Friday Devo
Scripture:
1 Corinthians 14:1-3
Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.
Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.
Commentary:
14:1 earnestly desire. Even in the midst of some misuse of spiritual gifts, Paul does not say to discontinue their use but to seek after them all the more, reflecting his conviction that these are given by God for the good of the church (cf. v. 12; 12:31). that you may prophesy. See note on 12:10.
14:2 Speaks not to men but to God indicates that Paul views tongues as a form of prayer and praise, but in a language that the speaker does not understand. No one understands him implies that Paul expected tongues in Corinth in most cases to be unknown languages, unlike the evangelistic situation in Acts 2:1–13. On tongues and prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10.
14:2 Speaks not to men but to God indicates that Paul views tongues as a form of prayer and praise, but in a language that the speaker does not understand. No one understands him implies that Paul expected tongues in Corinth in most cases to be unknown languages, unlike the evangelistic situation in Acts 2:1–13. On tongues and prophecy, see note on 1 Cor. 12:10.
Questions:
- Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 14 that we should ALL earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, ESPECIALLY prophecy! That means we should ask God to speak to us, to give us words for others, to give us visions, to give us dreams. We all have different spiritual gifts, but we are to desire more. Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? If not, you can find a link to a free online test under our PRAYER tab on the app. In the meantime, pray and ask God to give you visions and dreams, that we might learn to prophesy!
- Here is the John Piper quote Brandon left us with on Sunday, may it be true of you! "Joel is not trying to get us excited that we will all one day be able to know the future before it happens (there is nothing especially holy about that). He is looking to a day when men and women everywhere will be so filled with God that they catch visions of him in the daytime, dream about him at night, and speak of him continually with their mouths." Does this come close to describing you? What would it look like for you to be "so filled with God?" What would it take to get there?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would earnestly seek spiritual gifts, especially that you might prophesy.
- That you would be so full of God that you would see visions, dream dreams, and speak of him continually.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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