March | 2015 | Craig T. Owens

March 2015
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31

Countdown To Zero Day (book review)

March 3, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

I don’t typically read fiction books. So when I first began reading Countdown To Zero Day by Kim Zetter, I had to stop to double-check that what I was reading wan’t fiction. This book had such a gripping storyline from the opening page that it sounded just like a novel.

But it’s not. It’s a real story with possible deadly consequences for the computerized world.

Countdown To Zero Day is like a detective story or a spy thriller, where different groups are trying to unravel the mystery of a highly-advanced computer virus that appears to only be effecting a specific type of computer. The story alternates back and forth between the cyber-sleuths unraveling the Stuxnet virus, and a group from the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) trying to reveal Iran’s attempts to coverup their advancing nuclear weapons programs.

I really liked the format of the book. Kim wrote the book for computer techies that understand much of the computer jargon and basic operations of computer viruses, but for those who are technically-challenged, the abundance of footnotes will quickly allow the reader to feel more technically savvy.

The book follows this one particular case to address the larger question: Is cyber-warfare the next threat for all of us to address? That’s a good question, and the book allows lots of world experts to weigh-in. Techies and non-techies alike will enjoy this book!

I am a Random House book reviewer.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: book review, computer, cyber-terrorism, IAEA, Iran, technology, virus, warfare. 1 Comment »

Links & Quotes

March 2, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“There is a burden of care in getting riches; fear in keeping them; temptation in using them; guilt in abusing them; sorrow in losing them; and a burden of account at last to be given concerning them.” —Matthew Henry

“Don’t imagine I doubt for a moment that what God sends us must be sent in love and will all be for the best if we have grace to use it so. My mind doesn’t waver on this point; my feelings sometimes do. That’s why it does me good to hear what I believe repeated in your voice….” ―C.S. Lewis

“Our comfort comes not from the powerlessness of our enemies, but from our Father’s sovereign rule over their power.” —John Piper

Have you seen all the videos of one of Obamacare’s architects, Jonathan Gruber? Here is the story behind the man, Rich Weinstein, who unearthed all of these clips and exposed the outright lies and hypocrisy. And this video compilation is just a sampling of the lies—

Charles Spurgeon On Humility

March 2, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“How careful should we be when we do anything for God, and God is pleased to accept of our doings, that we never congratulate ourselves. The minister of Christ should unrobe himself of every rag of praise. ‘You preached well,’ said a friend to John Bunyan one morning. ‘You are too late,’ said honest John, ‘the devil told me that before I left the pulpit.’ The devil often tells God’s servants a great many things which they should be sorry to hear. Why, you can hardly be useful in a Sunday School but he will say to you ‘How well you have done it!’ You can scarcely resist a temptation, or set a good example, but he will be whispering to you ‘What an excellent person you must be!’ It is, perhaps, one of the hardest struggles of the Christian life to learn this sentence—‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory.’ Now God is so jealous on this point that, while He will forgive His own servants a thousand things, this is an offense for which He is sure to chasten us. Let a believer once say, ‘I am,’ and God will soon make him say ‘I am not.’ Let a Christian begin to boast, ‘I can do all things,’ without adding ‘through Christ which strengtheneth me,’ and before long he will have to groan, ‘I can do nothing,’ and bemoan himself. Many sins of true Christians, I do not doubt, have been the result of their glorifying themselves. Many a man has been permitted by God to stain a noble character and to ruin an admirable reputation, because the character and the reputation had come to be the man’s own, instead of being laid, as all our crowns must be laid, at the feet of Christ.” —Charles Spurgeon

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: character, Charles Spurgeon, Christian, devil, humility, Jesus Christ, John Bunyan, quotes, reputation, sin, temptation. 2 Comments »

What God Is Building

March 2, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

I love the drawings of M.C. Escher. But some of his sketches are clearly optical illusions we all know couldn’t work in the real world. We don’t have to be architects or engineers or builders to know that for a building to be functional it has to have (1) a solid foundation, (2) it must be built with quality materials, and (3) it must be constructed by someone who knows what he/she is doing.

The Apostle Paul tells us that (1) Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the sure foundation, (2) you and I—God’s saints—are the quality building materials that are being used, and (3) the Holy Spirit knows exactly what He is doing as He joins us together.

A cornerstone is the first stone set in the construction, the reference point for all other stone, which determines the position of the entire structure. Christ Jesus Himself is the cornerstone of His Church (Ephesians 2:20b). Orientated to that cornerstone we have the foundation of the apostles and prophets (2:20a).

This foundation is the Word of God (2 Peter 1:19-2:3 and 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5). We dare not try to replace, nullify, update, or change His Word. Not would this cause the foundation to crumble, but there are dire consequences for the one who tries to do so (Revelation 22:18-19).

On this foundation, God is constructing three things, each one growing in its level of intimacy with Him and with the surrounding saints:

God’s household (Ephesians 2:19)—this Greek word means a family home.
the whole building (Ephesians 2:21a)—this is a specific part of the family home used for prayer and fellowship.
a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21b)—this is the same word used for the Holy Place and Holy of Holies in the tabernacle.

God’s Presence dwells in us individually, but collectively we make a more powerful statement (1 Corinthians 3:16). There is a far greater testimony to the world when individuals willingly and actively allow themselves to be built together; when Christians give up their personal agendas to say, “I want to be a part of something bigger than me—I want to be a part of we.”

We must study God’s Word to make sure we are building on the same foundation. We must allow our lives to be quality building materials. We must allow the Holy Spirit to build us together through prayer and fellowship! This becomes the fulfillment of the prayer Jesus Himself prayed for us (John 17:20-23).

This was the last message (for this time) in our series on the Book of Ephesians. I hope to be able to continue this study next year.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostle Paul, architecture, Bible, building, Calvary Assembly of God, church, engineering, Ephesians, fellowship, God's presence, God's Word, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, M.C. Escher, prayer, Revelation, saints, sanctuary, sermon, temple, video. 2 Comments »

Links & Quotes

March 1, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“May we have none of our own-manufactured graces about us. May we have nothing but that which is minted in Heaven, and is therefore made of the pure metal. May we have no grace, pray no prayer, do no works, serve God in nothing except as we depend upon His strength and receive His Spirit.” —Charles Spurgeon

“Above God, there are no higher courts. If God is the One Who acquits you—declares you righteous in His sight—no one can appeal, no one can call for a mistrial, no one can look for other counts against you. God’s sentence is final and total. So hear this, all who will believe on Jesus, and become united to Christ, and show yourself among the elect: God is the One who justifies you. Not a human judge. Not a great prophet. Not an archangel from heaven. But God, the Creator of the world and Owner of all things and Ruler of the universe and every molecule and person in it, God is the One Who justifies you [Romans 8:33].” —John Piper

Here is a very nice article about the En Gedi Youth Center, the organization for which I have the privilege of serving as the director.

“It is very possible that if we were more thoroughly Christians the world would more heartily detest us, and if we would cleave more closely to Christ we might expect to receive more slander, more abuse, less tolerance, and less favor from men.” —Charles Spurgeon

[VIDEO] Amazing time-lapse pictures of solar activity from NASA—