You are coming to a King,
Large petitions with you bring
For His grace and power are such
None can ever ask too much.
John Newton
Are you praying largely?
I want to pray world-changing prayers!
Thursdays With Oswald—Sanctified Specimens
April 11, 2013 — Craig T. OwensThis is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.
Sanctified Specimens
May God save us from the selfish meanness of a sanctified life which says, “I am saved and sanctified, look what a wonderful specimen I am.” If we are saved and sanctified we have lost sight of ourselves absolutely, self is effaced, it is not there.
…We are saved and sanctified for God, not to be specimens in His showroom, but for God to do with us even as He did with Jesus, makes us broken bread and poured-out wine as He chooses.
From Bringing Sons Unto Glory
The apostle Paul said it this way, “You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20, AMPC). And he wrote later, “God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world” (1 Corinthians 7:23, NLT).
If God has changed you, don’t try to remain a specimen on the shelf, don’t posture and pose. In fact, stop thinking about how good you look because that only glorifies you.
Instead, let God by glorified as you allow Him to use you as a living, breathing example of how He can totally change someone’s life.
Life Together
April 10, 2013 — Craig T. Owens
One of the things that stands out so clearly about the first century church is this—they really liked being around each other! Even though the early Christians faced persecution, rejection by the Jewish religious leadership, and even martyrdom, they truly enjoyed a special bond with one another.
In fact, that’s the key phrase: one another. The New Testament says they were devoted to one another, they helped one another, they prayed with one another, they confessed their sins to one another, they opened up their homes to one another, and on and on. This doesn’t mean they were without problems and personality clashes at times, but they found that one another was so much more enjoyable and productive than being on their own.
This Sunday at Calvary Assembly of God as I begin a brand new series called Enjoying Life Together With One Another. If you missed any of the messages, you can check them out here:
Holocaust Remembrance Week
April 10, 2013 — Craig T. Owens
One of the more sobering times of my week in Washington, D.C., was the afternoon we spent at the Holocaust Museum. The dehumanizing atrocities perpetrated by one group of people on another group of people is almost unimaginable.
And yet there it was—all the nauseating evidence of man’s evil right before my eyes. It was so overwhelming that I had to hurry past the final exhibits.
Commander of the Allied Forces Dwight Eisenhower wrote to George C. Marshall, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chief Of Staff—
“…the most interesting—although horrible—sight that I encountered during the trip was a visit to a German internment camp near Gotha. The things I saw beggar description. While I was touring the camp I encountered three men who had been inmates and by one ruse or another had made their escape. I interviewed them through an interpreter. The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty and bestiality were so overpowering as to leave me a bit sick. In one room, where they were piled up twenty or thirty naked men, killed by starvation, George Patton would not even enter. He said that he would get sick if he did so. I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’” (emphasis added)
A statement from President Ronald Reagan, from 1988, is etched on the wall of the Holocaust Museum—
“We who did not go their way owe them this: We must make sure that their deaths have posthumous meaning. We must make sure that from now until the end of days all humankind stares this evil in the face … and only then can we be sure that it will never arise again.” (emphasis added)
The rise to power of the Nazis was swift. Their evil was initially unopposed. Few voices spoke out, and even few were heeded. We must never allow this to happen again!
As George Santayana said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” As revolting as it is, we must learn from this lesson. You must look this evil in the face. You must allow your children to look this evil in the face. If we don’t, we will be doomed to live through these unthinkable atrocities all over again.
12 Quotes From “Altar Ego”
April 9, 2013 — Craig T. Owens
I loved reading Altar Ego (you can read my full book review by clicking here), but here are some quotes that especially caught my attention. Unless otherwise noted, these quotes are from Craig Groeschel—
“Don’t rely too much on labels, for too often they are fables.” —Charles Spurgeon
“When God helps you overcome a destructive label, He’ll often do what He did through Peter. He will take one of your greatest weaknesses and turn it into one of your greatest strengths. It has been said that our weakness is our genius—our greatest struggle often yields the greatest opportunity for our growth.”
“If you don’t know the purpose of your life, all you can do is misuse it. …Life with no purpose is life without meaning. When you don’t know the purpose of your life, everything you do is just an experiment. You just try on one thing after another, always hoping that the next shiny thing that catches your attention will finally be the one thing that makes a difference. …You are God’s masterpiece. Wouldn’t it make sense to ask God what you should do with your life? …The fact that God made you in this way tells us something else very important about your life. You have everything you need to do everything God wants you to do.”
“So are you spiritually soaring or are you crawling right now? If you feel like you’re still on the ground, then it’s time you realized that God wants you to fly. You’re not just another average, run-of-the-mill Christians barely making it. No, if you’re a Christian, then there is nothing regular about you. You must understand that you are filled with the same Spirit that raised Christ from the grave, and there’s nothing ordinary about that! You have access to the very throne of God; that’s not regular! You have authority to use the Name that is above every name, the name of Jesus Christ. There is nothing regular about you.”
“Why does generation after generation of intelligent adults make similar decisions every day? It’s simple. We allow our out-of-control, fleshly desires to overwhelm our better senses. We allow our egos, instead of our altar egos, to drive our desires. …The world offers substitutes for (or counterfeits of) real things: physical pleasures, materials things, pride in what we have and what we do. Before long, our sinful desires for the counterfeits of this world lure us into short-term decisions with long-term consequences. …So how do we move from living like the crowd? How do we overcome the cultural pull toward immediate ego gratification? We pursue God with all our hearts until His desires become our desires. …Our demanding egos become altar egos, with our selfish impatience sacrificed for something greater.”
“Integrity doesn’t come in degrees: low, medium, or high. You either have integrity or you don’t.” —Tony Dungy
“I’m convinced that the reason our culture is known worldwide as a place of dishonor is that we, as a culture, have dishonored God. All true honor is born out of a heart surrendered to the King of Kings. Psalm 22:23 says, ‘You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! Revere Him, all you descendants of Israel!’ Our culture tends to treat God as common. We’re too familiar with Him. We refer to Him as ‘the Man Upstairs’ or ‘the Big Guy,’ or we say things like ‘Jesus is my homeboy.’ Jesus is not your homeboy. He is the soon-to-return, ruling, reigning King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is the Alpha and Omega. When He returns, it will be with a sword. He is the Righteous One who shed His blood so that we would live. We have to stop treating God as common or ordinary.”
“Gratitude kills pride. Gratitude slays self-sufficiency. Gratitude crushes the spirit of entitlement. When we place our discontented egos on the altar of gratitude, we develop contented altar egos filled with thanksgiving.”
“So often fear keeps our egos front and center and in need of reassurance from other people or from our possessions or titles. But when we lay our egos on the altar of belief, our altar egos become liberated to live by faith and not by fear.”
“I believe Christians often perceive obedience to God as some test designed just to see if we’re really committed to Him. But what if it’s designed as God’s way of giving us what’s best for us?”
“Bold obedience triggers opposition. …If you’re not ready to face opposition for your obedience, you’re not ready to be used by God. When you obey God, opposition comes. Instead of smooth sailing, you may have to swim upstream in choppy water.”
“When we spend time with God, it leads to faith, which leads to boldness, which leads to results, which leads to more desire for Him, and more faith and more boldness and more glory to our Father.”
Reflections On Washington
April 9, 2013 — Craig T. Owens
My oldest son is graduating from high school this year, and my wife and I wanted to take him on a special trip for spring break. So we spent the week touring Washington, D.C.
I have never visited our nation’s capital before, and after being there, I’m sorry that I didn’t make that trip earlier! I am bit of a history buff, so seeing all of the historical landmarks and learning more about the people who contributed to the success of America was amazing!
Here are a few reflections I have from my time…
I need to be more grateful. So many people have sacrifice so much for me to enjoy the freedom I could easily take for granted, if I’m not careful.
I need to study more. Our history is so rich! For me it’s fun to learn about the men and women of our past, but it’s more important than that. If we don’t learn the lessons of the past, we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes of the past.
I need to pray more. Our elected officials face an enormous challenge each and every day. Scripture is clear that prayer for those in our government commanded of us, but the Bible also says that praying for them is beneficial for us.
I need to learn more about Cedar Springs history. The great men and women of American history weren’t all born in Washington, D.C., nor did they all live or work there. I live in a community of hard-working, innovative, passionate individuals. The next Lincoln, or Jefferson, or Jay, or Webster might be right here in my community, and I want to be prepared to support them.
I need to visit Washington again soon. For three solid days we took in everything we possibly could, and we hardly scratched the surface. I can’t wait to go back to learn more!
Altar Ego (book review)
April 8, 2013 — Craig T. OwensCraig Groeschel is an amazing communicator! Partly because he shares the truth without watering it down or over-complicating it, and partly because he is so transparent with us. Altar Ego is a practical look at how and why God wants to “altar” our perception of ourselves.
The title of the book is not a misprint: Craig persuasively makes the case that we need to bring our view of ourselves to God’s altar so He can alter how we view ourselves. In the opening pages, Craig describes it this way—
If you’ve ever felt insecure, inadequate, or insufficient, this book is for you. Chances are good that you are like most of us. You attempt to draw worth or value from the wrong places. You’re inclined to believe what others say about you over what God says about you. You say you believe one thing but privately live out of a double-standard set of beliefs. If you call yourself a Christian, you probably hope to live a life pleasing to God but often find yourself trying to please others or yourself. If you can relate, I’ve got good news. You are not yet you you are supposed to be.
Altar Ego is divided into three sections. In the first section you will learn how God sees you; in the second section you will learn how to live altarnative values to those the culture promotes; and in the final section you will discover a newfound boldness that comes with seeing yourself as God sees you.
Because of Craig’s easy-to-read style, and his forthrightness about his own shortcomings, you will not feel like these concepts are too complicated or only reserved for those who are more spiritual than you. Even if you don’t feel “insecure, inadequate, or insufficient,” there is still a lot to learn from Altar Ego.
I am a Zondervan book reviewer.
The Returning King
April 8, 2013 — Craig T. OwensListen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
John opens the book of Revelation with this greeting: Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, AND WHO IS TO COME… (Revelation 1:4). This is so significant because of the other descriptive phrases John uses for Jesus:
- Jesus was pre-existent before creation (John 1:1).
- John was witness to everything Jesus did during His public ministry, including all of the claims Jesus made about Himself (1 John 1:1).
- And now John says not only has Jesus existed before time existed, not only is He alive now, but He is coming back again!
This is what makes the resurrection of Jesus so important. Jesus Himself told us exactly what was going to happen with His death by crucifixion and His resurrection three days later. The fact that these statements all turned out to be true gives us greater assurance that His promise that He is coming back is also true.
In His very first sermon, Jesus quoted from Isaiah about how He would conduct His earthly ministry (see Isaiah 61:1-2 and Luke 4:18-19). But when He quotes the passage from Isaiah, He leaves off a phrase “and a day of vengeance of our God.” God’s wrath against sin is being held back for now, but the day of judgment is coming.
John says Jesus is the One Who is to come, and records later on how Jesus will come—
I saw Heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of Heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. (Revelation 19:11-15)
God made Jesus to be sin for us. He suffered and died to pay the penalty for our sins, and those who are still found in their sins—unforgiven, without placing their faith in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection—must face the wrath of God.
Jesus is not only our Risen Savior, but He is the soon-returning King and Judge.
Three times the last book of the Bible records Jesus Himself saying, “I am coming soon!” This isn’t a scare tactic, it’s real. As certainly as Jesus rose from the grave, He is returning soon.
Are you ready for His return? Are you telling others that Jesus is our soon-returning King? I hope you know what it means to have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and I hope you are telling as many other people as you can about our soon coming King!
If you have missed any of the messages in this series called Who Is Jesus?, you can find them all here.
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Did The Resurrection Happen … Really? (book review)
April 1, 2013 — Craig T. Owens
Josh McDowell is an amazing apologist! He has a tremendous knack for being able to “put the cookies on the bottom shelf.” By that I mean that he can make complex topics accessible to a wider audience than most authors. In Did The Resurrection Happen … Really? he and Dave Sterrett do just that with some great arguments for and against the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This book is classified as fiction, because fictional characters are having a discussion at a fictional university about the deep subjects of life and death, and life after death. Although the characters are fictional, the questions being discussed are real, and the sources quoted in defense of each side of the argument are all non-fictional.
McDowell and Sterrett (who are Christian apologists) don’t dumb-down the arguments against the claims of an actual physical death and an actual physical resurrection. They quote from some of the most well-known proponents of these arguments, and then thoughtfully and persuasively rebut those claims.
Because this book is written in a conversational style, it bring the reader right into the coffee chats of the characters. It also helps the reader see how he/she could have a similar dialogue with others who question the biblical account of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The book is well footnoted, so curious readers can dig deeper and research further. But don’t let this fact lead you to believe that this is a heady, academic book. As I mentioned earlier, McDowell and Sterrett definitely make these concepts accessible to a wide audience.
This would be an excellent book to read if you have friends who are skeptical to the biblical account. It would also be a very good resource for those preparing to attend a university where the faculty might be more antagonistic toward the biblical worldview. In any case, it was a very enjoyable and educational book.
No Conspiracies Here
April 1, 2013 — Craig T. OwensListen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
Could it really be this simple? Could it be that Jesus died and rose again just like the Bible says? Or does it need to be more complicated than that? Are there other theories that seem to fit the facts?
At the feast of Pentecost where Jewish people from all over the world convened in Jerusalem just 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus, Peter stood up to address them:
- He began, “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem…” (Acts 2:14). He addressed both local residents and guests from faraway lands.
- Peter began by saying, “Jesus of Nazareth was a Man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you, as you yourselves know” (v. 22). No one shouted Peter down or disputed this claim. Quite possibly because there were those in this audience who had personally seen or experienced one of Jesus’ miracles.
- The he announced, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact” (v. 32). Anyone could have easily refuted this claim because the tomb of Jesus was within walking distance of where they were standing, and yet no one disputed this claim.
(Check out all of the Scripture references in this post by clicking here.)
A short time later, after healing a lame man outside of the temple, Peter and John were hauled before the Sanhedrin (the rulers and elders of the people [Acts 4:8]). This was the very group who had convinced the Roman governor Pontius Pilate to have Jesus crucified.
- They addresses this group by saying, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified but Whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed” (v. 10). Once again, they didn’t dispute this, but they just told them to stop preaching in this name of Jesus (v. 17).
Paul was a devout member of this Jewish religious leadership until he had a personal encounter with Jesus. It became awfully difficult for Paul to argue that Jesus was dead, when he had personally seen Him and talked with Him!
Paul’s former colleagues had him arrested to stand trial before the Romans. The Roman governor Festus noted that the claims of the Jews against Paul were “about a dead man named Jesus Who Paul claimed was alive” (Acts 25:19). This is nearly 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus occurred. King Agrippa didn’t scoff this off. In fact, Paul said he was glad to talk to the king since “the king is familiar with these things…. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26). Again, Agrippa didn’t dispute the claim of Jesus’ resurrection, but simply accused Paul of trying to convert him to Christianity.
There is something in our hearts that wants the resurrection to be true.
- We don’t want to work all our lives for nothing.
- We don’t want to invest in a relationship, only to have that end when the other person dies.
- We want there to be something more. We want there to be something that makes sense of the world.
- Only the resurrection of Jesus the Christ helps us make sense of life. Only His resurrection gives us lasting hope.
An old song by the band Kansas says:
Deep within the hardest heart
There is something there that knows
There’s a hunger life can never fill
Til you face the One Who rose
There were two followers of Jesus who were out for a walk on the evening of the day of the resurrection. They, too, were trying to figure out if the news reports they heard about Jesus’ resurrection was fact or fiction. Jesus met them on the road (although they didn’t recognize Him) and He walked and talked with them. He explained how all of the things in the Bible pointed to these facts: a Savior would come, a Savior would die, and a Savior would be raised to life again. As Jesus sat down to eat with them, they recognized Who He was, and then He disappeared from their sight. As they hurried back to tell the other disciples, they said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as He talked” (Luke 24:32).
Does it take faith to believe the biblical resurrection story? Yes!
Does it take faith to believe the conspiracy theories? Yes!
But I believe that not only is the resurrection account more plausible, but it’s more satisfying too. The resurrection of Jesus rings true because IT IS TRUE, and because you were created by God to believe this truth so you could be in a relationship with Him forever.
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