I hope you're having a good day. This is Dave
from the podcast and welcome. This is a talk
by Catherine on Tongues and using 1 Corinthians
14 and using 1 Corinthians 13 and Acts chapter
2. Let me just say something. Lord help me with
this. Thank you. This talk was scheduled before
a lot of the last days people joined this channel.
And before Brandon Biggs said, go check out this
Kathryn Kuhlman talk and this channel, this talk
emphasizes a lot, talks a lot about speaking
in tongues in public. And Brandon, if you're
ever to listen to this or your people here, I
just want to let you know that this talk was
scheduled to be put up before Brandon mentioned
my channel. So it's not me like taking a look
at Brandon's channel and saying, what the heck
is going on here? Let me dig up a talk on 1 Corinthians
14. No, this one was already ready to go. almost
ready to go. It was already scheduled. So let
me just say that. It's not directed towards anybody
initially. But on the other hand, if a shoe fits,
put it on. That's a popular saying where in a
church I used to sit under a prophet and she
would say that and we would all chuckle. But
it's true too. If, you know, the Holy Spirit
convicts you of it, or if the shoe fits and it
speaks to you, then put it on. Amen. Trust me.
I do that too. And I'm blessed to have the people
who have rebuked me. And it's always done, my
pastor is a saint at this. It's always done meekly
and gently and with love. And always erring on
the caution side of make sure your heart is right
if you're going to do that. And so there may
be some of that, Brandon, but I just want to
say this is not initially my intention or me
digging up something intentional. This was already
scheduled to rock and roll late last week. So
it is what it is. Check it out. Let me see. I
don't want to leave a long message. I really
don't. I'm going to mention one thing, though.
There's churches that say they believe in speaking
in tongues and prophecy, but there is none of
the gifts working. And that's a problem. And
Catherine forbade speaking in tongues in her
healing ministries. in her services and that's
like an extreme that's not good um and um the
other extreme is uh probably anything goes an
atmosphere where anything goes and we don't pay
attention to first corinthians 14. um and that's
not good that's not biblical that's not paul
um One of the things that Catherine brings out
here that is so awesome, two things that she
brings out in regards to tongues. Paul teaches
if there's no interpreter present, then don't
teach, don't speak in tongues. But then Catherine,
and I won't steal her thunder, her message, but
then Catherine points out that some of the talks
that we... do, and some of the things that are
said in Pentecostal meetings are actually an
interpretation of the tongues that have been
spoken. It's just not articulated as this is
an interpretation. And that's an interesting
concept. I really like that. So it's just something
maybe to keep our radars out on if they're speaking
in tongues. and there's no official um this is
an interpretation from the lord you know nobody
stands up and says this is what was what was
said um then look for an informal um an incognito
interpretation of tongues because it might be
there um and um i want to say too that the One
of the best churches that I've ever seen doing
this, and I only went to the church one or two
times, was that they set a microphone up. And
people could go to the front of the church and
give an interpretation. And that's an interesting
way of doing things. And go to the church, up
to the front of the church and give a prophecy.
That's an interesting way to do it. But it doesn't
always happen that way. And a lot of times the
Spirit will... The Spirit will do what the Spirit
will do. You know what I mean? Praise God. And
it's wonderful. And we don't want to inhibit
the Holy Spirit in any way. And lastly, Catherine
Tice has talked back in with the concept of love.
Speaking in tongues isn't done out of love. Interpreting
or lack of interpreting is not done out of love.
then what are we doing? Then we're going to need
to back up, back up and get our hearts right.
So anyway, I don't want to leave a long message
here. So here's Catherine. God bless you guys.
Have a great day. Bye -bye. You and I are in
a series of heart -to -heart talks. regarding
something that has gotten to be very controversial,
and yet it should not be so. There are many folks
the very first time one speaks regarding the
Holy Spirit who become almost frightened, and
the first question they'll ask, do you believe
in speaking in an unknown tongue? If you're asking
that question of me personally, My answer will
be yes. And I have to believe in speaking in
an unknown tongue because the Bible teaches it.
And as I told you in a previous Heart to Heart
talk, the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians is the
basic chapter regarding the subject of speaking
in an unknown tongue. I've come to the conclusion
a long time ago that we need... some good old
-fashioned teaching when it comes to the person
of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit,
the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. And that's
what we're trying to do in these little heart
-to -heart talks. And everything must be based
on the Word of God. If I say something and the
Word teaches, Contrary to what I say, remember,
the Bible is always absolute authority. Before
we turn to the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians,
I know that the portion of the Word of God that
is most familiar to you when it comes to the
subject of the speaking in an unknown tongue
is in the 2nd chapter of Acts. We read that on
the day of Pentecost, the Spirit appeared in
the form of fire, in the shape of tongues upon
the heads of the assembled people. And then we
read that they were all filled with the Spirit,
and they began to speak with other tongues as
the Spirit gave them. Alright, go on then in
the history and the Acts of the Apostles once
more to the 10th chapter where we find the wonderful
story of Peter in the house of Cornelius. When
there the spirits fell, it is said that they
received the gift of tongues. Now go a little
further and in the 19th chapter the account of
Paul's coming to Ephesus and finding there a
group of disciples, he asked them the question,
Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?
And they said, Nay, we did not so much as hear
whether the Holy Spirit was given. Sure, they'd
been baptized into John's baptism, but when Paul
expounded the truth and led them beyond the preaching
of Apollos, They were filled with the Spirit.
The Spirit came upon them, and they received
the gift of tongues. There can be no question
whatsoever that this was a definite experience
and a positive gift. All right? Now, let's go
back, if you will, please, to the 14th chapter
of 1 Corinthians. And notice what the apostle
teaches. In verse 2, we read these words. For
he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto
men, but unto God. In verse 28, we read these
words. But if there be no interpreter, let him
keep silence in the church. and let him speak
to himself and to God. Now this is the first
great truth to be remembered, that the gift of
tongues was for addressing God. It was not for
the addressing of men. It was never given in
order that men might preach. To put it simply,
in our everyday language, it was given to men
that they might praise. These voices, these tongues,
were the utterances of glorious praise and gladness.
Adoration. Tongues were given that they were
to be used in addressing God. Notice another
thing. And again I go to the second verse. He
that speaketh in a tongue's... speaketh not unto
men, but unto God. For no man understandeth.
I go to verse 5. I would, Paul says, I would
have you all speak with tongues, but rather that
ye should prophesy. And greater is he that prophesieth
than he that speaketh with tongues except he
interpret. Mark that. The tongues need interpretation
in order to be understood. Take verse 9. So also
ye, unless ye utter by the tongue, speech easy
to be understood, how shall it be known what
is spoken? For ye will be speaking into the air.
The Bible teaches that if one speaks in an unknown
tongue in a public service, he is out of order
unless there also be the interpretation. We have
now two great principles in looking at this gift
of tongues. First of all, they were to be addressed
to God. Secondly, definitely they were incomprehensible
to men. No one could understand them. Outsiders
could not understand. He goes a little further
and says that even the one who is speaking, could
not themselves understand. Now that 14th verse,
now that's the reason I tell you that this 14th
chapter of 1 Corinthians is the basic chapter
on tongues. I read from the Word. For if I pray
in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding
is unfruitful. If a man had the gift of tongues,
he can use it in addressing God, but he does
not understand it himself. What he is saying,
he does not understand. Now, in the next place,
notice this. The apostle is teaching that there
must be interpretation if tongues be used. And
he distinctly says that. Wherefore, let him that
speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Once more, in gathering out the central statements,
I go to verse 28. But if there be no interpreter,
let him keep silence in the church. and let him
speak to himself and to God. That gathers up
the great teaching. Ponder it well. The gift
of tongues was a gift of the Spirit. First of
all, it is to be used in addressing God and not
men. Secondly, it will be quite incomprehensible
to the men who do hear. As a matter of fact,
the one so gifted will be born up in an ecstasy
and will utter things not understood by himself
or herself. Further, if used in public, the gift
of tongues demands interpretation. It's just
like that. We must get back to the scripture.
And if this gift is used other than is taught
in the scripture, then that one misuses something
that is very precious. These things are sacred.
We cannot just use them at will as we desire.
All demonstrations of the Spirit must be according
to the Word of God. Otherwise, they are out of
order. If at a public assembly, in a place of
worship, in your church, there is one who speaks
in an unknown tongue, and there is no... interpretation,
that one is out of order. And it's just that
simple. Notice carefully that in that gift of
Pentecost, there was the mingling of two things.
And the supreme wonder is that what then was
uttered was understood. But it led to inquiry.
When they heard this, they were amazed and they
said, What meaneth this? When they heard those
who were speaking in an unknown tongue, in that
upper room, the crowd gathered around, the curious
gathered around and said, What meaneth this?
Note two things. First of all, They were conscious
in their own languages of a company of men praising
God. Sounding in high ecstasy, the praise is
the most high. But they were led to inquire,
What does this mean? An interpretation immediately
followed. Peter, standing up, said, Be this known
unto you, this is that which hath been spoken
by the prophet Joel. Then he began on quoting
from the Old Testament. Oh, this is glorious.
Don't stop with just Acts 2 -4. See what follows.
Read the whole thing. There's so many today who
are just taking a portion of God's Word. you
know most people see what they want to see most
people read what they want to read most people
do what they want to do when they came out and
said what meaneth this the interpretation immediately
followed Peter standing up said, Be this known
unto you, this is that which hath been spoken
by the prophet Joel. And then he went right on
quoting. Then he began again the second division
of his discourse. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God unto you, he has shed forth this, which
ye see and hear. The gift of tongues was a miracle
in which men heard in their own language the
praises of God. And the inquiry resulted from
it because it was a sign puzzling them. What
meaneth this? And Peter answered in just two
brief sentences and it covered the whole ground.
This is that. which hath been spoken by the prophet
Joel. He hath poured forth this. Oh, that's wonderful.
To me that's very thrilling. Bear one other thing
in mind. This gift of tongues was possessed by
Paul. Paul had the gift of tongues. Indeed, he
says he spake with tongues more than, any of
them. It was a real gift. Recall to mind that
Paul himself said of an occasion upon which he
was caught up in the third heaven, heard unspeakable
words that it was not lawful for him to utter.
It was a great spiritual vision of high ecstasy.
This is all so thrilling. Believe me. Thousands
of you are missing out on something that is so
wonderful. And it is a part of your inheritance.
This, what I'm talking about, is literally a
gift that Jesus gave to his church. And if you
are a part of his church, If you have been born
into this wonderful body of Christ, then this
is what I am talking about. This, of which Paul
is speaking, is a gift to you. It's yours. And
lo, these many years you have refused a gift
that is so glorious. Oh, I wish I could do something
to make this clear to you. I wish I had the ability.
I can only pray that the Holy Spirit shall put
this hunger into your heart. Glance at the first
three verses of this glorious chapter, the 14th
chapter, 1 Corinthians. The supreme matter is
follow a... or love. Three of the gifts are in
view. Prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the
gift of interpretation. The supreme matter is
love. Why do we want this gift? Why? Why do we
want to be possessed of this gift of the Spirit?
whether it's prophecy of tongues or the interpretation
of tongues. Let us answer the question in the
loneliness of our own souls. If there is any
other desire than love, it is false. Love is
the most excellent way, and love must control
truth. these gifts. And it's just like that.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels and have not love, I am become a sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal. Let's get a little
more personal. In the past months, an increasing
number of our people, clergy and laity alike,
have come into this glorious New Testament experience.
Even as I'm speaking to you now, there are ministers
listening to me who just recently have come into
this experience. There are members of your churches
who have just recently come into the experience
of which I'm speaking. And in describing their
experience, it is most interesting to hear what
they have to say. I do not believe that these
experiences are identical. Just like the healing
for the physical body. Not all receive their
physical healing in the same way when it comes
to the new birth experience. Some receive the
new birth experience alone in their own homes.
Some in answering an altar call. You see, you
just can't say how God is going to do a certain
thing. God is bigger than all of our theology.
I don't mean to be sacrilegious, but I do not
know how better to express it than to just say
you can't fence God in. You just can't fence
the Holy Spirit in. You cannot just command the
Holy Spirit and demand him to do it a certain
way. Someone will say, I'll not fall under the
power, and lo and behold, Before the words are
even gotten out of their mouth, down they go
under the power of God. In experiencing this
wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, there have
been those who have said there has been a new
joy in their Christian faith. Another will say
they have found a deeper and more constant awareness
of the Spirit's indwelling presence. Or perhaps
another will say they have found a new freedom
to witness to other people what Jesus means to
them. And the baptism of the Holy Spirit is given
for one purpose, and that purpose is to witness,
to serve. And still another may say that they
have a keener sense of the Spirit's guidance
in their life. And all will agree that it has
awakened a greater interest in the studying of
the Bible. The Holy Spirit makes the Bible come
alive. The Holy Spirit gives life. Now, why is
this happening so suddenly? Why haven't we heard
about it before, if it's such a marvelous blessing?
I imagine that people raised the same kind of
question when Martin Luther began to uncover
truths of Scripture which had long been neglected.
It's the kind of question to which we can give
no final answer. Perhaps we have simply neglected
part of the... Biblical revelation for speaking
in tongues is clearly set forth in Scripture
as a blessing and an endowment from God. It was
widely manifested in the church for several centuries
after the apostles and was present with some
of the saints in the Middle Ages. The manifestation
of... Tongues was present in Wesley's revival
in the Quaker movement, and most recently in
the Pentecostal movement of the past 50 years.
Perhaps we've neglected this aspect of the biblical
revelation, but perhaps it goes even deeper.
Perhaps this is simply God's time. This is God's
power. This is the Holy Spirit's power.