LIFTING MY VOICE: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES(continued)
Some year...: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES (continued) Some years ago, while we were living in Launceston in northern Tasmania, I attended a Holy ...
Sunday 20 October 2019
THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES
(continued)
Some years ago, while we were living in Launceston in northern Tasmania, I attended a Holy Spirit teaching seminar with meetings held over three days, from memory. The speakers were Doug Duncan, a pastor with a high degree of credibility in the realm of prophetic ministry, and Stewart Rae, who at the time was Senior Pastor of a charismatic Baptist church in Geelong, Victoria on the Australian mainland.
During one of the sessions, Doug Duncan shared an amazing incident which happened in the life of another Pentecostal pastor in New Zealand by the name of Kindah Greening some years before that time. I believe Kindah Greening is currently pastoring successfully on Queensland's Gold Coast.
As the story goes ( and I believe it to be a true account), Kindah Greening was in Invercargill in the very south of the South Island of New Zealand, when on a particular day, he entered a local post office.
He saw a man standing at one of the counters, and felt impressed of the Holy Spirit to approach the man and to start speaking in tongues. As one could imagine, this is not something which a person would normally do, for fear of being thought more than a little mentally-challenged. He hesitated, wanting to make sure this prompting was from the Holy Spirit. The impression would not leave him, so in the end, he obeyed the prompting to approach the stranger and he began to speak in tongues - a language he had not learned. As Kindah Greening began to speak, the most amazing and wonderful thing happened. Tears began to well up in the eyes of the stranger, and he broke down and cried.
The stranger was, as it turned out a former Christian minister from an eastern European country who was away from the Lord. As Kindah Greening spoke in tongues, the stranger was so moved because he was actually speaking in the stranger's native European language.
Basically, the Lord was reaffirming His love for this man who was so many thousands of miles from his homeland with the words, which he heard in his native tongue: "THOUGH YOU RUN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ISLES OF THE SEAS, YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM ME!" This was a message of encouragement which I believe was a turning point in this man's experience to bring him back to a close relationship with the Lord.
The operation of speaking in tongues may be in a known language, or it may be a "heavenly language." The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:1, at the beginning of what is referred to as the "Love Chapter" in this book of the Bible, states: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."
Those who are not able to accept that the gift of speaking in tongues is for the church today would argue that, if the spoken tongue is not of a known language, it is just gibberish, or speech that is nonsense. I would refute that argument most vigorously, as I believe there is ample Biblical evidence to show that speaking in other tongues does not have to be in that of a known human language, and if it is not a known language but one given by the Holy Spirit, it is a language known in heaven and perfectly understood by God.
Romans 8:27,28 says: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
When we pray in tongues, when using what most Pentecostal and Charismatic believers today is praying or speaking in tongues which are not known languages, we can be praying the will of God into situations and circumstances of which we know nothing.
In 1 Corinthians 14:14,15 the Apostle Paul in addressing the Corinthian church on the correct use of the vocal gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophecy in public gatherings makes the point: "For if I pray in a tongue [in public], my Spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the result then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2 He who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. What a great prayer tool God has given us, to be speaking mysteries - in the spirit, as the Holy Spirit inspires our speaking forth in other tongues.
Speaking in tongues or "praying in the Spirit" has the benefit for the one speaking of edifying or building up of the believer's faith. 1 Corinthians 14:4a says He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
This is re-stated in Jude 20,21 where the writer says: But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, [that is, praying or speaking in other tongues],
keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
This is a wonderful provision in the life of the Spirit-filled believer, the person who has experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. While bringing correction to the Corinthian church concerning the abuse of this practice in church life, the Apostle Paul did admit the importance he placed on speaking in tongues in his own prayer life when he said in 1 Corinthians 14:18,19 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
yet in the church I would rather speak five words with the understanding that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
If you would like to know more about how to become a Christian - to be "born again" as the Bible says, one reliable resource is:
www.vision.org This is the online home of Vision Christian Media.
Click on the Grow your faith tab at the top of the page, then Looking for God? God Bless!
During one of the sessions, Doug Duncan shared an amazing incident which happened in the life of another Pentecostal pastor in New Zealand by the name of Kindah Greening some years before that time. I believe Kindah Greening is currently pastoring successfully on Queensland's Gold Coast.
As the story goes ( and I believe it to be a true account), Kindah Greening was in Invercargill in the very south of the South Island of New Zealand, when on a particular day, he entered a local post office.
He saw a man standing at one of the counters, and felt impressed of the Holy Spirit to approach the man and to start speaking in tongues. As one could imagine, this is not something which a person would normally do, for fear of being thought more than a little mentally-challenged. He hesitated, wanting to make sure this prompting was from the Holy Spirit. The impression would not leave him, so in the end, he obeyed the prompting to approach the stranger and he began to speak in tongues - a language he had not learned. As Kindah Greening began to speak, the most amazing and wonderful thing happened. Tears began to well up in the eyes of the stranger, and he broke down and cried.
The stranger was, as it turned out a former Christian minister from an eastern European country who was away from the Lord. As Kindah Greening spoke in tongues, the stranger was so moved because he was actually speaking in the stranger's native European language.
Basically, the Lord was reaffirming His love for this man who was so many thousands of miles from his homeland with the words, which he heard in his native tongue: "THOUGH YOU RUN TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ISLES OF THE SEAS, YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM ME!" This was a message of encouragement which I believe was a turning point in this man's experience to bring him back to a close relationship with the Lord.
The operation of speaking in tongues may be in a known language, or it may be a "heavenly language." The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13:1, at the beginning of what is referred to as the "Love Chapter" in this book of the Bible, states: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal."
Those who are not able to accept that the gift of speaking in tongues is for the church today would argue that, if the spoken tongue is not of a known language, it is just gibberish, or speech that is nonsense. I would refute that argument most vigorously, as I believe there is ample Biblical evidence to show that speaking in other tongues does not have to be in that of a known human language, and if it is not a known language but one given by the Holy Spirit, it is a language known in heaven and perfectly understood by God.
Romans 8:27,28 says: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
When we pray in tongues, when using what most Pentecostal and Charismatic believers today is praying or speaking in tongues which are not known languages, we can be praying the will of God into situations and circumstances of which we know nothing.
In 1 Corinthians 14:14,15 the Apostle Paul in addressing the Corinthian church on the correct use of the vocal gifts of tongues, interpretation and prophecy in public gatherings makes the point: "For if I pray in a tongue [in public], my Spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the result then? I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2 He who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. What a great prayer tool God has given us, to be speaking mysteries - in the spirit, as the Holy Spirit inspires our speaking forth in other tongues.
Speaking in tongues or "praying in the Spirit" has the benefit for the one speaking of edifying or building up of the believer's faith. 1 Corinthians 14:4a says He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
This is re-stated in Jude 20,21 where the writer says: But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, [that is, praying or speaking in other tongues],
keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
This is a wonderful provision in the life of the Spirit-filled believer, the person who has experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. While bringing correction to the Corinthian church concerning the abuse of this practice in church life, the Apostle Paul did admit the importance he placed on speaking in tongues in his own prayer life when he said in 1 Corinthians 14:18,19 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
yet in the church I would rather speak five words with the understanding that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
If you would like to know more about how to become a Christian - to be "born again" as the Bible says, one reliable resource is:
www.vision.org This is the online home of Vision Christian Media.
Click on the Grow your faith tab at the top of the page, then Looking for God? God Bless!
Friday 11 October 2019
LIFTING MY VOICE: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES(Continued)When th...
LIFTING MY VOICE: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES(Continued)
When th...: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES (Continued) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. and...
When th...: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES (Continued) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. and...
THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES
(Continued)
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4 NKJV
The Day of Pentecost was one of three major Jewish feasts, also known as the Feast of Weeks. It was celebrated fifty days after Passover.Today, Christian churches remember Pentecost in the Church Calendar fifty days after Easter.
The Day of Pentecost recorded in the second chapter of Acts which saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 120 of Jesus' disciples and followers, was the day the New Testament church began. It was on this day when Peter stood and boldly proclaimed to the crowds assembled in Jerusalem from all parts of the then Roman Empire, at the conclusion of his powerful Gospel message: "Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38,39 NKJV
The Bible also records in this chapter that around three thousand people who heard Peter's words, responded to his message and were baptized.
Verse 42 says:They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Sounds like church to me!
The 120 in the Upper Room had been waiting in anticipation for the Lord to move in a new way in their midst in response to the words of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead, as recorded in Luke 24:49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
THIS WAS IT! Or, as the apostle Peter himself said in his message on this day: "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel....." In my first part of this blog, I quoted the verses from Joel 2:28,29 spoken by Peter. The prophecy of Joel fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost was written some eight hundred years BC.
The gift of speaking with other tongues was not to be a one-off manifestation in the life of the church. In the Book of Acts, there are three more recorded accounts of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit. These accounts are recorded in Acts 8:14 onwards, when after Phillip had preached the Word of God at Samaria, Peter and John went there and prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.
the next account is in Acts 10;44-48, after Peter had preached salvation through Christ to the Gentile centurion, Cornelius and his household; and again, in Acts 19:1-7, when the apostle Paul prayed for believers in Ephesus to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. In the last two of these accounts, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was clearly stated to be evidenced by the gift of speaking in tongues, that is, with a language the speakers had not learned.
Were these accounts of speaking with tongues similar to that recorded in Acts 2 where the hearers from various countries heard the speakers in their own languages (known languages) declare "the wonderful works of God?"
Maybe - maybe not! In Acts 10:44-46, it is recorded that, when the members of Cornelius' household believed the Word of God through the mouth of Peter, that the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and those Jews who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles also. Then it says in verse 46: For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. This is my personal thought, for what it is worth, but I wonder if the speaking in tongues in this instance was like that on the Day of Pentecost - in a known language, as the Jews heard the new believers speak in tongues and magnify God!
As to the last account in the Book of Acts in chapter 19, when the twelve or so men who were baptized in the Holy Spirit after the laying on of hands by the apostle Paul at Ephesus, I wonder if their experience of speaking in tongues was not in a known language, because the account says in verse six that the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
To be Continued..................
If you would like to know how to become a Christian - how to be "born again" as the Bible says, one resource I can confidently direct you to is: www.vision.org Click on the 'Grow your faith' tab at the top of the page, then 'Looking for God?'
God Bless!
The Day of Pentecost was one of three major Jewish feasts, also known as the Feast of Weeks. It was celebrated fifty days after Passover.Today, Christian churches remember Pentecost in the Church Calendar fifty days after Easter.
The Day of Pentecost recorded in the second chapter of Acts which saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the 120 of Jesus' disciples and followers, was the day the New Testament church began. It was on this day when Peter stood and boldly proclaimed to the crowds assembled in Jerusalem from all parts of the then Roman Empire, at the conclusion of his powerful Gospel message: "Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38,39 NKJV
The Bible also records in this chapter that around three thousand people who heard Peter's words, responded to his message and were baptized.
Verse 42 says:They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Sounds like church to me!
The 120 in the Upper Room had been waiting in anticipation for the Lord to move in a new way in their midst in response to the words of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead, as recorded in Luke 24:49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
THIS WAS IT! Or, as the apostle Peter himself said in his message on this day: "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel....." In my first part of this blog, I quoted the verses from Joel 2:28,29 spoken by Peter. The prophecy of Joel fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost was written some eight hundred years BC.
The gift of speaking with other tongues was not to be a one-off manifestation in the life of the church. In the Book of Acts, there are three more recorded accounts of people being baptized in the Holy Spirit. These accounts are recorded in Acts 8:14 onwards, when after Phillip had preached the Word of God at Samaria, Peter and John went there and prayed for the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.
the next account is in Acts 10;44-48, after Peter had preached salvation through Christ to the Gentile centurion, Cornelius and his household; and again, in Acts 19:1-7, when the apostle Paul prayed for believers in Ephesus to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. In the last two of these accounts, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was clearly stated to be evidenced by the gift of speaking in tongues, that is, with a language the speakers had not learned.
Were these accounts of speaking with tongues similar to that recorded in Acts 2 where the hearers from various countries heard the speakers in their own languages (known languages) declare "the wonderful works of God?"
Maybe - maybe not! In Acts 10:44-46, it is recorded that, when the members of Cornelius' household believed the Word of God through the mouth of Peter, that the Holy Spirit fell upon them, and those Jews who had accompanied Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles also. Then it says in verse 46: For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. This is my personal thought, for what it is worth, but I wonder if the speaking in tongues in this instance was like that on the Day of Pentecost - in a known language, as the Jews heard the new believers speak in tongues and magnify God!
As to the last account in the Book of Acts in chapter 19, when the twelve or so men who were baptized in the Holy Spirit after the laying on of hands by the apostle Paul at Ephesus, I wonder if their experience of speaking in tongues was not in a known language, because the account says in verse six that the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
To be Continued..................
If you would like to know how to become a Christian - how to be "born again" as the Bible says, one resource I can confidently direct you to is: www.vision.org Click on the 'Grow your faith' tab at the top of the page, then 'Looking for God?'
God Bless!
Saturday 5 October 2019
LIFTING MY VOICE: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUESIn the early 60's, a...
LIFTING MY VOICE: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES
In the early 60's, a...: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES In the early 60's, a young reporter for the "Guideposts" magazine, by the name of John She...
In the early 60's, a...: THEY SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES In the early 60's, a young reporter for the "Guideposts" magazine, by the name of John She...
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