Building Faith Families with Steve Demme

My journey the last two years is summed up nicely in the last verse in 2 Corinthians.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

So far we have talked about the grace of Jesus, and the love of God, but we have only touched on the communion or fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

I believe the Holy Spirit is the most misunderstood member of the Godhead. As I was growing up I only knew Him as mentioned in the Apostle’s Creed, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To a child that conjures up some interesting images. But I am beginning to know and develop a relationship with the Spirit of God.

In courses at Bible Schools or Seminaries, that study the trinity, often the title will say something like the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Before we talk about the work of the Spirit, I would like to focus on the Person of the third person of the Trinity.

In chapters 14 and 16 of John, there are 16 instances when the Spirit is referred to as He (12) and Him(4).

John 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

He, the Spirit, is also described with attributes that reinforce His distinct personhood, such as His mind, He prays, and He helps.

Helps-Intercedes-Mind

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

I hope as you listen you will see more scriptures that affirm the unique personhood of the third member of the Trinity.

James 1:19, "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak."

From maintaining eye contact, to asking questions in a spirit of openness, to being fully engaged, we will study how we can hear what is on the heart of the speaker and encourage them to talk freely.

Proverbs 2:2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding.

Proverbs 20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; But a man of understanding will draw it out.

Proverbs 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,

As Christians, we know that communication originates in the heart. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces  evil,  for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

Before we can have edifying communication, our hearts have to be in a good place, settled, and at peace in Christ. There are principles and skills that we can learn which will help us be better speakers and listeners, but the heart is where conversation begins.

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23

In this episode, we will begin by discussing the heart. Then we will teach skills of how to speak in a way that is honest, honors God, and builds relationships.

Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, Ephesians 4:15

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" Matthew 12:34. The values that we hold most dear, that are in our heart, are reflected in our speech. In this podcast, we discuss how to prepare your heart, be at peace, have a healthy sense of your own integrity before you have meaningful communication, particularly with those who are close to you.

Godly communication is not about convincing someone of your position, but speaking the truth in love. It is not trying to win a debate, or convince the other to change their beliefs, but to hear and understand one another. The battle is not with anything or anyone outside of myself, but within my own heart.

"What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?" James 4:1

"Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding." Proverbs 17:27

"The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things." Proverbs 15:28

"Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." Proverbs 16:32

Proverbs 4:23,  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life." Since our heart is hard to discern, God gives us a window into what we value, and that is our treasure. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," Matthew 6:21.

Our treasure is more than our money or possessions, it is where we invest our time, energy, and resources. When we are able to identify what motivates us and inspires us, our treasure, then we get a glimpse of who we are. The word of God also helps us understand our heart.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." The reason we are spending studying what God says about our heart, is that it is the most important factor in God honoring communication.

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks," Matthew 12:34. When our heart is right, our tongues will follow. Time spent quieting our heart and asking God to work in our heart, is time well spent.