What is speaking in tongues and prophesying?

[missmuffet]

6 minutes ago, debrakay said:

I have witnessed unexplained miracles in my life therefore I do believe in miracles.

I watched a small 5 year old child fall backward into a burning fire only to some how be pushed or shoved forward and sideways by an unseen hand. He landed outside of the fire though he was falling backwards into the fire.  There was no human being anywhere next to him to have done this. 

I have been the driver of a vehicle skidding into a head on collision with a fright truck only to have the car spin into the drive way of a house and come to a complete stop in that driveway which was hundred of feet away from the roadway.  There was no vehicle damage and there was no contact with any of the other numerous vehicles on the roadway. 

These are just a couple of examples of mysterious, unexplained happenings in my 60 plus years of life.  Unbelievers call them coincidences or just unexplained phenomenon.  Christians, who believe in a Savior who was resurrected from the dead, believe in the miraculous.  God can do what ever he wants, any time he wants, how ever he want to do it, and does not need the approval or belief of humans to do so, whether it comes to miracles or spiritual gifts of any kind. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

God does perform wonderful miracles today. I don't believe in faith healers. 

[missmuffet]

56 minutes ago, Riverwalker said:

Can you provide me with a Scriptural reference for that.  I agree that "miracle services" and people claiming to be miracle workers are not right, but where do you see that God cannot or will not use someone else to accomplish His will in the form of a miracle?

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

 

[debrakay]

11 hours ago, CaptWalker said:

I have personally never gotten any real benefit from praying in tongues but i still try to do it every now and then. Maybe i just don't have that gift but from what i understand is that everyone who has received the baptism of the Spirit should have this gift and use it on a regular basis. So i guess all i can do is keep praying to receive this baptism, if in fact it is still available to us as it was to those early believers, and not just something that people are pretending is a real experience rather than just a figment of the imagination, but i have yet to decide myself until i experience it myself.

When I first started praying in tongues in my prayer time I was skeptical but as I continued my spirit felt the movement of the Holy Spirit.  Each time I would start with prayers in English and then the spiritual language would come.  I believe that that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are given access to all of the gifts of the Spirit, but our human minds create doubts and fears so the gifts are limited by us, not by God. The power of the Holy Spirit can reveal the truth of these gifts in our lives today.  Discernment is also something we receive from the Holy Spirit. 

[missmuffet]

It is hard to find a good Bible believing Church today that teaches from the Bible the true literal word of God. The Charismatic movement is very popular today believing in tongues, slain in the spirit, and prophesying. It is hard to find a Church that does not believe in that stuff. Perhaps in the times of Jesus Christ and His disciples. 

[debrakay]

 

Over 30 years ago we had the wonderful opportunity to form our own non-denominational Charismatic church with about 10 other families.  All we wanted to do was study the bible without all of the denominational requirements from administrative offices we had experienced throughout our years affiliated with other mainline denominations. We came from Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal, Protestant, etc. backgrounds.  Many of us were already filled with the Holy Spirit and did not want to stifle what God was doing in our community. 

Our church is now over 30 years old, has about 100 adult members, with church attendance normally about that same number.  We have the largest weekly youth group attendance (about 30 kids) in our rural community of roughly 10,000 people even though there are churches of every denomination you can think of. In fact many of the other churches have no youth group whatsoever. There is no push to use the gifts of the Spirit during services but anyone can come forward to speak to the congregation after a brief word of explanation with the pastor before doing so.

There are still many, many denominations (i.e. Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist) that do not espouse the gifts of the Spirit.  Finding one of these churches should be easy.

[Riverwalker]

6 hours ago, missmuffet said:

1 Corinthians 13:8

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

 

We have already covered that. Yes Tongues and KNOWLEDGE will pass away when that which is perfect has come. But it is my assertion that the perfect has not come because we do not know JUST as we are known

The whole section makes that plain....you stopped too short

1 Cor 13: 

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

Edited April 24, 2021 by Riverwalker

[Waggles]

2 hours ago, debrakay said:

There is no push to use the gifts of the Spirit during services but anyone can come forward to speak to the congregation after a brief word of explanation with the pastor before doing so

That is a shame for you all are missing out on so much interaction and knowledge from God. Make a point of studying 1Corinthians 14 the operation of the voice gifts in a church meeting - tongues followed by interpretation, and then up to 3 gifts of prophesying. 

Let God the Father speak directly to his children and both admonish you and exhort you. God will give you insight into aspects of his word and purpose that we do not fully comprehend just by reading the scriptures. 

1Corinthians 14:26  What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be unto edifying. 
14:27  If any speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret: 
14:28  but if there be no interpreter, let him be silent in church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 
14:29  And let prophets speak by two or three, and let the others discern. 
14:30  But if a revelation be made to another sitting by, let the first be silent. 
14:31  For ye all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted; 
14:32  (and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 
14:33  for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace), as in all the churches of the saints. 

God commands the Spirit-filled churches to do this. 

1Cor 14:37  If any thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of what things I write you, that it is the Lord’s commandment.

[Waggles]

@debrakay we operate these three voice gifts as a distinct part of our service meeting. People do not get up and say something when moved and interrupt other parts of the meeting such as when a pastor is giving the talk. 

On Sundays after communion whoever is out front will say now we will operate the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit and then a person will speak out in an unknown tongue and this is followed by an interpretation (up to 3 times in succession).

Afterwards up to three gifts of prophecy (to speak under inspiration) then no more.

God tells us wonderful things about many different subjects that affect us as the elect and our walk. Sometimes although he is speaking in general terms to the whole congregation I know he is talking to me about what I need to correct. Amazing!!

Gifts are also operate at Wednesday night meetings (no communion) again in their own time slot. 

[Willa]

When I first started attending our Calvary Chapel the pastor had a word of knowledge concerning me.  He started by saying "someone here".  It was quite long and described  several events from my childhood and later.  He gave my age when these occurred and details that few knew.  There are things like when God first revealed Himself to me that I had not shared with many people prior to that time.  

The Baptist church's pastor where I had previously attended also spoke up about another person in attendance about details of her life.  While I have attended each church for some 15 years, I have not heard either pastor do that before or after that time.  

Both have prayed for the sick and they have recovered, but they don't have "healing services" or advertise themselves a faith healers.  These things are done quietly, privately, and often the pastors were amazed at God's faithfulness.  They were simply obedient to God to pray for the people.  

Our hearts should be filled with awe and thanksgiving when God does these things.  When people are boastful or proud, or seek the attention and praise for themselves, I sometimes seriously doubt it all.

 Yet I have known people who attended a healing service who saw a club foot straightened and healed right before their eyes.  The person was not on stage but was seated accross the isle from them.  They were Presbyterian and attending a Katherine Kuhlman meeting in the early 70s, and she didn't even have the best reputation.  My friends were amazed. quiet and in awe.  Perhaps it was the prayers of other people in the audience that God heard and answered.  

 

[Justin Adams]

We ought to talk more often about the miraculous. It is one of those subjects that demonstrates the way our Sovereign Lord acts - regardless of us.

We SHOULD be in awe of our God. Continually. Not just because of what He does but of WHO He is and the amazing care and love He reveals. So many people focus on the fallen ones and are continually talking about the deceiver that is currently bound and has little power. When the 'church' took on board the dispensational ideas, it short circuited the fact that OUR GOD REIGNS. The Lord is Seated with us in Heavenly Places and we can call upon His Power and Glory any time we want to.

All that is necessary for evil to abound is for good men to do nothing. We often give credit to the fallen foe and say, 'satan made me do it' etc. This is just not true. We are the sinners and have listened to the wrong Gospel.  We will not stop sinning, but the point is, are we working towards  God’s Kingdom and pushing His True  Gospel?

"Evil people run even though no one is chasing them, but good people are as brave as a lion. The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one's after them;"

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might display the surpassing riches of His grace, demonstrated by His kindness to us in Christ Jesus"

"And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

"we are more than victorious, more than conquerors because of our LORD JESUS CHRIST"