Phase Two of Faith

• Circumstances to help us grow• Problem, Difficulties, & Pressures• Need to understand the process so we can

cooperate with it• Dream - you’re not here by accident - here for

a purpose

• Dream worthless unless you act upon it

• In America we love decisive leaders

• Easier to make a fast decision than a good one

• Takes nothing to make a quick decision, wisdom to make a right one

Indecisiveness

• Indecisive will get nothing from Krishna

• Double mindedness disastrous

• Make up your mind about what’s important in life or court disaster

Arjuna’s Lament“Nor do we know which is better-conquering them or being conquered by them. If we killed the sons of Drtarastra, we should not care to live. Yet they are standing before us on this battlefield.” Gita 2/5

“If, however, you do not perform your duty of fighting, then you will incur sins & lose your reputation as a fighter. People will always speak of your infamy, & for a respectable person, dishonor is worse than death.”

Gita 2/33,34

Wise Decisions

• Decisions determine our Destiny• Choices determine our Character• People who were given dreams and acted

upon them• Want to give you spiritual principles for

making wise decisions, career, marriage, finances, health, children, future

A man is foolish to trust himself, but those who use Krishna’s wisdom are safe

Need more than impressions, intuition, gut feeling

Need to base decisions on Absolute Truth

• No contradiction between faith & fact• Act out of knowledge, not uneducated

enthusiasm• 90 % businesses fail first year• 90 % of those fail within 5 years• So called love is often also

uneducated enthusiasm, 41 % marriages fail

• More advice you get, more likely to win

• Henry Ford secret of success - Wise Decisions - Experience - Stupid Decisions

• Wise to learn from experience, wiser to learn from experiences of others

Learn to ask for advice

• Would rather appear wise than be wise

• More important to be wise than appear wise

• Wise ask for advice• If not, ego problem• Arrogant people are

stupid• All of us ignorant, just on

different subjects, why we need each other

• Wisdom & humility go together

• Price tag for even most insignificant decision

• Price tag - time, money, reputation, energy, talents, resources

• 22,000 days

“The value of each

moment is so great

it cannot be

regained even by

spending

thousands of gold

coins”

• Decide without deliberating

• Promise without pondering

• OK to say, “I’ll get back to you.” when pressured to make quick decision

• More important right decision than quick

Look Before You Leap

• Easier to get in than out,

relationship, debt

• Easier to fill your schedule

than fulfill your schedule

• Calculate the cost

Abhimanyu

Estimate• No man builds without calculating

the cost, • No king goes to war without

calculating the cost• Is it worth it?• HL Hunt, “Two rules in life: Decide

what you want & what you’re willing to pay for it?”

• Trump, “Expect the best, prepare for the worst.”

• A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them, simpleton does not and faces consequences

“O my teacher, behold the great

army of the sons of Pandu, so expertly arranged by your

intelligent disciple, Dhristadyumna.”

Gita 1/4

Decision Making vs. Problem Solving

• If you have to solve all the problems before making a decision, paralyzed

• Don’t have to resolve all your doubts

• I give all that I know about me to all that know about you

• Rest of your life, you can work out problems, doubts

“If you have a better idea of God, we will accept it.”

• As a decision maker, you have to learn to trust Krishna in all of the problems

• If you have to solve all the problems before, decision is not made in faith

Madhusudana“This is my doubt, O

Krishna, and I ask you to dispel it completely. But for you, no one is to be found who can destroy this doubt.” Gita 6/39

Parampara“Just try to learn the Truth by approaching a seal realized soul. Render service unto him & inquire from him submissively. The self realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” Gita 4/34

• When you have fear of failure remember the deal

• Krishna offers 8 benefits and only ask two from me.

• We forget how much He wants to rescue us.

Krishna says this about those who look to Him for decisions: "Because He loves me, I will rescue him. I will protect him for he acknowledges My name. He will call upon Me and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and I will honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation."

• Fear is the root of indecision• Fear of failure, embarrassment, make

a mistake• Someone will laugh at me or reject

me cause of my commitment • Make excuses rather than admit we

are afraid

ExcusesKrishna has a dream for your life and wants to be a part of your life. Some of you are saying "I don't have the time, I don't have the money, I don't have the experience, I don't have the education, I don't have the contacts, I don't have the resources, If only I were married, If only I were unmarried, If only I were older, or younger, in another country, in another year....." It's fear that's keeping you from making the decision that Krishna wants you to make.

• Perfection paralyzes potential

• Krishna uses imperfect people in imperfect situations to get something done

• Waiting for that perfect person or situation, not going to happen

• Commitments of life must be made in the middle of the stuff of life

“You are educated young boys. Why don’t you take up Lord Chaitanya’s message and preach in the Western world?” In the very first sight, he told me. At that time, I argued with him that “We are dependent nation, and who is going to hear about our message?” So he defeated my argument. He was learned scholar. What I was? I was still boy. So I agreed (chuckles) that I was defeated.”

Antidote to Fear

• Faith antidote to Fear• If Krishna for you,

who can be against• Move against the fear• When you don’t have the faith to do

something do it anyway, and watch Krishna work

Put on the uniform. It will tell you what to do.

I wanted to remain as a householder and preach, but Guru Maharaj did not like this idea. I could understand. Sometime I was dreaming that he was calling me, and I was horrified that “I’ll have to go away from home.” (laughter) So at last it happened so that I left my home in 1950 and became a missionary.

Numbers at a Glance4 principles of religion: compassion, truthfulness, cleanliness and austerity4 regulative principles: no meat eating, gambling, illicit sex, and intoxicationover 40 farm communities

over 100 vegetarian restaurants over 400 temples worldwide over one million followers all over the world

over 100,000 followers in North America

“O infallible one, my illusion is now gone & I have regained my memory by Your mercy. I am now firm & free from doubt & prepared to act according to your instructions.” 18/73

What decision do you need to make? I implore you do something great with your life for Krishna’s sake. Don't waste your life. Don't live in mediocrity. Don't just exist. Make the 4 decisions that will determine your destiny.

1. To commit my life to serving Krishna and becoming a part of His family. If you haven't done that, what are you waiting on? Not to decide is to decide. 2. To make a decision to commit to the habits that will help me grow spiritually. Don't be a wishy-washy, luke warm, shallow devotee. Go head on. Be all that Krishna wants you to be. Squeeze out of life everything He wants you to squeeze out.

3. To use my talents, gifts, shape, abilities in serving Krishna and others. Some of you have been sitting on the bench and it's time to get in the game.4. To share Krishna Consciousness with others. Once you know the good news, you're to become a carrier, an ambassador, a messenger.

The Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple

in Spanish Fork is formed around

these commitments. We are here

to help you grow after you have

made these decisions. We can’t

make these decisions for you.