What kind of "car" should I buy?

[Outcast]

I chose the unsual title for a reason which you will see later...
I have some questions about the baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues...more specifically, prayer language more than tongues. I was gotten hold of at church last night when the guest speaker invited everyone down to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Understand we had multi-denominations there all week because of churches and pastors who are part of the Coweta County Ministerial Alliance. This formed as the calling from God was for us to unify the Bride of Christ together...dropping all denominational, doctrinal and whatever difference to unite in prayer and worship...to make the "bride" ready for christ will return/so Christ will return. I mentioned the "so christ will return" part because many churches are believing that once we unite it wil set the stage for/bring about his return. I have heard how amazing things have happened in my community, such as one pastor and his jehaovah's witness friend meetign together in a church and praying and suddenly the Jehovah's witness developed a passion for singing to the Lord and worshipping God and even received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He still remains in his church and all the beleifs. It was explained to me that it is Ok because the Holy Spirit will fill in all the gaps and that now this man will be able to change/infect his church with this passion for worship. Not that this unification and attitude of love and worship in the body of christ is a bad thing...just that somethign seems to be "missing".
Anyway, last night a friend who just started as a youth pastor officially there overheard about the baptism of the holy spirit and asked me if i wanted it. I said I already recieved it and he asked me if i had my prayer language/tongues. When I said no he informed me I had never received the Holy Spirit because that is always followed with the evidence of speaking in tonges. So I am rolled in and rolled up front and someone lays hands on me to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit and tongues/prayer language. The pastor comes up and begans talking to me and praying for me and commands my tongue to be loosed. Nothing happens. And I am questions. I affirm yes I DO want to recieve the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But in response to my not beginning to speak in tongues I was encouraged not to let my intellect interfere...as I speak several languages from personal studies and French and Spanish from college studies and encouraged not to try and understand because tongues cannot be learned like I learn a foreign language. I was open and listened. We tried again. I was praying silently "Father God I want to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit according to yoru promise..." and when my tongue was commanded to be loosed again I prayed silently "Father you give me the words I need to speak and let yoru Holy Spirit be the one who gives me the utterance...according to your will...not mine". Nothing happened. The pastor then begin to question me like: "So, God is an evil God isn't he, Jeff? He let's others have these gifts and not you?" All this was over the microphone. When I answered no, the pastor then replied: what do the scriptures say Jeff and he began to quote the one about Jesus saying: if ye being evil fathers know to give good gifts to your children, etc etc" except that he was suddenly stumbling over the verse and first started it with "If God being an evil Father..." and then he evntually got it uttered correctly. I was scared guys...not daring to say anythign with a crowd of about 300 peopel made up from my church and 10 other churches in the community just sat there and listened respectfully. I was screamign on the inside. Finally I was told these things take time but i need to be tryign to step out in faith and exercise it as much as possible over the next few days. Finally, the other guy praying for me to have the impartation came and kneeled next to the pastor and spoke to me saying that sometimnes it is hard for intellectuals to have a breakthrough for some reason or another because we try to use our minds to understand and learn things...and that blocks the flow of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues. I was given a key sentence to help me break through all this and get my prayer language: I shoulda bought a Honda but I bought a Hyundai". I was told to keep sayign this and repeating it faster and faster over the next few days and that teh babbling on nonsesne words and sounds would get me used and unafraid to babble and sound silly and help get my prayer language suddenly explosively kicking in.

So, should I buy a Honda or a Hyundai? This is a serious question. Thanks:)

[LauraA]

Jeff, I would get out of that place. I know you left your last church because of some really strange things going on, and I'm afraid this one if off track, too. There are all kinds of unScriptural things going on. You do not need to be "taught" to speak in tongues or to get used to the sound like they said. Can they show you what Scripture they are modeling that after? No. There is none. What they told you is a man-made addition to God's Word, and very contrary to His way. We are not filled with the Spirit of God by repeating, faster and faster some tongue twisting phrase. It's true that when you first speak in tongues, you are not used to the way it sounds and you may work on trying to correct your words, but just let the Spirit flow through you, and submit to His love. The more you speak in tongues, the more "fluent" (so to speak) it becomes. But it is not to be "faked", ever.

You should not be taken up in front and made to be a spectacle, nor mocked and ridiculed. That is intimidation. That is NOT God's way.

Also beware of those who say that doctrine doesn't matter. It does matter in many areas. If it's Biblical doctrine, we are to follow it. If it's man's doctrine and isn't contrary to God's Word or principals, it doesn't matter. If it's man's doctrine and is contrary to God's Word, I wouldn't want to be a part of it.

Here is one of the Scriptures that gives a very clear plan for us. Remember that it was Peter being quoted here, who was taught by Jesus for 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead, about the things pertaining to the things of God. Also note that the other disciples were present. None of them stood up and said, "No Peter, you're wrong. It doesn't go like that." This plan was the same for the Jews and the gentiles, as you will see as you read through the book of Acts, which is the book that teaches us about the birth of the New Testament church. Remember that what happened before Jesus died and rose wasn't "New Testament" yet. All the apostles were in agreement when Peter preached this. Study it out. Pray about it. After the book of Acts, you will see that it is confirmed in the epistles, which are the books written to the churches (people who are saved) about how to go on and live for Jesus after they have been saved. Also note that the gift of tongues spoken of in Corinthians is a separate manifestation for the edification of the church, and therefore requires an interpretation. This is not the case for the tongues we are speaking of here. When you are filled with the Holy Ghost you speak in tongues. It is the evidence that you are filled. He doesn't leave us guessing. There is so much more I could point out, but let's just start here.

The Bible says in Acts 2:38-39
38Then 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
39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

[Meadow]

Jeff,
I'm so sorry you are having these bad experiences. Laura is right on. These people are harming you more so than helping you receive the Holy Ghost. Please don't go back there! Laura was w/ me when I received the Holy Ghost. It is a wonderful deepening experience in Christ. My daughter is eleven and she just recently received the Holy Ghost and was baptized.
I went before the Lord totally broken repenting of sin that I might not even be aware of. I found myself encapsulated in His presence. I just stood at the altar w/ Laura and others praying with me as i wept and just praised God, crying out, "Halleuhia and I love You, Jesus" and those words began to change into another language. You are not in control of these words, it is the Holy Ghost speaking through you. It is an amazing feeling when the Holy Ghost speaks through you! The way your throat feels and the way it is used is hard to describe. You know when you vomit you can't control when it happens it just comes up and out. Not trying to take a beautiful gift God has given us and compare it w/ vomit. It is not a bad feeling or anything like vomitting except for how it happens, it just happens when it is time the Holy Ghost is in control. Don't stress over it, if you want it and verbally cry out to God your love for Him it will happen.
The day i received the Holy Ghost I have to admitt I walked into the church worrying that it wasn't going to happen. Laura was so sure she was like, "Leigh you are going to receive the Holy Ghost today." Pastor Wilbur also that morning said somebody is going to get the Holy Ghost here today before it happened. Laura and I will forever be connected as sisters! I thank God for this precious wise woman that God placed in my life through Jeremy's ministry.
Breathe Him ~Leigh
Psalm 86:12

~Don't buy a car, find a new church. ;)

[LauraA]

Yeah, exactly, Leigh. Jeff, you should have seen it when Leigh was filled. The Holy Ghost just poured into her and overflowed. It was SO BEAUTIFUL!

Prophecy in the O.T. about being filled with the Holy Ghost:

Isaiah 28:10-12
10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12To 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.

Gentiles recieve Holy Ghost, too:

Acts 10: 44-48
44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.