Noise makers Week 37, 2012

You’re just jealous you can’t pray in tongues as much as they do. Spirituality is not about the length of your prayers, And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words Mat 6:7(ESV). God hears you even when you are brief. I don’t like empty words. Empty words, how can you call speaking in tongues for hours empty words? Have you never read For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit 1Cor 14:2(ESV)? Praying with tongues builds up, and they are simply building themselves up. It is love that builds up. These ones aren’t walking in love: insisting on your rights to people’s detriment isn’t wise. You know, would it be appropriate for instance to pray loudly in a room where everyone is trying to get much needed sleep? What’s wrong with that? Why do you think Jesus went out to solitary places to pray? And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed Mk 1:35(ESV). Well I just feel it is praying fervently as the scripture asked. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jas 5:16(KJV). And is earnestness or fervency measured in decibels?
I don’t quite understand. Have you considered Hannah’s prayer? Was it not fervent? But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD 1Sam 1:15(ESV). Well it was... Yet it is clear her voice was not heard: Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. 1Sam 1:13(ESV). Wait, does not even scripture tell us shout to the Lord? Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! Ps 47:1(ESV). Of course it does. I fully believe in speaking with other tongues for hours on end and I speak with tongues myself. I am not teaching people should never lift up their voices in praise or prayer and cannot do that. But when we deliberately do things without due consideration for other people’s needs we are not acting in love, and therefore are noise makers no matter how fierce our tongues. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.1Cor 13:1(ESV). Unrepentant self centeredness converts tongues to noise.