In reading the Book of Acts, I see that Peter wasn't part of the groups that spoke in tongues. Peter had a better gift of knowing what was happening and explaining it and harvesting a crop of new believers.
Looking at Paul's writings, it is obvious that not all Christians should be speaking in tongues. They should pray to receive the greater gifts.
I think one of the greatest gifts is of those who no matter where they go they wind up helping someone accept Christ.
Here is something that most folks don't know. Among the Hindu followers, there is speaking in tongues.
Years ago, I met a woman (1st date) and I knew by her church that speaking in tongues was a big item. I told her that I had a problem with the teaching people how to speak in tongues. Doesn't the Holy Spirit know how to just give it? She replied that she really didn't teach them but instead let them watch and listen so that they got the idea.
Funny thing is; it doesn't sound like a language. There is too much rhyming and too much repeating of words. The worst case was a pastor saying, "To drink,......to drink, to drink, to drink. To drink!"
I have even run across folks who claim that God can't hear prayers that are not in tongues. No body gets saved I guess.
OKAY! LET THE BRONCS OUT OF THE CORALS AND LETS RIDE 'EM COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS:yay::bouncy:
I did some research on when the Pentecostal movement got its start and my source is the Oral Roberts University, online. The movement began in Topeka Kansas, right here in the United States in 1901. You can verify this information below or you can find your own sources. But this is the realistic truth. The Lord said that the gifts are for unbelievers not believers. That is also found in 1 Corinthians the 14th chapter.
1 Corinthians 14:22 �Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Prophesying is for believers, that is giving forth the word correctly from scripture.
Even though I have accurately given God's truth as written, how many really are going to accept and believe it and backed it with the history of Pentecostalism?
The following is the History of Pentecostalism from Oral Roberts University.
The Pentecostal movement is by far the largest and most important religious movement to originate in the United States. Beginning in 1901 with only a handful of students in a Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, the number of Pentecostals increased steadily throughout the world during the Twentieth Century until by 1993 they had become the largest family of Protestants in the world. With over 200,000,000 members designated as denominational Pentecostals, this group surpassed the Orthodox churches as the second largest denominational family of Christians, surpassed only by the Roman catholics. In addition to these "Classical denominational Pentecostals," there were over 200,000,000 "Charismatic" Pentecostals in the mainline denominations and independent charismatic churches, both Catholic and Protestant, which placed the number of both Pentecostals and charismatics at well over 420,000,000 persons in 1993. This explosive growth has forced the Christian world to pay increasing attention to the entire movement and to attempt to discover the root causes of this growth.
Although the Pentecostal movement had its beginnings in the United States, it owed much of its basic theology to earlier British perfectionist and charismatic movements. At least three of these, the Methodist/Holiness movement, the Catholic Apostolic movement of Edward Irving, and the British Keswick "Higher Life" movement prepared the way for what appeared to be a spontaneous outpouring of the Holy Spirit in America.
Years ago some people at my church wanted to start what I guess they thought would be a better church and they wanted the senior pastor to go with them. They asked him if he spoke in tongues. He said no and they offered to teach him. Another pastor on staff went. That church is sucessful. Want to be a member? You can if you speak in tongues.
Here is what I think is going on:
People don't want to believe by faith, they want to see something or feel something. Whether it is "thou shalt do works," holy laughter, speaking in tongues, handling poisonous snakes or whatever; people feel a need to experience something.
GlendoraMike, speaking for myself, I would not want to belong to a church if I had to speak in tongues. That would be a works requirement on my part.
Thankfully the church I belong to, anyone can join if they have a repentant heart and they are added by Christ himself. The good news is there are no unsaved in this church.
Acts 2:47.
It seems to be the lest popular church today and yet it has the largest membership and is also the first church and the only one God recognizes in scripture as explained in Ephs. 4:5 and other places.
In Jo 20:21 Jesus breathed on his disciples and said to receive the Holy Spirit, after that occasion he instructed to go into the City and wait.
Acts Ch 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
If you will notice in all of the Gospels It was said of Jesus that he would Baptize believers with the Holy Spirit and Fire.
He had said to them in verse four of ch 1 wait for the promise of the father, which you have heard of me, we know he was talking of the Holy Spirit, or the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Verse 8 ,notice he mentions it is the Holy Spirit, and he tell's them why, to receive power, that they may be a witness unto him.
The number in the upper room was 120, and they where all in one accord in prayer.
In Acts: 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This is not the new birth they where already born again, but it is as it was in Jesus ministry an additional impartation of the Holy Spirit for power to be a witness unto Jesus.
The Spirit came upon not within
He came on all
As all received the Gift of the Holy spirit.
All spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:7 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Peter tells us what the promise of the father is, The Holy Spirit, it is the will of the father the Holy Spirit is to be poured out on all .
Now many want to argue this is the Gift of tongues, this is not the Gift of tongues it is refereed to as the Gift of The holy Spirit and when they received him all spoke in other tongues, as they where filled.
When a believe receives the Holy Spirit as in acts ch 2:4, you can pray in tongues any time you want to.
We will go to acts 10:44 and in this context we see this happening to the gentile believers and notice what the apostles say about it.
Acts 10:44 � While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
The Holy Spirit again Fell on all of them.
They said this was the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Because they heard them speak with tongues.
In explaining the occasion to the Jewish brethren Peter Said:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Again we see baptized with the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is again refereed to as the gift
It is Jesus that baptizes with Holy Spirit and Fire
1 Corinthians 14:22 �Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
1 Corinthians 14:1 ��Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
1 Corinthians 13:8 ��Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away
1 Corinthians 14:23 �If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
