#2putting Out Fires:communication Skills Series

#2 PUTTING OUT FIRES: POLISHING OUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I will email this in four parts, but the lesson being taught is a multiple part series.

Introduction:

Today we have many problems that come from a lack of wisdom and poor communication skills. We need to polish our communication skills and learn

to put out fires and emotions by good conversation and communication.

James warns us the tongue is full of deadly poison.

James again warns that the tongue can ignite many fires that bring great destruction.

Let us look at some literary tools and devices both good and bad and let us come to the Father justified by our words.

A word can be very powerful. Your words can launch you to new heights.

Your words can become a trap and a snare.

Few ever learn the power of a word.

Words are tools. Words can aid us to accomplish God’s works, or we can hinder God’s work by poor word usage.

Your brain should be in gear before you ever open your mouth.

Words can never be recalled. A word is a shadow of a deed!

A word spoken in due season, how good it is!

But what about an ill word at an ill season?

Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

27 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

XII. BASIC LITERARY TOOLS: REPETITION:

A. When we speak and we want to make sure that every one hears what was said, we use the literary tool of repetition.

B. If we want to learn something, we use the power of recital over and over to reinforce our knowledge.

C. How many times did God say to Abraham FEAR NOT?

God repeatedly told Moses and then Joshua: FEAR NOT!

All through the New Testament God says to His people, BE NOT AFRAID.

D. This is not a forgetful speaker addressing the same issues over and over, this is a literary tool of statement and restatement to emphasize an important

point!

XIII. WORDS THAT GENDER STRIFE?

ARE WE INVESTING TOO MUCH IN THE UNPROFITABLE!

A. I will discuss at great lengths where people are open and learning and applying the words, but when people desire to argue and debate trouble is coming. ARGUMENTS BREED STRIFE!

Job 6:25 How forceable are right words! But what doth your arguing words reprove?

B. Years ago I was traveling with a very smart preacher for many miles.

He said, let us debate "Jesus only!"

I said I don’t believe that and you don’t believe that!

He said, I know we don’t believe that doctrine, but lets a debate the issues.

I refused.

C. Once I was working with someone.

They made a very derogatory statement about someone and their belief in the Holy Spirit. I knew the man did not believe as I did, he also knew very well what I believed.

He wanted me to debate the issue based on this other person.

I said: I know what you believe, you know what I believe, I will not say any thing bad about this other person, lets be brothers and let us talk on those things on which we agree?

D. When I was teaching school, I often stopped at a little country store and visited with my neighbors. Most of them were good Christians and they accepted

the doctrine of once in grace always in grace.

They knew I did not believe that doctrine to the same degree that they did.

One man said, What do you think about once in grace always in grace?

I said you know what I believe, and I am going home.

Later that night a neighbor came to my door, my wife answered.

Our friend wanted to talk?

She was crying and she said she came to apologize.

I asked "for what?"

She said the people had plotted all day about how to argue and debate what they thought about once in grace always in grace, and prove me wrong, and when I would not engage in the discussion which would have turned into an argument with them, they felt really bad.

I thanked my neighbor for the honesty, and we agreed to disagree, but to focus on the things in which we agree.

E. Look at the bad company DEBATE COMES WITH?

Romans 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, DEBATE, DECEIT, malignity;