Bro. John:
I am so thankful for the power of God! As in Bro. Gary’s dream, it overcomes everything! When I read the sarcastic sentence below (taken from a comment that Bro. Gary emailed yesterday on a YouTube video of a brother receiving the holy Ghost), I could not thank God enough for putting in my heart the truth that overcomes lies concerning speaking in tongues. When God puts it in your heart, He also puts His confidence there. Because of the Word of God that came to my heart years ago, I can read this and have compassion for this person knowing he is blind to the truth and his heart has not been touched by God. God help him. From his comment:
“. . . . Why in the world would God want anyone talking this way when you can already speak English!! You don’t think He understands that???. . . .”
When I read this, I was so wonderfully reminded what God told me concerning speaking in tongues and the English language. In a meeting years ago in Henderson, as I was enjoying His Spirit, but not as freely as I should have, God spoke: “This (speaking in tongues) is your FIRST language now; English is your second”. Hearing these words, the new man within me rejoiced all the more!! I don’t think God has an issue with languages — He knows which language identifies His children! 🙂 He knows who believes and who does not, and speaking in tongues is HIS stamp of approval that separates the two: “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; . . .” New tongues — the FIRST language of the new man! “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” I love thinking of it this way: the First language of the First family (Father and Son). 🙂
You know, Bro. John, I think comments like this man’s come our way not only to cause us to humble ourselves to realize how blessed we are, but to appreciate what a privilege it is to be the “taught of God”. As Jesus said: “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore who has heard, and has learned of the Father, comes unto me.”
Every time I am reminded of the beauty of what God has done in each of our lives, I just melt at His goodness and love. I am thankful for this man’s question. It quickened in me the joy of that day when God let me feel the liberty of the sons of God; essentially, “Be free in the FIRST language of the new man!” It is not even a matter of whether God understands English because He understands everything and everyone. It is not what God understands that is to question; it is what we don’t understand without His Spirit.
It has been wonderful today recounting the treasures of God in my heart. It always leaves a yearning for more.
Sandy
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”
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Amen, Sister Sandy!
I love this part of a verse that you quoted, “They shall all be taught of God.” In the original Greek, the phrase “taught of God” is one word, and it is an adjective. So, what Jesus was really saying is that a distinguishing feature of those who truly are children of God is that they are “God-taught” people. Something about that stirs up joy in my heart.
jdc