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I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than 10,000 words in a tongue

  Good morning. Continuing with the thought of only praying with the spirit: “otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “amen“ at you giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified”. Remember the goal of a church service is the building up of the body, not just yourself. OK Paul, so do you refrain from speaking in tongues? I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all (Southern translation - y’all); however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than 10,000 words in a tongue. This does not mean that you do not ever speak in your “prayer language“ in a church service. It does mean that it should not draw attention to yourself like the example I gave when I visited my friend’s Pentecostal church. Father thank You that if we follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit in a chu...
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What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

  Good morning. So after yesterday, what should we do about praying in tongues? What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. We should do both, and not one to the exclusion of the other. What does he mean when he says sing with the spirit? What is that all about? Before I moved to this area 30 years ago, the churches I belonged to spent time in every service singing in the Spirit. It wasn’t this tiny bit that we occasionally do almost under our breath. It was the whole congregation joining in with full volume. (my roommate and I would even do that when we worshiped together at home) It wasn’t but a couple of minutes, but it seemed like longer. After we finished, everything was very still as we basked in the presence of the Holy Spirit. (None of the churches I have been in since I moved here do that. There is almost never a pause in the service.) After a few moments of silenc...
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Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

  Good morning. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. Just praying in tongues without an interpretation can help flush out what is clogging up your spiritual pipeline; however it does not give you any direction as to what you should do. You need an interpretation. However, when you flush out your spiritual pipeline, many times the thought will come do your mind of exactly what you should do. There is this teaching out there that says go ahead and pray in tongues; pray that you may interpret; and then whatever comes to your mind is the interpretation of what you said in tongues. They are to then take that as coming straight from God. I’m not saying that it does not work for some people; but I am alarmed at the thought of most Christians doing that. They don’t have the spiritual maturity and/or are not well grounded in the word of God. You will hear something in your mind, but it’s p...
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Good morning. Paul mentions several items that if they make sounds only, what good will that be? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. If I then do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. He’s talking about using a learned language that the hearers do not understand. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. The whole purpose of a church service is to glorify God and to edify the body of believers. If you are speaking in your “prayer language”, out loud in a church service, you’ll be edified, but not the church. Father give the reader wisdom to help his/her family member. We know that You can make everything to work out for the good to those who believe and are called according to Your purpose.

  Good morning. Paul mentions several items that if they make sounds only, what good will that be? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. If I then do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. He’s talking about using a learned language that the hearers do not understand. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. The whole purpose of a church service is to glorify God and to edify the body of believers. If you are speaking in your “prayer language”, out loud in a church service, you’ll be edified, but not the church. Father give the reader wisdom to help his/her family member. We know that You can make everything to work out for the good to those who believe and...
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Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than one speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

  Good morning. So is Paul saying that we should not speak in tongues? Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than one speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. (when one operates in the gift of tongues, he or she does not have to worry about “is it correct, or am I using good grammar?” They simply “rear back and let her fly“) So is Paul talking about our daily speaking in tongues using our “prayer language“ as some call it; or is he talking about in a church service supplying part of a message to the people? Since he mentions the “one who prophesies”, it is probably in a church service to bring a message. What he says next seems to amplify that idea. But now, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will it profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or knowledge or prophecy or of teaching? Father help this to be a great day for the reader and ...
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But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation

  Good morning. Today we continue with why Paul said “but especially that you may prophesy”. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation (King James - comfort). Remember that the one who speaks in a tongue speaks to God, not to men. In other words, The one who prophesies builds up other people, not themselves. That is why the pastor says that if a prophecy or interpretation of tongues puts down someone, it is probably not from God. On the other hand, the word exhortation can have with it the idea of “quit messing around and get your life straight“. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. So that is the crux of the matter - why Paul said “but especially that you may prophesy“. One may speak in tongues at any time (though not the gift of tongues), but normally, prophesying occurs in a church situation; though there are times when someone made prophesy outside of a church situation to a single indi...
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For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

  Good morning. We ended last time with Paul saying to desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. Remember though, you must operate spiritual gifts in love or you are not benefited, even though the other person may have their need met. Why did he say “but especially that you may prophesy”? For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. He’s not talking about speaking in another “learned“ language, like French or German. True, if one spoke in a foreign language that no one there spoke, it would be a “mystery“. Only God would be able to understand what he or she said; but the mysteries that Paul is talking about are not mysteries just because people do not understand that language. They are mysteries because they are spiritual things that are unknown to the people in the church. Not long after I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I visited a church of a friend who was P...
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