The Touch Of Jesus

February 21, 2023 — 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. 

“…He reached out His hand and touched the man…” (Mark 1:41). 

Jesus touched a leper. 

We have to be careful not to rush past this or make too light of this action. Those with leprosy were completely shut out of their old way of life—removed from their homes, from their places of work, and ostracized from their family and friends. Wherever they went, they lived with the shame of having to publicly cry out in a loud voice, “Unclean! Unclean!” so that everyone had a chance to scatter and not become contaminated by getting too close to them. 

But this leper asked Jesus for healing. Jesus touched the untouchable man and healing immediately appeared! Leprosy was gone, and the man was restored to his former life, to his family, to his friends! 

Look at the power of the touch of Jesus:

  • He touches the hand of a woman, and her fever immediately leaves (Matthew 8:15; Mark 1:31)
  • A woman with an incurable bleeding disorder touches Jesus, and immediately receives relief (Matthew 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34; Luke 8:43–48)
  • Blind eyes are opened (Matthew 9:29–30, 20:34; Mark 8:22–25)
  • All manner of diseases are instantly cured (Matthew 14:35–36; Mark 3:10; 6:55–56; Luke 6:17–19)
  • Fear is banished (Matthew 17:7)
  • A mute tongue is loosed (Mark 7:33–35)
  • Children are blessed (Mark 10:13; Luke 18:15)
  • A dead man is raised back to life (Luke 7:13–15)
  • A severed ear is reattached and restored (Luke 22:50–51)

(Check out all of these verses by clicking here.)

There is a power in touching someone that goes beyond words or any other actions. When we’ve first touched Jesus ourselves, our loving touch to someone in need is an anointed touch.

I am reminded of the words of the old song—

Oh to be His hand extended
Reaching out to the oppressed
Let me touch Him
Let me touch Jesus
So that others will know
And be blessed

My touch alone has very little lasting value. But when I’ve touched Jesus first, my touch carries His power and His love to the one whom I touch. Let us keep touching Jesus so that we can keep touching the untouchables around us and bringing to them the healing and deliverance and blessing that only Jesus can give.

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The Christmas Carols

December 6, 2022 — Craig T. Owens

During the Advent seasons of 2014-2019, I shared a series of messages called The Carols Of Christmas. I was concerned at how many “old familiar carols” we hear so often Christmas after Christmas until the words have almost lost their meaning. If we’re not careful, any song repeated too often can lose the richness of its original intent. And so we went on a journey to (re)discover the beautiful Advent messages in these old familiar carols.

To make it a little more convenient, I wanted to group all of the messages here for you. In the list below you will find both the title I gave to my message and the title of the Christmas carol in italics.

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Thursdays With Spurgeon—My Rock

February 25, 2021 — Craig T. Owens

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

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.

My Rock 

[God] alone is my rock and my salvation (Psalm 62:2).

     How noble a title; it is so sublime, suggestive, and overpowering. ‘My rock.’ It is a figure so divine that to God alone will it ever be applied. …  

     Unchangeable He is in His being, firm in His own sufficiency. He keeps Himself immutably the same. And ‘therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob’ (Malachi 3:6). … So is our God a sure defense, and we will not be moved if He has set our feet upon a rock and established our goings (see Psalm 40:2). …  

     ‘He is my rock.’ How glorious a thought! How safe am I and how secure and how may I rejoice in the fact that when I wade through Jordan’s stream He will be my rock! I will not walk upon a slippery foundation, but I will tread on Him who cannot betray my feet. And I may sing when I am dying, ‘He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him’ (Psalm 92:15).

From God Alone The Salvation Of His People

Spurgeon mentioned singing about God our Rock even when we come to death’s door. Immediately a couple of songs from my childhood sprang to mind.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.


While I draw this fleeting breath,


When my eyes shall close in death,


When I rise to worlds unknown,


And behold Thee on Thy throne,


Rock of Ages, cleft for me,


Let me hide myself in Thee. (Augustus Toplady)




Where do I go when there’s nobody else to turn to?


Who do I turn to when nobody wants to listen?


Who do I lean on when there’s no foundation stable?


I go to the Rock, I know He’s able, I go to the Rock.




I go to the Rock of my salvation,


I go to the Stone that the builders rejected,


I run to the Mountain and the Mountain stands by me.


When the earth all around me is sinking sand


On Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand


When I need a shelter, when I need a friend, I go to the Rock. (Dottie Rambo)




My friend, no matter how unstable things may seem, no matter how uncertain the future may appear, remember the One and Only Rock. He alone is my rock and my salvation! Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Don’t try to make your own secure place, but run to the Rock of Ages, and this immovable Mountain will stand by you and keep you secure for all of eternity! 


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God’s Preference Is You

July 15, 2019 — Craig T. Owens 




My dear friend Josh Schram relaunched our summertime series looking at the Selahs in the Psalms. “Selah” (or “Interlude” in some Bible translations) can mean either a time of reflection, a deep breath to go into something stronger, or a time to weigh the contrasts. 


Psalm 44 is a classic example of a Selah calling us to weigh the contrasts! The first 8 verses of this psalm celebrate the recollections of God’s past victories, declarations of God being our King, and crescendoing to a note of continual praise—O God, we give glory to You all day long and constantly praise Your name!


Then comes the Selah—pause. 


And after the pause, the scene turns dark. The psalmist now recounts how bad his situation is, descending to the low note of “we collapse in the dust, lying face down in the dirt” (v. 25). 


Josh reminded us how our preferences change over time. Consider the telephone—we’ve gone from push-button corded phones, to phones with longer cords, to cordless phones, to bulk bag phones, to smaller cell phones, to smartphones. It’s very human for our preferences to want more and better. 


But God’s preference never changes. God’s preference is YOU! 


He can never love you any more than He already does. Nor can He love you any less. 


The apostle Paul quotes Psalm 44:22—yet for Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered—when he explains that absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love (see Romans 8:31-39).


In marriage vows, we usually promise to love our spouse “for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness or in health.” True love goes through it all! 


God’s love goes through it all with us. That’s why the psalmist’s last words are so hopeful: Rise up and help us; rescue us because of Your unfailing love. His unfailing love is our assurance of His presence and His ultimate rescue. Paul also reminds us “indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:17). 


Josh said, “I want you to remember one thing: Nothing!” Nothing can separate you from God’s love. Ever!  


Hillsong United has some memorable words in their song Highlands—“I will praise You on the mountain, and I will praise You when the mountain’s in my way. … You’re the heaven where my heart is, in the highlands and the heartache all the same.” 


No matter what you’re facing, God’s preference is you. He loves you, and He wants you to grow closer to Him through this trial. Praise Him for His unfailing love on the mountain and in the valley, and then wait in eager expectation for Him to come to rescue you. 








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Love Has A Name (YouVersion reading plan review)

November 20, 2018 — Craig T. Owens 




I love listening to the Jesus Culture band lead people in worship! Their humble spirits and biblically-sound lyrics are a powerful combination. If you haven’t checked out their latest album called “Love Has A Name,” please do so! And also check out their YouVersion devotional with the same name. 


Love Has A Name is a 10-day reading plan on YouVersion in which the members of the Jesus Culture band have written the devotional for each day. Each devotional is associated with one of the songs on their new album and will take you behind the lyrics to the seed-thought of that song. Then you will also read the biblical passage(s) that were woven into the song’s lyrics. 


Each morning during this 10-day reading plan I read the devotional thought, read the Scripture, and then worshiped along with the song that corresponded with that day’s reading, and then journaled some thoughts. I found that hearing God’s Word sung in such a passionate way was a fantastic way to keep God’s Word in my mind and heart all day long. 


Please check out both the album and the YouVersion reading plan Love Has A Name. 






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Speak Life

December 27, 2012 — Craig T. Owens 




tobymacI love the message behind tobyMac’s song Speak Life. Our words really do have an impact on people. The writer of Proverbs said it this way—


The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Probers 18:21)


In tobyMac’s song, the lyrics echo God’s Word—


Though it’s crazy, amazing


We can turn our hearts with the words we say


Mountains crumble with every syllable


Hope can live or die…


Well it crazy to imagine


Words from our lips as the arms of compassion


Mountains crumble with every syllable


Hope can live or die


Check this out…



And if you’d like to hear Toby’s inspiration for this song, check on this clip…







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Love For A Traitor

November 9, 2011 — 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.



Just a couple of hours before He would be arrested and so cruelly mistreated, Jesus had one last meal with His disciples. The meal began after Jesus had assumed the lowest of all positions, and washed all of His disciples’ feet.


Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.” (Matthew 26:27)


Do you realize that this “all of you” included Judas the traitor?


Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, was there. He ate the bread and drank the wine of the first Communion. Jesus washed Judas’ feet. The traitor was right there when Jesus said, “This is My Body broken for you. This is My blood spilled for you.”


But it’s even heavier to think that He also said to me, “Drink of this cup, Craig.”


For Jesus surely saw my sin and my betrayal before He went to the Cross. I was the traitor, and He washed my feet. I betrayed Him by my sin, and He told me to eat and drink the reminders of His suffering for me.


How can I ignore such wondrous love?


How could I ever treat lightly such a sacrifice?


How could I ever hang on to my betraying sins in light of the forgiveness He purchased for me?


Jesus loved me—the traitor, the betrayer—and died for me. What a beautiful Savior!


My friend Dilip has released his debut album The Great Reversal (I hope you will buy this amazing CD), but I love the words of his song Beautiful Jesus:


All my words cannot describe just how beautiful You are


Earthly love cannot compare to the Perfect Love that bled and died


Beautiful Jesus, I stand in awe of You


Beautiful Jesus, I’m captivated by Your wondrous love


So I bow my knee, humbled by this mystery


How can it be? King of Majesty, You rescued me


You gave it all for me


More than I could ask for


All I ever need is You, Jesus, Lover of my soul


 


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Going Through The Motions

July 28, 2010 — Craig T. Owens 




I was talking to a friend who is a missionary in Africa who had just experienced an interesting church service. Many times Africans will hear a worship song from a visiting group of Americans, and they will try to implement that worship song into their church services. Sometimes this can be quite beautiful.


And sometimes it’s quite comical.


These precious African saints were trying their best to imitate the English words they had heard sung in the song Friend Of God. However, their chorus sounded something like this:


I am afraid of God


I am afraid of God


I am afraid of God


He calls me Fred


Comical? Sure. But it’s also very instructional.


How many times do you and I go into a church service and just mimic words, without really thinking about the meaning behind the words?


We go through the motions—we imitate the sounds we have heard before—and think we are really worshiping.


Here’s what Jesus said:


And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases… [and] think that you will be heard for your many words.


Are you going through the motions?


    

  • Do you pray the same prayer at every meal?
    • 

  • Do you sing the same songs the same way every time?
    • 

  • Do you worship God the same way every time you come into His presence?
    • 

  • Do you pray the same prayer every night before bed?
    • 



Do you really mean what you are saying? Or are you just going through the motions?






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Judge Or Father?

June 25, 2010 — Craig T. Owens 





I’m still thinking about the powerful worship time we had in our Impact youth service on Wednesday night. I can’t think of another way to describe it, except to say that it was intimate.


We sang a song written by Michael Gungor called Wrap Me In Your Arms. The lyrics are simple:


There is a God who loves me

Who wraps me in His arms

And that is the place where I’m changed

And that’s where I belong


Take me to that place, Lord,

To that secret place where

I can be with You

You can make me like You

Wrap me in Your arms

Wrap me in Your arms

Wrap me in Your arms


Far too many people view God as a Judge. Make no mistake, God will judge all of humanity at the end of the age, but in the meantime, Scripture portrays God as a loving Father who wants to wrap us in His arms.


I love the picture in the story Jesus tells of the prodigal son: The young man who ran away from his father and squandered all of the wealth he had taken with him. When he reached the end of his rope, the wayward son turned toward home. If you were thinking of returning home after embarrassing your father and throwing away his money, would you want to return to a judge or a father?


The young man did turn toward home, and his father ran to him and wrapped him in his arms! How amazing!


On Wednesday night I encouraged our youth group to simply stretch their arms out toward their Heavenly Father and feel Him wrap them in His arms. It was so special to see tear-streaked cheeks and outstretched arms in the loving embrace of a God who loves anyone who turns to Him. Awesome!


I encourage you to do the same.


If you’ve blown it … if you feel distant from God … if you feel like you’ve let Him down … if you feel like you’ve embarrassed Him … see Him as a Father who is longing for you to return to Him. He will not judge you, but He will wrap you in His arms and make everything new.


If you wait until your life here is over without ever turning to God, then you will have to face God the Judge. Don’t wait! Embrace God your Father today. 






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So Long, Status Quo!

June 9, 2010 — Craig T. Owens 




What’s holding you back from making a change today? What’s keeping you from breaking with the pack? What status quo in your life needs to go bye-bye?


“Status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.’” —Ronald Reagan


“The soft-minded man always fears change. He feels security in the status quo, and he has an almost morbid fear of the new. For him, the greatest pain is the pain of a new idea.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.


“I have come that you might have life to the full [away from the status quo].” —Jesus Christ


The gate is wide

The road is paved in moderation

The crowd is kind and quick to pull you in

Welcome to the middle ground

You’re safe and sound and

Until now, it’s where I’ve been


‘Cause it’s been fear that ties me down to everything

But it’s been love, Your love, that cuts the strings


So long status quo

I think I just let go

You make me want to be brave

The way it always was

Is no longer good enough

You make me want to be brave

Brave, brave


I am small

And I speak when I’m spoken to

But I am willing to risk it all

I say Your name

Just Your name and I’m ready to jump

Even ready to fall


Why did I take this vow of compromise?

Why did I try to keep it all inside?


I’ve never known a fire that didn’t begin with a flame

Every storm will start with just a drop of rain

But if You believe in me

That changes everything

So long, I’m gone


—Nicole Nordeman, Brave






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