Short Daily Devotional for THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2022

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1. About matters of the spirit: brothers, I do not want you to be unaware.

2. You know how, when you were pagans, you were led to dumb idols-being led astray.

3. Therefore I am informing you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4. Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit.

5. There are different ministries, but the same Lord.

6. And there are different activities, but the same God is active in everyone and everything.

7. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:

8. to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit,

9. to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10. to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of languages, to another, interpretation of languages.

11. But one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each one as He wills.

(Holmans CS Holy Bible)

TOPIC: SPIRITUAL GIFTS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Corinthians church grew from pagan background with its members converted through the preaching of the Gospel. Paul addressed them as “The church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified,” after they were saved by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:2). Many of the members were idols worshippers with allegiances to diverse gods who possessed them with demonic spirits to perform false miracles.

It is necessary to guide the young church through the Holy Spirit. Read vs. 1-3 again and note this: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, I wouldn’t want you to be ignorant.” Two things are acknowledged here. One, that there are ‘diversities of gifts’. Two, they are all by (from) the same spirit of God who works in all (vs. 4, 6). This truth is of great importance in our relationship with fellow Christians in our life’s journey.

The operations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit are diverse and given at His will. The central purpose of the gifts is to be a blessing to the Church and not to self (edification) profit alone. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as he wills” (v. 11).

QUESTION: How do you see spiritual gifts from your Christian experiences with others within or outside your local church?

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to appreciate Your gifts in my life and to use them only as they please You, Amen.