There is a question you must ask yourself, Order or Confusion?

Which one is more likely to Be God.?

Let me first take this time to identify what confusion is…..many things going on without any clear directive, when a person is confused he is mixed up, he maybe changing his direction frequently, muttering to himself, words of no consequence.
It is generally just disorder.
The question is does the disorder represent Gods true character?

Is God orderly?

Psalms 19:1
Nature should tell us something about God…..Does nature have order ?
Titus 1:5 " Titus was sent to put things in order in Crete"
Exodus 26:1
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy You could read all these books and it would give you an idea of order, and how meticulous God is about certain things.
There was a certain order that had to be obeyed… only Levites could be priests and offer burnt offerings ect, they had to wear special clothing.
In the book of II Samuel 6:6 Uzzah touched the ark and was killed, only the priests should carry the ark and mot on a cart.
Doesn't this tell us that God is a God of order. Why would God suddenly change and cause disorder.
What really happened at Pentecost

Jesus himself had order in his ministry, even when demons cried out to cause confusion he told them to be quiet.
And if he was the author of noise and confusion why would he be called the prince of peace.
It is clear the Corinthian Church got it wrong, as many " modern Corinthians

( Pentecostals & charismatics) get it wrong"

When in public or private ask yourself …would Jesus do this or does this reflect Christ.

Reflect on some of your experiences and see

The scripture gives us the authority to try and test the spirits whether they are from God or not.
I John 4:1-3………note that when the bible says many it does not mean 5 or 6 but hundreds and even thousands of false prophets.
Look at the case of Micah one against 400 trained prophets of Ahab
And the case of Elijah one against 400 prophets of Baal.
Deuteronomy 18:18-22 " when God Raises up a prophet"
Deuteronomy 13:1-5

What testers do you use to discern true or false prophets ?...................
Remember Eve if she had just tested and challenged the words of the serpents, and remember thought that go unchallenged becomes seed, and plants in your mind.

Could it be that the enemy is using such powerful weapons in spiritual gifting to bring us into confusion., So we never get to use them properly.
Because of the History of America,,,they were setting up home in a sometimes very hostile environment….Namely the native Americans, guns were a necessity but in the modern environment that law that allowed them to have guns should have been revoke, this has caused a dilemma in America today when school kids have access to them, they using them in schools and killing many innocent children…Why because of wrong use.
We must learn the proper use of the gifts and use them with wisdom.

Please do not let these things put you off spiritual gifts but if you will seek them you must understand that they are ministered under Gods order, so they can be truly powerful and effective.

Let us not wrongly interpret such a powerful gift ,,,The Holy Spirit the comforter ( parakletos….One called alongside to help. The very thing that makes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus a reality in us.
St John 14:15-21
Look at the adjectives used to depict the Holy Spirit,,,,Spirit of truth, teacher a role of middle eastern teacher that would raise even as their own. You will not be left as an orphan…..Dove, Refreshing Isaiah 28, Spirit of Life, living water( a spring)

The adjectives should give us an indication of the Holy Spirit and when we receive it.
If the adjectives give us the impression as something pure, clean, gentle
Why would it make us kick chairs over, and get into a frenzied state, sometimes even foaming at the mouth.

The Corinthian Church and The Pentecostal/ Charismatic Confusion

We Must be Hungry for the truth, remember in Thessalonians it is those that do not have the love of the truth that are deceived
II Thessalonians 2:9-12

Jeremiah teaches us that sometimes even false prophecies have some truth in them
Look at the prophecy of Hananiah.
Jeremiah 28
What is clear is that we are going to need more than our reasoning skills to discern false prophecies, it takes the supernatural gifts.
Back to Corinthians

It is obvious that this church had problems understanding the working the spirit, they were not middle eastern but really a Greek city that was very progressive, and liberal, very much like this post

modern society in fact the city of Corinth was so bad and corrupt it was used by historians as a by word,. Paul had birthed the church and stayed
with them one and a half years. A few years after he left them, fanaticism arises as well as immorality. False doctrine, divisions, arguments about head dress, arguments about who the best preacher was, misunderstanding of the fundamental doctrine of the resurrection for the saints, money issues…Paul requested help for the poorer churches in Judea, it took them a year to respond. Civil suite against one another, pagan worship, leadership problems.

Why such problems? The area itself had a reputation even among heathens for its immorality and corruption this must have drifted into the church,
The church was barely five years old, for nearly three years they were without apostolic leadership, it was a melting pot of cultures, and various religions.
For every heresy there is usually a seat, seed from which it arises. Paul in
I Corinthians 5:6 tells us that a little leaven will soon spread to the whole lump.
Their seat of error as mentioned before was an over emphasis on the gifts, and little attention to good biblical teaching with a strong emphasis on righteousness.
Mathew 5:6
A church built around strong personalities, and Charismatic leaders, when the emphasis should be Christ. " who is Paul and who is Apollos"
This mirrors our day, while these larger than life personalities compete against one another for filthy lucre….You so called financial partnership, and your tithes ect each one trying to outdo the other, in the name of Christ. Philippians 1:15-18 " one preach the Christ of contention, the other of envy "
Name some of the Big personalities in the Kingdom …….From the 50s till now you will see that many have fallen in some way or another, Just as God brought Nebuchadnezzar down, Manasseh, due to pride, and to top it the
The Corinthian Church and The Pentecostal/ Charismatic Confusion

church is going through a period of judgement or purging. I Peter 4:17-19 The preceding verses give us an understanding of what Peter means by judgement.
He also gives the analogy of preaching the gospel as an ability which God gives.
The gifting we are given are not our own, they are for the body of Christ, therefore we are not to glory in them as though they are ours.
A perfect example is this…. When my car ( Toyota ) was crashed into, because it was the other driver's fault I was given a Vauxhall Estate, it was larger than my car, it was newer than my car, it looked good, it was an executive car and I felt good driving it.
It even drew the attention of my neighbor; but it was not my car, it was a hired car and eventually I would have to return it. So when I was driving it I would try not to

show off so that no one would be mistaken and think it was mine, The car belonged to enterprise car hire, and would have to be returned.
The gifts and the callings God has given us are not ours, they are not resident, and they are the Lords abilities loaned to us for the work of the ministry!
Remember the fact that God can use you does not mean you are going to heaven.
Name some example of ungodly people whom God used in scripture?
Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, Ciaphus, Balaam,
Is it possible now to be used of God and still go to hell?

Order for The Church
Let's have a look at Paul's order for public worship.
I Corinthians 14
At First Paul's commends in one sense for seeking spiritual gifts, and directs too seek love before even the gifts.
Verse 3 PROPHECY IS FOR EDIFICATION, EXHORTATION AND COMFORT. This is never to be forgotten, new testament prophecy falls within this realm.
The first prophet we know it was Moses, he is what we call a theocratic Prophet… a prophet that rules, his prophecies have the edge of command…thus saith the Lord.
He was the pattern for prophets that would follow…Samuel. Judge /prophet
Later on after Kings were installed they became watchmen and advisors to the Kings.
Ezekiel 33
Name some prophets of the Old testament ?
This changes in the new testament because john the Baptist is the Last prophet like Moses.
There prophecies now fall in the remit of comfort, edification, comfort for want of a better word, assurance.
To understand how this can work we need to look at the culture from which prophets came…the Jewish Culture.
Within this culture there were so many blessings or shall I say prayers of blessings and on occasions they would have a prophetic edge.
Genesis 27:10……27-40
The Corinthian Church and The Pentecostal/ Charismatic Confusion
Genesis 48:12 Ephraim is blessed instead of Manasseh.
Genesis 49 Blessing of the sons
Even at child dedications this would take place Luke 2:25-35
Note: - This style of prophecy was before the Law when the law came prophecy had the edge of judgement, but now we have returned to covenant that is governed by faith.

Galatians will give a clear explanation of the difference between grace and law.
Numbers 23:20…24:9
Even Balaam could not curse Gods people
Deuteronomy 33:1…Moses is about to die then he begins to bless Israel.

THEY WERE OPERATNG THROUGH THE GENUINE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY!

It is usually in this area that the spirit of prophecy in the church would direct, the members.
Have you ever received a Prophecy over your life? Did it come to pass?
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Sign of a true prophecy…
Timothy received prophecies over his life…..
I Timothy 4:13
II Timothy 1:6
Prophecy can come through worship and Praise, look at the significant prophecies in the psalms, yet they are songs Psalms 22
There was a company of prophets that were prophesying to music, the anointing was so powerful it changed Saul's heart. I Samuel 10:5- 11
More About Prophecy

Inspired speech, by reproving the wicked, comforting,
An endowment to preach, Christian teachers were sometimes referred to as prophets
Revealing things hidden
Foretelling future events
It is inspired Luke 1: 46-55 Mary was inspired to sing the song of the Lord that came forth as prophecy/Exhortation
Luke 1:67-79 Zachariah blessed the lord, and the prophetic followed

Only one element of it is foretelling
I Corinthians 14:
Have you ever had what the church refers to as prophecy?

So we have covered elements of prophecy; how simple it is, and yet profound.
How the very mode of prophecy is different in the New Testament and has more in common with prophecy that that took place before Moses and the law. It came out of blessing, and speaking good things. In Philippians 4:8
True prophecy will never come out of a bitter, critical or judgemental person

Lord free us from sensationalism!
Prophesying covers a large area……Preaching, teaching by revelation, or teaching doctrine, teaching by knowledge, to foretell, and to tell forth, Verse 6 of Cor 14
Paul is giving them guidelines for prophecy, restricting the use of tongues in public worship unless there is an interpretation.
This is clear admonition from Paul, why is it that we do not take any notice of Paul's directive, and then explain it away with emotionalism.
I feel, they say, I am led they say, there is far to much "I" and not enough of "him" (our Lord Jesus)
At this point I will ask which is greater Tongues or Prophecy, and why?
Another question is when does the use of tongues become beneficial in public worship?
Except who interpret!
It is clear that the interpretation should come from the one who is giving the tongue
Verse 13 of chapt 14 Corinthians
" He interpret"
Daniel had the gift of Interpretation of tongues Daniel 5:11-12…25-30 Mene Mene
Joseph had the gift of interpretation Genesis 40:8-19….Joseph did not mince his words.

Another area I want to cover is that God is not like us, we dislike confrontation so we will tell everybody but the person to whom it pertains….Let me assure that God is not a tattle talebearer, he will tell you himself.

One argument many of these self appointed prophets will say is, on many occasions God uses other prophets to speak to leaders and individuals, unless they were totally dull of hearing, and backslidden….which means that they were not in the position to hear from God. Such as Kings and Princes.
But show on one occasion throughout the Old testament that God used somebody to convey his message to Moses, Samuel, and Joshua
So it was only when leaders were blinded by something, or backslidden that God used a prophet to declare the word to them.
So if God gives you a tongue why will not also give you the interpretation.
Would I by you a bag of sweets and then ask somebody else to eat them and give them out.
Commonsense tells us that, this is not the way we see God moving in the scripture.
For God is not the author of Confusion!
The church is becoming a junkie for excitement, and sensationalism, we are always looking for some great sign like the Pharisees, to re affirm as it were Gods powers.
We are more interested now in performance, for we are drunk with Hollywood.
Because of this great expectation, it gives Satan room to move in our services, and remember we are not to give place to the devil Ephesians 4:25-27
So we can see that Paul has covered the three utterance gifts and there proper use in
I Corinthians 14
Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Prophecy

The next Three Gifts Are Revelation Gifts
Word of Knowledge
Discerning of Spirits
Word of Wisdom
Followed by:-
Power gifts
Faith
Miracles
Healing

At this point in the study I will make another profound statement.
It is not possible for you actually posses a gift, but what you gain in ministry is access to a particular gift.
For instance let's say, I am made an executive for a business, for the shareholders. To run the business effectively I will need an office, stationery, telephone ect.
So they give me a debit card, with a £1000 limit, so that I can access the funds needed to carry out the Job.
The gifts are made accessible to us but we do not posses them.

Let us be careful how we present the Lord, and how we present the gospel of Jesus.
Remember Paul says he was set for the defence of the Gospel of Jesus
Jude said that in these last days we should earnestly contend for the gospel.

Moses failed to sanctify God before the people, his presentation was wrong; he smote the rock in anger when Christ was the rock.

We should reflect God in all our ways …Mathew 5:16,
consider this …a man in secular work has an important job, maybe a Doctor in a busy hospital, he takes of the patients, carries out his duties with precision, he is organized, he seems to know what he is doing, he then hangs up his white coat for he has come to the end of the shift.
He drives home in an orderly fashion, he is a safe driver, and he arrives home and prepares for the evening service at church.
When he arrives various people are speaking in tongues at the same time, the music is loud and booming, many in the congregation are at an emotional high.
The leader of the meeting says….I don't have a plan for the service, lets just wait on the lord, this goes on for a couple of hours, maybe they read a scripture that has nothing at all to do with what is taking place, there are more shouts, some are even on the floor rolling, they are aware they are coming to the end of the service, the atmosphere cools down they close in prayer, and go home.
Why is this man in order at work, in order while driving, but in disorder when it comes to the things of God, with God anything goes, in fact disorder is encouraged because many say this is a sign that the Holy Spirit is at work.
Consider! Does God get glorified through your emotional release, (I am not against emotion, for I am a very passionate person in worship and teaching the word) Passion is usually displayed for a purpose. In football someone scores a goal you respond in passion, but could you imagine someone crying out in a match, without purpose or reason,,,, they tell him to shut up we are watching the game.

We are living in a time of formulas, and systems, for example "27 ways in which to accumulate wealth," "16 things you need to know when praying."
"Miracle Breakthrough prayers"
The titles sound great but they are nothing but formulas, and Jewish history teaches us that God is not so predictable.
Sometimes he will use fire to destroy an army, another time he may use praise and worship as with Jehoshaphat, another time he may just tell the man of God to shoot an arrow as with Elisha. II Kings 13:17-18
Sometimes God will use small stones I Samuel

The key to victory and the working of the spirit is dependence on God.

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