Food For the Day Daily Devotional

TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2022

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 14:1-12

1. Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.

2. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.

3. On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

4. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church.

5. Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

6. Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

7. It is the same way with lifeless instruments that produce sound, such as the flute or the harp. If they do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is being played?

8. And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?

9. So with yourselves; if in a tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air.

10. There are doubtless many different kinds of sounds in the world, and nothing is without sound.

11. If then I do not know the meaning of a sound, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.

12. So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church.

(New Revised Standard Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: ORDERLINESS IN PUBLIC WORSHIP (I)

It appears the use of spiritual gifts was bringing confusion into the Corinthian church that Paul had to devote much attention to it in our meditation of yesterday and continued today with the emphasis on love as the greatest of all (1 Corinthians 13:13). He said, "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy" (v. 1).

Prophesying is another word for preaching, that is, speaking from the Word of God to the people as revealed in scripture. "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" (v. 2).

Note the words 'especially' (v. 1) and 'edification', 'exhortation' and 'comfort' (v. 3). They suggest a contrast in the value of the benefits of 'tongues speaking' with prophesying as mentioned above.

Tongues speaking serves self and speaks mysteries (v. 4) which only God can reveal while prophesy speaks the need and benefits of the Church unto edification.

Author John Hargreaves sums the passage thus: "Preaching, which people can understand, is more helpful than speaking in tongues. If someone does not understand what you say, he cannot respond to your message." "So you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church..." (v. 12).

QUESTION: Is the gift of God in you causing confusion or division in the church where you worship?

PRAYER: May the gift of God upon my life be for the edification of the Church of Christ, in Jesus name, Amen.