Reg Killingley - Spiritual Use of The Tongue

Reg Killingley, citing a passage of Robert Louis Stevenson that it is always better to concentrate on our neighbor’s merits rather than defects, asks what our post-Pentecost attitude should be. After the giving of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost, the believers shared all things and were able to tolerate one another’s differences, developing an iron-clad unity. The Holy Spirit strengthened the otherwise timorous Timothy. The power of God’s Holy Spirit brings strength and unity. The unity was the evidence of an answer to the prayer of Jesus in John 17. For genuine unity to exist there has to be openness and transparency in relationships. There is no unity when there are secrets or deceptions. Though we have been given power through the Holy Spirit, we should not seek power and dominance over others, but rather use these spiritual gifts to serve others. Unity is not promoted when one seeks exaltation and glory. Whenever people seek power, resentment and division follow automatically. Spiritual gifts should be used to edify rather than to tear down. After Pentecost, when all the barriers are dissolved, our focus should be on the unity He has called us to. May the dunamis of the Holy Spirit allow us to transcend our differences and become one.

Acts 1:6-11; 2:44; 4:36; 5:1; 8:9-18 * Ananias and Sapphira * Animal Farm * Believer’s deadline * Concentration of mind * Deceiving * Dunamis * George Orwell * Hypocrisy * Janus * Jesus’ prayer * John 17:11 * Joseph Lying to God * Luke 10:38 * Lying * Mary and Martha * Matthew 6; 16:28; 17; 24:34 * Power-seeking * Pretending * Proverbs 23:10 * Robert Louis Stevenson * Samuel Johnson * Scotland * Second coming of Jesus * II Timothy 1:7 * Seeking power * Simon the Magus * Struggle for power * Tongues of flame * Transparency * Trusting one another * Unity ‘ We’re the only ones doing the work * WYSIWYG