Question 1

How does God communicate with me?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah 36:2“Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time.”Zechariah 7:12They made their hearts as hard as stone, so they could not hear the instructions or the messages that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies had sent them by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. That is why the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was so angry with them.2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.2 Peter 1:20-21Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.God communicates with you through his Word, the Bible. Read it daily to keep in touch with him.John 1:14So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.John 1:18No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.John 11:25, 43-44Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. . . . Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”Acts 2:22“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.”Hebrews 1:1Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.Colossians 1:15Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,Colossians 2:9In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.God communicates with you through his Son, Jesus Christ. Talk with him often in your day.John 14:26“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”John 15:26“But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”John 16:8, 13“And when [the Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. . . . When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.”John 16:15“All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’”Romans 8:16His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.God communicates with you through his Holy Spirit. Pay special attention to the way he speaks to your heart and spirit.Romans 2:14-15Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.God communicates with you through your conscience, which is your God-given internal “radar” to help you know right from wrong. Always listen to your conscience. If you neglect it, it will become dull and eventually you will no longer hear it.1 Kings 3:5That night the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream, and God said, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!”Isaiah 1:1These are the visions that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. He saw these visions during the years when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.Ezekiel 11:24-25Afterward the Spirit of God carried me back again to Babylonia, to the people in exile there. And so ended the vision of my visit to Jerusalem. And I told the exiles everything the Lord had shown me.Daniel 7:1Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.Matthew 2:13After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”Acts 10:3, 9-10, 16-17One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said. . . . The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. . . . The same vision was repeated three times. . . . Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean? Just then the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house.1 Corinthians 12:10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.God sometimes communicates through dreams and visions, although not every dream or vision comes from God. God provides his word and people with the gift of discernment to guide the church in this regard. The Bible clearly shows that God does what he needs to get your attention and deliver his message.Genesis 9:12-17Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”Romans 1:19-20They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.Acts 14:16-17“In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts.”God communicates some truths through his creation. All nature reflects the majestic God who created the rhythm and harmony in its seasons, the babbling brooks, and crashing ocean waves. Nature shouts the power of God in the starry heavens, the roar of thunder, earthquakes, hurricanes, and the glorious snowcapped mountains. But nature also whispers about God’s mindboggling attention to detail in the wings of a butterfly, the bark of a tree, the variety of plants, and the complexity of a strand of DNA. Look for God’s fingerprints, footprints, and even voiceprints in his handiwork, and you will not be able to miss him. As you begin to recognize the everyday miracles of God all around you, you will recognize the marvelous ways he speaks to you.Judges 6:11-12Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”Judges 13:3The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son.”Habakkuk 2:2Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.”Hebrews 2:2The message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.Matthew 1:20As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”Luke 1:11-13,28While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. . . . Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”Luke 2:9-11Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”Acts 8:26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”Revelation 1:1This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant John.God communicates through his angels. Perhaps you have never seen an angel, but many have seen evidence of their work. Angels are a clear part of biblical teaching. They are all around the earth, and they are near you. Angels have probably played a greater role in your life than you realize.1 Samuel 3:7-10Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”Jeremiah 29:19“For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.God communicates with you through other people. Most of the time he uses godly people to give you spiritual advice and help you mature in your faith. Sometimes he even uses people who don’t know him to unwittingly communicate his truth to you.

Question 2

How can I know when God is speaking to me?

Accepted Answer

John 10:27“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”John 14:21, 25-26“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them. . . . I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”The best way to be certain of God’s voice is to know God—which means having a relationship with him, obeying him, and reading his Word. God will never say anything to you that goes against his words in Scripture. If you don’t know God and the Bible, how can you recognize his voice?Psalm 119:50Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.Jeremiah 15:16“When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.”Hebrews 4:12The word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.Just as a piano is tuned against a standard tuning fork, so you become in tune with God only when you compare yourself against the standards for living found in the Bible. As God communicates to you through the Bible, you will begin to “hear” or discern just what he wants of you. As your “spiritual hearing” is enhanced, you will become a good listener and will be able to hear clearly when God calls you to a certain task that he has reserved just for you. Would God say you are a good listener?John 14:26When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.1 Corinthians 2:16“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.When you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit helps you understand the mind of Christ. He gives you guidance, wisdom, and discernment that is not available to those who don’t love the Lord.

Question 3

How do I know God hears me?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 4:3You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.Psalm 34:15The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.1 John 5:14-15We are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.The God of truth who cannot break a promise has promised you that he hears whenever you talk to him. If you can’t take God at his word, then you don’t have a very big God. The God who is everywhere all the time is right next to you.

Question 4

What does God want in my communication with him?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 145:18-19The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.God wants you to be sincere when you talk to him. To be sincere means to be honest about your motives and to talk to him because you want to, not because you are supposed to.1 Kings 19:10-13Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”Psalm 46:10“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”Sometimes you must be still, quiet, and prepared to hear God speak. Sometimes you must spend time in his presence without feeling the need to verbalize prayer. Just go into his presence and listen, ready to hear him speak to your heart and mind.Psalm 62:8O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.Psalm 145:18-19The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.Ephesians 3:12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.Hebrews 10:22Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.God wants you to approach him with confidence.Colossians 4:2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.God wants you to make your communication with him a priority. Devote yourself to regular, consistent prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.1 Thessalonians 5:17Never stop praying.God wants your communication with him to be often and persistent. Never give up when God seems slow to answer.Psalm 63:1-8O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.God wants you to communicate your reverence and worship for him. The more you know God the more you long for him.Job 13:23“Tell me, what have I done wrong? Show me my rebellion and my sin.”Psalm 26:2Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.Psalm 32:5Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.Psalm 51:1-4Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.Psalm 139:23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.God wants to show you where sin has a stronghold in your life. Then he wants you to be honest and vulnerable about it, and confess it so he can remove it. Confession will restore your communication with God.Job 1:20-22Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.Luke 22:42“Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”Hebrews 5:7While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.God wants to communicate his will for you, so you must be open to what he wants you to do, even if the path lies through difficult circumstances. His plan for you will always lead to a more fulfilling life.1 Samuel 12:23“As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.”Ephesians 1:16I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly.Colossians 1:9So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.1 Thessalonians 5:23Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.1 Timothy 2:1I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.God wants your communication with him to include others and their needs. You aren’t the only one who needs God’s help!John 11:41So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me.”Romans 14:6Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.Philippians 4:6Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.1 Timothy 4:4-5Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.God wants you to communicate to him with an attitude of gratitude. What are the last three wonderful things God did for you? Have you thanked him?

Question 5

What do I do when I feel my communication with God is not what it should be?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 4:3You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.Psalm 34:15The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.Proverbs 15:29The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayers of the righteous.Even if you feel like you’re falling short, God still always wants to hear from you. Have faith that he is listening.James 4:8Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.1 John 1:9If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.Sin can affect your communication with God. Be sensitive to any sinful areas in your life and ask for his forgiveness.Romans 8:26-27The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.Ephesians 3:12Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.Hebrews 4:14So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.Confidently continue to approach God in prayer, even if you can’t find the right words.1 Chronicles 16:11Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.Psalm 5:1-3O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.Psalm 40:1I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.Psalm 55:17Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.Psalm 86:3Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly.Psalm 88:1O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night.Continually seek God—even if you feel like you haven’t been the best at communicating with him. Cry out day and night. God may seem silent for a time, but wait patiently for him to respond in his best timing. He is never late.

Question 6

How can I best communicate with others?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 6:11-13Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!1 John 1:5-7This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.Be open and candid with others, lovingly confronting issues that cause conflict. Develop a humble heart open to honest feedback and change.Galatians 6:1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.1 Thessalonians 2:7As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.Pay attention to and listen to the needs and struggles of those around you. When you know there is a problem, especially when you know a fellow believer is caught in the habit of a particular sin, get involved to show you care, being kind and gentle but firm in the process. Then you will see the lines of communication open dramatically.Isaiah 50:4The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.In any communication, you need the Lord’s wisdom and understanding. Seek it first.Acts 23:1Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”Strive to have a clear conscience so that you will be credible and able to look others in the eye.Ephesians 4:29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.Colossians 4:6Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.Your words should be gracious, effective, good, helpful, and encouraging to others. Foul, abusive, and angry words are never helpful.Proverbs 13:17An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing.Be a reliable source of communication, trusted to be honest and truthful.2 Corinthians 1:13-14Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us, even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.Be straightforward and clear so you can help people grow to maturity. Don’t use complicated words to strut your knowledge. Avoid using “Christianese” (words only other believers might understand) when talking with new believers.2 Corinthians 6:4, 8In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. . . . We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.Remember that the way you live communicates much about God and what it means to be a Christian. What you do may speak much more eloquently than what you say.

Question 7

What kinds of words should I speak?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 6:4-7“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”Talk about God’s Word on a continual basis.Genesis 50:21[Joseph] reassured them by speaking kindly to them.Speak kind words to one another.Job 16:5“If it were me, I would encourage you. I would try to take away your grief.”Ephesians 4:29Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.Use words that build up others.Proverbs 15:4Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.Proverbs 25:15Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones.Speak to one another with gentleness.1 Peter 3:9Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.Use your words to bless one another, even when others’ words injure you.Zechariah 8:16“Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace.”Speak truthfully, in a way that promotes justice and peace.

Question 8

What is my responsibility to communicate the Good News?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 28:19-20“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”Luke 24:46-48He [Jesus] said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.”Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”Acts 4:20“We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”Acts 20:27“For I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.”Romans 10:14-15How can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”Titus 1:1-3This letter is from Paul. . . . I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. . . . And now at just the right time he has revealed this message, which we announce to everyone.God has given all believers the responsibility and the privilege of telling others about him. Share with delight and enthusiasm because it is not only Good News, but it is also news that is a matter of life and death.

Question 9

How can I listen well?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 15:28The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words.Listening well often involves talking less.Proverbs 15:32If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.Listening involves being open to advice and correction.

Question 10

What are the consequences of poor communication?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 56:5They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me.Proverbs 26:6Trusting a fool to convey a message is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison!2 Timothy 2:14Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.2 Timothy 2:23Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.James 3:5-10The tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!Poor communication almost always leads to conflict, quarrelling, gossip, rumors, and hurt feelings. Learning to tame your tongue and choose your words carefully is strategic to good communication.

Communication