1 Corinthians 12:1-3 

¹Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ²You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. ³Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Missionary

Many years ago, a missionary started a church. After few years, the church increased in number. Before the missionary transferred to his next mission point, he relegated the leadership of the church to a local pastor he had known for few years. Several years later, the local pastor left also, and the church was divided.

Sometimes God allows undesirable situations to teach us crucial lessons. Most often, we rely upon our expertise when we are familiar with our project. We forget to pray or don’t even pray. Is it not practical proof of submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and master of our life when we pray in every circumstance?

Is it enough to be saved after we prayed to accept Christ as Lord? Infants grow until they mature as responsible adults. Similarly, when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith, we’re born infants spiritually. We mature as responsible Christians when we follow biblical prescriptions for godliness.

Together, let us learn from a man after God’s own heart. Who’s he? David!

He did everything the Lord told him to do. David was victorious in all his battles.

1 Samuel 23:1-4 says, ¹When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” ²he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” ³But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!” ⁴Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”

Whenever David went to battle, he prayed to God. In principle, problems are battles we face. How can we win our battles? We ask God for wisdom, why? With godly wisdom, we interpret properly when God reveals practical steps we should take. If problem is about health, medical doctor can help. Medical doctors take care of their patients conscientiously, but some of them are just negligent.

Someone told that medical experts assumed that the patient had ordinary stomach pain. Few hours later the patient died; he suffered from deadly disease. Somehow, the pandemic made us aware that anyone could die anytime. It is not favorable to be ignorant. We want to be informed of what we can avoid.

What can we do to avoid the problem of division in the church of Corinth? They were ignorant of the Holy Spirit and followed their preferred leaders instead. And Apostle Paul wrote and informed them about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

1.  Informed

¹Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 

Biblical scholars suggest that the church in Corinth wanted to be informed about the Holy Spirit and also his works that are called gifts of the Holy Spirit.

When we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we receive his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in our hearts and assures that when our Lord Jesus Christ returns, he takes us into heaven, and we live with him forever and ever.

The gift of the Holy Spirit practically manifests his presence in our life; he helps us trust Christ as Lord much stronger, how? He inspires us to practice the prescriptions of the Lord; he reminds us of God’s promises, and when we are confused, he counsels and advises us. The work of the Holy Spirit are practical proves that we Jesus Christ has become Lord and Savior of our life eventually.

Together, let us reflect on what Christ had declared in John 14:26-27.

²⁶The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

When we desire to read the Scripture, meditate and memorize his words, it is the Holy Spirit at work in us. He inspires us to practically apply what we heard. He produces peace for us to be calm, tranquil and go placidly amidst the noise and haste in the world. When friends and people around us accumulate material things, we can be rattled and pressured to accumulate those material things also.

When relatives or church members buy new cars or electronic gadgets and publish on social media including their recent adventure in tourist spots, there is a sense of envy, and naturally, we wish to explore those experiences also.

But when the Holy Spirit is active in our hearts, he produces calmness in us to prioritize things with eternal significance. Do you sense peaceful calmness despite the noise and haste around? Make sure that the Holy Spirit lives in you.

Christ said, “Peace with I leave you; my peace I give you.” But his disciples were so scared after he was crucified and buried. Had they not received peace from Christ at that time, yet? Let us reflect on what it narrated in John 20:19-22:

¹⁹On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. ²¹Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²²And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

On the night before he was crucified, Jesus Christ said to them previously, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.” But after he’s buried, the disciples had no peace; they were afraid. Why? Well, after his resurrection, he appeared and breathed on them to receive the Holy Spirit. But while he was still with them, the Holy Spirit did not come to his disciple. The Holy Spirit came down and filled them only after Christ was taken into heaven, when? On the day of Pentecost!

The day of the Pentecost is the 50^th day after the Jewish Passover festival.

Jesus Christ and his disciples ate the Passover dinner; on the next day he was crucified, died and buried. After three days, he resurrected, appeared only to his disciples and stayed with them for 40 days before he was taken up into heaven approximately about 43 days after his last Passover meal with his disciples.

If Pentecost is 50^th day after the Passover, then the Holy Spirit came down to the disciples one week or 7 days after Christ was taken up into heaven, right?

Anyway, after the Holy Spirit came down and filled the disciples, they testified courageously about their personal experiences with Jesus Christ. How about us?

Can we personally sense courage to tell potential believers that after we trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, he transformed our life? Seriously pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Christ until you sense his presence and fruit in you. We must rely upon the Holy Spirit for us not to be influenced and led astray.

2.  Influenced

²You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 

The term “Pagan” pertains to ethnic people or Gentile nations who do not believe in the biblical God. Pagans create their false gods called idols from wood, stones, metals or clay. Since several pagans who have idols are rich, others are influenced to create, build or make their own idols. What are modern day idols?

Pagans pray to idols for safety; they believe that false gods could give them things they need. Idols made of stone, wood, metal or clay can do nothing. Idols cannot speak; false gods cannot hear anything. So it is foolishness to think that idols can provide for their need; idols cannot keep anyone safe and secure. It declares in Psalm 135:15-18, ¹⁵The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. ¹⁶They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. ¹⁷They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. ¹⁸Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Is it not madness to ignore such reality that idols cannot see, cannot hear and cannot speak? It’s not smart to worship idols, right? Well, those who worship idols manipulate their idols. Think about it for a while: Pagans build temples for their idols. And, they also carry idols and put their false gods in pedestal they built. So, if pagans can manipulate their idols, it’s foolish to worship idols.

Gideon

In the past, the Israelites were influenced, and they also worshipped Baal, the Canaanite god. Other nations invaded and destroyed their livelihood, and the Israelites cried to the Lord. An angel of Lord told Gideon that he was chosen by the Lord to save Israel from the hands of their enemies. He also instructed him, “Destroy the altar to Baal of your father and build a proper altar to the Lord.”

When the people of the town saw that the altar for Baal was destroyed, carefully they investigated and found out that Gideon did it. It narrated in Judges 6:30-31,

³⁰The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” ³¹But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.”

This event reminds when we visited in Asia a temple decorated with idols. The top most floor of the temple was not open to visitors. It was safely secured to prevent possible intruders or vandalism. An innocent child asked, “Why are they guarding their gods? Are not gods supposed to guard their people?”

False gods cannot keep anyone safe and secure; idols cannot grant any prayer. Pagans are influenced to make their false gods because they can’t hold, manipulate or see the One True God. No human eye can see the biblical Holy God. No one can carry the Almighty God. The Lord God cannot be manipulated.

But the Lord God Almighty can keep us safe and secure, if by faith we trust in him. Together, let us seriously reflect on what it declares in Psalm 91:9-11:

          ⁹If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, ¹⁰no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. ¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Sincerely pray that God gives you faith so that in all you ways, you trust him, his promises and the Scripture as prescription of God. Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspires trust that God does things for our good; he helps us also to practically apply the prescription of God in the Scripture.

Do you strongly trust that we can have access to generosity of God by faith in Christ? Faith in God is regenerative work of his Holy Spirit in us, and not just human assumption. The presence of the Holy Spirit inspires us to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Master; he inspires us also behave in godly righteousness.

3.  Inspired

³Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit inspires us genuinely trust and follow Jesus Christ be Lord and Master in all our ways. He also inspires to wait patiently for Christ to return and take us into heaven. He guarantees and assures us that we are children of God and live with him for all eternity; he removes any doubt, guilt or fault finding blame games and gives us joyful peace to gladly testify of the transformation he made in our life. The Holy Spirit warns us from dishonest notion about Christ.

Circumstances and events can confuse anybody. Anyone can be rattled.

In the Scripture, Christ prescribed practical steps we should take to find rest in him, and the Holy Spirit inspires us to experience rest that Christ promised.

No matter how strongly you believe it or just not yet, the Lord who gave the commandments to the Israelites is the same Lord who was born Jesus Christ.

Reflect on his command in Exodus 20:3-5, ³You shall have no other gods before me. ⁴You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.

Listen carefully: Whenever the prescription of the Lord warns, “You shall not” or forbids us, our human tendency is to do the opposite of it. The Lord says, “You shall have no other gods before me,” why? It’s our human inclination to have other gods before the Lord; it is our human instinct to make an image in the form of stone, wood, clay, metal or anything God created in heaven and on earth; It is human nature to bow down to idols or worship man-made false gods.

False gods don’t have life; idols cannot move. So, why is God jealous of idols or man-made false gods? God wants us to experience fullness of life; when we live and behave according to his prescription, we experience fullness of life.

As practical proof of trust in Christ, we prioritize him more than anything. When Christ is prioritized as Lord, idols are useless; false gods are insignificant to us.

 Internet

Anyone even Christians are influenced to surf the internet first for answers to problems: Solution of health concerns, guidance how to fix car; instructions to home repairs; advice for shiny hair; videos about cuisine, best places to visit or retire. What else? Tips about investments; hacks on productive gardening! And why not go to internet when it is also entertaining to learn from others, right?

Do you normally pray before touching the keyboards of your computer to search the internet? Do you normally pray before you open your phones to check you social media? When we do not pray before we search for solution of problem in the internet, is it considered that internet is prioritize before the Lord God?

Together, let us seriously reflect on what it declares in Ecclesiastes 5:19.

¹⁹When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

Do you trust that when we prioritize the Lord in all things we do, we can enjoy our wealth, possession including our work? How do we prioritize the Lord?

We always pray before doing anything, even in leisure or before internet search. The Lord can help us choose practical steps for betterment. We can improve better than what we have learn previously and praise God for wisdom he gave us, and we will be inspired to trust Christ as Lord of our life all the more. Amen!

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