Links & Quotes

May 21, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

link quote

Some good reading from today…

“I regret that more and more Christian believers are being drawn into a hazy, fuzzy kind of teaching that assures everyone who has ever ‘accepted Christ’ that he or she has nothing more to be concerned about. He is OK and he will always be OK because Christ will be returning before things get too tough. Then all of us will wear our crowns, and God will see that we have cities to rule over! If that concept is accurate, why did our Lord take the stern and unpopular position that Christian believers should be engaged in watching and praying?” —A.W. Tozer

Meriam Ibrahim has been sentenced to death in Sudan for the crime of (gasp!) being a Christian. Please read her story AND sign the petition.

[VIDEO] John Maxwell has a great reminder for us: “Nobody helps anybody when they can’t help themselves because they’re burned out.” Watch this 1-minute video.

A good reminder I heard from John Stonestreet: “The Gospel is an invitation not an ultimatum.”

[VIDEO] A cool behind-the-scenes look at how ESPN is revamping their Sports Center studio.

“Adversity reveals genius and prosperity conceals it.” —Roger Staubach

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5 More Quotes From “The Ministry Of God’s Word”

May 16, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

The Ministry Of God's WordThere was simply too many passages I highlighted in The Ministry Of God’s Word by Watchman Nee to share in just one post. Pastor, you must read this book! You can read my full book review by clicking here.

“Each man’s special characteristic is brought out only when he is subject to the Holy Spirit.” 

“No one today can have God’s Word extraneous to the Bible; even the New Testament cannot exist alone, nor can the words of Paul. You cannot cut the Old Testament away and retain much of the New Testament; neither can you excise the four Gospels and keep the letters of Paul. … All the ministries in the Bible are interdependent; none possesses an unconnected revelation totally unrelated to the others and entirely disconnected.”

“How does God interpreted the Bible? How does He explain the words of the Old Testament to the New Testament minister? There are at least three distinct ways of interpretation in the New Testament: (1) prophetic interpretation, (2) historical interpretation, and (3) comprehensive interpretation. When New Testament ministers study the Old Testament words, they will approach the Scriptures from these different angles: they look to the Holy Spirit for interpretation of prophetic words, historical records, or comprehensive messages.” 

“Let us remember that ministry of the Word in our day ought to be richer than that of those who wrote the New Testament. … How, then, do we say that today’s ministry of the Word should be richer? Because Paul had in his hand only the Old Testament as the basis of his speaking, but we have in our hand the writings of Paul and Peter and others in addition to the Old Testament. Paul had only 39 books in his hand, but we have 66 books. Hence our ministry should be richer in Word. We have more materials at the disposal of the Spirit of God, more opportunities for God’s Spirit to explain. Our ministry therefore ought not be poorer but richer.”

“One should never deceive himself by thinking he can be a minister of God’s Word if he simply reads the Bible. The question is not whether he has read the Bible: it is instead, how has he read it?”

You can read other quotes from this book by clicking here and here.

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Thursdays With Oswald—The Spirit Of Antichrist

May 1, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Oswald ChambersThis is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.

The Spirit Of Antichrist 

     The spirit of antichrist is that spirit which “dissolves by analysis” the Person of Jesus—“someone unique, but not what the New Testament claims.” To preach the Jesus of the Gospels at the expense of the Christ of the Epistles is a false thing, such a false thing that it is antichrist to the very core, because it is a blow direct at what Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do, viz.: expound Him to the disciples, and “through their word” to innumerable lives to the end of Time. 

     If I say, “Of course God would never convey a right interpretation of Himself through a handful of men like the disciples,” I am casting a slur on what Jesus said, telling Him that His reliance on God’s promise of the Spirit was without justification; that His basis of confidence on the Holy Spirit’s revelation of Himself to the disciples was misplaced. 

From Conformed To His Image 

The spirit of antichrist is any thought that diminishes God’s Word, or diminishes the Person of Jesus Christ. But I don’t want to spend my time trying to spot the counterfeit, antichrist teachings. I want to know the Original—the Authentic—so well, that I can easily spot the antichrist forgeries.

This means that I must study all of the Bible. I cannot exclude the Old Testament; nor can I choose the Epistles and ignore the Gospels, or vice versa. As I study, I must rely on the Holy Spirit’s help. He breathed on the men that wrote the inspired Word, so He is the only One Who can breathe on my heart and mind the truth of the Word as I study it.

If the spirit of antichrist was already being discussed in the New Testament, and again by Oswald Chambers 100+ years ago, how much more prevalent must it be now! I must know the Authentic Word and the Authentic Christ so well that I can immediately identify the masquerading antichrist.

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7 Quotes From “Discipleship In Crisis”

March 27, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Discipleship In CrisisCheck out my review of Discipleship In Crisis by Frank Viola by clicking here. Below are a few quotes which I found especially highlighter worthy.

“The presupposition that sits underneath virtually every sermon heralded today and most of the Christian books that fill bookstores is that we can live the Christian life if we just try hard enough. If we study our Bible more, pray more, witness more, tithe more, hear more sermons… then we can be like Jesus. But that’s not the gospel. The gospel teaches that just as Jesus couldn’t do anything of Himself, we can’t do anything of ourselves. Listen to the Lord again: ‘Without Me you can do nothing.’ The Christian life is impossible. It’s only Him-possible.” 

“The goal of the gospel is not to get you out of hell and into Heaven, but to get God out of Heaven and into you.”

“A person who is living by the tree of life doesn’t sit back and say, ‘Let me try to do good and avoid evil.’ Instead, he allows the life of God to flow with in and through him. He yields to the instincts, promptings, and energy of that God-life. … You see, ‘good’ is a form of life. And only God is good. Here are the two choices before you today: (1) The choice to intellectually know good from evil and to try to do good = the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; (2) Living by the life of God, which is goodness itself = the tree of life.”

“The only way you and I can truly imitate Jesus’ external lifestyle is to imitate His internal relationship with His Father.”

“What history teaches us is that men have never learned anything from it.” —G.W.F. Hegel

“In a word, you cannot raise the bar on discipleship without raising the bar on the ekklesia—the living experience of the body of Christ—the native habitat in which true disciple-making and transformation take place.”

“The New Testament talks about spiritual seeing, spiritual touching, spiritual tasting, spiritual handling, and spiritual healing. These are the faculties of your Spirit-regenerated human spirit. Jesus was very much in touch with His spiritual instincts, and hence, He ‘perceived’ things ‘in His spirit’ that were outside natural means. He did this as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit, not because He was God.”

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The Work Of A Preacher

February 21, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Rev. John Venn was a key member in the Clapham Sect, a group of devout Christian reformers in England, alongside William Wilberforce. These wise words should be well attended to by all pastors—

John Venn“Were the work of a preacher indeed confined to the delivery of a moral discourse, this would not be an arduous task. But a Minister of the Gospel has much more to do. He will endeavor, under Divine Grace, to bring every individual in his congregation to live no longer to himself, but unto Him who died for us. But here the passions, prejudices, and perhaps the temporal interests of men combine to oppose his success. It is not easy to obtain any influence over the mind of another; but to obtain such an influence as to direct it contrary to the natural current of its desires and passions, is a work of the highest difficulty. Yet such is the work of a Minister…. 

“We have to convey unpleasant tidings; to persuade to what is disagreeable; to effect not only a reformation in the conduct of men, and a regulation of their passions, but, what is of still higher difficulty, a change in their good opinion of themselves.  Nay, further we have not merely to ‘wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ ‘Who is sufficient for these things?’ For this office the Christian Minister may in himself ‘have no resources above those of any of his congregation,’ their weaknesses are his weaknesses, he must therefore undertake his work in weakness, fear and much trembling, but knowing that it may yet be effectual, for it is in weakness that Christ’s strength is always made perfect.” —John Venn (1759-1813)

Amen!

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Pentecost (book review)

February 4, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

PentecostI grew up with this stuff: I’m a fourth-generation Pentecostal, so I cut my teeth on this distinctive doctrine. But I was still amazed at the depth of insight into this dynamic theology that Dr. Robert Menzies shares in Pentecost: This Story Is Our Story.

Although Dr. Menzies shares a number of anecdotal stories to help illustrate certain points, this book is really a serious doctrinal work. Many people have written-off the operational gifts of the Holy Spirit seen in the book of Acts as something that ceased at the death of the apostles, or at the closing of the cannon of Scripture. But Dr. Menzies points out from the outset that Luke’s writings in the Gospel that bears his name and in the book of Acts are not just historical, but doctrinal too.

Many times people look at Paul’s writings as doctrinal, and the four Gospels and Acts as simply historical; thus giving more “weight” to the Pauline epistles. Dr. Menzies persuasively shows that Luke’s writing in Luke-Acts is just as doctrinal, and just as Holy Spirit-inspired, as every other book of the New Testament. In fact, he really goes beyond that to show how Luke’s writing is heavily influenced by Old Testament prophesies about the coming of the Messiah and the subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This is not a sensational book, but a scholarly work. It is extensively referenced, as evidenced by the ample endnotes. But don’t let this scare you off as a book just for pastors and theologians, as Dr. Menzies’ writing style is very readable by all.

Anyone who is interested in this distinctive doctrine of the Holy Spirit should read Pentecost.

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Simplicity

November 22, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Simplicity does not mean watered-down, nor does it mean dumbed-down. Simplicity means as clear as possible.

Sometimes I get so grieved when I hear a pastor trying to “simplify” the gospel message for people. That definition usually means that they are removing any of the parts which might cause people to feel uncomfortable. That is not simplicity, but it’s a sell-out!

J.C. RyleHere’s how J.C. Ryle defined it—

“All the simplicity in the world can do no good, unless you preach the simple gospel of Jesus Christ so fully and clearly that everybody can understand it. If ‘Christ crucified’ has not His rightful place in your sermons, and sin is not exposed as it should be, and your people are not plainly told what they ought to believe, and be, and do—your preaching is of no use!” (emphasis added)

Pastor, by all means make the gospel clear, but make sure people do hear all of the gospel.

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Lots Of Winners!

September 7, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Our Impact youth group had a contest to see which school could raise the most money for Speed The Light (STL). STL helps missionaries purchase the equipment that will help them speed the light of the gospel around the world. Our Cedar Springs students, Kent City students, and missionaries are all winners!

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A Harmony Of The Gospels (book review)

June 25, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

HarmonyFor anyone who wants to read the four New Testament gospels with greater insight, I highly recommend A Harmony Of The Gospels For Students Of The Life Of Christ by A.T. Robertson.

Dr. Robertson wrote: “The purpose of a harmony is not to teach theology, but to make available for men of any faith the facts in the Gospels concerning Jesus of Nazareth.” And that’s exactly what this book does.

It is one of the more interesting ways I have ever read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. When I followed the outline in Robertson’s book, instead of reading each gospel straight through, I read them in chronological order. For instance, in reading about John’s message announcing the soon-arrival of Jesus, I was reading Mark 1:7-8, Matthew 3:11-12, and Luke 3:15-18.

In other words, you will be reading the four gospels in chronological order as the events unfolded in Christ’s ministry. Right alongside each section of study are Dr. Robertson’s fascinating and insightful notes. Reading the gospels this way really brought out details that you may have missed when just reading through the gospels in a more traditional manner.

You don’t have to be a scholar to use this book, you just need to be desirous to learn more about Jesus.

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The Land Of Gospel Gall

June 6, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Guest Blogger Dick Brogden

This Saturday Jenn and I took the boys to the dollar theatre to see the claymation film Pirates: Band of Misfits. A half-hour in I was in so much pain (could have been the British humor). I left the theatre and walked around the parking lot, vomiting a few times. I tried to tough it out but the pain got worse so I went back in and asked Jenn to take me to the hospital. Dignity seems to be an optional thing. I was writhing in the car and karate kicking the air until the medics could get some pain medicine into me. My gall bladder had declared war. I was admitted to the hospital, and Sunday morning the surgeons went in and Mr. Gall is gone.

Being wheeled on the stretcher to my room, exposed and vulnerable, I noticed my attendant was from the Middle East. His name was Mohammed and he is from Cairo. I told him I loved his country, loved Muslims, loved Jesus, and wanted him to go to Heaven. We had a nice little conversation about the Gospel and Jesus the only sin bearer. I dug him no well, I gave him no water, I taught him no English—he in fact was serving me kindly and gently, but I was able to tell him about Jesus. Who knows, maybe for the first time.

A YWAM friend of mine in Egypt some years ago, decided to take the Gospel literally by not taking anything. He made an exception for a toothbrush which he stuck in his pocket and then he began to walk through the desert, from village to village. Some villages were distant and he would stumble into them hot, thirsty, dirty, and fatigued. The Muslims would take him in, feed him, host him, give him a white robe, wash his clothes, and care for him. He had nothing to give them, nothing to offer back—except everything. He sat with them in their living rooms and shared with them the Gospel—what God has done in Christ.

I am not the gospel. You are not the gospel. The gospel is what God has done, is doing, and will do in Christ. We (in the West) increasingly believe in the Gospel plus. Embarrassed of the exclusive claims of Christ, some of our action (not all) is because we want to self-adorn the gospel. Truth is, God is true and the gospel stands whether or not I am false or laid out on a stretcher. The gall of the Gospel is that it is not about me, it’s not about what I do—the Gospel is all about what God has done in Christ.

Do not read this as a call to license, to falsehood, or to removal from the world. We attack evil wherever we find it, we minister in word, sign, and deed to body, soul, and spirit—but let’s remember that we and what we do is not the gospel. Let’s proclaim the good news about what God has done in Christ. Let’s do it from weakness—Gospel Gall—it really is not about us or what we can give. God gave His only Son. What can we possibly add to that?

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