Pastor Elio Marrocco's "How To Improve Your Hearing" sermon at New Life Christian Church on March 16, 2014. You can learn more about New Life Christian Church here: http://www.newlifecc.ca

1. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Text: James 1:9

2. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
James 1:19
"Take note of this: Everyone should be quick
to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become
angry."

3. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
What is listening?

4. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Listening is loving.

5. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
Proverbs 18:13
"He who answers before listening, that is his folly
and his shame."

6. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
"It's stupid to decide before knowing the facts."

7. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Four Wrong Assumptions:
1. That there is only one way to see things.
2. That everybody thinks like I do.
3. People never change.
4. I can figure out your motives.

8. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Ultimately only God has the right
to judge because only
He can figure out motives.

9. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
BLOCKAGE #2: IMPATIENCE
Proverbs 29:20
"Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is
more hope for a fool than for him."

10. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
How do we know when we're being
impatient with somebody?
1. We interrupt.
2. We jump to conclusions.
Proverbs 19:11
"A man's wisdom gives him patience."

11. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
BLOCKAGE #2: IMPATIENCE
BLOCKAGE #3: PRIDE
Proverbs 12:15
"The way of a fool seems right, but a wise man
listens to advice."

12. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
BLOCKAGE #2: IMPATIENCE
BLOCKAGE #3: PRIDE
Proverbs 20:5
"Though good advice lies deep within a counselor's
heart, the wise man will draw it out."

13. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Somebody said,
‘Everybody is ignorant or
uninformed about something,
we're just ignorant
on different subjects.’

14. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
BLOCKAGE #1: PRESUMPTION
BLOCKAGE #2: IMPATIENCE
BLOCKAGE #3: PRIDE
Proverbs 15:31
"If you pay attention when you are corrected, you
are wise!"

15. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
How do we distinguish between
good criticism and bad criticism?

16. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Key to Handling criticism:
distinguishing between
the critic and the criticism.

17. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
‘Is the criticism valid?’
NOT
‘Is the critic valid?’

18. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Four types of critics:
1. The lawyer Type of Critic
2. The theologians Type of Critic.
3. The historian Type of Critic.
4. The psychologist Type of Critic.

19. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
1. Listen with our eyes.
Mark 10:21
"Jesus looked at him [talking about the rich
young ruler] and loved him."

20. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
1. Listen with our eyes.
2. Listen with your heart.

21. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
We listen for the hurt
by listening with the heart.

22. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Listening with the eye
and listening with the heart
builds stable marriages,
and stable relationships!

23. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
‘All anger is caused by fear or hurt.’

24. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Hurt people hurt people.

25. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
1. Listen with our eyes.
2. Listen with your heart.
3. Make time to listen.

26. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
Experts tell us that
the average couple in North
America spends 26 minutes a
week in serious conversation.

27. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
III. HOW WELL DO WE LISTEN TO GOD?
Matthew 17:5
"This is my Beloved Son… listen to Him!"

28. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
III. HOW WELL DO WE LISTEN TO GOD?
John 5:24
"Whoever hears my word and believes Him who
sent me has eternal life and will not be
condemned."

29. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
III. HOW WELL DO WE LISTEN TO GOD?
Luke 8:18
"Therefore [in light of all this] consider
carefully how you listen."

30. HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR HEARING
I. WHAT HINDERS OUR HEARING?
II. THREE HEARING AIDS.
III. HOW WELL DO WE LISTEN TO GOD?
Hebrews 3:7
"As the Holy Spirit says: TODAY if you hear His
voice, do not harden your heart."