Links & Quotes

August 9, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

The armor of God is not for us to fight in but to shield us while we pray. Prayer is the weapon!

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.

“Psychologists, since the beginning of the discipline, have argued about the essence of what it means to be human. Some, like [Sigmund] Freud, insist that we are motivated by physical pleasure, while others, like Victor Frankl or Abraham Maslow, believe that some higher purpose…. Human beings, made in the image and likeness of God, only realize their full potential and pleasure as they participate in the very being of God and know and experience the pleasure He takes in Himself and His glory.” —T.M. Moore 

“If you are persevering in faith today, you owe it to the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit, who is working in you to preserve your faith, is honoring the purchase of Jesus. God the Spirit works in us what God the Son obtained for us. The Father planned it. Jesus bought it. The Spirit applies it—all of them infallibly.” —John Piper

“The Hebrew word Davar (דבר, pronounced ‘daw-var’) reveals something profound about God’s Word—it’s not merely information, but transformation. … Throughout Scripture, God’s Word consistently proves both living and active. It has the power to create worlds (Genesis 1), transform lives (Psalm 119:105), and accomplish God’s purposes (Isaiah 55:11).” —Dave Adamson 

More fascinating archeology that supports the Bible’s historicity. This is a look at the library of letters found at Tell el-Amarna in Egypt. “The most obvious connection between the Amarna Letters and biblical history is that some of the letters appear to be describing, in real-time, the attacks of the Israelites during the period of the conquest. Remember, the initial conquest battles took a period of some 5–6 years, but the attempts by various tribes to conquer their allotted territories lasted into the period of the Judges. The letters from the rulers of some of the very cities named in the biblical conquest calling for help from the attacking ʿapîru/ḫa-bi-ru, provide a poignant backdrop to this period of biblical history.”

“Because I am your constant Companion, there should be a lightness to your step that is observable to others. Do not be weighed down with problems and unresolved issues, for I am your burden-bearer.” —Jesus in Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling, based on Psalm 31:19–20; John 16:33

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Honoring The Good Shepherd

July 31, 2025 — 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. 

What does it mean when we really believe the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1)? 

When the sheep is utterly dependent on the shepherd, it lacks nothing. A sheep without any lack glorifies the Good Shepherd. 

God is glorified when I remain in utter dependence on Him, and I continue to have to lack because of His perfect provision. I am quiet, restored, on the right path, fearless, secure, provisioned, blessed, and forever hopeful. 

To try to provide for my own needs dishonors the Good Shepherd, but to come to Him for absolutely everything glorifies Him as eternally satisfying and reliable. 

The more my needs are satisfied by God alone, the more He is glorified. 

You may also want to check out this related post—The Path Ahead Of Me. 

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

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Links & Quotes

June 21, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

People need to know how much you love them before they will listen to any correction you may need to give them. “Real friends hurt each other.” Check out the full sermon here.

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.

David Mathis shares a faith-building message of confidence during times of crisis. He takes his text from Psalm 46—“Whatever trouble comes, Psalm 46 tells us, with its first word, where to turn. Not to a change in circumstances. Not to our best efforts to fix the problem. Not to our anxious strategies to avoid pain and loss. But rather, turn to God.”

“There is not a facet of our lives, not an interest or occupation, not a nook or cranny of the cosmos, where God does not intend that His glory should shine forth and be known. Indeed, even now He is showing His glory in created things, and even in much of the culture that human beings make to meet their own needs (Psalm 19:1-4; Psalm 68:18). God is manifesting His glory; it is there to be noted and pondered. The task of those entrusted with the Kingdom economy is to serve as docents of the glory of God, bringing His glory to light and making Him known for all to see in these last days. … Our mission in these last days is to glorify God by living out the reality of His indwelling Presence among the people to whom He sends us day by day (cf. Micah 4:1-8). In all our relationships, cultural activities, conversations, families, vocations, and diversions, what will it look like, and how will it appear to others when the glorious Presence of God is being refracted through us?” —T.M. Moore 

“The resurrection of Jesus from the dead was the one unvarying refrain of the apostles. This chapter [1 Corinthians 15] is the fullest discussion of it in the New Testament. It is one of the most significant and grandest chapters in the Bible because of the meaning it gives to human life. … The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the one most important and most established fact in all history. And the story of it has come down to us through the centuries, beautifying human life with the halo of immortality; making us feel sure that because He lives again we too shall live; making our hearts thrill with the thought that we are immortal, that we have begun an existence that shall never end; that nothing can harm us; that death is merely an incident in passing from one phase of existence to another; that wether here or there we are His, doing the thing He has for us to do; that millions of ages after the sun has grown cold, we ourselves shall still be young in the eternities of God.” —Dr. Henry Halley

Would you like to get better sleep and lower your stress levels? Check this out: “If you share a bed with your sweetie, consider incorporating this step into your nighttime routine if you aren’t already: a snuggle sesh…. A study found that couples who cuddled prior to drifting off experienced less stress and more feelings of security in the relationship.”

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbours, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” —G.K. Chesterton 

John Piper is asked an interesting question from Ephesians 6:12—are our adversaries merely flesh-and-blood humans or are demonic forces at work? “Flesh and blood apart from Christ is always under the sway of the spirit of the age, and it’s always under the sway of the prince of the power of the air, and it’s always acting out of its own bodily, mental desires. Therefore, in one sense, there is no separation in our warfare with human sinfulness and demonic schemes. They overlap; they’re intertwined.”

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God-Sent Enemies

February 4, 2025 — 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.

It could be that the enemies that are dogging your footsteps—harassing you and closing in on you—are doing so because God incited them to do this. 

Why? 

So that you will grow stronger in your dependence on His keeping power. God says He will gain the honor and glory when He does what no earthly power can do. 

Check out this part of the story about the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites—

     “For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ I will harden (make stubborn, strong) Pharaoh’s heart, that he will pursue them, and I will gain honor and glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so. … The Lord made hard and strong the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, for they left proudly and defiantly. … Moses told the people, “Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today. For the Egyptians you have seen today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.” … Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore. And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did against the Egyptians, and the people reverently feared the Lord and trusted in (relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord and to His servant Moses. (Exodus 14:3-4, 8, 13-14, 30-31 AMPC) 

God allowed the enemies to pursue the Israelites. Actually, God Himself stirred up these enemies to go after His people. 

So let me ask again: Why would God do this?

Two things happened as the Israelites remained at rest: 

  1. The Egyptians were defeated, which caused God’s name to be revered 
  2. The Israelites were delivered, which caused them to place their trust more firmly in God. 

Instead of complaining about your foes—or even trying to defend yourself or fight back against them—keep your eyes on your Savior. He will be glorified as He cares for you as only He can! And when God does unleash His power on your behalf, you will have a testimony that will reverberate through the ages—

     Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider or its chariot has He thrown into the sea. The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. … Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:1-2, 11)

God will be glorified in your difficult situation. Stand still and watch your awesome God work in awesome ways!

I wrote about this story from a different angle in my post Between a Rock and a Hard Place. And check out my video clip Different Thinking in Difficult Places. 

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

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Links & Quotes

January 11, 2025 — Craig T. Owens

This is amazing—Jesus wants to say, “Amen!” to your prayers!

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.

“If we try to display the excellence of God without joy in it, we will display a shell of hypocrisy and create scorn or legalism. But if we claim to enjoy His excellence and do not display it for others to see and admire, we deceive ourselves, because the mark of God-enthralled joy is to overflow and expand by extending itself into the hearts of others. … God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of Him in every part of our lives.” —John Piper

I have blogged quite a bit about the importance of getting enough quality sleep. A new study finds that the link between poor sleep and mental health problems could be related to deficits in brain regions that keep unwanted thoughts out of mind. Check out the full report.

“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” —Margaret Thatcher 

Believe it or not, New Year’s Day hasn’t always been observed on January 1. Dr. Steve Nichols has the strange and sometimes comical history about this date.

“Heroes always have their scars. Some you can see, some you read about later on.” —George Foreman 

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Christ’s Advents Bring Love

December 26, 2024 — 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. 

The lights of hope, peace, and joy burn brightly. They drive out the darkness in our own lives and in the lives of others with whom we come in contact. But you and I both know lots of people who are very positive people—always upbeat, seemingly peaceful and joyful. The real question is: What is the source of this light? Or more specifically, how do people know that you are hopeful, peaceful, and joyful because you know Jesus as your Savior and King?  

Jesus said there were two proofs that we are His followers:

  1. That we love others (John 13:35) 
  2. That we are producing God-honoring fruit (John 15:8) 

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

God IS love—it’s His very nature. Just like an apple doesn’t have the capacity for apple-ness but is by its nature an apple, so God doesn’t have the capacity for love, or love more than others, but He is by His nature Love. 

Any qualities of hope, peace, and joy in our lives have to originate from God’s love. We cannot manufacture these fruits, but they are a natural result of our being connected with Love Himself. 

Love is what brought Jesus to earth at His First Advent (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:5-8). And we can only love others and produce the fruit of hope, peace, and joy because Jesus went first and became our Source (1 John 4:19; John 15:1). 

Love brought Jesus to earth at His First Advent, and Love is what empowers us to be loving and fruitful between His Advents. 

  1. Love one another means that love serves (John 13:1-5, 15-17, 34-35) 
  2. Bear much fruit means that love grows (John 15:1-12) 

We can only serve and be lovingly fruitful as we stay connected to Love (2 Peter 1:2-7; 1 John 2:28). 

Love brought Jesus to earth at His First Advent, Love is what empowers us to be loving and fruitful between His Advents, and Love is what patiently waits for Christ’s Second Advent (2 Peter 3:3-4, 9). 

We continue to grow in our love and produce fruit by being connected to the Vine of Love (1 Corinthians 13:11-12; 1 John 3:1-2 ; Hebrews 10:23-24). 

This means we live every moment as though the Second Advent is imminent. Because it is! 

We need to let our love be continually supplied by Love Himself so that our fruitfulness can shine as a bright testimony. Jesus said, He was the Light of the world, and then He called us to be the light to our part of the world where He has placed us (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-16). 

Always remember that we celebrate the First Advent and look forward to the Second Advent by staying connected to Jesus, growing in our love for Him and for others, and allowing the fruit of hope, peace, and joy to shine brightly for God’s glory. 

If you’ve missed any of the other messages in our Advent series, you can find them all by clicking here. 

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

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MVP: Most Valuable Praise

November 26, 2024 — 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 preparing for our Be Thankful series at my church, I have been reading and studying quite a bit about gratitude. For example, my wife and I are reading a devotional on the YouVersion Bible app call “Practicing Gratitude.” 

The other morning, our devotional writer shared this thought: “When the prophet Jonah was having a terrible day at work, he found gratitude by looking at God’s provision through the physical environment. God made a bush for shade and ‘Jonah was very happy about the bush’ (Jonah 4:6).” 

In our shared notes, my wife had an insightful word. She wrote, “Jonah’s gratitude didn’t last long. This is a great reminder to pursue a lifestyle of gratitude. It is sometimes very challenging in the midst of hard days to recognize God’s blessings, but it forces me to take my eyes off myself and place them back on my Lord and Savior!” 

My studies, this devotional plan, and Betsy’s insight got me thinking even more about the most valuable praise we can offer to our God. 

Jonah was indeed happy about the shade. But as soon as the shade was gone because the plant withered, he was back to his sullen complaining all over again! 

Ah, yes, poor Jonah is a microcosm of the whole Old Testament: God’s blessings are only appreciated for a moment until the complaining starts up again. 

Oh, wait! That’s still our story today. All of God’s blessings are so quickly forgotten unless we are intentionally grateful.

Especially in the hard times where it feels like our difficulties are just so unfair. 

Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 

“In everything” is not the same thing as “for everything.” This means that I can still be God-focused in my painful circumstances, even though I may not be thankful for those circumstances. 

But as I remain thankfully God-focused, perhaps I may begin to see what He is accomplishing because of my painful circumstances. Just as Jesus saw “the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2) and knew that His Father would triumph even in that horrific time, perhaps as I keep my eyes on Jesus I can begin to get a glimpse of God’s coming glory. 

Isn’t it “the will of God” that I know—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that I am irremovable from my position “in Christ Jesus”? 

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is IN Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NASB)

Shouldn’t my assurance of that truth produce a joy that prompts praise from my lips that brings glory to God? Isn’t that praise of greater value precisely because it comes from a person in a setting where thankfulness seems impossible? 

God is magnified even more when praise comes from a thankful heart that is in a place where humanly there seems to be absolutely nothing praiseworthy. 

It is in this place that my praise is to God simply because He is God and He is worthy to be praised simply because of who He is! 

So I will praise Him no matter what—“in all things”—because I am secure that I am “in Christ Jesus.” That hope produces a reward that is invaluable. That hope produces a praise that is beautiful in God’s ears. 

…And we boast IN the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory IN our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out INTO our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:2-5) 

We give God our MVP—our most valuable praise—when it is lifted to Him in that place and time where the natural response would be grumbling and complaining. In those moments, remind yourself that you are IN Christ Jesus, which means even here in this dark moment you can be thankful IN all things. 

(You may also be interested in my post and video Praising God in the Troughs.) 

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

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Beware Of Boasting

October 16, 2024 — 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. 

Jesus had just healed the sick people that were brought to Him, and then we read:

So the crowd was astonished as they saw those who were unable to speak talking, those with impaired limbs restored, those who were limping walking around, and those who were blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. (Matthew 15:31)

Before Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He told His followers that they would do the same things He had done, including preaching the Gospel and healing the sick. The focal point is still to be the same as it was while Jesus was on earth: “They glorified God.” 

We would laugh if an ax boasted about the tree he had cut down. We all know that the power came from the lumberjack. 

It was the lumberjack who chose the ax, sharpened the ax, and skillfully used the ax to chop down the large tree. The felled tree is a testament to the lumberjack’s strength. 

In the same way, God may use one of us as His instrument to display His power. If the blind receive their sight, the lame can walk, and the lost find Jesus as their Savior, we would laugh if the one who prayed or preached boasted about his ability that brought about these miracles. 

These changed lives are a testament to the power and wisdom that flows from God. The one who prays or preaches is merely the instrument that was used by Him. God may pick up that person again and again, or He may lean him against the wall after one use. God determines the best instrument to use for His glory. 

In fact, God Himself says, “Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it?” (Isaiah 10:15). And, “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know Me” (Jeremiah 9:23-24). 

Be careful if you find yourself thinking, “Look what I have done,” and let your heart quickly change that to, “Look what my merciful God has been please to do through Me!” 

It’s not about our glory, is all about God’s glory! 

Sola Deo gloria! 

(Check out what A.W. Tozer said about a Christian neither boasting nor belittling.)

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

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The Irrefutable Evidence

October 2, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. … And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God. And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him. (Luke 1:57-58, 64-66)

When God does what only He can do, our testimony is irrefutable! People will rejoice, reverence God, and ask questions, but they will never be the same after witnessing a miracle. 

Let’s pray for God to do the miraculous in our own lives even now so that we can be living testimonies that draw others to our Savior and Lord! 

You may also be interested in my posts By His Stripes and Argument vs Experience. 

And check out my short video Proof!

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Redeeming Productivity (book review)

September 25, 2024 — 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. 

The other day someone messaged me on LinkedIn to ask about any projects I had in the works. After I got done rattling off several things on which I’m working, he asked, “How did you find the time to get so much done?” I love being productive, and Regan Rose’s book Redeeming Productivity is a huge help. 

I need to start off by stating that getting a lot done is not the same thing as getting the right things done right. My podcast cohost Greg and I recently talked about how too many “To Do” items can negatively impact a leader’s effectiveness. 

Redeeming Productivity is written from a biblical worldview. I really resonated with Reagan’s focus on why Christians should be productive, more so than an emphasis on what things should we be accomplishing. The “what to do” is as important as the “how to do them.” But neither of those are as important as the “why do we do what we do.” 

Reagan unpacks some powerful strategies for effectiveness and efficiency, but what I really appreciated were the principles he shared on why we are to be effective—diving deep into what the Bible say about this important topic. The subtitle of his book is: “Getting more done for the glory of God.” 

So whether you are wanting to make some changes to your productivity, or you desire to improve the current systems you already have in place, I would highly recommend Redeeming Productivity to you. The Bible calls on Christians to work at all we do with excellence, and this book will help you do just that.

(Check out The Craig and Greg Show where we discuss efficient quantity and effective quality.)

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

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