How Do You Do “Without Ceasing”?

November 24, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Acts 12:5 says “prayer was made without ceasing” while Peter was in prison. Okay, an intense circumstance calls for intense, prolonged prayer.

In Romans 1:9 Paul says, “without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers” (KJV). Sure, Paul wanted ministry to be effective in the capital of the Roman world so I can understand his constant prayers for the Roman Christians.

Paul tells Timothy, “without ceasing I remember you night and day in my prayers” (AMP). Right, the mentor is going to be passing the baton to his protege so I can understand his passionate prayer.

And then the Apostle Paul drops this one on all of us: “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Seriously?!? How do I do this? I cannot be on my knees all day. I can’t even walk around praying all day. Or can I?

Prayer lists are a good start, but what about the rest of the day? I’ve been trying to build in reminders to pray in my day:

  • The necklace I wear is a gift from a friend. I breathe a quick prayer for him whenever I feel it slide.
  • When I see the ring on my finger from The Silver Ring Thing I pray for the purity of my children and the purity of their future spouses.
  • The carved pen on my desk is from missionary friends in Malawi… I ask God’s blessing on them whenever I write with it.
  • When I eat the lunch my wife packed for me, I pray that God will help her be an excellent teacher in her classroom.
  • One of my mugs is from the Chi Alpha pastors at Western Michigan University… as I sip my morning tea, I pray for them.

These are just a few of the ways I’m trying to train myself to pray without ceasing. Feel free to comment on what helps you to remember to pray without ceasing?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , . 3 Comments »

Saturdays At Panera

November 22, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

“A mentor has been defined as someone whose hindsight can become your foresight.” —Richard Edler

For almost three years I have had the privilege of being mentored by Hank Zampa. Once a month we meet at Panera and Hank pours into my life. Sometimes he simply lets me unpack my frustrations, sometimes he asks me challenging questions that cause me to rethink my current strategy, sometimes he gives me a word of encouragement or a book to read. His hindsight has been my foresight time and time again, and I am a better man because of that. And all of this came about because I simply recognized the need for a wise man to speak into my life, and I asked Hank if he would be willing to invest in me. I am so grateful he said “yes.”

Who are you allowing to speak into your life?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 4 Comments »

Heritage & Legacy

November 21, 2008 — Craig T. Owens
My heritage will be their legacy

My heritage will be their legacy

Heritage (hěr’ĭ-tĭj): something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth.

I’ve been reading today about the early history of the Assemblies of God, so I’ve been thinking about my own heritage. I am blessed to be the son of A/G Pentecostal parents; and both of my parents come from Pentecostal A/G parents too, as well as two Pentecostal great-grandmothers. That makes me a fourth-generation “holy roller”! But the definition of heritage says that just came to me by reason of my birth; in other words, I had nothing to do with making that happen.

Legacy (lěg’ə-sē): anything handed down from the past.

Whereas I had nothing to do with my heritage, I have everything to do with the legacy I leave behind. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Mom & Dad, thanks for the heritage you have entrusted to me. You have helped make me into the man I am today.

Harrison, Samantha & Brandon, with God helping me I promise to do my very best to leave you a legacy that will make you proud to be fifth-generation Pentecostals. May you be so equipped with my heritage to raise up the sixth generation of Pentecostals in our family!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 12 Comments »

All Means, Um, All

November 20, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

allWe started a new Sunday evening series called “All.” At least that’s the abbreviated title—the full title is “all the church taking all the gospel to all the world all the time by all the means necessary.”

Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19). I am more and more amazed and disappointed in how this gets watered down…

  • “All the church can’t mean me because I’m nothing special.”
  • “All the gospel only means the part about ‘getting saved,’ right?”
  • “All the world is only for people who are called to be missionaries.”
  • “All the time is just for special ‘evangelical outreaches.’”
  • “All the means is just whatever happens in a typical church service.”

I checked Webster’s Dictionary and all means “wholly, entirely, completely.” I even checked my Greek Bible dictionary and discovered that all means, um, “all.” I think the problem comes from another word in that verse: therefore. If I don’t believe that I belong to Christ, then I’m not operating in all of His authority. If I’m not operating in His authority, I will more than likely find all the excuses I can to avoid being a part of the all Jesus intended.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , . 6 Comments »

Thank-Fullness Challenge

November 18, 2008 — Craig T. Owens
Write down 50 things for which you can give thanks

The Challenge: Write down 50 things for which you can give thanks

We began a new series on Sunday called “A Season Of Thanks,” by seeing how we have the ability to program our reticular activating system in our brains to allow in what we choose. If we are truly overflowing with thanks (thank-fullness) then we will see more things for which we can give thanks.

Here’s the challenge. We handed out the Full of thanks worksheet you see here, and I challenged everyone to write down 50 specific things for which they are thankful. I’ll admit to you that I had only filled in 23 blanks before my pen started slowing down, and by 36 I thought I was out of things for which I could give thanks. But then a quick look around and my pen started moving again and I could finish up all 50 blanks. I have so much for which I can give thanks!

How about you? Can you fill in all 50 blanks before Thanksgiving Day? Feel free to comment on what number you slowed down.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , . 5 Comments »

Thoughts At A Funeral

November 17, 2008 — Craig T. Owens
Jim Jesko

Jim Jesko

I attended a funeral today for Jim Jesko. I only met Jim a couple of times, but it was such a joy for me to celebrate his life today.

One of my life verses is found in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” I try to find reliable people in which I can invest because it always pays such great dividends.

Jim’s son, Aaron, was my next door neighbor in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I had the privilege of leading him into a personal relationship with Jesus. Because of that investment, Aaron had the privilege of leading both his Dad and his brother, Scott, into that same relationship. Both Jim and Scott were water baptized on the same day, just four months ago. My investment into Aaron allowed him to invest into his Dad and Scott. Isn’t that the great thing about investments: If you invest wisely in reliable people, you always get back more than you put in!

Who are you investing in today?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , . 3 Comments »

Planned Spontaneity

November 16, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Is that an oxymoron, or what? How can something be planned and spontaneous?

But we experienced planned spontaneity in our service this morning. Our worship team planned and practiced songs which would flow with each other and which would prepare people’s hearts for the Word today. At the end of the planned set of songs God showed up spontaneously with a powerful, unscripted, right-on-the-mark prophetic word for our congregation.

I did my very best to plan and prepare a message for this morning which would be timely, relevant, and applicable. At the end of my planned message God showed up spontaneously. A guest who had never been with us in a service before sang a song that God had given her two days earlier. The song contained the exact same words and phrases that were in my prepared message.

We planned. God showed up spontaneously.

I truly believe that if we had not done our very best planning, God would not have shown up so spontaneously. What do you think?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 13 Comments »

Both-And Compassion In Action

November 15, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

At 10:30 this morning I picked up my cell phone to call Barney. I knew his daughter, Alysia, had gone in for a routine tonsillectomy early this morning and I wanted to check on her. Just as I was scrolling down to his number, my phone began to ring: it was Barney calling me.

“Hey, Barney, I was just getting ready to call you….”

“Pastor,” he interrupted, “we’re in trouble. Before they could do Alysia’s surgery, she stopped breathing and her heart stopped beating. It seems okay now, but my daughter almost died. They’re taking her to ICU right now. I don’t know what to do.”

I hurried over to Hurley Hospital and went right into the ICU. Alysia was doing better, but her blood pressure was still very low, and her heartbeat was racing. After spending some time talking with the nurses and praying with Alysia, I slipped out so her Mom, Maria, could stay with her, and I went back out to the waiting room to see Barney.

“Barney, I think she’s stablized now. It’s going to be okay. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Yes, Pastor, would you pray with these kids.” He motioned to four crying teenagers sitting together in the opposite corner of the waiting room. “Their friend, Christopher, just passed away. I’ve been talking to them, but I would really like you to pray with them.”

Pray with them?!? His daughter is laying in an ICU room, and he’s concerned about some teenagers — whom he has never met before — in the midst of their grief. Wow! I immediately thought of the Apostle Paul’s words, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Jim Collins writes about The Genius Of And, and Barney beautifully exhibited that. He was both concerned about Alysia and Christopher’s friends too. In my trials, how often do I become completely self-focused? Thanks, Barney, for a great example of Both-And compassion in action.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 2 Comments »

A Life Challenged

November 13, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

One of my greatest joys is seeing lives challenged and transformed. That’s why I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of Life Challenge of Southeast Michigan! Today was my monthly opportunity to speak at their chapel service. I love the hungry, responsive students that are eagerly listening to me, and their quick obedience to the challenges from God’s Word. I helped lead a post-graduation internship opportunity, and have developed some wonderful friendships through that. In fact, today I rode to the chapel service with two Life Challenge graduates who have been close friends of mine for over five years. I have made investments into this program, but I also feel so blessed by the investments I continue to receive from my interaction with these phenomenal students and graduates.

As I spoke in chapel this morning, I was again blown away by the hunger and sincerity and “realness” of the students. I am always so fulfilled by my time with them! And my life is challenged also to maintain the same fervor and passion for an intimate relationship with Jesus that these students have.

I have been associated with Life Challenge (formerly called Teen Challenge) for most of my adult life, and I am blessed to call Jeff Bonzelaar, the director of the program, a great friend. If you ever need help with life-controlling issues—or you have a friend or family member in this situation—I cannot recommend Life Challenge highly enough. Check out their website, and call with any questions. I would also like to make an appeal to anyone who is interested in donating to this incredible, life-changing ministry. I can promise you that this is will be an investment that will yield great returns! Life Challenge is a faith-based ministry, running solely on the financial donations from generous people. Please pray about making a donation.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: . 2 Comments »

I’m Going To “Pop Out” For Missions

November 12, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

pop_out_logo2My 8-year-old son, Brandon, was challenged by Jessica Czerny (our children’s pastor) to give up pop (or “soda” for those of you on the West Coast, or “coke” for those of you in Texas) until Thanksgiving. The idea was for the kids to get family and friends to sponsor them for giving up pop and give the money that would have been spent on pop to missionaries.

Brandon finds it VERY challenging to give up pop, but would really like to help support our missionaries. So to give him moral support, I am going to join him in this and “Pop Out” myself until Thanksgiving. Will you consider sponsoring Brandon and I? You can pledge a certain amount per day or just a flat amount if he and I make it until Thanksgiving. I promise that 100% of the money pledged will go to help missionaries buy teaching supplies for other children.

If you are available to sponsor us, please just comment below with the amount of your pledge. I’ll give any of our sponsors an update after Thanksgiving to let you know how we did. Thank you for helping us help our missionaries!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: . 4 Comments »
« Older posts
Newer posts »