Category Archives: refining

He Knows Where I’m Going

Posted on March 9, 2013 by

“But he knows where I am going.  And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold.  For I have stayed on God’s paths;  I have followed his ways and not turned aside.” Job 23:10-11, NLT Thinking … Continue reading →

Posted in believer, devotional, discipleship, fire, furnace, God, gold, Jesus Christ, life, life lessons, personal comments, refining, sanctification, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, transformation, trials, triggers, understanding | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here and Now, With His Grace

Posted on March 3, 2013 by

It is a bad habit to try to teach without personal knowledge. We can preach, but we do not possess. This is one of the occupational hazards of those of us in our profession. It seems to carry a horrible … Continue reading →

Posted in advice, affliction, battle, battle wounds, believer, Bible promises, blessings, brokenness, Bryan's editorial, Bryan's comments, depression, desperation, despondancy, difficulties, discernment, discipleship, faith, Father God, fear of death, following Jesus, God, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, intensity, intimacy, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lessons learned,, life, life lessons, lithium, lordship, mental illness, mercy, ministry, miracle, mood swings, obedience, outside source, pain, paranoia, past, pastor, pathetic, personal comments, promises, quotes, refining, reformation, repentance, rest in God, scars, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, sin, spiritual lessons, tangled up, teaching, transparency, understanding, Very helpful, working out, zeal, Zoloft | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What Are You Ashamed Of?

Posted on February 8, 2013 by

  “I am proud of the good news! It is God’s powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.”    Romans 1:16, CEV  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is … Continue reading →

Posted in attacked, believer, devotional, discipleship, eternal life, evangelism, following Jesus, grace, Jesus Christ, joy, lessons learned,, love, persecution, promises, refining, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, stigma, suffering, understanding, Very helpful | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Learning Obscurity, Part Two

Posted on November 30, 2012 by

I continue to “rake the coals.” The topic is “Becoming Obscure: Just like Jesus.” My main contention is this– our understanding of discipleship has too much “me, and not enough Him.” When Jesus who was the fullness of God in … Continue reading →

Posted in accepting Christ, affliction, bad doctrine, believer, Bible, Bible study, brokenness, christlikeness, church life, cross, decisions, derailment, discipleship, failure, faith, fellowship of the saints, following Jesus, giftedness, glory of God, grace, helpful, Holy Spirit, humility, intensity, king, kingdom of God, life lessons, love, ministry, obscurity, personal comments, refining, reformation, repentance, servanthood, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, sin, spiritual lessons, tangled up, transformation, understanding, wisdom, working out | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Being Obscure: Just Like Jesus

Posted on November 28, 2012 by

I am processing something right now. I suppose its implications have the potential of turning everything ‘upside down’ for me at least. Some scientists have postulated that our planet is due for a complete magnetic switchover. This is when north … Continue reading →

Posted in accepting Christ, affliction, bad doctrine, Bible, Bible promises, brokenness, church life, derailment, discernment, giftedness, grace, humility, lessons learned,, obscurity, power, pride, refining, self-deception, servanthood, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, tangled up, truth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments