Jesus Christ | Craig T. Owens

September 2026
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Keep It Closed!

July 2, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit would help us reply the right way when someone questioned us about our faith in God. But Jesus showed us, that sometimes no reply is the best reply.

After Jesus was arrested, He was first sent to Pilate:

So again Pilate asked Jesus, “Aren’t You going to answer? See how many things they are accusing You of.” But Jesus still made no reply… (Mark 15:4-5).

Then Pilate sent Jesus to King Herod:

When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see Him. From what he had heard about Him, he hoped to see Him perform a sign of some sort. He plied Him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer (Luke 23:8-9).

So Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. And what was the bottom line? Mark 15:5 adds this important phrase about the Roman governor: “…and Pilate was amazed.”

Our ability to remain silent when the Holy Spirit bids us to be silent speaks volumes to those who witness our silence. Be careful. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes keeping your mouth closed may be the best testimony for God that you can give.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Herod, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Pontius Pilate, silence, testimony, vocabulary, witnessing. Leave a Comment »

The Hour Of Darkness

July 1, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Sometimes when things look bleak—when it appears evil is winning—even the most upbeat of Christians can experience discouragement. Here are some encouraging thoughts for dark times…

But this is your hour—when darkness reigns (Luke 22:53).

Darkness is limited to an hour—God’s light is unquenchable forever!

When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6).

Even in the hour of darkness, Christ’s power causes the forces of darkness to drop in fear!

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over Me if it were not given you from above” (John 19:11).

The power of darkness is limited; it is kept in check by God’s limitless authority!

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Even a supposed “victory” for darkness is ultimately an overwhelming victory for Light!

What have I to fear when I am held in God’s power? I am shielded by the Almighty, and for that I can sing out loud praise even in the hour of darkness!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: death, devil, discouragement, encouragement, evil, God's power, Jesus Christ, light, praise, victory. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—The Right Context For Scripture

June 27, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

This 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 Right Context For Scripture

You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. … Yet you refuse to come to Me to have life. (John 5:39-40)

These verses reveal how a knowledge of the Scriptures may distort the mind away from Jesus Christ. Unless we know the Living Word personally first, the literal words may lead us astray. The only way we can understand the Bible is by personal contact with the Living Word, then the Holy Spirit expounds the literal words to us along the line of personal experience.

… There is a context to the Bible, and Jesus Christ is that Context. The right order is personal relationship to Him first, then the interpretation of the Scriptures according to His Spirit.

From Bringing Sons Until Glory

Amen! Chambers is precisely on target with this.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible, Bible study, doctrine, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, Scripture, theology. Leave a Comment »

Remain

June 26, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

↓

Jesus says, REMAIN in Me,

And I will REMAIN in you.

The branch must REMAIN in the vine; there’s

No fruit unless you REMAIN in Me.

If you REMAIN, you’ll bear much fruit;

If you don’t REMAIN, you’ll wither up.

So REMAIN in me, and

My words will REMAIN in you.

Stay and REMAIN in Me.

If you obey, you’ll REMAIN in My love, just as

I REMAIN in My Father’s love

And My joy will REMAIN in you. (John 15)

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: fruitful, God's love, Jesus Christ, joy, maturity, obedience, spiritual growth. Leave a Comment »

A Harmony Of The Gospels (book review)

June 25, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

For 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.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: A.T. Robertson, Bible study, book review, devotions, Gospel, Gospel of John, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Christ. Leave a Comment »

She Did What She Could

June 25, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

It is one of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible: Mary, a woman set free by the power of Jesus, anoints Him with her fragrant perfume. The Bible says that the people sitting around Jesus were “indignant at the waste” of perfectly good perfume. Some may have even thought, “What’s the point?”

But Jesus responds, “Leave her alone, she has done a beautiful thing to Me. She did what she could” (Mark 14:1-9).

Apparently Mary was not a woman of great wealth, but she did what she could. And Jesus said it was beautiful.

I cannot feed all the hungry people in the world, but I can feed one hungry student in Cedar Springs.

I cannot share the gospel with every unreached people group on the planet, but I can give a few dollars a month to a missionary who is reaching a tribe in northern India.

I cannot undo all of the injustice done to women, but I can support the W.A.R. Chest Boutique who is is helping rescue women from slavery.

I cannot counsel every woman contemplating an abortion, but I can volunteer at Alpha Family Centers whose counselors are lovingly counseling women to choose life.

I should never allow the largeness of the situation or the smallness of my resources to paralyze me from acting. I can be like Mary who did what she could.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Alpha Family Center, Cedar Springs, faith in action, Jesus Christ, missions, pro-life, slavery, Women At Risk International. 1 Comment »

The Holy Spirit’s Power

June 23, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Here are some of the quotes I used in my message this morning…

“The Holy Spirit is not a luxury, not something added now and again to produce a deluxe type of Christian once in a generation. No, He is for every child of God a vital necessity, and that He fill and indwell His people is more than a languid hope. It is rather an inescapable imperative.” —A.W. Tozer

“There is nothing so still and gentle as the checks of the Holy Spirit if they are yielded to, emancipation is the result; but let them be trifled with, and there will come a hardening of the life away from God. Don’t quench the Spirit. … Guard as your greatest gift the anointing of the Holy Spirit.” —Oswald Chambers

“Jesus doesn’t say we will baptized with the Holy Spirit and power (see Acts 1:8), but that we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit AS power. There’s a huge difference! It means we will have everything we need to always overcome, to never be at a loss!” —CTO

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: A.W. Tozer, Calvary Assembly of God, Christian, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, power, quotes, sermon. Leave a Comment »

No Apologies Needed

June 19, 2013 — 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 spoke.

A lot.

In fact,

He’s called the Word.

He told stories,

He quoted Scripture,

He used nursery rhymes.

He laughed,

He cried,

He thundered.

He spoke to the religious,

And the irreligious;

To Jews,

To Gentiles,

To Samaritans.

His words excited,

And angered,

Healed,

And restored.

But…

Not once did He misspeak,

Or stumble,

Or apologize.

How could He do this?

“I did not speak of My own accord,

But the Father who sent Me

Commanded Me what to say

And how to say it …

So whatever I say

Is just what the Father

Has told Me to say” (John 12:49-50)

You and I can speak like this too:

We, too, can slow down, listen, and then speak only those Holy Spirit-directed words. If we can do that, we won’t ever need to apologize.

Check out my video called Time To Check The Mirror where I talk about so-called Freudian slips, and my blog post A Leader’s Sincere Apology.

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

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apologize, Exodus, Gospel of John, Gospel of Matthew, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, vocabulary, words. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—Contemptible Unbelief

June 13, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Contemptible Unbelief

“All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). All power is given—unto whom? To the Being who lived a humble, obscure life in Nazareth; the One who says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If all power is given to Jesus Christ, what right have I to insult Him by worrying? If we will let these words of Jesus come into our heart, we shall soon see how contemptible our unbelief is.

… Will I say skeptically, “What does Jesus Christ know about my circumstances? Is His power and understanding sufficient to manage things for me?” To talk like that is the way to realize the size of our unbelief, and to see why Jesus Christ was so stern in condemning it.

From Bringing Sons Unto Glory

I love the phrase from the old hymn—

Oh, what peace we often forfeit

Oh, what needless pain we bear

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

When I think how All-powerful and All-loving He is, I begin to see how utterly contemptible is my unbelief and my unwillingness to take everything to Him. If all power is given to Jesus Christ, what right have I to insult Him by worrying?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, circumstances, God's love, God's provision, hymns, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, peace, unbelief, worry. Leave a Comment »

Be Before Do

June 10, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is not primarily about a Christian doing more for God. Its primary purpose is to draw a Christian into deeper intimacy with God.

This means that we don’t have to present to God an impressive spiritual resume in order to be baptized in the Spirit. It also means that God is not going to baptize us in the Holy Spirit so that we can do impressive things for Him. We are baptized in the Holy Spirit to experience a greater one-ness with God.

In John 16:5-15, Jesus lists three primary functions of the Holy Spirit. All of these are to draw us closer into God’s intimate embrace:

He convicts us (v. 8). He points out anything which is hindering our deeper and sustained connection to God.
He guides us (v. 13). Specifically Jesus says the Spirit guides us into all truth. And since Jesus is the truth, the Holy Spirit guides us deeper into Him.
He enlightens us (vv. 14-15). The Holy Spirit reveals to us the mind and character of Christ, so that we can become more and more like Him.

“The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to restore the lost soul to intimate fellowship with God.” —A.W. Tozer

Our heart’s cry should be for intimacy with God, just as David cried out—

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51:10-11)

God wants people to BE with Him before He wants them to DO for Him.