God’s promise | Craig T. Owens

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All God’s Alls

November 20, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

“His greatness no one can fathom” (Psalm 145:3).

God’s kingdom is everlasting and endures through all generations (v. 13). Look at all of God’s “alls”—

He is good to all (v. 9)
He has compassion on all (v. 9)
He is faithful to all His promises (v. 13)
He is loving toward all (v. 13)
He upholds all who fall (v. 14)
He lifts up all who are bowed down (v. 14)
All eyes look to Him (v. 15)
He satisfies all desires (v. 16)
He is All-righteous (v. 17)
He is All-loving (v. 17)
He is near to all who call on Him (v. 18)
He watches over all who love Him (v. 20)

My only appropriate response to all God’s “alls”—I will praise Your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. … My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever (vv. 1, 2, 21).

ALL praise to God FOREVER!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible study, compassion, God's blessing, God's faithfulness, God's love, God's promise, God's protection, God's strength, photography, praise, Psalm, righteousness, worship. 2 Comments »

Links & Quotes

November 5, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

“With such prayer it is an absolute certainty that I must succeed with God in prayer. If my prayer were my own prayer, I might not be so sure of it, but if the prayer which I utter be God’s own prayer written on my soul, God is always one with Himself, and what He writes on the heart is only written there because it is written in His purposes.” —Charles Spurgeon, commenting on Jude 20

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them.” —C.S. Lewis

Dr. James Dobson has 8 reminders for stressed parents.

“We must stand on every promise and pray in faith, effectually, fervently, without doubt, and then wait and rest, trusting the Lord to do what is right, in His time and His way. Few Christians today wait with patience for God to work in His time. The more it is delayed, the angrier some get. Some finally give up, thinking God doesn’t answer.” —David Wilkerson

A university scientist is fired for publishing a peer-reviewed paper in a respected scientific journal that dares (gasp!) to mention that the biblical Flood might account for a specific finding he had made. The scientific community is becoming more and more touchy about anything that disproves their tenuous beliefs in an Earth that is anything less than billions of years old.

Continue to pray for Asia Bibi, who is appealing her death sentence in Pakistan. Her crime? She is a Christian. Also please consider supporting the American Center for Law & Justice who is helping Asia, and many others like her.

[INFOGRAPHIC] Have I mentioned that I am a huge fan of The Overview Bible Project? I love this infographic and insight into the biblical authors.

5 Quotes From Habakkuk

October 28, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Nestled among the so-called minor prophets of the Old Testament, Habakkuk has some of my favorite verses. It’s only three chapters long, but it is packed with amazing promises!

“The uncompromisingly righteous man shall live by his faith and in his faithfulness” (2:4, AMP)

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (2:14, NIV)

“I have heard all about You, Lord. I am filled with awe by Your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as You did in years gone by.” (3:2, NLT)

“Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed.” (2:3, GNB)

“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the victorious God of my salvation!” (3:18, AMP)

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible study, God's promise, Habakkuk, Old Testament, quotes, Scripture. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

September 24, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Some good reading from today…

C.S. Lewis on the value of “one another.”

“Faith is the backbone and marrow of the Christian’s power to do good: we are weak as water till we enter into union with God by faith, and then we are omnipotent. We can do nothing for our fellowmen by way of promoting their spiritual and eternal interests if we walk according to the sight of our eyes; but when we get into the power of God, and grasp His promise by a daring confidence, then it is that we obtain the power to bless.” —Charles Spurgeon

“As long as I see anything to be done for God, life is worth having; but O how vain and unworthy it is to live for any lower end!” —David Brainerd

“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual—or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.” —Samuel Adams

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: accountability, blessing, C.S. Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, Christian, citizenship, David Brainerd, God's promise, one another, purpose, quotes, Samuel Adams, unity, vote. Leave a Comment »

9 Requisites For Contented Living

July 2, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

“There are nine requisites for contented living:

Health enough to make work a pleasure [Ecclesiastes 5:19*];
Wealth enough to support your needs [Proverbs 30:8-9];
Strength to battle with the difficulties and overcome them [1 Corinthians 15:57];
Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them [James 5:16];
Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished [Romans 5:3-5];
Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor [Luke 10:25-37];
Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others [Ephesians 4:2-3];
Faith enough to make real the things of God [Psalm 91];
Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future [Psalm 33:18].” —Goethe

* The quote is from Wolfgang Goethe, but I added the Scripture references.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, Bible, Bible study, confession, faith, future, God's promise, God's Word, Goethe, grace, health, helping hand, hope, love, neighbor, patience, pleasure, quotes, Scripture, sin, spiritual warfare, strength, wealth, work. Leave a Comment »

Faith’s Checkbook (book review)

May 20, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

When you pull out your checkbook, it’s nice to have money in the account so your check will be honored. The same concept holds true for your “spiritual bank account.” Charles Spurgeon has a collection of daily biblical promises called Faith’s Checkbook which will help you realize how fully-funded God has made your spiritual account.

Each day the Spurgeon, called the Prince of Preachers, highlights a promise in God’s Word and unpacks all the riches that promise delivers. Each thought only takes a page, but Spurgeon gives you enough “cash” to provide for you for that day.

What a fantastic year-long journey of faith-building I had with Faith’s Checkbook!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible, book review, Charles Spurgeon, devotions, faith, God's promise, God's Word, Scripture. Leave a Comment »

You Are God’s Favorite Place On Earth

April 28, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Undoubtedly you have a favorite place. It might be a special friend’s house, or a summer cabin. Perhaps it’s your favorite wooded path around a lake, or even a comfy chair in your home where you find rest.

In our favorite places we might hear from God or reconnect with friends. Maybe in our favorite place we de-stress and get re-energized for life’s challenges. Wherever the place is, and whatever happens there, one thing is certain: We cannot stay there forever. At some point we’ll have to leave that favorite place.

But we can take that favorite place with us. That energizing, affirming, consoling, encouraging feeling we gained in our favorite place can go with us in our hearts and minds.

The people of Bethany and the disciples had a favorite Person in Jesus Himself. Jesus, too, had a favorite place—the village of Bethany—and favorite people—a special family in Bethany and His disciples—but He said, “It is for your good that I go away, so that I can send the promised Holy Spirit to you” (see John 16:7). Just before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus took His followers with Him to Bethany and instructed them to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:4-8). This time of waiting was the only time that Jesus instructed His followers to wait, after this we were to GO!

Indeed, this empowerment of the Holy Spirit was for us to go into all the world with the message of Jesus; it was not for us to hunker down in our favorite place. So the empowerment of the Holy Spirit helps us take our favorite place and Person with us. When we GO, we GO with a message of hope for the world.

We become God’s favorite place on earth, as we GO with an invitation for others to know this favorite relationship as well!

Being baptized in the Holy Spirit means that you’ve given Him unlimited access to your thoughts, your talents, your personality, your opportunities—your all—so that He can show the love of Jesus to others through you.

If you haven’t experienced this empowerment of the Holy Spirit, remember that it is a promised gift God wants to pour out on you (see Luke 11:11-13; 24:49; and Acts 1:4). All that is needed is for your willing heart to wait on Him to pour out this gift on you. What are you waiting for?!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: baptism, Bethany, empowerment, God's promise, Great Commission, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, witness. 1 Comment »

Links & Quotes

April 21, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Some great reading I found today.

“God has sought us out: let us have good hope for those who are laid upon our hearts in prayer, for He will find them out also. … It is a point of honor with Jesus to seek and to save all the flock, without a single exception. What a promise to plead!” —Charles Spurgeon

Where is the outrage?! Christian Girls Abducted & Raped In Egypt.

[INFOGRAPHI] Right on the heels of Easter, Bible Overview has a great infographic of everyone in the Bible who was raised from the dead.

“The apostles had this instinct: When in trouble, pray. When intimidated, pray. When challenged, pray. When persecuted, pray!” —Jim Cymbala. Read more from Pastor Cymbala’s great post on prayer.

“Throughout our history Americans have put their faith in God and no one can doubt that we have been blessed for it. The earliest settlers of this land came in search of religious freedom. Landing on a desolate shoreline, they established a spiritual foundation that has served us ever since.” —Ronald Reagan

“Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it. Having fallen, man deserves only punishment and death. So if God answers prayer it’s because God is good.” —A.W. Tozer

“Sacrifice is not giving up things, but giving to God with joy the best we have.” —Oswald Chambers

Such Confidence!

February 12, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

“May God give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (Psalm 20:4)

How confident David is! How bold! And yet through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David says exactly what Our Lord taught—

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. (John 15:7)

I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. (John 16:23)

This assurance to ask largely of our loving Heavenly Father looks to His provision alone. It believes and it asks. It knows that God can answer—“now I know” (Psalm 20:6)—and that He does answer—“You have granted all the desires of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips” (Psalm 21:2).

Oh, for faith to believe You and ask You for more!

How would your prayers change if you had the confident assurance of David?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: assurance, boldness, confidence, David, faith, God's promise, God's provision, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, prayer, psalms. Leave a Comment »

The Scriptures Foresaw

July 31, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Check out this passage from Galatians 3:8-9—

The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

God’s Word is a living Word. They are not merely ink on a page. They are the very words of God.

God’s Word never stops working. God made a promise to Abraham 3000 years before Paul saw it being fulfilled in the Galatian believers. And now, another 2000 years after that, it’s still being fulfilled in ALL who come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!

These words are not past tense—those who have faith ARE blessed. They apply to me, today, now, just as much as the day they were spoken by God 5000 years ago! And they apply to you too.

Let this soak in…

Not one promise in the Bible will expire.

Not one command will become irrelevant.

Not one precept will ever be out-of-date.

Living. Active. Personal. Real. Present tense. Now!

Do you believe it?

Do you live like you believe it?