King James Bible Study – “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.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Chapters: I Corinthians 12-14
Message: The Honorable Fallible Saved Soul
Hello My Friend,
Every year that comes to a close I find myself looking back, wondering if I had lacked something. I do not think that when we begin a new year with all these hopes and aspirations that we actually do everything we intend. In fact, we probably fail at our new beginnings more times than we succeed at the end of the year. This year has been a remarkable year for me spiritually, although I did fail in reaching many goals this year, the one thing I did succeed at is finally acknowledging that I truly am fearfully and wonderfully made by God, and that I am a beautiful person inside and out. Oh, I am not bragging on myself, I am bragging on my God, as much as I fail Him, His thoughts for me are always wonderful. Then as I read these verses, and as many times as I have read them before, God is calling them out to me today. “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 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. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:” – I Corinthians 12:22-24.
“which we think to be less honourable,” I just spent an hour telling God how much I fail Him, and do not deserve joy in my life because of all the terrible things I did before and after I dedicated my life to Christ. He in turn tells me that I am being ridiculous because all of that stuff is not even a remembrance to Him. More often than we realize we compare ourselves to other Christians, we see someone being blessed with prosperity while we struggle and think that we must be doing something wrong. The truth is, unless we are actually living in sin, God does not bless one with more than the other, He just blesses us with different gifts. Paul reminds us that we are a diverse body of Christ, and rightfully blessed according to His calling for us.
“Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 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. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:” – I Corinthians 12:2-10.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” Manifestation; The act of disclosing what is secret, unseen or obscure; the discovery to the eye or to the understanding; the exhibition of any thing by clear evidence; as the manifestation of God’s power in creation or of redemption. Until we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour the Holy Spirit, and quite frankly, God and Jesus are not fully revealed to us. God only reveals Himself to those who willingly seek Him. It is actually the Holy Spirit that nudges us when we first come to the knowledge of Christ, then once we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit moves into our soul, and begins to reveal to us the things of God. The more we learn from God’s Spirit in us, the more profitable we become as we start to follow the will of God. You must understand that the will that God has for you is not the same as the will He has for me, but that does not mean we are living in sin or less honorable. If we have received Christ as our Saviour, then we are all members of the same body, and that is Christ.
“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. 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. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” – I Corinthians 12:12-13,26-31.
“and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” There are two meanings to the word covet, this one means to desire or wish for, with eagerness; to desire earnestly to obtain or possess. We ought to covet those spiritual gifts, which we all have at least one, and let the Holy Spirit teach us how to use them for God’s glory. Did you know that when we use these gifts for the glory of God, He in turn lets us use them for prosperity? Every saved, born again Christian, even if they have only one of these gifts, are a part of the body of Christ, and we are not to be made to feel as though we are less important than the other, we are all to be honored. And by the way, there are no more apostles, these are those who walked with, and served Christ when He was here in the flesh. Speaking in tongues means that you are able to speak and interpret more than one language. God saw fit to make sure that Paul explains that no matter how many gifts we have, there is something we need even more.
“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. 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. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 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. 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. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” – I Corinthians 13:1-8,12-13.
“but then shall I know even as also I am known.” It is one thing to know what the will of God is, it is another to actually follow it. We truly do not comprehend what the will of God is in our lives until we actually live it and discover that the showing the love of Christ is what it is all about. Charity; In a general sense, means love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of the heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes the supreme love to God, and universal good will that He gives to men. We need to understand that telling people about Christ is the greatest gift that we possess. It does not matter if we have every single spiritual gift, if we do not tell them about Christ, none of it will prosper.
“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 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. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 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. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 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? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 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.” – I Corinthians 14:1-9.
“but rather that ye may prophesy.” Prophecy; to preach; to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to exhort. This is not the type of prophecy that God gave John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, or the prophets of old who foretold the birth of Jesus. This is the type of prophecy that all saved, born again Christians ought to have that not only study, but live their lives through the Word of God. Let me tell you, we are all the world has to explain what is to come, and why they need Christ. If all we ever do is preach the Gospel to one lost soul, that is the greatest gift that we will ever give to someone. “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” – James 5:20.
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for the gifts that You have given me that enable me to not only walk with You, but serve You as well. Thank You for my, salvation through my faith in Your Son alone, the ability to be able to teach Your Word, and show the love of Christ to all through my faithfulness to You. Lord, I know I fail You at times, but You never fail me, always willing to use me, even when I am less my best. Lead me and guide me, never let me again make myself feel as though I am less than the rest of Your children. Fill me with the power of Your Spirit in me, let it manifest into a powerful light that shines Your Son on me wherever I go. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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