This is an absolutely brilliant description by Professor Walter Williams of the morality and viability of free-market capitalism. Please take just 5 minutes to get educated on this.
Is Capitalism Moral?
September 16, 2015 — Craig T. OwensReconnecting the Disconnection
September 7, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
There is a disconnection problem in the United States of America. Consider this:
- John Adams, one of our nation’s founding fathers said, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity.”
- Every president from George Washington to Barak Obama has invoked the name of God in his inaugural address.
- 96% of Americans say they believe in God.
- 80% of Americans call themselves Christians.
And yet:
- Our grade schools make no mention of “God”, some even to the point of not reciting the pledge of allegiance.
- Higher education is openly antagonistic toward God and Christians.
- The entertainment industry normalizes lifestyles that are openly unbiblical.
- Even our US government has done things like legalizing murder in the form of abortion, and sanctioning homosexuality by calling their unions “marriage.”
The Bible calls Christians “aliens and strangers in the world.” Perhaps the term “aliens” is not so much for what we say we believe, but how we live what we believe.
So Peter opens his letter to “strangers in the world” by telling Christians how to live in a way that can reconnect this disconnection.
- Humble—because we sinners have been chosen (v. 2a) to become citizens of Heaven.
- Confident—because of the foreknowledge of God the Father (v. 2b) that can never be thwarted.
- Teachable—because the process of the sanctifying work of the Spirit and obedience to Jesus Christ (v. 2c) requires us to be humbly-confident, teachable servants.
- Graceful and peaceful (v. 2d)—because what we believe about God’s invitation to come to Him, Christ’s payment that makes that possible, and the Holy Spirit’s sanctification should be lived out in graceful and peaceful lives.
Would your Earthling family members say you are graceful and peaceful?
Would your Earthling coworkers say you promote grace and peace on the job?
Would your Earthling neighbors say you make the neighborhood graceful and peaceful?
Would the Earthling business owners you frequent say your gracefulness and peacefulness is more evident than in the citizens of Earth?
Search me, God, and know my heart test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is ANY offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24).
If you’ve missed any messages in this series, you may find the complete list by clicking here.
The Complete 101 Collection (book review)
June 16, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
I am a huge John Maxwell fan! Most of his books are quite in-depth, and feel like a graduate-level class in leadership. For those that are ready to go on a leadership development journey with Dr. Maxwell, The Complete 101 Collection would be a great place to start.
In college, the 101-level classes are intended to be the introduction to a subject. This is the class that will educate you, but more than that, it should whet your appetite to move on to the 201- 301, and 401-level classes in that subject. John Maxwell’s 101 books will do exactly the same thing.
When you read the books in this collection on attitude, self-improvement, leadership, relationships, success, teamwork, equipping, and mentoring, you will be able to see (a) which subject peaks your interest for more, and (b) which subject is calling you to more improvement. Then you can move on to other Maxwell books which will be the higher level classes in that subject.
This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to improve their interactions with others.
I am a Thomas Nelson book reviewer.
Links & Quotes
May 10, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep on picking ourselves up each time. We shall of course be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home. But the bathrooms are all ready, the towels put out, and the clean clothes are in the airing cupboard. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give it up. It is when we notice the dirt that God is most present to us: it is the very sign of His presence.” —C.S. Lewis
“Loving God will include obeying all His commands; it will include believing all His Word; it will include thanking Him for all His gifts; but the essence of loving God is enjoying all He is.” —John Piper
[VIDEO] This is a fascinating TedTalk from Susan Cain on the power of introverts…
A Brilliant Mind (book review)
May 5, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
Dr. Frank Minrith opens his book—A Brilliant Mind—with a bold statement. “Whether you are five or ninety-five, you can develop a more brilliant mind. Whether your IQ is 85 or 165, brilliance can be increased. Whether you are a child, a housewife, a blue-collar worker, or a business executive, brilliance is yours for the taking through the exercises contained in this book.”
Quite simply the premise comes down to this: the brain’s neuroplasticity (it’s ability to continue to learn and retain new things) can be increased by simply expanding your vocabulary. Dr. Minrith points out that only 3500 words separate the culturally literate from others, but this expanded vocabulary holds the key.
Dr. Minrith points out that your brain’s synapses can be increased by memorizing new words, and applying them to your daily life. So the bulk of the book contains list after list after list of vocabulary words, arranged in very specific groups. Taking time to learn these words and their meaning is the key to brilliance. Not only that, but it’s a lot of fun developing a burgeoning vocabulary!
We Need To Talk … About Pornography
May 4, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
Fight The New Drug is coming to Cedar Springs this Friday. Please click here to get all the details, and then make plans to attend!
Links & Quotes
March 6, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
“When the body is about to be led into a sinful action by some fear or craving, we are to take the sword of the Spirit and kill that fear and that craving. In my experience, that means mainly severing the root of sin’s promise by the power of a superior promise. … Having promises at hand that suit the temptation of the hour is one key to successful warfare against sin…. Be constantly adding to your arsenal of promises. But never lose sight of the chosen few that God has blessed in your life. Do both. Be ever-ready with the old. And every morning look for a new one to take with you through the day.” —John Piper
“At the heart of the Hebrew concept of marriage is the notion of covenant—a legally binding agreement with spiritual and emotional ramification (Proverbs 2:17). God serves as a witness to the marriage covenant, blessing its faithfulness but hating its betrayal (Malachi 2:14-16). The Lord’s intimate involvement renders this legal commitment a spiritual union, ‘so they are no longer two, but one’ (Matthew 19:6). The purpose of marriage as articulated in the Bible is to find true companionship (Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 18: 22), produce godly offspring (Malachi 2:15; 1 Corinthians 7:14) and fulfill God’s calling upon an individual’s life (Genesis 1:28). … Marriage binds husband and wife together into an entity greater than either partner as an individual, and it does so in order to assure continuity of the family lineage.” —Archeological Study Bible
“To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” —Theodore Roosevelt
Eric Metaxas, in his commentary A Murderous Mother, tells how the environmentalists have gotten off track, and how Christians are really the only one who can help us.
“In our esteem, the joys of earth are little better than husks for swine compared with Jesus the Heavenly Manna. I would rather have one mouthful of Christ’s love, and a sip of His fellowship, than a whole world full of carnal delights. What is the chaff to the wheat? What is the sparkling paste to the true diamond? What is a dream to the glorious reality?” —Charles Spurgeon
I really like this post—Is There A Spiritual Side To Sex?
Abortion, Inc. documents the $500 million Planned Parenthood gets in your tax dollars to keep killing innocent children.
Links & Quotes
January 30, 2015 — Craig T. Owens
John Stonestreet shares some scientific evidence for the value of traditional families.
“This very obvious fact—that each generation is taught by an earlier generation—must be kept very firmly in mind…. None can give to another what he does not possess himself. No generation can bequeath to its successor what it has not got. You may frame the syllabus as you please. But when you have planned and reported ad nauseam, if we are skeptical we shall teach only skepticism to our pupils, if fools only folly, if vulgar only vulgarity, if saints sanctity, if heroes heroism. Education is only the most fully conscious of the channels whereby each generation influences the next. It is not a closed system. Nothing which was not in the teachers can flow from them into the pupils. We shall all admit that a man who knows no Greek himself cannot teach Greek to his form; but it is equally certain that a man whose mind was formed in a period of cynicism and disillusion, cannot teach hope or fortitude. A society which is predominantly Christian will propagate Christianity through its schools: one which is not, will not. All the ministries of education in the world cannot alter this law. … [E]ven if we were permitted to force a Christian curriculum on the existing schools with the existing teachers we should only be making masters hypocrites and hardening thereby the pupil’s hearts.” ―C.S. Lewis
Did you know that only three nations in the world allow the atrocity of late-term abortions―the dismembering of innocent children? China, North Korea, and … the United States of America! Read more from the ACLJ and sign their petition to Congress to outlaw this brutal practice.
“This world is not so lovely as to tempt us away from Heaven. Here we are strangers and foreigners; here we have no abiding city; but we seek one to come. There is one wilderness, but we bless God there are not two. There is one Jordan to be crossed, but there is not another. There is one season when we must walk by faith and not by sight, and be fed with manna from Heaven; but blessed be God there is not another, for after that comes the Canaan—the rest which remaineth for the people of God.” —Charles Spurgeon
Links & Quotes
March 31, 2014 — Craig T. Owens
Here are links to some interesting reading (and watching) from today.
[VIDEO] Funny, but really sad. I’m not sure what is being taught on college campuses anymore.
[VIDEO] Stephen A. Smith on Arsenio Hall’s show about race relations. Right on target!
Great reminder from Jennilee Goodwin: When The Grace Seems Greener.
[VIDEO] Greg Koukl discusses how Christians should debate evolutionists.
Tim Elmore shares a hilarious but helpful story about a woman involved in her own search party.
[VIDEO] John Maxwell reminds us of the importance of generosity.
The Ministry Of God’s Word (book review)
March 21, 2014 — Craig T. Owens
As a pastor I am frequently in awe that God would use me to share His Word with His people. At times it can feel almost overwhelming. Reading Watchman Nee’s teaching to pastors in The Ministry Of God’s Word I feel equal parts heaviness and encouragement.
The heaviness comes from the even deeper realization that Nee brings to pastors of their awesome responsibility before God to be the messengers of His Word. Nee makes it clear that if a pastor’s heart or mind is not as tuned in as possible, the message will be diminished in its delivery.
The encouragement comes from the realization of how much the Holy Spirit wants to help a preacher get his heart, mind, spirit, memory, and even vocabulary in a place that can be used greatly by God.
Pastors, this is not an easy-to-read book. Not because of the vocabulary, but because of the deepness of the subject matter. You will find yourself confronted at every page. But as you persevere through Nee’s challenging message, you will feel God’s Spirit moving to equip you for even great ministry of God’s Word.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t say thank you to my son Harrison for giving this book to me as a gift. Thank you, son!
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