Why can't I speak in tongues?

[Frecs]

Do you use musical instruments in church? Can you give me NT example of that please?

Umm...Who are you asking?

all the best...

ummm....you....you said that you can only justify having activities in church that you find in the NT. Show me where in the NT it mentions the use of musical instruments in services?

[kay-gee]

er...I did post scripture...did you not see those?

I guess we just have different views on what constitutes New Testament authority. Go to Acts 2:42. I see them devoting themselves to the teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. I believe those are essential components of the New Testament service. I see nothing in there saying that they danced and clapped and made other noises. Something supposedly as important to the service as that, wouldn't be left out, would it? I can say with absolute certainty they did these things because scripture says they did. See what I mean. Do you think they prayed everytime they assembled? If so, then why would they not have broken the bread whenever they assmbled?

all the best...

[kay-gee]

ummm....you....you said that you can only justify having activities in church that you find in the NT. Show me where in the NT it mentions the use of musical instruments in services?

Excellent point Frecs! No it does not. No, we do not use musical instruments in the church. According to Ephesians 5:19, the melody is to be made in the heart. Truthfully, I am an expert on musical instruments and I have not found one yet that had a "heart".
We are commanded again to sing in Collosians 3:16. Again, no instruction to use instruments.

all the best...

[Slug1]

Excellent point Frecs! No it does not. No, we do not use musical instruments in the church. According to ephesians 5:19, the melody is to be made in the heart. Truthfully, I am an expert on musical instruents and I have not found one yet that had a "heart"
We are commanded again to sing in Collosians 3:16. Again, no instruction to use instruments.

all the best...

Kay-gee, just like the Holy Spirit will groan and make voice to God for us what is in our heart... when "we" can't voice what is in our hearts, instruments will do the same as what is in our hearts is manifest through music by an instument that God has gifted us in playing.

[Dani H]

Tiffany:

When you ask for the Holy Spirit to come empower you, do so by admitting your need for that power so you can be an effective witness for Jesus.

Because that's the whole point.

Tongues ... no tongues ... that's missing the point. We need His power to be His witnesses because the darkness is great and the enemy isn't going to give up a soul just because we think he should. We have to fight for people, and that is what the Spirit is here to do. Gifts are there to help us do so.

Focus on Jesus, sister. He will lead you how you should go. He will empower you if you ask for the right reason, knowing it will be His power, not yours (because in ourselves, we don't have enough power to save anybody out of a paper bag or a small puddle, never mind from the grip of sin and evil).

[Frecs]

Excellent point Frecs! No it does not. No, we do not use musical instruments in the church. According to Ephesians 5:19, the melody is to be made in the heart. Truthfully, I am an expert on musical instruments and I have not found one yet that had a "heart".
We are commanded again to sing in Collosians 3:16. Again, no instruction to use instruments.

all the best...

Therein is the problem with sticking hard and fast to NT only rather than using the Bible as a whole. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. OT or NT...it is all for our benefit.

[kay-gee]

Then why do we pray? Prayer isn't a one way thing ...where we talk and He just listens.

Yes I believe it is. We talk to Him in payer. He talks to us through the book.

all the best...

[Slug1]

Therein is the problem with sticking hard and fast to NT only rather than using the Bible as a whole. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. OT or NT...it is all for our benefit.

Not to mention that the NT doesn't cover the use of overhead projectors yet a church will NOT use any instruments but will demand the use of an overhead projector to post scripture on a wall so everyone doesn't have to bring their Bibles with them to the service.

[Frecs]

Yes I believe it is. We talk to Him in payer. He talks to us through the book.

all the best...

Really? I know I hear from Him often....and not always through The Book...you don't hear His voice?

[Slug1]

Yes I believe it is. We talk to Him in payer. He talks to us through the book.

all the best...

That book tells us that God will edify through tongues that is translated and through prophets... this is all in the NT.

[kay-gee]

Therein is the problem with sticking hard and fast to NT only rather than using the Bible as a whole. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. OT or NT...it is all for our benefit.

So in that case it would be Okay to keep the priests and the animals sacrifices?

Frecs...do you think it wrong to want to stick hard and fast to the instructions He has given to us?

all the best...

[moonglow]

I guess we just have different views on what constitutes New Testament authority. Go to Acts 2:42. I see them devoting themselves to the teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. I believe those are essential components of the New Testament service. I see nothing in there saying that they danced and clapped and made other noises. Something supposedly as important to the service as that, wouldn't be left out, would it? I can say with absolute certainty they did these things because scripture says they did. See what I mean. Do you think they prayed everytime they assembled? If so, then why would they not have broken the bread whenever they assmbled?

all the best...

Doesn't say they broke bread every time they prayed actually.

So you divide the OT from the NT? Does your church read the OT and study it? Just wondering because I have heard of New Testament only churches that ignore the OT altogether..which they can't understand most of what Jesus said without knowing the OT since He quoted it alot.

The way Paul describes a NT church, tongues was being spoken along with prophecies and other things but it doesn't sound like your church does that either...why exclude that if you go only by how the church should do things in the NT? Don't you think maybe its picking and choosing what is ok and what isn't a little bit here?

Jesus was a Jew..Jews sang and used musical instruments. Even the Pharisees had to admit He didn't ignore any of their customs. The only thing He did away with was the OT laws as He fulfilled them. I don't see Him or Paul or anyone saying not to use musical instruments in church..or not to raise their hands in praise. Seems like that would have been mentioned.

God bless

[Slug1]

So in that case it would be Okay to keep the priests and the animals sacrifices?

all the best...

Come on Kay-gee, half the NT explains the fact this ceased... nothing in the NT says anything about ceasing any dancing and praising God through music and dancing.

[kay-gee]

Really? I know I hear from Him often....and not always through The Book...

you don't hear His voice?

No but I am getting a clear view of His will by studying His word.

all the best...

[The Mighty Sword]

Excellent point Frecs! No it does not. No, we do not use musical instruments in the church. According to Ephesians 5:19, the melody is to be made in the heart. Truthfully, I am an expert on musical instruments and I have not found one yet that had a "heart".
We are commanded again to sing in Collosians 3:16. Again, no instruction to use instruments.

all the best...

Ephesians 5:19 declares, "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord." The phrase "making melody" comes from the Greek word "psallontes" which means "to rub or touch," "to twitch or twang." It was commonly used in Greek to refer to playing a stringed musical instrument. Whatever the case, the Bible neither forbids or commands the use of musical instruments in church. Therefore, the church has freedom to use them if it feels led of God to do so.