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OUR DAILY BREAD             Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1995      
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READ:  John 8:30-47 
   
           
                    COMMUNICATION SKILLS   
   
           "Why do you not understand My speech? 
           Because you are not able to listen to  
                          My word.   
   
                                - John 8:43   
   
Communication--everybody's discussing it, studying it,   
practicing it. Yet, despite our improved communication 
skills, we may feel like the author who wrote, "I know  
that you believe you understand what you think I said, 
but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not 
what I meant." 
 
Good communication involves more than good speaking; it  
also requires good listening. 
 
Jesus, the master communicator, was often misunderstood, 
as we see in today's Scripture. Although He spoke the  
truth clearly, His hearers jumbled up His message and  
then rejected it. "Why do you not understand My speech?" 
He quizzed them. Answering His own question, He replied, 
"Because you are not able to listen to My word. (John 8: 
43). Why were they such poor listeners? Jesus had not  
failed to communicate effectively, but His audience didn't 
want to hear the truth. And why didn't they? Because it  
made them face up to their need to change. 
 
When we say, "God is getting through to me," it's not 
because He's communicating better but because we're  
hearing and willing to change. Let's always make listening 
to God one of our best communication skills. 
 
                                -- Joanie E. Yoder   
   
        Hearing God each time He calls   
        Means fellowship divine; 
        Listen for His message clear 
        And say, "God's will be mine"   
                                -- J. David Branon   
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             THOUGHT FOR THE DAY   
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 It's hard to tune in on Heaven's message  
 if our lives are full of earthly static.   
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THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 17-20

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