John Russell Jr:
My thoughts.
The apostle warned people that speaking in tongues was a waste of time unless there was someone there to interpret it. Also, we cannot be sure the apostles spoke in tongues or did anything similiar to todays charismatics.
I think you need to be careful when looking for signs and wonders such as these as the enemy can raise his ugly head. He is the greatest deceiver. Many saints at times could not be sure if supernatural events came from God or satan. Read St Teresa of Avila.
Just some thoughts.
Dear John
With all love and respect, I must correct you.
You say the apostles warned people about speakig in tongues. In fact, that is not correct. Paul said, “tongues was a noisy gong without Love…” Paul also stated that he DID speak in tongues.
Scripture refers to a few kinds of tongues. I will name 3.
First there is the tongues as spoken at Pentecost where Peter was speaking in languages folks understood.
Second there is a “word” or “prophesy” in tongues with interpretation.
Third there is prayer in tongues. This is referred to in one scripture as the Spirit praying for you in groans and utterings you cannot understand. One (I am only mentioning one) reason for this is the Spirit prays like this, through you, when you do not know how to pray.
A number of the Saints have written of their lives in the Spirit, which we Charismatics recognize instantly. The descriptions are just too like our own.
I suggest, that reading the entire book of Acts will clear up much.
By the way, this weekend at the SCRC Charismatic Conference, I spoke to a Religious Brother who is a Bible Scholar (as opposed to a Bible reader). He said that when Paul said tongues was the least gift, he was comparing it to prophesy. When I re-read it, I see he is right. He was not comparing it to all the gifts but only the one. And he instructed the Church to ALL set our goals for the gift of Prophesy.