A Perspective We Should Expect1 Corinthians 14:23
So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

Thoughts for Today:Several years ago, the Washington Post published a political cartoon by Pat Oliphant that caused quite a stir in Christian circles. In the cartoon, former Alaskan governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is portrayed as a stereotypical Pentecostal. She's pictured standing at a podium before an enthusiastic crowd, hot-line to God in hand, and saying a bunch of non-words: "...argle bargle glooka slobber...". In heaven, God responds to Palin's prayer language, "Peter, what's wrong with this phone? All I can hear is some right-wing politician spouting gibberish."

When I first saw the cartoon, I actually laughed. However, some of my more serious friends were quite incensed. They said, "How can someone [Oliphant and the Washington Post] be so clueless about a practice that is central to the Pentecostal faith? It's a form of religious discrimination and persecution -- one more attack against Christians." A few days later (due in large part to public outrage), the Washington Post issued an apology.

I think too much was made of the cartoon. Why? Because it reflected nothing more than what Paul says in our passage today -- speaking in tongues makes believers look crazy. Therefore, it's nothing to get upset about. Rather, Oliphant's perspective is one we should not only understand but expect.

Questions to Ponder:Being wronged because of being right is one thing. Being wronged because we're wrong is something else entirely. Paul has given very specific instructions regarding the use of tongues as both a private prayer language and a spiritual gift for personal edification.

A failure to recognize and pay attention to those guidelines leads us into the type of situation we experienced a few years ago related to Oliphant's cartoon. How does it happen? Because some in the church misuse or misunderstand the gift of tongues. And as a result, non-believers think we are out of our minds. When a non-believer looks at the witness of your life, do they think you are crazy? Is it for the right reasons or the wrong ones?

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                                              Willfully Set to Non-Belief?1 Corinthians 14:22b
...prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

Thoughts for Today:The gift of prophecy that operates in the church body is for general edification, encouragement, and comfort. (1 Corinthians 14:4b: "...the one who prophesies edifies the church.") It is a gift of the spirit that is used by the Lord to:

1. Build our faith.

2. Deepen our knowledge and understanding of His Word.

3. Grow in awareness of our personal responsibility to others.

4. Comfort us when we are in times of tribulation (whether internal or external).

Prophecy also makes believers out of those who are not willfully set to non-belief. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25: "But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare.") On the other hand, it has no effect on those who, like the Israelites, have obstinately set themselves to resist the Holy Spirit.

Questions to Ponder:Some of the people we see on a regular basis might appear to be resolutely set to not believe. But, how do we know unless we ask? It takes an act of obedience on our part if we are to allow God's Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts, actions and words. Have you been resisting influence of the Spirit? Where is God at work? Will you join Him?

When a Sign is a Stumbling Block1 Corinthians 14:22a
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers...

Thoughts for Today:Usually a sign is something positive that helps people believe. But there also are negative signs that act as stumbling blocks for those who have hardened hearts. For example, Mark 6:51-52: "Then he [Jesus] climbed into the boat with them [the disciples], and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened." Jesus had not only fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, but then he walked on water and calmed the storm. Still the disciples weren't sure what it all meant. Their hearts were "hardened".

According to Strong's Lexicon, the word "hardened" means "to grow hard, callous, become dull, or lose the power of understanding." The disciples were not God-haters. Rather, they had become so oriented to the natural world and its limitations, they were overwhelmed when they saw Jesus supersede these laws. They were trying to place a supernatural act in their own frame of reference. When Paul quoted Isaiah (our previous passage), he was saying somewhat the same thing. Regardless of the miraculous "they would not listen." Therefore, a sign is only as good as our willingness to recognize the presence of the Lord in it, and obedience to its instruction.

Questions to Ponder:The issue of speaking in tongues has become a dividing line in the modern church. Some say it is evidence of being Spirit-filled. Others say, "God is no longer working in that way. Those miracles and expressions were for a different time." I don't agree. Why? Because I would never want to think or teach anything that would limit God in any way. If He chooses to continue to use tongues to communicate His message, then who am I to ignore Him or disagree?

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Do You Want the Blessing or the Curse?1 Corinthians 14:21
In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.

Thoughts for Today:Paul appears to be quoting Isaiah 28:11-12: "Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom he said, 'This is the resting place, let the weary rest,' and, 'This is the place of repose' -- but they would not listen."

We know in Isaiah's day that God's people had grown indifferent to Him. As a result, the Assyrians had been allowed to invade and occupy their country. What happened to them is exactly what Moses had warned of in Deuteronomy 28:1-45. If the Israelites followed and obeyed the Lord they would enjoy multiple "blessings" (verses 1-14); however, if they turned away, the blessings would turn to curses (verses 15-45). In the time of Isaiah, the Israelites were experiencing the "curses".

Yesterday evening I was talking with my son Ryan about these same verses. He said, "I understand the history, but what are we to take away from their example?" I said, "For me, it's pretty straight forward. When I'm walking with the Lord, He is guiding my steps. Things might not always be perfect on the outside, but inside of me, I have peace, love and all the other gifts of His Spirit. Therefore, I have the 'blessing'. When I'm not in fellowship with Him, I start making all sorts of self-centered decisions. Although things might go well for a while, invariably, by being disconnected from Him, I become unhappy, discontented, and generally end up miserable. That's the 'curse'."

Questions to Ponder:The Lord has made it very clear: "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands" you will be blessed. In what ways? Open your Bible and read Deuteronomy 28:1-14. And conversely, bad stuff happens when we ignore God's instruction. Which will you choose today -- the blessing or the curse?

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                                              The Right Words1 Corinthians 14:19
But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Thoughts for Today:Years ago, on my first medical/evangelical mission to Nepal, I needed a translator to communicate because I didn't speak the native language. At the beginning I spoke fast and with a lot of words. My translator's name was Megh, and somehow he would convert my thousand words into just a few sentences. I asked him, "Did you translate everything I said?" In broken English, Megh answered, "I didn't understand everything you said, so I just told them what I thought you said. You need to slow down because I don't understand you too good."

I took Megh's advice and began speaking in shorter sentences. Things went along fine for a while, and then Megh's translations lengthened considerably. I found myself asking him regularly, "What did you say?" His response was, "I told him what I thought you wanted to say." I said, "Let's make an agreement -- I'll speak slowly and if you don't understand what I said, just ask me. Then try to translate accurately. That way the Holy Spirit can work through me in our conversation. After I've shared my testimony, feel free to share any of your thoughts. Just keep me connected in the conversation."

At the beginning, the outcome of our sharing wasn't very good. Not many people responded to our testimony. But as we worked on our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and each other, the results improved dramatically. Ultimately, there was a great harvest in Nepal and hundreds of people accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. How? Why? I think the answer is in our passage today. The key was for us to speak only intelligible words given to us by the Holy Spirit, not ten thousand, just a few of the right ones. Nothing works as well.

Questions to Ponder:I think the key to sharing with unbelievers about Jesus is with the few words given to us by the Holy Spirit, not the thousand we might be tempted to offer. Have you been struggling with what to say or saying too much? Let God's Word speak for you. Have you looked to the Bible for direction? The beginning, middle and ending of all Scripture is about God's love and His desire to have a relationship with us -- today and for eternity. Yet the question remains: What is our response? Is it to love Him back or ignore and reject Him?

​Engaging and Connecting in Prayer1 Corinthians 14:16-18
If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Thoughts for Today:In Nehemiah 5, we see another reference to the word "Amen". The people were being charged exorbitant interest rates by the money changers, and they were told to stop (verse 13): "At this the whole assembly said, 'Amen,' and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised."

"Amen" is one word that is understood by every believer in every culture. I've heard it shouted by Indian believers in the deepest part of the jungle in Ecuador, natives on the plains of Sudan, and sherpas in the mountains of Nepal. So what does it mean? Very simply: "So be it -- we're in agreement." It's a beautiful expression of oneness. How much more effective would our gatherings at church be if while someone is speaking there were shouts of agreement: "Amen!"

Yet, there can be no expressions of agreement if no one understands what is being said. This is the problem with speaking in tongues in public. In our passage today, Paul reminds the Corinthians that he spoke in tongues more than all of them. Regardless, in the congregational setting, he preferred speaking only words that would be understood by everyone. That way they could not only comprehend what he said, but express their agreement by verbalizing, "Amen!"

Questions to Ponder:I often look at the modern church and wonder how we became so stodgy and stiff. It's just not that way with believers in some of the remote places I've been to. I think we can learn a lot from them. Try it sometime. At your next Bible study, prayer meeting or church service, pay careful attention to what is being said or prayed. When a point resonates with you, say "Amen!" Jesus often taught of the importance of agreeing with one another in prayer. Openly saying, "Amen," is a powerful way for us to engage and connect with one another in prayer and demonstrate our unity.

​We Are the Ones Who Are Off and On1 Corinthians 14:15b
...I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

Thoughts for Today:Whenever we look at Scripture, it is always important to look at the framework, perspective, and circumstances that are reflected. As we apply this principle to our passage today, we realize Paul is continuing to describe praying, and now singing, with his spirit. It's another form of speaking in tongues. Notice also the use of the lower case "s" in the word "spirit". It identifies our human spirit, rather than the Holy Spirit.

There have been four times in verse 15 that Paul has said, "I will." ("I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind...I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.") Therefore, once we have received the gift of speaking in tongues -- it then becomes a function of our will.

Unfortunately, some people think we still don't have control over this gift. Why? Because the Holy Spirit can't be turned off and on like a light switch. While that is true, it's not the correct point of view. It's not the Holy Spirit who is turned off and on. He is always on. We are the ones who are off and on. Therefore, anytime we turn ourselves on (a function of our will when we choose to seek Him), the Holy Spirit will respond and give us His Spiritual language with which to communicate.

Questions to Ponder:Sometimes, when I am troubled and confused, the Lord gives me a song to sing. It always lifts my spirit, recharges my faith, and gives me peace. It is just one more way the Lord uses His spiritual language to communicate with Him. Are you having difficulty verbalizing your concerns in prayer? What song is on your heart? Will you sing? He is always "on". Will you join Him in fellowship?

It's a Choice We Make!1 Corinthians 14:13-15a
For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind...

Thoughts for Today:A long time ago, when my niece Bailey and nephew David, first started visiting us, they giggled at prayer time. They thought we were funny when we bowed our heads and prayed -- whether it was before we went fishing, after a plane trip, or just before we ate. But they got used to it. I think they figured out that when they were with Uncle Mike and Aunt Sherry, prayer was going to be a central part of what we did. Just like reading the Bible every day.

One summer morning, while vacationing together in Idaho, we were in a rush to get an early start on the lake. We sat down to eat a hurried breakfast, and as I stuffed a big bite of eggs into my mouth, I looked across the table to see David sitting there with his head bowed and eyes closed, patiently waiting for me to pray. Oops! I said, "David, would you mind praying for us this morning?" David said, "Sure Uncle Mike, but I don't know how." I said, "It's really easy, talk to God about what's on your mind, and then thank Him for everything that you're grateful." David prayed a simple yet heartfelt prayer. When he was finished, David asked, "How was that?" I answered, "Perfect. I'm sure God was very pleased. He loves each of us so much and He wants to have a relationship with us. But He won't make us. We have to choose to go to Him, and prayer is the first step." Later that same day, David made a choice to make Jesus Christ his personal Lord and Savior. It was truly a joyous experience for all of us.

Like my nephew David, I come across a lot of believers who still get caught up in the right way to pray. It's as if there is some sort of magic formula -- especially when talking about praying with our spirit. They expect someone to lay hands on them, perhaps they would then begin to shake and quiver, before falling down and jerking around on the floor like a fish out of water. Is that the way we are to speak in tongues and pray in the spirit? Some people think so, but I don't -- and I certainly don't find much Scriptural support for it.

In our passage today, Paul gives us clear instructions regarding how to pray both with our mind and our spirit. It's an act of the will -- that is our will. We pray in the Spirit when we say, "I don't know how to pray with understanding about this, so I'm going to pray in my spirit with the help of the Holy Spirit." He will make intercessions for us -- and our spirit is edified. The great news is this prayer language is available to anyone who believes. How? By choice.

Questions to Ponder:Years ago David made a choice to believe and his life was transformed by a simple prayer. God heard him and responded. Are you having difficultly praying or even knowing what to pray for? God has given us His Spirit and His prayer language to help us transcend the barrier of our mortality. Will you take advantage of this gift right now? How? By our choice to do so!

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​Ready To Do Your Part?1 Corinthians 14:12
So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Thoughts for Today:In our passage today, Paul is presenting the proper motive for attending church. What should it be? To learn, to be a blessing, to bless others, and share what God has given us (spiritual gifts, tithes and offerings). In other words, demonstrating an eagerness to excel in gifts that build up the church.

Unfortunately, the motives are too often wrong. For example, people attend because they feel guilty (need to pay a debt back to God); fearful (if I don't go God will punish me); or selfish (get a blessing from God or use resources of the church). However, when we go to church with the right perspective we will be prepared to give of ourselves. It is similar to the type of preparation we expect of a pastor or any other teacher.

As a young man, I was asked by my pastor to teach the Wednesday evening Bible study at church. I took the responsibility and my preparation time very seriously. I spent many hours researching, memorizing and rehearsing. And just as it wouldn't have been right for me to show up ill-equipped or disorganized, the body has a responsibility to do their part as well. And it's not only to show up and warm a seat. We should all pray with an expectation the Lord will use us individually, and He will minister to the church and the world -- through the dissemination of the gifts He has given us.

Questions to Ponder:It is through us that God chooses to build up His church. Are you ready to do your part? Do you just attend church, or are you prepared to be a blessing to others? In what ways can you give of yourself? In what ways are you contributing now?