Daily Scripture Threshing for Friday, January 20, 2023
Today’s Text: 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 2:4 (KJV): “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
As lover of books, I like to pick as many books even if it’s simply for the love of the title. A year before the pandemic, I was in Detroit airport when I came across a book titled How to Sell without Selling Your Soul. The book is premised on the fact that life is all about buying and selling; and that one way and time, or the other, we all sell some sort of things. For instance, if a creative professional wants to succeed, he must learn to sell to the real world. A freelancer must learn to sell to clients; an entrepreneur to customers; an employee to different levels of people—the interview panel, his boss, his colleagues, and to company’s clients or customers. An artist needs the ability to persuade people to look at his art, or come to his show, publish his work, review it, tell their friends and family about it, and of course, to, most importantly, buy it.
As a graphic, video and web artist, I am so aware of my need to be persuasive in my creations so that people would always return to my work. But as a teacher of the word of God, I have had to ask myself if the same goes for a believer in Christ or even true for me as a preacher of the gospel! Is the gospel about marketing God’s kingdom on earth? Or, is it about selling our services, ideas, ministries and persons? Certainly not! In today’s text, Paul was concerned about how the cross of Christ would not be emptied of its power while he resorts to the use of persuasive words. Many have sold their souls to Satan by trying to make merchandise of the gospel. No! Christ did not send us to do that. He did not send us to preach the gospel with human or devilish words, ways or wisdom. He does not need our oration to appeal to the natural or spiritual appetite of our hearers. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts and convinces men. So, none of us needs to sell his soul to the devil to market the gospel. No! Promoting the gospel truth is never the result of our efforts, art, or skill. Yes, we must do the work of He that sent us; but the power, wisdom and results always come from His Spirit and power alone. And, of course, it is for the same reason that we cannot glory in ourselves, but in the power of Jesus Christ, who also is our message, motif, and means. So, you can succeed without selling your soul in the process.
Quote for the Day: “If preaching the gospel were a spiritual market square, the preacher will have to learn that the cost to pay when you yield to the temptation of selling at any cost is more than profit and loss; it is fatal and eternal.” (Simon Olatunji)
Prayer: Dear Lord, I thank You for Your word today. I renew my commitment to Yiur word of truth, and to the wisdom, power and presence of Your Holy Spirit. Please quiet my heart and still my soul in the majesty of Your presence to trust You alone for all things— in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.
I invite you to join our Power Night today from 9PM CST or 4AM NGR. With all my love and prayers,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.
Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)
For further inquiry and free spiritual help, visit or write:
The Darling Pastor,
2321 S Belt Line Rd., Suite 144,
Grand Prairie TX 75051 USA
+1 (407) 360-8280; (817) 822-8441
[Daily Scripture Threshing is a devotional guide of The House of Prayer Evangel Church USA distributed for free use by individuals, small groups, families, and Christian churches]
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