1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Not Lacking in Gifts
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: January 16, 2020 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Understanding the Text) Paul starts by saying good things about the church members at Corinth before he lays into them with the bad. He says that he is thankful to God for their existence as believers. Judging by Corinth’s reputation, the fact that a church started and thrived there is a definite cause for thankfulness. These were Paul’s children snatched from the fires of perversion to service to God. Of course, he was thankful for their rescue.
Then Paul speaks of the fact that God approved of them through giving them the Holy Spirit with all of the gifts. Here Paul is affirming that the Corinthian Christians had a genuine conversion experience and that they had received the tools and relationship to God that are necessary for Christian development. Paul is telling them that they have everything they need to be sustained and to grow until the day that Jesus would come for them to take them to heaven.
(Application / Prayer) “you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge” Not only did the Corinthians have the benefit of Paul’s teaching, they also were the recipients of Apollos’ teaching, which from the sound of it was excellent. In addition, some of them must have had contact with Peter. Instead, of combining this experience, they used it to divide from each other. Paul is saying here that Jesus had given them all kinds of teaching and knowledge, and they had learned a lot. Unfortunately, knowledge by itself is not enough without taking it a step further to commit to Jesus’ love. SDAs are proof of this. I think that we have received more knowledge than any other Christian group, and maybe, more than any followers of God in the history of mankind, but too often we are deficit in knowing God personally. We have been the recipients of the Bible and EGW and wonderful presenters and learning materials, yet too many times we have not let Jesus be our Lord. Instead, we have foolishly compartmentalized our knowledge when it was meant to take root in our hearts. I pray to let the knowledge and speech that You have given to me take root in my heart.
(Revelation of God) Paul reminds the people who they serve. Their Lord is Jesus, not the world. They are Jesus’ servants, and Paul reminds them that as they wait for Jesus’ return that they need to remain faithful. He tells them that God is faithful and will do everything that He has promised. Then, Paul reminds them that they are part of a fellowship with Jesus. They are not alone. Jesus has joined with them through the Holy Spirit.
(Prayer) I maintain my connection to You mostly through reading Your word and some with prayer, but the early Gentile Christians did not have the same amount of access to Your word that I have. How did they maintain their connection to You? Was it mostly through prayer? Was it through meeting together frequently? Was it recounting the stories of the experiences that eye witnesses had with Jesus to each other? Was it listening to the Holy Spirit more? Is there a better way, or is reading Your word the best way? I want to have a good connection with You.