Day 45 - 1 Corinthians 14:33-40

33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.

34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.

36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.

39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

Tori's Comments:

This seems to me that the people of God should just be emanating peace. It isn't something I have been doing lately with college stress getting to me, but I need to stay grounded in the truth.

Verse 34-----um....... anyone? Anyone at all? Nothing? Me neither.




Terrie's Comments:

So this is continuing in the passage about tongues and prophecy.  I am thinking that the passage about women has more to do with the tradition of the culture at that time.  It would have hindered the gospel from being spread to work against the culture in that way.  Everything Paul is talking about is to bring about peace and order in the body of Christ not dissension.  

In verse 39 Paul references both men and women are to be eager to prophesy and speak in tongues.  Just to be sure everything is done in order.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 44 - 1 Corinthians 14:22-32

22 So 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. 23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24 But 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 judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.

27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.

29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.

Terrie's Comments:
God is a God of order.  I love how Paul is basically teaching them that everyone is valuable in the body and everyone must be given a chance to speak in turn as they are led by God.  Even when people are being led by the spirit they are in control and can take turns... this is another way we show love to each other when we are together.  Being considerate of each other, learning from each other and encouraging one another.

Tori's Comments:
Another aspect added. Spiritual gifts are for the benefit of others AND the glorify of God.



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 43 - 1 Corinthians 14:13-21

13 So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.

15 Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 16 For 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? 17 You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you.

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 19 But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

20 Dear 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 in understanding matters of this kind. 21 It is written in the Scriptures:

“I will speak to my own people
    through strange languages
    and through the lips of foreigners.
But even then, they will not listen to me,”
    says the Lord.

Tori's Comments:

Things like spiritual gifts are meant to benefit others, not ourselves.

Terrie's Comments:
We come together as a body to worship God together.  We are to be thanking God with others and for others.  When we are alone we can worship however God leads us to worship Him.  When we are with other believers we are to be considerate of them so we can all worship together.  It is to build up the body so we are stronger for Jesus not to build up ourselves.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 42 - 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

6 Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 7 Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 8 And if the bugler doesn’t sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle?

9 It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.

10 There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 11 But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.

Terrie's Comments:
I once did a word study on the word "prophet, Prophesy, Prophesies etc" To speak prophesy simply means to be a messenger of God.  Most people who speak prophesies are simply passing along messages to others according to what God has given them to say.  This gift of the spirit is given to the body to strengthen, encourage and comfort.  If you have ever had anyone speak into your life with the exact right words at the right time and it felt like God was speaking right to you through them to strengthen, confirm, encourage or comfort you then it probably was God using them to speak to you.  


Paul isn't saying that speaking in tongues is bad, he is simply saying that tongues is used by God to build up our ourselves through the spirit.  words of prophecy are used to build up others and the body as a whole.  

Are we eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives or are we kind of scared to ask for them because God may ask us to use them then?  Words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophesy, tongues, healing, faith, teaching... these are just the ones on the top of my head that I a can remember that are mentioned in scripture.  The spirit gives us these gifts so we can do what God wants us to do.  We can do nothing that God asks us to do without fully relying on His power and strength.  
Tori's Comments:

I don't seem to have the same desires as Corinth. So I'm kind of reading this in a 'meh' mindset.  

But gifts that strengthen the whole church... they aren't for show or to impress people. That's why he went on and on about the importance of love at the beginning, I see that now. Love wins.



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 41 - 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

14 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.

Tori's Comments:

First of all, letting love be my highest goal is hard. That is a goal that would take my whole life to work towards. But I really like how he presents it as a mindset, that love should be the background music of your day, ready to be adjusted at any moment.

But then again, maybe it should always be turned up as high as possible.


Terrie's Comments:

Bottom line though is that Love is our highest goal.  It should be our driving force behind everything we do... to love like Jesus loved us.  To put others before ourselves ALWAYS.  Anyone can put others before themselves SOMETIMES but we are called to a higher calling than that.  This it why it is said I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!  Without Jesus it is impossible to love always in a selfless ... nothing in it for me... no matter who it is... kind of way.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!