OUR FATHER WHO GIVES GIFTS TO MEN

I Corinthians chapter 14 verses 1 - 2 says this;

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 

In this passage, the Apostle Paul encourages believers to follow the way of love which is the way of;

•  Patience
•  Kindness 
•  Absence of envy
•  Meekness
•  Humility
•  Honor
•  Selflessness
•  Longsuffering
•  Forgivness
•  Goodness
•  Truthfulness
•  Protectiveness
•  Trust
•  Hopefulness
•  Perserverence.

While cultivating these attitudes of love, Paul tells us to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. We have and should exercise the gift of tongues but this gift is mainly for communication between us and God and is not decipherable to others because things that are deliberately kept as mysteries are transmitted  through these languages.

However, the other gifts of the Spirit, when used with love, are gifts that can bring tremendous edification to the body of Christ and to individuals.

These gifts of the Spirit that Paul calls us to eagerly desire are;

• The word of wisdom
• The word of knowledge
• Faith
• Healing
• Miraculous powers
• Prophecy
• The Distinguishing or discerning of spirits
• The Interpretation of tongues

The manifestation of these gifts among congregations stir up reverence and gratitude towards the Lord. In the case of the gift of the interpretation of tongues, the listeners may be blessed by having the mysteries of things uttered in tongues being made plain to understand.

Let us actively desire and seek these gifts from the Lord so that we may bring honor to Him through their power.

Amen.

12