Speaking In Tongues?

[iSong6:3]

Agree with Anddra, Meg, you clearly put much thoughtfulness into these posts.

You mentioned several people that we do not endorse here - Rick Warren, Beth Moore, Max Lucado - who have Emergent and other issues, and also T.D. Jakes - not a Trinitarian as well as several other aberrant beliefs. Anyone can do a Search here on each to learn more. But since what you mentioned on them was innocuous, I left them in your posts.

Just had to address that issue, though. :thumb

[Meg]

I wrote this stuff back in April, and maybe part of early May, I could check for original post dates if thats important. There were a lot of things I didn't understand at that point; I have learned a lot since then. I was mostly hanging in a forum that was under a year old, and most members were either new Christians, in their early 20's or both, and I was answering more questions than I was able to ask. People would post questions that reflected growth that I had already experienced, and that I could advise on, but my questions were too much for anyone I knew online or off. I had also been trying to find a church in 2007, and I was having a terrible time understanding why I was so different. I grew really fast in the Lord, it would seem, because I was under tremendous pressure and had no other choice. Then I found the Barna Poll I was quoting. I was very deeply shocked, and I brought the whole matter to deep prayer. At that time I had my night job and no one but me at home, and I could pray for an hour or more in the mornings, and I did just that, all the time. Meanwhile, I had a 22 day nightmare with arthritis that got so bad I could hardly walk at all, sometimes all I could stand was to sit in my recliner. I still wonder if that was something spiritually similar to an extreme fast. Reading my own words brought back a weekend I had quite forgotten. I had been sleeping a lot, and that Saturday morning, I woke up about less than an hour before dawn. The Holy Spirit was incredibly strong that morning, it was like a sunrise in my heart. I made my coffee, had my Scripture and prayer time, and started writing those words. It still takes my breath away, remembering that; the Spirit stayed very strong all that weekend, but as my account reflects, it was faded out by Tuesday. I have not had an experience like that since, not that strong. God joined with me, shaping my heart concerns for the church into words expressing the intense, strong Presence that I have known so well over the years. My sole understanding of how I got that strong in the Holy Spirit in 5 1/2 years is that I read Scripture every morning, then pray, and do the same every night before bed. I pour my heart out to the Lord, and sometimes, not always, He fills my heart and soul with His Presence; I used to think that was a normal Christian experience, and I was devastated to discover its not! I was also devastated to discover that most Christians have no idea how the precious Gifts of the Holy Spirit can and should work in our lives. I hope those words I wrote this Spring help some more people understand... At the time, I posted the parts as I wrote them at 3 or 4 forums I belong to. After this weekend, and the apologetics discussion, I felt it right to post them here, in case some searching, silent lurker wanted to what real Christian Spirituality can be like...

[Lucinda]

Thank you Meg,I enjoyed reading your post.:hug

[caligal]

I am in awe of people like you Meg.

[Meg]

I am in awe of people like you Meg.

My goodness, Caligal, please save your awe for Jesus Christ! Those words came from Him! I am but a jar of plain old clay, just a little very insignificant one at that!

Stuff like that comes out of deep prayer; since nothing is hidden from God, I don't bother with pretense in prayer. I say exactly whats on my mind, especially when I'm worried. Jesus has been so, so very patient, understanding and wise, very wise. He never gets impatient with me, he never tells me I'm being silly. Oh how i wish sometimes that I could talk to Him face-to-face, when I too see through a glass but dimly, so heartwrenchingly dimly... I even deeply envy Paul, the Apostle, who clearly heard the Holy Spirit many times better than I ever have. But when that message did come through, it was one of the more profound Spiritual experiences in what has been a truly profound search for the truth about God...

[OED40]

Hello, all. :hat I wanted to post this in dedication to God's Holy Spirit, whom we received when we accepted Christ as our Savior. When I was being covicted and feeling guilty of my sins, I actually had no idea who He was or what He did. In fact, I did not know who The Holy Spirit was until after I became saved. In my early days of following Christ, there were so many times that I got scared the The Holy Spirit would leave me due to the sins I committed and I attacks from the enemy that I didn't think I'd survive. I finally realized that I should not doubt God's promise that He would never leave me nor forsake me. The Holy Spirit is the reason why I am still here today and I am grateful to the Lord He is with all of us. Here are some of the joys of having Him dwell within us:

He seals our salvation permanently so we will never lose it.
He comforts us (As Jesus said, He is The Comforter and The Helper)
He uses us to witness
He protects us from the enemy

Would anyone else like to cotribute? :)

[Iruntherace4Him]

Yeah, The baptism of the Holy Spirit is something we need to ask for continually to do the work God has for us to minister to others, He is our helper to be holy and do the things God wants for us to do in this world, give the gospel, living according to His WORD, etc. It is not something we earn, it is a free gift just like salvation, and the Apostles were given this gift after their conversion . This is what changed Peter and gave him the courage to preach with boldness the gospel of Christ and many spoke in tongues and did some awesome things after receiving this gift. I don't get caught up anymore in some of the errors of Pentecostalism, I just know what the Holy Spirit does now and its more than I had been taught in the Churches I use to attend where I got saved.This same Holy Spirit comes alongside of us and convicts us of our sin before we believe, then comes into us and indwells us after we are saved, then He is poured out upon us when we ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. So He comes along, comes in, then He comes upon us.. I just learned this a few years ago. Makes Biblical sense. For all who are thirsty come and drink of the living waters.....

[autumn8297]

well, you two pretty much spoke for me so I'm just posting to give you both a hearty AMEN and tell you I am in full agreement with you that the Holy Spirit has been a wonderful comfort and guide to me and that I am blessed to experience His unique ministry!! :hug :yeah

[heart_changed99]

Okay, I used to be a firm believer in speaking in tongues and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I've experienced both and just last year come to know the truth about a lot of things. I prayed for a long time seeking my answers and I believe, with all of my heart, that God led me to this board to find them.

Anyway, so I have a friend who had never experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit or speaking in tongues until yesterday. Well, they knew my beliefs and experiences, but was still excited to tell me about it. I wanted to be happy for them, but in my spirit, I just can't. Maybe I experienced a whole different realm of "baptism of the Holy Spirit", but am I right when I say that its actually not scriptural for it to be a separate even apart from Salvation?

And tongues, I experienced that too. I still recall that after getting saved and "baptized in the Holy Spirit" that's when my spiritual attacks began. Also known as sleep paralysis, but I won't go into it. I'll just say that I experienced these "signs and wonders" and especially the "gold dust". I've spoken in "tongues"; shook uncontrollably; the holy laughter; the lightening sensations through my body; oh and the mystic presence of angels in the room. All of this experience was even to the point of having something taking control of my body and causing me to utter words in weeping and singing.

Please help, I am so confused. I've read many articles by John MacArthur and it appears that everything that I experienced was not Biblical and I happen to agree. However, I am afraid of calling good bad, you know? If there is even just a slight chance of me doing so, I really pray that God will let me know through Scriptural reading.

Upon her telling me about her excitement, I exhorted her to exercise caution because of what doors this can open. I'm not sure what reaction they were expecting since they knew my beliefs as I have described to them in full detail why I do not believe in "speaking in tongues" or the experience they described.I was completely honest and polite in my response, but they still took offense. They even mentioned that a fellow believer they look up to referenced them to where the gift of tongues is scriptural.

I just want to know what my RR friends have studied and links to articles will be appreciated. Thank you!

[heart_changed99]

OOOOPS, I meant to post this in Apostasy. Mods, could you please move it?