1 Peter | Craig T. Owens

October 2026
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Links & Quotes

August 1, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Obviously blessing someone is not just saying, “God bless you” after they sneeze! So what does it mean to bless?

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

The biblical historian Luke mentions the Roman Caesar Tiberius. “Tiberius is only named directly once in the Bible (Luke 3:1), where the fifteenth year of his reign is a chronological marker, signalling the beginning of the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus.” Although only named once, Tiberius’ influence is seen throughout the historical events recorded in the New Testament. Check out the archeological biography of this interesting Roman leader.

“Oh! what prophets and kings longed for, do not let us despise, and we shall despise these mercies if we do not make the most of them by entering into the fullness of the joy which they are meant to bring to us.” —Charles Spurgeon, commenting on 1 Peter 1:11

Conventional scientists, looking for a way to explain the origin of life, have proposed nanozymes which served as catalysts to speed up chemical processes. But as ICR notes, “What can be done in a laboratory is not always what happens outside of it. Laboratory tests depend on selected chemicals, planned procedures, and controlled conditions. Such experiments show what skilled researchers can make chemicals do, but they don’t indicate that an unguided environment built the first living cell. … Life displays ordered parts, stored instructions, and linked systems. These observable traits are consistent with the workmanship of a wise creator. As Scripture says, ‘O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all’ (Psalm 104:24).”

“Spiritual warfare against lust is enlistment for a lifetime career. … But do not be afraid because your enemies are mighty and many; your victory will be so much greater. And do not worry, either, when you see Caesars stripped of their insignias and forced to die in chains of lust. Remember, it is only the unbelieving world—without spiritual arms and abandoned by God—that is left to become the prey of satan.” —William Gurnall, The Christian In Complete Armor

“It is manly to be tender toward your wife. … A Christian husband should be intimately aware of his wife’s needs, her strengths and weaknesses, and her goals and desires. He should know as much about her as possible, in order to respond in the best way to her.” —Dr. Henry Halley

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, archeology, biblical history, Charles Spurgeon, chemistry, commentary, Creation, Creator, God's blessing, Gospel of Luke, Henry Halley, husband, marriage, Psalm, quotes, spiritual warfare, Tiberius, video, wife, William Gurnall. Leave a Comment »

Inviting Others To Our King

July 27, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here.

Although no one can truly verify the accuracy of this story, it seems to fit the character of what we do know about Alexander the Great. This powerful leader was walk-in among the camp during the night and came upon a soldier who was supposed to be on guard duty. Except Alexander found him dozing off.

“Soldier, what is your name?” he demanded, bringing the sleeping soldier quickly awake.
“Alexander,” he stammered weakly.
Alexander stepped closer to the young man and repeated, “What is your name?”
“My name is Alexander, sir,” the soldier said a little more clearly this time.
Now, almost nose to nose, Alexander asked again, “What is your name?”
This time the soldier quietly said, “My name, sir, is Alexander.”
Alexander the Great then looked intently at the young soldier, “Either change your name or change your conduct.”

That story may or may not be true, but Brennan Manning’s words are most assuredly true: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” We must take an honest assessment of our lifestyle and then either change our name or change our conduct.

Our next Royal Psalm is Psalm 96. This psalm begins by echoing the words of praise the King David sang on the day the ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought to Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 16:23-29). This day may have been the pinnacle of this great king’s reign. Immediately after celebrating the return of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, God makes the promise to King David that his family will continue to reign until the coming of King Jesus (1 Chronicles 17).

(See all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.)

Although this is a celebratory day for Israel—God’s chosen people—David’s psalm of thanks reverberates into all the world. It is David’s desire that not just the Jewish people, but all people know King Jesus as their Lord.

In our last Royal Psalm, we saw an invitation give to us three times to come into the presence of the King of kings (Psalm 95:1, 2, 6). But we are not to stay in the tabernacle with Him—Luke 9:28-33; 10:1. David uses words like: all the earth, the nations, all peoples, families of nations, the world (vv. 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 13).

In the middle of Psalm 96 is our proclamation to the world. We have the word ascribe (vv. 7-8) three times and an invitation in the word come. Ascribe means, “Come! Come on! Come see His glory and strength!” Then just as we have seen His glory and strength for ourselves, we invite the world to bring an offering and come into His courts.

T.M. Moore wrote, “People in the unbelieving world have witnessed a good bit of hypocrisy, shallowness, disingenuousness, dishonesty, and corruption among the members of the Church. Many of them have installed a spam filter on their brains which automatically blocks anyone calling himself a Christian as having anything meaningful or significant to say.”

So these action words in Psalm 96 are our words backed up or supported by our lifestyle.

Sing (3x) in vv. 1-2. Songs naturally come from our lips because of what is in our minds and hearts. Make sure you are singing to the LORD a new song of His moment by moment goodness to you.

Praise His name (v. 2) is better translated as bless (see NKJV, AMPC, Strong’s). Bless means to not only celebrate our King, but then to bless other people in the name of the Lord. In the New Testament Greek, bless means to say good words—say good words to people about your good King.

Proclaim His salvation (v. 2). …You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9 NLT)

Declare His glory…His marvelous deeds (vv. 3-6). Recount God’s miracles to you again and again.

Worship the LORD (v. 9). The Old English spelling was worth-ship—find ways to tell people how invaluable our King’s blessings are.

Say… “The LORD reigns” (v. 10). Do your words and attitude express that God is on His throne?

C.S. Lewis wrote, “Fine feelings, new insights, greater interest in ‘religion’ mean nothing unless they make our actual behavior better; just as in an illness ‘feeling better’ is not much good if the thermometer shows that your temperature is still going up. In that sense the outer world is quite right to judge Christianity by its results. Christ told us to judge by results. A tree is known by its fruit; or, as we say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. When we Christians behave badly, or fail to behave well, we are making Christianity unbelievable to the outside world. … Our careless lives set the outer world talking; and we give them grounds for talking in a way that throws doubt on the truth of Christianity itself.”

Jesus called us to this (Matthew 5:16). Let’s be sure our words and lifestyle are an invitation to our King that no one can ignore.

If you’ve missed any of the other messages on the Royal Psalms, you can find them all here.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, Alexander the Great, Brennan Manning, C.S. Lewis, Calvary Assembly of God, Christianity, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, Psalm, quotes, royal psalms, sermon, T.M. Moore, testimony, video. 2 Comments »

Links & Quotes

July 25, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

There should be a heavenly aroma and a winsomeness about us as Christians that attracts others to Jesus the Savior and King.

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

“Oh! to be solid gold through and through. If so, you need not mind the trials of today, since they will only prepare you for the glories eternal at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” —Charles Spurgeon, commenting on 1 Peter 1:6-7

“The clearer and more compelling our vision, the more earnest, specific and devoted we will be in taking up the disciplines necessary to realize our vision.” —T.M. Moore

Dan Reiland writes that leaders under sustained pressure may “eventually face a breaking point where caving in no longer looks like a weakness and starts looking like the only option to survive.” He then shares some solid leadership practices to help us stand firm during these pressure-packed situations.

Marshall Segal references a survey that says “only 31 percent of churchgoers read the Bible daily.” Ouch! Marshall then uncovers the reasons why Christians aren’t in the Word more consistently.

“The sign that the Holy Spirit is in us is that we realize, not that we are full, but that we are empty. There is a sense of absolute need. We come across people who try us, circumstances that are difficult, conditions that are perplexing, and all these things awaken a dumb sense of need, which is a sign that the Holy Spirit is there. If we are ever free from the sense of need, it is not because the Holy Spirit has satisfied us, but because we have been satisfied with as much as we have.” —Oswald Chambers, in If You Will Ask

How cool is this: “Another fascinating clue has been found pointing to Neanderthals belonging to the human population. In a Russian cave, researchers discovered what they believe to be a 60,000-year-old Neanderthal molar tooth with a hole in it. A LiveScience article has dubbed the discovery ‘the oldest evidence of intentional dentistry to date.’” Of course, this human isn’t 60,000 years old, but more like 4000 years old, and shows the intelligence that the Creator endowed in all humans.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, Bible study, Charles Spurgeon, Christianity, Creator, Dan Reiland, discipline, Holy Spirit, Institute for Creation Research, leadership, Marshall Segal, Oswald Chambers, quotes, T.M. Moore, testimony, video, vision casting. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

July 11, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Here’s a quote from John Piper that got me thinking: “God loves His people. He loves for them to get good food, rich food. He knows how to put His shepherds in the vice of affliction and squeeze out of us authentic, prayer-soaked, desperation-flavored insight—the unsearchable riches of Christ for the joy of His people.” Pastor, God wants to use you to shepherd the flock He’s placed under your care. So trust Him to give you what you need. And check out my book When Sheep Bite to help you along through this journey.

I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

“Do more than go to church; be the church. Find a place to serve in the promises of your pastor and fight for that vision like it was your own. Do more than give what’s left; give what’s right. Do more than show up as a consumer; show up as a partner, knowing the day will come when you will need partnership to see your dream come to pass. If your promise is concerning business, then be the best employee of the people for whom you work. If your promise will need generous people involved to make it happen, then be generous in the promises of others. If your promise is about your family, be a blessing to the families of those who are around you. Make their dreams come to pass and you will plant the seeds that will, in time, become the fruit of your God-given why.” —Jim Wiegand, in Why is Greater Than What

“You have noticed, I expect, that Christ Himself sometimes describes the Christian way as very hard, sometimes as very easy. He says, ‘Take up your Cross’—in other words, it is like going to be beaten to death in a concentration camp. Next minute he says, ‘My yoke is easy and my burden light.’ He means both.” —C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity

T.M. Moore is beginning a new series of posts on the importance of the spiritual life for the Christian. He writes, “We may thus define the spiritual life in terms of Christ exalted as our focus, Christ indwelling as our sustaining power, Christ at work in and through us as the outcome of our discipleship, and Christ returning as the hope which sustains us through the tests we encounter every day. True spiritual life, in other words, is all about Jesus Christ.”

“The truths of eternity have an infinite power. They are often powerless because we do not give them time to reveal themselves. Taking time to be alone with God is the only remedy. … The Word that we get from the mouth of God brings the power to know it and to do it. Let us learn this lesson: personal fellowship with God alone in secret can make the Word alive and powerful.” —Andrew Murray

Dr. Thaddeus Williams unpacks what Charles Darwin meant when he wrote to a friend, “The horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy.” Check out Dr. Williams’ post, which he opens with, “If our minds came from a capital “M” Mind—God—gifted to us as truth-knowing mechanisms, we have a reason to reason. But if our minds came from a non-mind, a literally dumb process of random mutations and natural selection, then our minds are not fundamentally truth-knowing mechanisms, but mere survival mechanisms.”

“Our first birth brought us into sin and sorrow, but our second birth brings us into purity and joy. We were born to die; now are we born never to die, ‘begotten again’ unto a life that shall remain in us for evermore, a life which shall even penetrate these mortal bodies, and make them immortal, ‘by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’” —Charles Spurgeon, commenting on 1 Peter 1:3-4

Stop Talking About Other People

July 8, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. (James 4:11)

There are three Greek words that dominate this verse.

First, there is katalaleo. This word appears five times in the whole New Testament, with three of those used in this verse alone!

This verse in the NIV uses the words “slander” and “speaks against.” Other translations render these same words:

criticize (NLT)
accuse (AMPC)
malign (AMPC)
speak evil (NKJV)
bad mouth (MSG)

Literally translated katalaleo means “to talk down.” The word is only used in this verse and in 1 Peter 2:12 and 3:16, where worldlings are speaking against Christians. Paul uses the root word once in Romans 1:30, also to describe evil people as “backbiters.”

This word is never used in a complementary way, whether talking about those calling themselves Christians or not.

The second word is adelphos. This word is translated “brothers and sisters” three times in just this one verse. How sad that James has to put “slander” alongside “saints” when writing to the church!

The third word is krinos or krino. This word for judge or judgment is used four times in this single verse. It means to sit in an elevated or authoritative position to make rulings or determinations about others.

James says if we judge people, we are really judging the law; thereby, we judge the “only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy” (v. 12).

His most convicting words are probably this: “When you judge the law, you are not keeping it.”

The Bible has much to say to those who talk about others, and none of it is good.

Talking about others…

(1) …Breaks the Mosaic law. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor (Exodus 20:16).

(2) …Violates the Golden Rule. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).

(3) …Doesn’t honor the Great Commandment. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-31).

(4) …Subjects me to judgment. Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Matthew 7:1-2).

(5) …Makes me a lawbreaker. If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker (James 2:8-11).

The bottom line:

🛑 STOP TALKING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE!! 🛑

You may also want to check out a couple of related posts:

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, Book of James, Christian, criticism, Exodus, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, gossip, judgment, Romans, slander, Ten Commandments. 1 Comment »

Royal Robes

July 6, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here.

I know we’re not supposed to judge by appearances, but the fact is that we do make quite a few mental assessments by what we see.

I heard about a recently-hired flight attendant who hadn’t received her uniform from the airline before she worked her first flight. Can you imagine what passengers were thinking when someone dressed just like them was giving pre-flight instructions, passing out snacks and beverages, or asking passengers to buckle up? I’m sure they made an assessment about her because of what she wasn’t wearing.

The first mention an article of clothing is when God clothes Adam and Eve to cover the shame of their sin (Genesis 3:21).

(Check out all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.)

There is no mention of the garments and accessories that would be worn by kings, but we see how these things had become recognized outward symbols (1 Samuel 18:1-4). And then there were the kingly crowns (2 Samuel 12:29-30). As we saw last week, David knew God had chosen him to lead Israel, and whether it was symbolic or literal, David saw his kingly crown as coming from God (Psalm 21:1-3, 5).

Swords and crowns were mostly symbols of authority, but there are also garments that show intimacy. We first see this with the priests who were to serve before God in the Holy of Holies. They were given special garments to distinguish them from everyone else (Exodus 28:1-3). These robes would also be saturated with the aroma of the unique incense that the priests offered in God’s presence. So both the appearance and aroma spoke of close intimacy with God.

For a period of time, the ark of the covenant of the Lord was housed in a temporary location, but David wanted to bring it to Jerusalem. As he undertook this, notice his clothing choice (1 Chronicles 15:27). David then offered praise to God extolling His glory (16:8-10), His strength (vv. 11-12), and His majesty (vv. 24-29).

Psalm 93 is a royal psalm—taking what people knew about King David and pointing past him to the King of kings. Notice the same themes in this psalm of this eternal King’s glory, strength, and majesty as David mentions in 1 Chronicles 16. God is referred to exclusively as YHWH (5 times) in this psalm.

David recognized his kingly majesty came from his intimacy with the majesty of God.

God’s clothing of Adam and Eve—the covering of the ravages of sin—was a foreshadowing of what Jesus would do for us. Check out this prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-3, 10. Jesus quoted this in His very first recorded sermon.

Jesus has a royal crown and robe that shows both His royalty and His intimacy with His Father’s majesty (Revelation 6:2, 19:13). And Jesus gives this same crown to His saints (2:10, 3:11).

Remember we said earlier that we naturally make an assessment of people by their robes? What do people assess about you? In the middle of the Isaiah 61 prophecy about what Jesus would do for us is this testimony—

Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed (v. 9).

Our soiled robes have been exchanged for the King of king’s robe of pure righteousness (Ephesians 5:25-27). Because He is also our High Priest, our robe of righteousness is saturated with His aroma (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV; 1 Peter 2:9).

Revelation 22:14 should be our desire—Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

But we should also desire what Jesus desires: That no one misses out on this—

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17).

So let’s make sure our robes are clean and bright, and that the aroma of our life is a pleasing aroma that points others to our King!

If you would like to check out the other Royal Psalms that we’ve already looked at, you can find those here.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? My Patreon supporters get behind-the-scenes access to exclusive materials. ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Chronicles, 1 Peter, 1 Samuel, 2 Corinthians, 2 Samuel, aroma, Calvary Assembly of God, clothing, crown, Ephesians, eternal life, Genesis, Gospel of John, High Priest, Isaiah, prophecy, Psalm, Revelation, royal psalms, sermon, video. 5 Comments »

The King’s Currency

June 17, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:3).

Dr. Henry Halley noted, “Perseverance here transcends the idea of bearing affliction; it includes the idea of standing fast under pressure, with a staying power that turns adversities into opportunities.” The opportunity is to allow my life to be valuable currency for my King to use for His pleasure and purpose.

The Greek word for “testing” has several aspects to it, but all of them point to this truth: God desires purity, and He is the final Judge on the value of my purity. It has been said that the only faith that can be trusted is a faith that has been tested—and passed the test!

James in this verse, and Peter in 1 Peter 1:7, are the only New Testament writers to use the Greek word dokimion, which means testing for purity and genuineness.

These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:7 NLT)

These verses insist that God has a loving and specific purpose in His refining process. The Septuagint uses dokimion when David declares the absolute purity—and the standard of all purity—that is found in God’s Word: The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times (Psalm 12:6).

James says this purifying process “produces perseverance.” Paul takes this a step further in saying that perseverance produces character (Romans 5:4). This word for character is the word from which dokimion comes: dokime. This is defined as a proven character, or having received the the stamp of approval from God. Paul uses this word again…

Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. (2 Corinthians 2:9)

But you know [Timothy’s] proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. (Philippians 2:22)

All of this testing and refining and proving is to make me valuable for God’s use, and to be one who points others to Him.

Dokime comes from dokimos, which James uses this way: “Having stood the test” (James 1:12). Other translations of this phrase read:

When he has been approved (NKJV)
The man who doesn’t give in (TLB)
Proven to be genuine (NET)

Dokime means beings pleasing, acceptable, and valuable to God and men. It is money of undiminished value—currency of the highest purity. Just as monarchs would have their image stamped into the metal of the official coinage of their realm, the stamp of approval on my life comes from God but is seen by men and valued by men—

Because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval (Romans 14:18).

Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test (Romans 16:10).

For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2 Corinthians 10:18).

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

This is why I must “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2) when God puts me through His purifying process. He sees value in me that is not yet currency that can be placed into circulation. He wants my life to be spendable for His glory, so He loving removes anything that would diminish His image being seen in the currency of my life.

As the Christmas hymn captures: “Adam’s likeness now efface; stamp Thine image in its place”!

Make me valuable and useful for You, my King. Purify me and put me into circulation for Your glory.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, 2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy, Book of James, Henry Halley, integrity, perseverance, Philippians, Psalm, purity, Romans, trials, value. Leave a Comment »

Casting Your Pearl Before Swine

May 4, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. Check out the video content in this post by clicking here.

Imagine a couple being invited to a dinner at another couple’s house. The host and hostess want to create a special evening for their guests, so they carefully plan the meal, shop for all the ingredients, and then spend the afternoon putting together all the components of their meal.

Their friends arrive and sit down to dinner. One friend thoughtfully samples the food, letting it sit on her tastebuds, and offering comments like, “I love how you got the spices to bloom on this meat … Wow, look at the vibrant colors in your vegetable medley … I really like the way the lemon zest cuts down the sweetness of your cake frosting.” The other dinner guest inhales his meal without hardly tasting it.

For which guest would you rather spend hours preparing the meal—the thoughtful foodie or the hasty gobbler? It doesn’t have to be food. What about the one who appreciates the effort you put into your design project, noticing the fine-tuned details versus the one who simply says, “It looks nice”? Or the one who graciously receives your loving insight about something that could really help them versus the one who sulks and attacks you because you didn’t tell them everything about them is wonderful?

Statement #19—Don’t cast your pearl before swine. Is that in the Bible? Yes.

Matthew 7:6 is a paragraph unto itself. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

But its placement in the Sermon on the Mount is interesting because Jesus has just addressed the hard but loving word we may need to speak to a brother or sister (vv. 1-4). I’ve discussed this before, and this requires maturity, humility, and introspection before speaking.

In v. 6, Jesus seems to be telling us to consider whom we are addressing.

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

Notice the two ways Jesus states this:

(1) Don’t give dogs what is sacred…

The word sacred (Greek: hagios) means saintly, holy, set apart for God’s use. This word is used for the Holy Spirit and for God’s holy people. So sacred things are not to be used just anywhere by anyone in any situation in which we choose. Sacred things must be used with discretion.

The apostle Paul said, “Yet when we are among the full-grown—spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding—we do impart a higher wisdom—the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden…” (1 Corinthians 2:6 AMPC).

The word dogs in Matthew 7:6 can me a 4-legged canine, but it can also mean a person of an impure mind (see Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15).

(2) …do not throw your pearls to pigs.

Pearls is a word of great value; a treasure that you spent dearly to acquire. Jesus talks about precious, costly treasures in two parables in Matthew 13:44-46. And Solomon opens the Book of Proverbs by contrasting those who receive precious wisdom—those who “listen and add to their learning”—with those who reject it—“fools [who] despise wisdom and instruction” (see Proverbs 1:1-7).

Pigs in Matthew 7 are those undiscriminating gobblers of food, like the thoughtless friend I mentioned earlier who just inhaled his food without any savoring of the perfectly-prepared meal.

We want to give a good answer to everyone without quarreling. But giving a good answer doesn’t necessarily mean you are giving them your best pearls. Here are a few things I have learned the hard way.

Do gauge their sincerity with questions. Notice the masterful way Jesus did this in Matthew 22:15-46. In several exchanges, you can tell which people in His audience were getting the pearls and which weren’t. We would do well to learn this lesson from our Savior.

Don’t try to be a know-it-all. Saying, “I don’t know,” is a perfectly acceptable answer, but then come back to continue the conversation later.

Do keep it conversational, not controversial. Don’t get off track on topics that have no eternal value.

Don’t feel the need to defend God—He can defend Himself! Peter gives us the example from Jesus in 1 Peter 2:21-23.

Learn a lesson from our Lord

Often silence cuts like a sword

When we stand upon the Rock

We needn’t bother when fools mock

Bantering with fools just won’t do

Unless you want to be foolish too

To the wisest words they won’t listen

But joy in airing their own opinion

Our Lord knew just what to do

When mockers hurled words untrue

He entrusted things to the King

Who perfectly records everything

Help us follow the example You gave

To not engage with those who rave

May not our hasty words undo

The loving way we shine for You (Hasty Foolishness)

We have precious, invaluable, life-changing treasures to share with people! Let’s share with them what they are ready to hear, reserving our pearls for those who are truly seeking a treasure.

If you’ve missed any of the other statements we have looked at in our series “Is That In The Bible?” you can find them all here.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, argue, Calvary Assembly of God, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ, Philippians, poetry, proverbs, Revelation, sermon, video. 1 Comment »

A Gentleman For Jesus

April 15, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

In some of the final words Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi, he said, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5).

Today, we don’t often refer to people as gentlemen or gentlewomen, but Paul suggests that saints should strive to earn this title every day.

The Greek word means behavior that is suitable for the occasion; not someone given to extremes nor being unpredictable. Paul uses this word in his leadership qualifications to both Timothy and Titus (1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 3:2). Peter uses this word for servants in relationship to their masters (1 Peter 2:18), and James uses it to describe what godly wisdom looks and sounds like (James 3:17).

(See all the Scriptures I use in this post here.)

When Paul says that our gentleness is to be “evident to all,” he uses a word that means intimate relationships. In other words, those who are closest to us should be the most aware of our gentleness. But it also means that anyone should be able to predict quite accurately how a gentleman or gentlewoman is going to behave or respond in the situations they are in.

Look how this phrase is rendered in other Bible translations:

AMPC: Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness.
NLT: Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
KJV: Let your moderation be known unto all men.

How do I know if I am being a gentleman for Jesus? I must look in the mirror of others’ faces. If they are wondering how I am going to respond, or if they are shocked at how I just responded, then they must not know my gentlemanliness. I cannot excuse my unpredictable or unseemly response with excuses like, “I was caught off guard,” “I was having a bad day,” or “They just don’t know me very well.”

Being a gentleman for Jesus is totally on me. It’s up to me to allow the Holy Spirit to develop the fruit of gentleness in me; it’s not on others to excuse my poor behavior.

Christians, I pray that we may be known as the best of gentlemen or gentlewomen wherever we go and in whatever circumstances we find ourselves. After all, Paul concludes this verse in Philippians 4:5 with a heavy reminder for us: “The Lord is near.”

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Peter, 1 Timothy, behavior, Book of James, fruit of the Spirit, gentleman, gentleness, gentlewoman, Holy Spirit, leadership, lifestyle, Philippians. Leave a Comment »

The Visible Church

April 6, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

Fifty-eight years ago this weekend, on April 4, 1968, just after 6pm on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was cut down by an assassin’s bullet. A powerful voice in the struggle for civil rights for African Americans was silenced, and yet his legacy still lives on more than a half-century later.

A couple of days ago, we remembered another historic death: the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. But unlike Dr. King, today we also celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead!

Does it matter that Jesus was raised back to life? If Dr. King’s legacy can still live on in the life of his followers, even though his body is in the grave, couldn’t the same thing happen for the followers of Jesus of Nazareth? The answer, quite simply, is “No!” This is because Jesus claimed that His kingdom was an eternal Kingdom, and that He came to bring people eternal life (John 3:16). If the Founder of this Kingdom could be held in the grave, what would His followers have to look forward to? Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19.

(I’m not going to take the time to go through all the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus here, but I would encourage you to check out our series A.L.I.V.E.

We have named this series after a statement from Jesus, “I will build My Church.” He made this statement before His death and before His resurrection, which tells us that He knew the outcome before those events even occurred.

(Check out all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.)

Look how Paul concludes that the resurrection of Jesus is what gives meaning to the terms “saints” and “Church” in Ephesians 1:15-23. Our faith in what Jesus did for us on the Cross—namely, paying the penalty for our sins—is what justifies us, allowing us to be called saints (2:4-5). Notice how saints are to now live (2:6-10).

Look at those two phrases: “saved…not by works” and “created…to do good works.” As my friend T.M. Moore noted, “We are not saved by good works, but we’re not truly saved without them.” Good works is what characterized the earthly ministry of Jesus (Acts 10:38), and good works are what His saints are now freed and empowered to do (Romans 7:4; 1 Peter 2:12).

Paul goes on to say that saints are who make up the Church of Jesus (Ephesians 2:14-22). The Church is not a building, but saints following the example of Jesus to make the Kingdom of God known in the world (Acts 4:32-35).

A hundred years later, Aristides wrote a letter to Emperor Hadrian about these saints (who were now known as Christians):

“They help those who offend them, making friends of them; do good to their enemies. They don’t adore idols; they are kind, good, modest, sincere, they love one another; don’t despise widows; protect the orphans; those who have much give without grumbling, to those in need. When they meet strangers, they invite them to their homes with joy, for they recognize them as true brothers, not natural but spiritual. When a poor man dies, if they become aware, they contribute according to their means for his funeral; if they come to know that some people are persecuted or sent to prison or condemned for the sake of Christ’s name, they put their alms together and send them to those in need. If they can do it, they try to obtain their release. When a slave or a beggar is in need of help, they fast two or three days, and give him the food they had prepared for themselves, because they think that he too should be joyful, as he has been called to be joyful like themselves.”

Jesus is the eternally-living Founder of His Church, and those who have had their sins forgiven by their faith in His death and resurrection are the living stones of His Church (1 Peter 2:5).

Coming to the Cross makes us saints. Making the Savior known by the way we live makes us the Church.

We can’t do this unless Jesus is alive and actively empowering us (Matthew 28:18-20).

Let me reiterate what my friend wrote, because this is how saints should live: “We are not saved by good works, but we’re not truly saved without them.”

The resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for us to not only be delivered from trying to earn our salvation by doing good works, but to be empowered to do good works so that we compel others want to know Jesus for themselves.