Category Archives: flock

A Finder’s Fee of Joy

Posted on April 19, 2017 by

“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!” (Luke 15:1) “If a man has a … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, affliction, an intense love, believer, Bible promises, brothers, Bryan's comments, church, church life, compassion, confusion, contrite heart, correction, decisions, devotional, discernment, discipleship, encouragement, failure, faith, Father God, flock, following Jesus, forgiving sin, God, grace, helpful, Holy Spirit, humility, hypocrisy, Jesus Christ, joy, judging others, lessons learned,, love, mercy, ministry, misjudging Jesus, obedience, personal comments, pleasing God, prodigal son, purpose, religion, runaways, self importance, self-deception, self-righteousness, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, transformation, understanding, Very helpful, watching and waiting, will of God, wisdom, world, zeal | Leave a comment

Together, for Each Other

Posted on January 5, 2017 by

“The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion.”  –John Wesley There isn’t really a place for the individual in our walk of discipleship.  This is a most exceptional truth.  You might say that our society here in the U.S. is expressed in … Continue reading →

Posted in battle, believer, brothers, Bryan's comments, challenges, Charles Spurgeon, church, church life, community, correction, crowds, devotional, discernment, discipleship, encouragement, faith, faithfulness, family, Father God, flock, following Jesus, God, grace, hope, intimacy, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, lessons learned,, life lessons, mental health, personal comments, pleasing God, promises, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, social, social withdrawl, spiritual lessons, strength, trust, understanding, watching and waiting, will of God, wisdom | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

CT Interview with Brennan Manning

Posted on December 19, 2016 by

The Dick Staub Interview: Brennan Manning on “Ruthless Trust” http://www.brennanmanning.com/ Many Christians are still afraid to let God love them as they truly are, says the former priest, sober alcoholic, and author. This is just a small excerpt of an … Continue reading →

Posted in addiction, believer, Brennan Manning, devotional, discipleship, flock, following Jesus, forgiving sin, God, interview, intimacy, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, life lessons, mental illness, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, understanding, Very helpful | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Our Hearts Plead for Good Pastors

Posted on September 19, 2016 by

October has been set aside for appreciation of our pastors. I encourage you to pray for them and their families. Within our personal issues of vulnerability, there are usually great problems. These are tender areas: Alcoholism, drug abuse, mental illnesses, … Continue reading →

Posted in believer, change, church life, devotional, discipleship, endurance, faith, faithfulness, fear, fellowship of the saints, first-love, flock, forgiveness, forgiving sin, frustration, God, grace, guilt, intimacy, Jesus Christ, kindness, kyrie eleison, listening, lost causes, love, mental illness, pastor, personal comments, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, sin, spiritual lessons, understanding, Very helpful | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Hidden Smile of God, [Discovery]

Posted on July 2, 2016 by

  Imagine for just a moment, you can actually see the face of God. Is He…? angry, seething with a vindictive hostility rolling His eyes, amused, maybe a bit perplexed disturbed, frustrated, ready to give up on you not looking at … Continue reading →

Posted in a holy shelter, accepting Christ, an intense love, backslidden, believer, Bible promises, blessings, brokenness, Bryan's comments, comfort, confidence, conflict, confusion, Creator, cross, desperation, devotional, discernment, discipleship, encouragement, eternal life, faith, Father God, flock, forgiveness, frustration, glory of God, God, goodness, grace, guidance, heart knowledge, hope, Jesus Christ, kindness, kingdom of God, lessons learned,, life, life lessons, lordship, lost causes, meaning, misjudging Jesus, my limitations, obedience, people, personal comments, pleasing God, presence of God, promises, prophetic understanding, ragamuffins, ransomed, rascals and strugglers, repentance, rest in God, resurrection, sealed, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, sons and daughters, special verses, spiritual lessons, spiritual thirst, strength, struggle, taste and see, transformation, trust, truth, understanding

Why the Church? [Fellowship of the Saints]

Posted on June 20, 2016 by

It is easy to become cynical and hard about the Church. We easily see failure and defeat permeating our local churches. That is a serious problem, if we look too close, or for too long. The sins of the Church … Continue reading →

Posted in believer, church, church life, community, discernment, discipleship, encouragement, fellowship, fellowship of the saints, flock, following Jesus, gifts, God, grace, Jesus Christ, ministry, mocking, personal comments, Satan, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, spiritual lessons, spiritual warfare, understanding | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Melancholy in Amber

Posted on May 8, 2016 by

Edgar Degas, Melancholy/ c. 1874, oil on canvas, Phillips Collection, Washington D.C. The sadness flows from this painting. Degas caught the dark despondency of his model. Her inertia becomes something we can gaze on carefully and at leisure. This is one of … Continue reading →

Posted in a pursued soul, affliction, an intense love, apathy, battle wounds, Bible promises, bipolar disorder, body life, broken believers, brokenness, church life, comfort, depression, despair, despondancy, discipleship, encouragement, endurance, faith, fellowship, flock, following Jesus, God, God's acceptance, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, kyrie eleison, lessons learned, life lessons, lost causes, madness, mental illness, my limitations, personal testimony, presence of God, protection, ragamuffins, rascals and strugglers, scars, seeking God, Serving Mentally Ill Christians, shepherd, special needs people, spiritual lessons, stigma, struggle, thoughtful and aware, transformation, unconditional love, understanding, weakness | 2 Comments