ListenDaily - 06 February 2009; What next? Please pray for guidance...
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
....to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,
and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
From 1 Corinthians 12 (find these or any other passages at www.Biblegateway.org)
I sit here this morning, pausing...wondering if, due to the responses and questions I have received, if we need to take a turn into a study of speaking and interpreting tongues.
As I pause I pray...and receiving no clear indication one way or the other, I will continue in the direction which God has led me, and pray over the weekend, which way to go on Monday.
So let us look at more of Paul's teaching on gifts, including tongues:
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing...and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. From 1 Cor. 12-13
As I pray, and ask you to pray with me, whether or not to dig further into the subject of 'speaking in tongues', let us consider three of the things Paul teaches us here:
1) No one has all of the gifts.
2) But the Spiritual gifts should be present in the church, for God put them there.
3) Without love for God first, and love for others immediately following, all gifts are useless.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
1) No one has all of the gifts.
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
2) But the Spiritual gifts should be present in the church, for God put them there.
And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing...and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
3) Without love for God first, and love for others immediately following, all gifts are useless. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31
Amen.
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Questions:
1. What are your thoughts on 'speaking in tongues'?
2. What does your church teach, concerning Gifts of the Spirit?
3. Will you pray for me, that I will see God's plan for the next phase of this study?
INTERESTING THOUGHTS:
"No matter how just your words may be,
you ruin everything when you speak with anger."
John Chrysostom
"An honest man speaks the truth, though it may give offence;
a vain man, in order that it may."
William Hazlitt
"God has given us two ears, but one tongue,
to show that we should be swift to hear, but slow to speak.
God has set a double fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips,
to teach us to be wary that we offend not with our tongue."
Thomas Watson
"Speak when you are angry and you will
make the best speech you will ever regret."
Ambrose Bierce
"God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak.
The second person of the Holy Trinity is called "The Word."
A.W. Tozer
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