May 9, 2007

• The Colonel (cotaroba) has interviewed me with the following questions, so here goes! If you would like to be interviewed, just read the information that follows.
  

  1. Did speaking in tongues pass away with the apostles or is this something believers today could experience?

  Tongues is a spiritual gift and it did not pass away with the apostles. Why would Jesus give a gift that is so necessary for edification and then take it away a few years after His death? We need this gift even more today than before because of the state of the world. I speak in tongues, and know that I know that I know it is a gift from God. There are so many things regarding tongues that people need to know. First of all there are more than one kind of tongues, there are tongues for prophesy and there are also the personal, private prayer language of tongues for personal edification. Yes, there are rules for speaking in tongues, at times it is appropriate, at other times it is more beneficial to speak quietly in tongues under one’s breath.

  Here are some excerpts from Pastor Don’s Discipleship manual that might help with tongues. (pp 183-187)

  “God is Spirit and does the supernatural: therefore we must also learn the spirit things by getting out of the natural.”

  “We must understand that in Acts, Chapter 2, when the people are speaking, it is then that the Spirit gives utterance. Unfortunately many people have the wrong idea. They somehow think that the Holy Spirit will overpower them and force them to speak by speaking through them. Yet in Acts 2:4 we see that the Word says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” so we see that the Holy Spirit assists with the words and adds spiritual communications, but that the person is doing the speaking. Most people read that passage as, “the Spirit takes the people over and He (the Holy Spirit) is speaking.” Once people see that they speak and the Holy Spirit comes alongside and helps them,  then only yielded-ness is needed.

  Now, once all questions have been answered and biases addressed, they will know:
  *I do the speaking and the Holy Spirit will help me once I begin.
  *I build up my spirit supernaturally by speaking in Tongues.
  *It seems silly and makes no sense, but speaking to a God I can’t see makes no sense either–but both Tongues and speaking to an invisible God are in the Bible.
  *I will supernaturally get a blessing and open up the door to the deeper things of God.
  *I will have a greater sense of God within myself.

  Now, if that’s not enough reasons, then Paul the apostle, and all the other apostles did it (spoke in Tongues) and what power they had! So I must need it is well.

  “Remember, a prayer language is for all – for everyone, while a gift of Tongues with interpretation is a type of prophesy and is a spiritual gift, like discerning of spirits, Words of Wisdom, Words of Knowledge and working of miracles. It is only for some, at special times. (See 1 Cor. 12:5-11)

  Here are some verses to explore.

  Acts 1:4-8, note verses 13-15, 120 or more men and women present (not just the twelve.)
  Acts 2:1-21 and 38, 39 which shows the gift of the Holy Spirit, is for those afar off, namely us.
  Acts 6:3, seek men full of the Holy Spirit – a condition to be desired and maintained, yielding great power for laymen.
  Acts 7:48-51 We are not to resist the Holy Spirit even if our fathers may have.
  Acts 8:15-19 Simon had to see a physical manifestation in order to know that people received the Holy Spirit. Simon had to hear and see something very different from the ordinary mode of praise. Tongues and other manifestations occurred at the laying on of hands and prayer to receive the Holy Spirit.
  Acts 9:17-18 Saul, who becomes Paul, received the infilling of the Holy Spirit and then arose to be water baptized. (Note, he ‘arose’ in order to get water baptized.) How do we know Paul spoke in Tongues? 1 Cor. 14:18 tells us, “I thank God I speak with tongues more than all of you.”
  Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius, his relatives and friends (note–they are not apostles, nor are they Jews) pray, and the Holy Spirit shows up; they also spoke with Tongues in the presence of other Jewish brethren that also spoke with Tongues since the Day of Pentecost. This event is about 10 years after Pentecost and is for all believers.
  Acts 11:15-18 The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, infilling and evidence with Tongues is for all who believe on the Lord Jesus, “Who was I that I could withstand God” said Peter. Peter felt that to say who could and who couldn’t speak in Tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit was to play God. God has granted this to all along with repentance of sin to receive eternal life.
  Acts 19:3-6 belief and water baptism opens the door to receiving the Holy Spirit. In this passage, these “disciples” were water baptized, yet Paul says they are entitled to more under the New Covenant. Of, if only the whole church would open its eyes and hearts and be yielded, as these disciples were, to receive and not debate. Here they receive through the laying on of hands.
  1 Corinthians 2:10-14 spiritual things make no sense to man’s mind.
  1 Corinthians 12:4-11 there are gifts, ministries, activities and manifestations of all three as the Holy Spirit wills for our profit, individually and collectively
  1 Corinthians 14:2-4 Tongues in prayer and praise is for the individual not the group. We are speaking mysteries to God. Supernaturally, we get edified (built up spiritually).
  1 Corinthians 14:14 my spirit prays, intellect does not benefit. Verse 15 I do it anyway, I even sing in Tongues Verse 18 Paul talked and sang in Tongues all the time Verse 39 desire to edify (build up) everyone but don’t stop anyone (yourself included) from using tongues properly.
  Jude 1:19-20 “These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”

  So the questions left are are you ready to receive? Will you open your mouth and begin to speak as the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you more to say to Him? What’s the point of contact? A command, anointing with oil or water laying on of hands?

  That being said, Tongues can be spoken in error. Tongues are spoken first, than an interpretation is given. Believers, to impress other saints and sinners, often use Tongues for display, forgetting that the gift is given by the Spirit for the churches’ benefit and needs to be interpreted except when used as a prayer language. A loud chorus of Tongue prayers or praying in Tongues aloud in church can confuse and frighten nonbelievers and saints unlearned in this area (1 Cor 14:23)

  “A prayer language is for all saints and is an evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Signs, wonders, power, and a holy walk are also evidences of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We should pray in Tongues quietly edifying ourselves in the assembly, at work, in the car or anywhere that loud Tongues would cause confusion. In the absence of unbelievers or unlearned people, prayer in Tongues may be loud or quite as we feel led.

  Love is the goal.

  
  2. What do you think about heaven?

  As the song goes, I can only imagine. I am looking forward to heaven, and know that Jesus went to prepare a place for me. Pastor Don often says to contemplate what we might like in Heaven. I think for me I am looking forward to the home movies of events mentioned in the Bible. There are so many details I want to know about that aren’t covered in the few words of Scripture that we have. I look forward to sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him teach, and because we have no concept of what Heaven is, I am certain the words used to describe Heaven are to feed our limited imaginations, that Heaven is far grander than I can imagine and I expect to be very busy and very blessed and very joyous in Heaven.

  
  3. What three things should Christians never do?

  1. Christians should never not act in love (we do far too often not act in love, but Jesus said that we would be known by our love). 2. Think that anything we do or don’t do can make God love us any more or any less. God loves us, He loved us while we were still sinners, and He loves us now and will continue to love us. No works on our part will change how He thinks about us. 3. Turn the freedom Jesus sacrificed Himself to provide for us into legalism, into rules and laws that quench the spirit, to cause us to judge others or lay undo burdens on those who have come to Christ.

  
  4. Jesus went to the cross for the joy set before Him, what was that joy and do you share it?

  I think that Jesus knew that our relationship with God was the Joy that He went to the cross for – so He sacrificed Himself to bring us back into right relationship with God, and yes, because of what Jesus did I do share that. And I try to share that love of God with others as well.

  
  5. How do you define abundant life?

  Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

  I think that the more we follow Jesus in our lives, and the more we have of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, the more we will consider ourselves to have an abundant life. It is not just finances, but it is a fullness that can only come through God.

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  Now it’s your turn to play if you wish!
  
  Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions, and I will message or comment you with them and these directions. Just update your blog with the answers to the questions and include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

  Heather

  • 11:57 am
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