining.b. What is the relationship between complaining and entitlement?

3. The antidote to complaining is contentment. List five differences between contentmentand complaining.



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RECOVERY WISDOM

You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have

roses. (Tom WilsonZiggy)

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 5ENTITLEMENT


A Hunger for Healing;Please read p. 107 - 114





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LESSON 56DISCIPLINE

Are you kidding? Me a perfectionist? Have you seen my desk, my car, or

my house? Like many people, I used to think that perfectionism had more to do about

paying attention to small details such as keeping an immaculate house, or organizing my

time. But perfectionism isnt necessarily about those things.

Perfectionism is a character flaw that keeps us from trying our best because wehave a fear offailure. Its the procrastination that occurs as we wait for just the right

time or circumstance to do somethinga time or circumstance that never comes!

Perfectionism is the frustration that says if we cant do something just the way we want

towe shouldnt even do it at all. Perfectionism is the all or nothing attitude that

despises the process of recovery and expects a quick fix instead of slow and steady

progress. Its the critical nature we resort to when things dont happen as we expect.

As a character trait, perfectionism takes the joy out of living as we endlessly critique the

things that we and others have done that arent as they should be. A perfectionist has a

hard time giving or receiving complimentsbecause in their minds, there is alwayssomething that could be improved. Perfectionism takes away our optimism and spirit of

adventure to try something different and new. In the end, perfectionism stifles our

ability to make progress in recovery and makes those around us feel that whatever they

do isnt ever good enough for us. Simply put, perfectionism is another one of our

doomed-to-fail attempts to control the lives of ourselves and others.

It takes time to overcome a spirit of perfectionism. With Gods help, we can learn to

take captive those thoughts that are constantly critiquing our lives and those about us.

As we progress through recovery, we find the antidote is to learn that God loves us just

the way we are. As Philip Yancey says, "There is nothing we can do to make God love us

more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less." In this lesson, well

begin to notice those areas of our lives where we try to control ourselves and others

through the character defect of perfectionism.


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SUBMISSION STEPS



Matthew 5:6 Happy are those whose greatest desire is todo what God requires.










STEP REFLECTION

One of the character defects we need help with is perfectionism. Perfectionism is expecting

more of people, places, things and ourselves than is reasonable.

1. List five things you thought was reasonable to expect of yourself over the years that younow understand is/was unreasonable?

2. List five things you thought was reasonable to expect of others over the years that younow understand is/was unreasonable?



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SCRIPTURE STUDY

PSALM 103:13-14 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

JAMES 3:2 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man,

able to keep his whole body in check.

___________________________


1. List five things these scriptures teach us about perfectionismor our tendency toexpect more of ourselves and others than is reasonable.

2. List five bible characters that disobeyed Godyet are held as examples of faithfulness.3. What is the difference between being the best person we can versus perfectionism?



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RECOVERY WISDOM

Gold cannot be pure, and people cannot be perfect. ~Chinese Proverb

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 6PERFECTIONISM


RECOVERY READING

A Hunger for Healing, p. 115 - 129





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LESSON 57INTEGRITY

What is it about human beings that make us so resistant to obeying authority? It

seems we hate being told what to do or how to live our liveseven when its clearly in

our best interest. We speed knowing the most common form of highway death is speed

related. We ignore advice from our doctors about diet, exercise and rest. We

constantly criticize our leaders and those for whom we work. The most common reason

why so many people fail to succeed in recovery, or remain recovered, is anunwillingness to continue with accountabilityan unwillingness to submit to spiritual

authority. The sin that drove man from the Garden of Eden was rebellion to Gods

authority.

When we speak about rebellion, we are not talking about legitimate resistance

towards those who would cause us harm or defying authority so that we might follow

the commands of God. We define rebellion as our resistance, or unwillingness, to follow

legitimate laws and/or allow others to exert legitimate authority over us. It is our

unwillingness to submit to the higher spiritual and moral commands of God. Rebellion

is based in the idea that we know what is best for ourselves and that we are a law unto

ourselves.

The truth is, God has created multiple levels of authority that we must follow if

we expect to live happy lives. God created family and parents who serve as our early

guides and authorities. He created governments and has given them the authority to

make lawseven those which we think are silly. He has created officials and rulers to

enforce and judge those who break the lawsand we are to be accountable to them.

God has created work and expects us to provide quality service for the pay we receive.

Finally, God created spiritual laws that impact the way we live our daily lives as well as

church authoritiessuch as pastors and church leaderswho oversee their flock.

Character defects are the consequences that result when we deny the legitimateauthority that God has placed in our lives. The consequences of these defects are clear

to those of us in recovery and include blame, shame, guilt, sorrow, and lives that are

filled with wreck and ruin. In this lesson, well come to realize that God has created

these authorities to be a blessing in our lives; and, as we become more responsive to his

authority, well find that a new set of consequences begins to play out that sets us free

of the past and pain.


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SUBMISSION STEPS













STEP REFLECTION

As we turn our lives over to the will of God so that he might remove our imperfections, we must

be willing to surrender our tendency to be rebellious towards authority. Rebellion can be

defined as resistance, opposition, or defiance towards God or a legitimate human authority.Rebellion is not always obvioussometimes it is carefully hidden. Rebellion can infect our

thinking and attitudes as well as our behaviors. It is Gods will that lines of authority exist in our

lives, families, jobs, schools, churches, communities and nations. God expects us to obey

legitimate authority and the only time we are to ignore it is when it directly contradicts the

commands of God.

1. List an example of a rebellion moment or event in your own life for each of the areaslisted below:

a. Personal lifeb. Familyc. Jobd. Schoole. Church


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f. Local Communityg. Nation/Government


SCRIPTURE STUDY

1 SAMUEL 15:23 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

For rebellion is like the sin of divination,

and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

he has rejected you as king."

PROVERBS 17:10-12 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

A rebuke impresses a man of discernment

more than a hundred lashes a fool.

An evil man is bent only on rebellion;

a merciless official will be sent against him.

Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs

than a fool in his folly.

ROMANS 13:3-5 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be

free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is

God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for

nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment

but also because of conscience.


1. What do each of these scriptures teach us about legitimate human authority?2. List three areas of your life where you struggle with either the authority of God or man.



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RECOVERY WISDOM

The wisest have the most authorityPlato

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 7REBELLION AND AUTHORITY


RECOVERY READING

The Steps We Took; p. 73 - 86

WRITE TWO INSIGHTS YOU RECEIVED FROM TODAYS READINGS.


http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_wisest_have_the_most/189593.htmlhttp://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_wisest_have_the_most/189593.html


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LESSON 48REFLECTIVE

Satan wants to destroy every good thing that God has planned for us. When God

created us, he had a special plan for our lives. His plan is an exciting one that is meant

to transform us and bring about the fruit of the Spirit. It unfolds as we learn more about

how we should walk daily with the Lord. Satans plan is to distract, discourage, and

sidetrack us from the good things that God has in store for us. One of his best tools for

accomplishing this is the spirit of procrastination.

Procrastination is more than putting off small things like a doctors check-up, or

some other thing that we may dread doing. Its mistakenly based in the idea that well

do the right thing tomorrow instead of today. Its all the things we do and dont do

instead of taking some positive action. Instead of seeking help for our hurts and habits,

we give ourselves permission to wait while we turn our minds to something else.

Procrastination keeps us from reaching our goals; and sadly for some, tomorrow never

comes. In this lesson we will stress the importance ofdeveloping a new attitude of Do

it Now! so that our lives may move into the balance that God has in mind for us.


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SUBMISSION STEPS













STEP REFLECTION

One of the more useless habits that many of us develop is procrastinationor the constant

delaying of making important decisions or doing things that we need to do. It is said that W.

Clement Stone, a famous American who built a life insurance company worth millions of dollars,used to have his employees recite over and over again at the beginning of each day this motto,

Do it Now! Think about things you have been putting off and remember that one of the more

helpful habits you can adopt is: DO IT NOW! Even if you cant completely finish something

that needs to be done, there is no reason why you cant do something to help move you closer

to your goal.

1. How long did you delay before seriously seeking help for your hurt, habit or hang-up?2. List five important things that procrastination has keep you from achieving.3. List five ideas that might help you fight procrastination.



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SCRIPTURE STUDY

ECCLESIASTES 9:10 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are

going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

LUKE 9:59-62 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

He said to another man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of

God."

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the

kingdom of God."

________________________________________


1. What do these scriptures teach about procrastination?2. What important thing does Jesus warn against in Luke 9: 59-62?3. What role, if any, does procrastination play in Jesus warning in Luke 9: 59-62?



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RECOVERY WISDOM

The best way to get something done is to begin. ~Author Unknown

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 8PROCRASTINATION


RECOVERY READING

The Steps We Took; p. 87 - 96





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LESSON 59

HONEST

We have a lot of words to describe dishonesty! Act, acting, baloney, bear false

witness, bogus, bull, B.S., bunk, cheat, coloring, , concoction, deceit, deception, delude,

delusion, doctor, double-dealing, duplicity, embellish, equivocation, exaggeration,

facade, fable, fabrication, fairy tale, fallacy, falsehood, false pretenses, forgery, fraud, ,

guile, half-truth, hatch, hoodwink, hyperbole, insidiousness, insincerity, invent, kid, lead

astray, lie, lip-service, make-believe, make up, manipulate, mendacity, misconstruction,

misleading, misrepresentation, overstatement, perjury, perversion, pretense,prevarication, pull one's leg, quackery, rationalization, sham, spin, story, strategic

misrepresentation, stretch, subterfuge, tamper with, terminological inexactitude,

underhandedness, untruth, varnish, warp, weasel, white lie, whopper, and yarnto

name but a few!

In the early stages of recovery, one of the things that surprise many of us is the

degree that we became comfortable with dishonesty. The lives of addicts are strewn

with lies. We lied to others about our involvement with addictive behaviors and we

lived double lives as we tried to appear normal while hiding what we were doing. We

lied to ourselves and said that what we were doing wasnt so bad. We lied again as we

said wed quit after we participated in our addiction just one more time. We told lie

after lie to ourselves, God and others. We did not know how habitual lying had become.

Of all the qualities necessary for a full recovery, the ability to become

scrupulously honest is one of the most important and difficult to achieve. Unless we are

honest with ourselveswe will live in denial about our true condition. If we cannot be

honest, we cannot change. Honesty is built a day at a time. It is a learned behavior.

When we live honest lives, we will not be ashamed for others to see and know what we

are doingeven in private. Honesty is the foundation for rebuilding the trust we mayhave lost with others and regaining our self-respect. In this lesson well remind

ourselves about the importance of scrupulous honesty and look at areas of our life that

may need additional improvement.


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SUBMISSION STEPS













STEP REFLECTION

All of us know the old saying that Honesty is the best policy; but, for those of us caught in

addictions and compulsive behaviors, we have been anything but honest. We have told

numerous lies to ourselves and others to cover our tracks and hide the behaviors for which weare ashamed. The submission step in this lesson reminds us that we must learn to be entirely

honest if we are to be entirely ready for God to remove our defects.

1. List five lies that youve told yourself regarding your hurt, habit or hang-up.2. List five lies that youve told others regarding your hurt, habit or hang-up as a means of

covering up your behavior.



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SCRIPTURE STUDY

PROVERBS 30:8 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches,

but give me only my daily bread.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-10 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on

the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

________________________________________


1. When is it hardest for you to tell the truth? Under what circumstances do you findyourself either shading the truth or being dishonest?

2. What is the main idea Paul is trying to get us to see in Colossians 3: 9-10?USE THE BACK OF THIS PAGE IF YOU NEED TO WRITE MORE.


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RECOVERY WISDOM

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. Thomas Jefferson

________________________________________


LIFE.

A LOOK AT OUR CHARACTER DEFECTS PART 9DISHONESTY


RECOVERY READING

The Steps We Took; p. 97 106



http://thinkexist.com/quotation/honesty_is_the_first_chapter_in_the_book_of/144504.htmlhttp://thinkexist.com/quotation/honesty_is_the_first_chapter_in_the_book_of/144504.htmlhttp://thinkexist.com/quotation/honesty_is_the_first_chapter_in_the_book_of/144504.htmlhttp://thinkexist.com/quotation/honesty_is_the_first_chapter_in_the_book_of/144504.html


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LESSON 60TOLERANT

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he

will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he

will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13 New

International Version)

I dont know about you but Im very glad that God does not allow any

temptations to come our way except the common ones. For me, the common

temptations are hard enough! Imagine what life could be like were God to allow the

devil to tempt us in ways we could not possibly withstand! In this series of lessons

weve looked at some of the more common defects of character such as: selfishness,

anger and rage, resentment, entitlement, perfectionism, rebellion, procrastination and

dishonesty. While these defects of character can easily get the best of us, God says his

power is more than enough to help us overcome them.

Now we are ready, in the words of STEP 5, to voluntarily submit to any and all

changes God wants to make in our lives and to humbly ask him to remove our character

defects. Except in rare situations, God does not remove our defects instantaneously.

Instead he uses a slow and steady process of gentle transformation that works as we

submit to his will and allow new habits to replace the old. In this final series lesson, we

will learn more about this submission process and how to be an active part of it.


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52

SUBMISSION STEPS













STEP REFLECTION

The lessons in this series are about becoming entirely ready for God to remove any and all

defects of character that he sees. We have studied a few of the most prominent including:

selfishness, anger and rage, resentment, entitlement, perfectionism, rebellion, procrastinationand honesty. Of the character defects we have studied thus far,

1. Which two of the character defects mentioned above cause you the most trouble?2. How might you use the STEPS youve studied thus far to help you overcome these

defects of character?



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SCRIPTURE STUDY

PSALM 1:1-3 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Blessed is the man

who does not wa

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