"Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
- 2cd Timothy 2:3-4
The purpose of this blog, besides being a devotion thought and study, is to be an eye-opener and an encouraging message to any Christian who reads this. The verses I posted above, 2cd Timothy 2:2-4, is the verse the Lord gave me for the year 2013 and one of the thoughts that came to my mind during that time is "You cant always be a hero to everyone!" We are living in a day and age where we dont see the kind of people written in Hebrews Chapter 11, aka, the Heroes of Faith. Majority of the people mentioned in that chapter were faithful to God no matter what the situation was, even if they were the only ones living faithfully to God they wouldnt waver or be moved. As the end draws near (and I personally believe we are in the End Times when comparing the spiritual state of the world and the events taking place within it to the scriptures) are we going see people like days past that had taken a stand for God by faith even when no one else stands with them? Are we going to see people live a holy God-based standard that, in words similer to that of Leonard Ravenhill, our Christ-based righteousness reflect on the corruption of others. The one thing generations past had that we dont have is Heroes of Faith. The Protestant Reformation had Luther, Calvin, and many others but who do we have? Where are our Heroes of Faith? As the darkness of the enemy begins to surround and thicken will there be pillars of light shining for Him as beacons of hopes for others? I believe the calling God has today is the same calling God had during Ezekiel's generation, for men and women to fill in the gap and make up the hedge. Number 1 question here is "Where are God's heroes?"
"And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." - Ezekiel 22:30
1. The "Batman" Analogy!
If anyone knows me personally they know I am a nerd. When I think of heroes, even though I was never big into comic books, I think of the super heroes I grew up with that were on t.v and in movies and video games. One of my favorite super heroes from childhood even til now is The Dark Knight himself. Reason why he was the best is simply unlike Superman, Spider-man, Hulk, ect., he had no powers or special abilities. He was a average entrepreneur playboy billionaire who, because of a life altering event, had a burden, which lead to purpose and motivation, decided to take up the mantle of the cowl and be a symbol of hope and justice to the people. His life altering event was seeing his parents murdered and killed by gun shot right before his eyes when he was a child. His life altering event gave him a burden, a purpose, and a motivation, to prevent that from happening to anyone else, thus why he became The Batman. Well lets now compare that to the Christian. We had a life altering event to happen in our lives. When we repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and called upon His name, he altered our lives, forgave us of our sins, and made us anew.
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2cd Corinthians 5:17
Since we have had a life altering event that had taken place in our lives it shouldve left us with a burden, which lead to a purpose, and to motivation. When we denied ourselves and had taken up the cross to follow him, when we were born again, a burden for others should have been placed into our hearts. A burden to see others experience the the same life altering event that we have experienced through Christ Jesus our Lord. A burden to see souls saved and reconciled back to God through the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. And since we have a burden, we have also been given a purpose in our walk of faith. When we were born again we were given the freedom and liberties to preach and proclaim the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that men and women may believe, call upon his name, and be saved. Since we have been given a burden, since we have been given a purpose, we have also been given motivation from God. The thought that gives us burden is the same thought that gives us motivation within our purpose which is to see souls saved. To see family, friends, enemies, WHOSOEVER, come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and be born again.
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." - Matthew 16:24-25
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." - Matthew 28:18-20
"How then shall they call on him in whom they have no believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom the have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:14-17
2. Equipping the Hero!
One of the greatest things I was ever taught from my younger days as a Christian is that "he doesnt called the qualify, he qualifies the called!" If God has called you into a work and ministry he will equip you for it. If he has called you to be a singer he will equip you with a voice anointed of God. If he has called you to be a pastor he will equip you with the wisdom and knowledge needed to lead God's people. The key thing overall is that for us to be equiped for our calling we need to let God equip us. To many times do we hinder the work of God in our lives.We are the clay and he is the potter and too many times does the piece of clay choose to harden up over one thing or another, whether it be discouragement or pride. When we came to the Lord by faith it was "just as I am" and when it comes to being equipped for our calling it must be with a humble heart and simply "just as I am."
"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the might hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." - 1st Peter 5:5-7
"Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." - Jeremiah 18:3-4
3. The Anti-Hero (Cant be a hero to everybody!)
Like I said previously in this blog, when the Lord first put 2cd Timothy 2:2-4 on my heart for the new year, one of the first thoughts that came to my mind is "You cant be a hero to everybody!" We, as Christians, need to always keep in thought and remembrance that living for the Lord and being popular will most likely never go hand in hand, and sadly, thats even true among the saints. When living for Jesus Christ we need to always remember that even if we dont get the spiritual and moral support from our brothers and sisters that we STILL need to live faithfully to the high calling of God no matter who turns against us or thinks we have gone "extreme with the Jesus thing." When atempting to live God's holy standard by faith we will be looked more as a "Anti-Hero" than a Hero to some whether it be our calling, our personal walk of faith, ect. If you dont know what "Anti-Hero" means it means someone who will continue to do good even when others, even the majority, look at him or her as a "eye sore" and maybe be considered a "Villian" in a sense simply because he dont fit the mold or persona given by the majority.(Remember talking nerd lingo here.) One person from the Bible that comes to my mind that was considered an eye sore to the people was Elijah. Elijah lived during a time where idolatry ran rampant throughout all of Israel and was considered a "Anti-Hero" to a great extent by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel simply because he chose to believe, serve, and worship the one and true living God. Even at one point in his life he thought he was the last prophet of God. He was hunted by the authorities, despised by the rich and powerful, and rejected by his fellow Israelites, but he kept being faithful to God. He cared more about his personal relationship with God that popularity wasnt a concern. Like the first verse states, we are called to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" and that includes the hardness of being rejected by your peers, by your friends, by your family, and even your fellow church members. But the question is are you going to compromise God's standard and be accepted just to fit in or are you going to live for Christ no matter occurs. Sometimes we cant be heroes to everybody.
"And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country." - Luke 4:24
I hope and pray this blog and devotion has blessed those who read it, honestly we do live in a generation that lacks what generations had before us. Men and women of faith that had no problem risking it all simply because they loved the Lord. Also remember being called into a work or being called to living up to God's standard has nothing to do with age. You can be in your 60's and still be used of God, and likewise, you can be a teen and be used as well. An example would be of Jeremiah, who was called as a child to be a prophet of God. The question overall is, no matter what factors there are, no matter what the costs are, if and when God calls you to to fill in the gap and make up the hedge will you answer?
Bro. Michael Grant
A Cry in the Wild Ministries
Friday, April 5, 2013
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Jephthah's Vow: A Bitter Sweet Gospel!
"Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mind hands, then it shall be that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt-offering. So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel. And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back." - Judges 11:29-35
Judges 11:29-40 is a set of very controversial scripture, it depicts a judge of Israel vowing a vow unto God and later, bitterly, fulfilling his vow by sacrificing his only daughter, his only child, to God as a burnt sacrifice. Ive, in recent times, discussed this piece of scripture with a close friend and fellow sister in Christ and the subject got to her because it was one piece of scripture she couldnt understand. Anyone could tell it got to her and got her upset. It is indeed one of those scriptures that bring up the question "Why?" When I first read this piece of scripture last week, the Lord revealed something to me that truly blessed my heart. Your probably wondering how could a dark depressing piece of scripture bless someones heart? Well if the Lord reveals something pertaining to Jesus Christ and the Gospel of course it will bless a Christians heart. Three things the Lord revealed to me about this whole incident that points to Calvary.
1. Jephthah had a vow and had to keep it, just like our God makes a promise and will surely keep it.
One of the first things God revealed to me is that Jephthah keeping his vow and his word was a living example of how God keeps his Word and his promise. No matter what occured, no matter what came through the door, Jephthah knew he had to keep his vow. Remember eversince the beginning of time a man is as good as his word. If he cant keep his word he cant be trusted. We know that God is a keeper of his Word and can be trusted. Every promise and prophecy given in the Word of God God does keep and will surely fulfill in his timing. When it came to the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, God made a promise and surely kept it. An example of a promise and prophecy concerning Jesus Christ is found in Isaiah 53 (which is a few lines below) and it did come to pass, that Christ did suffer and died, like it was told centuries beforehand.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not will that any should persih, but that all should come to repentance." - 2cd Peter 3:9
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:1-5
2. Like Jephthah, God only had ONE child.
Judge 11:35 states that this daughter was the only child of Jephthah, he had no other child, no sons, no other daughters, just this one daughter. Scriptures say, whether your trinitarian or oneness, that God had one Son that being the Lord Jesus Christ. Jephthah offered up his only child as a burnt-offering and God offered up his only begotten Son an offering for sin. Jephthah's sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the things to come concerning crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary simply because he had to fulfill his vow and sacrifice his only child to the Lord. Just like Jephthah keeping his word, we know that God kept his Word and sent his Son to die for all mankind on an old rugged cross.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." - John 3:16-18
3. Both children were faithful to their fathers and were faithful unto death.
Judges 11:36-40 shows something very interesting in this situation, that the daughter of Jephthah did not argue with her father concerning his vow. She wasnt rebellious to it, she didnt fight it, she didnt try to find an alternative, she simply obeyed. How does this points to Christ? Because like Jephthah's daughter, Jesus Christ was obedient every step of the way to the will of his Father. Yes he prayed fervently in the garden of Gethsemane. Yes he did sweat blood because of the stress at the thought of seperation from his Father by being an offering for the redemption of mankind. But he said wholeheartedly before God "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42)
"Let this mind be in your, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath hightly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- Philippians 2:5-11
Yes, like I said previously, a very controversial piece of scripture, but even the most controversial piece of scripture can hold to the cross of Calvary and glorify God. Think about it, pray about it, hopefully this blesses your heart, like it did mine when the Lord pointed out these treasures to me.
Bro. Michael Grant
A Cry in the Wild Ministries
Judges 11:29-40 is a set of very controversial scripture, it depicts a judge of Israel vowing a vow unto God and later, bitterly, fulfilling his vow by sacrificing his only daughter, his only child, to God as a burnt sacrifice. Ive, in recent times, discussed this piece of scripture with a close friend and fellow sister in Christ and the subject got to her because it was one piece of scripture she couldnt understand. Anyone could tell it got to her and got her upset. It is indeed one of those scriptures that bring up the question "Why?" When I first read this piece of scripture last week, the Lord revealed something to me that truly blessed my heart. Your probably wondering how could a dark depressing piece of scripture bless someones heart? Well if the Lord reveals something pertaining to Jesus Christ and the Gospel of course it will bless a Christians heart. Three things the Lord revealed to me about this whole incident that points to Calvary.
1. Jephthah had a vow and had to keep it, just like our God makes a promise and will surely keep it.
One of the first things God revealed to me is that Jephthah keeping his vow and his word was a living example of how God keeps his Word and his promise. No matter what occured, no matter what came through the door, Jephthah knew he had to keep his vow. Remember eversince the beginning of time a man is as good as his word. If he cant keep his word he cant be trusted. We know that God is a keeper of his Word and can be trusted. Every promise and prophecy given in the Word of God God does keep and will surely fulfill in his timing. When it came to the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, God made a promise and surely kept it. An example of a promise and prophecy concerning Jesus Christ is found in Isaiah 53 (which is a few lines below) and it did come to pass, that Christ did suffer and died, like it was told centuries beforehand.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not will that any should persih, but that all should come to repentance." - 2cd Peter 3:9
"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. he is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." - Isaiah 53:1-5
2. Like Jephthah, God only had ONE child.
Judge 11:35 states that this daughter was the only child of Jephthah, he had no other child, no sons, no other daughters, just this one daughter. Scriptures say, whether your trinitarian or oneness, that God had one Son that being the Lord Jesus Christ. Jephthah offered up his only child as a burnt-offering and God offered up his only begotten Son an offering for sin. Jephthah's sacrifice was a foreshadowing of the things to come concerning crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary simply because he had to fulfill his vow and sacrifice his only child to the Lord. Just like Jephthah keeping his word, we know that God kept his Word and sent his Son to die for all mankind on an old rugged cross.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." - John 3:16-18
3. Both children were faithful to their fathers and were faithful unto death.
Judges 11:36-40 shows something very interesting in this situation, that the daughter of Jephthah did not argue with her father concerning his vow. She wasnt rebellious to it, she didnt fight it, she didnt try to find an alternative, she simply obeyed. How does this points to Christ? Because like Jephthah's daughter, Jesus Christ was obedient every step of the way to the will of his Father. Yes he prayed fervently in the garden of Gethsemane. Yes he did sweat blood because of the stress at the thought of seperation from his Father by being an offering for the redemption of mankind. But he said wholeheartedly before God "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42)
"Let this mind be in your, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath hightly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- Philippians 2:5-11
Yes, like I said previously, a very controversial piece of scripture, but even the most controversial piece of scripture can hold to the cross of Calvary and glorify God. Think about it, pray about it, hopefully this blesses your heart, like it did mine when the Lord pointed out these treasures to me.
Bro. Michael Grant
A Cry in the Wild Ministries
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Where is the Interpreter?
"I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may recieve edifying. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So Likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are, it mayb be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me." - 1st Corinthians 14:5-11
First off I would like to make clear that the purpose of this blog devotion is not to bash Pentecostals or any follower of Pentecostalism on their belief of their interpretation concerning the doctrine of tongues, for I know of a few Pentecostals and Apostalics, who do speak in tongues, that are genuine Godly born again people. But the purpose of this blog is to more ask a question and give food for thought and that question simply being "Where is the Interpreter?" In 1st Corinthians 14, Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, confronts the issue concerning speaking in tongues, not saying that it was false and ungodly, for even I believe in the gift of tongues, though from a different view than most Pentecostals (my belief on tongues is that of Acts 2 where men from all around heard the Apostles speak praises to God in their own language: Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, ect.), but to say that, without interpretation of the words being spoken, it is pointless and does nothing for the church. Even comparing it to the use of instruments that have no distinction of sound, like an out of tune musician. Yet even though Paul speaks clearly on the matter, most Pentecostals from what Ive witnessed, will all began to speak praises to God in tongues and have no interpreter. Would that mean the usage of the gift of tongues was done in vain, since it brought no edifiying to the church in any way, shape, or form? Ill let you ponder that one.
"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? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." - 1st Corinthians 14:23-25
Out of these set of scriptures, 2 things I can say. The first being obvious of how people, sinners especially, take to that where everyone is speaking in tongues, Paul even went to the point where he says "will they not say that ye are mad?" and most of the time, people do unless they understand what is being done. The second point being what Paul states constantly is that the prophecying and preaching of God's word is more affective compared to the gifts of tongues, that it brings edifying to the church and bring a sinner to repentance.
Paul gives two answers of how the situation is to be handled concerning the interpretation of tongues. Either that he prays for the ability to interpret or keeps to himself.
"Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understnading also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at they giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? Fo rthou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather peak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." - 1st Corinthians 13-19
"If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." - 1st Corinthians 14:27-28
The second verse mentioned of how to handle the situation reminds me of a story. I went to a campmeeting like 1 year ago at a independent Apostalic church. Nearly everyone that spoke in tongues was speaking in tongues, except for the good friend that invited me, as an outsider just simply observing I was wondering to myself "Lord, why isnt she speaking in tongues?" Then the Lord spoke and said "listen to her closely!" I payed attention and listened closely and she was speaking in tongues, but in a biblical matter, simply because there was no interpreter present (and I know an interpreter wasnt present simply because nothing was interpreted!). And thats personally when I knew she was a genuine saint, she wasnt in it for show, but she did what the scriptures commanded on the situation, that if there be no interpreter then to keep it between her and God. So the question remains to my Pentecostal brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, not as an act of bashing but for food for thought, "Where is the Interpreter?"
Bro. Michael Grant
A Cry in the Wild Ministries
First off I would like to make clear that the purpose of this blog devotion is not to bash Pentecostals or any follower of Pentecostalism on their belief of their interpretation concerning the doctrine of tongues, for I know of a few Pentecostals and Apostalics, who do speak in tongues, that are genuine Godly born again people. But the purpose of this blog is to more ask a question and give food for thought and that question simply being "Where is the Interpreter?" In 1st Corinthians 14, Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, confronts the issue concerning speaking in tongues, not saying that it was false and ungodly, for even I believe in the gift of tongues, though from a different view than most Pentecostals (my belief on tongues is that of Acts 2 where men from all around heard the Apostles speak praises to God in their own language: Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, ect.), but to say that, without interpretation of the words being spoken, it is pointless and does nothing for the church. Even comparing it to the use of instruments that have no distinction of sound, like an out of tune musician. Yet even though Paul speaks clearly on the matter, most Pentecostals from what Ive witnessed, will all began to speak praises to God in tongues and have no interpreter. Would that mean the usage of the gift of tongues was done in vain, since it brought no edifiying to the church in any way, shape, or form? Ill let you ponder that one.
"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? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth." - 1st Corinthians 14:23-25
Out of these set of scriptures, 2 things I can say. The first being obvious of how people, sinners especially, take to that where everyone is speaking in tongues, Paul even went to the point where he says "will they not say that ye are mad?" and most of the time, people do unless they understand what is being done. The second point being what Paul states constantly is that the prophecying and preaching of God's word is more affective compared to the gifts of tongues, that it brings edifying to the church and bring a sinner to repentance.
Paul gives two answers of how the situation is to be handled concerning the interpretation of tongues. Either that he prays for the ability to interpret or keeps to himself.
"Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understnading also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at they giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? Fo rthou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather peak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." - 1st Corinthians 13-19
"If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." - 1st Corinthians 14:27-28
The second verse mentioned of how to handle the situation reminds me of a story. I went to a campmeeting like 1 year ago at a independent Apostalic church. Nearly everyone that spoke in tongues was speaking in tongues, except for the good friend that invited me, as an outsider just simply observing I was wondering to myself "Lord, why isnt she speaking in tongues?" Then the Lord spoke and said "listen to her closely!" I payed attention and listened closely and she was speaking in tongues, but in a biblical matter, simply because there was no interpreter present (and I know an interpreter wasnt present simply because nothing was interpreted!). And thats personally when I knew she was a genuine saint, she wasnt in it for show, but she did what the scriptures commanded on the situation, that if there be no interpreter then to keep it between her and God. So the question remains to my Pentecostal brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, not as an act of bashing but for food for thought, "Where is the Interpreter?"
Bro. Michael Grant
A Cry in the Wild Ministries
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