Dipped and Dyed

Hello friends!

Did you enjoy your Resurrection Sunday?  Did any of you dye eggs with children?  Or do you remember dying eggs?  What fun it was to take a white egg and put it into a dye that would change the color of the egg!  If you were real creative you might try taking the egg you dyed and dip it into another color to see what color you would come out with. Or if the first time you dipped the egg into your dye and you didn't like the shade of say pink it was, you might dip into the pink dye again and again and again until you got the dark shade of pink you were looking for.

Which brings me to one of my favorite word studies.  It is the word baptize.

For a moment let’s look at the word baptize and discover a purpose of being baptized in the Holy Spirit.  It is a Greek word that means “to dip and to dye” much like a garment is dipped and dyed to change it’s color.  I love that!  We are to be dipped and dyed in the Holy Spirit and fire until we look like Jesus!  Isn’t that wonderful!  Baptize us again Jesus with your Holy  Spirit and fire!

baptizo - verb - Strong’s G907 -

1.  to dip, repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)

2.  to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one’s self, bathe

3.  to overwhelm

Acts 1:5 Jesus referred to the fact that John baptized in water, but that those who waited in Jerusalem would be baptized in the Holy Spirit. You can see in Acts 2:3 a fulfillment of what John had prophesied in the gospels.  What was the evidence of those who waited being baptized?  They spoke in tongues.

When the people asked what is going on, Peter responded by quoting Joel 2:28-30.  Then I love what Peter said in v.39 

For God’s promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your families, for those yet to be born and for everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (TPT).  In the Aramaic v. 39 can be translated “This outpouring is for you”.  Hallelujah! (note taken from The Passion Translation)

Some believe that praying in tongues has ceased.  Some believe that it was a one time occurrence.  Some believe praying in tongues was just for the first Christians.  But can you see from Acts 2:39 Peter plainly tells us the promise is for everyone who calls upon the LORD.

Let's look at other examples in the Living Word of God.  

We are told in Acts 8 :14-17 that Samaria had received the word of God.  Peter and John went down to pray for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on any of them.  They had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Peter and John laid hands on them they received the Holy Spirit. 

Previously in this chapter we are told about a man name Simon who had been a magician.  After hearing Jesus preached he believed and continued to walk with Phillip.  Scripture tells us he observed signs and great miracles taking place.  He was constantly amazed!  He had gone with Peter and John down to Samaria.  When the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, Simon saw something different.  Different so much so that he offered to pay Peter and John for their ability.  What did he see?  He saw the demonstration of the Holy Spirit.  What do we know from scripture was the demonstration of being baptized in the Holy Spirit?  Praying in tongues.

Acts 11 recounts the story of Peter going to Cornelius house.  He was an Italian who feared God and gave much money to the Jews.  Remember at this time in history it was unlawful for Jews to go into a Gentiles home.  God had given Peter a dream to let him know He wanted Peter to go to Cornelius house and preach Jesus to him and his household.  Peter tells us that as he began to speak the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household and he remembered the words of Jesus.  

John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  Acts 11:16

Peter went on to say how could they deny Gentiles who would believe upon Jesus the right when God showed His favor upon them by giving them the same gift - the baptism of the Holy Spirit - as He had given the 120 who had waited in Jerusalem.  What was the evidence of the gift?  Praying in tongues. (See Acts 10:45,46).

Acts 19:1-6 gives us indication there are more than one baptisms.  Paul found some disciples in Ephesus.  

Paul asked, "Have you received the Holy Spirit?"

Their reply. "We did not know there was a Holy Spirit."

Paul then asked, "Into what baptism have you been baptized?"

When they replied "unto John's baptism", Paul let them know that "John baptized with the baptism of repentance telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus."  

When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Paul laid his hands on them the Holy  Spirit came on them and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Throughout the book of Acts there are references of being filled with the Spirit.  We even discover in Acts 4 that those who had initially received the baptism of the Holy Spirit had another outpouring of Holy Spirit.  So we can see that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not just a one time event or a one time occurrence.  

What was the definition of baptism?  Simply put - to dip and dye.  I want to be dipped and dyed repeatedly until I look like Jesus.  After all isn't that the purpose of redemption? (Romans 8:29).

One last thought for today.  Matthew 6:33 tells us to "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (KJV)

I like how Beth Moore makes this statement in her study of the book of James regarding Matthew 6:33.  "Faith receives more than it asks.  Doubt loses more than it disbelieved."

Read that statement again.  "Faith receives more than it asks.  Doubt loses more than it disbelieved."

My question today.  What are you losing through doubting that speaking in tongues is a gift God wants you to have today?  If you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit are you praying in tongues?  Or do you need a fresh baptism?  If so, stir up the gift that is within you.

Gift heaped upon gift!

New International Version (Philemon 1:6)

I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.  www.biblehub.com

NET Bible (Philemon 1:6)

I pray that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing that belongs to you in Christ.  www.biblehub.com

In our society we want to understand and then have faith.  But in the Kingdom of God it doesn't work that way.  We first have faith and then understanding comes.  

As believers in Jesus Christ we share that foundation of Jesus being our Lord and Master.  But our walk with the Lord did not end with the gift of salvation.  It only began!  I love how the Amplified Version translates John 1:16.

"For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift." 

WOW!  Don't you just love the living word of God!  OUT OF HIS ABUNDANCE!  HE GIVES!  There is no end to His giving to those who will walk after Him.  

While many of us share the foundation of faith in Jesus, satan has caused division among the body of Christ over the praying in tongues.  We exposed one of his lies last week that praying in tongues is speaking meaningless sounds.  On no!  Quite the contrary!  We are speaking in a supernatural  language that has been given to us to build us up individually as well as corporately as the body of Christ.  

One of the ways satan has used to bring division to the body of Christ is to use Paul's teaching from 1 Corinthians.  But if you study the word of God line upon line, precept upon precept, you see that Paul was not telling the church at  Corinth to not pray in tongues.  He was simply bringing order to the church services.  God is not the author of confusion and there had to be order in the services so that all could be ministered to.  

Recently I was blessed to have everyone in my family, with the exception of one niece and her husband, at my home for a meal.  20 people.   At different times it seemed as though everyone was talking at once.  I had difficulty listening to one person.  When they left I felt like I hadn't visited with anyone.  Do you know that feeling? 

So Paul was teaching the believers at Corinth how to have an orderly church service so that everyone who came would hear and know what the Spirit of the Lord was saying to them.  1  Corinthians 14:14 tells us "For if I pray in an [unknown} tongue, my spirit [by the Holy Spirit within me] prays, but my mind is unproductive."  

Paul wanted the church to have understanding in their mind so they could be productive.  But he was not telling them to not use their supernatural language.  In fact Paul said, "forbid not to speak with tongues."  

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:13 that in a church service if someone prays in tongues ask for the power to be able to interpret what you have prayed.  In that way you can bring understanding to those who hear.

Paul while traveling came to Ephesus.  There he found some disciples (believers).  Paul asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]? "

 And they said, "No we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."  

Paul then asked them. "What baptism then were you baptized?"

They replied, "John's."

After hearing this Paul explained the difference between John's baptism and the baptism of Jesus.  After being baptized again in the name of the Lord Jesus, Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in unknown tongues and prophesied.  (Acts 19:1-6)

I do not believe Paul was flaky or double minded.  I do not believe he was telling believers at Ephesus they needed the baptism of the Holy Spirit and then telling the believers at Corinth to not pray in what they were given as a result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Do you?

Next week we will look at some additional benefits of praying in tongues.  I hope by reading these lessons you will seek the LORD concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  If you believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ you have His Spirit inside of you.  You are His dwelling place.  

But there is another gift (remember John 1:14) that comes as a result of being baptized in the Holy Spirit.  That gift is praying in tongues.  

Do you have time for me to give you a personal example?  I hope so!

I had been feeling despondent, heavy burden, just couldn't seem to get past a weighty feeling.  I asked the LORD, "What is this?  I don't understand why I feel this way."

It had probably been a while since I prayed in tongues (I don't really remember - you see I once thought praying in tongues was just something you did once in a while-not on a daily basis.  How wrong I was!)  Anyway, back to the story.  As I was showering I began to pray in tongues.  I could sense my spirit rising up.  As I got out of the shower I knew what I had to do.  I took authority over the spirit of fear that was coming against me and commanded it to leave in the Name of Jesus!  Immediately, peace came.  Heaviness left!  The weight was gone!

You see in my understanding I did not know what was wrong.  But as I yielded to the Holy Spirit inside of me and allowed Him to pray through me, He, the Spirit of Understanding (Is.11) prayed out and brought me understanding and gave my mind the knowledge of what I needed to do.  

Praise God!  Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Holy Spirit!

There is so much more I want to share about this wonderful gift.  But I know your time is valuable so I will continue next week.  Next week we will look into what does baptism mean from the Greek.  Oh I love the truth that Rick Renner brings out concerning this word!  I can't wait to share it with you!

I hope you will come back next week.  Thank you for studying the Living Word of God with me.

The past few weeks we have been studying one of the gifts the Holy Spirit would like to give to anyone who  believes upon Jesus, their personal prayer language, that we refer to as praying in tongues.  The 120 who waited in the upper room receive this ability to pray in tongues as evidence they had received Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-4 tells us that on the day of Pentecost the 120 were gathered in one place.  Suddenly  from heaven came a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  There appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

So what was the evidence the people had been given the Father’s promise of the Holy Spirit?  They spoke in tongues they did not know.  

EXPOSING A LIE OF THE ENEMY

Kenneth S. Wuest was a professor of New Testament Greek at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago until his death in 1962. During the 1950's he produced several volumes of Greek word studies, going through the New Testament book by book.  I love how he translated Acts 2:4.

….as the Spirit kept giving them ability to speak forth, not in words of everyday speech but in words belonging to dignified and elevated discourse.

Think about it. Our Father gave us a gift that we could speak to Him in a dignified and elevated discourse.  He gave us the ability to talk to Him on a higher level other than our understanding.

So why pray in tongues?  Praying in tongues gives you the ability to talk in a dignified and elevated discourse.  

Have you ever met someone that you thought knew more than you and when you got around them it seemed as if you couldn’t talk?  Or what about a baby.  We enjoy communicating with a baby on his level of understanding the best we can.  But aren’t we glad when the baby learns words so that we can carry on a conversation!  Imagine our Father.  He loves to communicate with us down on our level of understanding.  But don’t you think it makes Him glad when we communicate with Him using His language?

My grandmother and mother both were raised in churches that believed in receiving the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.  In the early 1900’s and later people who spoke in tongues were made fun of.  They were made to think they had less ability and there was a stigma placed on them.  We have to remember that satan is the father of lies.  So what the scriptures say through an understanding of the Greek language, speaking in tongues gives you the ability to speak with a dignified and elevated discourse.  It doesn’t make you stupid or someone with less learning ability.  So do you see from just this one example how satan has lied?

Utterance

Kenneth Weust translated utterance as a dignified and elevated discourse.  But where did this word utterance come from?

Utterance  is the meaning for logos created by Greek philosopher Heracitus in 600 BC. They were words used to designate the divine reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe!

  No wonder the Holy Spirit used the word "utterance" in Acts 2:24 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them utterance

We need a fresh baptism of Holy Spirit today in order to coordinate God’s divine reason and plan for our changing universe.  I believe we need a fresh baptism to usher in the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ!  

This story begins on January 20,2014 when I read a scripture 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and His strength and His face (presence) continually.  The word strength caught my eye and so for the next 2 mornings in my Bible study I began to meditate on that word and what it meant to me.  I began to meditate and ask God for His power.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014 I went to check on my son's dog, Dally, and the puppies she had given birth to.  Cole had checked on them earlier that morning.  Although he had taken every precaution he knew to take 4 of the 6 puppies had died due to the extreme cold.  My purpose was to go and bring Dally and the 2 remaining puppies inside.

To my dismay one of the puppies was dead.  His body was stiff, his legs were straight out, and Dally had pushed him ot the side.  I left him and proceeded with getting Dally and the living puppy into the house.

I then took hot water out to the chickens so they would have something to drink, gathered the eggs, fed the horses, and checked on our other dog.  I was going to let Cole bury the dead puppy.  But then I changed my mind and decided to do it myself.

The puppy was so far back I had to take a shovel to reach the puppy.  I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me because I thought I saw movement.  A thought came to me, perhaps if I rub him I can get some warmth in his body and his blood circulating.  As I as doing this it was as if the Spirit of the Lord came over me and without even really thinking about it I turned the puppy's face to my face and began blowing upon his face.  As I did I heard myself saying these words, "I breath the life of God over you! come alive!  Father, I ask you for a sign and a wonder for me and for Cole."  I truly believe I was being directed and led by the Holy Spirit.

Again I continued blowing air in his face and saying, "come alive!  I breathe the life of God on you!"
Remember I had been meditating on God's Word, and on His power.  Jesus tells us in John 14 that we are His dwelling places.  The same resurrection power of the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives, and moves, and breathes inside of us.

Well the puppy didn't show any signs of life but he wasn't as stiff as he had been.  So I decided to put  him in my pocket while I got something to put feed and water in for Dally.  I brought the lifeless puppy in the house and put him beside Dally.  I rubbed him a little and left, not seeing anything happening that would indicate my speaking and praying had done any good.

Later I went back.  Still no change.  I called Cole and did not get an answer.  Several minutes went by and Cole returned my call.  As I was talking to him, I went into the laundry room.  I heard something!  Was it a whimper?  Yes it was!  I picked up the puppy and he was whimpering.  I began to praise God.

As I was praising God a song rose up in me I had heard, "something's moving, something's changing, see His Glory, Heaven on earth!"

I knew God had preformed a miracle for me and Cole.  The Holy Spirit began to speak to me and show me some things that morning.  I knew it was time to believe again for those things that we had prayed before yet it did not see we were getting any results.  He showed me that as we declare and speak His Word, that even though we may not be seeing anything in the natural He is working.

Now fast forward to May 23, 2014.  My first grandchild had been born.  While mom and dad were bonding the grandparents and great grandparents went out to eat breakfast and celebrate.  A miracle - I had my phone on the table which I never do.  I received a text from Corey.  PRAY.  That was all it said.

Not knowing what was going on, we left the restaurant and went back to the hospital.  Asking the nurse what was going on I heard her say these words, "your grandson has coded."

Not caring who heard me I burst into a room that was empty (thankfully it was across from the nurses desk) and hit my knees praying in my prayer language.  When I stood up it was as though the "light had come on" - "the puppy".  I knew at that moment God had given me the miracle of the puppy so I would know how to pray in that instance.  Not only that I would know how to pray, but that I knew that I knew no matter what reports we were given that my grandson would live and not die and that he would be healthy just as the puppy had been healthy.

The Holy  Spirit brought to my remembrance how He had instructed me to pray for the puppy.   I heard Corey's mom, taking authority over death as we prayed and agreed together.   Not long after that the nurse came in the room and we heard the most precious words "The doctor got a heart beat!"

As my daughter said recently that was the good news but there were more things to believe God for through the next few days.  But every bad report we got, Jesus turned it around.

We thank God for everyone who prayed with us during this time.  It was the prayers of many that we saw the Word of God actively working in Aiden.  Even when we couldn't see it with our eyes in the natural, I knew the life of God was working in Aiden.

I thank God He prepared me ahead of time.

Soon Aiden will be 2 years old.  Healthy in every way.  The puppy is already 2.  I recently saw a picture of Max aka Ned.  (Max my name for the puppy.  Ned the name the owners gave to him).  He is a beautiful dog.

I pray this story brings you hope.  For if you have made Jesus the Lord over your life and recognized Him as your Savour, then you have been born to a LIVING HOPE! (I Peter 1:3)

"He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Sovereign LORD, you alone know."Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!"  Ezekiel 37:3-4  (NLT)

May the resurrection power of Holy Spirit breathe new life into you today!

Build Your Faith!

Last week we ended our teaching with this scripture -

      "One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself."  (1 Corinthians 14:4a)  

      "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus  Christ to eternal life."  (Jude 1:20)

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus and he didn’t believe in Jesus (John 7:5).  But he finally understood that Jesus was the Son of God.  Jude was not an apostle nor was he a pillar in the church like his brother James.  Yet he saw some things in the church that was disturbing and he had to speak up.  So the book of Jude is instruction to the church.  We are going to look at one of those instructions.

Let's look at this scripture from the Amplified Bible.

       "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like       an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;

What does edify mean?  

(Blue Letter Bible)  oikodomeo  https://www.blueletterbible.org

1 to build a house, erect a building

    A to build (up from the foundation)

    B to restore by building, to rebuild, repair

2 metaph.

    A to found, establish

    B to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness

3 to grow in wisdom and piety

Remember our previous lessons.   We are God’s spiritual temple.  We are His building. We are His lively stones.

Another meaning for edify that is close to the original Greek is  “charge”  You may think of a car battery.  If a car battery has run out of power you may hook it up to a power source and charge it up.  

"One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself."  (1 Corinthians 14:4)  

You can paraphrase this passage of scripture like this:  “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifies himself, builds himself up, or charges himself up like a battery.” (Kenneth E. Hagin Tongues: Beyond the Upper Room pg. 160)

Ephesians 3:16 says, “to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (NASB). 

I am reading Bill Johnson's book Dreaming With God.  On page 108 he quotes Dr. Lance Wallnau who points out this about the word edifice.  Edifice is a word that is related to edify. Dr. Wallnau states that "one who prays in tongues builds the edifice from which the purposes of God for their life becomes manifest!"  

Bill Johnson goes on to say that "perhaps this is why Paul stated that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else.  He was building something big for God!"

Remember Paul wrote 2/3 of the New Testament.  Another interesting fact I have discovered while studying God's Word is that Paul's understanding about spiritual warfare increased over time.  He first wrote Thessalonians were he mentions it somewhat, but by the time he writes Ephesians his understanding has increased and he gives more detail to the church.  Could this be because of his time of praying in tongues?

Although knowing the Word, confessing the Word, and meditating on the Word are important; a major way of strengthening yourself is by praying in tongues.  Each of these things working together for your good. (Romans 8:28)

PURPOSE - TO STIUMULATE FAITH

Jude 20 - “But ye, beloved, BUILDING YOURSELVES ON YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH, praying in the Holy Ghost”.

Praying in tongues causes us to be more sensitive to the  Spirit of God.  Praying in tongues will cause our hearing to be more sensitive.  It will also cause our faith to be energized or charged or stimulated.

Now I realize Jude did not say specifically "pray speaking in tongues".  But Jude did not know that 1,000 of years later people would not know that praying in the Spirit did not include praying in tongues.  Paul in his instructions to the church of Corinth never said not to speak or pray in tongues.  In fact he said “forbid not to speak in tongues.” 

So [to conclude], my brethren, earnestly desire and set your hearts on prophesying (on being inspired to preach and teach and to interpret God’s will and purpose), and do not forbid or hinder speaking in [unknown] tongues. 1 Corinthian 14:39 (AMP)

POINT 1  We are God’s temple and He is building a spiritual temple with us as lively stones.  When the church was born we were given a language by which we could pray in unity the mind, will and purpose of God.  Will you receive that gift of a prayer language?  If you have that prayer language, will you begin to operate in that gift more?

Next week we will continue with our study by doing a word study.  This word study made me leap for joy inside when I discovered its original intent and meaning.  I hope you will come back next week to study this word with me and as we continue to look into the purpose of praying in tongues.  

Working On A Building

Have you ever been involved in a new construction?  Building your first house?  The frame work goes up so quickly, doesn't it?  There is a period of time that everything seems to take on new life to the house.  Then it seems like everything slows down to a CRAWL.  That finish work - while important - seems to drag on! The carpenters may have worked all day but when you go in to check on the progress you find yourself thinking, "what did they do today?"  But there were details that needed attention that you may not have realized needed doing.  In fact people have been known to get impatient, move in their home thinking they will finish those last little details, and the little details never get completed.  Have you experienced that?

Last week we looked at how a group of people who were united in thought, purpose, and language came together to build a tower to reach the sky so they could build a name for themselves.  Their purpose went against God's purpose of spreading out and making His Name known.  We can see from looking at this Old Testament account of the first mention of language how important one language was to the building of the tower.  In fact, in order for God's purpose and plans to be fulfilled it became necessary for Him to confuse the languages.

Acts 2 we see the first corporate prayer meeting, at the instruction of Jesus to wait until they received the promise of Holy Spirit.  In 1 Corinthians 10:32 we see there are now 3 people groups: (1) Jews (2) Greeks or Gentiles or unbelievers  and (3) church of God.  At the beginning of the church its building was so important that through Holy Spirit, God released the language of heaven to those who were waiting on Him.  This language of heaven would enable the believers to pray in one language for the building of God's temple.  God's temple on earth being you and I, the church.

I believe as important as the language of heaven was in the beginning of the building of the church, it is ever bit as important in the finishing work of the church.  Holy Spirit is able to pray out mysteries that concern you and I individually, as well as mysteries that will enable the church to be completed as that glorious church with spot or wrinkle.  Because of its importance, satan has brought in deception, lies, doubt, and unbelief to the body of Christ regarding this beautiful language.

I have some dear friends who are bi-lingual.  They speak Korean.  I have another friend who I don't get to see anymore and she speaks Spanish.  Oh how they love Jesus!  I love hearing them talk of Jesus.  But when they speak in Korean or Spanish I am unable to understand that language.  The language sounds strange to me, yet beautiful at the same time.  When I was around Stella it made me want to learn Spanish.

Have you ever been to a Spanish speaking church?  One time my mom and I went to a conference not knowing that it was going to be mostly a Spanish speaking conference.  There was an interpreter, thankfully.  But when the speaker spoke in Spanish, she would say something that was so good the Latinos would erupt in praise and we couldn't hear the English interpretation.    

Have I digressed?  My point is that when we receive the gift from Holy Spirit of a prayer language it enables us to communicate with God at His level so to speak.  We are able to pray in His heavenly language.  It sounds strange to those who have not spoken in tongues before, yet beautiful at the same time.  Praying in tongues enable us to pray in unity with the Father's will, in His language.  Praying in unity with the Father is important to the building of His dwelling place.  His temple.

We know from John 14:16-17 that Jesus referred to us as the place Holy Spirit would come and dwell.  Other scripture references that refer to us as God's building are

• 1 Timothy 3:15, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Hebrews 3:6, Ephesians 2:21-22, 1 Peter 2:5 

Many precious believers in Jesus Christ, who are my brothers and sisters, whom I love dearly, recognize the work of the Holy Spirit.  They know that He has come to live inside of them.  I have learned a great deal from these men and women. I am thankful for how Holy Spirit has used them in my life.

However, many have not understood the purpose or the reason behind the praying in tongues.  Receiving this gift is valuable to the building of each of us individually, as well as corporately.  I believe there is going to be another wave of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues much like there was at the time of Azua Street and in the 1970's only to a greater degree.  Why?  Because Jesus is coming back.  He will not come back to an unfinished church.  He is coming back for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle.  Somedays to me that seems like an impossibility.  But I know with Jesus all things are possible.  (I AM NOT saying that if you don't speak in tongues you are not part of this building.  Please do not misunderstand what I am saying)  But I do believe this finish work is going to take a supernatural work beyond our natural ability.  It is going to take each of us doing our part of what we can do in the natural along with the working of the Holy Spirit.  I believe praying in tongues is an important part of this building and completion process. 

Today I leave you with this scripture.

"One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself."  (1 Corinthians 14:4)