Ask and It Shall Be Given - Seek and Ye Shall Find

Never underestimate God!

Our church purchased pews and upon arriving to get them a discussion ensued. The sellers shared that they were "Bapticostals." Well that certainly peaked our interest. This was their testimony:

The group of men decided to come together and pray to strengthen their walk with Jesus. As they sincerely cried out in prayer, to their amazement, the entire group was filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues. Afterward, they were so filled with joy they could barely contain their excitement as they waited to share the good news with the members of their church.

Sunday came and the men proudly stood before the congregation and relayed their experience. "We were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues just like those on the Day of Pentecost. We could hardly believe it ourselves! There is no doubt that what happened to us was from God," they said with smiles beaming from ear to ear.

They went on to say you could have heard a pin drop, when the pastor ushered them to the door and told them they were no longer welcome to fellowship with his church.

The men were surprised by the response of their congregation. However they decided not to be discouraged and to go forward and share the true plan of salvation. They began a church and still refer to themselves as "Bapticostals."

I share this testimony because it gives God all the glory! Our Lord and Savior will honor those who sincerely seek Him. (Luke 11:13, 24:49)

I find it fascinating that God takes control of the one thing man cannot control as evidence of His abiding presence; the tongue.

"For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame;" (James 3:7-8) However, with God all things are possible. (Matt 19:26)

In addition, on the Day of Pentecost a flame resembling a cloven (split) tongue appeared above each person when the Spirit entered their body. (Acts 2) This record in Acts points to a couple things considering that each believer is to be God's dwelling place upon their spiritual rebirth:

1. The Israelites knew when God was present in the darkness of night by the pillar of flame that appeared above the Old Testament tabernacle. (Exodus 25:8, 22, 29:43,40:34-38) N.T. believers bodies are the tabernacle of God.

2. The cloven (split or divided in two) tongue appears to represent that there are two types of tongues: One as the initial evidence of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and two; the Spiritual gift of tongues.

See scripture evidence that tongues accompanies the infilling of the Holy Ghost. The experience is not exclusive to just one group of people. The biblical record shows that all groups of people; Jewish, Gentile and Samaritans. (half-Jewish, and half Gentile) had the accompanying evidence of the infilling. Acts 2:1-40, 8:12-17, 10:44-48, 19:2-6 Every living person is a descendant of one of the groups listed.

The bible states that a concept is established by 2-3 witnesses. Due to the biblical record there is no doubt everyone should expect to speak in tongues upon receiving the Holy Ghost.

How well do you know these characters?

Whether you choose to accept the testimony they gave is up to you. But the truth remains that our Lord and Savior will honor those who sincerely seek Him. (Luke 11:13, 24:49)

I'm sure he will. Just that this doesn't add up in my thinking.

as i predicted its not the gospel but another gospel. sadly its the oneness pentecostal gospel.

take notes people on how to not do theology. dont take descriptions and turn them into doctrine. take direct statements and commandments and make doctrine out of them.

example: believe and thou shalt be saved <- direct
the disciples had all things in common <- not direct and not related to salvation and descriptive of just how people lived.

It sounds like a prank some kids might pull on a non charismatic church to me.

What exactly does not add up?

Believe what, is the question. It cannot be denied that God spontaneously filled people with His Spirit. He is the same God today as He was then.

Be careful saint on what you embrace as the truth. I think the pastor had a good decernment. I would study a bit on the reason the gift of tongues was given on Pentecost.
These men already came in one Accord. The enemy is very crafty and if it's a sign they seek then it's the wrong sign they embraced.
No sign shall be given but the sign of Jonah.

They were adult men who had attended church for years. They prayed with sincerity and received the promised gift.

Were they Oneness?

I believe that speaking in tongues is when a person of God filled with the holy spirit suddenly has the miracle to minister to people with different languages from different nations. I know of church meeting where all of a sudden people spewed gibberish where nobody understands what they're saying. I figure that's Satan's demons taking over and fooling fools.

You need to know them personally over time before you can evaluate this.

The sign of Jonah that you refer to was in reference to Jesus being the Messiah. Jesus expressed that the only sign that He was the Messiah would come in the form of His resurrection. This comment had nothing to do with what occurs when one receives the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

They were praying to strengthen their relationship with Jesus.

Why is it people want to focus on denominations rather than examine scripture? And no, they were not Oneness. They were individuals who pursued God in sincere prayer for a closer relationship and got what they sought.

Everyone has the right to believe what they will. However, the Word expresses that speaking in tongues accompanies the infilling of the Holy Ghost: Acts 2:1-40, 8:12-17, 10:44-48, 19:2-6.

It's important because many cults (unsaved) practice the same.

I evaluate this from scripture. I would not accept their testimony as even possible if the biblical record was void of God spontaneously pouring His Spirit into a person. However, the Word records it occurring at least two times. (Acts 2 and 10) This is evidence enough for me because the Word says to establish something as true by the witness of 2 or more scriptures.

I think it is good advice that people should quit judging others by denominational beliefs, etc. and pursue the truth in their own relationships with the Lord.