Strengths Formula

June 11, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

God wants you to be yourself, but not as you can make you. But to be the “you” He created you to be. Part of what He implanted in you was certain gifts, talents, and abilities. To the extent that you allow the Holy Spirit to (1) reveal these gifts to you, and (2) turn these gifts into strengths, you will find more joy in being “you” as your “you” builds up the Body of Christ.

Just before listing some of the innumerable spiritual gifts God reveals in humanity, the apostle Paul says this:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. (Romans 12:3)

Does that sound contradictory at all: Do not think…but rather think?

The root word is the same in each usage (phroneo in the Greek), but the prefix is what sets them apart from each other.

  • The first has the prefix hyper-. That means it’s overly analyzed, overly concerned = self-focused. 
  • The second time the prefix is soph- (meaning “wise”). This is sound thinking, big-picture thinking = others-focused.

The Holy Spirit gives you sophroneo thinking to reveal your God-implanted gifts and talents to benefit others—to benefit the whole Body of Christ. He helps us turn our talents into strengths by using a formula like this:

Passions + Talents + Your Obedience = Strength for the Body

Pay attention to your passionate responses to situations, as they will reveal to you some of your gifts.

Listen to areas where others say you are talented. This will help you know how God has wired you.

Then you must be obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in how to use your talents. If you let them sit on the shelf, they will never become strengths. Strengths develop when you passionately and obediently use your God-given talents for God’s glory.

The Holy Spirit wants to help you in all of these areas. Will you let Him?

If you’ve missed any of the messages in the Immersed series, you can find them all here.

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Amazing Grace In The Life Of William Wilberforce (book review)

April 5, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

If you know anything about the life of William Wilberforce, you may know that he tirelessly worked for the end to slavery in the British Empire. You might think that this singular focus, and uphill battle would make Wilberforce a joyless, serious person. But according to John Piper’s book Amazing Grace In The Life Of William Wilberforce, nothing could be further from the truth.

You might also be familiar with John Piper’s writing about joy-filled Christians (in his classic Desiring God). So it makes sense that Piper would be attracted to the life of a man like Wilberforce. He was one who was described as, “His presence was as fatal to dullness as to immorality. His mirth was as irresistible as the first laughter of childhood.”

John Piper uncovers what made Wilberforce tick. What helped him stay so relentlessly focused on eliminating the slave trade, and remain a joy-filled Christian as well? Piper writes:

“He was a radically God-centered Christian who was a politician. And his true affections for God based on the ‘peculiar doctrines’ of Christianity were the roots of his endurance in the cause of justice.”

This is a great “starter book” for anyone who doesn’t know much about Wilberforce. It’s a quick and easy read. But there is so much more to learn about this amazing man. If nothing else, John Piper’s biopic on this great politician’s life should serve to whet your appetite to learn more about him. It did that for me!

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Benefit Package

June 2, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

See if you can spot the common theme in Proverbs 10:

The Lord will not let the godly go hungry (v. 3)

The godly are showered with blessings (v. 6)

We have happy memories of the godly (v. 7)

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain (v. 11)

The earnings of the godly enhance their lives (v. 16)

The words of the godly are like sterling silver (v. 20)

The words of the godly encourage many (v. 21)

The hopes of the godly will be granted (v. 24)

The godly have a lasting foundation (v. 25)

The hopes of the godly result in happiness (v. 28)

The godly will never be disturbed (v. 30)

The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice (v. 31)

The lips of the godly speak helpful words (v. 32)

I may not be a genius, but it seems like living a God-pleasing life has quite a few desirable benefits. What do you say we give it a try?

(For another look at Proverbs 10, check out this post.)

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If Anyone Ought To Be Happy

May 27, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I remember once going to play golf with two other friends. When we got to the course, the starter added another guy—someone we didn’t know—to our group to round-out our foursome. We began to “play” our round of golf (I use the term play loosely), and joke, and laugh, and enjoy ourselves.

About 4 or 5 holes into our round, our new friend asked what we all did. I responded, “He’s a pastor, I’m a pastor, and that guy over there is a missionary.”

Our new friend looked shocked. “You mean you’re all Christians?!”

“Yes, we are,” I said. “Does that surprise you?”

“Yes,” he replied, and then quickly added, “But I’ve never had so much fun playing golf before!”

It’s funny, and yet sad. Why would Christians be thought of as boring? dull? killjoys? Shouldn’t we be the most happy and joy-filled of all?

Here’s what Charles Spurgeon said—

We ought to be glad and rejoice forever in that which God creates. Ours is a heritage of joy and peace. My dear brothers and sisters, if anybody in the world ought to be happy, we are the people.

How large our obligations! How boundless our privileges! How brilliant our hopes!

What should make us miserable? Sin? That is forgiven. Affliction? That is working our good. Inward corruptions? They are doomed to die. satanic temptations? We wear an armor which they cannot penetrate. We have every reason for delight, and we have moreover this command for it: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). May God bring us into that blessed condition and keep us there!

God intends not only that we should have joy but also that we should spread it among others. He intends that wherever we go we should be light bearers and set other lamps shining.

Can people tell you have the joy of the Lord? Are you bringing light and laughter to dark and somber places? If you are filled up with God, how happy you should be!

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Thursdays With Oswald—Be Yourself

February 17, 2011 — 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.

Be Yourself

       God’s main concern is that we are more interested in Him than in work for Him. Once you are rooted and grounded in Christ the greatest thing you can do is to be. Don’t try to be useful; be yourself and God will use you to further His ends.

From Facing Reality

God doesn’t need you to try to be anything else than the you He created you to be.

You are a one-of-a-kind … unique … perfect just as He made you.

The greatest joy you will ever know is being yourself. But you can only be fully you when you find yourself in Christ. His life in you makes you you.

(And, by the way, we are exploring this idea further over the next couple of weeks in a series of messages called “Living In The Zone.” If you are in the Cedar Springs area, I’d love to have you join us!)

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Last-Minute Christmas Shopping

December 23, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Over the past couple of days, anytime I’m driving anywhere near a store, I’m slowed down by so many last-minute shoppers.

I understand that some shoppers procrastinate, some family members are hard to shop for, and some folks wait so long to share their wish list with you. But as I’ve engaged a few shoppers in conversation, one thing I’m routinely hearing is, “I’ve got to get just one more gift for….”

One more gift.

Just one more.

And maybe one more after that.

I’m not knocking generosity, but I would like to point out that there is something called Enough.

Maybe instead of buying one more gift for someone special, you could exchange your shopping time for conversation time.

Maybe instead of one more gadget, you could go on one more date.

Maybe instead of more presents, you could give more presence.

Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.

“More, more.”

I have God’s more-than-enough,

More joy in one ordinary day

Than they get in all their shopping sprees. (Psalm 4:6-7).

The greatest joy comes not from giving great gifts, but in being a gift to someone else. Enjoy God’s presence, and then give a present of your presence to a special someone!

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What’s So Good About Good Friday?

April 2, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Good Friday? Good for whom?

For you and me? Yes.

Good for Jesus, no. It was Bad Friday for Him, wasn’t it?

Or was it?

The writer of Hebrews says, “For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the Cross, scorning its shame.”

What joy?

It was for the joy of what was nailed to the Cross.

So what exactly was nailed to the Cross?

Isaiah records an usual statement from God –

Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

That seems unfair! We receive double (!) for our sins! Here’s a brief video where I explain what this means culturally –

Only when invoices were paid-in-full did they get doubled-up.

The Bible tells us that we’ve all sinned, and that the invoice or penalty for our sin is death. We have the IOUs of sin nailed to the door of our heart where God says “You owe Me your life!” But we cannot pay this debt by ourselves.

But Jesus can. And Jesus did! Check this out –

He personally carried our sins in His body on the Cross…. (1 Peter 2:24, NLT)

Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us. This He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to His Cross. (Colossians 2:14, AMP)

That’s what is good about Good Friday. Jesus knew that taking our sins on His body, and then allowing His body to be nailed to the Cross, would double-up and nail-down our sin once and for all!

When Jesus said, “It is finished!” He was really saying, “It is was paid-in-full!”

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No More Fear

December 25, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Have you ever noticed the overarching message throughout the Christmas story? In both Matthew’s and Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus there is a repeated angelic message to humankind: “Do not be afraid.”

  • “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard” (Luke 1:13).
  • “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God” (Luke 1:30).
  • “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife” (Matthew 1:20).
  • “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people” (Luke 2:10).

Why all this fear? Quite simply sin brings fear: Fear of God’s impending judgment. But the canceling power is Jesus. In the Christmas carol Joy To The World there are powerful, fear-lifting words in the third verse:

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

His blessing comes to bring joy wherever the curse of sin has brought fear! Jesus defeats sin, and so therefore His joy displaces all fear!

  • “His mercy extends to those who fear Him” (Luke 1:50).
  • “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people…. To show mercy to our fathers…. To enable us to serve Him without fear…. To give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:68, 72, 75, 77).
  • “He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
  • “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Sin forgiven. Curse canceled. Fear removed. Joy has come because Jesus has come.

My prayer for you is that you are living without fear because you are living without sin. It’s only possible because Jesus came for you. Merry CHRISTmas!

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There’s A Puppy Curled Up On My Lap

December 21, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Some of you may know that my puppy Grace came to me on National Be Kind To Craig Owens Day. (What, you didn’t know about that holiday?!?) What a joy she’s brought to our family!

I’m trying to get some work done at home right now, and she insists on curling up on my lap. If I get up to get something from another room, she will follow me into that room. She loves going in the car with me or hanging out with me at my office. There’s no doubt that I’m her human.

So I was thinking today about how Grace just simply wants to be where I am. I sort of think this is what the Bible means when it says, “So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’”

Do you just want to spend time with God?

Do you simply want to be where He is?

Just to feel close to Him?

To go where He’s going?

And do what He’s doing?

To call Him “Daddy, God”?

Your Heavenly Father is calling you today to come closer to Him. Will you answer that call?

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Simply Profound

November 20, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

This morning I went to “Donuts With Dad” with my youngest son. It’s a time for Dads to bring their kids to school, grab a donut, and then walk around the school with their child. It was so cool seeing how excited my son was for me to be there with him!

We sat in his classroom to eat our donut, then he gave me the grand tour: the library, the computer lab, the lunchroom, the art room, and the gym. So simple, yet so important to him.

Earlier in the morning on my way to drop off my older children at their school, we were reading this passage in Colossians:

It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

So I’ve been thinking: if the simple things are the joy-filled things, why do we insist on making things so complicated in our Christian faith? We tell God’s children, “To be in a relationship with God you must do thus-and-so, and you must do it this many times each week, and you must do it this way.”

Must, must, must.

Complex rule after convoluted rule after antiquated rule. Why not simply say, “Love God will all that you’ve got. Just love Him in the unique way He made you to love Him”?

There’s great joy in simplicity. There is a profoundness in simplicity.

Here’s to a simpler walk with Christ!

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