TheBigPicture: Jan4
January 4
The Rainbow: A New Beginning
References:-->Genesis 8:1-9:19,28-29; Psalm 3:3-6; Proverbs 1:20,23
Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. The fountains of the deep and the windows of heaven were also stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained. And the waters receded continually from the earth. At the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.
So it came to pass, at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. Then he sent out a raven, which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. But the dove found no restingplace for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself. And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. So he waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove, which did not return again to him anymore.
And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, that the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and indeed the surface of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dried.
Then God spoke to Noah, saying, "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth." So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark.
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
"While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease."
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man.
"Whoever sheds man's blood,
By man his blood shall be shed;
For in the image of God
He made man.
And as for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Bring forth abundantly in the earth
And multiply in it."
Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons with him, saying: "And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."
Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
Genesis 8:1-9:19, 28-29
WORSHIP
But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
I cried to the LORD with my voice,
And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
I lay down and slept;
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people
Who have set themselves against me all around.
Psalm 3:3-6
WISDOM
Wisdom calls aloud outside;She raises her voice in the open squares.
Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
Proverbs 1:20, 23
Horizon: Jan4
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When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? When I think of all the things God has made that are bigger than me, my problems seem to go away. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to constantly consider God and His works? Sure, problems may still actually, physically be there, but they don't affect me like they do when I am doing what the psalmist says here: "considering" Him. Look at another psalm by David: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng (Psalm 42:4). Coming together as a body to worship, sing praises, and shout to God with joy and thanksgiving with our voices should bring us the kind of exuberance and happiness that the world can't buy. As David remembers these times, he pours out his soul to God for these refreshing moments to his soul. How incredible it is to join together and worship God! We can all agree with the words of Jesus in John 13:34-35 when He says that loving God and loving each other are indeed the greatest commandments. So today, remember these two Psalms. Consider God and His majestic works, and remember how incredible it is to gather together with fellow believers to worship! |
GodCalling: Jan4
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Do Not Plan |
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| Shew us Thy Way, O Lord, and let us walk in Thy paths. Lead us in Thy Truth and teach us. All is well. Wonderful things are happening. Do not limit God at all. He cares and provides. Uproot self - the channel blocker. Do not plan ahead, the way will unfold step by step. Leave tomorrow's burden. Christ is the Great Burdenbearer. You cannot bear His load and He only expects you to carry a little day-share. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 |
OneYear: January 4th
January 4th One Year Bible Readings
Posted: 03 Jan 2011 07:14 PM PST
You are invited to join us on the One Year Bible journey in 2011! We currently have over 13,050 people in 73 countries around the world signed up for our free weekly email filled with commentary, encouragement, and questions for reflection. To join us on the journey in 2011 click on this link for more details and to sign up!
Genesis 8:1-10:32 ~ Matthew 4:12-25 ~ Psalm 4:1-8 ~ Proverbs 1:20-23
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Old Testament - Yesterday's Flood readings in Genesis were about judgment - today's readings are about redemption! Chapter 8 verse 1 stood out to me: "But God remembered Noah and all the animals in the boat." I like that phrase "But God remembered" - but I have a hunch that it is a bit understated in God's love and compassion for Noah and all of creation. Verse 11 is interesting in that if you were ever wondering where our modern day peace symbol of a dove with an olive branch comes from originally - now you know - God's peace symbol to Noah here in Genesis 8:11! "This time, toward evening, the bird returned to him with a fresh olive leaf in its beak."
Below are a couple of great NASA images of where Noah's ark landed, as we read in verse 4: "the boat came to rest on the mountains of Ararat." (Note that Bruce Feiler's incredible nonfiction archeology-type book "Walking The Bible: A Journey by land through the Five Books of Moses" opens up with him searching for Noah's Ark near Mt. Ararat in Turkey. This is a highly recommended book!) Images below courtesy of & copyrighted by ebibleteacher.com:
In Genesis chapter 9 verses 8 through 17 we are reading about the first major covenant of God's in the Old Testament called the Noahic Covenant. There are 6 more major covenant's that we will get to later this year - The first Abrahamic covenant, The second Abrahamic covenant, The Sinaitic Covenant (Moses on Mt. Sinai), The Phinehas Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant. So - Covenants are a big deal! God is a God of covenants! This one is laid out in all 10 verses but can basically be summed up in verse 11: "I solemnly promise never to send another flood to kill all living creatures and destroy the earth." And the rainbow is given as a sign of The Noahic Covenant.
Genesis chapter 9 verse 3 is intriguing. I forgot to mention this in previous day's posts - but, I read a commentary on the Garden of Eden and even thereafter that early descendants of Adam & Eve were strictly vegetarians - God had given Adam & Eve the fruits & plants in the Garden to eat - and then Adam's son's cultivated the ground for plants / food. But here in verse 3 God is now saying that it is okay to eat animals' meat for food: "I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables." Very interesting. We'll get more details on clean and unclean animals per the Law in our OT readings early this year.
In the remainder of chapter 9 we read about Noah's son's Shem, Ham and Japheth. Initially I asked myself, why is Noah so upset with Ham? The answer lies in verse 22: "Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers." The last 3 words of this sentence were the issue - Ham told his brothers his father was naked. Instead of discreetly just covering up his father on his own, he broadcast the issue to his brothers. Are there times in our life where we could discreetly take care of problems of others, or could confront the individual directly about the problem, but instead we broadcast what someone else's problems are? Is this the right thing to do? Is this the godly thing to do?
There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in the genealogy in chapter 10, which is typically called The Table of Nations, but I'll just quickly point out verses 21 & 22: "Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber." Shem becomes translated in the future as Semites - i.e. Semitic peoples. And Eber is translated in the future as Hebrew. So, you can see that Shem's lineage is going to be the one from where Israel comes from. Below are two maps that help to visualize where Shem, Ham & Japheth's descendants listed in this genealogy end up:
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Genesis titled "The Noahic Covenant" is at this link, "The Nakedness of Noah" is at this link, and "The Spread of the Nations" is at this link.
New Testament - Matthew chapter 4:12 begins Jesus' public ministry! Verse 17 is of note: "From then on, Jesus began to preach, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."" You'll note that Jesus is echoing earlier words of John the Baptist - turn from your sins - repent. The message is obviously of utmost importance - then and now. And then you'll see several times in the gospel of Matthew the term "the Kingdom of Heaven." You'll later see in Mark and Luke's gospel's a similar term, "the Kingdom of God." They basically mean the same thing - but Matthew was using the term "Heaven" instead of "God" because he was writing for a Jewish audience, which did not like to verbalize God's name (out of respect). Per Zondervan's NIV Study Bible, the Kingdom of Heaven is essentially brought about through the ministry of Jesus and those that have faith in Him - the establishment of God's rule in the hearts of people, the overcoming of evil, the removal of the consequences of sin, and a new order of peace. The idea of God's kingdom is mentioned nearly 50 times in the gospel of Matthew. How have you seen God’s Kingdom manifested in your life? How have you seen that the Kingdom of heaven is near? What does repent meant to you? Is repentance a one time thing or an ongoing thing our lives?
Verses 18 through 20 is something that I think all of us should reflect upon in our own lives: "One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew--fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and went with him." What would you do if you were at work today or tomorrow and Jesus came to you and said - "Come, be my disciple, and I will show you how to fish for people!" Like Peter and Andrew, would you go at once with Jesus? This is not an easy question for us to answer. But I think it is worth asking. I have a great friend who indeed felt the call of Jesus to leave his very nicely paid architect job in the U.S. and to become a missionary architect in Asia - building primarily hospitals for communities that need them. The point of this passage I think is this - Jesus is indeed calling each one of us to follow Him. We may not need to leave our jobs. (But some of us may...) The call may entail leaving some of our luxurious ways or lazy behaviors behind to truly follow Him. The call to follow Jesus certainly entails leaving our sinful ways behind. Will you follow Jesus? Has he called you? Do you believe he is calling you now? Will you go at once and follow His Call?
Verse 23 nicely encapsulates Jesus' 3 main ministries that we will see over and over again in the gospels - 1. teaching, 2. preaching, and 3. healing. "Jesus traveled throughout Galilee teaching in the synagogues, preaching everywhere the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease." Will you allow Jesus to teach you this year? Will you even allow Jesus to preach to you this year? And, this may be the toughest to surrender to - will you allow Jesus to heal you this year? My friends, we all need some healing from Jesus!
Bible.org's commentary on our readings today in Matthew titled "The Commencement of Jesus' Ministry" is at this link.
Psalms - Psalm 4 is a wonderful Davidic Psalm. Verse 7 stood out to me today" "You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and wine." Do you believe that God's Spirit can give you greater joy than any amount of money or material goods or even human love can give? Will you seek a deeper relationship with God this year and ask God for this holy joy?
Proverbs - Proverbs 1:23 is beautiful to think about: "Come here and listen to me! I'll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise." Do you want the spirit of wisdom this year? Do you want to be wise? Do you believe studying the Bible can give you the spirit of wisdom? Will you pray to God for the spirit of wisdom in this new year?
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Proverbs titled "The Two Ways" is at this link.
Worship God: Reading about God remembering Noah in Genesis 8:1 and reading about Jesus calling the disciples in Matthew 4 today reminded me of the fantastic song by Israel Houghton and Michael Gungor called "Friend of God." Here's Israel leading worship to this amazing song!
Are you a friend of God? Click here to meet your eternal Friend!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today:"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19 NIV
Prayer Point: Based on Matthew 4:19 above, pray to Jesus about any ways He may specifically be calling you to follow Him in this new year. Pray to Jesus that he would make you a fisher of men and women this year.
Comments from You and Questions of the Day: We read about Jesus calling Peter and Andrew in the Gospel of Matthew today. Do you think Jesus still calls people today? Can you share with everyone in the Comments section below a time in your life when felt that you were called by Jesus? Maybe it was a time when you were called to follow Jesus for the first time or maybe it was a call to love or serve others in a new way for you? Do you think that Jesus is calling you to something new in your life now in this new year? Do you know what Jesus is calling you to do? Will you do it? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,Mike
StreamsintheDesert: JAN 4
"There we saw the Giants" (Num. 13:33).
Yes, they saw the giants, but Caleb and Joshua saw God! Those who doubt say, "We be not able to go up." Those who believe say, "Let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able."
Giants stand for great difficulties; and giants are stalking everywhere. They are in our families, in our churches, in our social life, in our own hearts; and we must overcome them or they will eat us up, as these men of old said of the giants of Canaan.
The men of faith said, "They are bread for us; we will eat them up." In other words, "We will be stronger by overcoming them than if there had been no giants to overcome."
Now the fact is, unless we have the overcoming faith we shall be eaten up, consumed by the giants in our path. Let us have the spirit of faith that these men of faith had, and see God, and He will take care of the difficulties. --Selected
It is when we are in the way of duty that we find giants. It was when Israel was going forward that the, giants appeared. When they turned back into the wilderness they found none.
There is a prevalent idea that the power of God in a human life should lift us above all trials and conflicts. The fact is, the power of God always brings a conflict and a struggle. One would have thought that on his great missionary journey to Rome, Paul would have been carried by some mighty providence above the power of storms and tempests and enemies. But, on the contrary, it was one long, hard fight with persecuting Jews, with wild tempests, with venomous vipers and all the powers of earth and hell, and at last he was saved, as it seemed, by the narrowest margin, and had to swim ashore at Malta on a piece of wreckage and barely escape a watery grave.
Was that like a God of infinite power? Yes, just like Him. And so Paul tells us that when he took the Lord Jesus Christ as the life of his body, a severe conflict immediately came; indeed, a conflict that never ended, a pressure that was persistent, but out of which he always emerged victorious through the strength of Jesus Christ.
The language in which he describes this is most graphic. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifested in our body."
What a ceaseless, strenuous struggle! It is impossible to express in English the forcible language of the original. There are five pictures in succession. In the first, the idea is crowding enemies pressing in from every side, and yet not crushing him because the police of heaven cleared the way just wide enough for him to get through. The literal translation would be, "We are crowded on every side, but not crushed."
The second picture is that of one whose way seems utterly closed and yet he has pressed through; there is light enough to show him the next step. The Revised Version translates it, "Perplexed but not unto despair." Rotherham still more literally renders it, "Without a way, but not without a by-way."
The third figure is that of an enemy in hot pursuit while the divine Defender still stands by, and he is not left alone. Again we adopt the fine rendering of Rotherham, "Pursued but not abandoned."
The fourth figure is still more vivid and dramatic. The enemy has overtaken him, has struck him, has knocked him down. But it is not a fatal blow; he is able to rise again. It might be translated, "Overthrown but not overcome."
Once more the figure advances, and now it seems to be even death itself, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." But he does not die, for "the life also of Jesus" now comes to his aid and he lives in the life of another until his life work is done.
The reason so many fail in this experience of divine healing is because they expect to have it all without a struggle, and when the conflict comes and the battle wages long, they become discouraged and surrender. God has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that God had to give, and everything worth having is expensive. Hard places are the very school of faith and character, and if we are to rise over mere human strength and prove the power of life divine in these mortal bodies, it must be through a process of conflict that may well be called the birth travail of a new life. It is the old figure of the bush that burned, but was not consumed, or of the Vision in the house of the Interpreter of the flame that would not expire, notwithstanding the fact that the demon ceaselessly poured water on it, because in the background stood an angel ever pouring oil and keeping the flame aglow.
No, dear suffering child of God, you cannot fail if only you dare to believe, to stand fast and refuse to be overcome. --Tract.
A.W.Tozer: Jan4
January: Personal Life
Some things may be neglected with but little loss to the spiritual
life, but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we
cannot afford it. The Root of the Righteous, page 9
January 4 Personal Life: A Friend of God And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. --James 2:23 After all, what higher privilege and experience is granted to mankind on earth than to be admitted into the circle of the friends of God?... It is well for us to remember that Divine-human friendship originated with God. Had God not first said "You are My friends," it would be inexcusably brash for any man to say, "I am a friend of God." But since God claims us for His friends, it is an act of unbelief to deny the offer of such a relationship.... The spiritual giants of old were those who at some time became acutely conscious of the presence of God. They maintained that consciousness for the rest of their lives.... The essential point is this: These were men who met and experienced God! How otherwise can the saints and prophets be explained? How otherwise can we account for the amazing power for good they have exercised over countless generations? Is it not that indeed they had become friends of God? Is it not that they walked in conscious communion with the real Presence and addressed their prayers to God with the artless conviction that they were truly addressing Someone actually there? Men Who Met God, 13-14. "Compared with those saints of old, Father, I seem to know so little of that conscious communion with Your real Presence! I pray that throughout this year I might catch a glimpse of what that means, and might increasingly move into the intimate joy of experiencing You as a personal Friend. Amen."
Daily: Jan 4
CREATOR
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 40:28
FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, when your thoughts are filled with the ugliness of the world, remember it is not I who erased the beauty. I splashed the parched ground with paint drops of color. I nestled my creatures safely together like clustered jewels and carved out a home for each one. Every day is a personalized tapestry of love from Me to you. From the beginning, I planted My beauty in your heart so you could see life through My eyes. Those who cannot acknowledge the glory of My creation will not recognize Me.
A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
From the splendor of mountain majesty to the simplicity of desert plain, I see Your hand at work, Lord—a heavenly original. All Your creatures show the uniqueness of Your glory, the pride of Your handiwork, and the tenderness of Your love. Thank You for beauty, Lord.
SIMPLE TRUTH
God loves for us to celebrate with Him the finished work of His own hands: "It is good! It is good! It is good!"Posted via email from ..................The Last Call Digest
DailyLight: Jan4
January 4
MORNING
Ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you.
This is not your rest. -- There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. -- Within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -- With Christ; which is far better.
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. -- There the wicked cease from troubling: and there the weary be at rest.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. -- Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
DEUT. 12:9. Mic. 2:10. Heb. 4:9. Heb. 6:19,20. John 14:2,3. Phi. 1:23. Rev. 21:4. Job 3:17. Matt. 6:20,21. -Col. 3:2.
EVENING
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin. -- But now once in the end of the world hath he ap-peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: hence-forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. I COR. 15:55. I Cor. 15:56. Heb. 9:26 28. Heb. 2:14,15. II Tim. 4:6 8.Posted via email from ..................The Last Call Digest
GregLaurie: Jan4
Is Christ at home in your life? If He were to walk around from room to room, would He see things that would make Him . . .A Fresh Start // Saturday // January 1
"You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance." —Psalm 65:11 As we come to the beginning of a new year and the . . .Bad for Business? // Friday // December 31
You would think that after the miracle of casting out demons from two men who had violently oppressed them, the people in the area would . . .Within Limits // Thursday // December 30
When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, a sign is effectively hung around your neck that says, "Under new management." You now belong to . . .
CalvaryBoise: Jan 4
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Seek to Edify
(1 Corinthians 14:1-40)
Chapter 12 introduced the vital need for teaching concerning spiritual gifts as well as the necessity of a shared expression of these gifts through the entire body of Christ. In Chapter 13 this led Paul to lay a foundation of love to be the source by which the spiritual gifts are expressed. Here in chapter 14 Paul returns to the instruction on the use of spiritual gifts.
At the church in Corinth there had often been a misuse of the gift of tongues in their church services. To correct this and other abuses of spiritual gifts, Paul teaches us to judge all things based upon the edification produced by the expression of spiritual gifts. By so doing, Paul removes the common misuse of spiritual gifts that are not rooted in a genuine sensitivity for others as the motivating force of why and how these gifts are used.
Based on this, Paul teaches that the primary value of tongues is to edify one's self. Therefore it should be used primarily in personal worship or when "unlearned" or nonbelievers are not present. This is contrasted with the rest of the gifts, such as prophecy, which can comfort, exhort and edify both the intellect and the spirit (14:2-3, 23). Prophecy has the ability to speak words given by God that can expose a person's deepest thoughts (v. 4, 24-25). Thoughts that only God could know. The result is conviction by the hearer that God truly knows them and is ready to minister to the deepest issues of their life. That God is real and there among His people is undeniable.
Tragically, too few seem to have read this chapter in their Bibles! How many in the Body of Christ have been hurt by prideful expressions of a "gift" without any regard to the best use of that gift for edifying others? Conversely, how many of us have not sought spiritual gifts to edify one another, expecting the paid staff of a church to do all that needs to be done in serving God's people and reaching the lost (12:12-31)? Paul's closing statement on this important area of our spiritual lives should not be overlooked by any of us: "Let all things be done decently and in order" (v. 40).
NKJV Bible Text
1 Corinthians 14:1-40
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
| Prophecy and Tongues v. 1 pursue love – Paul concluded his initial teaching on the use of spiritual gifts in chapter 12 saying, "Yet I show you a more excellent way" (v. 31). He goes on in chapter 13 to describe love and its supreme value. Here in chapter 14, he returns to where he left off in 12:30. desire spiritual gifts – Spiritual gifts are not to been seen as oppositions to the primary need for love. Rather, love is to become the force that directs gifts to be used in the way that is the most edifying for others and not a showcase for the gifted person. prophecy – This is a gift that is both "foretelling" and "forth telling." "Foretelling" or telling the future is seen in the following examples: Acts 11:27-30, 13:1-2, 20:23, 21:10-13. "Forth telling" is to teach the word in a way that is directly related to the people who are taught. Examples include Isaiah 1:1-23, Jeremiah 7:1-25, Malachi 3:8-12 and 1 Corinthians 14:24-25. | v. 2 speaks in a tongue – The primary gift of tongues is to become a vehicle of praise to God, praise that comes deep from within, expressing one's heart to God. Examples of this are recorded in Acts 2:8-11 where they spoke "the wonderful works of God." v. 3 edification – building up and encouraging a person exhortation – These are words that call a person to action. comfort – These words bring healing and strength to a weary soul. v. 4 edifies himself – The primary value of tongues is the spiritually renewing impact it has on an individual believer. v. 5 all spoke with tongues – Paul makes it clear that he is not opposed to this gift, only its misuse. |
Tongues Must Be Interpreted
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
| Tongues Must Be Interpreted v. 6 I profit you – Paul makes it clear that his primary concern is that whatever happens during a general gathering of believers, the goal is what produces the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people. revelation – This word refers to the understanding of God's word that comes through insight given by the Holy Spirit within a believer's own spirit (Eph. 1:17-20). knowledge – Knowledge is the gift of the Spirit where God gives a person understanding of something or someone that they would not have known unless the Holy Spirit revealed it. prophecy – This is the proclamation of truth that has a direct and very personal impact on a person's life (14:3, 14:24-25). | v. 6 teaching – Teaching refers to the organized presentation of truth that uses reason, logic and intellect. v. 9 speaking into the air – This refers to the way the person speaking in tongues is perceived by onlookers. It does not mean that it is not a genuine gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13-14). v. 11 not knowing the meaning – In 1 Corinthians 4:7-11, Paul gives three examples of situations where sounds or words that are heard but not understood are of no value to those who hear them. These practical examples are to help build Paul's argument that the gift of the tongues has little value for anyone except the edification received by the one who utters the tongues (v. 2-4). v. 12 edification of one's church – Paul comes back to the core value that our actions must be determined by what is best for others, what builds others up. |
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
| v. 13 pray that he may interpret – Based on the need for public meetings to be conducted so that all are edified, Paul gives room for the gift of tongues if the person who speaks in tongues is also given a gift to interpret what is said. v. 14 my spirit prays – We know from the example in Acts 2:26-28 that the gift of tongues is given to express from our inner most being in prayer and praise the wonders and glory of God. v. 15 the conclusion – Paul's conclusion is that there is a place for prayer and worship that is a direct expression in tongues. It is to be done alone (v. 2) and not with non-believers or those uninformed about the gift of tongues (v. 23). There should also be a place where it is best to pray, sing, and worship in a way that the intellect is the vehicle of that praise. | v. 16 Amen – Logically, when people gather for corporate worship and they have no clue as to what one is praying or singing about, they cannot share in the worship. v. 18 I thank God – In no way does Paul seek to minimize the great value tongues can have in the life of a believer. He therefore makes sure they know he has found in his own private devotional life great benefit in worshiping and praying in tongues. v. 19 five words with my understanding – Paul was a man who believed that in whatever situation he was in he was to do his best to edify and serve those around him. The last thing he wanted was to confuse a person about God because of tongues. |
Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
21 In the law it is written:
"With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,"
says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
| Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers v. 22 a sign – This statement seems to be out of harmony with what will be stated in v. 23. There they are told that tongues is not a sign for unbelievers. In fact, if unbelievers are exposed to tongues they will conclude that those involved are "out of their minds." Please refer to the footnote for four main views on interpreting this passage. v. 23 out of your mind – Paul's heart for the lost and unlearned Christian clearly comes through in this verse. This is unlike many who will claim that they are too spiritual to limit that which may appear to non-believers as ridiculous. | v. 24 if all prophecy – Paul now makes it clear why prophecy is a gift that can serve both the believer and non-believer and is therefore of greater value when people are gathered together to meet with God. v. 25 God is truly among you – Prophecy is given by God to speak God's word in such a way that is strikes to the deepest and most personal issues in a person's life. These are words that make it clear that God truly speaks through the gift of prophecy. |
Order in Church Meetings
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
| Order in Church Meetings v. 26 each of you has – One of the strong points of the Church of Corinth was that there was a high level of ministry involvement from all the believers. They came to worship services ready to share in the ministry with each other. Paul supports that "all things" should be apart of the church ministry. His only concern is that all things be done orderly so that all people attending would be spiritually built up. v. 27 two or at most three – Paul gives specific guidance as to how to maintain order and edification. They are to limit tongues to only two or three times, and then only if they can be interpreted. | v. 29 other judge – Edification and order is only kept if people are not mislead by "prophecies" that are not genuinely given by the Holy Spirit. They must be judged by those in authority at their meetings to assure that they are in line with scripture. v. 33 not author of confusion – The example given in verses 30-32 is to avoid confusion by only allowing one prophecy to be spoken at a time. A person through whom the Holy Spirit gives prophecy is not to claim he had no control over waiting until it is proper to give the prophecy. He is to be submitted to the others in the meeting and act in a way that maintains order. |
34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
| v. 35 shameful for women to speak in church – This must be interpreted in the context of the rest of Paul's letter. One of Paul's concerns has been that the liberty that Christ has given women not be expressed in a way that disrespected the culture in which they live. This is clear from 11:4-16, where Paul is very strong on respecting the cultural customs, such as women wearing veils in public and having long hair, and men having short hair. Obviously, if you live in a culture where it would be odd to wear a veil, then this same principle would require women not to wear a veil, etc. In ancient times, for women to function in the role of a man (e.g. public speaking) would be seen as shameful and disrespectful. Paul is asking that this cultural norm be respected. This does not seem to apply to women exercising other spiritual gifts, as women are referred to giving prophecies in the New Testament (Luke 2:36, Acts 2:17, 21:9). | v. 36 originally from – Paul asks them to face the facts about their arrogance when it comes to their gifts and ministry of the Spirit. They are not the source of scripture or the first church (the mother church). v. 37 thinks himself to be – Paul exposes the false spiritual pride that was so evident in the leaders of their church. They assumed that they were so spiritual they did not need to be held accountable for their theology, practices, and methods of ministry. v. 38 arrogant – If, after all Paul has taught, some claim to still not understand or accept his teaching, then he says their arrogance is their choice. Let them remain so; there is nothing more he can say. v. 39 desire...do not forbid – The bottom line is not to avoid gifts of the spirit but to use them wisely. |
