1 Corinthians 14:1-25; Psalm 27

1 Cor. 14:1-25
More about spiritual gifts! This passage deals with tongues and prophecy. We don't practice speaking in unknown tongues in our church, believing that it was a foundational gift given to the early church before the cannon of scripture was complete. Other believers have a different take on that, and I think we should respect differences as long as the essentials of the Christian faith remain true to the Bible. Paul, in this passage, stresses several times that the best gifts are those that strengthen the whole church (see vv 3, 4,5, 6, 12, 19) and even speak the truth to unbelievers (vv. 23-25)

By prophecy in our day we mean speaking the truth of God's Word. We can all do this as God gives us opportunity. Some have a special gift in this area, but all believers should know and proclaim God's Word.

Psalm 27
"The Lord is my light and my salvation--so why should I be afraid?" Fear is a dark paralyzing emotion. We can be afraid of many things: rejection, physical harm, sickness, poverty, aging, death and many more. Through trusting in the Lord who is our "light," we can conquer fear.

vv. 4-6 show us that David longed to be "in the house of the Lord all the days of his life, delighting in the Lord's perfections and meditating in his Temple." To make application for us today, we must realize that there is nothing particularly special or even godly about the church building itself. What we should long for is God's presence in our lives on a daily basis. Also, we should praise Him and meditate on His perfections as we read and study and meditate on His Word.

As we look at vv. 7 and 8, we're reminded that God wants us to come to Him every day, not just when we are particularly troubled. Have you ever had a friend, acquaintance, or family member who only seemed to contact you when they needed something? This doesn't make for the best of relationships does it? The best fellowship is steady through thick and thin. In vv. 9-10 David comments that the Lord is the only one on whom we can always count. Even our closest friends and family members (even parents) can let us down, but the Lord will hold us close. I might just mention here that we should always offer grace to those who have disappointed us, just as God offers us grace when we disappoint Him. And we should pray that we won't disappoint other people! Being abandoned by a parent or parents is probably one of the most painful experiences a child can have. This passage shows us that God Himself can fill that void, sometimes along with bringing other people to take that role.

Though he always faced dangers, David was confident that he would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living (this life), and we know we'll see Him in the next!

"Wait patiently for the Lord." Seriously? Why is it so hard to wait for the Lord? In effect, when we feel so impatient with the Lord, aren't we saying that God isn't in control, that He doesn't understand, or know or care about us? But God is worth waiting for. "Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord!"