Thursday, August 13, 2009
Speaking in Tongues
Hello Brother Bill,
I know that I am filled with the Holy Spirit. I focus myself on our Father, Christ
and His teachings and I am absolutley a Christian, but I have never spoken in tongues. Why do some Christians speak
in tongues while others don't or never have?
God's plan for His saved children is that we all be
not only baptized into the Body of Christ but to be baptized in the Holy Ghost also.
All Born Again people are
baptized into the Body of Christ at the new birth: Jesus said in John 3:3 "You must be Born Again in order to go
to heaven and be able to perceive the kingdom of God."
The Born Again baptism by the Spirit of God shows forth
in the individual submitting himself to water baptism. This is in accordance with Christ's teaching on water baptism.
(See Matt 3:13-15, Matt 28:19) This water baptism is an outward witness of a spiritual act. Our witness then is shown
to the devil, mankind and God that we believe in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Further,
we see Jesus speaking in Acts 1:4-5 that the 120 believers should wait for the promise of the Father. About 120 born
again men and women gathered themselves in an upper room and waited for the promise to be fulfilled. After 10 days wait,
we see in the Word, (Acts 2:1-4) they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and begin to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gives them utterance.
As we proceed further into the book of Acts, we see the normal operation of believers being
baptized in the Holy Ghost. Acts 10:44-46 tells us they spake with tongues when baptized. Acts 19:2-6 tells
us they spake with tongues and prophesied. In chapter 8 of the book of Acts we see Simon trying to buy the gift of laying
on of hands to receive the baptism, when he saw them speaking in tongues.
These preceding verses of scripture show
the facts that when baptized in the Holy Ghost one speaks with other tongues.
In my 50 years plus, of being a Spirit
filled baptized in the Holy Ghost man, I have never known any one who received the baptism in the Holy Ghost where they
did not speak in other tongues.
Yours in Christ,
Brother Bill
4:45 pm akdt
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Holy Bible
Hi there Brother Bill,
There are many different Bible versions out there. What is your take on this?
Looking out on the Bible publications, which account for thousands of versions, I have made this rule of
thumb for my studies of God's Word.
1. God has stated in His Word, He would watch over His Word and cause it
to be what He said it would be.
2. As long as I seek His face and trust Him, I believe He will show me any erroneous
words or subjects.
3. It is my personal opinion that the best version is the King James Version of 1611 AD, with
the understanding, scholars down through time have striven to improve the language of past generations. With the improvement
of modern understanding, God has kept true His intent and the content of His Word pure.
4. Having said the above,
I use many of the Bible translations available today as study aids, comparing each of them against the King James Version.
If I find the meaning of the translation to differ from the King James Version, I disregard the translation that pertains
to that particular entity. Having been Born Again through the teaching of the King James Version, I am partial to its
precious truths. Through it's teachings, I have come to not only knowing about God and His Son, but have come to
know God and His Son, Jesus.
9:43 pm akdt
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Healed or not?
Bro. Bill,
Why are some healed when others don't get healed?
In order to receive healing
for one's body, he must appropriate healing in God's correct manner.
First, one must believe God wants to heal
all who need healing. We need to realize that as salvation was earned for us by our Lord Jesus Christ, our healing was
purchased also.
Just as we are saved by faith, our healing comes by faith also. Therefore, when coming to God for
healing, faith must be used to receive.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us without faith, it is impossible to please God!
Faith, God kind of faith, is based on believing what God has said. There is no substitute for faith when seeking action
from God!
Just as Jesus spoke of our salvation in Matthew 26:28, saying His blood was shed for many for the remission
of sins, the Word tells us in 1 Peter 2:24 by His stripes, we were (a forever settled promise) healed. Therefore, if
healing does not manifest, faith was not manifested.
In the book of Acts of the Apostles, we read in chapter 10, verse
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were
oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. Hebrews 13:8 tells us Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and
forever. Jesus still is our healer and will always be the healer of those who need healing. Faith though, must
be manifested. This is how God has set forth His will!
God heals the sick in many ways.
1.
Though the healing anointing
2. Gifts of the Spirit
3. By one's own faith
But in
all these ways and others, FAITH must be used.
The Last Days
Brother Bill,
The writers of the New Testament thought they were living in the last days before the return of
Christ. How can we really know when the Last Days begain?
One of the greatest witnesses to the end
time events is found in Matthew 24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end come!" Only at this time in history can this be!
Secondly,
Jesus gave a prophecy of the fig tree: The fig tree being a representative of the nation of Israel. Israel was
not a nation for nineteen hundred years. In 1948, Israel became a nation once more. The prophecy indicated those
who were alive at this time would be the generation to see the end times. See Luke 221:29-32 and Mark 13:28-30.
See the following verses for further signs of the times.
2 Timothy 3:13 Matthew 24:37 1
Timothy 4:1,2 2 Peter 3:3-14 Jude 16-18
6:38 pm akdt
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Flawless Bible
Bro. Bill:
How can I believe that the Bible is flawless, when imperfect people authored the books of the Bible?
According to 2 Peter 1:21, God authored His Bible by inspiring His anointed men as they spoke and recorded His Word.
God speaks in Isaiah 55:11 that the words that proceed out of His mouth will not be anything but absolute Truth.
God, who cannot lie, assures us we can trust the words He speaks.
Jeremiah 1:12 tells us God will hasten His Word
to perform it: He will watch over His Word to do what He says.
Paul writting to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:35, says
that we're to study the Word of God, in order to rightly divide the Word. Indicating that if we do that, we will
be approved by God. This tells us in God's sight, we can trust that His Word is without error and we can be assured
the Bible is what God said!
6:56 pm akdt
