1 Corinthians 14:1-40 KJV
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
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 churches of the saints.
34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Do we glorify God in our worship? To edify the church is to build it up, but to edify and to build the church, is also to glorify and praise the Lord. For what do we build upon but the solid rock that is Christ Jesus. To edify to glorify to build up and not tear down the church. There many languages in the world in which we speak. Yet if one person uses a different word to just mean something else that not common you have confusion unless it is a word in vogue in a community where a church is. If I say something is phat meaning superb or great and the person I am talking to is fat, then I might get my lights punched out(get hit in the face). Did I loose meaning, next thing you know you got a bar room fight in a church. Is it okay to use slang only if those in attendance understand the language.

When we talk about glorifying God is there understanding, is there sound doctrine, is there soundness in teaching, but presentation of the word, meaning does it glorify God even to those not of faith yet. It is something different to the unbeliever but is it understood by the unbeliever as well as the believer. You riding down the road going 55 and music playing christian lyrics, no one else hears your song, but God hears, and do you glorify God with that music and your heart? Alone time with God is different then time in a congregation. Though at both times God can minister to the heart of the individual. Do you think your hot stuff because you get to speak, get to share, get to testify. Trust me it not about who you are but who God is. How great was that testimony, the preaching the teaching, that you heard. Who did it build up(encourage) the church, the congregation, or the one speaking. I tell you who it should glorify is God, and should build up the church by encouraging them to press on for Jesus. If all we hear is testimony, with no meat. If we hear no church doctrine of faith, only shouts of joy, we learn what? If we learn nothing but praise, then we know not who Jesus is.

Yesterday we talked about Jesus doctrine and education, but what about our education concerning our faith, what we believe, why we believe it and can we give a solid answer back to those who need to hear it and learn it. No one wants constant educational learning, people love comedy, romance and mystery. Yet God wants to woo us with not only that time of meditation but through out the service. God wants his word alive in us, not the latest acrobatic act in church. So what the woman on stage showed her underwear during a dance to christian music. Does our dance cause sin, does our action produce discord and chaos. It was on video a woman dancing in a church service and I had to think it would of been beautiful except this one part.

We want to share how God is blessing us through our gifts, beware if what we call gifts is not edifying the church. Speaking in tongues maybe destroying the church because no one else understands it. Our dance no matter the beauty of it, and cultural display of it, might not be edifying the church if those in attendance understand it not. Prophecy in the church should be edifying by telling who God was, is and will be through out the ages, and ages to come. Who he is in our world today has not changed from years ago.

When I think of how God has not changed, then why is the church world changing, the teaching has not changed, only the styles in which we share the Gospel to those in attendance through our language, through gifts and so forth. Music style changes with the time period, to the negativity of the elders at times. Yet each generation expresses their faith to glorify God in their language of their day. Imagine Heaven and the classical music of religious era being sung along with the time period of King David, along with modern music of our time. Who will be taking a break from their seat and who will be sitting in awe of it all.

Scripture the story of Christ will not of changed. His story the same and has not changed. He died and rose again for all man's sin. He went to the cross in obedience to God. He rises to victory over death, because he obey God rather then man in the things concerning his Father's will(God's will). The solid rock of scripture still proclaimed no matter the language, no matter what era we are in. The story has not changed, and we wait for Christ return. The prophecy still told, the story still sung, and the story still spoken. It all seem vain to the world until each unbeliever grabs hold to one truth they are able to receive, then another truth and another. We do not have to battle with God, we only need to except we are not always in submission to the will of God, that our sin keeps us separated from God and that He loved us so much He sent his Son to redeem us from our sins.

we struggle to understand as the woman did in the Corinthian church to understand we need to speak to one spouse, the pastor or elders of the church to understand what we do not. Keep the confusion outside the church. Not within the church for somethings will only stir up trouble to those without understanding.

Dear Heavenly Father, let us glorify you through testimony, through worship and through prophecy of the word given, past, present and future. For the Gospel message still is true for our world today. May your gifts enable us to glorify your name. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Ezra 6:14 KJV
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: