| A young bible college student once wrote
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| | discouraging those who had not "received"
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| and told me how the college she attends
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| | the gift of tongues. So, we must ask
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| has been teaching that "speaking in
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| | ourselves, in our desire for the gift of
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| tongues" is the sole evidence that one is
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| | tongues, what is our REAL motivation?If
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| filled with the Spirit and that no one
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| | you were being attacked by a bear, would
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| WAS filled with the Spirit UNLESS they've
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| | you prefer a rifle or the gift of
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| spoken in tongues. Apparently, that
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| | tongues? Well, the gift of tongues is
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| didn't sit well with her and she wanted
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| | seemingly widespread in the Western
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| my opinion.Let me begin by stating that
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| | Church, but the fact that our house is in
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| I'm well aware that not all subscribers
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| | such disarray reveals that we could use
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| to these eMail broadcasts prescribe to
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| | the manifested FRUITS of the Spirit much
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| the belief that "tongues" are for today.
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| | more than we need the GIFT of tongues
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| The focus of this treatise is not to
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| | right now. This is critical because
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| argue that point, one way or the other.
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| | Pentecostalism is currently the
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| Suffice it to say that I'm hoping we have
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| | fastest-growing segment of Christianity
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| all read (or WILL read) the Scriptures
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| | in the Western Church and its leadership
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| enough to recognize: (A) what "speaking
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| | must be keen to this lack of fruit. Jesus
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| in tongues" is, and (B) that many in The
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| | said, "By their fruits you will know
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| Body of Christ, across denominational
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| | them," (Mat 7:16-20).Not "by their
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| lines, make claim that they have received
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| | tongues."How do I know you're a
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| this gift. In this eMinistry, I've heard
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| | Christian? Because you SAY so? With that
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| from people of virtually all mainline
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| | logic, if you say you're a book because
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| denominations who've claimed to have
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| | you stand in a library, should I believe
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| received the gift of tongues, several out
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| | you? How do you know I'm a Christian?
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| of concern that they would be
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| | You don't. Saints, we will be known by
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| excommunicated or disfellowshipped if
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| | our fruit.Go ahead, judge me. Some gasp,
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| they were ever found out.TONGUES IN THE
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| | "But we're not SUPPOSED to judge!"
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| BIBLEThe gift of tongues was apparently
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| | (There we go with the rule-keeping
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| important enough that God used this
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| | again!) Yes, I know... Scripture says,
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| manifestation to "jump-start" the Church
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| | "Do not judge, or you, too, will be
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| (Acts 2). Logicallyspeaking, why would He
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| | judged... ." But the verse continues,
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| have stopped there? Fact is, the gift of
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| | "... for in the same way you judge
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| tongues is mentioned after Pentecost as
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| | others, you will be judged, and with the
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| well. Once again, no logical reason why
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| | measure you use, it will be measured to
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| they should have ceased, humanly
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| | you."In other words, if you evaluate my
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| speaking.Jesus made only one recorded
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| | lifestyle and perceive me to be evil, and
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| reference to speaking in tongues. In Mark
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| | even bring up the issue to others, you
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| 16:17, speaking of all those who would
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| | should only dare to do so (A) for my
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| follow as His disciples, He said, "In my
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| | benefit; out of love for me, and (B) if
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| name you will cast out devils, you will
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| | you are prepared to undergo the same
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| speak with new tongues... ." That's it?
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| | scrutiny of your own life. Fact is,
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| That's ALL He had to say?! And we make
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| | Scripture exhorts us repeatedly to judge
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| such a BIG deal of the issue! He spoke
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| | people and things (1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor
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| much more of Sonship and Discipleship
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| | 11:15; Phil 3:2; 1 Jn 4:1), and instructs
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| than He spoke of speaking in tongues.
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| | us to "test everything" (1 Th
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| Strange how I rarely hear people argue
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| | 5:21).Enough about that. Point is, you'll
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| about the "casting out devils" part. Is
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| | know I'm a Christian when I exhibit the
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| it because too few are doing that ...
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| | fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians
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| even within the tongue-talking camps?Just
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| | 5:22. Do I love unconditionally? Am I
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| a thought.I see no biblical evidence that
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| | joyful, or does my happiness rise and
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| the dunamis (from whence we get our word
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| | fall with my circumstances? Do I exhibit
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| "dynamite") power of the early apostles
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| | peace in the midst of strife? Am I
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| would have been withdrawn from the Church
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| | patient? Kind? Good to others? Filled
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| before the King returns. I personally
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| | with faith in God? Gentle, practicing
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| cannot believe there's anyone who can
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| | self-control?Personally, I wish we in the
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| scripturally prove, without a doubt, that
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| | Church would speak in tongues all day
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| speaking in tongues is the evidence of
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| | long. This might eliminate some of the
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| the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Neither
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| | back-stabbing, murmuring, criticism and
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| do I believe there's anyone who can
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| | gossip that that is generated from that
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| scripturally prove that this gift (or any
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| | tiny part of our anatomy. It would be
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| other) has been eliminated from the
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| | especially useful in the car before and
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| Christian arsenal. I AM certain that BOTH
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| | after church meetings, agreed? (That was
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| those Christians would argue all day
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| | today's attempt at humor.)THEY"LL KNOW
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| about the subject. The promise, we must
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| | WE'RE CHRISTIANS BY OUR...TONGUES?One
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| remember, was not "you shall receive
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| | final thought: Early on, I was taught
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| tongues when the Holy Ghost comes upon
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| | that there is a natural example of
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| you." It was "you shall receive
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| | everything that takes place in the
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| POWER!"Not tongues of fire.Not rushing,
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| | spiritual. This as proven to be true time
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| mighty winds.POWER!Question: what
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| | and time again. Well, since we are
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| miracles did the apostles do AFTER
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| | soldiers in the Lord's army, engaged in a
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| Pentecost that they hadn't done BEFORE?
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| | spiritual war (Eph 6), wouldn't it be
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| They were already healing the sick and
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| | wise to enlist a "secret code" language
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| casting out devils prior to the Upper
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| | for use in prayer, in case the enemy was
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| Room experience. Jesus said, "...you
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| | listening? After all, we're snared by the
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| shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
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| | words of our mouths (Prov 6:2).
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| comes upon you; and you will be My
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| | Ridiculous? Tell it to the U.S.
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| witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
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| | Marines!In World War II, Navajo "code
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| and Samaria, and to the ends of the
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| | talkers" took part in every assault the
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| earth," (Acts 1:8).Witnesses? In Greek,
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| | Marines conducted in the Pacific from
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| the word is martyr. In essence: "You
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| | 1942 to 1945. They served in all six
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| shall receive power to lay your life down
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| | Marine divisions, Marine Raider
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| for the Kingdom's sake; for the cause of
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| | battalions and Marine parachute units,
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| Christ!" Did the power they received
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| | transmitting messages by telephone and
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| enable these simple, unlearned men to
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| | radio in their native language; a code
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| raise the dead, preach with convincing
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| | the Japanese never broke.By the way, the
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| eloquence, endure torturous beatings,
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| | idea to use Navajo for secure
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| forsake everything and everyone in which
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| | communications came from a man named
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| they had ever previously taken comfort,
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| | Philip Johnston, son of a Christian
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| and write anointed epistles, too?
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| | missionary to the Navajos and one of the
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| Absolutely. It changed them. Any other
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| | few non-Navajos who spoke the language
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| need for power, other than what is
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| | fluently. As a result of his efforts, the
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| required for Kingdom-building, focuses
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| | Marines recruited 200 Navajos which,
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| our attention squarely on "self" and
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| | throughout the war were praised for their
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| increases the danger of humanism raising
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| | skill, speed and accuracy. Major Howard
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| its ugly head amidst the things of God.
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| | Connor declared, "Were it not for the
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| There's already too much of that. As I've
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| | Navajos, the Marines would never have
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| stated in the past, Christianity isn't
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| | taken Iwo Jima." Connor had six Navajo
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| about US.SPIRIT OR FLESH?Back to
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| | code talkers working around the clock
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| tongue-talking, surely we know it can be
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| | during the first two days of the battle.
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| faked. Let's consider that. I had an
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| | Those six sent and received over 800
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| unchurched neighbor who was mocking his
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| | messages, all without error. The
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| Pentecostal wife one day and he sounded
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| | Japanese, skilled code breakers, were
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| ... well, quite legitimate! But if we're
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| | baffled by the Navajo language. Their
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| going to appoint anyone to judge whose
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| | chief of intelligence later said that
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| tongues are "of the flesh" and which are
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| | while they were able to decipher the
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| "of the Spirit," why not go all the way
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| | codes used by the U.S. Army and Army Air
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| and have those same appointed people whip
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| | Corps, they never cracked the code used
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| out their Flesh-O-Meters and determine
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| | by the Marines.Something to
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| who is singing, preaching, or even
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| | consider?Following are some things Jesus
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| tithing in the church out of carnality as
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| | had to say regarding Sonship and
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| well?Selah.Not all tongues could possibly
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| | Discipleship. Notice, "speaking in
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| be legitimate. That's simply
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| | tongues" is nowhere to be found. Let us
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| inconceivable. I've been exposed to
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| | stress what the Lord stressed and
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| enough foreign languages to know when
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| | eliminate the stress over the "tongues"
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| I've heard "tongues" that had a distinct
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| | issue.READ 'EM AND REAP!
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| Spanish, German, African or American
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| | Mat 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers,
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| Indian flavor to them. I've heard those
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| | for they shall be called sons of God"
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| who were simply speaking a broken dialect
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| | Mat 5:44,45 "But I say to you, love
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| of a second language they already
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| | your enemies and pray for those who
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| possessed, having little to do with God's
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| | persecute you, so that you may be sons of
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| miraculous gift; they were merely praying
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| | your Father who is in Heaven; for he
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| in this second "tongue" of theirs.
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| | makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
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| Nothing wrong with that - I'm glad to see
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| | good, and sends rain on the just and on
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| Christians pray at all, whenever. It just
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| | the unjust."
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| doesn't "classify" as legitimate
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| | Mat 13:38 "...the field is the world,
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| tongue-talking in most Pentecostal
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| | and the good seed means the sons of the
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| circles. Neither does the insertion of an
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| | Kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the
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| occasional phrase in Spanish, etc. In
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| | evil one..."
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| deliverance ministry, demonic tongues may
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| | Mat 28:19-20 "Therefore, go, and make
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| be heard on occasion which most
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| | disciples of all nations, baptizing them
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| Pentecostals would envy. But bear this in
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| | in the name of the Father and of the Son
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| mind: one's desire for more of God MUST
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| | and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
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| be commended, never ridiculed or scorned,
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| | observe all things that I commanded you.
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| real tongues or not! Such things are too
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| | Behold, I am with you always, even to the
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| often used as a source of contention and
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| | end of the age."
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| division in the Church.I could tell some
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| | Joh 8:31 "If you remain in My Word, then
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| of the most incredible stories of people
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| | you are truly My disciples.
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| who spoke in tongues, were overheard, and
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| | Joh 13:35 "By this everyone will know
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| understood, by someone nearby ... and it
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| | that you are My disciples, if you have
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| ministered to them. To THEM, mind you ...
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| | love for one another."
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| to the people who overheard. That's
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| | Joh 15:8 "In this is my Father
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| terrific because this Kingdom is not
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| | glorified, that you bear much fruit; and
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| about you and me. If we are sons of the
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| | so you will be My disciples."Need
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| house, our efforts should be geared
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| | pastoral counseling and prayer? Write or
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| toward building the house, tending to the
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| | IM me at Every blessing!Michael
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| house, filling the house, expanding the
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| | A servant of God
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| house, guarding the house.GIFT OF TONGUES
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| | t.e.a.m. ministries
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| IN CONTEXTUnderstanding Sonship in the
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| | A Message of Discipleship &
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| Kingdom of God must be put within the
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| | Encouragement to the Body of Christ
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| context of Stewardship and Servanthood.
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| | P.O. Box 633
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| This brings us to the reality that we are
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| | Stephenville, Texas 76401
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| witnesses (martyrs; serving unto death)
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| |
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| to the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and
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| | BLOG: Michael has been broadcasting
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| not rulers. If it were all about US being
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| | his eMail messages of Discipleship and
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| made rulers, then the focus of
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| | encouragement to Christians of all
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| Christianity is all about us and what WE
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| | denominations
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| get when if we sign-on. Do we get
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| | since 1999. These messages are literally
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| tongues? Great! But wait ... if tongues
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| | reaching millions each week and the
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| edifies no one but ourselves, there's no
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| | messages are being re-posted on other
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| focus on making disciples, right? See,
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| | Christian sites,used as Bible studies for
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| the gift of tongues, when legitimately
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| | groups, and are being used by those in
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| manifested, is for the strengthening of
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| | ministry as a preaching guide.Pastor
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| one's self (1 Cor 14:4-5,12). It rarely,
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| | Michael has been broadcasting an e-Mail
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| but not always, does anything for anybody
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| | message of Discipleship & Encouragement
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| else, especially the way we see it being
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| | to Chrsitians across the planet since
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| demonstrated in most cases today. Sadly,
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| | 1999. Now reaching literally millions,
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| I've seen tongues become a measuring
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| | these messages have forever touched
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| stick of one's spirituality, creating a
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| | countless lives as believers everywhere
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| "have vs. have-not" ungodly caste system
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| | catch his vision of forwarding the
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| in the Church, inviting dissension into
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| | message and write him to say so!
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| the ranks. Even frustrating and
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|
