In 1 Corinthians Paul is addressing a problem in the church where the congregation is out of order while speaking in tongues during the church assembly. The objective in studing this book is to understand the use of tongues in an assembly. The other reason is to understand the principle that govern the assembly of of the church.

To understand this passage one must disect it verse by verse 1-5 tell us something concerning the gift of utterence was wrong this error could bring reproach to the church so Paul intervine through the gift of prophesy to put the church in order. I think Paul new the gifts God gave him, and new it was his dutie to apply it to his service to God and his people.

The first thing Paul told the people is follow after charity, and desire spiritual gift, but rather that you prophesy. Charity here would mean CHARITY, n.
1. In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.
1 Cor. 8. Col. 3. 1 Tim 1.
The second key phrase is to desire spirtual gifts. I believe Paul made this statement because of the maganitude of the gifts to convict and empower one to live a rightious life before God, and to bestow love, good will, and kindness to fellow men that one may do kingdom building not tearing down.

"The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is God's way of empowering us to manifest his love to His Church and to cleanse us and make us Holy. We need therefore to acknowledge that love is necessary for the proper use of the
Gifts - faith works by love (Gal. 5:6). L love edifies others (1 Cor. 8:1) As
God has shown His love for you by giving you faith to believe in and trust in and cling to and rely on Jesus. Repent of anything that would hold you back from experiencing and walking in His fullness through the Baptism of the
Holy Spirit. Ask Him for it. Receive it. Freely it has been given to you - now freely give (Matt. 10:8). "
The third thing Paul mention is prophesy. I believe he said this because it is use by God to communicate to his people through his people. We are all vehicle, which can and may be used at any given time to support, comfort, edify, exhort Gods people.
i. Edification is “building up.” It is a construction term, and speaks our being “built up” in the Lord. A word of prophecy will build someone up, not tear him or her down. ii. Exhortation is encouragement. It is like the speech from the coach in the locker room, rallying the team to go out and perform as they have been trained to perform. A word of prophecy will encourage someone, not discourage him or her. iii. Comfort has the idea of not only consoling, but also strengthening. It doesn’t just cry with someone hurting, it puts its arms around them and strengthens them to carry the load. A word of prophecy will strengthen, not weaken someone.

To summarize these passages
Verses 6-19 with paying close attention to verse 6 and the example thereafter (7-19) Paul is telling Christians it is useless to speak in tongue and make a spectacle of oneself if no on understand what is being said; however if you interpret also it does everyone good. This is another reason one should desire spiritual gift not every one will receive the same gifts. So if one speak with tongues let he or she ask for the gift of interpretation.
The Bible point blank declares that tongues WILL be the sign given when one receives the Spirit of God. Joel said that when the day comes for God to pour out His Spirit, the recipients will prophecy. Peter said the events of the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) were the events spoken of by Joel. On that day of Pentecost, they were ALL filled with the Spirit and ALL spoke with tongues. Obviously, according to Peter's explanation, the "shall prophecy" was fulfilled by "spake with other tongues". Since the promise of the Spirit is not to a select few (i.e. "prophets") but to "all flesh" (that is, as Moses said in Numbers 11, that all God's people would have the Spirit), and since the Lord made an unqualified promise ("they shall prophecy") that is universal to all the recipients of the promise, and since the first batch of recipients of this promise (the Upper Room prayer group) were all filled, and all spoke in tongues, I must conclude that speaking with tongues is the New Testament meaning or fulfillment of Joel's promise about "prophesying". THEREFORE, since all who are God's are to receive the Spirit, and ALL are to "prophesy" (i.e. speak by inspiration), they also are ALL to speak in tongues. Most people who argue against tongues as the sign of Holy Ghost Baptism are people who have never experienced such a thing, and who for the life of them will not experience such a thing.
i. Revelation: Paul may be speaking of his own awareness that he was being uniquely inspired as an apostle. There may have been times when Paul knew, with apostolic authority, His words were directly and infallibly from God. ii. Knowledge: Paul may be speaking of his own knowledge, or by supernatural knowledge given by the Holy Spirit. Whichever, the knowledge would be communicated in the language common to all, so all could profit. iii. Prophesying: Paul knew he could speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, with a sense his thoughts and words were being guided and blessed by the Holy Spirit. iv. Teaching: Paul could also profit others by speaking to them from the Scriptures themselves, teaching them as was his pattern in the churches he founded (Acts 15:35, 18:11, 28:31)

This is why Paul encourage the church to have a personal relationship with God in he or she prayer life as he did, which is why he did not forbid it because it was there in one prayer closet he or she could be edified to continue in Gods ways through the holy spirit. I also believe these rules had to be in place for his return because this is Gods requirement for his perfect church not for a bunch of show offs looking for recognition in all the wrong places (people).
Verses (20-25) is design to convince unbelievers because improper use of tongues in an assembly is useless, and could bring reproach to the church.
Therefore Paul regulates the proper use of spiritual gifts in the assembly with a series of instructions, including commandments from the Lord about the place of women verses (26-40) in these verses Paul stipulated how one is to use the gifts with in the church and give instruction on what should take place and what should not including a woman position, while in an church assembly. However with that being said about women could be confusing to some. Although it is not said because women should not have position in the church or a voice it is said because of interruptions in the meeting. Women can some times be chatter boxes and just blurt things out during service, and some may be very opinionated and judgmental at times. I believe these are the instances Paul is referring to in his his passage of correction for the church body.
34-35) Women should not judge prophecy or disrupt meetings.
Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
a. Let your women keep silent in the churches: Paul has already assumed the right of women to pray or prophecy publicly (as stated in 1 Corinthians 11:1-16). Here, he probably is saying women do not have the right to judge prophecy, something restricted to the male leadership of the church.
i. Instead of judging prophecy, women should be submissive to what the leadership of the church judges regarding words of prophecy.
b. If they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home: In the ancient world, just as in some modern cultures, women and men sit in different groups at church. Among the Corinthian Christians, there seems to have been the problem of women chattering or disrupting the meetings with questions. Paul is saying, “Don’t disrupt the meeting. Ask your questions at home.”

a. Let two or three prophets speak: Even as tongues are to be regulated in meetings of the church, so is the gift of prophecy. The whole meeting should not be given over to prophecy, but only two or three should speak at any given meeting.
i. Though Paul is far more positive about the use of the gift of prophecy in church meetings than the use of the gift of tongues, he still believes prophecy should be regulated. The gifts of the Spirit are never to be made the focus of congregational life. Worship and the Word are the focus, and the gifts flow under God’s direction around the focus of worship and the Word.
Let the others judge: Even as prophets speak, others are to judge. No “word from the Lord” is to be received without careful consideration by the leadership of the church present at the meeting. As John said in 1 John 4:1, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
God would not have his people ignorant, and is not the author of confusion this is why he tell one to study to show thou self approved. He impart his wisdom and knowledge throughout his word for all to partake, and prophesy after prophesy has come to past. This is is one reason individual should not except just anything someone tell them in he or she spirit because it may be false prophesy or lies. For instance me personally do not allow people to deposit just any thing in my spirit. Let's say someone is bashing the pastor I will tell them quickly if you can't say anything good don't say it at all. I said this to say one is told as children of God we must know his spirit gossip is not the spirit of God so through revelation one can discern unrighteous spirits that come against the body of Christ and leadership through malice. That was and example of simple prophesy through wisdom that made the individual say don't talk to me about anything if it is not positive.
I could write more however I better stop because book was not part of the assignment.