1 Corinthians 14

http://www.esvbible.org/1+Corinthians+14/

Paul says that we should all pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, but to especially seek the gift of interpreting what God has said. If people speak in tongues, it is usually a personal way of connecting to God. That can be a very good thing, but it won't help better the church. People who can speak the word of God to the church, and people who can interpret tongues, are the best at helping advance the church. Paul says he hopes everyone can experience speaking in tongues because it is a great way of connecting to God (according to Paul. I personally have never experienced this, but it sounds cool!), but even more so, he hopes that we all can speak God's will to people to help advance the church. Paul compares speaking in tongues to an instrument that plays only the same note over and over again. No one will know what tune is being played. In the same way, if someone speaks in a language unknown to those around him, no one will know what to make of it. Paul uses this as an example that when we receive our spiritual gifts, we should find the way to excel at them. People are much more responsive to excellence backed by character. That is how we should lead our lives. We should no lead with, "I'm a Christian. I art holier than thou!" If we lead with excellence backed by character, then people will be much more responsive to talking about faith. Paul says to make the most of speaking tongues, we must pray with our minds as well as our spirits. You could say the best prayer in the world in tongues by praying with just the spirit, but then no one would understand it or gain anything from it. Paul says he would rather speak five words that make sense to those around him than ten thousand that don't. Paul quotes the Bible when the Lord says that He will speak to those who speak in tongues, but they will not listen, so we must all be careful to listen to what the Lord says. Paul says that speaking in tongues is a sign for the unbelievers, not believers, and prophecy is for the believers, not the unbelievers. We must first see that when we gather as believers, we talk about where the church is going, and we use tongues as a sign of God.

I don't know what to make of the second half of this chapter...