Speaking of Speaking in Tongues

A young bible college student once wrote and told mehad not "received" the gift of tongues. So, we must
how the college she attends has been teaching thatask ourselves, in our desire for the gift of tongues,
"speaking in tongues" is the sole evidence that one iswhat is our REAL motivation?If you were being
filled with the Spirit and that no one WAS filled with theattacked by a bear, would you prefer a rifle or the gift
Spirit UNLESS they've spoken in tongues. Apparently,of tongues? Well, the gift of tongues is seemingly
that didn't sit well with her and she wanted mywidespread in the Western Church, but the fact that
opinion.Let me begin by stating that I'm well aware thatour house is in such disarray reveals that we could
not all subscribers to these eMail broadcasts prescribeuse the manifested FRUITS of the Spirit much more
to the belief that "tongues" are for today. The focus ofthan we need the GIFT of tongues right now. This is
this treatise is not to argue that point, one way or thecritical because Pentecostalism is currently the
other. Suffice it to say that I'm hoping we have all readfastest-growing segment of Christianity in the Western
(or WILL read) the Scriptures enough to recognize: (A)Church and its leadership must be keen to this lack of
what "speaking in tongues" is, and (B) that many in Thefruit. Jesus said, "By their fruits you will know them,"
Body of Christ, across denominational lines, make claim(Mat 7:16-20).Not "by their tongues."How do I know
that they have received this gift. In this eMinistry, I'veyou're a Christian? Because you SAY so? With that
heard from people of virtually all mainline denominationslogic, if you say you're a book because you stand in a
who've claimed to have received the gift of tongues,library, should I believe you? How do you know I'm a
several out of concern that they would beChristian? You don't. Saints, we will be known by our
excommunicated or disfellowshipped if they werefruit.Go ahead, judge me. Some gasp, "But we're not
ever found out.TONGUES IN THE BIBLEThe gift ofSUPPOSED to judge!" (There we go with the
tongues was apparently important enough that Godrule-keeping again!) Yes, I know... Scripture says, "Do
used this manifestation to "jump-start" the Churchnot judge, or you, too, will be judged... ." But the verse
(Acts 2). Logicallyspeaking, why would He havecontinues, "... for in the same way you judge others,
stopped there? Fact is, the gift of tongues isyou will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will
mentioned after Pentecost as well. Once again, nobe measured to you."In other words, if you evaluate
logical reason why they should have ceased, humanlymy lifestyle and perceive me to be evil, and even bring
speaking.Jesus made only one recorded reference toup the issue to others, you should only dare to do so
speaking in tongues. In Mark 16:17, speaking of all those(A) for my benefit; out of love for me, and (B) if you
who would follow as His disciples, He said, "In myare prepared to undergo the same scrutiny of your
name you will cast out devils, you will speak with newown life. Fact is, Scripture exhorts us repeatedly to
tongues... ." That's it? That's ALL He had to say?! Andjudge people and things (1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 11:15; Phil 3:2; 1
we make such a BIG deal of the issue! He spokeJn 4:1), and instructs us to "test everything" (1 Th
much more of Sonship and Discipleship than He spoke5:21).Enough about that. Point is, you'll know I'm a
of speaking in tongues. Strange how I rarely hearChristian when I exhibit the fruits of the Spirit listed in
people argue about the "casting out devils" part. Is itGalatians 5:22. Do I love unconditionally? Am I joyful, or
because too few are doing that ... even within thedoes my happiness rise and fall with my
tongue-talking camps?Just a thought.I see no biblicalcircumstances? Do I exhibit peace in the midst of
evidence that the dunamis (from whence we get ourstrife? Am I patient? Kind? Good to others? Filled with
word "dynamite") power of the early apostles wouldfaith in God? Gentle, practicing self-control?Personally, I
have been withdrawn from the Church before thewish we in the Church would speak in tongues all day
King returns. I personally cannot believe there's anyonelong. This might eliminate some of the back-stabbing,
who can scripturally prove, without a doubt, thatmurmuring, criticism and gossip that that is generated
speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism offrom that tiny part of our anatomy. It would be
the Holy Spirit. Neither do I believe there's anyone whoespecially useful in the car before and after church
can scripturally prove that this gift (or any other) hasmeetings, agreed? (That was today's attempt at
been eliminated from the Christian arsenal. I AM certainhumor.)THEY"LL KNOW WE'RE CHRISTIANS BY
that BOTH those Christians would argue all day aboutOUR...TONGUES?One final thought: Early on, I was
the subject. The promise, we must remember, wastaught that there is a natural example of everything
not "you shall receive tongues when the Holy Ghostthat takes place in the spiritual. This as proven to be
comes upon you." It was "you shall receivetrue time and time again. Well, since we are soldiers in
POWER!"Not tongues of fire.Not rushing, mightythe Lord's army, engaged in a spiritual war (Eph 6),
winds.POWER!Question: what miracles did thewouldn't it be wise to enlist a "secret code" language
apostles do AFTER Pentecost that they hadn't donefor use in prayer, in case the enemy was listening?
BEFORE? They were already healing the sick andAfter all, we're snared by the words of our mouths
casting out devils prior to the Upper Room experience.(Prov 6:2). Ridiculous? Tell it to the U.S. Marines!In World
Jesus said, "...you shall receive power when the HolyWar II, Navajo "code talkers" took part in every assault
Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses inthe Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the1945. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine
ends of the earth," (Acts 1:8).Witnesses? In Greek, theRaider battalions and Marine parachute units,
word is martyr. In essence: "You shall receive powertransmitting messages by telephone and radio in their
to lay your life down for the Kingdom's sake; for thenative language; a code the Japanese never broke.By
cause of Christ!" Did the power they received enablethe way, the idea to use Navajo for secure
these simple, unlearned men to raise the dead, preachcommunications came from a man named Philip
with convincing eloquence, endure torturous beatings,Johnston, son of a Christian missionary to the Navajos
forsake everything and everyone in which they hadand one of the few non-Navajos who spoke the
ever previously taken comfort, and write anointedlanguage fluently. As a result of his efforts, the Marines
epistles, too? Absolutely. It changed them. Any otherrecruited 200 Navajos which, throughout the war were
need for power, other than what is required forpraised for their skill, speed and accuracy. Major
Kingdom-building, focuses our attention squarely onHoward Connor declared, "Were it not for the
"self" and increases the danger of humanism raising itsNavajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo
ugly head amidst the things of God. There's alreadyJima." Connor had six Navajo code talkers working
too much of that. As I've stated in the past, Christianityaround the clock during the first two days of the battle.
isn't about US.SPIRIT OR FLESH?Back toThose six sent and received over 800 messages, all
tongue-talking, surely we know it can be faked. Let'swithout error. The Japanese, skilled code breakers,
consider that. I had an unchurched neighbor who waswere baffled by the Navajo language. Their chief of
mocking his Pentecostal wife one day and he soundedintelligence later said that while they were able to
... well, quite legitimate! But if we're going to appointdecipher the codes used by the U.S. Army and Army
anyone to judge whose tongues are "of the flesh" andAir Corps, they never cracked the code used by the
which are "of the Spirit," why not go all the way andMarines.Something to consider?Following are some
have those same appointed people whip out theirthings Jesus had to say regarding Sonship and
Flesh-O-Meters and determine who is singing,Discipleship. Notice, "speaking in tongues" is nowhere to
preaching, or even tithing in the church out of carnalitybe found. Let us stress what the Lord stressed and
as well?Selah.Not all tongues could possibly beeliminate the stress over the "tongues" issue.READ
legitimate. That's simply inconceivable. I've been'EM AND REAP!
exposed to enough foreign languages to know whenMat 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
I've heard "tongues" that had a distinct Spanish,be called sons of God"
German, African or American Indian flavor to them. I'veMat 5:44,45 "But I say to you, love your enemies and
heard those who were simply speaking a brokenpray for those who persecute you, so that you may
dialect of a second language they already possessed,be sons of your Father who is in Heaven; for he
having little to do with God's miraculous gift; they weremakes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and
merely praying in this second "tongue" of theirs. Nothingsends rain on the just and on the unjust."
wrong with that - I'm glad to see Christians pray at all,Mat 13:38 "...the field is the world, and the good seed
whenever. It just doesn't "classify" as legitimatemeans the sons of the Kingdom; the weeds are the
tongue-talking in most Pentecostal circles. Neither doessons of the evil one..."
the insertion of an occasional phrase in Spanish, etc. InMat 28:19-20 "Therefore, go, and make disciples of all
deliverance ministry, demonic tongues may be heardnations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
on occasion which most Pentecostals would envy. Butof the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
bear this in mind: one's desire for more of God MUSTobserve all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am
be commended, never ridiculed or scorned, realwith you always, even to the end of the age."
tongues or not! Such things are too often used as aJoh 8:31 "If you remain in My Word, then you are truly
source of contention and division in the Church.I couldMy disciples.
tell some of the most incredible stories of people whoJoh 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are My
spoke in tongues, were overheard, and understood, bydisciples, if you have love for one another."
someone nearby ... and it ministered to them. ToJoh 15:8 "In this is my Father glorified, that you bear
THEM, mind you ... to the people who overheard. That'smuch fruit; and so you will be My disciples."Need
terrific because this Kingdom is not about you and me.pastoral counseling and prayer? Write or IM me at
If we are sons of the house, our efforts should beEvery blessing!Michael
geared toward building the house, tending to the house,A servant of God
filling the house, expanding the house, guarding thet.e.a.m. ministries
house.GIFT OF TONGUES INA Message of Discipleship & Encouragement to the
CONTEXTUnderstanding Sonship in the Kingdom ofBody of Christ
God must be put within the context of StewardshipP.O. Box 633
and Servanthood. This brings us to the reality that weStephenville, Texas 76401
are witnesses (martyrs; serving unto death) to the
Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and not rulers. If itBLOG: Michael has been broadcasting his eMail
were all about US being made rulers, then the focus ofmessages of Discipleship and encouragement to
Christianity is all about us and what WE get when ifChristians of all denominations
we sign-on. Do we get tongues? Great! But wait ... ifsince 1999. These messages are literally reaching
tongues edifies no one but ourselves, there's no focusmillions each week and the messages are being
on making disciples, right? See, the gift of tongues,re-posted on other Christian sites,used as Bible studies
when legitimately manifested, is for the strengtheningfor groups, and are being used by those in ministry as
of one's self (1 Cor 14:4-5,12). It rarely, but not always,a preaching guide.Pastor Michael has been
does anything for anybody else, especially the waybroadcasting an e-Mail message of Discipleship &
we see it being demonstrated in most cases today.Encouragement to Chrsitians across the planet since
Sadly, I've seen tongues become a measuring stick of1999. Now reaching literally millions, these messages
one's spirituality, creating a "have vs. have-not" ungodlyhave forever touched countless lives as believers
caste system in the Church, inviting dissension into theeverywhere catch his vision of forwarding the
ranks. Even frustrating and discouraging those whomessage and write him to say so!