Now, I think that people who believe what you say
@Hobie have never had the gift and so assume that because you don't have it then it must be obsolete. I have had it for many years and so do many people I know.
I was thanking God only this morning for my gift of tongues. I love to sing in tongues, as well as pray, as singing was my very first experience of the gift. And I have to tell you that it is not 'babbling'. My gift manifests as beautiful tunes - always different - with verses and choruses and a natural end.
Also when I pray in tongues there is a pattern as in ordinary speech, with commas and full stops - i.e. a proper syntax.
If you have only ever heard 'babbling' maybe that's why you don't believe, but there are some real languages that may sound like babbling, one even sounds like clicking.
So please don't generalise and dismiss what God has given. Instead you could ask Him to give you the gift.
There have been similar threads on every Christian site I've belonged to and things can get nasty very quickly as those of who do have the gift are ganged up on. Even called heretics or liars. So I hope this thread doesn't descend into such negativity.
Well, you have to understand that there are many people who have been given a speaking of tongues that is not of God. In the islands we know as we see it many a day when a person is possessed. They speak with 'patterns' as you say and 'proper syntax' etc.. then proceed to throw five man in the air during a prayer meeting and jump beyond any normal human being can do, with no recollection later of what they did. Not all spirits are from God as well as prophets...
Micaiah Warns Ahab
2 Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2 Then it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to
visit the king of Israel.
3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead
is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I
am as you
are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”
6 Then the king of Israel gathered [
a]the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”
So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver
it into the hand of the king.”
7 And Jehoshaphat said, “
Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of [
b]Him?”
8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “
There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”
And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”
10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on
their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver
it into the king’s hand.”
13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”
14 And Micaiah said, “
As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”
15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”
And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver
it into the hand of the king!”
16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
17 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”
18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
19 Then
Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ 22 The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade
him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23 Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”
24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”
25 And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”
26 So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this
fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”
28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”
