Here are the books I read and reviewed in 2015. Click a title to read the review…
A Sketch of the Life of George Whitefield
The Surprising Imagination of C.S. Lewis
Here are my book reviews for 2011.
Here are my book reviews for 2012.
Here are my book reviews for 2013.
Here are my book reviews for 2014.
Our week of prayer continues today with this prayer focus—
Pray that in the midst of impossible circumstances, doubt will be replaced by absolute trust in God’s promise to intervene in your need or circumstance.
When I pray, I love to pray God’s Word. Perhaps on Monday you could pray something like this:
Jesus, You said if I have faith as small as a mustard seed, I can say to this mountain—this “impossible thing” in my life—“Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible [Matthew 17:20]. It was impossible for death to hold You, Jesus, so I know that no word from You will ever fail [Acts 2:24; Luke 1:37].
I have some seemingly “impossible” situations in my life. There is a relationship that seems beyond repair … there is a doctor’s diagnosis that seems terminal … there is a financial debt that seems like a bottomless pit … there is a situation that seems hopeless. But things that seem like they’re terminal, impossible and hopeless to man are perfect opportunities for You to do what only You can do. I put my absolute trust in You. I believe that You are going to do what others say is impossible, so that all will see Your unequaled greatness. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray, Amen.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
One of the best ways to learn how to pray is not to read about prayer. It’s not even to listen to other people pray. The best way to learn how to pray is … to pray!
Can you imagine a baby thinking to herself, “I’m not going to start talking until I’ve got the English language nearly mastered. I need to brush up on my vocabulary and have a few tongue-twisters handy, and then I’ll start talking”? Of course not!
Babies learn to talk by talking! Well, perhaps they learn by babbling first. But ask any parent, and they will tell you that those first da-da, ma-ma, ba-ba sounds are like music in their ears!
It’s the same way with our Heavenly Father. He’s not waiting for you to be a prayer expert (whatever that is!) before you start talking with Him. Even if your attempt at praying sounds like a baby’s babbling to you, those attempts are sweet sounds to our loving Heavenly Father.
One verse about Jesus gives us four practical prayer tips to help us practice praying—
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. (Mark 1:35)
Check out these four prayer tips:
1. early in the morning. This speaks to me of priority. I want to talk with God before I talk with anyone else—before I make my plans for the day, or even before I have any major decisions to make.
Practical application: I need to go to bed on time.
2. Jesus got up. This was a physical change of position to make sure He was alert.
Practical application: Don’t try to pray laying in bed, but find a posture where I am most alert; maybe even go for a walk while I pray.
3. left the house [and] went to a solitary place. He left the familiar and left any distractions behind. Some translations of Matthew 6:6 say we should go into our prayer closet.
Practical application: Find a place that’s just for prayer, then eliminate the distractions (like turning off my phone).
4. He prayed. This Greek word is used 87 times in the New Testament and it means … PRAY. There’s nothing wrong with reading the Bible, or listening to worship music, but I shouldn’t allow these activities to substitute for prayer.
Practical application: My mind can wander when I’m praying unless I’m intentional about staying focused. So I keep a list of things I want to pray about, and I keep a blank piece of paper ready for things that come to my mind. Both of these things keep my mind from wandering away from prayer.
How about you: Can you make prayer a priority? Can you find a place and posture that will help you pray? What can you do to stay focused while you’re praying?
Remember: the best way to learn how to pray is to pray. Get started today! Your Father is waiting to hear your sweet voice!
You may also be interested in my post Continually learning to pray.
I’ll be continuing our series on Practical Prayer this Sunday. If you don’t have a home church in Cedar Springs, I’d love to have you join us. Otherwise, you can tune in to our live broadcast via Periscope.
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We are starting the New Year with a time of prayer. Each day of this week has a special prayer focus, as we believe God for greater things in 2016.
Sunday’s focus—
Pray that God will stir faith in your heart to accomplish greater things than you could imagine in and through your life this year.
When I pray, I love to pray God’s Word. Perhaps on Sunday you could pray something like this:
Jesus, You told me that whoever believes in You will do the works You have been doing. Not only that, but also I will be able to do even greater things than those, all because You are going to the Father to intercede for me. You also said that You will do whatever I ask in Your name, so that my Heavenly Father may be glorified in You. You promised me that I may ask You for anything in Your name, and You will do it. [John 14:12-14]
I don’t want 2016 to be just “another” year. I don’t believe You desire for 2016 to be a year of status quo in my life. You are able to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within me, so that You will receive all the glory! [Ephesians 3:20-21]. So I am believing You to do things in my life I never even imagined before. I am ready! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Oh how unlike the complex works of man,Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
If you’re looking to challenge yourself to be a better person in the New Year, you couldn’t go wrong with this list—
(Hat tip to the apostle Paul for this list taken from Romans 12:9-21)
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I remember when I was searching for my first job, and I kept getting turned down because I didn’t have any “experience.” And I kept thinking, “How am I supposed to get any experience if you won’t hire me?!” It’s frustrating being in a place where the only way you can get the job is to have experience, which you can’t get because you don’t have the job!
Sadly, I think this is how many people—even many Christians—feel about prayer.
Mature Christians say, “You need to pray.” But newer Christians keep thinking, “I don’t have the experience to allow me to come into God’s presence, because I haven’t been praying before. Does God even want to hear from me now?” It can be frustrating being in a place where you feel the only way you can get to God is to have advanced prayer experience, which you can’t get because you don’t know how to pray that way!
This Sunday I am beginning a new nuts-and-bolts series on how anyone can learn what prayer really is. We will be looking at some of the most basic things that anyone can do to get the prayer experience they need. The series will be called Practical Prayer, and I believe everyone is going to find it highly practical.
I hope you can join me at 10:30am this Sunday. If you cannot join us in person, be sure to check out our live broadcast on Periscope every week (search for @craigtowens).
Although written over 300 years ago, and written in Old English, John Bunyan’s instructions in Christian Behavior still ring true today. You can read my full book review by clicking here. Below are just a few quotes; I’ll be sharing more soon.
“Faith alone can see the reality of what the Gospel saith.”
“God’s people are faithful in good works according to the proportion of their faith. If they be slender in good works, it is because they are weak in faith. … Therefore the way to be a more fruitful Christian; it is to be stronger in believing.”
“I shall propound unto you what it is for a work to be rightly good. First, a good work must have the Word for its authority. Second, it must, as of afore was said, flow from faith. Third, it must be both rightly timed and rightly placed. Fourth, it must be done willingly, cheerfully.”
“Good things mistimed are fruitless, unprofitable, and vain.”
“There are three things that a man should have in his eye in every work he doth. First, the honor of God (1 Corinthians 6:20). Second, the edification of his neighbor (1 Corinthians 14:26). Third, the expediency or inexpediency of what I am to do (1 Corinthians 6:12).”
In a section to the head of the household—
“But mark, when the Word saith thou art to provide for thy house, it giveth thee no license to distracting carefulness; neither doth it allow thee to strive to grasp the world in thy heart, or coffers, nor to take care for years or days to come, but so to provide for them, that they may have food and raiment; and if either they or thou be not content with that, you launch out beyond the rule of God (1 Timothy 6:8; Matthew 6:34).”
“Take heed of driving so hard after this world as to hinder thyself and family from those duties towards God which thou art by grace obliged to: as private prayer, reading the Scriptures, and Christian conference. It is a base thing for men so to spend themselves and families after this world as that they disengage their heart to God’s worship.”
In a section to husbands—
“When husbands behave themselves like husbands indeed, then will they be not only husbands, but such an ordinance of God to the wife, as will preach to her the carriage of Christ to his spouse. There is a sweet scent wrapped up in the relations of husbands and wives that believe (Ephesians 4:32).”
“Oh! How little sense of the worth of souls is there in the heart of some husbands, as is manifest by their unchristian carriage to and before their wives! … Beware that she takes no occasion from any unseemly carriage of design to proceed in evil. And here thou hast need to double thy diligence, for she lieth in thy bosom, and therefore is capable of his espying the least miscarriage in thee.”
“If she behave herself unseemly and unruly, as she is subject to do, being Christless and graceless, then labor thou to overcome her evil with thy goodness, her forwardness with thy patience and meekness. Take fit opportunities to convince her. Observe her disposition, and when she is most likely to bear, then speak to her very heart. When thou speakest, speak to purpose. Let all be done without rancor, or the least appearance of anger.”
More quotes from Christian Behavior coming soon…
Charles Spurgeon said of John Bunyan, “Read anything of his, and you will see that it is almost like reading the Bible itself. He had read it till his very soul was saturated with Scripture…. Prick him anywhere—his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is full of the Word of God. I commend his example to you, beloved.” This is so true of Bunyan’s short treatise Christian Behavior.
Bunyan wanted Christians to behave like, well, Christians! He wrote, “They which have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.” He was quick to point out that good works don’t purchase salvation, but that Christian good works should be evidence of a person’s salvation.
His main text for this book comes from Titus 3:7-8. Of this passage he says,
“From this Scripture, therefore, I do gather these things observable: First, that good works do to flow from faith. Second, that everyone that believeth should be careful that their works be good. Third, that every believer should not only be careful that their works be good, and for the present do them, but should also be careful to maintain them. That is, they should carefully study to keep in a constant course of good works. Fourth, and lastly, that the best way to provoke both ourselves and others to this work, is to be often affirming to others the doctrine of justification by grace, and to believe it ourselves.”
Bunyan talks to husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, children, employers and employees, to challenge them to maintain those good works that would show others the admirable qualities of the Christian life. Even though Christian Behavior was written over 300 years ago, it’s message is as timeless as the Bible on which all of Bunyan’s thoughts were based.
The last Sunday of each year I take some time with our church family to look back to review what we’ve learned. Then we look forward to a theme God is impressing on us for the new year. Check it out here—
Craig T. Owens 