Gtcotr/ws022509
Have you ever met someone who either could not or would not give a straight answer?
Communication is one of the fundamentals of life. The Apostle Paul said that he had rather speak a few words that were understood by his listeners than to speak thousands of words which had no relative meaning. This he said in specific reference to people speaking in tongues to one another or attempting to communicate spiritual things without being aware of natural limitations.
Practical realities demand that we learn the common rules of communication. Unless the message which is received is the same message the sender intended, communication has not taken place. Speaking in code, half sentences or unintelligible words do not facilitate effective communication.
Some people allow themselves to develop bad communication habits. They interrupt, abruptly change topics, over-talk one another or began thinking when they should be listening. Many times these people think they are communicating but they are not … no matter what they say, they are not communicating … even if they know what they are talking about, others do not. Recent research shows that multitasking is a measurably inhibits a person’s productivity.
In order for us to be spiritually fit and in our best shape, we need to develop good communication skills. One essential element of effective communication is to be:
1. Articulate
To articulate means to speak distinctly, speak intelligibly, to be coherent, precise, understandable and clear.
Genesis 41:16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Joseph understood that he was speaking with a man who was used to making tough, high-level decisions; a man who was not going to be impressed with flamboyant speeches or a lot of smoke and mirrors. Joseph’s life was on the line and he opted for the most exact and straight forward expression of the truth. “It’s not in me”.
* Success often hinges on our clear communication of the truth.
To be inarticulate is a disservice to the listener and at times even an offense.
You know what I am talking about: When you ask a straight forward question and get a half hidden response or an answer which side steps or avoids the straight forward answer you need and deserve.
One of our spiritual strengths is clear communication.
When someone asks a clear and straightforward question they deserve a clear and straightforward answer even if the answer is “I’m not going to tell you,” or, “I don’t know.”
Before we leave this exercise allow me to add a few other necessities of communication which will help us be more articulate:
* Get to know and speak the language of your listeners
* Become all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
* Seek to understand before you seek to be understood
* Challenge your bad communication habits such as interrupting, code-talking, half truths and deceptive answers
Exercise number two for week seven:
2. Plan
Genesis 41
35 "And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 "Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine."
* Joseph thought ahead and developed a plan
* A plan speaks of a commitment to the future and a belief in a better day ahead
* A plan tells us what to do next and keeps us on course
* If you fail to plan, plan to fail
* God gave both Noah and Moses exact plans to follow
It goes without saying that we should always submit our plans to God for His approval and continuing will. However, when God gives us a task to accomplish He will also give us the plans we need to be successful in that work. God has no interest in you failing to achieve successful results in the endeavors of life. We often fail because we fail to correctly assess a situation or fail to make adequate plans.
The spiritual exercise of planning is vital to the success of God’s will. We must give time and allow God to develop His plans in our life if we are going to stay on course and take the right steps.
A dream is not a plan.
Where do you need to be in 1 year, 5 years, or a decade? Do you have a plan? Is that plan written down? If not, then why not?
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
God has plans for you and your future. See if you can get a copy of those plans from Him.
Our third spiritual exercise for this week is:
3. Work
* We plan the work and we work the plan.
* Without work our plans will be nothing more than good intentions
* A plan tells us it is possible, but work makes the plan a reality
* A plan gives the next vital step but without work life will leave you where you are … life goes nowhere without work
The Bible says that if a man does not work, neither let him eat. You can plan how to plant a garden but unless you actually work the plan you will never receive a harvest and could live hungry throughout life
Genesis 41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without numbering.
Joseph put his plan into action and stuck to it.
* If we expect the Lord to bless what we put our hands to, we should put our hands to something.
* Anything worth having is worth working for.
Stick to the plan, it will help you keep the main thing the main thing.
So, what can you do this week? Your exercises are:
* Work on asking clear questions and giving straightforward answers in a language others understand.
* Begin a new habit of writing a simple plan with achievable steps for the things you need to accomplish this year.
* Work the plan by taking the first step. Keep the plan before your eyes and keep working on the next step.
Remember, these invisible things of the spirit realm are the things which will change the visible things of life. Exercise yourself to Godliness. In other words – Become more like God – He says what He means, has a plan for everything He does and works very hard to see it through. So, Exercise – Exercise – Exercise!!!
