ESOCS Devotional 28 April 2025 – Be Convinced
MEMORY VERSE: “But if everyone is proclaiming God’s message when unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear…” 1 Corinthians 14:25
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 14:22-40
Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
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The result of what we hear from the message of God should be a revelation of what God is and how we stand in relation to Him. If the message we receive from God does not convince us that God lives and that we are sinners of whom God is willing to accept through repentance and faith in God, then we have not started (vv. 22-25).
The message of God is conveyed through the Bible, Christian songs, prophecies and revelations. We must pay attention when we are engaged in any of these, and receive it as a personal message. By this, we will be able to get a message out of it (vv. 26-29).
We may be channels through whom God reveals His message. This is why we have diversity of gifts with each person expressing different gift. While we are used by the Spirit and expect others to pay attention and believe us, so should we pay attention and believe the message delivered by others. This is because, we are gifted to help others grow as much as we grow through the gift of others (vv. 29-40).
There is truly no one who can say he knows it all. We are humans and our knowledge is limited. But with the gifts of God to the Church, we shall become better and grow to perfection if we receive and count on God’s messages per time.
CHALLENGES
- How do you feel when a message given reveals your fault?
PRAYER POINT
- Father, give me a humble and learning spirit that I may grow to perfection, in Jesus name. Amen.
FURTHER READING: 1 Kings 9:15-28; Isaiah 54:15-17; Revelation 12:12-17
ESOCS Devotional 28 April 2025
