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