Week 12: 1st Corinthians Bible Study GUIDE

Hello 1st Corinthian-ers!

I promised that I would post a guide (for lack of a better word) on the two main topics covered in 1st Corinthians 14: The gifts of tongues and prophecy. So, here's what I did. I read two different Bible commentaries and partnered the thoughts of the authors up with Scripture to be sure that it was consistent. I have listed several comments below for you on both tongues and prophecy. Hopefully this will assist you in your study of the 40 verses in 1st Corinthians 14 this week.

I used the following commentaries:

1. Holman New Testament Commentary: I & II Corinthians by Richard L. Pratt, Jr.
2. The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur

What is Paul saying in this text regarding speaking in tongues?

In verse 2, Paul says: "For anyone who speaks to God in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit" (NIV).

Pratt says the following in reference to this verse: "The most that can be said of [people who speak in tongues] is that they utter mysteries with their spirit[s]. The mysteries that tongue-speakers utter are incomprehensible to the human mind, or at least they remain incomprehensible when delivered in this manner (1 Peter 1:10-12). If no one interprets, the church cannot be edified" (Holman NT Commentary, 244).

Paul continues on in verses 4-25 to touch on the importance of speaking in tongues in the proper place with the proper perspective. His basic consensus is that spiritual gifts should be used to edify others. That is Paul's purpose in addressing speaking in tongues here in this chapter. Clearly Paul sees a problem here regarding the Corinthians' view of speaking in tongues. They are speaking in tongues in public, which Paul disagrees with UNLESS there is someone there to interpret. You will see evidence for this in the following Scripture:

"For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say." (1 Cor. 14:13)

"But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue." (1 Cor. 14:19)

Furthermore, Paul is passionate about the church being edified. The following Scriptures support this idea:

"Everything must be done so that the church may be built up." (1 Cor. 14:26b)

"Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church." (1 Cor. 14:4)

" ... so that the church may be edified." (1 Cor. 14:5b)

Edify in this context means to build up, to establish. Paul is passionate about the church being built up and established. He desires the Corinthians to use their gifts - the gifts bestowed upon them by God Himself and empowered by the Holy Spirit - to build up and establish the church.

And not only to edify the church, but to bring unbelievers to Christ:

"So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or inquirer comes while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming "God is really among you!" (1 Corinthians 14:23-25)

Is this making more sense? Paul believes that if a believer desires to use tongues as a form of worship, it needs to be done in the privacy of their home unless there is an interpreter. If this is done in public, it appears as gibberish to others and there is no way for anyone to be edified by this type of "private" worship.

What is Paul saying in this text regarding prophecy?

John MacArthur explains the meaning of prophecy in a very clear way:

"The meaning is simply that of 'speaking forth,' or 'proclaiming publicly' to which the connotation of prediction was added sometime in the Middle Ages. Since the completion of Scripture, prophecy has not been a means of new revelation, but is limited to proclaiming what has already been revealed in the written Word. Even the biblical prophets were preachers, proclaimers of God's truth, both by revelation and reiteration. Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel spent lifetimes proclaiming God's Word. Only a comparatively small amount of what they preached is recorded in the Bible as God's direct revelation. They must have continually repeated and reemphasized those truths, as preachers today repeat, explain, and reemphasize the Word of God in Scripture" (MacArthur Bible Commentary, 1593).

So today, we can interpret the gift of prophecy as "genuine prophecy or preaching of the truth" (MacArthur Bible Commentary, 1600).

Let's look at a few verses in this passage regarding prophecy:

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort." (1 Cor. 14:1, 3)

Here is the thing: We need to be strengthened, encouraged and comforted through the Word of God. Are you listening? We need to be taught from the WORD OF GOD. And there are people in our churches, in our lives, who have been gifted with the gift of prophecy -- Who have been gifted with the ability to understand, interpret and teach the Word of God. Personally, I do not believe that modern day prophecy includes predictions. I believe that we have all we need today in the Word of God and through the Holy Spirit.

The reason that Paul so desires that the Corinthians practice the gift of prophecy is because I believe he recognizes their need for instruction. The same instruction that you and I need today. Instruction from the Word of God alone.

I believe that Paul also desires that the Corinthians place a high value on prophecy because only through their boldness in proclaiming their faith in Jesus, will others come to know Him. We may not all have the gift of prophecy - We may not all be gifted with understanding, interpreting and teaching the Word of God, BUT .... We all should be filled with a deep desire to share our faith in Jesus with others. That is part of our responsibility (and privilege) as believers. Amen?

I hope this was helpful. Please email me at hintsofhope@gmail.com with any questions on this text.

Blessings to you as you study the Word so faithfully! 

Week 12: 1st Corinthians Bible Study

Hey Sweet Friends!

Thank you for bearing with me last week. It was a busy week. In addition to that, I have heard from several of you that you are participating in this Bible study at your own pace and may be a few weeks behind. Hopefully last week gave you the chance to catch up a little or just reflect on all that God is teaching you through the book of 1st Corinthians.

This week we are going to tackle 1st Corinthians chapter 14. Next week we will complete this study with 1st Corinthians chapters 15 and 16.

I do want to post a reflection of chapters 12 and 13. I did not do a video, but I will at some point flesh it out on this keyboard. It was packed with such relevant truths for our lives - about life and love.

The reading for this week deals specifically with speaking in tongues and prophecy. The following first 3 verses in The Message paraphrase helped to set the stage for me regarding this entire chapter:

"Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it - because it does.  Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.  Most of all, try to proclaim His truth.  If you praise Him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and Him.  But when you proclaim His truth in everyday speech, you're letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience His presence with you." 

(1 Cor. 14:1-3, The Message)   

It is important to understand the basics about both (1) speaking in tongues, and (2) prophecy when reading this text.  I will send out some background on this tomorrow or Wednesday. 

Chapter 14 Reading Guide

Day 1 - 1 Corinthians 14: 1-12

Day 2 - 1 Corinthians 14: 13-21

Day 3 - 1 Corinthians 14: 22-25

Day 4 - 1 Corinthians 14: 26-33

Day 5 - 1 Corinthians 13: 34-40

Additional Study Questions

Day 1 - Am I equally as concerned with proclaiming His Truth, as I am with sharing intimacies of the heart with Him?

Day 2 - Is my prayer life intimate with the Lord?  When do I pray?  How do I pray?  Do I pray with others? 

Day 3 - Am I speaking Truth clearly, allowing it to minister to both the hearts of believers and unbelievers? 

Day 4 - Do I willingly share my testimony with others?  Am I open to talking about the Lord? Or am I holding back?

Day 5 - As a woman, am I submitting to the men in my life? As a believer in Christ, am I serving God in a fit and orderly way? Is my church serving God in a fit and orderly way? 

This Scripture is overflowing with meaningful application for our lives.  Again, I will send out a basic guide this week on both speaking in tongues and the meaning of prophecy in this text. 

Have a great week!  Blessings to you as you spend time in the Word!   

Week 11: 1st Corinthians Bible Study

1 Corinthians 11 from Heather Neese on Vimeo.

Hello Fellow Sojourners!

What an interesting time I've had studying 1 Corinthians chapter 11. We learn from the Scripture we read this week that we absolutely must place Christ in the proper position. If we do not place Him high and lifted above all else, how will we ever successfully imitate Him? And if we cannot successfully imitate our Savior, then how will we win others for the sake of the Cross?

In this particular chapter, Paul also encourages believers to take the things of God seriously. And in a world that unfortunately treats the things of God with such irreverence, we too must be reminded of the holiness of our God. Of the holiness of the things associated with our God. Don't you think?
And for me 1st Corinthians chapter 11 did just that.  It acted as a reminder to me to:

1. Place Christ in the proper position.
2. Keep holy the things of God. 

And for you, this chapter may have brought something totally different and wonderful to your mind.  And if so, I would love to hear it!

For this next week, we will read 2 chapters: 1 Corinthians 12 & 13, with a total of 44 verses.  We can do this!

Reading Guide
Day 1 - 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11
Day 2 - 1 Corinthians 12: 12-25
Day 3 - 1 Corinthians 12: 26-31
Day 4 - 1 Corinthians 12: 1-12
Day 5 - 1 Corinthians 13: 9-13

Additional Study Questions
Day 1 - According to this text, what is the purpose of spiritual gifts?   
Day 2 - Do I recognize that God ordains the members of His body to be used as He desires?
Day 3 - What am I earnestly desiring?  Individual gifts or God Himself?
Day 4 - Am I truly displaying Christ's love, or have I become like a noisy gong or clanging cymbal - talking the talk, but not walking the walk?
Day 5 - Have I put aside my childish ways or am I still reverting back to them?  Am I maturing in Christ - daily growing in Him?

May your time in the Word this week be blessed!

This may take some Pondering

There is great mystery in all that God does, don't you agree?  For a very long time, I lived my life in attempt to disclose "the mystery."  I wanted to know exactly what God had ahead for my life.  I was in many ways obsessed with the next big thing God had planned for me.  Those who know me well will tell you I was quite the dreamer.  My mind never stopped.  I realize now that this was due in large to my own struggle with dissatisfaction, though at the time I played it off as "dreaming God's big dreams."  I am by no means discounting dreams. I think it's important to have goals and plans and even visions for your future.  I still have those for my life.  But in the midst of trying so desperately to figure out "the mystery" of God's plan for my life, I lost sight of what was most important to me as a believer: My fear of God.

This afternoon I opened my Bible to Ecclesiastes.  A great book to read when you're in the pondering mood.  Two verses in particular jumped off the page and turned to life before my eyes.  Here they are:

"For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness.  Rather, fear God." (Ecc. 5:7)

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things." (Ecc. 11:5)

Ecclesiastes 5:7 is so to the point, which I am a big fan of lately.  Just give me a few meaningful words to chew on and I'm good to go.  Maybe it's the pregnancy brain (??).  The Message translates this verse the following way:

"But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk there's always this rock foundation: Fear God!"

I sought long and hard after God by way of my dreams.  I clung to the dreams more than I clung to God Himself, and I got lost in those plans for my life more than in the God of my life.  This may not resonate with anyone else, though I would find that slightly hard to believe.  We all have dreams for our lives, don't we?  Something we see for our future or are clinging to in our present.  And this is the question that rose up in my mind as I pondered this verse today: Is our faith contingent upon these things [dreams] occurring?  

This leads me to the next verse ....

Ecclesiastes 11:5 is beautiful and full of life in more ways than one.  In July of 2010 I found out I was pregnant only to be told that there was no life in the womb, just a growing sac.  I was told that it would continue to grow until it realized there was no baby being formed, when at that point it would start to shrink and eventually I would miscarry this empty sac, or blighted ovum, as it's more technically called.  For 6 weeks I waited, hoping this news was not true.  Praying that I would go into the doctor one day to hear the news that the baby had just been hiding in there and I would carry this baby to full-term after all!  I read story upon story on forums and blogs about women who had been misdiagnosed with blighted ovum's.  Some of these women were told to proceed with scheduling the procedure of removing the sac, only to find a living and breathing life in that womb just hours before the procedure via ultrasound.

At 11 weeks, I went to an ultrasound specialist for a second opinion and for complete confirmation that there was no life growing in my womb.  He spent a great deal of time with my Mom and I explaining to us why this could have happened and what I could expect for the miscarriage process (Christopher had a work conflict and had to miss this appointment).  I remember this moment as clear as day ... We stepped outside of the doctor's office on a bright August day.  I turned to my Mom and with tears in my eyes I said: "Mom, those women who had babies show up in their ultrasounds after being told they were going to miscarry ... They must have needed a miracle from God.  I don't need to be pregnant to know God loves me."  

I do not tell you this to boast in my own strength, because believe me I was not strong at that moment.  Any and all strength I had at that moment was solely being drawn from my Savior.  I tell you this because this was a moment that completely changed my perspective on life.  It was the moment when I completely let go of me and grabbed onto Him, knowing and believing with everything in me that I could get through any storm with Him.  It was the moment when I realized that things will not always end up the way I want them to ... that my prayers may not always be answered with the answer I desire ... that my dreams may not always be fulfilled in the time frame I prefer ... that the end result will NOT always be my first choice.  I guess you could say it was the moment I first trusted Him.  I mean really trusted Him.  It was the moment when spiritually I trusted Him with no doubt, with no need for rebuttal, with no desire for second-guessing.  And it was the moment practically when I knew that I was going to be ok -- whether God blessed us with a baby from my own womb or a baby from another woman's womb.  

And here I am today with a sweet little life growing inside of me.  At 14 weeks, I am more blessed and amazed than I ever imagined.  And without that sad August day when I was told I would for sure miscarry, I wouldn't trust my God the way I do today.  

So let's read this verse again, whatya say?

"Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things." (Ecc. 11:5)

It absolutely marvels me to think of how our God has thought of everything.  That in my womb of 14 weeks, this baby already has it's bones and marrow.  Wow.  It's beyond our human comprehension, isn't it friends? And yet, this same God who thought up the intricate design of human life (On. His. Own.), is also familiar with all of our ways.  He is intimately acquainted with each of us on a personal basis.  And while we may not always understand His ways -- While we may not always know the activity of God ... As believers, we have absolutely no other choice but to trust Him.

So let me close by asking you a few reflective questions today.  You know, since I'm in such a pondering mood and all.  

Is your faith contingent upon these things [dreams, plans, goals, answers to prayer, etc.] occurring?  

Or is your faith grounded and rooted in your God, regardless of the outcome?

Are you holding onto the dreams, or are you just plain and simple: fearing God?

Yeah, that may take some pondering.

Definitely did for me ... 

The Riches of His Love

I am in love with the lyrics to the following Hillsong song: Forever Reign

You are good, You are good
When there's nothing good in me
You are love, You are love
On display for all to see

You are light, You are light
When the darkness closes in
You are hope, You are hope
You have covered all my sin

You are peace, You are peace
When my fear is crippling
You are true, You are true
Even in my wandering

You are joy, You are joy
You're the reason that I sing
You are life, You are life
In You death has lost it's sting

Oh, I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms
The riches of Your love will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world, forever reign

You are more, You are more
Than my words will ever say
You are Lord, You are Lord
All creation will proclaim

You are here, You are here
In Your presence I'm made whole
You are God, You are God
Of all else I'm letting go

Oh, I'm running to Your arms, I'm running to Your arms
The riches of Your love will always be enough
Nothing compares to Your embrace
Light of the world, forever reign
 
My heart will sing no other name
Jesus, Jesus
My heart will sing no other name
Jesus, Jesus
 
These lyrics have been running through my mind since last weekend.  There is no doubt about it, we indeed serve the Almighty God.  I am daily humbled by my humanity and enthralled by His Majesty.  And you know what's so interesting?  The more I trust my God, the less I trust myself.  The more I see my God in light of His perfection, I am stunned by my immense imperfection.  
 
My husband and I are currently reading the book "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.  I have been especially blessed by the first few chapters of this book.  Why?  Because the author does such a fabulous job in my opinion of focusing our attention upon this Incomparable God whom we serve.  Let me share a few passages that have particularly blessed me:

In Chapter 2, Chan touches on the all-too-familiar struggles of worry and stress.  In one of the most poignant approaches I've seen, he addresses these issues by saying:

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.

Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.  

Basically, these two behaviors communicate that it's okay to sin and not trust God because the stuff in my life is somehow exceptional.  Both worry and stress reek of arrogance.  They declare our tendency to forget that we've been forgiven, that our lives here are brief, that we are headed to a place where we won't be lonely, afraid, or hurt ever again, and that in the context of God's holiness, I am still dumb enough to forget that life is all about God and not about me at all" (Chan, Francis. Crazy Love. 42).

So much of our time on this earth is solely about us.  Admit it.  It's all about what we have, what we don't have, what we want to have, etc.  It's exhausting at times, don't you think?  Our stuff is the stuff that's exceptional.  I can echo Chan's cry here: "I am still dumb enough to forget that life is all about God and not about me at all."  And just down a few paragraphs, Chan speaks the following bold word, one that possibly all of us need to hear from time to time: 

"We have only our two-fifths-of-a-second-long scene to live.  I don't know about you, but I want my two-fifths of a second to be about my making much of God.  First Corinthians 10:31 says, 'So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.'  That is what each of our two-fifths of a second is about.  

So what does that mean for you?

Frankly, you need to get over yourself.  It might sound harsh, but that's seriously what it means" (Chan, 44).

He continues on to say:

"The point of your life is to point to Him.  Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is His.  It is His move, His world, His gift" (Chan, 44-45).

So, here's the question posed to you and to me: Are the riches of His love really enough? I mean, are they really enough?  Because like, they're meant to be enough.  When you and I cannot find satisfaction, it's not God's fault -- It's ours.  When I cannot seem to find enough substance in this life of mine ... When I cannot seem to find enough meaning in my relationships ... When I cannot seem to find enough reason for doing whatever I'm doing ... 

It's not His fault.  It's mine.  And when I want the benefits of knowing my God without the efforts of knowing Him [as I heard a pastor say last week], it's not His fault.  It's mine.

So I don't know, maybe it's just a day of realization for me.  Or maybe it's because of this book.  Or maybe it's because God has put some really humble people in my life lately -- The kind that make you want to be more holy.  Or maybe it's because I am just starting to understand that the riches of His love, really can be enough.  

Regardless of the reason, here I am.  Standing at a crossroads -- Will I choose me, or will I choose Him?

The Riches of His Love are indeed enough.

Are they enough for me?

My heart will sing no other name.  Jesus.  Jesus.

Week 10: 1st Corinthians Bible Study

Hi girls!

Ok so by now you've most likely figured out that there is no video summary this week.  For those of you who do not know, Christopher and I are expecting our first little one this summer.  As soon as my second trimester hit, I began experiencing some bad headaches.  Knowing these are hormone induced, there isn't much I can do other than regularly go to the chiropractor and rest when I have a migraine come on.  I had a few last week and it put me a little behind in the Bible Study realm.  Although it's Tuesday, I still think we can get 5 days of reading done this week so I'm going to post it.  Y'all just take your time.  Thank you for understanding.  For this week, we will be reading 1 Corinthians chapter 11.  Next week, we'll pick up with chapters 12 & 13, followed by 14, then ending the last week with 15 & 16.

Reading Guide
Day 1 - 1 Corinthians 11: 1-7
Day 2 - 1 Corinthians 11: 8-12
Day 3 - 1 Corinthians 11: 13-22
Day 4 - 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26
Day 5 - 1 Corinthians 11: 27-34

Additional Study Questions
Day 1 - Who is my life imitating?
Day 2 - Do I fully grasp the truth that all things originate from God?
Day 3 - What divisions exist in my relationships? What relationships need healing and restoration?
Day 4 - Do I realize the seriousness of the Lord' Supper?
Day 5 - Do I consistently examine myself, aware that the Lord knows my motives and my heart?

I hope your week and your study of Scripture is blessed.  See you next Monday!