ECWA

SATURDAY, 25 MAY 2024
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 14:1-12
TOPIC: THE GIFT OF PROPHECY AND SPEAKING IN TONGUES (I)

These two gifts can be very sensational and captivating to the beneficiary who can claim to be speaking mysteries from God to the church. Sadly, each of these has been abused and misused in the Church, thereby causing divisions among believers.

God set apart the prophets in the Old Testament to represent Him before His people by instructing, warning, exhorting and presenting promises and rebuking the listeners toward living holy and obedient lives.

In the New Testament, Paul's emphasis on these gifts is the delivery of God's Word for the purpose of building and edifying the members of the Corinthian church. Thus, the gift of prophecy today is not meant to bring a new revelation because the Bible is already complete.

Paul declared that anyone claiming to have the gift of speaking in tongues must interpret it for the edification of members just as the prophet is called to explain the Word of God for the spiritual nourishment of believers, otherwise he should just keep quiet.

QUESTION:
Do you prophesy in accordance with Biblical prescriptions?

PRAYER:
Dear Lord, help me to recognise false prophets and those who deceive Your children with fake gifts of speaking in tongues, in Jesus name. Amen.

Food for the Day - 2024

FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2024
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 13:1-13
TOPIC: WITHOUT LOVE, ALL IS A WASTE

The Corinthian church had members who had different spiritual gifts. But those who were gifted for miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecy healing, etc, thought they were better than the others.

These are still being held in higher esteem than those endowed with the gifts that build and strengthen the church such as teaching, wisdom, faith, discernment, helping the needy, administration, etc. But the moment there is no agreement about the way we view these gifts, love cannot operate.

Paul challenged the Corinthian believers to note that a believer's spiritual gift is useless and profits no one when it is administered for selfish and personal gain.

Many 21st century believers' claim to supernatural spiritual gifts are false and expressions of demonic powers that are used for making money.

A true child of God accepts their spiritual giftedness with humility and total commitment to using them for the common good on members of the body of Christ, irrespective of denomination.

QUESTION:
What motivates you into using your spiritual gifts?

PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, help me to recognize that my gifts are meant to be used to serve You and to add value to the world, in Jesus name. Amen.

Food for the Day - 2024

WEDNESDAY, 22 MAY 2024
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 12:1-11
TOPIC: SPECIAL GIFTS TO EVERY BELIEVER

Spiritual gifts are meant to unite the Church and provide us with tools to serve one another and reach out to the world with the message of the gospel.

Unfortunately, those gifts that appear to be 'sensational' are given more preference over the others that seem to be 'muted' and 'salient'. But we must understand that, first, all of these gifts are from the Holy Spirit.

This means that no human being has monopoly over any or all of the spiritual gifts.
Second, God works through those endowed with these gifts to achieve His purpose on earth.

Third, every gift is allotted for the common good of all and not for personal gains or for making money as is common among many so-called miracle workers today.
Lastly, these gifts are not based on request. It is the Holy Spirit that determines who gets what.

Therefore, what I do with my spiritual gift must be accounted for when I finally meet God in eternity.

QUESTION:
Do you know the nature of your spiritual gift and how have you been using it?

PRAYER:
O Lord, give me the grace, strength and wisdom not to be conceited about my spiritual gift, in Jesus name. Amen.

Food for the Day - 2024

TUESDAY, 21 MAY 2024
TEXT: I CORINTHIANS 11:17-34
TOPIC: HOW TO TAKE THE HOLY COMMUNION

The Holy Communion, otherwise referred to as the Lord's Supper, was instituted by the Lord Himself to serve as a reminder of the salvation we have in Him. It also points to our future hope of living with Him in His Kingdom - of which we are already a part today.

The early Church used the period of the Holy Communion for table fellowship, like a love feast where the wealthy, poor and needy came together with their meals from their homes and ate together as one big family.

Unfortunately, some of the Corinthian believers mistook that love feast to be an opportunity to display their greed, divisive tendencies and disdain for the poor and needy.

We must use the Holy Communion to demonstrate our relationship with one another as members of one body whose head is Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Holy Communion.

Failure to follow this injunction will make our worship during the Holy Communion an empty religious ritual full of hypocrisy that cannot attract God's blessings.

QUESTION:
Do you still take the Holy Communion with the negative attitudes of some members of the Corinthian church?

PRAYER:
O Lord, remove all vestiges of greed and arrogance in me as I approach You at the communion table, in Jesus name. Amen.

Food for the Day - 2024