WEBVTT 00:00:01.100 --> 00:00:03.960 I hope you're having a good day. This is Dave 00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:09.759 from the podcast and welcome. This is a talk 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:14.080 by Catherine on Tongues and using 1 Corinthians 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:19.280 14 and using 1 Corinthians 13 and Acts chapter 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:29.640 2. Let me just say something. Lord help me with 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:34.280 this. Thank you. This talk was scheduled before 00:00:34.280 --> 00:00:38.679 a lot of the last days people joined this channel. 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:46.320 And before Brandon Biggs said, go check out this 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:52.100 Kathryn Kuhlman talk and this channel, this talk 00:00:52.100 --> 00:00:56.420 emphasizes a lot, talks a lot about speaking 00:00:56.420 --> 00:01:00.350 in tongues in public. And Brandon, if you're 00:01:00.350 --> 00:01:03.250 ever to listen to this or your people here, I 00:01:03.250 --> 00:01:06.269 just want to let you know that this talk was 00:01:06.269 --> 00:01:12.209 scheduled to be put up before Brandon mentioned 00:01:12.209 --> 00:01:15.510 my channel. So it's not me like taking a look 00:01:15.510 --> 00:01:18.109 at Brandon's channel and saying, what the heck 00:01:18.109 --> 00:01:22.489 is going on here? Let me dig up a talk on 1 Corinthians 00:01:22.489 --> 00:01:28.439 14. No, this one was already ready to go. almost 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:31.040 ready to go. It was already scheduled. So let 00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:33.459 me just say that. It's not directed towards anybody 00:01:33.459 --> 00:01:41.680 initially. But on the other hand, if a shoe fits, 00:01:41.900 --> 00:01:46.400 put it on. That's a popular saying where in a 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:50.620 church I used to sit under a prophet and she 00:01:50.620 --> 00:01:53.400 would say that and we would all chuckle. But 00:01:53.400 --> 00:01:56.930 it's true too. If, you know, the Holy Spirit 00:01:56.930 --> 00:02:00.189 convicts you of it, or if the shoe fits and it 00:02:00.189 --> 00:02:04.870 speaks to you, then put it on. Amen. Trust me. 00:02:06.170 --> 00:02:10.169 I do that too. And I'm blessed to have the people 00:02:10.169 --> 00:02:14.810 who have rebuked me. And it's always done, my 00:02:14.810 --> 00:02:20.849 pastor is a saint at this. It's always done meekly 00:02:20.849 --> 00:02:25.949 and gently and with love. And always erring on 00:02:25.949 --> 00:02:30.930 the caution side of make sure your heart is right 00:02:30.930 --> 00:02:34.090 if you're going to do that. And so there may 00:02:34.090 --> 00:02:36.090 be some of that, Brandon, but I just want to 00:02:36.090 --> 00:02:39.830 say this is not initially my intention or me 00:02:39.830 --> 00:02:42.409 digging up something intentional. This was already 00:02:42.409 --> 00:02:47.729 scheduled to rock and roll late last week. So 00:02:47.729 --> 00:02:53.319 it is what it is. Check it out. Let me see. I 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:55.300 don't want to leave a long message. I really 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:58.919 don't. I'm going to mention one thing, though. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:03.539 There's churches that say they believe in speaking 00:03:03.539 --> 00:03:08.960 in tongues and prophecy, but there is none of 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:13.800 the gifts working. And that's a problem. And 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:19.979 Catherine forbade speaking in tongues in her 00:03:19.979 --> 00:03:24.009 healing ministries. in her services and that's 00:03:24.009 --> 00:03:31.449 like an extreme that's not good um and um the 00:03:31.449 --> 00:03:35.430 other extreme is uh probably anything goes an 00:03:35.430 --> 00:03:39.189 atmosphere where anything goes and we don't pay 00:03:39.189 --> 00:03:43.370 attention to first corinthians 14. um and that's 00:03:43.370 --> 00:03:45.909 not good that's not biblical that's not paul 00:03:45.909 --> 00:03:50.500 um One of the things that Catherine brings out 00:03:50.500 --> 00:03:53.659 here that is so awesome, two things that she 00:03:53.659 --> 00:03:57.000 brings out in regards to tongues. Paul teaches 00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:00.960 if there's no interpreter present, then don't 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:06.300 teach, don't speak in tongues. But then Catherine, 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:10.560 and I won't steal her thunder, her message, but 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:14.699 then Catherine points out that some of the talks 00:04:14.699 --> 00:04:19.079 that we... do, and some of the things that are 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:23.259 said in Pentecostal meetings are actually an 00:04:23.259 --> 00:04:27.339 interpretation of the tongues that have been 00:04:27.339 --> 00:04:32.300 spoken. It's just not articulated as this is 00:04:32.300 --> 00:04:36.139 an interpretation. And that's an interesting 00:04:36.139 --> 00:04:40.480 concept. I really like that. So it's just something 00:04:40.480 --> 00:04:43.800 maybe to keep our radars out on if they're speaking 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:49.029 in tongues. and there's no official um this is 00:04:49.029 --> 00:04:52.329 an interpretation from the lord you know nobody 00:04:52.329 --> 00:04:55.449 stands up and says this is what was what was 00:04:55.449 --> 00:05:02.290 said um then look for an informal um an incognito 00:05:02.290 --> 00:05:07.069 interpretation of tongues because it might be 00:05:07.069 --> 00:05:12.350 there um and um i want to say too that the One 00:05:12.350 --> 00:05:14.949 of the best churches that I've ever seen doing 00:05:14.949 --> 00:05:17.290 this, and I only went to the church one or two 00:05:17.290 --> 00:05:22.350 times, was that they set a microphone up. And 00:05:22.350 --> 00:05:24.949 people could go to the front of the church and 00:05:24.949 --> 00:05:28.269 give an interpretation. And that's an interesting 00:05:28.269 --> 00:05:30.990 way of doing things. And go to the church, up 00:05:30.990 --> 00:05:32.629 to the front of the church and give a prophecy. 00:05:33.569 --> 00:05:37.550 That's an interesting way to do it. But it doesn't 00:05:37.550 --> 00:05:40.930 always happen that way. And a lot of times the 00:05:40.930 --> 00:05:43.839 Spirit will... The Spirit will do what the Spirit 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:47.279 will do. You know what I mean? Praise God. And 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:52.980 it's wonderful. And we don't want to inhibit 00:05:52.980 --> 00:05:59.920 the Holy Spirit in any way. And lastly, Catherine 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:03.639 Tice has talked back in with the concept of love. 00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:07.199 Speaking in tongues isn't done out of love. Interpreting 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:10.759 or lack of interpreting is not done out of love. 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:15.660 then what are we doing? Then we're going to need 00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:18.480 to back up, back up and get our hearts right. 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:22.980 So anyway, I don't want to leave a long message 00:06:22.980 --> 00:06:28.060 here. So here's Catherine. God bless you guys. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:32.220 Have a great day. Bye -bye. You and I are in 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:37.980 a series of heart -to -heart talks. regarding 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:40.819 something that has gotten to be very controversial, 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:46.060 and yet it should not be so. There are many folks 00:06:46.060 --> 00:06:50.160 the very first time one speaks regarding the 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:54.800 Holy Spirit who become almost frightened, and 00:06:54.800 --> 00:07:00.240 the first question they'll ask, do you believe 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:04.779 in speaking in an unknown tongue? If you're asking 00:07:04.779 --> 00:07:09.100 that question of me personally, My answer will 00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:14.259 be yes. And I have to believe in speaking in 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:17.360 an unknown tongue because the Bible teaches it. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:21.300 And as I told you in a previous Heart to Heart 00:07:21.300 --> 00:07:25.899 talk, the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians is the 00:07:25.899 --> 00:07:30.920 basic chapter regarding the subject of speaking 00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:33.779 in an unknown tongue. I've come to the conclusion 00:07:33.779 --> 00:07:38.040 a long time ago that we need... some good old 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:42.399 -fashioned teaching when it comes to the person 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:44.959 of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Holy Spirit, 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:50.519 the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. And that's 00:07:50.519 --> 00:07:53.139 what we're trying to do in these little heart 00:07:53.139 --> 00:07:58.579 -to -heart talks. And everything must be based 00:07:58.579 --> 00:08:03.560 on the Word of God. If I say something and the 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:10.230 Word teaches, Contrary to what I say, remember, 00:08:10.449 --> 00:08:17.430 the Bible is always absolute authority. Before 00:08:17.430 --> 00:08:21.189 we turn to the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians, 00:08:21.370 --> 00:08:25.769 I know that the portion of the Word of God that 00:08:25.769 --> 00:08:28.610 is most familiar to you when it comes to the 00:08:28.610 --> 00:08:30.709 subject of the speaking in an unknown tongue 00:08:30.709 --> 00:08:38.100 is in the 2nd chapter of Acts. We read that on 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:42.960 the day of Pentecost, the Spirit appeared in 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:50.720 the form of fire, in the shape of tongues upon 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:54.399 the heads of the assembled people. And then we 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:57.700 read that they were all filled with the Spirit, 00:08:57.899 --> 00:09:01.480 and they began to speak with other tongues as 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:09.230 the Spirit gave them. Alright, go on then in 00:09:09.230 --> 00:09:11.730 the history and the Acts of the Apostles once 00:09:11.730 --> 00:09:16.570 more to the 10th chapter where we find the wonderful 00:09:16.570 --> 00:09:20.009 story of Peter in the house of Cornelius. When 00:09:20.009 --> 00:09:24.690 there the spirits fell, it is said that they 00:09:24.690 --> 00:09:28.649 received the gift of tongues. Now go a little 00:09:28.649 --> 00:09:33.970 further and in the 19th chapter the account of 00:09:34.250 --> 00:09:37.470 Paul's coming to Ephesus and finding there a 00:09:37.470 --> 00:09:40.570 group of disciples, he asked them the question, 00:09:40.750 --> 00:09:44.610 Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? 00:09:45.250 --> 00:09:48.769 And they said, Nay, we did not so much as hear 00:09:48.769 --> 00:09:53.370 whether the Holy Spirit was given. Sure, they'd 00:09:53.370 --> 00:09:57.250 been baptized into John's baptism, but when Paul 00:09:57.250 --> 00:10:01.870 expounded the truth and led them beyond the preaching 00:10:01.870 --> 00:10:07.769 of Apollos, They were filled with the Spirit. 00:10:08.210 --> 00:10:12.070 The Spirit came upon them, and they received 00:10:12.070 --> 00:10:16.350 the gift of tongues. There can be no question 00:10:16.350 --> 00:10:21.330 whatsoever that this was a definite experience 00:10:21.330 --> 00:10:29.289 and a positive gift. All right? Now, let's go 00:10:29.289 --> 00:10:32.309 back, if you will, please, to the 14th chapter 00:10:32.309 --> 00:10:35.230 of 1 Corinthians. And notice what the apostle 00:10:35.230 --> 00:10:40.990 teaches. In verse 2, we read these words. For 00:10:40.990 --> 00:10:47.409 he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto 00:10:47.409 --> 00:10:55.309 men, but unto God. In verse 28, we read these 00:10:55.309 --> 00:11:00.750 words. But if there be no interpreter, let him 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:03.909 keep silence in the church. and let him speak 00:11:03.909 --> 00:11:10.450 to himself and to God. Now this is the first 00:11:10.450 --> 00:11:13.990 great truth to be remembered, that the gift of 00:11:13.990 --> 00:11:18.710 tongues was for addressing God. It was not for 00:11:18.710 --> 00:11:21.710 the addressing of men. It was never given in 00:11:21.710 --> 00:11:26.009 order that men might preach. To put it simply, 00:11:26.070 --> 00:11:28.389 in our everyday language, it was given to men 00:11:28.389 --> 00:11:35.190 that they might praise. These voices, these tongues, 00:11:35.350 --> 00:11:42.570 were the utterances of glorious praise and gladness. 00:11:45.350 --> 00:11:49.909 Adoration. Tongues were given that they were 00:11:49.909 --> 00:11:55.070 to be used in addressing God. Notice another 00:11:55.070 --> 00:11:58.929 thing. And again I go to the second verse. He 00:11:58.929 --> 00:12:03.860 that speaketh in a tongue's... speaketh not unto 00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:12.980 men, but unto God. For no man understandeth. 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:20.259 I go to verse 5. I would, Paul says, I would 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:24.960 have you all speak with tongues, but rather that 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:29.509 ye should prophesy. And greater is he that prophesieth 00:12:29.509 --> 00:12:35.470 than he that speaketh with tongues except he 00:12:35.470 --> 00:12:42.490 interpret. Mark that. The tongues need interpretation 00:12:42.490 --> 00:12:50.549 in order to be understood. Take verse 9. So also 00:12:50.549 --> 00:12:57.370 ye, unless ye utter by the tongue, speech easy 00:12:57.370 --> 00:13:00.889 to be understood, how shall it be known what 00:13:00.889 --> 00:13:04.970 is spoken? For ye will be speaking into the air. 00:13:06.330 --> 00:13:11.950 The Bible teaches that if one speaks in an unknown 00:13:11.950 --> 00:13:16.750 tongue in a public service, he is out of order 00:13:16.750 --> 00:13:24.870 unless there also be the interpretation. We have 00:13:24.870 --> 00:13:27.990 now two great principles in looking at this gift 00:13:27.990 --> 00:13:31.570 of tongues. First of all, they were to be addressed 00:13:31.570 --> 00:13:38.789 to God. Secondly, definitely they were incomprehensible 00:13:38.789 --> 00:13:43.169 to men. No one could understand them. Outsiders 00:13:43.169 --> 00:13:48.750 could not understand. He goes a little further 00:13:48.750 --> 00:13:53.909 and says that even the one who is speaking, could 00:13:53.909 --> 00:14:00.149 not themselves understand. Now that 14th verse, 00:14:00.309 --> 00:14:02.929 now that's the reason I tell you that this 14th 00:14:02.929 --> 00:14:06.230 chapter of 1 Corinthians is the basic chapter 00:14:06.230 --> 00:14:13.950 on tongues. I read from the Word. For if I pray 00:14:13.950 --> 00:14:19.529 in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding 00:14:19.529 --> 00:14:24.330 is unfruitful. If a man had the gift of tongues, 00:14:24.529 --> 00:14:27.970 he can use it in addressing God, but he does 00:14:27.970 --> 00:14:32.549 not understand it himself. What he is saying, 00:14:32.669 --> 00:14:37.649 he does not understand. Now, in the next place, 00:14:37.769 --> 00:14:42.529 notice this. The apostle is teaching that there 00:14:42.529 --> 00:14:50.309 must be interpretation if tongues be used. And 00:14:50.309 --> 00:14:56.419 he distinctly says that. Wherefore, let him that 00:14:56.419 --> 00:15:01.519 speaketh in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:08.019 Once more, in gathering out the central statements, 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:15.159 I go to verse 28. But if there be no interpreter, 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:22.559 let him keep silence in the church. and let him 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:31.320 speak to himself and to God. That gathers up 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:36.740 the great teaching. Ponder it well. The gift 00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:43.720 of tongues was a gift of the Spirit. First of 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:48.039 all, it is to be used in addressing God and not 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:54.039 men. Secondly, it will be quite incomprehensible 00:15:54.039 --> 00:16:00.000 to the men who do hear. As a matter of fact, 00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:04.879 the one so gifted will be born up in an ecstasy 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:08.480 and will utter things not understood by himself 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:13.139 or herself. Further, if used in public, the gift 00:16:13.139 --> 00:16:19.539 of tongues demands interpretation. It's just 00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:21.679 like that. We must get back to the scripture. 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:29.000 And if this gift is used other than is taught 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:33.279 in the scripture, then that one misuses something 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:39.259 that is very precious. These things are sacred. 00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:46.320 We cannot just use them at will as we desire. 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:52.519 All demonstrations of the Spirit must be according 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:57.179 to the Word of God. Otherwise, they are out of 00:16:57.179 --> 00:17:05.380 order. If at a public assembly, in a place of 00:17:05.380 --> 00:17:10.940 worship, in your church, there is one who speaks 00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:16.269 in an unknown tongue, and there is no... interpretation, 00:17:16.390 --> 00:17:22.529 that one is out of order. And it's just that 00:17:22.529 --> 00:17:29.430 simple. Notice carefully that in that gift of 00:17:29.430 --> 00:17:32.529 Pentecost, there was the mingling of two things. 00:17:33.130 --> 00:17:38.430 And the supreme wonder is that what then was 00:17:38.430 --> 00:17:43.210 uttered was understood. But it led to inquiry. 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:50.319 When they heard this, they were amazed and they 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:57.579 said, What meaneth this? When they heard those 00:17:57.579 --> 00:18:03.160 who were speaking in an unknown tongue, in that 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:07.619 upper room, the crowd gathered around, the curious 00:18:07.619 --> 00:18:11.019 gathered around and said, What meaneth this? 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:17.410 Note two things. First of all, They were conscious 00:18:17.410 --> 00:18:23.730 in their own languages of a company of men praising 00:18:23.730 --> 00:18:29.230 God. Sounding in high ecstasy, the praise is 00:18:29.230 --> 00:18:32.450 the most high. But they were led to inquire, 00:18:32.509 --> 00:18:38.430 What does this mean? An interpretation immediately 00:18:38.430 --> 00:18:45.450 followed. Peter, standing up, said, Be this known 00:18:45.450 --> 00:18:49.569 unto you, this is that which hath been spoken 00:18:49.569 --> 00:18:54.309 by the prophet Joel. Then he began on quoting 00:18:54.309 --> 00:18:59.990 from the Old Testament. Oh, this is glorious. 00:19:00.130 --> 00:19:05.170 Don't stop with just Acts 2 -4. See what follows. 00:19:05.230 --> 00:19:08.049 Read the whole thing. There's so many today who 00:19:08.049 --> 00:19:12.329 are just taking a portion of God's Word. you 00:19:12.329 --> 00:19:15.029 know most people see what they want to see most 00:19:15.029 --> 00:19:19.650 people read what they want to read most people 00:19:19.650 --> 00:19:25.750 do what they want to do when they came out and 00:19:25.750 --> 00:19:31.710 said what meaneth this the interpretation immediately 00:19:31.710 --> 00:19:38.170 followed Peter standing up said, Be this known 00:19:38.170 --> 00:19:42.289 unto you, this is that which hath been spoken 00:19:42.289 --> 00:19:45.390 by the prophet Joel. And then he went right on 00:19:45.390 --> 00:19:49.210 quoting. Then he began again the second division 00:19:49.210 --> 00:19:54.369 of his discourse. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved 00:19:54.369 --> 00:20:00.089 of God unto you, he has shed forth this, which 00:20:00.089 --> 00:20:05.299 ye see and hear. The gift of tongues was a miracle 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:09.299 in which men heard in their own language the 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:15.099 praises of God. And the inquiry resulted from 00:20:15.099 --> 00:20:20.599 it because it was a sign puzzling them. What 00:20:20.599 --> 00:20:26.339 meaneth this? And Peter answered in just two 00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:29.799 brief sentences and it covered the whole ground. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:34.759 This is that. which hath been spoken by the prophet 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:44.660 Joel. He hath poured forth this. Oh, that's wonderful. 00:20:44.779 --> 00:20:49.180 To me that's very thrilling. Bear one other thing 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:52.799 in mind. This gift of tongues was possessed by 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:59.279 Paul. Paul had the gift of tongues. Indeed, he 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:02.390 says he spake with tongues more than, any of 00:21:02.390 --> 00:21:08.190 them. It was a real gift. Recall to mind that 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:13.569 Paul himself said of an occasion upon which he 00:21:13.569 --> 00:21:17.130 was caught up in the third heaven, heard unspeakable 00:21:17.130 --> 00:21:21.869 words that it was not lawful for him to utter. 00:21:23.349 --> 00:21:27.829 It was a great spiritual vision of high ecstasy. 00:21:29.769 --> 00:21:35.250 This is all so thrilling. Believe me. Thousands 00:21:35.250 --> 00:21:38.529 of you are missing out on something that is so 00:21:38.529 --> 00:21:42.670 wonderful. And it is a part of your inheritance. 00:21:44.089 --> 00:21:47.349 This, what I'm talking about, is literally a 00:21:47.349 --> 00:21:54.769 gift that Jesus gave to his church. And if you 00:21:54.769 --> 00:21:58.289 are a part of his church, If you have been born 00:21:58.289 --> 00:22:01.009 into this wonderful body of Christ, then this 00:22:01.009 --> 00:22:05.769 is what I am talking about. This, of which Paul 00:22:05.769 --> 00:22:15.849 is speaking, is a gift to you. It's yours. And 00:22:15.849 --> 00:22:19.849 lo, these many years you have refused a gift 00:22:19.849 --> 00:22:27.799 that is so glorious. Oh, I wish I could do something 00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:33.759 to make this clear to you. I wish I had the ability. 00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:37.259 I can only pray that the Holy Spirit shall put 00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:42.740 this hunger into your heart. Glance at the first 00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:47.480 three verses of this glorious chapter, the 14th 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:52.319 chapter, 1 Corinthians. The supreme matter is 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:59.799 follow a... or love. Three of the gifts are in 00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:04.579 view. Prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the 00:23:04.579 --> 00:23:12.839 gift of interpretation. The supreme matter is 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:21.700 love. Why do we want this gift? Why? Why do we 00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:25.000 want to be possessed of this gift of the Spirit? 00:23:25.390 --> 00:23:27.990 whether it's prophecy of tongues or the interpretation 00:23:27.990 --> 00:23:33.269 of tongues. Let us answer the question in the 00:23:33.269 --> 00:23:37.910 loneliness of our own souls. If there is any 00:23:37.910 --> 00:23:46.369 other desire than love, it is false. Love is 00:23:46.369 --> 00:23:54.289 the most excellent way, and love must control 00:23:54.289 --> 00:24:01.140 truth. these gifts. And it's just like that. 00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:11.640 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:18.619 angels and have not love, I am become a sounding 00:24:18.619 --> 00:24:25.339 brass or a tinkling cymbal. Let's get a little 00:24:25.339 --> 00:24:31.660 more personal. In the past months, an increasing 00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:36.319 number of our people, clergy and laity alike, 00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:40.039 have come into this glorious New Testament experience. 00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:47.180 Even as I'm speaking to you now, there are ministers 00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:51.740 listening to me who just recently have come into 00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:56.170 this experience. There are members of your churches 00:24:56.170 --> 00:25:01.890 who have just recently come into the experience 00:25:01.890 --> 00:25:07.789 of which I'm speaking. And in describing their 00:25:07.789 --> 00:25:15.309 experience, it is most interesting to hear what 00:25:15.309 --> 00:25:19.150 they have to say. I do not believe that these 00:25:19.150 --> 00:25:22.769 experiences are identical. Just like the healing 00:25:22.769 --> 00:25:26.420 for the physical body. Not all receive their 00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:29.680 physical healing in the same way when it comes 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:36.839 to the new birth experience. Some receive the 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:39.259 new birth experience alone in their own homes. 00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:44.920 Some in answering an altar call. You see, you 00:25:44.920 --> 00:25:50.880 just can't say how God is going to do a certain 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.660 thing. God is bigger than all of our theology. 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:59.720 I don't mean to be sacrilegious, but I do not 00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:02.380 know how better to express it than to just say 00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:06.920 you can't fence God in. You just can't fence 00:26:06.920 --> 00:26:12.019 the Holy Spirit in. You cannot just command the 00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:14.839 Holy Spirit and demand him to do it a certain 00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:19.519 way. Someone will say, I'll not fall under the 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:22.880 power, and lo and behold, Before the words are 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:25.480 even gotten out of their mouth, down they go 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:31.759 under the power of God. In experiencing this 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:35.579 wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, there have 00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:39.619 been those who have said there has been a new 00:26:39.619 --> 00:26:44.359 joy in their Christian faith. Another will say 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:48.200 they have found a deeper and more constant awareness 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:53.640 of the Spirit's indwelling presence. Or perhaps 00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:56.759 another will say they have found a new freedom 00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:00.059 to witness to other people what Jesus means to 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:03.680 them. And the baptism of the Holy Spirit is given 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:07.279 for one purpose, and that purpose is to witness, 00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:12.140 to serve. And still another may say that they 00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:16.900 have a keener sense of the Spirit's guidance 00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:24.109 in their life. And all will agree that it has 00:27:24.109 --> 00:27:30.230 awakened a greater interest in the studying of 00:27:30.230 --> 00:27:34.029 the Bible. The Holy Spirit makes the Bible come 00:27:34.029 --> 00:27:43.410 alive. The Holy Spirit gives life. Now, why is 00:27:43.410 --> 00:27:49.329 this happening so suddenly? Why haven't we heard 00:27:49.329 --> 00:27:52.009 about it before, if it's such a marvelous blessing? 00:27:52.990 --> 00:27:57.049 I imagine that people raised the same kind of 00:27:57.049 --> 00:28:00.490 question when Martin Luther began to uncover 00:28:00.490 --> 00:28:03.769 truths of Scripture which had long been neglected. 00:28:04.789 --> 00:28:08.950 It's the kind of question to which we can give 00:28:08.950 --> 00:28:14.130 no final answer. Perhaps we have simply neglected 00:28:14.130 --> 00:28:19.160 part of the... Biblical revelation for speaking 00:28:19.160 --> 00:28:21.700 in tongues is clearly set forth in Scripture 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:29.259 as a blessing and an endowment from God. It was 00:28:29.259 --> 00:28:32.160 widely manifested in the church for several centuries 00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:37.359 after the apostles and was present with some 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:41.460 of the saints in the Middle Ages. The manifestation 00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:45.140 of... Tongues was present in Wesley's revival 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:49.680 in the Quaker movement, and most recently in 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:52.420 the Pentecostal movement of the past 50 years. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:59.039 Perhaps we've neglected this aspect of the biblical 00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:03.299 revelation, but perhaps it goes even deeper. 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:15.079 Perhaps this is simply God's time. This is God's 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:22.700 power. This is the Holy Spirit's power.