Better Together | September 24, 2023 (Pastor Will Harper)

Message Date: September 24, 2023
Bible

Communication

Seven anchor lines of marriage:

Four Elements of Effective Communication

  1. Talking

    • Verbal sharing of one’s thoughts or heart in a known tongue.
    • “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
      Ephesians 4:29-32 NKJV
    • Venting and shouting in anger
    • Verbal abuse
    • Verbal counter-punching
    • NOTE:  Non-verbal communication (body language) – verbal communication is already misunderstood, how much more with non-verbal.

  2. Listening

    • Two Components:
      1. Choice
      2. Understanding
        Note: You can’t hear if you’re angry
    • “Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.”
      Matthew 4:23-25
    • “I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, But now my [spiritual] eye sees You. “Therefore I retract [my words and hate myself] And I repent in dust and ashes.”
      Job 42:5-6

  3. Feedback

    • Accountability for speaker and listener.

  4. Honesty

    • There are two kinds of lies

Take Away

  1. God (love) is at the center of our marriage (1 John 4:8)
  2. Choose to hear, choose to understand (fruitfulness)
  3. You can’t hear if you’re angry; hurt or resentful