This, That, & the Other

Blue Goldfish took a thelogical worldview quiz (here), and discovered that he was most influenced by Karl Barth and P. T. Forsyth. I only know of Forsyth because Stott references him frequently in The Cross of Christ, but here's a quote that's been rocking my foundations since I first read it:

It pleased God by the revelation of His boldness and grace which the great theologians taught me to find in the Bible, to bring home to me my sin in a way which submerged all school questions in weight, urgency and poignancy. 'I was turned from a Christian to a believer, from a lover of love to an object of grace.'

Now that's something to pause over. It is good to be a lover of love, but better still to know that you are an object of grace! Goldfish gives us more of Forsyth (not to mention Barth) at his post entitled Karl Barth and P. T. Forsyth.

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I value the blogging of Christians who write about the presence of the Holy Spirit, and when I find them, they have a very good chance of making my Blogroll. I'd like to create a special category just for them, but haven't thunk up a pithy label yet. In any case, here are two such Charis-bloggers:

Gad(d)about is the blog of Matthew Self. His recent post, aptly titled Surprised by the challenge of experience, is a testimony of Matt's initial experience of the Spirit's empowering presence. It came in the form of (eee-gads!) laughter:

This was not the laughter of hearing a good joke. This was not the laughter of ironic observation. This was a welling up from my soul, as if the whole burden of my whole life was now being brought up in a bellowing howl. It was not mere release of burden, it was total relief of it. Imagine God reaching down into the pit of your stomach and violently pulling up all the junk you'd be carrying around.

Matthew, great post. Thanks for your boldness in Christ!

Bryans Nonsense is the blog of Peter Porter. A recent post is entitled, How to Preach and Draw on the Anointing. Pete is keen to keep first things first. The Holy Spirit always points us back to Jesus, and will empower those who gather around the cross of Christ.

The Anointing of the Holy Spirit always accompanies the cross and resurrection of Jesus. If you want the Lord to move in your midst, then, as Paul, preach Jesus and him crucified. In this alone is the focus of all God's dealings with man. By this the love of God is manifest to the world. By this sin is put away. In the cross is healing of all sickness and infirmity. Through the resurrection is all authority over all the works of the devil. And by Jesus death we have access to the presence of the Almighty. And in the ascension of Jesus we have received the Holy Spirit.

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Finally, Bob Hoekstra is a Calvary Chapel pastor and author of a fine online devotional called Day by Day Grace. While we're on the subject of the Spirit, I thought I'd quote the June 2 entry from the devotional:

Again, this work of the Holy Spirit is not automatic or "robotic." Rather, it is a relational matter. It is realized in our lives through humble dependence. It is possible to resist the work of the Holy Spirit in us. "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51). It is when we depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in the path of obedience that we will truly live as obedient children of God. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:14).