REVIVAL

OK, I know that I haven't blogged in over a month, but here I am with a confused spirit, looking for some answers. I went to a revival last night at Victory Church in Camden. It is an Assembly of God church. I have several friends of mine that belong to Assembly of God churches throughout the state of Arkansas. And, after I left the church last night I called one of my dearest friends in Monticello, who attends the Assembly of God church in Monticello, and who I consider my "accountability partner" to help me by giving me some insight on what I had just experienced in this particular church. Before I begin my experience with you, let me just say that I pride myself in my doctrine of "the Bible" and with that said, I do believe in others speaking in tongues, Paul instructs us, "do not forbid speaking in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:39).
The revival started at 7:00 pm, with great worship songs, setting the mood for a wonderful sermon from renound evangelist and prophet, Bill Norton who resides in Cambodia and Romania, where he does missionary works. After the message had been delivered, it was pushing 9:00 pm by now. It seemed like in a split second, the whole assembly had made a 180 degree turn. Instead of going through the motion of people raising their hands if they aren't saved, he had people raising their hands if they had never been baptised in the Holy Spirit and who has never received the gift of speaking in tongues. I did not raise my hand, and the reason to be honest is, I didn't want to be trapped on the stage with people praying for me about something that I am skeptical about. Then he had the members of this church come down and pray for these individuals (about 8 to 10 people) to receive the gift of speaking in tongues and be baptised in the Holy Spirit. He instructed the assembly to pray in tongues for these individuals. After about 20 minutes of constant speaking in tongues, and only one person had fainted. I felt it was time for me to exit the church.
Now, here's where I have questions. Let me go over with you, the instructions I have read out of the Living Word and the knowledge and wisdom that God has given to me to interpret.

1 Corinthians 14
Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues
1)Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 2)For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3)But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4)He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5)I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6)Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7)Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8)Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9)So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10)Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11)If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12)So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
13)For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14)For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15)So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16)If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17)You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
18)I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19)But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20)Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21)In the Law it is written:"Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,"says the Lord.
22)Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. 23)So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24)But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25)and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
Orderly Worship 26)What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27)If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28)If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.
29)Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30)And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31)For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32)The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33)For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34)women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35)If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. 36)Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37)If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. 38)If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored. 39)Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40)But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Now, with that chapter thrown out there, let's review. Verse 1 "eagerly desire spiritual gifts". If you flip back to Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, Paul reveals these spiritual gifts and explains how we as a church are pieced together with our spiritual gifts like a puzzle to become one body, but many parts. He touches base on some of the spiritual gifts by naming these, the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, The gift of faith, the gift of healing, the gift of miraculous powers, the gift of prophecy, the gift of distinguishing between spirits, the gift of speaking in different kinds of tongues, the gift of interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. "1 Corinthians 12:8-11."
Maybe I wouldn't have been so skeptical if this evangelist had the assembly praying for each one of us to receive the gift that God has appointed us. Why was he just focused on "speaking in tongues?"
Paul goes on in verse 1 to especially desire the gift of prophecy, for not only is it greater than the gift of speaking in tongues, but also to be able to interpret speaking in tongues is greater than speaking in tongues, because prophecy and the interpretation of speaking in tongues edifies the church, where just speaking in tongues only edifies self (verses 4-5). He goes in verses 6-11 to explain how confusing it could be when everyone at once is speaking in tongues. He touches base in verses 7-8 on musical instruments. Have you ever heard a Jr High School band warming up before a concert? Each young body is playing different notes, of different songs, at different tempos and different ranges of volume all at once. The audience knows that this is not a harmonized piece that they are listening to. It is easy to figure out, that nobody is together, all are in their own world. It's not until the conductor begins the concert, to which the music is now in order. In my opinion, even when several hundred people are praying out loud in English, it is all over the place and confusing if you try to focus in on them as a whole. For each person is praying in their own knowledge and wisdom and only edifying themselves. It is not until one person by themselves (usually the person with the microphone) prays to edify the church. In verse 11 Paul says that if he can't grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, that he is a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker is a foreigner to him. In verse 12 he says, since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. Which takes me back to my first point where I touched base on all of the different Spiritual gifts and why were they just focused on speaking in tongues.
Paul goes on in verse 18 thanking God that he can speak in tongues more than anyone, but in the church, he would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
In verse 22 he says that tongues are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. So who were they speaking in tongues to or for? One of the individuals that was on the stage, being prayed for, is the wife of a friend and a co-worker of mine. From conversing with him on our own beliefs and Christianity, his wife is saved and a believer, yet they were all speaking in tongues. So that just completely contradicted verse 22, didn't it?
From verse 26-40 Paul speaks on "Orderly Worship" how everything must be done for the strengthening of the church (verse 26). Verses 27-28 says if anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three- should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. He finishes out the chapter by saying in verses 39-40, do not forbid speaking in tongues, but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Now, if I am wrong about my own interpretation on this chapter, please someone reveal to me, through scripture, where I can find the practice of what I saw last night. My friend from Monticello is going to give me some scriptures, but in my mind right now, I can't see how he is going to justify the actions last night without going against this whole chapter that I know I am not taking out of context. But my mind and heart will be open to the scripture that he gives me to read, I will pray for knowledge and wisdom as I always do before I read the verses. I will, like always pray for God to give me the understanding to where I can interpret The Living Word of God.

My friends wife was still standing and being prayed for in tongues and several people laying hands on her, when I finally departed from the church. To be honest, my thoughts weren't pure, but I will share with you the evil thought that came to my mind as I left.
I was thinking that when she does finally faint, it won't be from her receiving what they want her to receive, it will be from exhaustion from standing for so long with her eyes closed.

Lord, forgive me for that evil thought. If in fact, she did receive a Spiritual gift from you, please forgive me for (in a round about way) condemning the gift that she received. Again forgive me for being so skeptical, for to receive Spiritual gifts is a blessing from you Lord, and my ignorance was clouding the Spirit of Truth that lives inside of me. Help me Lord understand the knowledge and truth, the correct way of your Living Word Lord. Continue to convict me when I stumble, as you always do. Lift me up to Your Worship, so I can have a love relationship with you and not a long distance relationship with you. For it is written in verse 1 of this chapter, "Follow the Way of Love". Lord, I want to be acknowledged from others who view me as, "A man who walks with God" and not as someone who is seen as being hypocritical. Allow me to disciple to others by bringing them the knowledge of the Living Word. I love you Lord. Use me, mold me. It's in Jesus Christ name I pray, AMEN.