Fresno Revival Fellowship

Last week, a Baptist seminary in Texas passed a resolution that “they will not tolerate the promotion of speaking in tongues on their campus. According to the Associated Press (AP) article, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution last November that banned missionaries from speaking in tongues in private.

It got me thinking:

Are these guys reading comic books instead of the
Bible?

It made me realize how wonderful it is to belong to a fellowship of believers who can see clearly that the word of God provides us with this wonderful comforter and that we can continue to pray in the Spirit without fear that some man-made organization would
monitor our private prayer.

It is timely for us to review and remind ourselves of the key scriptures in the bible that point out the truth and simplicity of God’s loving message for the world.

Isa 28: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

The prophet Isaiah refers to a time of rest and refreshing here, that Paul also refers to when talking to the Corinthian Church in 1 Cor 14:21.

The key to unlocking this is in 1 Corinthians 14:14

1 Cor 14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

In other words:

Speaking in Tongues = Praying in the Spirit

This is as simple a math equation as 1+1 = 2 and provides the answers to understanding why we make no compromise on telling people that when God gives them the Holy Spirit, the one guarantee from scripture is that they will speak in new tongues. In fact, Jesus
said:

Mark 16: 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; … they shall speak with new tongues;

So why do we need a private prayer language?

Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In our own minds and language of understanding we certainly can pray and make petition, but we can see that it is better to pray in tongues (the Spirit), because we do not know exactly what we need. However, our loving Father, who supplies all our needs according to
his riches in glory, knows exactly what we need. As we pray in the Spirit we get built up in the Spirit.

1 Cor 14: 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;…

I was witnessing one day and someone said, “Speaking
in tongues only edifies you”. To which I answered,
“What is wrong with that?” In other words,
we all need to take time to rest and regenerate and
“sharpen the saw” to use a phrase from Steven Covey.
But it goes further than that:
Eph 6: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on
your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
We are not only encouraged to pray in the Spirit we
are told to keep on praying, and that by doing so we
keep ourselves in the love of God. In other words, it
helps align us with God’s will for us.
So why don’t the Baptists get it?
As written in Isaiah, there will be those who don’t
hear. However, the Baptist quoted in the article do
make one interesting point:
“Southern Baptists traditionally have stood against
what we feel like are the excesses of the charismatic
movement.”
Good point! And so do we in the Revival Fellowship.
1:Cor 14: 40 Let all things be done decently and in
order.
Unfortunately, the widespread emotionalism and
extremism that happens in many spirit-filled churches
today has been an excuse for many to not receive the
Holy Spirit.
When we walk into a meeting we want new people
to see and feel the Love of God but not be frightened
away by excesses. As one brother pointed out to me
recently, to new people it is often extreme enough that
we clap our hands during choruses. By all means our
chorus sessions should be uplifting, our prayer times
and testimonies moving, and our talks dynamic and
enthusiastic about the great things the Lord has done
and will do. Peoples’ lives are changed when God fills
them with the Holy Spirit and their hope is renewed.
For a council of men to say that a person is not allowed
to pray in tongues is just crazy.
1 Cor 14: 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy,
and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Yes, Southern Baptists, we pray for you that God heals
you of your blindness. We warn all that:
Rom 8: 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,
if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any
man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
The message is simple and we do not need to add or
subtract or look for some deeper meaning. God loves
us and he sent his son to die for us. None of us were
worthy of salvation, but he provided it for us. Even
now he is pleading with the world to come to him
before it is too late.
In summary:
1. When you receive the Holy Spirit you are
given a prayer language that we refer to as praying in
tongues.
2. Speaking in tongues is a sign for the non-believer.
3. When you speak in tongues you talk to God.
4. When you speak in tongues you edify (build)
yourself up.
5. Speaking in tongues is the rest and refreshing
that we have entered.
6. Praying in the Spirit (tongues) keeps us aligned
in God’s love.
Now to the world we preach a Gospel of hope in a
hopeless time. Jesus came so that we could lay our
burdens down and enter into his rest.
Acts 2: 38* Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.

Building A Strong Foundation by Pastor Dave 2006-11-15

Raymond & Rhiannon got married on Sat. Nov. 4, 2006 

by Pat Billingsley

http://revivalusa.org/download/2006-11/061112.pat.love.wma

by Pastor Bill

http://revivalusa.org/download/2006-11/061112.ps.bill.job.wma

By Pastor Dave

http://revivalusa.org/download/2006-11/061108.ps.dave.holiness.wma

Keywords: separation, saints, holy, Jesus, WWJD, mercy seat.

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http://revivalusa.org/download/2006-11/061105.dave.repentance.wma