Craig T. Owens

January 2026
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Links & Quotes

October 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“There is a sacred art in being able to handle the shield of faith. Let me explain to you how that can be. You will handle it well if you are able to quote the promises of God against the attacks of your enemy.” —Charles Spurgeon

“Action is eloquence, and the eyes of the ignorant are more learned than their ears.” —William Shakespeare

“It is vain to expect any advantage from our profession of the truth, if we be not sincerely just and honest in our actions.” —Archbishop Sharpe

John Stonestreet discusses the dangers of rushing to legalize marijuana. Also check out my book review of Going To Pot by William Bennett, and some quotes from that book here.

Max Lucado reminds us, “God’s grace is greater than your failures.” Read more about how God uses failures.

Detroit Tigers fans know this is obvious: Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker should be in the baseball Hall of Fame!

“Science is finally catching up with the truth and its findings are simple: porn is harmful. Did you know that porn can mess with your head, seriously rewiring the actual chemistry of your brain?” Read more in this Fight The New Drug’s post.

Look at the cold, hard data: strong marriages and families build a strong economy.

Abolishing Abortion (book review)

October 27, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

If you have been frustrated by the confusing or weak messages coming from the pro-life movement, or if you want to know more about what you can do to help end the atrocious practice of abortion in our country, Abolishing Abortion by Rev. Frank Pavone is the right book for you.

Father Pavone is actively and vocally involved in numerous pro-life groups, so he speaks with the voice of real-world, frontline experience. His counsel in this book is not theoretical, but highly practical. It’s especially practical information for the average citizen. After all, the subtitle of his book is “How YOU can play a part in ending the greatest evil of our day” (I added the emphasis on “you”).

Rev. Pavone dismantles some of the myths and scare tactics of the pro-abortion group. He tells us in layman’s terms how the pro-life community doesn’t have to keep as quiet as we have been led to believe. Then he gives us strategies for taking the conversation to a level where real, life-saving changes can be made.

I found Abolishing Abortion to be a very hope-filled book. Reading Father Pavone’s words gave me hope that this evil of abortion might even be eradicated during my lifetime! But this can only happen if more and more life- and liberty-loving Americans will step up and speak out. This book will give you the courage and the resources to do just that.

I am a Thomas Nelson book reviewer.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: abortion, book review, Frank Pavone, government, IRS, pro-life. 6 Comments »

Links & Quotes

October 26, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“Suppose you talk about depending on God and how wonderful it is, and then others see that in your own immediate concerns you do not depend on Him a bit, but on your own wits, it makes them say, ‘Well, after all, it’s a big pretense, there is no Almighty Christ to depend on anywhere, it is all mere sentiment.’ The impression left is that Jesus Christ is not real to you.” —Oswald Chambers

“The law is meant to lead the sinner to faith in Christ by showing the impossibility of any other way.” —Charles Spurgeon

“The truth is that evil is not a real thing at all, like God. It is simply good spoiled. That is why I say there can be good without evil, but no evil without good. You know what the biologists mean by a parasite—an animal that lives on another animal. Evil is a parasite. It is there only because good is there for it to spoil and confuse.” —C.S. Lewis

“The great missionary hope is that when the gospel is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, God Himself does what man cannot do—He creates the faith that saves.” —John Piper

“Men do less than they ought unless they do all that they can.” —Thomas Carlyle

“Pastors—and not just pastors—avoid confronting issues such as cohabitation, divorce, consumerism, materialism, and greed rather than risk negative outcomes if we confront. But we do each other no favors by assiduously avoiding conflicts over faith and morality. When we do, individuals suffer, the Church suffers, and the culture has a heyday pointing out our hypocrisy.” Read more from Jim Tonkowich’s devotional here.

Dan Reiland speaks mostly to church leaders in his post Desperate Leaders. He writes, “Desperate leaders need people more than they lead people. When you are under pressure, lack confidence, and not sure how to make things work, it’s easy to want more from your people than for your people.”

[VIDEO] Tim Dilena tells us how God helps us when we are people of integrity.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: action, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, confrontation, Dan Reiland, evil, faith in action, help, integrity, Jesus Christ, John Piper, law, leadership, missionary, Oswald Chambers, pastors, quotes, salvation, sin, Thomas Carlyle, Tim Dilena, video. Leave a Comment »

Alien Government

October 26, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Perhaps you can relate to one or more of these quotes about our government:

“Government is like a baby: …a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.” —Ronald Reagan
“If you ever injected truth into politics you have no politics.” —Will Rogers
“The word ‘politics’ is derived from the word ‘poly,’ meaning ‘many,’ and the word ‘ticks,’ meaning ‘blood sucking parasites.’” —Larry Hardiman
“Politics have no relation to morals.” —Nicolo Machiavelli

But if you are a Christian, the Bible calls you to not give in to the cynicism that many feel toward our government. As aliens and strangers on Earth, we are called to to interact with government officials in a peculiar way.

In a single word, the Bible calls us to submit. The Greek word that both Peter (1 Peter 2:13) and Paul use (Romans 13:1, 5) has a couple of definitions. On the one hand it carries a military meaning to arrange troops under the command of a leader. On the other hand, it’s also a voluntary attitude of cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden for the common good.

No where does submission imply letting leaders abuse us, or remaining silent and uninvolved if their activities are immoral or unbiblical. Instead submission recognizes that government officials have been placed in their positions by God (Daniel 4:25, 32—the Most High is sovereign over all the kingdoms of men, and gives them to anyone He wishes), and that they are God’s servants (Romans 13:4, 6) who have to give an accounting to God for their actions.

Our alien response of properly submitting is our way of supporting them in their God-given responsibilities. How do we do this?

Treat them with respect (Romans 13:7; 1 Peter 2:17).
Separate the person [loved by God] from the policy [may or may not line up biblically], then disagree with the policy, not with the person.
Pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

This way of interacting with them will bring glory to God (1 Timothy 2:3; 1 Peter 2:15).

Here’s a good question to ask ourselves: Are we submitting like servants of the King of kings?

If you’ve missed any messages in this series, you may find the complete list by clicking here.

You may also be interested in my video The Church should be pre-political.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, Calvary Assembly of God, government, Niccolò Machiavelli, politics, prayer, respect, Romans, Ronald Reagan, sermon, submission, video, Vimeo, Will Rogers. 10 Comments »

Politics & Religion

October 25, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

As requested, here are some of the quotes I shared this morning in my message on how Christians are to interact with our government officials.

First the humorous quotes—

“Government is like a baby: …a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.” —Ronald Reagan

“If you ever injected truth into politics you have no politics.” —Will Rogers

“The word ‘politics’ is derived from the word ‘poly,’ meaning ‘many,’ and the word ‘ticks,’ meaning ‘blood sucking parasites.’” —Larry Hardiman

Then a sadly serious one—

“Politics have no relation to morals.” —Nicolo Machiavelli

And finally, the very thoughtful quotes—

“Church and state are supposed to work together. The Church…does not set up the voting booths, but it motivates and it equips people to go into them and make a difference. The Church does not write the laws, but bears witness to the truth of God to which those laws must correspond. Politics is not our salvation; Jesus Christ is. But fidelity to Him includes doing our part as faithful citizens, and to exercise our rights as citizens appropriately, we have to understand the relationship between the Church and the state, and how both of these entities are responsible for protecting and safeguarding….” —Father Frank Pavone

“I close with three words of pastoral advice—

“First, to Assemblies of God ministers: Politics reflects culture, and culture reflects religion. If you are concerned with the political drift of American culture, preach the gospel! As it sends out roots in the lives of believers, the seeds of the Gospel will change hearts and minds.

“Second, to Assemblies of God adherents: You are privileged citizens of a blessed nation. Use your citizenship well! Seek the common good. Advocate for the last, the lost, and the least. Speak the truth in love. And vote for candidates and issues that reflect a biblical perspective. The difference in so many conflicts in American politics and culture turns on who turns out to vote.

“Third, to all Christians: If you are troubled with the Supreme Court’s [Obergefell] decision, keep perspective! In this and every other matter, always remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: ‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).

“Let us all pray for a great spiritual awakening in our country!” —George O. Wood

Check out my full series of messages on how Christians are to live as citizens of heaven while here on planet Earth.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Calvary Assembly of God, church, Frank Pavone, George O. Wood, government, Niccolò Machiavelli, politics, quotes, Ronald Reagan, Will Rogers. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

October 24, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“Any fixing of the mind on old evils beyond what is absolutely necessary for repenting our own sins and forgiving those of others is certainly useless and usually bad for us.” —C.S. Lewis

“If I pay my debts in gold, no man can blame me because I do not pay them in silver; and if God gives you spiritual mercies in abundance, instead of temporal ones, He has heard your prayer.” —Charles Spurgeon

“We cannot manipulate God. He makes Himself and His glory known when He will, to whom He will, and in the measure He chooses according to His own pleasure and timing. He is not capricious, and He is not cruel. He waits to make His glory known to those who hope for it when the ‘dosage’ He applies will be precisely appropriate to the need in which we know it. So we must endure at the work of waiting on the Lord, because He knows better than we when and to what extent to bring us into His glory and love.” —T.M. Moore

J. Warner Wallace answers an important question: Would a loving God allow anything bad to happen?

4 reasons women cannot trust Planned Parenthood: (1) They lie to and manipulate women; (2) their business is death (abortion) not health care; (3) they cover-up rape, incest, and sex trafficking; and (4) they want to sell your aborted baby for profit.

GREAT NEWS—the Ohio Senate votes to defund Planned Parenthood!

Dave Barringer shares 6 actions that can turn your marriage around.

If you are battling an addiction, here are 2 underused strategies.

[VIDEO] John Maxwell has good counsel on overcoming barriers—

Charles Spurgeon On Faith

October 24, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

Perhaps your faith is struggling today. If it is, check out these encouraging words…

“Faith studies what the promise is—an emanation of divine grace, an overflowing of the great heart of God; and faith says, ‘My God could not have given this promise, except from love and grace; therefore it is quite certain that this promise will be fulfilled.’ Then faith thinks, ‘Who gave this promise?’ She considers not so much its greatness, as ‘Who is the author of it?’ She remembers that it is God that cannot lie, God omnipotent, God immutable; and therefore she concludes that the promise must be fulfilled; and forward she goes in this firm conviction. Then she remembers, also, why the promise was given, namely, for God’s glory, and she feels perfectly sure that God’s glory is safe, that He will never stain His own character, nor mar the luster of His own crown; and therefore she concludes that the promise must and will stand. Then faith also considers the amazing work of Christ as being a clear proof of the Father’s intention to fulfill His Word. ‘He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ [Romans 8:32]. Then faith looks back upon the past, for her battles have strengthened her, and her victories have given her courage.” —Charles Spurgeon

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: BibleGateway, Charles Spurgeon, confidence, faith, God's promise, God's strength, God's Word, quotes. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

October 22, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“Those of us who are married need to ponder again and again how mysterious and wonderful it is that God grants us in marriage the privilege to image forth stupendous divine realities infinitely bigger and greater than ourselves.” —John Piper

“Have we any work to do now that we can set about at once? If we have, whatsoever our hand finds to do, let us do it. Let us not be asking for greater abilities than we have. If we can get them, let us do so; but meanwhile let us use what we have. … The best preparation for it will be, renew your dedication to Christ, be much in earnest prayer, seek the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, and then go forth in your Master’s strength with this as your resolve—that as portraits of Jesus Christ it shall be said of you, ‘He went about doing good’ [Acts 10:38].” —Charles Spurgeon

“The only difference between the Christian life and any other life is the matter of where we stand as we encounter the everyday trials and difficulties of life. … Even though the circumstances of a Christian’s life change, and even become adverse and cumbersome at times, this does not alter the fact that the Christian stands in—has access to, come what may—the glory of God. Believers may, under all circumstances and in every situation, slump down into the loving arms of the Lord and find glory and strength to help them bear up with joy and peace through even the worst life can throw at them.” —T.M. Moore

“Better to ask twice than to lose your way once.” —Danish Proverb

Sad to see how abortion providers target minority communities. Two-thirds of abortions in Michigan are done in the Detroit area, where only 40 percent of the state’s population is.

Eric Metaxas has some great advice for talking to your atheist friends about the problems with Darwin’s theories.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: abortion, apologetic, Charles Darwin, Charles Spurgeon, Christian, Creation, Creator, Detroit, difficulties, DNA, Eric Metaxas, evolution, God's glory, help, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus Christ, John Piper, marriage, Michigan, Planned Parenthood, prayer, pro-life, proverbs, quotes, T.M. Moore, talent, trials, work ethic. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—Your Thought Life DOES Matter

October 22, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

This is a periodic 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.

Your Thought Life DOES Matter

“Beware of saying, ‘Oh well, it doesn’t matter much what I think about in secret’; it does, for the opportunity will come when what you think about in secret will find expression and spurt out in an act. The Bible always speaks of sin as it appears in its final analysis. Jesus does not say, ‘You must not covet because it will lead to stealing’; He says, ‘You must not covet because it is stealing.’ He does not say, ‘You must not be angry with your brother because it will lead to murder’; He says, ‘You must not be angry with your brother because it is murder.’”

From Our Portrait In Genesis

This is why the Apostle Paul tells us to take all of our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). What you are thinking about IS determining who you will become in the future. Capture those negative, unbiblical thoughts and replace them with the truth found in God’s Word.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 2 Corinthians, anger, apostle Paul, Bible, covet, God's Word, Jesus Christ, lust, murder, Oswald Chambers, steal, thought life. 1 Comment »

Links & Quotes

October 21, 2015 — Craig T. Owens

“So great is God’s love, and so powerful is His transforming glory, that He actually fills us beyond ourselves into a greater measure of Himself, as we partake of His Word and Spirit and meet Him in the increasing experience of His glory and love.” —T.M. Moore

“Almost all men are infected with the disease of desiring to obtain useless knowledge.” —John Calvin

“Prayer is God’s way of bringing our priorities into line with His.” —John Piper

“Christians are Christ’s body, the organism through which He works. Every addition to that body enables Him to do more. If you want to help those outside you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ who alone can help them.” —C.S. Lewis

“As Christians, we are often called to attempt something small. We are called to simply buckle down and work hard at the mundane tasks God has set before us. The world calls us to be famous; Jesus calls us to be faithful.” —Murray Vassar

GREAT NEWS—Planned Parenthood announced “our Federation has decided … that any Planned Parenthood health center that is involved in donating tissue after an abortion for medical research” will accept “no reimbursements for its reasonable expenses.” This is a good start, but John Stonestreet says we still need to keep the heat on them, and I agree!

Live Action notes a common misconception that the pro-life movement is a religious movement. Here are 4 non-religious reasons to be pro-life.

MORE GREAT NEWS—Hyatt Hotels are also removing pornography pay-per-view!

[VIDEO] Alan Shlemon gives us insight on how to talk to Muslims about the crucifixion of Jesus.