第十四章

6弟兄們，你們想想，如果我到你們那裡去，只說方言，不向你們講有關啟示、知識、預言，或教訓的話，那我對你們有甚麼益處呢？ 7甚至那些沒有生命卻能發聲的東西，例如簫或琴，如果音調不分，怎能使人知道所彈所奏的是甚麼呢？ 8又如果軍號所發的聲音不清楚，誰會準備作戰呢？ 9你們也是這樣，如果用舌頭發出人聽不懂的話來，人怎會知道你所講的是甚麼呢？這樣，你們就是向空氣說話了。 10世上有那麼多種語言，但沒有一種是沒有意義的。11我若不明白某一種語言的意思，在那講的人來看，我就是個外國人；在我來說，那講話的人也是個外國人。12 你們也是這樣，你們既然熱切地渴慕屬靈的恩賜，就應當追求多多得著造就教會的恩賜。 13 所以，說方言的應當祈求，使他能把方言翻譯出來。 14 我若用方言禱告，是我的靈在禱告，我的理智並沒有作用。 15 那麼我應當怎樣行呢？我要用靈禱告，也要用理智禱告；我要用靈歌唱，也要用理智歌唱。 16 不然，如果你用靈讚美，在場那些不明白的人，因為不知道你在說甚麼，怎能在你感謝的時候說“阿們”呢？ 17 你感謝固然是好，但別人卻得不著造就。

 

默想

1. 基督徒聚集時就是要彼此服事，在禱告、讚美、教導、分享中，神可以，也確實會使用我們口中所說的，來建立祂的身體。因此，恩賜的擁有並非有什麼利益，而是為了建立基督的教會及教會所服事的群體。
2. 我有什麼恩賜，可以在哪方面服事信徒，並協助教會的建立？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

CHAPTER 14

⁶Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? ⁷Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? ⁸Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. ¹⁰Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. ¹¹If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. ¹²So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.   ¹³For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. ¹⁴For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. ¹⁶If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand^[e] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.

 

Meditation

1. When Christians gather we minister to each other.  In prayer, praise, teaching, and sharing, God can and does use what we say to build up His church.  Therefore, spiritual gifts are not given for the benefit of the possessor.  The purpose of all spiritual gifts is to build up the whole Body of Christ and those the Body serves.
2. What gifts do I have and what can I do to serve fellow-believers and help build up the church?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.