Craig T. Owens

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Links & Quotes

February 19, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

“It is not hard for the Lord to turn night into day. He that sends the clouds can as easily clear the skies. Let us be of good cheer. It is better on before. Let us sing hallelujah by anticipation.” —Charles Spurgeon

“A holy life is not an aesthetic, or gloomy, or solitary life, but a life regulated by divine truth and faithful in Christian duty.” —Tyron Edwards

“The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, and make that man holy and put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” —Leonard Ravenhill

“If you see church as being just your local fellowship, then you still have not found the true Church. The God-blessed, righteous Church starts where you live.” —David Wilkerson

“As long as Christians split hairs, Christians will split churches.” —Max Lucado

Uh oh! Minimum Wage Hike Would Eliminate 500,000 Jobs

From Tim Elmore: Four Timeless Ideas To Make Your Point

“The Christian church is the body of Christ, Jesus Himself being the Headship of that body. Every true Christian, no matter where he or she lives, is a part of that body, and the Holy Spirit is to the church what our own souls are to our physical bodies.” —A.W. Tozer

Listen, O My Soul

February 19, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

David wraps up the 35th Psalm with a thought that is familiar to him—

My tongue will speak of Your righteousness and of Your praises all day long. (Psalm 35:28)

Praise is good for the soul! But in the midst of enemies gloating over David, hating him without reason, devising false accusations against him, and making plans to do him in (see verses 19-21), where could David get the strength to sing about God’s goodness?

As I said, it’s the last verse where David declares his unending praise. This verse is the result of seeing God move. But much earlier in this psalm David says, “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’” (v. 3).

Before David could speak it, he had to hear it! He had to quiet himself in the midst of all the assaults on him to hear God say, “I AM your salvation!”

Not “my ears,” but “my soul”: the very center of my being, my mind, my emotions. I need the I AM to reassure the soul He created that He is still there. Unless I hear that assurance at the core of my being, I can only go through the motions. True worship comes from a real, personal encounter with the I AM.

O, listen my soul! Hear your Savior speak the assurance of His salvation. Only then can I open my lips in endless praises all day long.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: assurance, Bible study, David, meditation, photography, praise, Psalm, quiet, salvation, Scripture, soul, worship. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

February 18, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

“The continued neglect of the Holy Spirit by evangelical Christians is too evident to deny and impossible to justify. … There can be no doubt that there is a huge disparity between the place given to the Spirit in the Holy Scriptures and the place He occupies in popular evangelical Christianity. In the Scriptures the Holy Spirit is necessary. There He works powerfully, creatively; here He is little more than a poetic yearning or at most a benign influence. There He moves in majesty, with all the attributes of the Godhead; here He is a mood, a tender feeling of good will.” —A.W. Tozer

“Talk to me about the truth of religion and I’ll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I’ll listen submissively. But don’t come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don’t understand.” —C.S. Lewis

URGENT: United Nations Documents Human Rights Abuses In North Korea, equating the abuses here to those atrocities committed in Nazi Germany.

“Today, the United States is one of only four countries in the world—in the company of China, North Korea, and Canada—in which late-term abortions are allowed for any reason after a child is able to survive outside the womb.” —Heritage Foundation report. [FREE E-BOOK] How To Speak Up For Life

[VIDEO] U2 on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Who Knew? 9 Amazing Uses For Aspirin

[INFOGRAPHIC] You need more sleep

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: A.W. Tozer, abortion, aspirin, Bible, C.S. Lewis, Canada, China, church, evangelical, God's Word, health, Heritage Foundation, Holocaust, Holy Spirit, human rights, infographic, Jimmy Fallon, medical science, music, Nazi, North Korea, pro-life, productivity, quotes, religion, Scripture, sleep, truth, U2, United Nations, United States of America, video. Leave a Comment »

Miracles (book review)

February 18, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Reading C.S. Lewis elaborate on theology is no easy task. But for those willing to work through his profound thoughts, a treasure trove of new insights into Scripture await. Miracles: How God Intervenes In Nature And Human Affairs is no exception to this.

“Miracle” is directly mentioned so 30 times in Scripture, but the Bible never explicitly defines miracle. Lewis gives this definition: “I use the word Miracle to mean an interference with Nature by supernatural power.” He then proceeds to explain what philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle meant by “nature” and “super-nature” and how those understandings have been dismissed, adapted or corrupted throughout history.

Lewis moves through several chapters without admitting miracles are probable (or even possible) and without ascribing any possible miracles to God. When he finally reveals that there is a God, he states, “From the admission that God exists and is the author of Nature, it by no means follows that miracles must, or even can, occur.” He then moves to the Scripture to show how God could—and indeed, does—work miraculously.

Even after all of Lewis’ brilliant arguments, I appreciate one of his final admissions in this book: “If you find that [these ideas] so distract you, think of them no more. I most fully allow that it is of more importance for you or me today to refrain from one sneer or to extend one charitable thought to an enemy than to know all that angels and archangels know about the mysteries of the New Creation.”

Even for those who accept his arguments, Lewis offers this counsel: “My work ends here. If, after reading it, you now turn to study the historical evidence for yourself, begin with the New Testament and not with the books about it.” Ultimately I recommend this book for this one reason—Miracles creates a hunger to study God’s Word more.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Aristotle, Bible, book review, C.S. Lewis, miracles, nature, New Testament, philosophy, Plato, Socrates, supernatural, theology. 4 Comments »

Links & Quotes

February 17, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

What the what? An App To Help You While Out On A Date

“God deserves to be served with all the energy of which we are capable. If the service of God is worth anything, it is worth everything.” —Charles Spurgeon

For you Detroit Tigers fans: When Willie Horton Walked Out On The Tigers

[VIDEO] A cool interaction between a garbage collector and an autistic boy

Interesting: How Millionaires Manage Their Time

Good reminder from Jeff Bonzelaar: satan Serves God

“No great discovery was ever made without a bold guess.” —Isaac Newton

“Chocolate is a perfect food, as wholesome as it is delicious, a beneficent restorer of exhausted power.” —Baron Justus von Liebig (1803-1873), German chemist

[VIDEO] My daughter asks Seth to Swirl: Will You Be My Date?

The Journey Begins

February 17, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

As Tom Kaastra introduced our study of Ephesians he said, “There is no other book in the Bible that is as exalted in its thought and yet as earthly practical.” Our series is called Sit Walk Stand (three words that Watchman Nee gave to the overview of Ephesians), and Tom shared what those mean.

Sit—(1) to be in a place of authority (Ephesians 2:4-7; Hebrews 1:3); or (2) a rest from work. We sit down to enjoy what Christ has done for us, we don’t work to try to achieve it for ourselves. “God works and then He rests. We are invited to rest and then work” (Watchman Nee). Look at the Creation story: God’s seventh day of rest after working six days was man’s first day of rest before he started working.

Walk—an act of progression modeled by Jesus (Ephesians 4:1-3). A typical rabbi built a synagogue and invited people to come to where he was. Jesus always went to where the people were, and He invites us to follow Him in this walk. We cannot have a “just Jesus and me” mindset. If Peter wanted to walk with Jesus, he had to walk with Matthew too; there are no Lone Ranger followers of Christ.

Stand—firmly in place for spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-17). Ephesians deals with our warfare against satan more than any other book in the Bible. Sadly, George Barna reported that 60% of Christians think satan is a only a “force,” not an actual person. Paul uses this word stand as a military term to place our feet in a position ready for action.

Conclusions:

Keep your head in the clouds resting in the embrace of Jesus, while you are
Keeping your feet on the ground walking with others, and
Keeping your feet on the ground standing against satan.

Join us next Sunday as we continue our look at this amazing book.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible study, Calvary Assembly of God, Creation, discipleship, Ephesians, George Barna, God's Word, rabbi, rest, satan, sermon, spiritual warfare, synagogue, Tom Kaastra, Watchman Nee. 1 Comment »

Links & Quotes

February 16, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

“The Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. … [God] ordered the Jews to preserve and propagate to all mankind the doctrine of a supreme, intelligent, wise, almighty sovereign of the universe… the great essential principle of morality, and consequently all civilization.” —John Adams, in a letter to Judge F. A. Van der Kemp, February 16, 1809

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man. (Hosea 11:9)

The Lord thus makes known His sparing mercies. It may be that the reader is now under heavy displeasure, and everything threatens his speedy doom. Let the text hold him up from despair. The Lord now invites you to consider your ways and confess your sins. If He had been man, He would long ago have cut you off. If He were now to act after the manner of men, it would be a word and a blow and then there would be an end of you: but it is not so, for “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are His ways above your ways.”

You rightly judge that He is angry, but He keepeth not His anger forever: if you turn from sin to Jesus, God will turn from wrath. Because God is God, and not man, there is still forgiveness for you, even though you may be steeped up to your throat in iniquity. You have a God to deal with and not a hard man, or even a merely just man. No human being could have patience with you. You would have wearied out an angel, as you have wearied your sorrowing Father; but God is longsuffering. Come and try Him at once. Confess, believe, and turn from your evil way, and you shall be saved. —Charles Spurgeon, Faith′s Checkbook (February 16)

Stomach-churning: Former Planned Parenthood Nurse Speaks Out

“It was not an easy task which the Church faced when she came down from that upper room…. Left to herself the Church must have perished as a thousand abortive sects had done before her, and have left nothing for a future generation to remember. That the Church did not so perish was due entirely to the miraculous element within her. That element was supplied by the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost to empower her for her task. For the Church was not an organization merely, not a movement, but a walking incarnation of spiritual energy. And she accomplished within a few brief years such prodigies of moral conquest as to leave us wholly without an explanation—apart from God.” —A.W. Tozer

Links & Quotes

February 15, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

May God have mercy! Belgium Parliament Approves Euthanasia For Children

[VIDEO] Nailed it: Jon Stewart Calls Out Obama For Corrupt Ambassador Choices

Watch out! 7 Times Obama Ignored The Law With His Executive Orders

“The Christian who goes out without faith in ‘wonders’ will return without fruit. No one dare be so rash as to seek to do impossible things unless he has first been empowered by the God of the impossible. ‘The power of the Lord was there’ is our guarantee of victory.” —A.W. Tozer

Tim Elmore prepares us: Welcome To Our McCulture

So excited!! The Assembly of God and the United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God Unite

Ronald & Nancy Reagan loved each other deeply: Valentine′s Day Advice From Ronald Reagan

“Our blunder (or shall we frankly say our sin?) has been to neglect the doctrine of the Spirit to a point where we virtually deny Him His place in the Godhead. This denial has not been by open doctrinal statement, for we have clung closely enough to the Biblical position wherever our credal pronouncements are concerned. Our formal creed is sound; the breakdown is in our working creed. This is not a trifling distinction. A doctrine has practical value only as far as it is prominent in our thoughts and makes a difference in our lives. By this test the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as held by evangelical Christians today has almost no practical value at all. In most Christian churches the Spirit is quite entirely overlooked. Whether He is present or absent makes no real difference to anyone. Brief reference is made to Him in the Doxology and the Benediction. Further than that He might as well not exist. So completely do we ignore Him that it is only by courtesy that we can be called Trinitarian. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity boldly declares the equality of the Three Persons and the right of the Holy Spirit to be worshipped and glorified. Anything less than this is something less than Trinitarianism.” —A.W. Tozer

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: A.W. Tozer, Assembly of God, Barak Obama, Belgium, children, Christian, doctrine, Dr. Tim Elmore, euthanasia, Generation Y, Holy Spirit, Jon Stewart, love, Pentecostal, politics, pro-life, quotes, reconciliation, Ronald Reagan, theology, trinitarian, Trinity, Valentine's Day, video, youth. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Only A Dad

February 15, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Only a dad, with a tired face,

Coming home from the daily race,

Bringing little of gold or fame,

To show how well he has played the game,

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice

To see him come, and to hear his voice.

Only a dad, with a brood of four,

One of ten million men or more.

Plodding along in the daily strife,

Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,

With never a whimper of pain or hate,

For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud,

Merely one of the surging crowd

Toiling, striving from day to day,

Facing whatever may come his way,

Silent, whenever the harsh condemn,

And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad, but he gives his all

To smooth the way for his children small,

Doing, with courage stern and grim,

The deeds that his father did for him.

This is the line that for him I pen,

Only a dad, but the best of men. —Edgar A. Guest

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: children, Dad, Edgar Guest, father, humble, integrity, love, manhood, poetry, work ethic. Leave a Comment »

A View To Pleasing God

February 14, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

I read an article this week 10 Bad Reasons To Be A Pastor. For the most part it was right on-target.

Even if we have the right reason (singular, not plural) for being a pastor—namely, that God called us—we can still battle discouragement over what is or isn’t happening in our ministry. I am convinced that much of this discouragement comes from listening to the wrong applause.

John Chrysostom

John Chrysostom, a man very reluctant to answer God’s call on his life to enter the pastorate, wrote—

“Let, therefore, the man who undertakes the strain of teaching never give heed to the good opinion of the outside world, nor be dejected in soul on account of such persons; but laboring at his sermons so that he may please God, (For let this alone be his rule and determination, in discharging this best kind of workmanship, not acclamation, nor good opinions,) if, indeed, he be praised by men, let him not repudiate their applause, and when his hearers do not offer this, let him not seek it, let him not be grieved. For a sufficient consolation in his labors, and one greater than all, is when he is able to be conscious of arranging and ordering his teaching with a view to pleasing God.” (emphasis added)

Our view must always be to pleasing God. It matters little whether humans hands applaud us or not. We must live, and preach, and discharge our pastoral duties solely for the applause of nail-scarred hands. If our Master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” what does it matter what anyone else says?