1 Corinthians 14 - GNTD & MB

DALL·E 2024-10-16 11.46.48 - A black student sitting at a desk, focused and writing an exam in a quiet exam hall. The student looks calm and composed, with pens, pencils, and pape

Avoiding stress during exams is essential for maintaining focus, performing well, and staying healthy. Here’s a biblical, practical, and actionable guide to managing stress effectively during exam time:

1. Start with Prayer and Trust in God

Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Tip: Whenever you feel overwhelmed, pause and pray. Surrender your worries to God.

Action:

Start and end your study sessions with a short prayer.
Keep a prayer journal where you express your concerns and ask God for peace.

2. Stay Organized with a Study Plan

1 Corinthians 14:40 – “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
Tip: A well-organized study schedule prevents last-minute cramming and reduces stress.

Action:

Break your syllabus into manageable chunks, covering a little every day.
Use tools like a study timetable or to-do list to track progress.

3. Take Care of Your Body

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit… Therefore, honor God with your bodies.”
Tip: Eating well, exercising, and sleeping enough will help your brain function better.

Action:

Exercise: Take short walks or do light stretches between study sessions.
Sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night to improve concentration.
Eat Nutritious Foods: Include fruits, vegetables, and water to keep your energy up.

4. Take Breaks and Rest

Exodus 20:8-10 – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…”
Tip: Rest is essential to recharge your brain and avoid burnout.

Action:

Take 10-15 minute breaks every hour to relax your mind.
Set aside one day a week to rest and engage in something you enjoy.

5. Avoid Comparison with Others

Galatians 6:4 – “Each one should test their own actions… without comparing themselves to someone else.”
Tip: Comparing yourself with classmates can lead to unnecessary anxiety. Focus on your progress and efforts.

Action:

Remind yourself that your journey is unique, and God has a plan for you.
Celebrate small achievements along the way, like completing a topic or practice test.

6. Practice Deep Breathing and Relaxation Techniques

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Tip: When stress creeps in, breathe deeply and meditate on God’s presence.

Action:

Deep Breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds. Repeat several times.
Play soft, relaxing worship music while you study or during breaks.

7. Stay Positive and Speak Life Over Yourself

Proverbs 18:21 – “The tongue has the power of life and death…”
Tip: Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations rooted in Scripture.

Action:

Speak aloud Scriptures like: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Avoid saying things like “I will fail” or “This is too hard.” Instead, say, “I am prepared, and God is with me.”

8. Engage in Fellowship with Others

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one… If one falls down, the other can help him up.”
Tip: Talk to family, friends, or mentors when you feel overwhelmed.

Action:

Join a study group for encouragement.
Share your concerns with someone who can pray with you and provide guidance.

9. Limit Distractions and Focus on the Present

Matthew 6:34 – “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
Tip: Avoid worrying about the future or dwelling on past mistakes. Stay focused on what you can do today.

Action:

Set specific times to study without distractions from social media or phone notifications.
Tackle one subject or task at a time to avoid overwhelm.

10. Trust God with the Outcome

Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…”
Tip: After you’ve done your best, trust God to handle the rest.

Action:

After each exam, pray and thank God for the strength to finish.
Avoid overanalyzing your performance, trust that God’s plan is perfect.

Conclusion

Managing stress during exams is about trusting God, planning wisely, taking care of yourself, and staying focused on the present. Remember that success is not just about grades—it’s about learning, growing, and relying on God’s strength. Following this guide will help you stay calm, focused, and productive throughout the exam season. You’ve got this! God is with you every step of the way.

More about Gifts from the Spirit

1 It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God's message. 2 Those who speak in strange tongues do not speak to others but to God, because no one understands them. They are speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit. 3 But those who proclaim God's message speak to people and give them help, encouragement, and comfort. 4 Those who speak in strange tongues help only themselves, but those who proclaim God's message help the whole church.

5 I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God's message. For the person who proclaims God's message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues—unless there is someone present who can explain what is said, so that the whole church may be helped. 6 So when I come to you, my friends, what use will I be to you if I speak in strange tongues? Not a bit, unless I bring you some revelation from God or some knowledge or some inspired message or some teaching.

7 Take such lifeless musical instruments as the flute or the harp—how will anyone know the tune that is being played unless the notes are sounded distinctly? 8 And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle? 9 In the same way, how will anyone understand what you are talking about if your message given in strange tongues is not clear? Your words will vanish in the air! 10 There are many different languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 But if I do not know the language being spoken, those who use it will be foreigners to me and I will be a foreigner to them. 12 Since you are eager to have the gifts of the Spirit, you must try above everything else to make greater use of those which help to build up the church.

13 The person who speaks in strange tongues, then, must pray for the gift to explain what is said. 14 For if I pray in this way, my spirit prays indeed, but my mind has no part in it. 15 What should I do, then? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing also with my mind. 16 When you give thanks to God in spirit only, how can ordinary people taking part in the meeting say “Amen” to your prayer of thanksgiving? They have no way of knowing what you are saying. 17 Even if your prayer of thanks to God is quite good, other people are not helped at all.

18 I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. 19 But in church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues.

20 Do not be like children in your thinking, my friends; be children so far as evil is concerned, but be grown up in your thinking. 21 In the Scriptures it is written,

“By means of people speaking strange languages

I will speak to my people, says the Lord.

I will speak through lips of foreigners,

but even then my people will not listen to me.”

22 So then, the gift of speaking in strange tongues is proof for unbelievers, not for believers, while the gift of proclaiming God's message is proof for believers, not for unbelievers.

23 If, then, the whole church meets together and everyone starts speaking in strange tongues—and if some ordinary people or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you are all crazy? 24 But if everyone is proclaiming God's message when some unbelievers or ordinary people come in, they will be convinced of their sin by what they hear. They will be judged by all they hear, 25 their secret thoughts will be brought into the open, and they will bow down and worship God, confessing, “Truly God is here among you!”

Order in the Church

26 This is what I mean, my friends. When you meet for worship, one person has a hymn, another a teaching, another a revelation from God, another a message in strange tongues, and still another the explanation of what is said. Everything must be of help to the church. 27 If someone is going to speak in strange tongues, two or three at the most should speak, one after the other, and someone else must explain what is being said. 28 But if no one is there who can explain, then the one who speaks in strange tongues must be quiet and speak only to himself and to God. 29 Two or three who are given God's message should speak, while the others are to judge what they say. 30 But if someone sitting in the meeting receives a message from God, the one who is speaking should stop. 31 All of you may proclaim God's message, one by one, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 The gift of proclaiming God's message should be under the speaker's control, 33 because God does not want us to be in disorder but in harmony and peace.

As in all the churches of God's people, 34 the women should keep quiet in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak; as the Jewish Law says, they must not be in charge. 35 If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is a disgraceful thing for a woman to speak in a church meeting.

36 Or could it be that the word of God came from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it came? 37 If anyone supposes he is God's messenger or has a spiritual gift, he must realize that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38 But if he does not pay attention to this, pay no attention to him.

Tips to avoid stress during exams

Managing stress during exams is about trusting God, planning wisely, taking care of yourself, and staying focused on the present. Remember that success is not just about grades—it’s about learning, growing, and relying on God's strength. Following this guide will help you stay calm, focused, and productive throughout the exam season. You've got this! God is with you every step of the way.

39 So then, my friends, set your heart on proclaiming God's message, but do not forbid the speaking in strange tongues. 40

Everything must be done in a proper and orderly way.

Ŋgapäṛi ni Tori resi

1 Ŋgalu orivoya ni se ämäri ruutrine tana ro owo. Mì'ba ya amiro ŋgapäṛi Tori rota, para ndrana ŋgapäṛi ugu lazo Lu ro opero. 2 Nda se kabe kala to ata ka ko ata azii ri oko Lu ri, tana 'diaza eri ta ndaro ko. Nda ka ugu ta dämbidämbi taŋgyero atana mbara Tori rosi. 3 Oko nda se kabe lazo Lu ro ope ka ata lidri ri ago ka ànya opa, ago ka agoago ozo, ndi tai'dwero be ànyari. 4 Nda se kabe ata kala to si ka toto andivo ndaro opana, oko nda se kabe taope ka känisa cini Lu ro opana.

5 Male ndi ami cini ri kala to atane; oko ndrana male ämiri a'done ŋgapäṛi ugu lazo Lu ro opero be. Tana 'dise kabe lazo Lu ro opena kadona orivoya ndrani nda se kabe kala to ata ri, e'be gialo 'diaza orivoya loto se unina ndi tase nda kabe atana tazevona edrene, tana apa känisa Lu ro robe. 6 Ago ondro mikyite amire oko, ädrupii maro, mayena ami kado eŋwanye ondro mata gwo ämiri kala to siya? Mayena ami giṛiŋwana ko kado, e'be gialo mezina rulofo aza ni Lu resi ndi tauni aza be kode lazo ni Lu resi be kode ŋgaemba aza be lutu.

7 Miru ŋga azaka loŋgo oŋgoro adriako oso toro'ba kode kudi ronye te, inye'do 'diaza unina uwi o'binaro kode ovona ro eŋwanye e'be gialo uwi ovona ro ago o'bina ro yasi ya? 8 Ago ka'do ondro mano se kabe cekuṛe ovo kovo ovona läzi uzi ro ko kadoro, a'di ederuna ni kyila ta ya? 9 Kpa oso inye, a'di unina tase nyabe ugu tana atana ni ondro ka'do lazo se mipebe kala to si ka'do ko ŋbelero ya? Ata miro pereruna ṛo oli ya! 10 Kala toto amba orivoya 'bädri ya, caoko aza alo ànyaro ko teinye takaci ako. 11 Oko ondro kala se abe atana mäni takacina ko, 'dise kabe atana a'dona ṛo atra ro märi ago ma'dona ṛo atra ro ndäri. 12 Oko oso ami ṛote nja mio'ba be ŋgapäṛi Tori rota ono ronye, beṛo ämäri ojone ndrani ŋga cini drisi a'done ŋgapäṛi se kabe känisa o'ba ombane 'do be ndra.

13 Ka'do inye 'dise kabe ata kala to si, beṛo mätune ta ŋgapäṛi rota tase nda kabe tana atana tazevona edreza. 14 Tana ondro ma mätu oye liti ono yasi, tori maro ka mätu oye endaro, oko tauni drî maro ro usu ta ko kigye. 15 'Dooko beṛo märi e'di oyene ya? Märi mätune tori maro si, oko kpa märi mätune tauni drî maro rosi, märi loŋgo oŋgone tori maro si, oko kpa märi loŋgo oŋgone tauni drî maro rosi. 16 Ondro nyà aro'boya ozo Lu ri toto tori si, 'diawi se orivoya vo kalakoto roya unina mätu miro aro'boya oyero “Amen” na oyene eŋwanye ya? Nda ni tase nyabe ugu atana ko. 17 Endaro, mätu miro aro'boya oyero Lu ri ka'do gica kado oko, ye ŋgaopa aza kote alona 'di kinjo 'do ri.

18 Maye aro'boya Lu ri tana ma kala to ata ndrani ami drisi. 19 Oko kalakoto känisa roya malena ata nji se äni takacina be atane ayani, tana memba azii robe, ni märi ata kuturo kala to si atane ri.

20 Nyà'do ko oso ŋgàgaŋwai ronye tavousu ya, ädrupii maro, nyà'do orivoya ŋgagaŋwà ro takozi ri, oko nyà'do ombaombaro tavousu amiro ya. 21 Taegyi ya egyi tate ekye:

“Opi kani ata nonye ekye:

Matana 'da lidri maro ri

lidri se kabe ata kala to si,

ago kala atrai ro si si,

oko caoko lidri maro erina ta maro ko.”

22 Ka'do inye, ŋgapäṛi ugu ta ata ro kala to si taka'da yi taomaako'bai ri, ko taoma'bai ri, oko ŋgapäṛi ugu lazo Lu ro opero orivoya taka'da yi taoma'bai ri, ko taomaako'bai ri.

23 Ondro, ka'do, känisa cini kokotokalate voaloya ago 'dicini keto ugu ta ata gwo kala to si, ago ondro 'diazaka 'diawi yi kode taomaako'bai keciyi gwo, inye'do atanayi ko ekye ami cini orivoya amama yi ya? 24 Oko ondro 'dicini ka ugu lazo Lu ro opena ondro 'diaza taomaako kode 'diawi yi keci gwo, ulukuna nda 'da takozi ndaro ta tase cini nda kabe erina si. Apena vure ndaro 'da tase cini nda kabe erina si, 25 tavousu dämbidämbiro ndaro olofona 'da ŋbelero, ago nda ändina 'da vuru ago mätuna Lu 'da, ugu ta eṛo si ekye: “Endaro Lu orivoya noŋwa ami lako!”

Taoye Kado Känisa ya

26 Ono ni orivoya tase malebe atane owo, ädrupii maro. Ondro nyà te kalakoto ta mätu rota, 'diaza ka'do loŋgo be, aza ta ŋgaembaro be, aza ta taka'daro be ni Lu resi, aza lazo kala to robe, ago aza iro ta tazevoedrero ta tase atabe rota. Beṛo ŋga cini kwoi ri a'done ŋgaoparo känisa ya. 27 Ondro 'diaza koye ta atane kala to si, lidri ritu kode nätu kata ta ni oko ba alo alo azi vosi, ago beṛo 'dialo aza ri tase abe atana 'do tazevona edrene. 28 Oko ondro 'dise unina ndi tazevo edrene ka'do te i'do lau, 'dooko nda se kabe kala to ata 'do beṛo a'done titiro ago kata toto andivo ndaro ri ago Lu ri. 29 'Di ritu kode nätu se ozo lazo Lu ro be rigye beṛo taopene, ago azii ri tase ànya kabe atana vurena opene. 30 Oko ondro 'diaza se koribe kalakotovoya kusu lazo teni Lu resi, nda se aza kabe ugu taope 'do beṛo odrine. 31 Vo amiro cini ri lazo Lu ro opene, ba alo alo, tana 'dicini kuni ta robe ago ka'do robe agoago be. 32 Ŋgapäṛi ugu lazo Lu ro opero beṛo ritane taope'ba zele, 33 tana Lu e'be ama ko a'done patakayi ro oko a'done tadriole alo be ago a'done liatokpero.

Oso känisa cini lidri Lu ro roya ronye, 34 beṛo 'ditoko ri a'done titiro vo kalakoto roya. Ko ànya o'bane atane, oso Ota Yudai ro kabe ata ronye, anjioko beṛo ko ànyari a'done drikaca be. 35 Ondro ànya koleyite ta aza unine, beṛo ànyari àgo ànyaro ejine 'bäru. Orivoya driupiro 'ditoko ri atane kalakoto känisa roya.

36 Kode ata Lu ro unina ko efone ni ami resi ya? Kode ikyi toto ämiri? 37 Ondro 'diaza kusute ekye nda orivoya lazo'ba Lu ro kode ŋgapäṛi tori robe, beṛo ndäri unine anjioko tase ma ugu egyina be ämiri ono orivoya Ota Opi ro. 38 Oko ondro nda koga bi kote ta ono erine, migabi ko ta ndaro erine.

39 Ka'do inye, ädrupii maro, mi'ba ya amiro ugu lazo Lu ro opene, oko nyalaga ta ata kala to si ko. 40 Beṛo ŋga cini oyene kado ago ŋgyero.