The gifts of the Holy Ghost are still for us today. Because many do not understand the scriptures they have negated the power of God in many churches. After the original church of Jesus Christ went through much persecution in the days of the Apostles, the Dark Ages were not able to completely destroy what God had begun. It resurfaced in America first under a prayer group, and was carried on by a Black Man, son of ex slaves. The Azusa Street revival was credited to him. However the scripture tells us that the miraculous are mandated to be a part of the church today. The revival on Azusa street sparked the Pentecostal movement around the world.
The very first thing that the LORD did after suffering, dying, rising from the dead and ascending into heaven, was to fill every person awaiting his gift in that upper room with the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues, as the Spirit of God gave the ability. It was the Spirit of God that caused ALL to speak in tongues at once in a gathering of God’s true people. All spoke at once in languages that the people gathered there did understand. The explanation of this happening caused 3000 persons to receive the same experience. Knowing this, it is obviously not what the Apostle was trying to negate when he spoke of all not speaking at once in a way that sinners could not understand.
However, if a person never received this experience, they would not understand what he was talking about. There is a tongue that is an individual speaking to God personally. They are not speaking to the congregation, and should not seem to be. This speaking in tongues that is being spoken of, is a prophetic utterance that interrupts the service in progress, and should always be followed by interpreting what the LORD is saying to His people. One is a person speaking to God, the other is a person being used by God, to speak to His people. This is what some were doing in the service, interrupting the service in progress as though it was the Spirit of God doing so. Though some even try this, It would be obvious, they could not imitate the message that the LORD was sending to His people.
This is what would confuse those listening; knowing that after such an outburst should be a language that could be understood by all. What some were doing is trying to enter into an exaltation of being chosen to speak prophetically to God’s people, when they were not chosen for this honor. The two are not the same. Oh yes, we must do as the Bible teaches and that is searching the scriptures daily to see if the words preached are really what the book says. The Apostle Paul was speaking to people who had already received the initial gift of the Holy Ghost. In fact, most of the New Testament is speaking to those filled with the Spirit and the Spirit gave utterance, not to those who had not.
For those who like to use the scripture that says, tongues will pass away, they should discontinue going to school and college, because if this is so, knowledge has also passed away.
Most people are so concerned with riches that they are happy to receive this prosperity ministry. Guess they did not see the scripture that says to beware of those that would try to make merchandise of us. If they were not so concerned with merchandise themselves, they would not laud those who lie to them to believe that this sowing seed ministry would give them more, and more to feed their greed. The church body much change to desire a true experience with the LORD, and desire cleansing as well as obedience to the word of God. After all, only those who prove things like the fruit of the Spirit and the beatitudes with obedience to the Spirit of God will truly profit from this church going. Only those who obey Jesus, truly love Jesus, and will spend eternity with Him in heaven. We can always find fault with others, but we should first judge ourselves, pulling the log out of our eye. Teach the pulling out of our sinful nature, and the change to walk in the newness of life.