| A young bible college student once wrote and told me | | | | had not "received" the gift of tongues. So, we must |
| how the college she attends has been teaching that | | | | ask ourselves, in our desire for the gift of tongues, |
| "speaking in tongues" is the sole evidence that one is | | | | what is our REAL motivation?If you were being |
| filled with the Spirit and that no one WAS filled with the | | | | attacked 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 my | | | | widespread in the Western Church, but the fact that |
| opinion.Let me begin by stating that I'm well aware that | | | | our house is in such disarray reveals that we could |
| not all subscribers to these eMail broadcasts prescribe | | | | use the manifested FRUITS of the Spirit much more |
| to the belief that "tongues" are for today. The focus of | | | | than we need the GIFT of tongues right now. This is |
| this treatise is not to argue that point, one way or the | | | | critical because Pentecostalism is currently the |
| other. Suffice it to say that I'm hoping we have all read | | | | fastest-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 The | | | | fruit. 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've | | | | you're a Christian? Because you SAY so? With that |
| heard from people of virtually all mainline denominations | | | | logic, 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 be | | | | Christian? You don't. Saints, we will be known by our |
| excommunicated or disfellowshipped if they were | | | | fruit.Go ahead, judge me. Some gasp, "But we're not |
| ever found out.TONGUES IN THE BIBLEThe gift of | | | | SUPPOSED to judge!" (There we go with the |
| tongues was apparently important enough that God | | | | rule-keeping again!) Yes, I know... Scripture says, "Do |
| used this manifestation to "jump-start" the Church | | | | not judge, or you, too, will be judged... ." But the verse |
| (Acts 2). Logicallyspeaking, why would He have | | | | continues, "... for in the same way you judge others, |
| stopped there? Fact is, the gift of tongues is | | | | you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will |
| mentioned after Pentecost as well. Once again, no | | | | be measured to you."In other words, if you evaluate |
| logical reason why they should have ceased, humanly | | | | my lifestyle and perceive me to be evil, and even bring |
| speaking.Jesus made only one recorded reference to | | | | up 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 my | | | | are prepared to undergo the same scrutiny of your |
| name you will cast out devils, you will speak with new | | | | own life. Fact is, Scripture exhorts us repeatedly to |
| tongues... ." That's it? That's ALL He had to say?! And | | | | judge 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 spoke | | | | Jn 4:1), and instructs us to "test everything" (1 Th |
| much more of Sonship and Discipleship than He spoke | | | | 5:21).Enough about that. Point is, you'll know I'm a |
| of speaking in tongues. Strange how I rarely hear | | | | Christian when I exhibit the fruits of the Spirit listed in |
| people argue about the "casting out devils" part. Is it | | | | Galatians 5:22. Do I love unconditionally? Am I joyful, or |
| because too few are doing that ... even within the | | | | does my happiness rise and fall with my |
| tongue-talking camps?Just a thought.I see no biblical | | | | circumstances? Do I exhibit peace in the midst of |
| evidence that the dunamis (from whence we get our | | | | strife? Am I patient? Kind? Good to others? Filled with |
| word "dynamite") power of the early apostles would | | | | faith in God? Gentle, practicing self-control?Personally, I |
| have been withdrawn from the Church before the | | | | wish we in the Church would speak in tongues all day |
| King returns. I personally cannot believe there's anyone | | | | long. This might eliminate some of the back-stabbing, |
| who can scripturally prove, without a doubt, that | | | | murmuring, criticism and gossip that that is generated |
| speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of | | | | from that tiny part of our anatomy. It would be |
| the Holy Spirit. Neither do I believe there's anyone who | | | | especially useful in the car before and after church |
| can scripturally prove that this gift (or any other) has | | | | meetings, agreed? (That was today's attempt at |
| been eliminated from the Christian arsenal. I AM certain | | | | humor.)THEY"LL KNOW WE'RE CHRISTIANS BY |
| that BOTH those Christians would argue all day about | | | | OUR...TONGUES?One final thought: Early on, I was |
| the subject. The promise, we must remember, was | | | | taught that there is a natural example of everything |
| not "you shall receive tongues when the Holy Ghost | | | | that takes place in the spiritual. This as proven to be |
| comes upon you." It was "you shall receive | | | | true time and time again. Well, since we are soldiers in |
| POWER!"Not tongues of fire.Not rushing, mighty | | | | the Lord's army, engaged in a spiritual war (Eph 6), |
| winds.POWER!Question: what miracles did the | | | | wouldn't it be wise to enlist a "secret code" language |
| apostles do AFTER Pentecost that they hadn't done | | | | for use in prayer, in case the enemy was listening? |
| BEFORE? They were already healing the sick and | | | | After 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 Holy | | | | War II, Navajo "code talkers" took part in every assault |
| Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses in | | | | the Marines conducted in the Pacific from 1942 to |
| Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the | | | | 1945. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine |
| ends of the earth," (Acts 1:8).Witnesses? In Greek, the | | | | Raider battalions and Marine parachute units, |
| word is martyr. In essence: "You shall receive power | | | | transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their |
| to lay your life down for the Kingdom's sake; for the | | | | native language; a code the Japanese never broke.By |
| cause of Christ!" Did the power they received enable | | | | the way, the idea to use Navajo for secure |
| these simple, unlearned men to raise the dead, preach | | | | communications 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 had | | | | and one of the few non-Navajos who spoke the |
| ever previously taken comfort, and write anointed | | | | language fluently. As a result of his efforts, the Marines |
| epistles, too? Absolutely. It changed them. Any other | | | | recruited 200 Navajos which, throughout the war were |
| need for power, other than what is required for | | | | praised for their skill, speed and accuracy. Major |
| Kingdom-building, focuses our attention squarely on | | | | Howard Connor declared, "Were it not for the |
| "self" and increases the danger of humanism raising its | | | | Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo |
| ugly head amidst the things of God. There's already | | | | Jima." Connor had six Navajo code talkers working |
| too much of that. As I've stated in the past, Christianity | | | | around the clock during the first two days of the battle. |
| isn't about US.SPIRIT OR FLESH?Back to | | | | Those six sent and received over 800 messages, all |
| tongue-talking, surely we know it can be faked. Let's | | | | without error. The Japanese, skilled code breakers, |
| consider that. I had an unchurched neighbor who was | | | | were baffled by the Navajo language. Their chief of |
| mocking his Pentecostal wife one day and he sounded | | | | intelligence later said that while they were able to |
| ... well, quite legitimate! But if we're going to appoint | | | | decipher the codes used by the U.S. Army and Army |
| anyone to judge whose tongues are "of the flesh" and | | | | Air Corps, they never cracked the code used by the |
| which are "of the Spirit," why not go all the way and | | | | Marines.Something to consider?Following are some |
| have those same appointed people whip out their | | | | things 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 carnality | | | | be found. Let us stress what the Lord stressed and |
| as well?Selah.Not all tongues could possibly be | | | | eliminate 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 when | | | | Mat 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've | | | | Mat 5:44,45 "But I say to you, love your enemies and |
| heard those who were simply speaking a broken | | | | pray 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 were | | | | makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and |
| merely praying in this second "tongue" of theirs. Nothing | | | | sends 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 legitimate | | | | means the sons of the Kingdom; the weeds are the |
| tongue-talking in most Pentecostal circles. Neither does | | | | sons of the evil one..." |
| the insertion of an occasional phrase in Spanish, etc. In | | | | Mat 28:19-20 "Therefore, go, and make disciples of all |
| deliverance ministry, demonic tongues may be heard | | | | nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and |
| on occasion which most Pentecostals would envy. But | | | | of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to |
| bear this in mind: one's desire for more of God MUST | | | | observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am |
| be commended, never ridiculed or scorned, real | | | | with you always, even to the end of the age." |
| tongues or not! Such things are too often used as a | | | | Joh 8:31 "If you remain in My Word, then you are truly |
| source of contention and division in the Church.I could | | | | My disciples. |
| tell some of the most incredible stories of people who | | | | Joh 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are My |
| spoke in tongues, were overheard, and understood, by | | | | disciples, if you have love for one another." |
| someone nearby ... and it ministered to them. To | | | | Joh 15:8 "In this is my Father glorified, that you bear |
| THEM, mind you ... to the people who overheard. That's | | | | much 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 be | | | | Every blessing!Michael |
| geared toward building the house, tending to the house, | | | | A servant of God |
| filling the house, expanding the house, guarding the | | | | t.e.a.m. ministries |
| house.GIFT OF TONGUES IN | | | | A Message of Discipleship & Encouragement to the |
| CONTEXTUnderstanding Sonship in the Kingdom of | | | | Body of Christ |
| God must be put within the context of Stewardship | | | | P.O. Box 633 |
| and Servanthood. This brings us to the reality that we | | | | Stephenville, Texas 76401 |
| are witnesses (martyrs; serving unto death) to the | | | | |
| Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and not rulers. If it | | | | BLOG: Michael has been broadcasting his eMail |
| were all about US being made rulers, then the focus of | | | | messages of Discipleship and encouragement to |
| Christianity is all about us and what WE get when if | | | | Christians of all denominations |
| we sign-on. Do we get tongues? Great! But wait ... if | | | | since 1999. These messages are literally reaching |
| tongues edifies no one but ourselves, there's no focus | | | | millions 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 strengthening | | | | for 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 way | | | | broadcasting 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 of | | | | 1999. Now reaching literally millions, these messages |
| one's spirituality, creating a "have vs. have-not" ungodly | | | | have forever touched countless lives as believers |
| caste system in the Church, inviting dissension into the | | | | everywhere catch his vision of forwarding the |
| ranks. Even frustrating and discouraging those who | | | | message and write him to say so! |