An Expert Listener 2

Have you ever been in a discussion/argument/debate where you were right but felt like you lost the argument? Well that shouldn't happen!

As Christians we have the words of life and yet when we get in a philosophical discussion it can get muddled and confusing where all parties get lost in the semantics. This doesn't need to happen.

If we learn to listen, we can become expert at planting and watering the Word of God.

When we engage folks when we are out and about, it's fun to get to know people and share our lives with them. These moments can provide fantastic opportunities to deliver the Gospel.

The scriptures tell us that we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Paul reminded us that time is short and Jesus directed us to deliver the Gospel and make disciples. This all seems like our Father is telling us to go in with a strategy!

Listening is a critical piece of our strategy for taking advantage of opportunities and creating opportunities where they may not seem to exist.

Get In The Cool Zone

The value of In The Cool Zone is in the techniques that place our mind, emotions and body in a position to prepare and support your thinking. We do this so we can walk in the Spirit and do the work the Lord has given us to do.

That work as we define it is thinking like Jesus thinks, delivering the Gospel and teaching what we have learned, as outlined in our Vision Statement and Mission Statement.

When we dig into the Word of God we need to be expert at listening. When we engage people, we need to be expert at listening. The more skilled we are at listening, the better we think like Jesus thinks.

Renewing The Mind

Paul said he did the things he did not want to do and didn't do the things he knew he should be doing. That is crazy! Yet it is the reality that we often find ourselves in.

But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. - Romans 7:23-25 NLT

This is why we want to keep listening, continuing to learn and keep becoming more and more like our Lord and Savior Jesus. We also want to put ourselves in a fantastic position to help others get there as well. This process is described as being transformed by a new way of thinking.

There is the point! Listening leads to thinking. Let's practice being an expert listener with God and with those we engage. It will reveal a world around us that we may not even know exists.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. - Romans 12:2 NLT

A good listener is a good thinker. A great listener is a great thinker.

Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given--and you will receive even more. 

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. - Mark 4:24-25 NLT

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Take Action!

What is your greatest obstacle to being an expert listener? 

Think this one through. Write down your thoughts on how you can improve your listening skills. Then practice them. Easy! :-D

Identify someone you know who is a great listener and ask them these questions:

• Why are they are great at listening?
• What is so important to them that they are patient enough to listen? 
• What do they listen for? 
• Why do they care?

Please, add your thoughts in the comment section.

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Concept >>> “Be An Expert Listener”
Next >>> "Ask Questions"