In this portion My servant Paul writes that the believers have not received the spirit of the world but My Spirit in order that they might know of things which I have freely given to them. Therefore he declares that those things are not taught by human wisdom but by My Spirit. I want you to recognize the importance of these words for your growth, for your blessing.
Also that you may understand that the more you desire to know the things which I have freely given to you, the more you must turn from human wisdom to depend upon that wisdom which comes only through My Spirit and not at all from the world. When it is declared that you might know the things that I have freely given to those who believe, it does not mean just to have an intellectual knowledge about them, but it means rather that you will truly receive and experience those things. For you must ever be mindful that your inheritance is not in this world. As Paul declared that the wisdom of this world and of its rulers is passing away, but that which is yours from Me will never pass away. Also you must understand that you can never convince anyone who is bound to the wisdom of the world and to the natural mind of the truth and of the value of those things which I have freely given, for as My servant Paul writes here, they can never be grasped by human wisdom, for human wisdom regards them as foolishness. Did you not hear from the lips of one who just a few days ago declared that your heavenly hope is foolishness? Thus you must understand that not only can you know and experience those things that I have freely given to you who believe by My Spirit, but you are completely dependent upon Him to reveal them to the one who is at present dependent only upon the wisdom of this world. Because you, as it declares here, have the mind of My Son you are able to both receive and understand what only the mind of My Son can enable. But you must indeed desire them. And you know that the things of this world, its wisdom and its glory, do have an appeal which can draw you.
But it can only succeed in drawing you if you allow it. And you will allow it so long as you prize the wisdom of this world. And these always appeal to what you can see and feel and touch, and what you can imagine with your natural powers. But when you decide that though you cannot see and feel and touch and even imagine those things which I have freely given you, even as it declares here in My Word, but you choose to receive them, and the only way you can through My Spirit, then and only then will you prize them far above the things of this world. Then and only then will you see clearly how pitiful and how poor and how transient are the things which are prized by the world. And though you are utterly dependent upon the Spirit to reveal those things that I give you, your hearts will truly be convinced both to prize them and to wait for them.
In the course of serving Me among My people there will arise problems and questions for which there are no clear and specific commands or directions in My Word. But there will always be the necessity of depending upon My Holy Spirit for wisdom to guide in solutions for the problems and in answers to the questions. This is true whether or not there are clear commandments or directions in My Word. And you see here in this portion that My servant Paul, when giving his opinion, expresses to the believers at Corinth that he believes what he is giving to them as his opinion about the matters in question was guided by My Spirit. The basis for his confidence in the accuracy of his responses is not founded merely upon his position or rank as an apostle. There is no mere assertion of his authority expressed here upon that basis. But he appeals to them on the basis, first of all, that he has proven himself as a trustworthy guide and teacher. And secondly because he is confident that he has depended upon My Spirit for the wisdom to respond to their questions and problems. These must also be the basis upon which you or anyone who seeks to serve Me must operate, and especially as you deal with difficult problems for which there are no clear directions in My Word. But you see here that as Paul deals with these questions, he is always careful to emphasize what is clear in My Word, and to make sure that what he gives as his opinion also harmonizes with My Word and does not conflict with it in any way. You will recall that My servant Peter declared that there were things in the writings of My servant Paul, which were difficult to understand which ignorant, and untaught men twisted. And have you not seen here in this portion things, which are difficult for you to understand? And it is good for you to acknowledge, but it is also necessary for you not to draw conclusions about those matters, which are yet beyond your understanding. In doing this there is the danger of speaking out of the flesh rather than by the guidance of My Spirit. This may result then in the twisting of the scripture that My servant Peter wrote about. But be assured of this, that when you truly need to understand what is now unclear to you, that you can depend upon My Spirit to make it clear, otherwise be willing to admit that you do not understand and that you are willing to leave the matter in My hands. In this way and in the ways that I have pointed out to you concerning how Paul dealt with difficult matters for which there were no clear directions in My Word, you will handle My Word carefully, always depending upon My Spirit as the source of your wisdom and understanding.
And in doing this you will be able to serve Me effectively and to truly help My people in dealing with difficult problems. And there is one other important matter that is involved here, one that must be truly rooted in your hearts as it was in Paul’s heart. He was able truly to serve Me among My people because his motivation for doing so was rooted in his love for Me and his love for them. No amount of experience or natural cleverness can substitute for this genuine motivation of the heart.
You may wonder after all that I have given to you on this portion what more I have to say to you. But upon the matter of love, there is much more. I want to emphasize something that is very important for you to take to heart. Of all the gifts that I have given by My Spirit there is no gift that is so lacking in expression among My people as the gift of love. Even as you have noticed, the other gifts mentioned here are celebrated and prized greatly, while lip service is given to the importance of love. The practice and expression of it among My people falls far short of that which is declared in word. And you will recall that in which I have said before about love that I declared it is the costliest of all gifts to express.
And yet you know that it is the most enduring, even as it declares here, the most valuable and the gift, which best expresses My character and most glorifies Me. You have said many times that you want to love and that you prize love above all the other gifts. You have also said that you do not fully understand what is written here when My servant Paul describes the characteristics and the ways that love is manifested. I say to you that if indeed you will prize love and choose it above all other gifts, and if you continually value love within your hearts, that you will come to understand not merely in an intellectual way, but by experience those characteristics which you now declare that you do not understand. And surely as you consistently prize love in your hearts because you are motivated by it with the desire to glorify Me and to bless others, then you shall find more and more that your conduct and your attitudes are characterized by love, which you cannot accomplish merely by your own effort, by your own initiative, by human striving, but My Spirit will empower you to do. And though it will at times be very costly and painful, the prompting and enabling to love by My Spirit will give you great joy that will far outweigh any pain that you may experience. And you will find more and more that you are focused less upon yourselves, that you have an awareness of the delight that comes from pleasing Me, and also the deep satisfaction of blessing others. And when you do not receive human thanks or recognition for an expression of love but yet feel within your heart that delight and that satisfaction, you will know that the love you have expressed is really My love. That will be your reward, one that is far greater and more delightful than any human thanks or recognition. What I am saying to you today I am also declaring to many others who have ears to hear and hearts to receive. And I say to you as I say to them, this is what is in My heart. This is what I want to establish in greater measure among My people. And as you embrace My call to love in your hearts, you will fulfill what is supremely important to Me for you.
And you will find that no matter what other gifts you may express, that they will all be founded in love. And as My servant Paul wrote in another place, you being rooted and grounded in My love will thereby be able to grow up in all things into the likeness of My Son. And you will be able to contribute in the greatest possible measure that for which I have called you to My Kingdom.