Sunday Evening Scripture (Wk8/2022) – 1 Corinthians 14:-1-19 (AMP)

Prophecy A Superior Gift

1 Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may [1]prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].

2 For one who speaks in an unknown tongue does not speak to people but to God; for no one understands him or catches his meaning, but by the Spirit he speaks mysteries [secret truths, hidden things].

3 But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].

4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church [promotes growth in spiritual wisdom, devotion, holiness, and joy].

5 Now I wish that all of you spoke in unknown tongues, but even more [I wish] that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater [and more useful] than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he translates or explains [what he says], so that the church may [2]be edified [instructed, improved, strengthened].

6 Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God’s mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]?

7 Yet even lifeless things, whether flute or harp, when producing a sound, if they do not produce distinct [musical] tones, how will anyone [listening] know what is piped or played?

8 And if the [war] bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?

9 So it is with you, if you speak words [in an unknown tongue] that are not intelligible and clear, how will anyone understand what you are saying? You will be talking into the air [wasting your breath]!

10 There are, I suppose, a great many kinds of languages in the world [unknown to us], and none is lacking in meaning.

11 But if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will [appear to] be a [3]foreigner to the one who is speaking [since he knows exactly what he is saying], and the one who is speaking will [appear to] be a foreigner to me.

12 So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually].

13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may [be gifted to] translate or explain [what he says].

14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive [because it does not understand what my spirit is praying].

15 Then what am I to do? I will pray with the [4]spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will pray with the mind [using words I understand]; I will sing with the spirit [by the Holy Spirit that is within me] and I will sing with the mind [using words I understand].

16 Otherwise if you bless [and give thanks to God] in the spirit only, how will any outsider or someone who is not gifted [in spiritual matters] say the “Amen” [of agreement] to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?

17 You are giving thanks well enough [in a way that God is glorified], but the other person [who does not understand you] is not edified [and spiritually strengthened since he cannot join in your thanksgiving].

18 I thank God that I speak in [unknown] tongues more than all of you;

19 nevertheless, in public worship I would rather say five understandable words in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue [which others cannot understand].

1 Corinthians 14:1-19 (AMP)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 14:1 In both the Old and the New Testaments, prophets are divinely inspired to foretell the future in the process of delivering God’s word to the people. Paul is saying to the Corinthians that all gifts are worthy and necessary (cf 12:11, 18, 29, 30), but that they should give the gift of prophecy the highest priority (cf Deut 18).
  2. 1 Corinthians 14:5 Lit receive edification.
  3. 1 Corinthians 14:11 Lit barbarian, i.e. one who did not speak Greek; especially a person from an uncivilized region whose speech could not be readily translated.
  4. 1 Corinthians 14:15 May refer to Paul’s spirit, the Holy Spirit, or the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Friday Morning Scripture (Wk8/2022) – Isaiah 25

Song of Praise For God’s Favor

1 O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise and give thanks to Your name; for You have done miraculous things, plans formed long, long ago, [fulfilled] with perfect faithfulness.

2 For You have made a city into a heap [of trash], a fortified city into a ruin; a palace of [1]foreigners is no longer a city, it will never be rebuilt.

3 Therefore a strong people will honor You; cities of terrible and violent nations will fear You.

4 For You have been a stronghold for the helpless, a stronghold for the poor in his distress, a shelter from the storm, a shade from the heat; for the breath of tyrants is like a rainstorm against a wall.

5 Like heat in a dry land, You will subdue the noise of foreigners [rejoicing over their enemies]; like heat in the shadow of a cloud, the song of the tyrants is [2]silenced.

6 On this mountain [Zion] the Lord of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples [to welcome His reign on earth], a banquet of aged wines—choice pieces [flavored] with marrow, of refined, aged wines.

7 And on this mountain He will destroy the covering that is [cast] over all peoples, and the veil [of death] that is woven and spread over all the nations.

8 He will swallow up death [and abolish it] for all time. And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and He will take away the disgrace of His people from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.

9 It will be said in that day, “Indeed, this is our God for whom we have waited that He would save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us shout for joy and rejoice in His salvation.”

10 For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain [Zion], and Moab will be trampled down in his place as straw is trampled down in the [filthy] water of a manure pile.

11 And Moab will spread out his hands in the middle of the filth as a swimmer spreads out his handsto swim, but the Lord will humiliate his pride in spite of the [skillful] movements of his hands.

12 The high fortifications of your walls He will bring down, lay low, and cast to the ground, to the dust.

Isaiah 25:1-12 (AMP)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 25:2 Or strangers.
  2. Isaiah 25:5 Lit humbled.

Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Bootcamp

Church, it is time to be the effective warrior I have created you to be! I am taking you through a heavenly boot camp where you will be trained in the art of spiritual warfare and battle strategy. You will go through intense exercises and drills, designed to strengthen your faith and teach you how to war from a heavenly perspective.

There will be a great stripping away of old things that have kept you too comfortable and complacent. Just as a bootcamp is designed to break down your strength so as to build you back up better than before, you will go through a refining process to become more alert, alive, and trained to sustain the greater level of spiritual warfare that is coming. I am preparing you to go on the offensive against the enemy. You will not only defend the land you have been given, but you will also begin to take back territory for the Kingdom.

With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

Psalm 18:29 (NIV)

Praise the LORD, who is my rock. He trains my hands for war and gives my fingers skill for battle.

Psalm 144:1 (NIV)

#lionbites

Lion Bites – Global Prophetic Alliance – Push Into Maturity

I am giving you a choice in how to live and what spiritual doors to step through so you may grow into maturity. I am teaching you to shut some doors and push open others.

Maturity is found in me, Jesus. I have given you life and entrusted you with other people. It’s time to go higher than you’ve been before, to stand on other’s ceilings. Do not be shocked when I call you to this. Do not make do with where you are now. There is always more, for mine is an unshakable and unlimited kingdom.

Ask me how this can happen, and I will answer with details. Bring to me any unrest, fears, things that rile you or produce unholy responses in your heart, and start pushing through into greater maturity.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, take me forwards, untangle my thoughts and heart spiritually and emotionally. Give me determination and diligence to grow into maturity, whatever it takes.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIVUK)

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He is actively cleaning house, touching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is fire!

Hebrews 12:28-29 (MSG)

#lionbites

Thursday Morning Scripture (Wk8/2022) – Isaiah 55

The Free Offer of Mercy

1 “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy grain and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost [simply accept it as a gift from God].

2 “Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight in [1]abundance.

3 “Incline your ear [to listen] and come to Me; hear, so that your soul may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies [promised and] shown to David.

4 “Listen carefully, I have appointed [2]him [David, representing the Messiah] to be a witness to the nations [regarding salvation], a leader and commander to the peoples.

5 “In fact, you [3][Israel] will call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that does not know you will run to you, because of the Lord your God, even the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you.”

6 Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him [for salvation] while He is near.

7 Let the wicked leave (behind) his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion (mercy) on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, making it bear and sprout, and providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; it will not return to Me void (useless, without result), without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

12 “For you will go out [from exile] with joy and be led forth [by the Lord Himself] with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

13 “Instead of the thorn bush the cypress tree will grow, and instead of the nettle the myrtle tree will grow; and it will be a memorial to the Lord, for an everlasting sign [of His mercy] which will not be cut off.”

Isaiah 55:1-13 (AMP)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 55:2 Lit fatness.
  2. Isaiah 55:4 Or Him (the Messiah Himself).
  3. Isaiah 55:5 The identification of the one addressed here is uncertain. A large number of authorities believe it to be Israel, as here indicated, but other interpreters think it is the Messiah [the second David], or David as His representative.