a... very odd prayer request^^

[Tenshi no Ai]

Alright, once again this goes along with the long chain of connecting topics I've been making lately, and hoping maybe than someone might have the gift^^

You see, every since last night I've gone into strong sessions of prayer. Been lacking somewhat in prayer, although I try my best to get bit in everyday. But... I've just had a passion for a specific loved one, that I've just felt that I need to go off on my own and just... pray. And along with that, my gift of tongues has come back to me, along with the other strange overwelming happenings of my body getting "the shakes" and moving into specific positions on its own (sometimes I wonder if these positions have any meaning...). Normally, the only times I've been able to use that gift, is during some big retreat-type event I'd go to where the presence was extremely strong and overwhelming. Lately though, I've just had a strong desire to concentrate and pray for that one person...

With the idea of tongues though, there are specific things I've kept on repeating. I know some people sometimes repeat some things and others can say various phrases. I often just, very strongly repeat certain words over. So my prayer is this: I'm curious to know what I've been saying, and maybe those that pray for me, might be told what they are? I'm not expecting anything, but I always think it's cool when I get translated for what I'm saying^^ Nice to know what the words coming from my mouth are. I can't even spell them out because it would probably be wrong anyways (since I'd more spell them phonetically in Japanesey^^) Either way if God tells someone what the translation is, they'll know what the words are too... I guess. Not as a test or anything, but I guess a way to know for sure... or something? Hard when it's not in person sometimes^^ (Wish I could get Sundays off work sometimes...)

So yeah, prayers appreciated and well, who knows?^^

[Hotarubi]

Wow, speaking in tongues.
I've always wondered what that's like!

My mom taught me that when someone prays in tongues, it's God using their mouth for spirit to spirit communication, and that's why it's unintelligible to our conscious mind.

I wish I knew more about it, lol.
It's a really special gift you have. ^^

[sticksabuser]

I will pray that God may give you discernment... I hope everything else is going well btw...

[USSRGirl]

Tenshi, what tongue are you speaking in? In the Bible, when the disciples spoke in tongues it was in the various languages of the people around them (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, ect....) so that everyone present could hear and understand the gospel. I really don't mean to sound like jerk about this since it was your experience and not mine, but tongues in the Bible were not just nonsense syllables, "spirit language", or something created by an emotional high. Just saying... it's important to discern what is a message from God and what's an experience based on human emotion.

[K. Ayato]

Just saying... it's important to discern what is a message from God and what's an experience based on human emotion.

Amen to that, sista!

[Tenshi no Ai]

Tenshi, what tongue are you speaking in? In the Bible, when the disciples spoke in tongues it was in the various languages of the people around them (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, ect....) so that everyone present could hear and understand the gospel. I really don't mean to sound like jerk about this since it was your experience and not mine, but tongues in the Bible were not just nonsense syllables, "spirit language", or something created by an emotional high. Just saying... it's important to discern what is a message from God and what's an experience based on human emotion.

Well that's just the thing, not sure even what the language is, because of being in Japanesey mode for so many years, it's the only way my mind goes with how to spell it :/

About the spirit language/tongues discernment thing... Hm I guess it can get confusing. One thing I heard was there were 2 types of tongues: a type done in front of people, a translator almost always is involved, and another done between you and Him on a more personally level, I guess.

I guess it's hard to know if it is just spiritual high gibberish or actual tongues. All I know is that I often tend to say to same word when I speak in... well, whatever it is^^ Only in one instance I was talking a mile a minute in actual phrases, someone beside me was saying the EXACT SAME THING (and if someone could come up with an explanation for that otherwise than a plain ol' miracle... well, that would be interesting^^), while someone was speaking out in english.

So hmm... Not sure sometimes^^

[Doubleshadow]

I don't have a gift for translating, so I can't help with that, but I'll pray for this and the person.

[USSRGirl]

Hmmm.... well I'll pray that God reveals His will to you. It might help if you knew what language it resembled (Japanese maybe you said? If you know someone who speaks Japanese you could try sounding it out to them and see if it rings any bells). I don't remember anywhere in the Bible where tongues were used as a communication between you and God. Everytime God communicated with someone it was in an understandable language (makes sense to me since He'd kinda want you to know what He was saying ) or in dreams/parables, but I don't recall any place where tongues were used besides when the disciples are witnessing in Acts.

As to why the person next to you was saying the exact same thing... where was this? In a church? Sorry to be a skeptic here, but in churches I've known that "teach" people to speak in tongues most people in the congregation end up repeating the same thing whether consciously immitating one another or just doing it as they were taught by the pastor. Again, I have no idea if your church is like that or what the experience was like for you. I just think it's important to discern a spiritual experience from a human one taught by man or brought on by an emotional experience.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Hmmm.... well I'll pray that God reveals His will to you. It might help if you knew what language it resembled (Japanese maybe you said? If you know someone who speaks Japanese you could try sounding it out to them and see if it rings any bells). I don't remember anywhere in the Bible where tongues were used as a communication between you and God. Everytime God communicated with someone it was in an understandable language (makes sense to me since He'd kinda want you to know what He was saying ]

Ah I just said japanese because that's phonetically what I usually relate words too^^

True that there's no Biblical reference on it, but there are things such as "slain in the spirit" which occur, but no actual reference to it. I just know that in private I'm able to have this ability/gift and have heard of others that can too. Heck, I heard of a speaker that considered it his second language, but I'll get into that in a second...

As to why the person next to you was saying the exact same thing... where was this? In a church? Sorry to be a skeptic here, but in churches I've known that "teach" people to speak in tongues most people in the congregation end up repeating the same thing whether consciously immitating one another or just doing it as they were taught by the pastor. Again, I have no idea if your church is like that or what the experience was like for you. I just think it's important to discern a spiritual experience from a human one taught by man or brought on by an emotional experience.

For the imitating yes it was in a church. We were both saying well, whatever it was so fast, that I'm not even sure if it IS possible to mimic at that speed. Like I said, someone else WAS praying outloud so that's most likely the translation of what was being said.

I do keep skeptical on the tongues issue too. I remember years back on a youth retreat, was where others prayed over us to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (although technically with how that is, it probably officially happened to me a few years earlier). They said it was the prayer to receive the gift of tongues, BUT not everyone did (which makes it all the more realistic). Pentacostal church, yes (although I personally dislike referring myself as a denomination) but I'm not one to ENCOURAGE the gift of tongues. If someone has it, great, but you really can't push it unless they actually have the gift. Not a good idea. And this is where I come back to that one speaker I mentioned:

This speaker seemed pumped and full off life and quite often he would spew out several words or phrases in a different language (sounded Hebrew or something to that region). One thing I remembered was that he something like "the most common word in the gift on tongues is 'shaka'" and I forget what he said that even means. He went on and said how in one case he was praying away and started speaking in some language that resembled Chinese as he prayed for someone (and his prayers were fully answered too). During the retreat I was praying and saying something and someone came and prayed in English, assumingly what it was. But with that gift of tongues/emotional outburst thought, now I'm not even sure :/

I'm guessing if it is an emotional thing, it really doesn't even mean anything, or serve a purpose? Or is it almost like a different spiritual gift altogether? Something only God knows what you're saying? Just trying to get my facts straight, really^^ Like I said, I'm not one to encourage the whole tongues bit, because I know that in many cases it can be overdone, or 'faked' almost. Just wanting to know more, really^^

[USSRGirl]

I thought it was either Pentacostal or Assemblies of God (both very nice churches btw from the people I've talked to, though I don't always agree with them). A few questions on your experience - You said you have these experiences when you're praying alone, just between you and God, in private and outside of church? Also, did anyone "teach" you how to speak in tongues? Reason I'm this is because I heard from someone who talked with a pastor who "spoke in tongues." When he asked the pastor how he did it, the pastor instructed him to "let go", get himself into a serene state of emotion, and basically just babble like an idiot in no particular language. O.o;; Needless to say, my friend walked out of that church laughing and never went back. Teaching people how to have a spiritual experience is a lot like Eastern mystics learning to mediate and ascend to a higher level of thought through their own efforts. That's also why I said if it was taught people could immitate each other.

So basically, what I'm saying is that if someone "taught" you how to do this (I don't mean just praying over you) I would be more skeptical of it. On the other hand, this might just be a personal experience between you and God. I'd pray on it, and read the Bible and ask Him or guidance and interpretation on it.

As for the pastor who considered tongues his "second language" I have to say that sounds an awful lot like a charismatic stage show type of thing. Getting yourself pumped up to an emotional high where you can babble things isn't a God experience. Neither is memorizing some Greek and Hebrew (which is required language course for most seminary students) as a crowd pleaser. Reason being, next to no one speaks Greek or Hebrew nowadays. Chinese yeah maybe, but breaking off into Chinese in between Greek, Hebrew, and English is not going to make the gospel any more clear to the few Chinese folks sitting in church. In Acts it seemed to imply that each disciple was hit by the spirit and started speaking one tongue for the bennefit of that group of people, while another guy might be speaking another tongue. If the pastor's tongues was a personal experience with God, then it doesn't need to be coincidently displayed on Sunday morning. The Bible not to be like the pagans or Pharisees when we pray - walking down the street with hands clasped in prayer, repeating things we don't understand just to look holy, ect. So I'd be pretty skeptical there.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Also, did anyone "teach" you how to speak in tongues? Reason I'm this is because I heard from someone who talked with a pastor who "spoke in tongues." When he asked the pastor how he did it, the pastor instructed him to "let go", get himself into a serene state of emotion, and basically just babble like an idiot in no particular language. O.o]

Oooh I see what you mean now... No, no one ever "taught" me how to do it. Although, the speaker did encourage it thoroughly, saying "sometimes it's like a small child who cannot speak: you can babble at first but then it will turn into words. Just... give it a shot!" sort of thing. As for me, it can be a slight babble/tongue-twist at first, because I'm already praying (in enlgish) outloud and things get a bit fused and mixed up, but eventually comes out clear. I don't try and push it though (although it is an interesting experience), if it comes it comes.

As for the pastor who considered tongues his "second language" I have to say that sounds an awful lot like a charismatic stage show type of thing. Getting yourself pumped up to an emotional high where you can babble things isn't a God experience. Neither is memorizing some Greek and Hebrew (which is required language course for most seminary students) as a crowd pleaser. Reason being, next to no one speaks Greek or Hebrew nowadays. Chinese yeah maybe, but breaking off into Chinese in between Greek, Hebrew, and English is not going to make the gospel any more clear to the few Chinese folks sitting in church. In Acts it seemed to imply that each disciple was hit by the spirit and started speaking one tongue for the bennefit of that group of people, while another guy might be speaking another tongue. If the pastor's tongues was a personal experience with God, then it doesn't need to be coincidently displayed on Sunday morning. The Bible not to be like the pagans or Pharisees when we pray - walking down the street with hands clasped in prayer, repeating things we don't understand just to look holy, ect. So I'd be pretty skeptical there.

Yeah, although he was a good speaker and looks like one of those guys with strong faith and "wow I wish I had his type of personality for God everyday!" a few things were... a little off. The Chinese thing by the way, was when he did it in person.

As I've mentioned for me, no way do I try to be a crowd pleaser with it. I try to keep it a between me and God, unless it comes out on it's one like that one instance and someone translated. I guess technically if the tongues was only specifically for a group of people that understand that language, than a translator in the majority's first language wouldn't be necessary (and I know the gift of interpretation of tongues exists). Bit of a different thing I guess, but yeah. And once again, yeah it's a Pentecostal affiliation I've been with, but I'm not all hardcore with that stuff. I can be skeptical myself on things.

Speaking of skepticism, I recently saw Borat (yeah I know I know) and really, the church scene near the end of it put me off :/ Not because he was making fun of the church (although that's not exactly awsome) but the church was a stereotypical southern American Pentecostal church. Everyone was pumped and dancing and when he told someone that he was "saved" they're like "share with us!" passed him the mic and were kinda like "now you can speak in tongues!" grabs his head while trying to shove him to the ground and a mob of about 20 people came over to lay hands on him. It was just.... wow... Looked so forceful and overdone and I was like thinking "you know, I think this is how some people who dislike Christianity think it's like alot of the time: faked out". My boyfriend couldn't even bare to watch (he's not Christian but yeah... stuff like that doesn't help :/)

As far as I'm concerned, gifts and stuff like that aren't for show in that way. A pumped church but it was just... off... and my skepticism really kicked in there :/

[USSRGirl]

Oooh okay I get it now. Yeah, I just wasn't sure if this was something you "learned" or something God gave you. Well then, like I said, the best thing to do is just pray on it and read the Bible, because sometimes God will reveal things to you through his living word.

Borat XD Never seen it, now I don't want to. Hollywood isn't the best place to get an idea of Christianity needless to say. They love to stereotype the worst of every Christian denomination.

Anywho, good luck to ya! I'll be praying that God shows you His interpretation on the matter!

[Mave]

I'm sorry to say that events like this scare off my non-believing friends. I'm also sorry to say that as a Christian, I totally steer clear of this session.

In one of my previous churches, I was pressured to receive the gift of tongues because there was this belief that if you don't have the gift, you haven't tried hard enough or your faith is not strong. I shouldn't have believed it because it made me a miserable Christian.

Having attempted to speak tongues, every now and then, I do the gibberish stuff privately between me and God (never in public...ok maybe I whisper some during worship sesssions). But you know, saying that gibberish stuff invokes some pretty strong emotions in me towards God so I can't say it's a bad thing even if I don't understand what I'm trying to say. Deep in my heart, I pray that God will understand my intentions and that He'll love me even if's kinda silly. Guess we'll all have a good laugh about this in Heaven when we figure out what tongues really is, who used it correctly, who didn't and we'll ll go "Aww man. What was I doing? I'm so sorry, God!" .

I pray that you figure out your gift of tongues. I don't think you necessarily need to know what you're speaking but I think it can't hurt to find out either.

[Tenshi no Ai]

Thanks, glad to have chatted about those issues to now that I understand what you mean^^

I'm sorry to say that events like this scare off my non-believing friends. I'm also sorry to say that as a Christian, I totally steer clear of this session.

In one of my previous churches, I was pressured to receive the gift of tongues because there was this belief that if you don't have the gift, you haven't tried hard enough or your faith is not strong. I shouldn't have believed it because it made me a miserable Christian.

Oh wow, really? Did they... not realize that everyone is different and gifts vary from person to person?^^

On the scare off issue, do you mean tongues in general? It is an... odd thing and I was freaked out my first few times going to a protestant church and people were shouting loud things and falling on the floor twitching slightly^^ Yeah... some experience they were^^ Of course, spiritual gifts, happenings etc sure aren't what Christianity is about. We're not about "watch these miracles happen! We're awsome!", heck no :/ It's not... like that :/

[Syreth]

If you want answers about tongues, study the Bible and draw your conclusion from that. Always measure up what someone has to say against what the Bible has to say. The people who lived in Berea in the book of Acts were considered more "fair minded" than the Thessolonicans because they looked into the scriptures to check and see if what Paul was saying was true. I would be skeptical about what people say about tongues or anything else if it goes against what the Bible says. I understand your skepticism and I'll pray that you can know the truth and better understand your experiences.

[rsnumber2]

I will pray that God reveal what it is you are saying. My knowledge of tounges is limited, so I won't be able to add much to the discussion...

[Mave]

Oh wow, really? Did they... not realize that everyone is different and gifts vary from person to person?^^

I don't think so. When I came to peace with myself "it's OK that I don't have the gift of tongues," I don't think they necessarily agreed with my attitude. That along with some other beliefs, a Christian brother and I were considered unteachable. Don't get me wrong. I love them but I don't agree with some of their beliefs.

On the scare off issue, do you mean tongues in general? It is an... odd thing and I was freaked out my first few times going to a protestant church and people were shouting loud things and falling on the floor twitching slightly^^ Yeah... some experience they were^^ Of course, spiritual gifts, happenings etc sure aren't what Christianity is about. We're not about "watch these miracles happen! We're awsome!", heck no :/ It's not... like that :/

Ironically, my non-believing friends thought that those Christians were being possessed by demons. Now, isn't that interesting? I had the hardest time trying to explain this one away.

Forgive me for discussing stuff like this on a prayer thread.....