King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Saturday, December 03, 2022
Chapters: I CORINTHIANS 12-14
Study: Decent And In Order
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
My mind has been everywhere today, I would get into the chapters for today, lose focus, go do something else, then come back to the study. I hate when my mind is everywhere because it usually means that I end up with all these incomplete things that I am rushing to get done at the end of the day. The problem is that I am someone who loves things in order, and if it is not, then it will bug me until it gets put back in place. I am also a person of habit, which can get me into more trouble than I care to admit. I want to fix everyone and everything as I vision them to all be in God’s will. That is my biggest problem because as we all have the same freewill, they are never going to be what I vision them to be. And if God cannot get them to live in His will, I certainly cannot get them to live in His will either. The only thing I can do is pray for them and keep doing my thing.
[James 5:13-16 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.]
Faith; Hope; Love; these actions are the focal point of true Christianity. Now, regardless of our faithfulness to God, every Christian rests on faith, hope, and the love that Christ bestows upon us through our faith in Him alone. However, to the worldly Christian their perception of faith, hope, and love is all together different from those of the conservative Christian. As we continue in the reading of 1 Corinthians, we are reminded that we who are saved are all joined together by one Spirit who indwells us, and that Spirit is none other than the Holy Spirit. He is the one who directs our own spirit and brings us to the knowledge that we have some spiritual gifts.
[1 Corinthians 12:1-7 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.]
[But the manifestation of the Spirit is given] [Manifestation; The act of disclosing what is secret, unseen or obscure; as the manifestation of God’s power in creation, or of his benevolence in redemption.] Just think about that, I was just thanking God for showing me His mysteries, to teach them, which He reminded me that they are no mysteries, except to the world. If we want the power of the Holy Spirit to shine through us, then we need to listen to Him, as He really does know what He is talking about. It not only profits us, it will profit others as well, especially God, for which purpose we are given these gifts.
[1 Corinthians 12:11-13,18,23-25 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.]
[which seem to be more feeble,] The gift of the Holy Spirit manifests itself through us, and is given to each of us for the profit of the whole body of Christ. While some of us are stronger than others, it is actually the least of the members that make the biggest impact. What do I mean by that? Never underestimate the black sheep, the least likely to succeed, the ones with the lowest scores, the ones who stutter, the ones who I would call the Charlie Brown’s who might not look like much. They are actually used by God more because their faith is so strong that it can move mountains. Let me tell you, faith can only do so much, we can move mountains by our faith, but if we do not have love as Christ loves, not of that will make a difference in our lives.
[1 Corinthians 13:1-2,4-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.]
[Charity never faileth:] One thing that bugs me when people read this is that they replace the word charity with love whenever they read the Scripture. Yes, charity does mean love, but if God wanted it to say love, then He would have instructed Paul to pen down the actual word love, or in Paul’s case it would have been the word agape, which means love in Greek. Paul, stresses the importance of charity being more important than any gift we will receive. We do not all grow in our faith at the same time, but when we do grow we learn out of faith, hope, and love, or I should say, charity.
[1 Corinthians 13:11-13 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.]
[but the greatest of these is charity.] [Charity; Love, benevolence, good will; the supreme love to God, and universal good will to all men.] Does any of this sound familiar? Well, here it is, [Luke 2:11-14 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.]
What is the best gift through charity that we can give to show good will toward man? Jesus Christ of course. We can preach a million words, but unless those words contain the words that bring life to the soul, then those words are worthless. Paul, goes on to point out that following charity comes prophecy.
[1 Corinthians 14:1-5 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.]
[but rather that ye may prophesy.] The prophets of today are Christ saints who peach the Gospel and of what is to come when Jesus returns. Speaking in tongues means that you are able to speak and interpret more than one language. Since I am a teacher of God’s Word I would be considered as having the gift of prophecy, even though I am no prophet, [Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.]
Those who are quick to speak in a language that others do not understand are only in it for their own glory, and not God’s. It would bother me to no end when someone in my last church would start praying in Spanish. Apart from my vowing to learn to speak Spanish in 2023 because it is pretty much imperative with my job, I could not understand everything that she said. Now, God, may have understood and some of the people that spoke it as well, but most of us did not and that is what Paul is referring to. It does nothing for the congregation to start speaking words that very few people understand. Paul, explains why.
[1 Corinthians 14:7-9,12-14,19 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.]
[my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.] If no one else understands what you are saying, but God, then either say it in the language that we all understand or have someone who does understand interpret what we are saying. God, wants us to come together as one Church because we are all one body, what I say with understanding to myself is unprofitable to others, not being understood by them.
[1 Corinthians 14:22-25 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.]
[How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm,] Exactly! We should all be in unity concerning the Gospel and in the Word of God for that matter. God, has designed His Word so that we always get something new from what we are reading, but the overall message who is Christ, ought to be the same. If it is not, then it is not something that we need to be hearing, and if they are speaking in a foreign language we are not able to know whether or not what they are saying lines up with the overall message. This is what Paul is getting at, God, is not the author of confusion.
[1 Corinthians 14:33-37,40 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.]
[Let your women keep silence in the churches:] People love to chop up this verse as well, especially men who do not like when they are convicted of the Holy Spirit by something that a woman teaches. This verse is referring to women who are just members of the church and not knowledgeable in the Word of God having an opinion. You see, what was actually happening in the church of Corinth, was that the women were running things in the church, women who had no knowledge of the Word of God. Women are not to be the heads of the churches, this does not mean that they cannot be teachers or prophets as this also teaches.
[Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.]
[Let all things be done decently and in order.] Since all spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit that indwells us, no one is above anyone else. Whether a person is gifted by God to provide one service or many we are all important to Him, no one is left out, yet no one is irreplaceable, we are merely servants sent to serve His purpose. And in case you did not notice, God likes things in order, even our salvation was given to us when God saw fit that we were ready to accept. And when were we ready to accept it? That answer is different for everyone. When our heart was open and ready to accept and understand that Jesus did not only die a sinless death, but was buried for three days, and arose, but also that we must personally ask Him, that is when He knew we were ready.
[Romans 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.] Wow! Do you see how God lines everything up in order? Even these messages.
Today’s Prayer: God, It is truly amazing all the things I have learned over the years, and that You use all of them for me to serve a purpose for You. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and for giving the spiritual gifts You have given me, may I know and use them all for Your glory. Lord, lead me and guide me, help me learn to yield to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me to serve You with all my heart, soul, might, and to have charity just like Jesus. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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