Pause for thought
Some see the gifts of tongues or prophecy as a sign that they have been “baptised in the Holy Spirit” and there is much scriptural evidence for this Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46, 19:6. However wonderful our initial experience was I don’t believe the Lord wants us to rest on our spiritual laurels so to speak! Paul makes it clear that while he speaks in tongues more than any of the Corinthians his desire was to be used by God to teach others. While praying in tongues benefits the speaker, prophetic words that includes prophetic preaching benefits the whole church 14:6
I find tongues to be a very helpful gift in private worship I feel lifted up in my spirit, speaking in tongues kind of primes the pump within me in preparation for further ministry with other gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In verses 21-22 Paul takes us back to the Old Testament to a time when Israel and then Judah had consistently refused to obey Gods voice. Consequently speaking through the prophet Isaiah God promised His disobedient faithless people that because they had chosen to disregard the voice of God, He would no longer speak to them in an understandable language, but through their being taken into captivity by the Babylonians, foreigners whose languages they did not understand. This is why Paul said that tongues is a sign for unbelievers, He was not being disparaging about tongues just that in a church meeting there should be an interpretation given or else the tongue would mean nothing to those gathered. Our aim should be like Paul’s, in that we earnestly desire that God will give each us such spiritual gifts as He supplies to build each of us up in the Lord 14:24.
Memory verse
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19. N.L.T.
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End Times Bible Truth with Robert Spiller 