Craig T. Owens

May 2026
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No Cowardly Lions, Please

December 18, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

cowardly-lion2

When Jacob was blessing his sons (Genesis 49) he called Judah a lion’s cub. From that time on the men of Judah were known as skilled and fearsome warriors. Years later The Lion of Judah, Jesus, would come from this noble tribe.

But during the time when the judges ruled Israel, Judah and all of Israel “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Judges 13:1), and “all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6).

As a result, the mighty lions of Judah became the cowardly lions.

Samson is a well-known judge. He is known for his single-handed exploits against Israel’s enemies. As a result of his victories against them, the Philistines moved into Judah’s territory arrayed for battle.

In response, the mighty lions of Judah muster a force of 3000 warriors. This should look good to the warriors of Judah, since the Philistines came to the battlefield with just 1000 warriors—after all, 3-to-1 seems like good odds.

But instead, the cowardly lions of Judah decided to take all 3000 warriors to confront just one man: Samson. They went to him in the cave where he was staying, not to ask him to join them in battle against the Philistines, but to ask him to surrender to the Philistines.

Samson agreed.

But when the Philistines approached Samson “the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson” (Judges 15:14). He picked up a donkey’s jawbone and killed all 1000 Philistines. And when they saw God’s power at work in Samson, the mighty lions of Judah jumped into the fray all around Samson!

Uh, actually, no, they didn’t.

The cowardly lions of Judah were nowhere to be found. When Samson had finished with the Philistines, there was not even one lion of Judah around to give him a drink!

They all ran away.

It’s amazing to see what the Spirit of God does for someone. God’s presence in Samson gave him victory when the odds were 1000-to-1 against him. The lack of God’s presence in the lions of Judah made them cowardly lions even when they had a 3-to-1 advantage and had Samson on their side.

“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. … For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!” (Deuteronomy 20:1, 4)

Don’t try to go to battle on your own. Even if you think you’re a mighty lion, you will end up like the Cowardly Lion if God doesn’t go with you.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: courage, Deuteronomy, fear, Genesis, Judah, Judges, Samson. 2 Comments »

What A Woman!

December 10, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Gustave Dore’s painting of Deborah’s song of triumph

Do you remember the old Enjoli perfume commercial? It was a classic! What a woman—she could make breakfast, pass out the kisses, and still get to work before nine in the morning. She could work 9-5, bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let her man forget he was a man.

Wow! What a woman!

I was reading Judges 4-5 in the Bible this morning and was reminded of this commercial when I read about Deborah—the Bible’s version of the Enjoli woman.

Deborah was a devoted wife, a first-class mother, and a full-time prophetess. People from all over Israel came to her for godly advice for their domestic problems. There were national problems too—King Jabin and his general Sisera, with his 900 iron chariots, held an iron grip over all of Israel. Things were so bad that the Israelites stayed off the main roads, and life in their villages as they knew it ceased. Until Israel’s Enjoli woman came along.

Village life in Israel ceased,
ceased until I, Deborah, arose,
arose a mother in Israel. (Judges 5:7)

Wow! What a woman!

Deborah sent a message to a warlord named Barak, “God commands you to gather an army and head into the hills of Mount Tabor. God will lure Sisera into the Kishon River valley and He Himself will fight Sisera’s armies ahead of you.”

Barak is a man who has enough clout with just two tribes of Israel, that at one call 10,000 warriors join him. Barak is a man who has just been told that God Himself is going to fight Sisera alongside Barak’s forces.

But Barak is a coward!

A man with everything going for him says to Deborah, “Only if you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”

All of Israel is forever grateful for that Enjoli woman who went with the army, and led them in an incredible victory.

Wow! What a woman!

I am praying that God will raise up more godly women who will boldly speak God’s word to fearful people today.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Barak, coward, Deborah, Enjoli, Israel, Judges, leadership, prophetess. 3 Comments »

Tina

December 8, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Tina with our children's pastor Jessica

I remember being asked by my church (Brightmoor Tabernacle in Southfield, MI) to help distribute Christmas presents to needy families. I recruited a couple of buddies to help me, and we visited some of the most desperate families I had ever seen.

That Christmas Eve changed my life. From that time on, I could care less if I ever received another Christmas gift. I am so blessed all the time, that my desire is to be a blessing to others.

Christmas should be more about giving than receiving.

We have a wonderful opportunity to put that in practice this year. Our church was made aware of a family in need right in our neighborhood. Don is a single father who has been out of work following some surgical procedures, and he has a beautiful 13-year-old daughter named Tina.

Like many teenage girls, Tina enjoys playing video games, going bowling, and playing with her friends. Her favorite colors are pink, purple, and blue. And Tina is autistic.

Bethel Assembly of God has adopted Tina for Christmas, and we’re going to make sure she knows how loved she is. Our children’s ministry, The Rock, is gathering toys and clothes for Tina for Christmas. Can you help us?

Tina likes arts and crafts projects (anything she can put together), dolls and doll clothes, and books. She also is in need of some clothing items. She wears girls shirts size 14/16, and girls pants size 14. Due to Tina’s skin sensitivity, she cannot wear jean material, or anything with buttons or zippers. Fleece or sweat material seems to work best for Tina.

If you are able to help Tina have a Merry Christmas, please bring unwrapped items to Bethel A/G by Sunday, December 21. We will be delivering all of the gifts to Tina on Christmas Eve.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: autism, blessing, Christmas. 1 Comment »

A Tale Of Two Funerals

December 6, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

I was involved in two funerals in the last three days, and they couldn’t have been more different.

At both funerals people said goodbye in their own way.

At both funerals family members cried.

At both funerals there was singing.

At both funerals the life of the deceased was celebrated.

At both funerals loved ones grieved.

The huge difference was how they grieved.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those Christians who have died so you will not be sad, as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Paul says that we are sad, we grieve, but we grieve differently when we have hope. What hope? The hope of life after death. The hope that only belief in Jesus can bring. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in Me and believes in Me will never ever die” (John 11:25-26).

At Thursday’s funeral the family grieved deeply because they had no hope of life after death, no assurance, only wishful thinking.

At today’s funeral it was a joy to grieve with a family because they had such solid hope! They have an absolute, unshakable assurance that their loved one has life after death. And that makes all the difference in the world in how they will grieve.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Thessalonians, assurance, death, eternal life, funeral, Gospel of John, grief, hope, Jesus Christ. 4 Comments »

Choices

December 4, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

“…Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)

I have to choose.
Not my parents.
Not my heritage.
To choose for me.
Myself.

I have to choose.
Not trapped by yesterday.
Not anxious for tomorrow.
To choose this day.
Everyday.

I have to choose.
Not to be in control.
Not to be the master.
To choose whom I will serve.
Jesus.

I have chosen.
Myself.
Today.
Jesus.

“There is a choice you have to make
in everything you do.
So keep in mind that in the end,
the choice you make makes you.” (John Wooden)

Are you choosing? For yourself? Today? Jesus?
What “you” are your choices making?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: choices, Joshua, servanthood. 8 Comments »

Celebrating A Heart Theft

December 2, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

She still steals my heart away!

Twenty-four years today, December 2, 1984, my heart was stolen. December 2 marks the anniversary of the first date Betsy and I went on. She is the only girlfriend I have ever had, she is my best friend, she is my favorite playmate, and she has made me into the man I am today. Our first and favorite love song sums up the way we feel about each other: “There could only be you for me… the only one who stole my heart away.”

Betsy, you still steal my heart away every day. I’m looking forward to the next 24 years with my favorite girlfriend!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anniversary, Betsy, Lionel Richie, love song. 3 Comments »

Rethinking The Master’s Master Plan

December 1, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Betsy and my kids had a snow day today, so I took the opportunity to work from home too. I spent some time this afternoon reading some more of Robert Coleman’s excellent book The Master Plan Of Evangelism. Here’s a quote from this book which has stuck with me all day:

“If Sunday services and membership training classes are all that a church has to develop young converts into mature disciples, then they are defeating their own purpose by contributing to a false security, and if the new convert follows the same lazy example, it may ultimately do more harm than good. There is simply no substitute for getting with people, and it is ridiculous to imagine that anything less, short of a miracle, can develop strong Christian leadership.” [emphasis mine]

I need to prioritize my schedule so that my time is focused around people. I’m looking forward to Coffee With The Pastor tomorrow, where I’ll be able to spend some quality time with Barney, Dave, Elias, Jerry, and some of my other Starbucks friends who will be there. What about you? What are you doing to make sure you are “getting with people”?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: church, discipleship, leadership, quote, relationships, Robert Coleman. 2 Comments »

The Carbon Monoxide Of Anxiety

November 30, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

Carbon monoxide can poison our bodies and our emotions

Our human red blood cells have a unique protein that carries life-promoting oxygen throughout our bodies. Hemoglobin binds to both oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in a way that holds them “loosely” so that they can be released at just the right place and time in our bodies.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the enemy of this respiration process. CO binds to hemoglobin 240 times more firmly than oxygen and CO2. With the CO so firmly attached to the hemoglobin, O2 and CO2 cannot be exchanged properly in our bodies. In other words, CO hijacks the respiration process. The sneaky thing is that CO is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, so it’s subtle poisoning. It simply brings about a lethargy that deepens into death.

As we move past Thanksgiving Day, I believe that a similar process can take place in our emotional lives. Thankfulness is the “oxygen” of our souls, and anxiety is the “carbon monoxide.”

In Philippians 4:6 Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything,” where he is echoing the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25: “Do not worry about your life.” Anxiety and worry can begin to dominate our emotional life: they bind so tightly that thankfulness and gratitude are forced out. This leads to emotional lethargy, and—if not corrected quickly—emotional deadness.

The cure for carbon monoxide poisoning is to twofold: (1) remove the victim from the toxic environment, and (2) give the victim pure oxygen to breathe. The same cure holds true for emotional CO poisoning—(1) Get out of that environment: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6); and (2) get the pure emotional oxygen: Philippians 4:8 gives us the checklist for the pure oxygen of our emotional thought life: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.“

If you find yourself sighing, or emotionally drained, or even depressed, it could be that the carbon monoxide poisoning of anxiety has snuck in. Get out of that toxic environment by praying and giving thanks to God, and then guard against future hijack attempts by breathing deeply on the things which are pure and lovely and excellent.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide poisoning, CO poisoning, gratitude, hemoglobin, oxygen, thankfulness, thanksgiving. 3 Comments »

Still Poppin’ Out

November 27, 2008 — Craig T. Owens

In an earlier post I wrote that my 8-year-old son, Brandon, was challenged by his children’s pastor to “Pop Out For Missions.” All of the kids in The Rock were challenged to give up pop, and get adults to sponsor them in raising money for missions. Brandon was reluctant to try this, as he loves his pop, but I offered to pop out with him, and we made it to Thanksgiving. In the process, Brandon raised $75 for missions!

Samantha, my 11-year-old daughter, took the same challenge. She could have been done today as well… and then Grandma & Grandpa upped the ante. My Mom & Dad offered to take their pledge from $10 to $25 if Samantha could continue to pop out until Christmas. Samantha was about to say, “One month was enough for me,” when I offered to continue popping out with her. Samantha agreed, so we’re continuing on for the sake of our missionaries.

Samantha has already raised over $100 in pledges. As she and I continue through Christmas, will you consider sponsoring us? All of the money we raise goes to BGMC (Boys & Girls Missionary Challenge) to buy teaching materials for our overseas Assembly of God missionaries. If you are willing to sponsor us, please comment below. Thanks!