Morning Musings-Spirit Gifts

 


   Morning Musings With the Boys At Breakfast...



 
BINGO!  "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy" (1 Corinthians 14:1).  I really like this verse as it sums up the previous two chapters so succinctly.  The various spiritual gifts given to the various believers in Chapter 12 and then LOVE the best gift to be used liberally to cover over all the other gifts.  On top of all that Paul says to especially desire the "gift of prophecy" which would, again, work best smothered in, and operating from, love; God's love, that is.

Many Christians imply that speaking in tongues is the most desirable gift and if you don't have this you may well not really be a Christian.  That kind of thinking negates what's said in chapter 12 about different people getting different gifts.  Not everyone will have the gift of tongues but all should have love coupled with whatever gift one does have.


These gifts were given to the believer to be used for the good and benefit of helping to build up and edify the other brothers and sisters in the Church.  And when we pray we need to pray with the Spirit and pray with the mind.  Similarly we need to sing with the Spirit and sing with the mind.  Not mindless but full of the Spirit and of the renewed mind; this, rather than with supposed tongues.


If you look at Chapter 14:22 (Corinthians) you'll see that tongues are for sharing the message of Jesus with unbelievers; those who don't yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Look at the book of Acts (esp Chap 2) at the astonishing time of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit first came to indwell the believers.  Uneducated men and women could suddenly speak in the tongues (languages) of those merchants and of whoever had come from far and near to trade and/or live in the area.  These 'foreigners" could then suddenly hear the message of Jesus in their own respective languages.  What a marvelously astounding time!

Paul concludes Chap 14 though that both gifts can and should be used in an appropriate way.  

Lord, whatever gifts you've given us help us to use them and use them in love and in an appropriate  manner for the edifying of your children in the church.  Amen.

                           ~ERC 2015~

P.S.  Anyone reading this may feel free to comment constructively.  TQ.