No Casualties

May 27, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

The Israelites had just returned from a huge military victory over the Midianites and the military commanders brought this report to Moses:

Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing.

When God is with the soldiers, they have zero causalities. Zero.

Throughout the Bible, the only time casualties are mentioned is: (1) when the battle is of their own undertaking, or (2) the people have sinned and God allows an enemy to attack them.

God’s battle

in God’s timing

with God’s help

= No casualties!

If you are in a battle that you started, or if you are in a battle because you walked away from God, your best defense is to run to God in repentance.

But if God brought you to this fight, don’t run. Stand firm. He will bring you the victory with no casualties.

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Imagine Attending 86 Funerals A Day

May 24, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Right after the Israelites came out of Egypt, God told Moses to count everyone (not coincidentally, this is recorded in the book of Numbers… get it?).

I’m sure you know the story well of the ten scouts who by their negative report turned everyone against Moses. They all believed that they couldn’t go into the Promised Land because of the big giants. So God said everyone in that generation (except Joshua and Caleb) would die before they entered the Promised Land.

Fast forward 38 years and God has Moses count the people again (can you guess where this is recorded in the Bible?). If you compare the two lists, you will see that 1.2 million Israelites had died.

Let that sink in: 1.2 million dead in 38 years.

That’s 31,579 funerals per year.

Or 86 funerals per day.

Talk about mixed emotions! With every funeral the younger Israelites attended, they were sad for their loss but they also knew they were one step closer to getting out of the desert and into the Promised Land.

Every day they heard about deaths—86 of them every day.

What did these deaths remind them of? Maybe these two thoughts:

  • Sin causes death.
  • I’m just as capable of sinning as they were.

Every death should have been a reminder to them to stay as close to God as possible.

Every day I hear about divorce. This should be my reminder to cherish my wife every day.

Every day I hear about a pastor’s moral failing. This should be my reminder to pursue holiness passionately every day.

Every day I hear about pornography addictions. This should be my reminder to take every precaution I can every day.

When the Israelites heard about 86 deaths every day, they had to do something positive with that.

When I hear about divorce and sin and addiction, I cannot just shake my head and say, ‘Tisk, tisk,” but I must do something positive with it.

I must use every “death” as a reminder to move closer to God.

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Is Today Your Last Day With Us?

May 20, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Okay, this seems a bit bizarre: God tells Moses, “Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them with you up to Mount Hor. I want you to transfer the office of high priest from Aaron to Eleazer. And then Aaron is going to die on the mountain.”

Seriously!

Anyone reading this post knows their birth date, but none of us knows his or her death date.

Aaron did.

What do you think he did with his last few hours?

  • Did he need to apologize to someone? Ask their forgiveness?
  • Did he need to make amends?
  • Pass along some vital information to Eleazer?
  • Say “I love you” to someone dear to him?
  • Give one last kiss? One last embrace?

James wrote, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14).

You and I don’t know what our death date will be, so our best bet is to live today like it’s our last day. What do you need to do with your last few hours?

  • Are you ready to meet God?
  • Do you need to ask Christ to forgive your sins?
  • Is there someone who needs your forgiveness?
  • Do you need to make something right somewhere?
  • Is there vital information you need to share?
  • Does someone need to hear “I love you”?
  • Who do you need to hug or kiss?

Don’t wait for tomorrow, because tomorrow may never arrive. Live today like it’s your last day. Because it may very well be your last day with us.

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Liberal Forgiveness

May 18, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

I was reading about how Moses and God responded to the grumbling of the Israelites. After the twelve spies came back from sniffing around Canaan, only two of the spies said, “It’s all good. Let’s go!” The other ten said, “Yeah, it’s good, but there are too many giants for us to be successful.” These ten were able to persuade all of the Israelites to say to Moses, “We don’t want to go any further with you. Take us back to Egypt!”

God spoke out and said, “Stand aside, Moses. I’m going to destroy all of these ungrateful, rebellious people and begin again with you.”

But Moses stepped forward to intervene. He reminded God that He was slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.

And then comes this amazing response from God: “I have forgiven them, as you have asked.”

Did you catch that?

The depth of forgiveness was exactly as Moses had asked!

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that the consequences for sin are removed. God said, “I have forgiven them, nevertheless they are still not going to be able to enter the Promised Land.”

Being forgiven doesn’t mean going unpunished. There is a price to be paid. But forgiveness means the price is only paid here on earth, not over an eternity.

How liberally and deeply and completely do YOU want to be forgiven? Whatever that level is, ask God to just as liberally and deeply and completely forgive OTHERS. Hear Him say, “I have forgiven them, just as you have asked.”

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You See What You’re Looking For

May 14, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

It’s a pretty simple concept: you only see what you want to see. For example, if you are looking for your car keys, you won’t really see anything else that you are picking up or looking behind to find your keys. Your brain is locked in on keys, so that’s all you will see.

In a well-known Bible story, Moses sends twelve men into the Promised Land to check things out. He tells them to explore the land and bring back a report. The men went to several locations, and there is no mention of who or what they saw except…

  • …in the valley of Eschol, they found grapes of extraordinary size.
  • …in Hebron, they found people of extraordinary size.

They went in looking for big things, and that’s all they saw.

With the exception of Caleb and Joshua who said, “So what? Our God is bigger than those giants,” all the other men saw defeat. In the end, all the other men saw death in the desert; only Caleb and Joshua saw God’s victory in the Promised Land.

You see what you want to see—

What do you see?

What are you looking for?

Are you looking for giants? If so, you’ll find them. And they will seem even bigger in your eyes than they really are.

Are you looking for God’s victory? If so, you’ll find Him. And His deliverance will seem even more incredible than you could have imagined!

Prayer trains your eyes to see differently. Prayer trains your brain to look for victory. Prayer keeps you alert to what God is doing.

If all you see are giants, if all you hear is bad news, if all you feel is fear, perhaps you’re looking for giants and bad news and the fearful things.

Friend, God wants you to see Him on the move. Pray!

  • Prayer changes giants to dwarfs.
  • Prayer changes defeat to victory.
  • Prayer changes gloom to sunshine.
  • Prayer changes the way you see the world.
  • Prayer changes you.

“The prayer of the morning will determine the day.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Learning To Distinguish

April 23, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

In Moses’ instructions to the priests, he said, “You must distinguish between the holy and common, between the unclean and the clean.”

Why? Because these men were to be leaders. He went on to say, “You must teach the Israelites all the decrees.”

If I’m going to be a leader, I must be able to distinguish.

Here’s where the Holy Spirit is challenging me. I am working on distinguishing between…

Good and Best

Acceptable and Excellent

Common and Holy

Ordinary and Extraordinary

Want and Need

Present and Participant

Quantity and Quality

I am certain that this list is just a start, and that it’s going to be a lifetime pursuit.

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Glowing With God

April 13, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

I’m struck by this passage:

…[Moses’] face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.

This has got me thinking…

  1. Am I different after I speak with the Lord?
  2. Can people tell I’ve been in His presence?
  3. Do I spend enough time with God, or do I just dash through His tabernacle?
  4. Are people coming near me to hear what I learned in God’s presence?

If I were to answer honestly, I cannot say “yes” to all of these. If I want to glow with God I’ve got to be willing to spend enough time with Him.

I’m working on it. How about you?

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God’s Favor

April 12, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

It’s a well-known story: Moses is on the mountaintop with God while all the Israelites back at camp think he’s dead. They then convince Aaron to make a golden calf to be their god. The True God is ready to bring down His punishment on these idol worshipers when two incredible words stop God’s judgment dead in its tracks…

But Moses.

God was ready to wipe them out and start all over with Moses. Think about it: God offered Moses the opportunity to be on the same level of remembrance with Abraham. Years later people would be saying, “The God of Abraham, Isaac, Israel, and Moses.” What an incredible honor for Moses!

But Moses.

Instead, Moses interceded for his people. Moses sought God’s favor. He knew God to be the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. He could have had it all for himself.

But Moses.

He asked God to forgive the people’s idolatry and betrayal. God replied, “I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.” If you had God’s favor, what would you do with it? Would you ask for great things for yourself? Your family? Your friends?

But Moses.

Moses used this favor to ask God to help him stay in His favor. “If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You.” Moses knew that it was God’s favor that distinguishes one man from the crowd, that sets a man apart as a leader.

But Moses…

just wanted God to be glorified. And God responded: “My Presence will go with you.”

I want to be a “But Craig” leader… one that stands apart as God’s leader; one who only seeks to bring glory to God.

How about you? Do you want to be that “But ____________” leader too?

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Let Me Give You A Piece Of Advice

April 2, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

How many times have you heard someone say you, “Let me give you a piece of advice”? Ah, yes, everyone has some advice to share. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone wants to give you a piece of their mind. Everyone is an expert in an area where they think you’re deficient.

I remember going through comment cards at the end of a long week of youth camp. I’d read one card that would say the food was excellent. Just a couple of cards later some “expert” would share how terrible the food was. One would say they loved the evangelist, another would give their “advice” on where the evangelist missed it.

Whom should I listen to? Who should get my ear?

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Polonius gives this counsel to Laertes “Give every man thine ear, but few thy voice: Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.”

Nice prose, but how do we live it out?

I like the example I see from a man named Jethro in the Bible. Jethro is Moses’ father-in-law, and he really only appears on the scene in just one chapter (Exodus 18), but his method of giving advice should be a model for us all.

Credentials—Jethro was a God-fearing man. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, weigh carefully the advice given to you by those who don’t have the same biblical foundation.

Relationship—Jethro had a personal relationship with Moses, he wasn’t just a business acquaintance. That means Jethro had a vested interest in Moses’ success or failure.

Firsthand—Jethro heard about what was happening, but he came to see it for himself. Beware of those “experts” who only have secondhand information about you or your situation.

Up-Close—Jethro spent an entire day right by Moses’ side just watching and listening. He saw what was going on from the front row.

Questions—Jethro led with questions, not with advice. Before giving Moses his opinion, Jethro asked clarifying questions.

Wisdom—Only after all of this did Jethro give his opinion to Moses. The words that he shared were then received by Moses as God-given wisdom.

Your counselors should earn the right to be heard. Just because someone has an opinion doesn’t make him an expert. And just because someone has been-there-done-that doesn’t mean that her way should be your way.

Screen out the clamoring voices by making sure they have credentials, a relationship with you, firsthand experience, and godly wisdom.

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Guard These Bones

March 29, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Here’s an odd one. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for a long, long time. God does these miraculous things, culminating in the death of every firstborn child in Egypt who’s not in a house covered by lamb’s blood. Pharaoh has finally had enough, “Quick!” he shouts, “Get out of here now! Leave this country!”

So the Israelites pack up as quickly as they can to leave before Pharaoh changes his mind. And then this odd statement appears, “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.”

Seriously? Bones? We’re kinda in a rush here!

Well, they’re not just any bones. It’s not like they’re just loose bones lying around. They’re in a mummy case.

Yeah, and…?

They were the bones of Joseph. The one who foresaw the coming famine. The one whom Pharaoh put as second-in-command to make preparations for the famine. The one who saved the Israelites from starvation. That Joseph. Just before he died he made his family take an oath that when they left Egypt, they would take his bones with them (Genesis 50:25-26).

They took the oath. And for the next 430 years someone had to watch over the bones. Through about twelve generations, from father to son, from son to grandson, from grandson to great-grandson, the oath was passed: “Guard these bones. When we leave, the bones go with us.”

So when they left Egypt, Moses took the bones with him. But then the Israelites sinned and had to wander in the wilderness for another 40 years. Another whole generation died, and still the oath was passed: “Guard these bones.”

The Israelites finally re-entered their home land, but had to defeat their enemies that had taken possession of their land while they were in Egypt. For about 30 years the Israelites fought. And still the oath was passed: “Guard these bones.”

Finally as a postscript to Joshua’s account we see Joseph’s bones being buried in Shechem, nearly 500 years after Joseph died!

For 500 years they kept the oath; they guarded the bones.

Do you realize that the way you are living today could be the answer to a 500-year-old prayer? Just like the Israelites who kept their eyes on God, you and I must live today with a purpose and with a mission. When we live godly lives, we are guarding the bones of prayers that were prayed, the bones of petitions that were made, the bones of oaths that were requested and honored.

What are you doing today to guard the bones of your ancestor’s prayers?

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