Title: Let's Pray for Divine Gifts
Contents
Desire for spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1-5)
Chapter 12 deals with gifts, chapter 13 love, and chapter 14 again deals with specific gifts.
In the church in Corinth, where the gifts worked strongly, verse 1 tells us to long for spiritual things. And in verse 12, it says, "As ye also are spiritual lover, seek faithfulness for the edification of the church." There was a time when many churches were concerned about the misuse of their gifts, but in this day and age, there are many churches that ignore the gift of the Holy Spirit itself and avoid it. In today's text, we must first realize that we must yearn for our church to work strongly. In today's text, I hope that we will become church members who realize and receive the spiritual gift of the Lord together.
1. A spiritual gift is a gift of prayer.
Types of Tongues: Tongues of unknown languages/ Tongues spoken in a foreign country/ Tongues in the groaning of the Holy Spirit of intercession/ Tongues for interpretation of tongues. Paul says in verse 5, “I want all to speak in tongues.” Verse 4 of the prayer in tongues says that he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
Oikonomeo to build virtue means to build, edify is recorded in the NIV English translation. - It is a gift that allows one's faith to mature and grow before God. Of course, speaking in tongues out loud in any place is not the right posture. But prayer in tongues is certainly one of the deepest gifts of prayer, and we desire and bless you to receive it from God.
No matter how you speak in tongues, God allows you to pray in tongues with earnest heart, pure heart, and persistent heart, and you will live a life of prayer.
In any case, when the Corinthian church deals with the issue of tongues, you are aware of the problem in advance, but it is clear that the Corinthian church prayed a lot.
That's right. Fervent prayer is clearly the life of the church. Tongues are the language of prayer. In earnest and earnest prayer before God, God wants to have fellowship with us, so He gives us tongues. In that faith and tongues, the spiritual prayer of faith is fulfilled, and ultimately, prayer in tongues gives us the assurance that if we pray in Jesus, we will surely get answers.
2. The spiritual gift is the gift of longing for the Word.
‘The life of prayer and the life of the Word must be closely and closely related.
Like a needle and thread!
Therefore, whether we pray in tongues or pray deeply, our spiritual life is deepened by the Word.
They worry so much when their children or even their husbands do not eat, but there are many people who are easygoing even if they do not read the Word for a long time.
Text, “Specially try to prophesy (verse 1)”
To adore the Word! Trying to hear the word!
Prophecy is not about predicting the future. Prophecy is God's accurate realization of His will. We must realize deeply, “It is not about what will happen to me in the future, but what God wants in my life.”
Isaiah 34:16 “Read the book of the Lord carefully, and not one of these shall be missing, not one shall be unpaired, for the mouth of the Lord has commanded it, and his spirit has gathered these things.”
Jesus' prayer in Lent: “Father, not as I will, but as you will!” This is probably the key to showing God through prophecy. According to the Father's will, we must see and speak with the center of the gospel of salvation containing the Father's will. I hope that you will be able to apply more concrete words of Jesus' promises in your life.
3. Spiritual gifts are gifts that build up others.
Paul speaks of the greatest gift of love at the end of chapter 12. and covered in Chapter 13,
And at the beginning of chapter 14, we are told to “ask after love.”
The latter part of the text discusses the use of gifts in the church. Of course, it deals with tongues, interpretation, and prophecy, but the main focus is to “walk in order” for the church.
If we think of order in faith, there are two orders. One is the legal order - because if you don't you will be punished - it is always easy to break the order. You will break it from time to time. Another is the order of the gospel. This is love is order. We do it because we love it, and we keep it. If you love God, you will continue to yearn for Him through the Word and prayer.
And because we love our neighbor, we exalt each other, develop each other's gifts, and use each other's gifts.
That's why in verse 33 it says that God is not a God of dizziness, but a God of peace. This is the heart of God!
1 Corinthians 12:6 And there are different works, but the same God who works all things in everyone.
1 Corinthians 12:11 All these things are done by one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one according to his will.
Where does our peace come from? It comes from love. God's peace comes from God's love. Our peace, the peace of our assembly, also comes from our people.
I've seen my kids quarrel once a long time ago. When I saw it, my heart was not drawn to who was right because I loved both. I just wanted to live in love and be at peace with each other.
If we only focus on what is right, look back on whether love has never really cooled down! What we need even now is love, and love will give us a solution.
In the past, there was a time when a criminal named 14th criminal came to the church to sell his paintings and harassed the church. When everyone was just avoiding him because it was difficult because he was arguing, I met him while praying. My heart was one. Make him love you. But from there, the conflict started to settle and was resolved amicably. It was resolved because I loved it.
If you are capable but lack the gift of love, you cannot take good care of others even if you are good at yourself. What's more, you will not be able to do things that build up others well.
Everyone else (the person next to me) is obviously better than me, and you have to get better. Get out and everything! Amen?
1 Corinthians 14:40 Do everything in moderation and in order
The Corinthian church had a fervent prayer in tongues, so they were rather concerned about the church order. In the end, just as Paul guided them with the Word, the Word allowed them to properly use the gifts.
what is suitable? Love for other souls and love for God are the standard of fitness.
My longings and gifts are always love for other souls and love for God first? I need to look back. Love involves sacrifice. The grace you receive must lead to sacrifice and service.
1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a gift, serve one another as good stewards of the various graces of God” - God has given us! I hope you never forget the gratitude and excitement.
This is the story of the Japanese mathematician Kuji. Many people were jealous when he excelled in studying abroad in England. A British student who competed with him was a student named Brown. One day, when I got sick from the gums, the students around me were convinced that Brown would now be first. However, as a result, Gugujji was still number one. It was because Brown, who went to the hospital when he was sick, helped him with his studies. We do not know whether Brown lived a religious life, but here we realize the importance of serving with love. Let's humbly long for the gifts God has given us. Let's use it well for the Lord and our neighbors I hope that they will become gifts that God is pleased with.