The purpose of Scripture is to help us know God and be more like Him (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Transformation is often easier said than done, however. When we come to challenging passages as we read in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, we often want to fill the understanding gap with our ideas or the interpretations of our culture rather than sit with the text and allow it to transform us. Upon further digging, we see that Paul wasn’t just speaking about gender roles to subjugate women. He reinforced the truth of God’s design for unity, interdependence, order, and value for everyone in His Kingdom. Unfortunately, this verse has been extracted from the other verses that provide the context for God's beautiful blessing for us.

Communion may seem like another religious ritual that means little. Some churches observe it every week, while others observe it only occasionally. However, the Bible clearly states that regardless of how and whenever we observe communion, we should do so with the honor, faith, and power it actually holds. “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus said (Luke 22:19).

What does this have to do with condemnation? When you observe communion thoughtfully and rightfully, you realize that for those who are in Christ, who have received that free gift of salvation, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). Sin brings death (Romans 6:23), and as humans, we are prone to suffer under the burden of that sentence for our sins because satan loves to remind us of our failures and take advantage of our current failures. When we come to the Lord’s table, we can stand on the power of the new covenant (Luke 22:20), which has secured our adoption as sons and daughters once and for all. Communion not only reminds us of what Jesus has accomplished for us, but it also reminds us that He intercedes on our behalf for the Father (Hebrews 7:25). Suffice it to say communion holds more importance for us than we often realize.

Scan the tabloids at your local grocery store check-out line, and you’ll see a litany of “prophecies” about future events. Biblical prophecy, however, is much different. Sure, there were times when there was a foretelling of future events, but practical prophecy is simply telling the truth of God for the benefit of others. Biblical prophecy is aligned with Scripture, founded on love, and yielded to the Holy Spirit. It is not something that we can produce on our own. It inspires the Spirit of God within us, and brings encouragement, correction, or comfort to someone else. It’s an incredible opportunity to be part of the Lord speaking through us, and fear of getting it wrong shouldn’t hold us back from pursuing prophecy.