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