Daily Reading: 5-17-16
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 New Living Translation (NLT)
God is a Giver! In fact, God is a Generous (with a capital G) Giver of all that is Good! We have been given God’s Spirit in order to recognize and see the many other good spiritual things He has given us. Think about it. God has given us good gifts in abundance, but we may only recognize them through the work of the Spirit. The Spirit is the One who opens the spiritual eyes of humans, so we may see the hand of God—our Giver. Therefore, if we want to see and know spiritual things or understand God’s thoughts and purposes for our lives, we need to welcome the work of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:12-16
12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
According to Acts 2:33, Jesus (the Word) received the Spirit from the Father and we are to let that same Spirit live in us. The work of the Spirit through Jesus made him powerful as he went about doing good. Therefore, Jesus is the Truth of God’s goodness revealed and lived out in the Spirit. From understanding Truth, we can recognize and receive God’s goodness and His provision for us with abundant praise. God is a Giver! We can now be Givers!
Prayer: Father, thank You for the many blessings You help me to recognize each day. I see Your hand working in my behalf and I know you love me. Continue to open my eyes, Holy Spirit, so I may see the Truth of Your heart and ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.