Salvation Questions

The Matt · #1 01-23-2012, 05:38 PM

Forgive me if I can't come up with a catchy thread name...I just have some questions about tongues, I tried asking them in other threads but someone informed me A. Everyone might have already zoned out those threads and B. I might have some better luck around this time. My questions aren't to debate, I'm just nervous and want to make sure I'm not going to do something wrong, because I have before. And I'm sorry if you've read these questions on the other threads, I just want some honest opinions. So here's the questions...What should one feel like physically and mentally when receiving the Holy Ghost? What should one feel when speaking in other tongues (the initial evidence and praying in tongues, not the gift of tongues to be interpreted.) How does one know if he or she is speaking in real Godsent tongues? Is stammering lips another evidence of the Holy Ghost, and is it a requirement to have to Holy Ghost? Can you tell me of ways of knowing if when I speak in tongues it's real? Should I be praying any specific things to receive the Holy Ghost? Is it possible to receive the Holy Ghost a while before speaking in tongues?

AreYouReady? · #2 01-23-2012, 05:53 PM

I know how I felt when I received the Holy Ghost, but I cannot tell you how you should feel.

So, Matt, I know that there are some very qualified preachers here that can answer your questions so I will leave this one to them.

The Matt · #3 01-23-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

I know how I felt when I received the Holy Ghost, but I cannot tell you how you should feel.

So, Matt, I know that there are some very qualified preachers here that can answer your questions so I will leave this one to them.

I love your name. I'm not

bbyrd009 · #4 01-23-2012, 07:32 PM

Ha, see the load we put on honest seekers in the West.

KeptByTheWord · #5 01-23-2012, 08:16 PM

You've asked a lot of questions in one mouthful!!

I'm sure that from being here on AFF for a short while, you can see that doctrine runs a big gamut here. Most of us (I guess I should at least speak for myself) are here because we are not completely happy with many things we've seen in organized religion in many and varied organizations, and this is a place to vent, and ask other brothers and sisters for support. For the most part, I have learned a lot of great things here on this site.

If you are sincerely searching, and seeking God, and have a church family that you are a part of, maybe you could start there, with the church family, or someone there who could pray with you, and visit with you, and study the scriptures with you... and that person doesn't necessarily have to be the pastor...

I can tell you that the HG experience is very real. But how it is real to me, may be revealed in a different way to you. Weeping before the Lord is one of the things that come natural to me when I feel his presence, but it may be entirely different in another person's life. Those things aren't written in stone.

One thing for sure, when you feel God's presence come into your heart, you won't have to ask anyone for reassurance. You will know. Tongues may come initially, and maybe not. I do believe God's spirit can reside in a person without "speaking in tongues" initially. I have seen many people's lives changed initially by the spirit and presence of God, without the tongues, but as they continued to seek God, and turn their lives over to His control, the gift of tongues came.

Speaking in tongues is real, and very, very powerful, and a wonderful experience, and I would definitely seek after it.

I'm sure others on here have more to offer. And some probably will disagree with me... LOL!

However, I will be praying that your heart will receive very soon the answers it is looking for!

The Matt · #6 01-23-2012, 08:32 PM

Thank you so much...that prayer is most definitely appreciated, I came here for a number of reasons, some I'll keep to myself, but for fellowship, to ask questions that I can't get answers I'm satisfied with, (if you haven't noticed details are important to me) and to work a bit on my people skills. I have a wonderful church family, loving, and I know for a fact if I would miss service I would have a phone full of concerned brothers and sisters who would want to know if anything was wrong. I understand that some people feel more comfortable doing their own studies, but at the same time I feel we all need fellowship of some kind. I just most definitely need a schedule in my life, something to look forward to during the week, and I need the excitement of praise and worship, with live music, with other people. And I would be lost if I didn't have authority.

Hoovie · #7 01-23-2012, 09:19 PM

Matt I'll repost my response from the other thread. http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...0&postcount=70

Matt, I think we want to know and understand that our experience with Jesus is genuine and not dependent on the quality of tongues we might speak in prayer. Build up your faith, believe with your heart and confess Christ with your mouth, then you can rest assuredly that you are secure in Him.

Be comforted by His word when you pray in tongues, knowing the former is salvific and not the quality or quantity of the latter.

Blessings to you! I look forward to getting to know you better and hope you enjoy your involvement on AFF.

bbyrd009 · #8 01-24-2012, 07:53 AM

I would add that those details have a funny way of shifting around, and the Word is alive, meaning that "details" that you have laboriously nailed down tend to pop back up in funny ways...not that they necessarily reflect on our salvation, but maybe on our attempts to nail them down?

The Matt · #9 01-24-2012, 09:43 AM

Thank you bbyrd009, we as human beings are constantly working on ways to better ourselves. I do feel like I pay too much attention to details, I'm just the type of person who wants everything to be absolutely perfect when I do something, so I try to find out as much as I can about said thing.

bbyrd009 · #10 01-24-2012, 09:59 AM

Sure, me too...but I see this now as a spurious quest for a "perfection" that somehow turns into perfectionism, mostly. I don't think we can ever achieve a perfect snapshot, if you will, of the Kingdom, as it is a living, changing thing, and any definition here kind of...kills it, makes it an impaled butterfly. I think this is why the "ambiguity," I'll call it, of many Biblical concepts we deem "important," and I'm convinced we shouldn't codify many of these things.