The Energy Crisis in the American Church

Chapter Eight Part One – Please Tell Me About Tongues

"He" has come to alleviate the energy crisis that is in the American Church. The power is available, but we cut back, spiritually speaking, because we are, perhaps afraid, knowing that something may happen that is unfamiliar. So, in this writing we are dealing with this crisis that is hitting the American Church and indicting what some churches around the world are doing about the crisis.

We come to a very particular segment in the list of Spiritual Gifts. I have chosen to present the message from questions whichever been give to me in the past, questions that I myself, have asked, "Pastor, would you please tell me about tongues I have heard so much about them and I want to know what it is all about."

I open my Bible and read in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, "Not concerning the spiritual gifts the special endowments of supernatural energy, I don't want you to be misinformed." When we continue in this chapter we turn to verse 10 and in the listing of the gifts, many of which we have already discussed, he says to another various kinds of unknowns tongues, and to another the ability to interpret such tongues.

Verse 28, "God has appointed some in the Church for His own use, first apostles, special messengers, second prophets who are inspired teachers and expounders, third teachers, then wonder workers, then those with ability to heal the sick, helpers, administrators, speakers in different or unknown tongues."

He goes on to say, "Do all possess extraordinary powers of healing or do all speak with tongues, or do all interpret? Desire earnestly and zealously cultivate the greatest and best, the higher gifts, the choicest graces and yet I will show you still a more excellent way, one that is better by far and the highest of them all – love. "If I can speak in the tongues of men and even of angels and have not love, that reasoning, intentional spiritual devotion, such as inspired by God's love in us all, then He says, "I am as a noisy gong or a clanging symbol."

There are a stack of books on the subject of speaking in tongues. I refer you to one in particular. It is by Dr. Jack Hafford. "The Beauty of Spiritual Language". What I share in this brief paper is just a thumb nail sketch of the subject. He goes into great detail.

Please tell me, Pastor, about tongues. I will. I will tell you what I feel about tongues, and I speak for myself, not for any church or group I speak for myself as to what I feel about tongues.

Lord, Give Me Everything but Tongues

"Is it really necessary - you know, all this business about the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I have gotten along without it for many years." I hear this clot and my reply is "Look around you and most of the people who have received the Baptism are showing changed lives and power is being exhibited. After all, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so called, is basically for power."

I must admit, I had the same question. I also wanted all that God had to offer me through His son, Jesus but maybe not tongues. This was a statement I made in the summer of 1973.

Let me tell you something of my early life in the ministry. In 1953 I was called by God when I was 19 years of age. Within several months was called to my first pastorate, while just a sophomore in college. Throughout college and graduate school I was available to God and was used in a variety of ways including radio TV, and even a Drive-in-Church. There were revivals, spiritual emphasis weekends and youth meetings. I was driving, flying, going by train and all seemed good.

But in the years that followed I began to understand that there is a difference between what people think of you and what God thinks of you. Especially in 1973 did I begin my wrestling matches with God. I would like to share some of them.

There just has to be more than what is being done in the flesh. The blessings are coming to the Community Church - we are reaching into the community God's love. But, as I thought, what extra could happen to the Church and to all of us if we would start to use God power instead of "self" power. If this be true, then what is blocking such a flow? My life has been a praying life instead of a praising life. So I investigated through friends and literature, just what is involved in "praising God". It had to be more than 3 hymns, a prayer and sermon. So, my moving into the things of the spirit began with a new concept and fresh approach to worship - through praise. And, this was good. All were blessed, even though many "hung" in the corners and eventually not just the corner of the church, but the street corner and then to other churches in our city.

As for myself, I HAD the spirit. It seemed enough, and especially was it enough when it came to "speaking in other tongues" That just was not a necessity. (So I then said.) As a little boy 1 had invited Jesus into my heart. The age was 9. Later I knew without. a shadow of a doubt that He had placed His hand on me and called me into the ministry. There was no doubting my call.

But another wrestling match came to pass regarding the preaching of the "full" gospel, as I heard it mention. There seemed to be more. Although I was fully convinced that I had it "all" at salvation there was no need of something "extra".

Of course, I had preached that when God comes into your heart and he saves you, one is to give themselves wholly to the Lord. That does not always happen, consequently there are doors that are kept shut to the Lord. How sadly was I mistaken regarding receiving all that God had for me at salvation. For so many in the "traditional" church experience it has been a separate experience. For example: John 3:16 one has to ask for salvation. Luke 3:16, one has to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Then there is this illustration. It has been told and retold by many. It is about having guests over for dinner. The housewife is getting dressed and part of the dinner is not ready. She is running a little late and the guests begin to arrive early. As the doorbell rings she tells her daughter to go to the door, have the guests sit down and give them the paper, chat with them awhile and this will give me time to finish preparations.

So, while the housewife returns to the kitchen the telephone rings. The next door neighbor says, "Are your guests there yet?" This is a complicated question as they are not where she is in the kitchen. She has not received them. They are in the living room. Over the phone she hears, "Better hurry, finish preparations, because they have some exciting news for you. They even have some wonderful gifts to give you." The housewife does just that.

When we become Christians, Jesus is right there. He is right there with all He has to offer and give. You receive Him, but He is still in the other room. All my life, after I had received Jesus, He was in my heart. He was working through me in ministry. There were victories, blessings and all the things one likes to brag about, BUT Jesus was being kept in the living room. And, that, generally, is not the room of intimacy.

So, I had even another wrestling match with God. What about the issue of tongues?? Was that for me, too?? I decided to take advantage of an offer made to me of the use of' a cabin in the mountains. I was going there weekly to study, but this time I was going "up to receive all that Jesus had for me" I wanted Him to sock-it-to-me and give me ALL, even if it meant tongues. He did that afternoon. (I will explain later). I got my tongues and this is what I learned from then on.

Today's Tongue movement is on the increase as born-again believers are finding that they just can't do things themselves arid that they are utterly dependent upon God. This prayer language, which is available to individuals who desire it, and which is given by God, Himself, through Jesus, is making individuals bold in the Spirit in witnessing and bold in the Spirit in receiving from God and giving to others. Experiences that individuals are having are experiences that are drawing people closer to Jesus and prayers that are being prayed in the Spirit are finding fantastic results in the lives of many people.

The speaking in tongues is crossing all denominational brand names and is being found in Churches in every little town or city that dots our countryside. I heard a report stating that as many as 10% of many denominational groups of ministers have had the experience and are living the experience. In other surveys on smaller scales, not national, we discovered that there are just thousands of pastors who have received the Baptism and who speak In tongues, but who do not publicly report this. While to each his own, there are others who are publicly sharing their experiences. In these Churches people are being led into the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

When you stop and think of it, that one out of every ten pastors across the United States of America, one out of ten, are involved one way or another in this, it shows that God is, indeed, doing a new thing.

I am not on a "tongue kick" because there are many other things that are very, very important. But I am saying that it is just one more accessory that a Christian may have if he so chooses. When chosen and used it may lead and direct and guide may people to a beautiful experience in claiming all the fullness and promises of God.

I am addressing myself to individuals regarding information on tongues. This is certainly not exhaustive, merely the planting of same seeds and a very broad unfolding, in fact, it Is just the opening of the box. I have never, in my past years of pastoring, preached against such an experience as some of my Baptist colleagues have. It has never been a major factor with me. But now that God has moved in my life, I can tell you that a Baptist can experience tongues, as of course many Baptists across the United States have discovered now. There is a hunger in the American Church. This hunger can be satisfied by Jesus who is the Bread of Life, while the Energy Crisis can be solved by tapping onto the potential that is in the Holy Spirit. Jesus relieves the hunger, the Holy Spirit relieves the Energy Crisis.

We go back to Acts chapter 2, where an account occurred, and if you will follow very closely, just for a few minutes when I speak about dates. An account occurred about the year 33 A.D. at the death of our Lord. The account refers to a Pentecostal experience wherein we read in Acts 2:4:

"They were all filled, diffused thoroughly their souls with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other different languages, as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression, and each tongue in appropriate words."

This occurred about the year 33 A.D. The book of Acts, written by an M.D. was written some 30 years later, around 65 A.D.

When we turn to the two accounts in the New Testament that refer to tongues, we have to obviously turn to I Corinthians and the Book of Acts basically. Acts, written in the 65 A.D., give or take a few years, the words in I Corinthians written in the 56 or 59. So Corinthians was written first, and it was written because the people at the Church at Corinth, (and Corinth is located in the country of Greece,) had become obsessed with tongues to the extent that they were saying, "It is the ultimate in becoming a Christian." In fact, as I understand it, they were going around saying, 'to you speak in tongues? I speak in tongues." And this had caused a decisive factor in the Church, the Community Church of Corinth.

So Paul was asked to give saint pastoral advice, which he does in I Corinthians chapter 12, 13 and, as we have divided it, chapter 14. What I an saying is, glossalalia, or the speaking in tongues, was something that happened in Acts in the year 33. He is now, sane 30 years later, writing to a Church that has been affected by the glossalalia, or the speaking in tongues.

You will see, especially in the King James version, the word "unknown" is listed in italics. What does that mean? It simply mess that as all words in the King James version in italics have been put there for the interpretation or clarification of the reading of the Scripture. The words are not in the original, but the words are put there to make it read smoother. There is nothing wrong with the word 'unknown" because in what other way could you describe it if I start speaking in a tongue that you don't know? You have to say it is unknown, so that is why the word "unknown" is used there.

But the gift was there, and it was disturbing the people. Paul says, "I an not condemning tongues, I am saying that they are valueless without love. Love is the supreme! Love is the theme and that is the most important, that it is the standard of judgment and value, having it made quite clear to the people that this supreme gift of the spirit, love, is available to all; then he turns to the delicate task of speaking to the Church members regarding the gifts, notably the gift of tongues. I have consolidated all the questions I have been asked into four questions.

I want to draw a distinction between tongues at pentecost and tongues at Corinth. There is a difference in the tongues we read about in Acts 2 and the tongues we read about in 1 Corinthians. One, I feel, in Acts 2 is a language, a real language that was heard by foreigners and used to evangelize and save people. The language used in I Corinthians, by and large is an unknown type tongue with a language to God. large, I think there is a difference and we should distinguish between the two. The first question, in passing, is this: It is a very important question. It regards Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. "Does everybody, Pastor, who is filled with the Spirit speak in tongues?" Many will say very definitely that if you are filled with the Spirit, then you will speak in tongues. There are many others who will say definitely, no, that there is strong reason to disbelieve this. I personally feel that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit and not speak with tongues. But you may.

When Jesus was questioned about this and about what they should do to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, He replied, "You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall be witnesses, and you shall receive power." This is the evidence, I feel, of being filled with the Holy Spirit. One may say, "Pastor, I know if you turn to the book of Acts you will find all the accumulative evidence that people were filled with the Holy Spirit and then they spoke with tongues." Well, I'm glad that ccmment was made in the book of Acts because that is true. Many cases are recorded. We have Acts 2, Acts 10 and chapter 19 of Acts where people were filled with the Holy Spirit, and my friend, they spoke with tongues.

Chapter 2 is of the disciples at Pentecost, chapter 10 tells of Cornelius and his household and chapter 19 was when twelve men were filled with the Holy Spirit. One took place in the year 33, and took place in the year 41 and one in the year 54.

The Gift of Tongues Might Be Given Today as Well as Other Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit

You can speak in tongues and people are given the gift. So the second question is this: "What is the gift of tongues? You acknowledge, Pastor, that one can speak in tongues." Yes, you can speak in tongues. I speak in tongues. God has given me a prayer language and a language of praise. When we turn to I Corinthians 12 we are reading about times when God supernaturally energized people to speak in tongues when a person just "decides" to speak in tongues. I would say there are different types of tongues.

1. There is the miracle tongue, where you are talking about a foreign language (i would say this would occur "rarely"
2. You are talking about a devotional tongue (I Corinthians 14:15), and there are varieties of devotional tongues (I would say this should occur daily.
3. Gift of tongues which needs an interpretation. I would say this should occur more, if the speaker and the interpreter were willing.

Paul says that if you are going to speak in an unknown tongue, in the congregation, let it be a tongue that can have an interpreter so that it would edify the Church. You see, this was one of the prerequisites that the Church be edified by this. Let me ask you a question. If you believe in God, if you believe that God is yesterday as He is today and tomorrow, if you believe that around 59 A.D. people were given the gifts of tongues, why could it not be possible today?

Miracle Tongues

I say there are several kinds of tongues, language which is a gift given to an individual to speak in a foreign language with or without an interpretation, and the other is a devotional tongue. Let us take them separately.

This can also be classified the tongue for a sign (1 Corinthians 14:22). A. miracle (foreign) tongues. There have been occasions where people have been possessed by God's Spirit and have spoken in a foreign language. They, themselves, did not know the language, but they were used by God. So a tongue in a foreign language, is for the purpose of unbelievers.

A few years ago in Oregon, I heard of a young man had brought to America his Japanese wife. She went with him to his Church and at that particular Church, there was a time when they could come and pray together. So they started praying. She was a Buddhist and believed it with all her heart. He as a Christian and believed that with all his heart.

She came with him to the service. When they cane and knelt and started praying together, a person kneeling beside the Japanese girl began praying in a foreign language. It was Japanese. This young Buddhist clutched the arm of her husband and she said, 'Honey, she is praying in Temple Japanese. It is a different type of dialect than regular Japanese and I can understand it." Here was a common person speaking in fluent Temple Japanese. And further, as she held her husband's arm, she exclaimed, "She has spoken out loud my full name, which. even you knee, because it is my long, heritage name." This was used immediately for her conversion.

This was a gift of tongues, one of the nine Spiritual Gifts, of the nine listed in I Corinthians given to an individual, someone just like yourself. This one had so identified with God's Spirit that God's Spirit was able to be used. There are many other instances that we could pass on, but this is a good example. God's Holy Spirit directs in language.

Now, are you wondering why missionaries have to go to language school? Why can't they just go out and open their mouths and start talking? Well, God doesn't do everything the way we want Him to do it. In fact, most of the time we don't do what God wants us to do. But there have been occasions where missionaries have just said, want to communicate with this person, but I cannot speak," and God's Spirit has come upon that person and they have been able to speak in a language that they have never before spoken. Now, I say that this is a gift, a supernatural energizing, endued by God.

Devotional Type

What about the devotional use, that we mentioned? In chapter 14 of I Corinthians we can read verses which say to us that in our devotional life one may speak in tongues to God. We are edified within our own self.

Paul nailed it when he said, 1 Cor. 14,15, "If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit by the Holy Spirit helps me pray. My mind is unproductive, bears no fruit and helps nobody. He says I will pray with my mind (of understanding) and I will pray with my tongues (of not understanding.)

This should be done often. Why? Because Paul says it edifies oneself. A "spirit filled believer" (that is a really wrong phrase) can speak in tongues anytime she or he wants to. It is just using your PRAYER LANGUAGE to speak to the Father. A prayer language to God. This edifies. One pastor encouraged his congregation to take 10 minutes a day during your devotional time and use your "tongues"- "prayer language"

Paul nailed it this way in 1 Cor. 14:14,15, If I pray in an unknowns tongue my spirit by the Holy Spirit helps me pray. My mind is unproductive, bears no fruit and helps nobody.?": He says I will pray with my mind (of understanding) and I will pray with my tongues (of not understanding).

Let me share several of the verses. In chapter 14 of I Corinthians, verses 14 and 15, "If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit by the Holy Spirit helps me pray. My mind is unproductive, bears no fruit and helps nobody. He is speaking about his devotional prayer that he, himself, is thus edified. "What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit by the Holy Spirit that is within me, but I will also pray intelligently with my mind and understanding. I will sing with my spirit, by the Holy Spirit that is within me."

Jude 20, "But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying IN THE SPIRIT Praying in tongues edifies and it builds up. It is charging our spiritual battery. It provides a way to pray for things we don't know about.

This is the edification that comes from within an individual when we pray to God in an unknown tongue. Now, speaking in tongues has nothing to do with emotion, though it has for many people become emotional. We have associated tongue-speaking with emotionalism which is not necessarily true.

Praying with tongues is so valuable, and doing away with it - as most churches have - has weakened God's people and God's work. We have tongues to assist us in praying and in worshiping God. Paul said, "I WILL speak in tongues."

Gift Of Tongues Which Need an Interpretation

This is also called Prophetic Tongues. Often, God will speak through an individual (who is willing to be used) to a congregation or group. This utterance is in Spirit Language because God is spirit. For us in that group to know what the Father has spoken to His children, we will need an interpretation. There must be an Interpretation of the Spirit language to the language of our group - in this case English. Usually after waiting for a moment someone, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, will give the interpretation. There are times when perhaps only an "understanding" will be voiced, not the direct interpretation. Still, sometimes two people will take part in the interpretation. One giving part of it and the other carrying it on farther or amplifying it.

The way this happens is that spirit of God comes upon a persona in a group and when given permission speaks God's Word in God's language. After speaking in an unknown tongue someone else interprets the message in English or their native tongue.

Does it always have to be "someone else" No, the one giving the prophetic utterance might also give the interpretation.

If there is going to be an "unknown" tongue in a congregation there must be an interpretation of that tongue, unless the pastor or one in charge makes a decision to have the tongue spoken.

2017 Addendum

I was visiting a church and during the quiet time I really felt the Lord urging me to speak in tongues. I, actually, was very hesitant, inasmuch as I was just a first time visitor. So, I turned to the person sitting next to me and made known my feeling. With no encouraging response, all of a sudden I noticed the pastor walking down the aisle next to me. So, I encountered him , told him the situation. He immediately said, "Yes we have some who could interpret." He encouraged me to do so, I did and within a minute, there was a response from an individual.

If tongues are given and there is no interpretation, then one of several things has happened. There was an interpretation to an individual, but that one refused to move under the Holy Spirit and just willed to refuse taking part. Or, "if a regular interpreter" (by that I mean one who usually interprets) is not present, then someone else who has never done this before is timid or just hesitant to participate does not give what is going through their mind. Another possibility is that the one originally speaking while speaking in the spirit, was in his "flesh" speaking. They were speaking in tongues, but the tongues were originating in their spirit, not God's spirit.

Tongues In America

"Pastor, what about the tongues in America today. If it is true in Church history, not much is said about it." To me this just says that there was not much happening then. What about today? If the Lord is no longer giving the gifts, what is occurring in Neo Pentecostalism today in America? We can not deny that the New Testament glossalalia and yet refuse to face up to what is happening in America, from shore to shore and border to border, maybe in your home, too. What can we say then? Is the charismatic revival in the 20th century strengthening our country? Is it giving unity, is it giving purity? Do those who claim to speak in tongues demonstrate power in testimony and are they demonstrating power with a high degree of Christianity and spirituality?

Let me answer. The answer is predicated upon my knowing people personally and my reading of them. I would have to say the answer is yes. It is making for unity in the American churches. It is building up the Body of Christ. Yet, upon the surface and in human vision there seems to be a contradiction. It is edifying the Church, and we cannot say it is not happening. Still conflict does happen in some places.

Especially since 1900 in a Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this has started mushrooming, and then later in Los Angeles God dropped His Spirit on a group. People in all "brand name" Churches are experiencing some things that are changing their lives. They are not waiting for "the Baptism of the Holy Spirit" to come. It is just like, for example, friends of yours from out of town who are here right now. Suppose they had come by plane, and yet I would go tomorrow to the terminal to wait for them. Wouldn't that be rather ridiculous? They have been here for four weeks already. They are already here. The Holy Spirit is already within you. If you are a Christian, then you have Jesus in your heart, and He is right there, you don't have to wait for Him. He is already there, but He is, in turn, waiting for you to open up and let Him do something.

I am saying that we have something that we are not using. It is speaking in tongues, whether devotional or "God originated" through our spirit. We are not using the God-available potential that is available right here in our own community. We are not using it. While the nation cuts back a certain percentage of energy, let the Church double up its energy spiritually speaking.

Lord, Is It Really for Me?

Now in 1 Corinthians 14:5, Paul said he would that all people would speak in tongues. I have experienced this after a great deal of difficulty which I will share later. But having said that, look at my wife encounter.

Nancy's Experience:

The fact that we speak in "tongues" or a "Heavenly Language" is due in part to a new couple who came to our church. At the time we were pastoring the Community Church in King City; California. (We were there nearly 29 years). The couple was Dr. and Mrs. Richard Odell and her mother. Their coming into the church in a sense, brought the awareness of a heavenly language.

Conversions, over a period of time brought Nancy into a close fellowship with them. Obviously since we both were wanting more of the "life" of Jesus, this couple explained the aspect of a heavenly language. In short Nancy received her tongues first.

A few years ago I spoke to my girl (Nancy) about relating her experience in the Baptist of the Holy Spirit. Sad to say, that never materialized. She "graduated" to Paradise.

However, a phone call to the O'Dells (April, 2015) have unlighted that historical experience that Nancy had. I praise the Lord that relating the story after so many years (like 40ears) Mrs. Wilma O'dell spoke as if the event happened just yesterday. PTL This is what she related to me over the phone. Wilma relates: "There was a knock on the door" Nancy, "May I come in?"

Nancy mentioned about the Baptism – Wilma's mother came over ministered to her. She fell to the floor – and it appeared she was in a physical battle. There was spiritual warfare going on. Her body was in a "fight" She was making sounds that were not her normal voice – her face got contorted – it was not a pleasant sight at all. She was on the floor for an hour and real warfare was going on.

Her speaking was not her normal voice – it was a "bad" spirit. As Mrs. O'dell tells the story, "It sounded like she was arguing " -They layed hands on her - prayed for her - Nancy was slain in the spirit. She fell on the floor and was there 2 hours. Nancy got up smiling, exhausted but happy.

Then sitting in a chair, she felt her arms rising and she spoke in her heavenly language.

She started crying, Mrs. O'dell recalls – and when asked "why" Nancy replied, "Neal won't believe this." The reply was, "You don't have to tell - let Neal see." Nancy went home and Mrs. O'dell recalls Nancy apprehensive about Neal's reactions.

Two days later, Neal asked, "What happened?" I also said (it was reported) "Something changed. What is it." Nancy started crying again. She then mentioned about being at the home meeting at the O'Dells. They talked about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. I said, "I like it, don't be afraid." All the happenings were ever so profound.

In the course of time, "it" worked its way into my life. For a long time, I just said, "The experience is for Nancy, not for me." Then there were 3 events that changed my life in this regard forever.

Neal's Experience:

First Experience

Wilma O'Dell told me that one day, late afternoon I went to their home for prayer. For some reason I was physical exhausted. So she played a special song for me. – she recalls that I had a visual relaxing. After the song we had a discussion about the Baptism. I asked a lot of questions and she recalls that I said, "If I believe this, I will have to change my theology." We laughed.

Second Experience

Our Youth Director, Ed Barber, was trying to repair a tape that our secretary, had jammed her machine. As a result of the jamming, the tape had become twisted. Ed was trying to repair it and he gave it to me since he knew I had some experience in repairing tapes. In the repairing I broke the tape. This meant that I had to scotch tape it together. After the repair, I backed the tape up a few inches to make sure I had the right side facing the right direction. On this particular tape both sides locked the same to me. When I depressed the play button, I heard the speaker talking about receiving tongues. What he said was so interesting to me that I could not stop the recorder, I had to listen to it. He was saying that a lady had attended a meeting at which time the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was expounded.

After this, people had the opportunity to come forward. When she cane forward, she did not receive her tongues and went home embittered about it. When she got home, her husband was watching a very interesting TV program so she went into her room, knelt beside her bed and asked Jesus to baptize her and give her tongues. As she asked for the receiving of her tongues, instantly she heard the sound of rushing, mighty winds like which we read of in the Book of Acts. Again, instantly, she received her baptism and broke out in tongues. Then she realized that the furnace had gone on. I thought that was so funny that I had to listen to this unknown person on the tape.

I had to make a call on someone out in the country so I grabbed up the play-back cassette, put it in the car, and listened to the message all the way out and all the way back from my appointment, it was as a result of this that I realized that tongues was for everybody, including me, and that I could receive it. The reason I had not received it was not on God's part but because of some hang-up of mine in some fashion or another.

So as I was driving down the road past Hunter Liggett, I began thinking of one verse of Scripture that says, "They were seated in a room and were of one accord and they were praising God." Maybe their hands were lifted and they were praising God. So I thought, "Well, Lord, I am going to get just as Biblical as I can driving down this road. I know it is scriptural to raise hands in prayer. I am just going to lift up my hands and praise You." You know, as I was driving along, I felt real good as God's presence was felt very keenly. So I tried to steer with my knees down the deserted road. That's very difficult to do.

But I lifted up my hands and put my knees on the wheel and I drove and I was really making progress and getting through until I came to a curve in the road. I knew I had to do one of two things, hold my hands up or hold onto the steering wheel. So, I had to go back to steering myself, this has been a real hang-up with me and with a lot of people in the Bible-doing it ourselves. It was not until the Lord dealt with them and they forgot all their natural ability and lean entirely upon Him, did they receive His blessing.

So I wanted God's blessing. I negotiated the curve and again I was doing real good. I was really getting through, I thought, until another curve came. I just can't tell you how many curves there are between the Fort Hunter Liggett gate and where I was going to in the Indians (a place in the mountains where there were a number of cabins). That was my determination, my wrestling with God. But nothing was really happening. I felt just as good as when I left King City. I came to a cattle guard and had to stop my car. Then I said, " Lord, when I start this car, it's just You and me and I want to receive!!

I dug out!! The tires sent gravel flying everywhere. Soon I came to a dead stop. Again I drove away, lifting up my hands and praying, feeling good but no different that I had felt in King City.

Throughout the course of the day I prayed, I praised and did a lot of planning. Sitting on my chair under a shade tree I asked the Lord to send a mighty wind, as it was getting pretty hot. This would really be a sign and I had been one to go by signs. believe these things and so I asked for a sign. Then the wind started blowing and that was really great and it refreshed me, and it got pretty strong, too. That really encouraged me, until the devil said, "Well, it always blows around here." So it was just another wind. And I gave up another wrestling match.

Then, a brief time went by – can't recall the days or perhaps several weeks but the third experience was classic.

Once a week, followings the meeting of all the pastors in our towns of King City, California, USA I would go always to the country to do my studying. I had to prepare 5 different messages every week. (In the course of many years, I had several different places to which I would to every week and do my sermon preparing.)

At that time in my ministry, I was going to a place called Arro Seco, probably 30 minutes north of King City in the mountains. One of the members of our church had made available to me their cabin.; It was a cool place to go and I did so look forward to it every week. Nobody anywhere near!

Now you recall that I have mentioned that – you have to ask for your salvation and you have to ask for the baptism

On this particular day it was heavy on my mind regarding this Baptism and especially the Heavenly Language – ok speaking in tongues. I was laying on an army cot with my shirt off, soaking up the sun, working on my tan. I was alluding to the heat of the sun on my skin and the work – I use the word "heat" now on my spirit man. recall praying something like, "Lord, if this (meaning tongue speaking) is real and if it is as people tell me available to any born again person who desires it, then I "give up" my fighting it. But, Lord, you know Mel I am one who needs signs and wonders. I have many times depended on what I call Divine happenings or to use a "Biblical term "fleece" like in the case of Gideon.

Lord, show me now – I am depending on you!! At that very moment - well, God came through. Before I type what happened, let me describe my location. I am on the side area of the cabin. The cabin is situated in front of a small river (probably 100 feet wide) and at the bottom of a tall steep (straight up) cliff, probably another 100 feet.

Between the cliff and the cabin is this small stream. I am very close to it laying on th4e cot. THEN IT HAPPENED. When I said "Lord, you have got to make yourself clear to me" at once a great portion of that cliff started falling and as it fell it gathered more dirt and rocks and they it fell into the stream right in front of me with a great noise and dust. It was like an earthquake. Tell me "Was I affected?" I thought I uttered a few unknown words.

Now in retrospect - - turn back time. Now we are all Christian people, but there is so much more to it than just being a Christian. You have heard me say that so many churches get hung up on preaching salvation every Sunday that you know it. But what do you do after you become saved? Well, you have to grow a little bit, and I have since found a lot of growth in many people. I want to have growth in myself, and I have been quite stagnant. I don't think I have been growing like I should. So this was the reason for the wrestling match that day. I was tired of doing it myself. I was tired of asking people to come to Church, planning the programs, doing this and that and relying upon my own resources.

So, at that riverside cabin, all of a sudden there clicked something within my inner being that is hard to understand in words, but at that moment I knew that I had received a baptism of Jesus. I had asked Him in when I was a boy, eight or nine years of age, and He had been living there for many years. But on occasion I would receive Him and spectacular things would happen. After those things happened it was my doings but I did always credit it to God. I would close my door and leave my guest, my master, in the living room instead of the work roan. At that time I must confess that my unusual feeling cane over me because I knew that at that moment I had really let Him me in to all the rooms. And as I released Him and gave Him freedom, I was able to praise Him for the first time not from my brain, but from my spirit - my inner man. I had my prayer language.

Following that I bought every book I could find, borrow from others – ended up with perhaps 2 feet of books on the subject on my wall bookcases. I wanted to investigate. I did – Jesus did and I came forth in a short time speaking with a Heavenly Language.

Following those times with Nancy and me, the Holy Spirit was felt in the congregation and much like falling dominoes, many were caught up with the things of the Spirit.

Nancy's Writings A 2015 Addendum

Written by Mrs. Nancy Carlson (1936 — 2013)

Kinds Of Tongues and Their Value

God has placed tongues in the mouth of every believer who will ask for them. I didn't believe I would ever ask for them because I was taught that tongues were not for today, but there came a time in my life when I was crying out for the return of the joy of my salvation. There was something more. That is when the Holy Spirit baptized me with his love which led to a series of events which brought me to receive tongues.

There is a place for devotional tongues.

In the life of the believer. I can't tell you how blessed I am when I use my gift of tongues. The Word says when we pray in the Spirit we are edified. I can be troubled and not understand why and begin to pray in the Spirit until I come to a peace. Often times the Lord speaks to me as well.

The Spirit also moves me for intercessory prayer. Sometimes I will know who it is for and other times I don't. I again pray in my tongues until I come to a peace. It is as if He is asking me to make intercession for someone who can't express his need or won't ask for help.

One day the Spirit of the Lord asked me to pray for a man in the church. I hesitated because I didn't know why. After arguing with the Holy Spirit, I finally ran out to catch him. I was told to pray for him in tongues. Of course, I asked the gentleman if I could and he said "yes". When I finished praying I saw tears running down his cheeks. The Spirit had ministered to him even without having to interpret. I sensed the heaviness of the Lord's love for that person. That experience taught me that it is absolutely not by my might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord that anything is accomplished. It was the Spirit. I didn't have to understand, just be obedient to the Lord with the gift He had given me.

There is a place for prophetic tongues in the church. God still talks to His people in prophetic words of tongues with interpretation, where it is operating in the Church. These words can be for the congregation. In ministering situations these words can be for an individual.

The difficulty here is that many people have trouble with tongues. Perhaps they have seen them misused. There is also a fear of something we don't understand.

If the Lord has a gift for me, I want it. My husband has difficulty with me in asking for something. My mother warned him that I would never ask for anything and he has found it to be true. It hurts him that I won't. I wonder how the Lord feels? He has given us precious gifts to use for His glory and to edify the church. Why not ask Him for the gifts? Since we ask for our salvation (John 3:16) why not ask for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16) accompanied by tongues. Why not?

Speaking in tongues does not make any more holier than another. It simply means this: You are more free in the Spirit. You are less inhibited than someone else might be.

So, if Paul allowed speaking in tongues in his day, why is it not allowed in our day? Paul says "I speak in tongues more than you do, even."