Reading
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
99.
Oh Christ, salvation.
No, no, Nor can I take my head.
Hear, Hear.
From the next day in the fire.
Of God.
Live behavior.
I wonder if we might begin with the 10th verse and read through the 29th. I don't have so much time in these conference meetings that would be nice to cover quite a bit here.
00:05:10
First Corinthians chapter 14 beginning at verse 10.
There are, it may 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. Even so ye for as much as ye are zealous spiritual gifts, seek, that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 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 understanding 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 occupy at the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks? Seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest.
Will thou verily give us thanks? Well, the other is not edified.
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all. Yet in the church I have rather speak 5 words, with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. Brethren, be not children understanding how be it in malice feed children, but in understanding be men in the law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips.
Will I speak unto this people, and yet for all that will they not hear me, said the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. But prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them that believe.
If therefore, the whole church become together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievable, will they not say that you're mad? But if all prophecy, and there come in one that believeth not for one unlearned, he's convinced of all, He's 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 the truth.
How has it been, brethren?
When you come together, everyone of you have the song at the top, at the tongue, at the revelation, at the interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. 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. Let the prophets speak.
Two or three and let the others judge.
Notice the 22nd verse to connect with what we had this morning.
It clearly says that tongues are for assigned not to them that believe that if they were given to be used in the assembly of believers, they were to the witness to the unbelievers out in the world.
And then what is given for the believers is the rest of the verse of prophesying.
Serve it not to them. Believe not you. Don't go out and reach.
Eternal security.
And all the heavenly things to heathen people. But the believers need the present mind of God that a prophet can give for our prophet using the word PROFI.
One who prophecies speaks for our prophet. Like a businessman, he has something for to gain by and.
Back in.
Earlier in our chapter.
The 12Th verse.
Even so ye for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual.
Manifestation. Is that right, Bob?
00:10:00
Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. God wants that result. We have in verse three He that prophesied speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. That's the result.
Prophecy that comes from God giving his mind for the assembly.
On the day that he gives it.
Then there are four things that are quite excellent, it seems to me, in verse 6.
I don't think we've got that far, but at the end of verse it says. Except I shall speak to you either by revelation.
Or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctor.
All of these communications from God to his people.
Therefore are building up for our excitation and for our comfort. And that's what Christ, in the midst of His gathered Saints, ministering by the Spirit, wants for us here this afternoon.
There was a real place for tongues, and I think it's good to understand.
Where tongues were profitable, and Paul even says here in the end of the chapter, forbid not to speak with funds. Remember her late brother Jimmy Smith saying referring to the verse in Acts where when Paul went to Corinth he went first as his was his custom into the synagogue of the Jews?
And when the Jews refused to listen to his message, he separated the disciples and went into the House of one justice.
Whose house was joined hard by the synagogue was right next door Means. And he suggested that the reason that tongues were used and regulated in their use here in the Corinthian assembly was that perhaps Jews from the synagogue came into the assembly meetings, and therefore tongues were used as a testimony to those that believed not, and that was their purpose. It was to the Jewish people very clear in verse.
21 With men of other lips, tongues, and other lips will I speak unto this people. It was the Jewish people, the people who were used to signs and wonders in all their history. And God gave those signs and wonders, as it was mentioned this morning, to show that this was a movement that was truly of God.
But I say sometimes how shall we compare what is called the tongues movement today with what we find in Scripture? We cannot directly contradict it. We must go by what Scripture says in connection with it.
And I say, does it correspond with what scripture talks about as tongues In South America oftimes Brethren. In conferences like this, the brethren often used to or often 3 languages, especially in Bolivia where.
They have two Indian languages to cope with, and sometimes the brethren, realizing that there's a certain percentage of the brethren who do not understand what is being explained in Spanish, will take time to explain after a certain length of time. And they catch what tongue? Or the aimata tongue.
The point is that there is need of edification understanding.
And so tongues are in use. It's not the tongues that were mentioned here. That was a miraculous gift.
That was given so that people would realize that the work was of God, but today what is known as the tongues movement.
We compare it with Scripture. There's a number of things that I've found helpful, and I give this for the young people that in Scripture, when you see tongues spoken, they are actual languages that people spoke. They're not just a garble of words, they are actual languages. That the person who spoke understood what he was speaking is clear in Acts chapter 2 That those who were speaking understood what they were speaking.
And there were those who understood that language, who received the message.
In their own language.
Here in the 14th of First Corinthians we have a little further down. I'd just like to refer to it because if it is truly of God, it will correspond with what Scripture says.
00:15:14
And in verse.
I'm just going ahead a little bit just to point this out. Verse 27, if any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two or at the most by three.
And that by course it means taking turn. Not everybody is speaking together, and let one interpret, in other words, so that there will be edification for the whole church. Someone was going to have to interpret what was being said in that tongue, so that all could be edified. And it also goes on to say, if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church, let him speak to himself and to God.
Is that the way the matter is handled in large meetings where they profess to show?
This gift of tongues, I say, if it is not that.
If that's not the way tongues are used in those gatherings, than it is not by the Spirit of God, because the Spirit of God inspired this book and he will never lead you nor me to contradict what is written in the precious word of God. It's mentioned also a little later in this chapter. Speaks of the women keeping silence in the churches. Is that?
Evident in the tongues movement.
These are questions that you and I must examine to know whether the movement is of the Spirit of God, or perhaps it is another Spirit that is involved.
I have a question here Bob from verse 13 that is evident that the one that speaks in an unknown tongue might himself interpret what he has said in an unknown tongue, but the words that you just quoted?
If there was nobody to interpret, he should keep silent. Does that suggest that a person might speak in a tongue and he himself doesn't understand what he's saying, and then somebody else might interpret it?
Yeah, that's a verse that is used a lot in religious circles to justify the use of tongues, and I think it is an important verse. Let's just read that 14th verse. Or if I pray in an unknown time or a time, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. The way I understand that is simply that I could pray in Spanish here.
But my understanding of what I am praying is unfruitful in all the rest that don't understand Spanish and they cannot say Amen. And that's the way I understand that. I don't know what that's the point you were making. Well, what I'm saying is it possible that somebody might speak in a tongue and the one who speaks in that tongue doesn't know what he is saying, he doesn't understand it, that there has to be another person to interpret.
I always have understood that the tongue would be understood by the person speaking. It says I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding. Also I will pray sing with the Spirit and sing with the understanding. So I always thought it was with the understanding of what he said. And so the 14th verse means.
His understanding, he understands what he's saying, but it isn't profitable to anybody else. That's right.
Verse 12 I'd like to read it Even so, ye who blesses ye are, tell us, spirits at the margin.
Seek that you may excel in the inner mind of the church. I think that's the same way as a good translation gifts. There is an account being invaded by the translators because they thought that Asian to get the sin, but I do believe that the driver drops that out.
And he speaks on this in his writing to the effect that.
These drip ends have just came from mechanism where they have given themselves over to this phenomena known as pump. It was evident they were doing the same thing again only so sad to say in the assembly.
00:20:03
There was there was a difficulty. They wanted to give themselves.
Something that shouldn't be there. This effort that is going on today is not new.
It's been going on as our brother, another brother says. In meetings, The Greek philosopher had spoken of contagionism, a phenomenon.
Even before we can say what we know is the church era of time, so I have witnessed comes.
And to me, it wasn't Hillary. But it was always done completely out of order and I didn't come to a place to try to be there. My wife is Christians in the book room to pray and the three of them spoke in tongues. 2 of them were sisters.
Yeah.
There was no interpreter.
Well, I pray, and I call Lord, and I pray to the Lord Jesus. That's the Lord Jesus Christ. They stopped thinking pretty much in times, and listen to what I had to say in the prayer of that tonight. And I own the authority of the Lord, the very name of God. I did not feel liberty to challenge that spirit.
Well, I didn't have any learners to assist you, but it was elegant. But these people wasn't doing it was gibberish, out of control, like an epilepsy fit. It was something that took over there and gave it the ability to do that. It was a another spirit to recognize an intense rule. There was another scare. This manifestation is that other spirits because it is the work of the enemy to to grave Christianity.
And the truth, as you put change on the personal price, those doesn't change.
Because our Lord is Lord of the discovery and the superior God, as we are gathered under the name of the Lord Jesus, the Lord Jesus is in our midst, is the Spirit of God that has liberty this other Spirit.
Is challenging to work in the whole. That's a challenging work of the Holy Spirit of Christianism today. Is that spirit No spirit you're not of the Lord.
It is one of the thing about one other spirit that when we read verse 26, it says that all things do not identify. I have a spiritual soul and body, each of us do I have a spirit that is interfere in ministry, in the assembly? It has to do with my idea of things. Maybe I sometimes might have campaigned in mind.
But this spirit of life has to be brought into subjecting to the Lord in the assembly. That we assembly is the place of liberty for the Holy Spirit drive, strength gets all into the doctrine and truth, and that man is not assaulted. It is footnote Mr. To that verse Mr. Darby plainly states that it's a contest between the demons action and that of the Holy Spirit.
That as Gentiles they were in danger of confounding that action as being that of demons, and the Apostles obliged to point out the difference between demons and the Holy Spirit. And there's another thing that seems to go along with that. Those who practice these tongues nowadays is that they don't believe in eternal security, nor do they practice the rest of this chapter. As already pointed out, they all speak at once, and we get that right from people who.
Have been there, not part of it, one sister said. You're supposed to pray, but there's such confusion with everybody speaking at once, you can't think.
That's a testimony from someone who's part of it.
They were not from here.
00:25:04
That was a very large manifestation of signed gifts there in Acts Chapter 2. I wondered about that. And that's about all you can do. How here we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born. Now, I've been one person speaking all the rest of them here in their own language. It's an undoing of the Tower of Babel. No problem with God.
So he brought in the Church in all the manifestation of undoing the bagel of tongues.
And he doesn't want to become another Babel. And it's amazing that the confusion that has been generated.
In the church ends up being called Babylon the Great. She heads right back to that Babel of voices and every wind of doctrine.
Well, in our chapter the Lord by the Spirit sets a clear.
Way of carrying on in grace without rules and regulations without official appointed.
People to maintain the truth of God.
And.
We must follow this chapter in order to.
Have that wonderful result of the power of the Holy Spirit. The whole kind of concludes about this speaking in tongues in verse 18. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all. Then what do you say? Yet in the church? Again, in the church I'd rather speak 5 words with my understanding. He understood it. He understood what he said.
That by my voice I might teach others also than 10,000 words in an unknown.
The chapter is very simple when you get to it. God wants an order to carry the Revelation.
The prophesied the exhortation.
And the comfort to his people so that we get the message.
From him, and so that we're built up in that most holy faith that he has brought to us.
But they say that may I may I question the statement, if I understood you right, that in Acts 21 spoke and all those different people heard it in their own dialect, is that how you read those verses and see what we get out of them in Acts 2?
Beginning verse 6.
Through eight, then, it lists a whole lot of those times we ought to get something out of this.
At 267 and eight.
Yes. Now when this was noise abroad, the multitude came together and was confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marveled, saying, one to another, behold, are not all these which speak so? There's more than one speaking Galilean? And how here we every man in our own tongue.
Wherein we were born Parthians and meats and Thalamides and.
How do you understand that? Well, I had thought, and I'm willing to be corrected if it is wrong, that they were not just one person speaking. They all received the gift of tongues, and the one was speaking in this dialect and the other was speaking in that dialect so that they all heard.
The wonderful works of God.
That's how I understood it. I remember my father saying it was a gift of tongues not appearing. That's it. Verse four seems to confirm that. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak. They began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. So they were sworn in once speaking. And the Spirit of God saw to it that all these different people.
With their different dialects all heard the message. Now how this was practically carried out, you know?
They probably were indifferent corners, you might say. Or maybe they spoke at different times. I'm sure they wouldn't all Babble out at the same time if they were in one room, But it seems to me that the correct understanding is that different ones spoke in different dialects and received that ability from the spirit of God and in verses 12 and 13.
00:30:22
You get different.
Responses.
Amazement.
And doubt and mocking. And the mocking seems to be from those who probably were local views and didn't have any of those foreign tongues. And they said, well, they're full of wine, but then let's notice too in Acts Chapter 16.
In Acts 16.
Paul.
Being part of us have come to.
Well, no. It's version 9. There's a vision and a man of Macedonia.
Stood there.
And prayed him saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us.
Verse 10 After he'd seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
So they come to Macedonia in verse 12, but Lydia hears and she shows the hospitality #16.
They came to pass as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination menace.
For 17 the same bowl of Paul in US, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High. God would show unto us the way of salvation. And this she did many days, or did she many days?
Could all be agreed, turned, and said to the Spirit I command thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
I'll just point this out.
That it's not uncommon in the work of God for the enemy to try to join himself to it.
And I think that's what you're getting in the Corinthians assembly.
That it's the effort of the enemy to join himself to the work of God.
Now.
All by the spirit never says directly to the Corinthians. This is the work of demon.
He's giving them the tools to discern what is of God.
They might have taken a quantitative, said this is the work of deep, but he says I'll just lay out this matter of order and you give it the test and if it's not edified and it doesn't bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ of drought, because that's what's important.
You know there's one.
Great heart in all the universe I should go beyond in all existence.
That heart desires to be known.
That's the heart of God.
There's nothing salt pleases you and I, as in someone truly understands.
We seek God, the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. He wants his heart to be known by Adam and the enemy comes in when he introduces the church.
He wants mankind to know his heart in the fullness of the gospel.
He is pleased to use signs.
To prove to the Jew.
This is God's doing.
And here you have a Gentile church.
Now there are Jews in that area, and so those signs at times would be of God.
And at times even science today for the Jew.
And the question is.
Is it terrified? Does it glorify the Lord Jesus? Anybody speaking by the power of the Spirit of God will never blasphemy Jesus.
00:35:09
Those tests are put to it. The tools are put in their hands, are wonderful that he by the marvelous spirit of God.
Has not left US rules and regulations, but he has left us a way to test.
Along with what it applies.
When that spirit of divination tried to join itself to Paul's work, it didn't take them long, but it took many days. But finally he recognized, you know, that the enemy seeks to join himself to the work to spoil it.
And if we can see God's purpose is that his heart might be understood by man.
That's certainly not going to glorify.
I'd like to ask in Two Corinthians Chapter 11 to support what our brothers just been saying, or at least to bring in the thought of what we've been speaking. In the second verse of 2nd Corinthians 11, it says, I am jealous over you with the godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. That's communion, isn't it? But then he says, I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety.
So your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, Or if he that cometh preaches another Jesus whom he have not preached, Or if you receive another spirit which you have not received, or another gospel which you have not accepted, you might bear well bear with me. So the apostle was giving them here some more explicit opinions or advice, if I could put it that way, in these verses about what we've been speaking.
About this other spirit, but I think it bears up the thought of another gospel. It's not the gospel of the heart of God, as our brother has touched on. It's the it's that false thing coming in. Satan beguiled our first parents through his subtlety, and now he's seeking to intrude with this false system of another spirit. I like to add to what Brother Lamoyne said, You know that is even possible.
That the enemy uses a genuine gift given to an individual who exercises it in the flesh to cause division and harm among God's people. I think that's a very solemnizing thought, beloved brethren, because a gift in itself is not enough. That gift has to be exercised in the power of the spirit of God, and God does not take away a gift.
You know, the gifts taught us the verse to often get the throwing of daughter without repetitive repentance. So we have seen that among brethren how gifted men have left many Saints of God into serious error. Their gift continued. Their gift was misused. It was no longer the.
Under the direction of the Spirit of God. And so we ought to cry to the Lord for help, that we will not lose our sense of dependence, that the Lord needs to be in control, and by his spirit to guide and to direct the individual servant in the exercise of his gift. Peter in Matthew 16 said made a tremendous confession of the Lord Jesus his person.
Saying thou art to Christ the Son of the living God and the Lord, Jesus said, Blessed art thou Simon, son of Johnson. It was a wonderful confession he made. But in the very same chapter from the Lord, Jesus announces he's going through Jerusalem, but he's going to be killed and raised again. The 3rd day Peter says have pity on himself. This shall not be to be. The Lord had to turn around and say, get behind me Satan.
So, brethren, we don't have to lookout into other groups of Christians.
In the great House of Christendom, of which we are apart, we have to look at ourselves. These things are written for us because I can be used by the enemy if I do not have a right spirit, and so it's a continual exercise for each one of us. Britain. These things are written for our exercise.
It's a very practical portion too. I believe it can apply to us apart from tongues. And some of this is direction to us also. You know in verse 15, what is it? Then I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding. Also verse 17. For thou verily give us thanks. Well, but the other is not out of life. Now. The thought here is that others are listening in our prayer meeting. We should take that to heart.
00:40:31
Verse 16 Else without shall bless with the Spirit. How shall he that occupy at the room of the Unlord say Amen, and thy giving thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayeth. Well, we should have more amens in our prayer meeting.
I feel it as I go around. It's hard for me to have several brothers there and no ones Amen. Why? Well, they're not. They're not praying in the spirit or we're not of 1 spirit or something's wrong and I think this is bringing that out. You know they'll verily give us thanks. Well, but the others not in a fight. He doesn't say man. He doesn't adopt that prayer as his prayer. I think we could take a lesson on this practically.
From Nehemiah and the chapter and verse 6, Nehemiah 86.
And Ezra, thank the Lord. Bless the Lord is the same thought exalted him the great God, and all the people answered, Amen. Amen. We're lifting up with our hands. We get that in Timothy. And they bowed their heads and worship the Lord with their faces to the ground. Well, I believe our prayers ought to be said audibly.
Apart from talks audibly, you ought to be able to hear what they're saying. Or how can we? Amen.
How can we really be to agree? That's what our prayer meeting is about. And I believe you ought to pray in such a way they not only hear, but they can. Amen. Your prayers. You know, we don't have to give a lecture to brethren in our prayer. That isn't the reason of the prayer meeting with different times. For that we don't have to tell God what his word says either. There's a lot of that going on. But let's just lay before him the burdens of our heart. And let's hope our brethren Amen. We ought to pray that way.
I think there's a practical part here as well, apart from the top. Thank you brother, for saying that because I felt the difference ever since I came to this country and it's a national problem. It's not a good custom that we have. In Europe, where I grew up, there was a loud and strong Amen every time somebody prayed. We don't have that in the English language, but the scripture suggested, and maybe this is a time where we can start.
Changing a custom that is not supportable by scripture. I would like to hear more of an Amen in the assembly. One of our sisters, brother, can the sisters say Amen? The Lord reads the heart, brothers, they can not. I was going to say if you've ever been to Trinidad you'll hear some hearty amens from the brothers and the sisters and I was thinking of the 34th verse here. Has also set the law and was just read to us in Nehemiah.
That all the people answered, and Amen.
So it's not like a a sister coming out with some doctrine, but to say Amen is agreeing what has been spoken and I can't see anything wrong with it.
Thinking of the practical side of that, and our brother Gill lived with us there for a number of years in Vessel, he said to me one time. You agree with your brother.
At the prayer meeting, when you when they prayed, you agreed with their prayers, I said yes, he said. Why don't you say Amen then? That was his comment about and you know what vessel we hear a lot of amens.
That's a real word for us, beloved, in this simple statement, the letter killer. But the spirit gives life. So if the letter of those words that your women keep silence in the assembly is applied and we silence the communion of our beloved sisters and our prayers.
We are the great losers, but if we speak in terms that all can enter into and understand, I believe we will have more. Amen to our prayers of the brothers from all the assembly. Thank you. Could we say that just to drop someone and loose ends here, that a gift is always given never to a grand eye and never for his prophet, but it's always given for the prophet of the assembly?
00:45:17
So even if I could pray and come in my closet, it would be a misuse of that gift because that gift is given to the body for the identification of the assembly.
Let's just don't Amen for the sake of Amen either. If you can't Amen. Your brothers prayer don't Amen. I mean the Spirit teaches that way too. We had a brother pray not in the Spirit. It was his spirit Castig castigating his brother. There wasn't an Amen.
But other all the others, there was a lot of Amen. We should let him know when he's not praying according to the mind of our Lord.
And I believe these same hands are important.
There is a theme that we have had mentioned, but I do not believe that it has been adequately explored, and that is this expression that was used earlier as to the manifestation of the Spirit. And I believe if we examine the 12Th chapter in connection with this chapter, we are going to understand that the Spirit of God is bringing before us the manner by which the Holy Spirit who inhabits the assembly.
Manifests himself through various individuals who speak and the thought more is to occupy us with the the manifestation of the Holy Spirit than with the gift. There are gifts that are resident in individuals, as we all know from the Ephesians chapter 4. There are those who are evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and one who has given been given that gift is an evangelist regardless of how ever.
He may abuse his evangelism, but what we have before us here is the manner by which the Spirit of God manifests His presence in the assembly through various ones. Whomsoever He as sovereign elects to use, we ought to be more occupied with the Holy Spirit in our presence than we are with the use of the Gift. And He is the Holy Spirit, and He's the Spirit of truth, those two things so that what comes out.
Will manifest.
Whether the Holy Spirit, who is the spirit of truth, is getting that kind of a ministry out, and there is this instruction for us also that has been pointed up. The difference between the spirits to which the Corinthians work, with which the Corinthians were familiar, and the extreme difference in the operation of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the gathered Saints. So that having been adequately pointed out, we should be concerned.
With occupation with him, because we are.
Inhabited. The assembly is a habitation of God through the Spirit, and I am aware that that is the entire Church of God the Holy Spirit inhabits. But as gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in this day of ruin, the local expression of the assembly has the character of the whole, so that he is present when we come, and we need to be aware that it is indeed the holy Presence of the third person of the Godhead, and the presence of the sun in the assembly to which we come.
We never have to pray that he might come. It's lack of faith to pray for the Spirit to come. He is present, and the Cardinal Sinning Christendom is that this truth is set aside. They act as if he isn't here, and so they do not allow him in a sovereign way to use whomsoever he will. They set up their own system, and this is what is wrong. But isn't it possible that we also might?
Fall into habits and customs which quench the Holy Spirit and beloved brethren, we ought to ever be willing to allow the Spirit of God to take control one way how we tend to control or to interfere with the activity of the Spirit. Quenching the Spirit. We don't like prophesying. You know what I mean to say is we don't like ministry directed to the conscience.
You know what, we try to suppress that type of ministry.
That's why we have the condition that we have, among other things, of God, the world's meanness increasing on every side. It is because we have successfully suppressed the voice of the prophet, the director himself, to the conscience. Not that that is the exclusive work of the Prophet, but it is a great part of the work of the Prophet. Like that has been said, the teacher directs himself to the intelligence of the believer, the shepherd to the heart.
00:50:27
The prophet to the conscience, let us not suppress prophecy, beloved brethren, we need it very much. We need it at this a day of the churches history more than ever before.
Another word that used a lot in this chapter is the word understanding Again and again and again. You see that word understanding edification is used quite a few times too, and I suppose there's something that relates there. But how important that there be understanding in the scriptures rather when?
In our reading meetings, seek that there be understanding. Have a sense of whether what we are saying is getting across to the young to have a sensitivity in our souls, whether it is being understood in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 13 in connection with the parable of the sower. The one that receives the seed on good ground is that one that.
Heard and understood.
And brought forth fruit, and so understanding is important.
To have a sense.
Whether what is being said is being understood, and I just want to in our local meetings, encourage. Sometimes younger brethren are not understanding. To ask questions in a proper way, certainly, but to ask questions sometimes I know perhaps to ask questions we're afraid to show our ignorance. But it is interesting in the Gospels when the Lord Jesus.
Took up his upper room ministry in chapter 13 through 16 through 17 that in the 14th chapter there are two questions from two of his disciples that you hardly hear of otherwise. And the questions resulted in something that came forth from the Lord that was very extremely precious. So a question can be very helpful.
At times. And so I'd just like to encourage the younger brother. Don't think that we're going to all look at you and think.
You're don't understand anything. Think that your question is dumb. If you have that question, there's a good chance that there are many others that have that question too. So ask a question in the proper spirit, but ask it, and the Lord can give real help through that question. There's a proverb that says.
Understanding is like waters in the well of the heart of a man, but a man of understanding will draw it out. I didn't put it right, but a man of understanding will draw it out. So a good question is, is drawing out those wires. I'd also commend the young man not only to ask questions, because I would try to keep those as as few as we can.
The Spirit of God ought to take over.
And I and I really feel it. I know you said good questions, but the young men can return. As our brother Burn said, last bus to the Yellow Pages. You ought to give back to the old writers. You ought to do a little bit of feeding yourself and chewing the cotton. You'll get the answers, and you'll get so much more searching for it.
It's wonderful. You know, we've gotten all that treasure and you're not supposed to have it always given to you on a platter. Take it out. I think it's really right. The young man should get back at it. I'm still reading the same stuff I was reading 40 years ago, and I'm getting new stuff. Wonderful, isn't it? Not new truth, but I'm getting things I never thought of before. And those Yellow Pages, as our brother Burton said, are precious, which we should really do a little bit of that ourselves.
And I believe in the reading meeting, it's the spirit guiding. And #1, never direct a question to a brother. I don't believe that's right. I really don't. I don't believe that's right. That's taken the place of the spirit of God.
Maybe I'm going too far. I'll leave this for now. I mean in the assembly, don't you?
What? You mean in the assembly? Yet after meeting when the Lord was answering questions, he wasn't in a reading meeting. He was talking one-on-one to groups. Now so young people can get their answers that way too and go to any problem. Rather what you stand in connection with answering questions, you can get asking questions. It can be a real ministry because there's an appropriateness to a young man asking questions. When we find the Lord doing that. And he had to say to his parents wife thought she'd be sorrowing, was she not going to be about my father's business?
00:55:31
And how was he about his father's business? By teaching those ones? No, By asking questions. And so perhaps even a younger brother might hear an older brother in the assembly say something that's not really quite on. And there's an appropriate way to deal with that. And the Lord dealt with that. Here he was sitting in front of these doctors of the law, and he asked a question. And by that means, I believe he brought out the truth.
He was. He was the Son of Man as he asked those questions, wasn't he? And we're men too. But you know, he was also the Son of God.
We're not. When he was the Son of God, they marveled at his answers and understanding. Same moment. He never ceased being the Son of God. He was the teacher.
And then verse 18 says that Paul well says I spoke in tongues more than you all. Now was this the purpose of Paul speaking in tongues because he was traveling about in different areas where there were different languages? Further questions during the tribulation period, particularly the first half of it. Will that remnant of Jews be given the gift of tongues in order to carry the gospel of the Kingdom?
Throughout the whole world.
I'll let somebody else answer. The secret things belong to the Lord, but that which is revealed is for us and our children. But to someone else. Know that secret? Paul Wilson was asked. Do you think the age of lyricals is fast? He said. No, I think it's coming.
Well, we have. In Hebrews we have.
The statement.
How is it worded of the world to come?
World to come, Yeah. So that shows that there will be in the coming day a similar display. And also in the proof of Acts when the spirit of God is given, reference is made to the book of Hosea and we do not have a complete fulfillment of what Hosea prophesied and said. It is of that character, you know, So we do from that, no.
There is going to be a pouring out.
And most likely in connection with the remnant going out with the gospel. So we have some indications in the word of God that there is some future display of the power of the Spirit of God as similar to what we find on the day of Pentecost and what we have even in the early days of the Church. I was wrong. Yes. Thank you. Thank you.
George 26 How is it been? Better than just together? Everyone has to call.
At the doctor, at at the revelation, after interpretation, but all things be done.
I think this is the guide to each of us, brethren, When we come to the assemblies that would take part, come with a drop that we have contained to support doctrine or position or change any assembly or redistribution. We get something that is a law of spirit, that is not the spirit of Christ, that is not the spirit of edification. In a sense it could come to the assembly. It comes to the meeting that let us know and talk about it. We don't come with a doctrine with all.
Of revelation or an interpretation.
Come to see here. The Lord has to be a help to the resident.
This is where misuse of any misuse of questions.
Well, as misuse, yeah, Or misgiv issues that are all obscured because we've gone to some kind of campaign for our own, some little dad should we want to drive.
Off your mom and enjoy what you read. These verses you can read the word of God and this person is together in the assembly as brethren take apart.
01:00:05
Thank you, Brother Isaac, because you give the right God here. Because many times people turn to this verse as a pattern for our coming together and it is discouraging the display of the flesh and is not a pattern for our coming together. We were warned about two things after the Spirit. Questioning the spirit and grieving the spirit. We've already spoken about it, questioning the Spirit.
And the allowance of the flesh is what grieves the Spirit, and apparently that's what he's referring to as the allowance of the flesh, that they all get up there and they play all the gift.
It's very instructive for us that the spirit of God, who has been clearly distinguished from other spirits.
Puts the display of his manifestations under the same control of the control placed on prophecy. It is to be done.
In order and by course without confusion.
To the edification of the assembly. So whether it is a word spoken Reg.
Exhortation, encouragement, or comfort.
It it has the powerful manifestations of the spiritual, has the same control placed upon it.
Let all things be done. It says at the end of that 26th verse that all things be done unto edifying.
Edifying. That's the key to that verse, isn't it? I don't come with preconceived ideas or thoughts or plans of my own. You come in dependence upon the Lord. Knowing the Spirit of God is in is in the midst, and you're capable of well capable, or you should be capable of recognizing the work of the Spirit of God. If it's done in edifying or building up or encouraging, really, that's.
We find so much that is.
A tearing down and and discouraging. But the beautiful thing is to see.
As he says here that all things be done unto edifying it.
And that's beautiful when you think about this. We don't become short in it, That's true. But this should be our desire to be a help and an encouragement among the people of God. But it's not us. It's the work of the Spirit of God in the believers when He's given his rightful place.
I would just like to ask if we get back to the first phrase of our chapter, it says follow after love. And then I go back to chapter 13 and it says in verse two. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love on nothing. I think rather than the motive of love would bring a different character into our meetings rather than sometimes.
How expressive we may be. Or and and I think it's the word intimidation that we might refer to because I can look back on times when I wish that I didn't have maybe a strong voice but rather would use entreaties with my brother rather than try to be a staffing mill to stamp it out. So clear it's like 1. Brother says well he's as clear as a crystal and cold as an icicle.
And I think an illustration that I've heard that might relate a little bit. Using an illustration of these three chapters, in chapter 12 we get all of the ingredients and it was likened to all the parts of an engine. You know, you have all the parts of an engine and the mechanic who puts it all together, and I used to be a automobile mechanic. We put it all together and it all fits just perfectly. And then if I if I was to jump to the 14th chapter.
And try to start the engine without the 13th chapter. You know what would have happened, It wouldn't work.
But you know what the ingredients and the engine is with the mechanic, He puts oil in the engine and that lubricates all the parts and makes them work so nice and smooth. And you know, that's the ingredient of the motive of love. When I come with my brethren in the assembly, and if I forget that brother and I forgot the most important thing, it's his love. Love suffers long and is kind. And I've been in an assembly where some brother would rebuke another brother.
01:05:01
And you would say, Oh no, he lost his motor. What is his motor that should be loved? The love of Christ flowing out of a heart that's overflowing with the joy and goodness of the love of God. And so we take the motor. We put the oil in it. And then the 14th chapter. Now you start it up.
And after the motor starts up, all she runs maybe a little rough. So we adjust the carburetor and the ignition and we make it once smooth. And that's the illustration that I like to leave, especially with some of the young. We need the practical approach as to how in the ways of God, these wonderful things can be illustrated by some of these natural things that are commonplace to us. Why do these cars run so good down the freeway? Well, if they didn't have oil, they wouldn't work.
And if we didn't have the love of God as this 14th chapter starts out and says follow after love, follow after love, If that was repeated 100 times, it wouldn't hurt would it? For my own heart I need it brother and desire a spiritual gifts. And then we have all of the rest that works and how nicely it functions when love is an exercise in the Assembly of God and we look at one another and we say there's my brother for whom Christ died.
And this gives me the right kind of an attitude, because, let's face it, people read our attitudes oftentimes more than we they read our doctrine. Is that right?
Questions 314 Don't turn to it. Above all things put on love the bond of perfectness that I say Amen. Thank you.
296.
Call.