Does your church have a creed? Many churches do and recite it regularly as a statement of essential doctrine. Do you see your creed more as a philosophy statement or a mission statement? A philosophy statement would be what to believe, and a mission statement would be what to do. Does your creed emphasize only one aspect of your faith? What do you see in my life on earth? The importance of belief was already well-established, and I affirmed it. But don’t you see even more emphasis on telling people how to live, and what actions they had to take to live a godly life?

Are you familiar with the concept of default states? Have you ever had to work up the courage and put forth the effort to be judgmental? Presumably this would take initiate and effort. Yet haven’t you found that this is the default state in other people, and yourself as well? Your mind is wired to code information and make classifications. In many ways this is useful and you can’t live in an ordered world without it. Yet this same trait can be used to impose condemnation on others, and I tell you not to do this.

Do you love your enemies? Do you find that this commandment is the simplest concept and the hardest thing to carry out? It goes against everything in your nature. How is it even possible? When my disciples marveled at my story about a camel and the eye of a needle I told them that what was impossible with men was possible with God and this is the same thing. It requires a total shift in the way you see. Do you see my face in every person you meet? They are all made in my image and likeness so it is there if you have eyes to see. Do you love me?

How are your communication skills? Have you taken a course on how to be an excellent communicator? Have you journaled, asking the Lord specific questions about how you can improve your communication style?

According to the Carnegie Institute, 85% of financial success is communication skills. My guess is this 85% success rate extends to every area of life, not just financial success. We need excellent communication skills with our spouse, our family members, at church, at the workplace, and in social gatherings. What are the skills that God would have you develop to become a better communicator? The two-way journaling questions below will allow God the opportunity to instruct you concerning enhanced communication skills.