MAY 9

1 Corinthians 2:1-16
Memorise 1 Corinthians 2:12
“Now we have received,…the spirit which is of God…”

We are indeed very blessed to have wonderful preachers of the Word in our churches. I have personally benefited a great deal learning from them. My pastor has made the Bible so exciting that I have loved it more and more over the years. I have studied the Bible with many resources to help me, but I find that my pastor’s interpretation of the Bible is often better than any of the commentaries I have consulted.

I have often listened to his expositions and asked myself, “Why can he see things that we can’t?” – has he studied harder than us? (yes, of course) – is he smarter than us? (he denies it!) – does he have any special formulae, any secrets? (he says - no!) So, I asked him directly one day. He seemed genuinely puzzled for a moment, and was at a loss for words. Finally, he said, “It must be the Holy Spirit”. I thought about it for a while, and I concluded that “Yes, he’s right”.

The classic passage on why we need the Holy Spirit to understand the Bible is in 1 Corinthians 2. How did Paul preach? Here we read, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor 2:4).

How do people come to understand God’s truth in such a profound way? “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:11). It is truly only by the Spirit alone that Paul was able to interpret and preach the words of Scripture in such a powerful and effective way.

Can you also remember the encounter of two disciples with our Lord on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection? They were still at a loss as to the meaning of all the recent events. Our Lord opened their eyes! “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). The two disciples only had Jesus for a few hours to teach them. But we have the Spirit of God with us always as our teacher!

Read, Pray and Grow! Not in your own wisdom, but through the Holy Spirit’s instruction and guidance.

Thought: If we do not pray and ask for the Spirit’s guidance, how can we receive?
Prayer: Open my eyes that I may see, glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.