Friending Like Jesus

October 19, 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. 

The words we use are important and can be quite revealing of what’s going on in our heart and mind. I often find it quite funny listening to some of our students and their choice of words. For instance, I heard this exchange the other day between some guys: 

“Do you like her?” 

“Yeah, I like her.” 

“But do you like her like her?” 

“No way! I like her as a friend. I don’t like her that way!” 

This may be both cute and confusing for adults relating to young men and women. But I have learned that these young people are setting some clear boundaries about what their relationship with that other person entails. They’re really saying, “I don’t dislike her, but I’m not ready to say that I love her yet either.” 

However, this kind of language and this kind of mindset should never be said about Christians! We are coming to the pinnacle of this progression of virtues that Peter is listing for saints, so let me remind you of what built up to this point (see 2 Peter 1:1-7).

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

I read the words brotherly kindness in v. 7 because nearly every English translation has it rendered that way, and it’s probably the closest to the Greek word philadelphia. 

  • The root word (adelphos) is used over 300 times in the New Testament. 
  • Adelphos can be literally translated as a biological sibling (Matthew 1:2), but it is most often used in the NT as a spiritual brother or sister (2 Peter 3:15, 1:10). The first Christians recognized that their faith in Jesus—a faith as precious as ours—adopted us all into the same family of God. 
  • The prefix philos means the most straightforward, uncomplicated definition of “friend” that come readily to your mind. 

So when we are talking about the precious faith of precious friends, we are talking about something distinctively Christian. 

Last week we saw how Jesus taught us the importance of abiding in Him (see John 15:4-11). Our abiding produces a fruitful harvest. In the next verses, Jesus goes on tell us what this harvest looks like (John 15:12-17).

Notice the word command (v. 12, 17) is singular. Jesus said the same thing in John 13:34-35, and John again highlights this in 1 John 3:23. 

The word for love is agape, which Peter uses in 2 Peter 1:7. He says philos grows into agape. But now Jesus says, when we are abiding in His agape, something amazing happens: We are called friends (philos) of Jesus (John 15:13-15). Unlike my young friends, it appears that Jesus sees no difference between liking (philos) and loving (agape) for those who are called His saints. Lovers of Jesus will love their friends so much that they will like their friends too! 

Solomon describes friendship like this:

  • Always loving—Proverbs 17:17, 18:24 
  • Speaking truthful, loving words—Proverbs 27:6 
  • Giving helpful counsel—Proverbs 27:9 

This growth of philadelphia to agape, which then demonstrates itself by looking like philadephia has some powerful benefits. 

  1. It sharpens all of us (Proverbs 27:17). 
  2. It adds power to our prayers, which also benefits everyone (John 15:7, 16; James 5:16). D.L. Moody expressed it the opposite way: “If we do not love one another, we certainly shall not have much power with God in prayer.” 
  3. It enhances our witness (John 13:35, 17:21). 

My friend T.M. Moore wrote this about a healthy, growing family of saints—

“Oh look: ‘the Lord added to the church daily…’ [Acts 2:42-47]. Now we’re talking. Let’s get those numbers up, shall we? Let’s do, but let’s remember that adding people to our church is the Lord’s work, and He does it His way. And His way is to cause people to respond to the lived and spoken witness of a body of believers who love one another, encourage one another, build one another up, share with one another, and present a united voice, speaking truth in love to their community. When they see our oneness, Jesus insisted, they will believe the Father has sent Him.” 

This whole progression we have seen in 2 Peter becomes a continually growing, continually God-glorifying, Christ-revealing, Spirit-led testimony! Your part in this is invaluable and indispensable! 

So we must ask ourselves: How would Jesus be a friend? Am I friending like Jesus? 

If you have missed any of the previous messages in this 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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Grace Like Waves

October 13, 2026 — Craig T. Owens

From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. (John 1:16 NLT) 

“God’s grace is so amazing—it keeps coming in like waves on a shore. God’s grace is unearned by our efforts, undeserved despite our sins, and unending for all of eternity!” —Craig T. Owens 

Check out my post “Amazing grace…” 

And you may also be interested in a series of posts and videos I shared about God’s amazing grace. The series is called God’s Favor. 

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Abiding In Worship

October 12, 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. 

Peter is giving us an important progression of virtues that supercharge our Christian testimony in the world and our ability to encourage fellow saints. We’ve looked at the first four (faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control) and now I see a place for a warning. 

A saint that is growing in their faith, in their goodness that shows itself as a Christian gentleman or gentlewomen, increasing in their knowledge of the things of God, and staying within the guardrails of self-control is probably starting to get noticed. They are seeing their own growth in maturity, and their old friends are also seeing it. This is a place to be on guard! 

I think this is what Jesus described in Mark 4:3-7, 14-19. 

  • A little knowledge can make us proud of what we’ve accomplished and tempt us to run too far ahead before we’re ready. This is the people with shallow roots. 
  • The worries of life can be giving too much attention to what others say or think about us, or how they begin to treat us. We become unfruitful when we pay attention to those things. 

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

Look at our progression in 2 Peter 1:2-6. The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to list perseverance in the perfect place in this progression! 

This is called patient endurance in the NLT and steadfastness in the AMPC, but I like to call it stick-to-it-iveness. The Greek word is interesting: hypomone = by (hypo-) + abiding (-meno). 

This word for remain or abide appears 11x in John 15:4-11! 

  • Scripture teaches us, but hypomone turns truth into hope (Romans 15:4) 
  • Hypomone keeps me living obediently to God’s Word (Hebrews 10:36; Revelation 14:12) 
  • Hypomone turns the seed of God’s Word into a bountiful harvest (Mark 4:8, 20) 
  • Hypomone keeps me peaceful—and therefore focused on God—during trials (Luke 21:19 AMPC) 

When Peter and John stood before the Sanhedrin, those leaders could tell they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13b), so too with Stephen (6:15). The virtue that follows perseverance is godliness. Peter has already used this word to describe Jesus (2 Peter 1:3) and so does the Septuagint in Isaiah 11:2. 

The Greek word literally means “good worship” because godliness is a lifestyle—a lifestyle of worshipping God and magnifying the immeasurable worth of our Savior! 

To fully describe this word, godliness in the NT is typically linked with another attribute: 

  • godliness + power (Acts 3:12) 
  • godliness + reverence [righteousness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness] (1 Timothy 6:11) 
  • godliness + knowledge of the truth (Titus 1:1) 
  • godliness + zoe life (2 Peter 1:3) 
  • godliness + holiness (3:11) 

Remember that make every effort is not my ability to supply myself, but my choice to ask, receive, and apply. 

I must make every effort to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to persevere. I must make every effort to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit to display more Christlikeness. 

As I add goodness to my faith, and add knowledge to my goodness, and add self-control to my knowledge, and add perseverance to my self-control, and add godliness to my perseverance, people should see in me what John the Baptists desired: He must increase, but I must decrease. 

My growth in godliness is best seen by an attitude to persevere to see even more godliness in me. 

Check out all of the other messages in this series from 2 Peter called Friends of the Faith. 

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

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The Royal Welcome

October 7, 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.

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56) 

Stephen saw the majestic glory of God and Jesus standing at His Father’s right hand.

Four times the writer of Hebrews says that Jesus completed all of His work and “sat down“ (Hebrews 1:3, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2). Jesus Himself affirms that sitting at His Father’s right hand was the designated place of the Victorious One (Revelation 3:21).

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

Yet, Stephen sees Him standing at the right hand of the throne.

The Majesty of Heaven stood!

Perhaps the words of Stephen sounded so much like His own, that Jesus stood to listen to him (v. 60; Luke 23:34). 

Perhaps the death of this saint was so precious that Jesus stood to welcome him home (Psalm 116:15). 

Perhaps Stephen lived and died so victoriously that Jesus stood so He could give him a place on His throne—

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with My Father on His throne. (Revelation 3:21) 

Jesus has prepared a place for me where He is in heavenly realms (John 14:3; Ephesians 1:20, 2:6). He longs to welcome me into His happiness forever and ever (Matthew 25:21, 23). 

I want to live every moment with my mind and heart on Jesus—with my thoughts and my eyes on Him. I want to run my race so well (Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 12:2), that even if my “finish line” is as gruesome as Stephen’s or Paul’s or Jesus’ that I will cross that line into the waiting arms of my Savior’s royal welcome! 

How about you? It is possible to live and run and die in a way that you, too, will receive your royal welcome. 

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Knowledge Under Control

October 5, 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. 

Years ago, I read a book by Tim Elmore called Artificial Maturity. The premise of his book is that youth have access to so much information that they can sound informed and educated, but because they don’t know what to do with all that knowledge, they remain unprepared to handle the situations they face each day. 

If we’re not careful, we Christians can be described as artificially mature. We know what the Bible says, we can quote a lot of passages, but if we don’t know how to actually apply that knowledge in our everyday lives, we are immature. 

So we have to do something. One of the things we have to do is use our brain. God wants us to be fully engaged so that we can love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. So there needs to be a recognition of what we don’t know so that we can know how to apply what we know. 

We don’t know what we don’t know until we know someone who knows something we don’t know (Romans 7:7). 

(You can see all of the Scriptures in this post by clicking here.) 

But once we know that we don’t know, we have a choice: (1) Seek knowledge so we can know what we don’t know, or (2) Seek someone who can help us both know what we don’t know and know how to apply what we’ve learned. The Holy Spirit is that Someone (John 16:14-15). 

We’ve already looked at one word for know in 2 Peter 1:2—epignosis is how to apply what we know. Remember the progression (vv. 2-5). The word for knowledge in v. 5 is gnosis: this is moral wisdom. So gnosis is having the knowledge; epignosis is how to apply that knowledge. 

When we perceive the goodness—the gentlemanliness—of Jesus and we see ourselves in comparison, it makes us want to: (1) throw in the towel, (2) try to improve ourselves (which will ultimately make us want to throw in the towel), or (3) submit to the Spirit’s sanctification process. 

God loves to help those who admit that cannot help themselves. In 1 Peter 5:5, Peter quotes Solomon, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” God stands back from those who say, “I know how to do this myself,” but He rushes in to help those who say, “I know I need to change, but I don’t know how” of “I need wisdom to apply what I know.” 

“There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘All right, then, have it your way.’” —C.S. Lewis  

So we make every effort to add goodness to our faith, we make every effort to add knowledge to our goodness, and we make every effort to add self-control to our knowledge. 

Self-control literally means “with strength.” Knowledge without strong self-control can be dangerous—just like a curvy road without guardrails. 

In Titus 2:12, Paul ties together a sound mind with sober behavior. So it appears that self-control starts in the mind that is taking in new knowledge. Remember that knowledge is Spirit-breathed, so the strength of self-control must also be His strength. My strength fails, but God’s strength sustain me (Isaiah 40:29-31; 41:10, 13). I can know that…

  • God’s strength is my assurance in spiritual battles—Ephesians 6:10 
  • His strength gives me longsuffering patience and joy—Colossians 1:11 
  • The same strength Jesus used is given to us—Hebrews 2:14, 18 

My knowledge won’t help unless it’s Spirit-illuminated. My self-control won’t stand unless it’s Spirit-empowered. 

Our “make every effort” is to ask, receive, and apply. And then do that again, and again, and again with the Holy Spirit’s illumination and empowerment. 

Check out all of the other messages in this series 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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The Spiritual Dance

September 28, 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. 

My wife was a cheerleader in high school, so she taught me to appreciate some of the finer points of the integrated movements and stunts that the sideline cheerleaders performed at each game. But it wasn’t until our daughter moved from her first sideline cheer season to her first competitive cheer season that I really took notice. Competitive cheer is cheerleading on a whole different level—the stunts and tumbling runs, the coordinated movements, the precise way the words of the cheer are punctuated by the claps, stomps, and jumps of the cheerleaders is quite impressive! 

In many ways, the relationship of the three Persons of the Godhead are much like a coordinated dance. Which part of the Trinity you may see at any one moment is based on your viewpoint, as you can quickly see the other Persons of the Trinity at the exact same moment. The Father revealing Himself in the Son; the Son sending the Holy Spirit to be in us; the Spirit drawing people to the Father through the Son. Each Person of the Godhead revealing and promoting and glorifying each Other! 

It’s absolutely awesome! And yet what is even more astounding to me is that we are invited to participate in this Spiritual Dance (see John 7:33, 14:16-17, 16:14-15, 17:20-21). 

(You can see all of the biblical passages in this post by clicking here.)

Peter says we are a part of this dance; actually he calls it more of a chorus. The word “add” in 2 Peter 1:5 is the Greek word epichorego. The root word (chorego) sounds like “chorus.” But it really means to be a chorus leader who supplies everything for the dance/chorus. As v. 3 tells us, “His diving power has given us everything we need” to participate in this Spiritual Dance. 

As we have already seen, Jesus has provided everything we need except for our effort—our diligence to learn this dance and become more proficient in it. The idea of adding is really implied throughout these next verses. We could read vv. 5-7 like this—

“Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and [add] to [your] goodness, knowledge; and [add] to [your] knowledge, self-control; and [add] to [your] self-control, perseverance; and [add] to [your] perseverance, godliness; and [add] to [your] godliness, mutual affection; and [add] to [your] mutual affection, love.” 

The supply of these virtues is not ours, but the “every effort” to ask, receive, and apply is ours. I cannot supply myself. But faith from God allows me to access the One full of grace (remember what we saw in John 1:16). 

Our Father already knows what we have need of (Matthew 6:8), so we could ask something like, “Where is my goodness lacking?” And when the Holy Spirit reveals that to us, we can then ask our Savior—Who is full and overflowing with goodness—to impart to us what we need. 

So my “every effort” is not supplying what I lack but asking to be supplied what I lack. The only thing keeping me less than full of any of these virtues is my lack of effort to ask and then apply what I am supplied. 

The Holy Spirit imparts faith to us to believe for salvation. Then there is a faith we must “make every effort” to strengthen. This is the faith on full display in Hebrews 11. 

Faith is: 

  • conviction of the truth revealed in the Bible 
  • believing that what God calls us to do, He will also empower us to do 
  • being convinced that Jesus is our Example 
  • trusting the Holy Spirit to conform us to this image of Jesus—to reveal Christlikeness in us 

The first virtue Peter lists—the first virtue that our faith believes God to form in us—is goodness. This is moral excellence (NLT), good character (MSG), and virtue—excellence, resolution, Christian energy (AMPC). 

Since Peter uses the same word to describe Jesus in v. 3 (His own glory and goodness), people around us should see our growth as Christian gentlemen or gentlewomen. 

Remember that 2 Peter is written to saints about their interaction with other saints. Being around other faith-filled gentlemen and gentlewomen is an excellent training ground for all of us. It matters how we speak to each other. It matters that we treat each other chivalrously and with good manners. It matters that we are kind and polite to each other. 

Because when we take this gentlemanly or gentlewomanly behavior into the world, it gets noticed. So make every effort to develop the goodness of Jesus in your life. Let this community of saints be the place where your training takes place. 

Check out all of the other sermons in this series from 2 Peter 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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The Power Cycle

September 14, 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 worked for my friend’s Dad on his lawn service for a few summers. This was a side business for him, and we worked with normal push mowers. The first stop of the early morning was always a challenge to get the mower started. I’d pull on that ripcord and listen to the engine sputter and then stop. Then I’d give it another pull, and perhaps it would run just a bit longer. Eventually the flywheel would keep on spinning, the engine would roar to life, and I could get to work. 

Question: which pull started the mower? I really needed all of the pulls, didn’t I? In other words, I had to put in some effort in order to get the mower to work. Then I could actually be productive in my work. 

Last week we talked about the dual blessings Peter says that God wants to send us—grace and peace. Notice that Peter longs for us to know these in abundance. Not just a small sampling, but overflowing blessings—sort of like my lawnmower that is running at full speed. 

2 Peter 1:3 tells us it is “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our KNOWLEDGE of Him Who called us by His own glory and goodness.” 

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

Remember that Greek word means our personal, intimate, experiential knowledge of Jesus. God allows us to know Him intimately (Jeremiah 29:13-14a). Notice it is “His divine power [that] has given us EVERYTHING we need for a godly life.” 

“Divine power” literally means God’s power—Theois dynamis. This is the power which Jesus promised in Acts 1:8. Then His followers were able to live like Jesus, as we see in Acts 3:12; 4:7, 33. 

But Jesus is the One Who got this started for us. HIS divine power has given us everything we need for A GODLY LIFE. 

“Godly life is two words in Greek: “life” and “godliness.” The word for life is zoe. This is everlasting life that is deeper and richer than biological or psychological life. And the word for godliness is eusebia, which is the reverence, respect, and holy fear that gives evidence of one’s assured relationship with God through Jesus. 

Check out two other translations of this verse.

The AMPC says: For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that are requisite and suited to life and godliness, through the full personal knowledge of Him…. 

And The Message paraphrase says: Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. 

Here’s the power cycle for saints of God. The more intimately I know Jesus, the more the Holy Spirit’s dynamis power is unleashed in my life. The more His power flows through me, the more godly I can live. The more godly I live, the more I grow in intimacy with Jesus! 

This is a flywheel that can really start spinning! Look at some of the blessings in the next few verses: 

  • Participating in Christ’s divine nature—becoming more and more Christlike (v. 4a). The Greek word is defined as a way of feeling and acting which by long habit has become more and more natural to me. 
  • Escaping the corruption in the world (v. 4b). 
  • Becoming increasingly effective and productive in your knowledge—that’s the word epignosis again—of Jesus (v. 8). 

I had to put the effort in to get the mower’s flywheel spinning so that I could actually do my job. 

Peter says, Jesus got this poem cycle started so that I could be productive for Him. Peter introduces a phrase that we are going to see three more times in this letter: Make every effort (v. 5). 

We are not saved by good works, but we are saved in order to do good works. 

Jesus was empowered to do good works (see Luke 4:18-19 and Acts 10:38), and Jesus calls us to live the same way with the same anointing (John 20:21-22; Acts 4:30-31). 

The cycle of power and godliness and greater intimacy is for you. Make every effort to keep it spinning so that you can bring more glory to God by increasing your capacity to be a blessing to those around you. 

Please check out the other messages in the Friends of the Faith series 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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Intimate Knowledge

September 7, 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. 

Remember that Peter’s first letter was to instruct Christians how to interact with non-Christians, but his second letter is about Christians interacting within the community of faith. It’s a precious faith that we share with precious friends. Our dear friends encourage us to think wholesomely, have informed perseverance, remain pure, and stay on guard until the very end.  

You can sense Peter’s longing for his dear friends of the faith to grasp this. He even says in this letter that it is his second letter to keep reminding the saints about the richness in Jesus, and he says as long as he has breath in his lungs he will keep on reminding us (2 Peter 1:12-15). 

(Click here to see all of the Scriptures in this post.) 

Peter uses an almost identical greeting in both letters: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance” (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2). This sentiment of linking grace and peace was almost universal, with all but five New Testament books greeting their audiences with the dual blessing of grace and peace. 

Let’s talk about these dual blessings. 

James Thayer defines this Greek word for peace: “According to a conception distinctly peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.” 

This means that Christians who have put their faith in Jesus as their Savior have peace with God (Romans 5:1), and that peace guards our hearts against all fear (Philippians 4:7). 

The other blessing in Peter’s greeting is grace (see also Romans 5:2). This is—quite simply and quite profoundly—God’s favor toward us. God’s grace is unearned by our efforts, undeserved despite our sins, and unending for all eternity. And it comes coming in wave after wave (see John 1:16; I especially like it in the AMPC). 

Peter’s greeting in his second letter adds a phrase from his first letter: “…through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” It’s fitting that this is in his second letter, showing he is still growing in his knowledge of Jesus. 

We don’t get more grace and peace through knowledge, but we realize and can apply more grace and peace through this growing knowledge. The tap of God’s blessing is already open full—no more can come out. As we grow in the knowledge of this, we find it increasingly precious and valuable. 

The Greek word for knowledge here is epignosis. This is knowledge through personal experience.

I once worked with a man who was a retired Air Force officer. Before flying one mission, he walked into the flight control building—a huge hanger-like structure—where dozens and dozens of personnel sat staring at screens to forecast the weather. 

Lou asked a private for the forecast: “Sir, you have clear skies and excellent visibility for your mission,” he dutifully reported. 

“Private,” Lou shouted, “on your feet!” The young man snapped to attention. “Follow me,” Lou ordered and began marching toward the door of the hanger. When they got there, Lou ordered the private to open the door, step outside, close the door behind him, and not to re-enter the hanger for 60 seconds. 

One minute later that private stepped back inside and stood before Lou dripping wet. “Now, private,” Lou demanded, “what is my weather forecast.” 

“It looks like rain, sir,” the young private reported. 

Epignosis is not book knowledge about Jesus, but personal, intimate, experiential knowledge of Jesus. That Air Force meteorologist only knew about weather from his radar screen, but once he got drenched outside, he knew of the weather conditions from personal experience. 

Peter says this epignosis is ours (2 Peter 1:3-5). 

There’s only one thing that keeps us from growing in our knowledge of God’s abundant grace and peace: Complacency. In v. 5, Peter says we are to “make every effort.” 

It’s not our effort that brings God’s grace, but it is our effort that allows us to know His grace—to know Jesus personally. Notice the progression:

  • (v. 3) Christ’s divine power has give us everything we need by His own glory and goodness 
  • (v. 4a) Through these gracious gifts He has given us His great and precious promises 
  • (v. 4b) Through His promises we can participate in His divine nature 
  • (v. 5) For this very reason, we are to bring our best effort, our diligent interest, and our total attention 

Peter concludes his letter exactly as he starts it: Keep growing in your epignosis (3:18). 

The more you grow in epignosis, the more intimate knowledge you will have to encourage your dear friends of the faith—

And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and He is eternal life. (1 John 5:20 NLT) 

Then like Paul, we can pray for ourselves and for our dear friends for a continual growing in this intimate knowledge of Jesus (see Ephesians 1:15-19). 

Check out the other messages in this series from 2 Peter called Friends of the Faith. 

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

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Jesus Is THE One And Only

September 2, 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. 

When the angelic messengers bring the news of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, they announce—

The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! (Luke 2:11 NLT) 

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

Many people claiming to be a savior of the Jewish people had come on the scene earlier. 

We see the Jewish leadership asking John the Baptizer if he was “the one” they had been expecting (John 1:19-23). In the Book of Acts, Gamaliel reminds the Sanhedrin of all of the previous men who had claimed to be the deliverer and had utterly failed in their attempts (see Acts 5:34-37). 

Undoubtedly, the shepherds had heard many stories as they sat around their campfires at night. So notice that the angel clarifies that this is not just another story, but the fulfillment of the promises of the advent of THE Messiah. Jesus wasn’t just another so-called savior, but He was “THE Messiah, THE Lord.” 

Jesus Himself would say of Himself, “I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life” (John 14:6).

He is THE ONE AND ONLY! 

Only Jesus is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8).
Only Jesus holds the keys of death and Hell (Revelation 1:18).
Only Jesus fulfills every prophetic promise (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Peter 1:19-20).


All confusion is removed when we look to Jesus.


All doubts are satisfied in Him.


All uncertainty is made certain by Who He is, what He did, what He is still doing, and what He will soon complete!


No other name but the name of Jesus! 


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The Security In Our King

August 3, 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. 



There is a confidence and joy in knowing how things will turn out, in having “the inside scoop” that others don’t have. 


In my book Shepherd Leadership, I tell the story of the time when I was working as the executive director of a camp and conference center. I was breaking down boxes at the recycle dumpster when a guest approached me, not knowing I was the director. I was able to help her because I knew who to talk to, where the supplies were, and how things worked around the facilities. I knew what I knew, but our guest was a little surprised that I knew what I knew. 


We see this in the life of David as he became king of Israel and as his leadership expanded. 


David was first anointed king over merely the tribe of Judah, but his influence began to expand (2 Samuel 3:1). It wasn’t just fear of his military power, but people genuinely liked him and saw that he had the best in mind for them (3:36), until eventually all of the tribes of Israel saw David as their king (5:1-3). His reign as king saw him continuing to grow in his strength, wisdom, and influence (14:18-20). 


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


David was unquestionably established as the king—the leader God had chosen. Seeing David reigning as king brings us to the next Royal Psalm (Psalm 97). 


The statement that “the LORD reigns” (v. 1) is widely accepted. For instance, the foundational document of the United States of America opens with the words, “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America … We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” 


The fact that we exist presupposes a starting point. It would appear that the starting point is something or someone with unimaginable power. Even atheists call the beginning of our universe “a singularity” with unimaginable power to bring all of this into being. The fact that our universe is so well ordered makes the case for an Intelligence behind the unimaginable power. This intelligent, awesome power is described in Psalm 97:2-6. 


Jesus is the One the biblical writers identify as this intelligent, awesome power (John 1:1-4; Colossians 1:15-17). Jesus even identifies Himself as being this One (Revelation 1:8, 18). Because Jesus holds the keys, He has the final word on our eternal existence. His desire is that all would come to know Him as their King and Savior (John 3:16-17). 


When our sins are forgiven, we have no fear of God’s punishment (Psalm 97:7-12). 


Those who oppose this worldview can be quite intimidating at times. Peter tells us, “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened” (1 Peter 3:14). 


For now, in America, we don’t face bodily threats of violence (although that day may come). The threats Christians face today are being mocked for outdated or out-of-touch beliefs, being canceled because our stance is bigoted and hateful, or simply being pressured to compromise just a little bit on what we believe. 


To emphasize his point, Peter quotes words from King David in Psalm 34. David’s words in this psalm sound a lot like the tone of Psalm 97. Notice especially Psalm 34:1-2, 15-22 where David assures us that King Jesus gets the final word, the decisive word, and the best word! 


Someday every knee will bow to Him and every tongue will confess that He is God (Revelation 20:11-15). Knowing this should give Christians an incredible sense of security, especially in the presence of those who doubt, deny, or mock. 


So when atheists, agnostics, and skeptics want to attack your belief in an all-loving, all-powerful God Who says the only way to avoid His final judgment is to place our faith in the work Jesus did on the Cross, let’s be careful in our response. We don’t have to fight them—we should instead respond with love. Peter went on to say that our response to their attacks would be our testimony (1 Peter 3:14-17). 


Like David, let us extol the LORD at all times (even when under attack). Like the Royal Psalm, let us rejoice in the LORD and praise His holy name. Let us never forget Who gets the final word, the decisive word, and the best word! 


If you’ve missed any of the other messages about the Royal Psalms, check out our series All Hail King Jesus by clicking here. 


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