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Styles of Communication, Part 2 of 12

4/27/2023

Real Dudes,
Take into consideration what means Jesus used most. Sure there’s some overlap, but it does seem that He spent a lot of time giving instruction. Which means He was hands on with His students. He was heavily involved with teaching, informing and instructing. What means do you find yourself using most often? Do you do a lot of preaching, declaring, talking, confirming AT others. Or are your conversations more interactive? Obviously, there’s a time and place for both, but what did Jesus model for us most often?
Nate

I ask you to please…

Allow me to share God’s Word with you by means of…

Preaching…

1:14, 38-39; 2:2

Declaring…

11:14

Teaching…(chose the word “taught” rather than “said” which is above in the Explaining section). Teaching has the idea of instructing in a formal or informal setting, which would then increase the Instructing section below.

1:21-22; 2:13; 4:1-2; 6:2, 6, 34; 8:31; 10:1; 11:17;

Talking…

6:50

Informing…

9:1, 12, 37, 42; 14:18, 20-21, 24-25, 27-28, 30, 41; 16:16

Instructing…

3:9; 6:10-11; 8:26, 34-35; 11:1-3, 22-25; 12:17, 29-31; 14:13-15, 22-23 (this is at the Lord’s Supper), 32, 34, 38, 42

Confirming…

15:2; 16:20

Next time we’ll look at how I should desire my communication to come across at times.

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Styles of Communication, Part 1 of 12

4/25/2023

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Begin with some research and study…know what to say before you say something at all so you can be more effective in the moment that they’re allowing you to speak into them. If you’re ignorant about the subject at hand and or not prepared, then be patient and ask God to do a work in you before you attempt to do a work in someone else. Just when you think you know enough, strive to know more. BUT don’t give up or avoid attempting to know more…we’re all called to knowing and are responsible for what we do and or don’t know.

I ask you to please…

Allow me some time to think of questions you might have so I can maybe even answer your questions before you ask them…take into consideration my entire audience and be prepared to come at it from every angle…do my research beforehand and then present it to you in a little more detail than I would have originally done…I want my words to immediately resonate with you…

Answering/Responding…

4:34 (Jesus answered at the right and appropriate time); 14:62

Explaining…(keep in mind that “said” in these verses is different from “taught” in the Teaching section to come, which is why I kept these two separate…the Holy Spirit must have had a reason for choosing to use two different words…“saying” is a little more direct…grab their attention from the very beginning).

1:15; 2:17, 27-28; 4:34; 6:4; 7:21-23, 27; 8:2, 31, 34-35, 38; 9:29, 31, 35, 39, 43-44; 10:5-9, 11-12, 23, 25, 27, 32-34, 40; 12:31; 13:2; 16:17

Next time we’ll answer the question, “I can answer/respond/explain by means of what?”

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Styles of Communication, Intro.

4/24/2023

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Real Dudes,
I haven’t forgot about y’all. This 12-part study that I’ll be sending you in the weeks to come has taken me quite some time and I didn’t want to send it out until it was completed. I read through the Book of Mark several times before finalizing this study…proved to be a very rewarding time spent thinking on the things of the Lord.
Lately, I’ve been trying to read through the Books of the NT with a fresh pair of eyes (started with 1 Thessalonians and then went straight to Matthew and Mark after reading Revelation). Each time that I begin a different Book I ask the Lord how He’d have me approach it. As I got to the Book of Mark the Lord led me to study the different styles of communication that I noticed Him using in this particular Book. So I started jotting down the different styles of communication in my page columns of my Bible as I read a chapter each night. And then I attempted to group them together at the conclusion of my study. Some of my points could very well overlap and some are subjective, but other points were clearly spelled out in the verse itself (for instance, “Jesus rebuked,” or “Jesus cried out”...He’s telling us what style specifically in those verses).
Why this study…First of all, it was God-led. Secondly, so I can know how to better communicate His words, and His words only to others. I wanted to learn from, and implement, some of His styles of communication and maybe pick up on some that I haven’t been including in my messages/lessons very often in the past. My main goal is for others to see and hear Him and not me when I’d speak/write. Are they hearing my agenda, or His? And am I relaying it the way He’d have me to or am I hoping for the attention?
I attempted to put the sections in somewhat of an order, and I also attempted to lump together some headings that are similar in style…and again, I’m not saying that my outline and points are exactly what the Holy Spirit had in mind as He wrote the Book of Mark…these are just helpful reminders for me to consider as I relay His Word to those who give me a listening ear. Although, I don’t think anyone would argue that there is a time for each of the following styles to be used, right? As we go through this 12-part study together let me encourage each of you to ask the Lord to reveal to you which style He’d have you think on and then implement in His perfect way and time, if you aren’t already.
As someone who has an opportunity to speak into others, please know that I take this opportunity very seriously and also please know that I’m not attempting to deviate from His divine intent.

James 3:1 (CSB) Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.

Feel free to go back and read these points and verses in context and then pull from the context what you feel God is laying on your hearts and minds…the last thing I’d want is for any of us to misinterpret what He meant in context (for instance, Jesus was rebuking, but what exactly was He rebuking?).
I’ll begin each section with “I ask you to please…” because I feel that healthy communication is a welcoming in from the listener…not a forcing myself in as a speaker/writer…I have found that polite ways of communicating are better than forceful approaches. I’d rather build relationships than build walls…that’s when we’ll get somewhere together and not alone. Following that request, I’ll jump right into explaining what I took from the verses that are included with the headings. Hope I haven’t lost you already. Praying you’ll give this study a chance and that you’ll benefit from it as much as I have. Enjoy!
Practicing His Presence,
Nate

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I thought I knew you...

4/6/2023

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I’ve entitled this message, I thought I knew you.
The phrase, “Just when you think you know someone…” is typically followed by what? Here are a few quotes that may answer this for us…

Inside every person you know, there’s a person you don’t know.
You think you know someone, but mostly you just know what you want to know.
You think you know someone, but what you really know is only what they choose to show you.

Card Game…Merry Dissmas.

This is a game that reveals how well you know others, and what you may come to find out about yourself from others.

A rotating Diss-Master pulls a random card, reads the question out loud, and then everyone playing writes down a person’s name that comes to mind. The Diss-Master collects all the answers, then gets to choose the best one.
One of the cards read, “Who needs help just attaching a PDF to an email? This person is the most clueless when it comes to technology.”
To my surprise, everyone guessed me. My family, those closest to me, know me too well.

Allow me to describe for us a few I thought I knew you moments in relation to the Last Supper…

Consider the Disciples at the Last Supper…They thought they knew each other.

Imagine if you will with me that Jesus pulls the card, and reads it out loud. The question is, “Which of the 12 disciples will end up betraying Me?” Who’s name do you think the disciples would have written down?
- John 13:18-30 (CSB) Verse 22 The disciples started looking at one another--uncertain which one he was speaking about.
- Luke 22:23 (CSB) actually says, “So they began to argue among themselves which of them it could be who was going to do it.”

After spending much time together, you would have thought that the Disciples knew each other very well. Yet, they were unable to give an answer. Not one of them said, “I bet it’s Judas.”

Consider Peter at the Last Supper…He thought he knew himself.

Again, imagine if you will with me that Jesus pulls the card, and reads it out loud. The question is, “Which of the 12 disciples will deny Me three times?” Who’s name do you think the disciples would have written down?
- Peter? Luke 22:31-34, 54-62 (CSB) Verse 33 “Lord,” he told him, “I’m ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”

Matthew 26:35 (CSB) “Even if I have to die with you,” Peter told him, “I will never deny you,” and all the disciples said the same thing.

Peter thought he knew himself. Do you think Peter would have written his own name down? Did he think he could ever get to a point of denying Christ before others? Peter emphatically stated that “I will NEVER.”

I love good commercials…the genuinely funny one’s are my favorite.
Here’s an Allstate commercial where two friends are tailgating before the big game.
Link to the Allstate Commercial

That leads us into our final thought to consider…

Consider Christ…He knew His Disciples.

In John 13:18-30 (CSB) He says at the Last Supper…18 “I’m not speaking about all of you; I know those I have chosen.
- He knew all the answers to those questions.
  - He knew Judas and that he would betray Him. John 13:21, 26.
  - He knew Peter and that he would deny Him. Luke 22:31, 57-58, and 60.
  - He knows All mankind…like the Allstate agents’ claim, He knows who you really are and what you really need.
    - He knew that you’re a sinner in need of a Savior.
    - John 3:16 (CSB) For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

My grandpa, my mom’s dad, just passed away recently. He was a godly man, but when we’d visit him he wouldn’t go to church with us. I asked him why. He said he’s heard it all already, that there wasn’t anything more to learn. In his mind, he thought he already knew all about himself and all about Jesus.
Time of reflection…What about you?

Just when you think you know others, just when you think you know yourself, just when you think you know Christ…you can’t deny that you need to know each greater, especially the One Who lovingly gave His life for you.
- Will you hear these words from Christ?
  - John 7:22-23 (CSV) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

Is your zeal for Him according to knowledge?
- Romans 10:1-2 (CSB) Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
  - If you don’t KNOW Him, then will you give your life to Him today?
  - If you don’t KNOW Him, then will you commit your life to getting to know Him and His people in a greater way?
Remember what Christ told Peter at the Last Supper?
- Luke 22 (CSB) 31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
  - How can and did Peter accomplish that?
    - First of all, Christ welcomed him back in love and told him to go feed His sheep (John 21).
  - What did it look like when Peter turned back…when he strengthened his brothers…what did he feed Christ’s sheep with?
    - 2 Peter 3:18 (CSB) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.
  - What did Christ, Himself, pray in John 17:3 (CSB)? This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent -- Jesus Christ.

I pray that you’ll come to experience what it truly means to be in a relationship with the One who knows who you really are and what you really need.
Truth is…He knows you. The question is…do you know Him? You may think you know Him, but what steps are you taking to really get to know Him in a greater, more intimate way?

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Styles of Communication, Part 2 of 12

Styles of Communication, Part 1 of 12

Styles of Communication, Intro.

I thought I knew you...

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