A third way

From Simon Ponsonby:

"It strikes me that the charismatic and Pentecostal tradition has the right experience but a flawed doctrine, while the conservative evangelicals have the right doctrine but often a flawed doctrine. All Christians, by faith in the finished work of Christ, have drunk of that living water and have ben baptized in the Spirit, into Christ ... The Pentecostals and charismatics may have expressed what they have experienced wrongly, but at least they have experienced it. Many evangelical Christians know biblically that they have been na[tized in the Spirit, but do not know it existentially."

Augustine on our suffering

I love it when church fathers show such wisdom. Reading this, it is humbling to know that 1600+ years ago, St. Augustine was preaching a sermon that could just as well be preached today.
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"Our Holy Scriptures themselves do not promise us peace, security, and rest. On the contrary, the Gospel makes no secret of the troubles and temptations that await us. But it also says that he who perseveres to the end will be saved. What good has there ever been in this life since the time when the first man received the just sentence of death and the curse from which Christ our Lord has delivered us? Is there any affliction now endured by mankind that was not endured by our fathers before us? What sufferings of ours even bear comparison with what we know of their sufferings? And yet you hear people complaining of this present age because things were so much better in former times."

Tozer's teachings on the Cross

"The cross is rough, and it is deadly, but it is effective. It does not keep its victim hanging there forever. There comes a moment when its work is finished and the suffering victim dies.

After that is resurrection glory and power, and the pain is forgotten for joy that the veil is taken away and we have entered in actual spiritual experience the Presence of the living God."