Today Our Daily Bread 1 Cor 14 ++

Scripture selections are taken from the Rock Church Daily Bread Reading schedule for each month. “Lena’s Journalin’” are Lena’s comments on the specific passages from her Daily Journal.

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1 Corinthians 14:1-40
The Gifts of Tongues and Prophecy
1Let love be your highest goal, but also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives, especially the gift of prophecy. 2For if your gift is the ability to speak in tongues, F67 you will be talking to God but not to people, since they won't be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3But one who prophesies is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them. 4A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally in the Lord, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.
5I wish you all had the gift of speaking in tongues, but even more I wish you were all able to prophesy. For prophecy is a greater and more useful gift than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church can get some good out of it.
6Dear brothers and sisters, F68 if I should come to you talking in an unknown language, F69 how would that help you? But if I bring you some revelation or some special knowledge or some prophecy or some teaching—that is what will help you. 7Even musical instruments like the flute or the harp, though they are lifeless, are examples of the need for speaking in plain language. For no one will recognize the melody unless the notes are played clearly. 8And if the bugler doesn't sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? 9And it's the same for you. If you talk to people in a language they don't understand, how will they know what you mean? You might as well be talking to an empty room.
10There are so many different languages in the world, and all are excellent for those who understand them, 11but to me they mean nothing. I will not understand people who speak those languages, and they will not understand me. 12Since you are so eager to have spiritual gifts, ask God for those that will be of real help to the whole church.
13So anyone who has the gift of speaking in tongues should pray also for the gift of interpretation in order to tell people plainly what has been said. 14For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying.
15Well then, what shall I do? I will do both. I will pray in the spirit, F70 and I will pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will sing in words I understand. 16For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don't understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don't understand what you are saying? 17You will be giving thanks very nicely, no doubt, but it doesn't help the other people present.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.
20Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature and wise in understanding matters of this kind. 21It is written in the Scriptures, F71
"I will speak to my own people through unknown languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me," F72 says the Lord.
22So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 23Even so, if unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting and hear everyone talking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin, and they will be condemned by what you say. 25As they listen, their secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they will fall down on their knees and worship God, declaring, "God is really here among you."
A Call to Orderly Worship
26Well, my brothers and sisters, let's summarize what I am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. 27No more than two or three should speak in an unknown language. They must speak one at a time, and someone must be ready to interpret what they are saying. 28But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29Let two or three prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can wait their turn. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the other churches. F73
34Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35If they have any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. F74
36Do you think that the knowledge of God's word begins and ends with you Corinthians? Well, you are mistaken! 37If you claim to be a prophet or think you are very spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38But if you do not recognize this, you will not be recognized. F75
39So, dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don't forbid speaking in tongues. 40But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
FOOTNOTES:F67: Or in unknown languages; also in 14:4, 5, 13, 14, 18, 22, 28, 39. F68: Greek brothers; also in 14:20, 26, 39. F69: Or in tongues; also in 14:19, 23, 26, 27. F70: Or in the Spirit; also in 14:15b, 16. F71: Greek in the law. F72: Isa 28:11-12. F73: The phrase as in all the other churches could be joined to the beginning of 14:34. F74: Some manuscripts place verses 34-35 after 14:40. F75: Some manuscripts read If you are ignorant of this, stay in your ignorance.

Copyright Statement: Holy Bible, The New Living TranslationCopyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

~ Lena’s Journalin;Today~

Just a few words today,
I want to post 5 words of understanding our Pastor has been teaching us:

Give God the frst part/place
Of everyday
Of every week
Of every decision
Of your income (meaning tithe, offerings, alms)
Of your heart

Add to that

Offer to God:-
A flowing river (spiritual life force, prayer in the spirit makes the living river water flow)
Answerable prayer (prayer in line with God’s word and will, not our natural understanding)
Sacrifice of Unity (it takes unity to sacrifice with any persons)

There are two- more here- Cindy do you have them???
And about women not speaking, I do not believe it means they don’t preach or teach, it is about not interrupting what is being said to learn it, as was the case of this early church. I wonder if they sat with their husbands for the first time, or if they did not sit with their husbands, maybe they would ask them things across the room, This passage is about practical manners in church. These kinds of meetings were a first for these people, they’d been accustomed to meeting in synagogues, with synagogue services.

Also , about Eph 6 yesterday and honoring your parents. Don’t be disheartened by thinking you can never do all your parents have ever desired you to do or be, It is about living a life of honor before God and that life of honor before God will bring honor to your parents’ names. We all stand before God, He IS our Father. If we honor God , our natural and spiritual parents will also be honored.


Proverbs 27:17-19
17 You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another. 18 If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored.
19 Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart.
Psalm 122:1
1 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.