I know I am a bit biased, because this speaker is my cousin, but this might be one of the most powerful missions messages I have ever heard. Wow, it hit me hard!
Christians, please take 30 minutes to watch this—
Questions About Your Heart
July 27, 2015 — Craig T. OwensLive Blessed And Peaceful
July 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
I think most people are familiar with Spock’s famous Vulcan hand signal that means “Live long and prosper.” But long before Star Trek, the origins of this idea were displayed in the pages of Scripture.
The Hebrew word for grace or favor is first used in relation to Noah: “BUT Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). The conjunction BUT at the beginning of this verse tells us that the favor Noah experienced is being contrasted to something exactly the opposite. Here’s what we read two verses earlier, “The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain” (v. 6).
Noah had to make a choice: would he fear God, or would he fear man. It’s a choice we all have to make today. We have to weigh and decide:
- Fear of God vs. fear of man
- Pleasing God vs. pleasing myself or someone “important” to me
- Humble reliance on God vs. self-reliance
- Objective obedience to God vs. subjective agreement when it feels okay
In the section of Psalm 119 called shin (vv. 161-168), the psalmist wrestled with this as well. He decided that he wasn’t going to be afraid of government officials that could persecute him, BUT “my heart trembles at Your Word.” He decided that he wouldn’t look for worldly treasures, BUT he would “rejoice in Your promise” (v. 162). That he wouldn’t praise temporary things, BUT “I praise You for Your righteous laws” (v. 164). That he wouldn’t try to find satisfaction in the temporary, BUT he would bask in the “great peace [for them] who love Your law” (v. 165). On and on it goes…
- …I wait for YOUR salvation
- …I follow YOUR commands
- …I obey YOUR statutes
- …I obey YOUR precepts (vv. 166-168)
People that live this way experience the same favor and grace that Noah experienced.
The Lord BLESS you and keep you; the Lord make His face SHINE upon you and be GRACIOUS to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you PEACE. (Numbers 6:24-26)
You can live blessed and peaceful by choosing God above all else!
Next Sunday we wrap up our series on the 119th Psalm, and I would love it if you can join us!
Here is the video from yesterday’s message—
If you have missed any of the messages in our P119 series, you can access them all by clicking here.
10 Quotes On Learning From “Brain-Savvy Leaders”
July 26, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
Charles Stone has given us a great resource to understand how our brain works, which gives us tremendous insight into increasing the depth of interpersonal interactions. You can read my review of Brain-Savvy Leaders by clicking here. Below are some quotes from this book about learning. Unless otherwise noted, the quotes are from Charles Stone.
“Science and theology have things to say to each other, since both are concerned with the search for truth attained through motivated belief.” —Dr. John Polkinghorne
“If what we claim about Jesus Christ is true, then evangelical should be among the most active, most serious, and most open minded advocates of general human learning. Evangelical hesitation about scholarship in general or about pursuing learning wholeheartedly is, in other words, antithetical to the Christ-centered basis of evangelical faith.” —Mark Noll
“I want to know how God created this world, I am not interested in this for that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details.” —Albert Einstein
“God gave us a brain not just because our body and needed a command and control center to direct it but because God enjoys seeing us steward our brains for His glory.”
“Only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light.” —Pope Paul VI
“The light of Christ illuminates the laboratory, His speech is the fountain of communication, He makes possible the study of humans in all their interactions, He is the source of all life, by the wherewithal for every achievement of human civilization, He is the telos of all that is beautiful. He is, among other titles, the Christ of the Academic Road.” —Mark Noll
“What we pay attention to can actually change our brain’s neural pathways—their plasticity. If you regularly read, study, and apply God’s Word, you will create connections in your brain that reinforce a biblical worldview.”
“We can’t separate how our brains work from how the Holy Spirit works in us to create change in our hearts and in our character. Emotional control is not a passive process. It requires our intentional effort to work with the Holy Spirit. … God has wired our brains to support His promises.”
“Coffee, caffeinated drinks (but not too many), exercise, and novelty can increase the amount of these neurotransmitters and get us into a more productive and focused state.”
“Scientists will never fully unpack the brain’s mysteries, because it’s so interwoven with our soul that it transcends complete understanding. Nevertheless, I believe that a thirst for learning points to a healthy leader.”
Links & Quotes
July 25, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“Reading the Bible is a good preparative for prayer, as prayer is an excellent means to render reading effectual.” —George Whitefield
“God would have remained hidden afar off if Christ’s splendor had not beamed upon us.” —John Calvin
“In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect [party] of the candidate—look to his character. … It is alleged by men of loose principles or defective views of the subject that religion and morality are not necessary or important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men ‘who rule in the fear of God, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness.’” —Noah Webster
“During the gold rush, the people who made the most money were the ones selling the shovels.” —Russell Brunson
Husbands, here are 8 things your wife should expect from you.
Murray Vassar has another great cartoon. Click the picture or here to see the rest…
Seth Godin always makes me think. Like this post called Opposition—
The opposite of creativity is fear.
And fear’s enemy is creativity.
The opposite of yes is maybe.
Because maybe is non-definitive, and both yes and no give us closure and the chance to move ahead.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
Us is not the enemy of them. Us is the opposite of alone.
They can become us as soon as we permit it.
Everything is the opposite of okay. Everything can never be okay. Except when we permit it.
The right is not the opposite of the left. Each side has the chance to go up, which is precisely the opposite of down.
Dreams are not the opposite of reality. Dreams inform reality.
[VIDEO] John Maxwell makes me think, too. Here he does it with a bit of humor—
Defending Your Pro-Life Stance
July 25, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
If someone asked you why you oppose abortion, but said they wouldn’t listen to a list of verses from the Bible, could you defend your pro-life stance?
Scott Klusendorf shows you how to do this in less than two minutes. Watch…
The links that Scott mentions in the video about life beginning at fertilization are found here.
Links & Quotes
July 24, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“Parents! I do hope you are all endeavoring to bring your children to Christ by teaching them the things of God. Let them not be strangers to the plan of salvation. Never let it be said that a child of yours reached years in which his conscience could act, and he could judge between good and evil, without knowing the doctrine of the atonement, without understanding the great substitutionary work of Christ. Set before your child life and death, hell and heaven, judgment and mercy, his own sin, and Christ’s most precious blood; and as you set these before him, labor with him, persuade him, as the apostle did his congregation, with tears and weeping, to turn unto the Lord.” —Charles Spurgeon
“The role of God’s Word is to feed faith’s appetite for God. And, in doing this, it weans my heart away from the deceptive taste of lust. … As I pray for my faith to be satisfied with God’s life and peace, the sword of the Spirit carves the sugar coating off the poison of lust. I see it for what it is. And by the grace of God, its alluring power is broken.” —John Piper
“This triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.” —G.K. Chesterton
“Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking … yourself is talking to you!” —Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Planned Parenthood updates:
Ultrasounds = good for saving babies, bad for Planned Parenthood’s business.
Earlier this week I shared a list of companies who support Planned Parenthood (at least PP had listed them as supporters on its website). Here’s what these companies said when they were contacted by The Daily Signal. Good news: It appears that many of them are not supporting PP financially.
Hopefully this cartoon doesn’t describe you… (click the link or the picture to see the rest of it).
Spurgeon: Speak Up For Your Master
July 23, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“The servants of satan shame me; they shame me! There comes at night a message to some of you who are the servants of satan—‘The master is come, and calleth for thee.’ You leave your wife and your children without a tear, you go to your master’s house, and there are foul cups passing round, and you will drink, and drink still on; never denying your master; confessing him with many an oath; saying to your comrades many things which injure your poor souls; and yet you do it so bravely. You hardly know how you get home at night, but when the morning comes, and you wake, there is the redness of the eyes, the headache, and the sickness; but the next night when your master wants you, you go again; and so you will do year after year, even though delirium tears you like a whirlwind.
“But here am I, a servant of God, and when my Master calls for me and bids me go and confess Him, I am tempted to be still, and when He tells me to speak to yonder man I would wickedly avoid the task; and whereas you confess your master and imprecate a curse upon your head, how often do some of us confess our Master as timidly as if we feared a curse, when instead thereof it is by confession that the curse is turned away! It is enough to make us Christians ashamed to think how sinners will confess their god! Hear them at night, as they reel home through the streets; they are not ashamed of their lord and master. Hear how they swear, and defy heaven! They are ashamed of nothing for their lord; and yet we, who have heaven for our reward, and such a Christ to serve, and One so good and gracious to us—look at us! What poor lovers of our Savior are we! What poor lovers of the souls of men!” —Charles Spurgeon (emphasis added)
I am convicted by this. How about you?
Links & Quotes
July 22, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“Be not satisfied, my dear friends, with being saved; desire to know how you are saved, why you are saved, the method by which you are saved. It is a rock on which you stand, I know, but think upon the questions—how you were put upon that rock, by whose love you came there, and why that love was set on you. I would to God that all the members of this church were not only in Christ Jesus, but understood Him, and knew by the assurance of the understanding whereunto they have attained.” —Charles Spurgeon
“I get the impression that some Christians think there are two kinds of history, two kinds of time. First, there is Bible time, and Bible history. Things happened in the Bible that were unique, and that we don’t expect to see happen in normal time and history, where we live, you know, today. Things like God doing extraordinary acts of deliverance, help, and support, or extraordinary empowerments for witness or service. Like Moses leading the people out of Egypt, or Joshua leading them to subdue the land of promise, or David leading an entire nation to build a glorious temple for the Lord. That was then, many Christians seem to think; this is now. But when we think this way we may be cutting ourselves off from one of the most powerful resources for visionary leadership, and that is the promise of the past … Visionary leaders understand that God has done remarkable, nearly incredible things in the past, and they reach back and recall those mighty works of God in order to encourage His people in the present. They recognize that the straight line of the covenant continues from Scripture through Church history right down to our day.” —T.M. Moore
“The psalmist does not yield. He battles unbelief with counterattack. In essence, he says, ‘In myself I feel very weak and helpless and unable to cope. My body is shot and my heart is almost dead. But whatever the reason for this despondency, I will not yield. I will trust God and not myself. He is my strength and my portion’ [Psalm 73:26]. … God has put these testimonies in the Bible so that we might use them to fight the unbelief of despondency.” —John Piper
Yesterday I posted a book review about our brains. Here is 11 things you need to know to keep your brain healthy.
“If homosexuals are bullied, we need to protect them. If they’re unjustly discriminated against, we need to help them. If they’re treated with contempt, the person hurting them should be stopped. If a family member comes out as gay and then is belittled, harmed, or vilified, then the offending family needs to be corrected. If Christians ridicule people who identify as gay or lesbian, they need to admonished. If a church doesn’t welcome seekers of all stripes (including people who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual), then it needs to change. But none of these circumstances are reasons to reinterpret Scripture to affirm homosexuality” (emphasis mine). Read more in Bad Reasons To Adopt Pro-Gay Theology.
More Planned Parenthood Ugliness
July 22, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
As the deplorable practices of Planned Parenthood keeping coming to light, the Planned Parenthood leadership keeps piling on the lies. The bottom line: they are in business to make money, and scared, vulnerable women are their main source of income.
An undercover video was released last week showing a Planned Parenthood doctor discussing the sale of body parts from aborted babies. Planned Parenthood, predictably, said it was untrue. Now another video has been released in which the price for these murdered babies is being negotiated. Watch it for yourself—
During the 2014 elections, Planned Parenthood and its PACs donated almost $700,000 to politicians that are supportive of their appalling practices. Check out the list of candidates who received bloody money here. We can put a stop to these barbaric practices at Planned Parenthood by voting for pro-life candidates that will pull the plug on the nearly $500 million of our tax money which subsidizes this abortion giant.
Here’s another way to get Planned Parenthood to stop: Stop buying from the companies that donate to Planned Parenthood. The list of the top 40 companies that donate to Planned Parenthood is here. **IMPORTANT UPDATE** many of these companies, it turns out, aren’t supporting PP. Check this out.
Importunity
July 22, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
Importunity is not a word that pops up in everyday conversation, but the concept permeates Scripture. Check out these words from Jesus—
I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is a friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. (Luke 11:8 NIV)
Boldness here in the NIV is translated IMPORTUNITY in the King James Version. It’s the only time this Greek word is used in the New Testament, and it is used in context to prayer (see vv. 1-4). The English and Greek dictionaries both agree on the definition of importunity…
…urgent, shameless asking, sometimes to the point of being annoying!
This is how Jesus tells us to pray.
Notice Jesus said the friend responded not out of friendship, but because of the importunate attitude.
God responds to our importunity as well (vv. 9-10). He responds not as an annoyed friend and not even as a loving earthly father (vv. 11-12). Friends and fathers have moods and they have limits—Our God has no limit on His love nor on His supply!
“He will give him as much as he needs … Ask and it will be given to you… How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (vv. 8, 9, 13).
“Our giving depends much on the state of our minds at the moment. When depressed, we have no pleasure in giving; we either refuse, or we give merely to get quit of the applicant. Darkness of mind shrivels us up, makes us selfish, neglectful of others. When full of joy, giving seems our element—our joy overflows in this way; we cannot help giving; we delight in applications; we seek opportunities of giving. So with the blessed God. Being altogether happy, His delight is to give; His perfect blessedness flows out in giving. We can never come wrongly to such an infinitely happy Being.” —Horatius Bonar (emphasis added)
May the Holy Spirit help us to be importunate in our prayer today, for you can never come wrongly—nor too often—to such a happy, loving, generous Father!
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