The Seed (book review)

August 11, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Until I won a copy of this book from Michael Hyatt’s blog, I had not heard of Jon Gordon. Now, having read The Seed, I am so disappointed that I didn’t find out about this author sooner!

The Seed is written as a fable, following the story of a young man named Josh, who has lost his passion for his work. Given a 2-week vacation by his boss to determine what happens next, Josh encounters a series of people who help him on his journey.

Josh is first given a seed by a kindly farmer, and told to plant the seed where it will grow best. Then learning from a crop-duster pilot, his parents, a favorite professor, a former employer, a traveling businessman, and even his dog Dharma, Josh learns about the seed that leads to a life full of passion and purpose.

This book was written to so compellingly that I had a hard time putting it down. Right from the opening pages I was drawn into Josh’s life. The lessons from this book are profound, insightful, and ones that all of us can apply.

Don’t miss out on The Seed!

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Thursdays With Oswald—A Passion For Christ, Not Souls

January 6, 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.

A Passion For Christ, Not Souls

       The reason some of us have no power in our preaching, no sense of awe, is that we have no passion for God, but only a passion for Humanity….

       It is not a passion for men that saves men; a passion for men breaks human hearts. The passion for Christ inwrought by the Holy Spirit goes deeper down than the deepest agony the world, the flesh and the devil can produce. It goes straight down to where Our Lord went, and the Holy Spirit works out, not in thinking, but in living, this passion for Christ.

From Approved Unto God

Wow, tough word. But it’s true: If I love Christ more than my loved ones, I will love my loved ones even better. A passion for Christ will win others to Christ; a passion for souls will only lead to building my ministry.

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Fizzle

October 27, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Jehu, the king of Israel, said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord!” Wow, this guy was so fired up about doing great things for God! He got rid of all of King Ahab’s idol-worshipping family, he removed all of the court officials who supported Ahab, and he even cleared all of the priests of Baal out of Israel.

God was so pleased with Jehu and his zeal for holiness that God said, “Well done! Because of what you have done, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel for the next four generations.”

What a God-fearing man Jehu was! How on fire for God!

Unfortunately, Jehu’s passion fizzled.

Aristotle famously said, “Well begun is only half done.” Jehu started well, but his zeal for God fizzled in the end.

In fact, the very next verse after God says, “Well done!” begins with a very telling word: Yet.

Jehu didn’t continue his walk with God. He began to fall away, and so the Bible adds this sad note: In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Yes, Jehu and his descendants still sat on the throne, but Israel became smaller and smaller.

I want to start well and finish strong.

I don’t want to hear God say, “Well begun.” I want to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

I don’t want to be “king” of a smaller and smaller sphere of influence.

I don’t want to fizzle—I want to keep on burning bright for God!

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Knowing God

June 15, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

I read a line in Craig Groeschel’s book—The Christian Atheist—this morning, and several thoughts have been swirling in my heart and mind. He wrote, “Get to know God. When you do, you will never be the same.” Maybe this resonates with you too.

To know God.

To really know Him.

Not just to know facts, or recite a history, or to know what He said. But to know HIM.

To know Him better. Better today than yesterday. To know His mind, His heart, His thoughts. Not knew (past tense) but know right now—this very moment.

What pleases Him? What does He long for? What breaks His heart? What are His plans for me?

Am I knowing Him?

Am I pleasing Him?

Am I living for Him today?

Am I walking in the path He wants me to?

Do I really know God?

I’m thankful for the Holy Spirit who helps me know God more. He helps me develop a more intimate knowledge. I’m so grateful that the Holy Spirit helps me to know that I am knowing God—intimately, personally, increasingly.

I will not stop my pursuit of God. I cannot stop. I don’t want to stop. I must know Him more today.

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Crave (book review)

March 16, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

 

Chris Tomlinson’s first book is a winner! Sometimes when I read books from guys who have Been There Done That, I get the feeling that they’ve somehow arrived and I’m still so lacking. Crave reads like Chris’s personal journal. He’s a BTDT guy, but he humbly paints the picture of someone still on the journey for more of God (which is also, aptly, the subtitle of his work).

The fifteen chapters all point to the same overarching theme: how can I get more of God? Chris opens up his heart and lets us peek inside to see what his journey has looked like, and what it still looks like. Never did I have the feeling that he was telling me what I should do, but more like he was saying to me,

“Here’s where I struggled; here’s where I blew it; here’s where I overcame; here’s what I’m still learning. Learn from my successes and failures, and let’s go after more of God together.”

Many times I gauge a book by how many passages I highlight, but I couldn’t do that with Crave. Too much of it rang true to me. If I were to highlight the heart-tugging passages, pages and pages would have become saturated with orange ink. Instead of the pages soaking up ink, I let my spirit soak up the truthfulness, applicability and timeliness of Chris’s words.

If you’re craving more of God, if you want a more satisfying relationship with Christ, even if you feel like your relationship with God has parked on a plateau, Crave can help you rekindle your pursuit of intimacy with your Creator.

I am a Harvest House book reviewer.

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A Powerful Prayer

June 9, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

“Bible study is love reading its Lover’s letters. Prayer is love keeping tryst.” —S.D. Gordon

The Bible is God’s love letter to humanity; more specifically, to you and me. But did you know that the Bible can also be used as our love letter to God?

If you’re a parent, you know how powerful it is when one of your children quote you back to you. Like when my daughter reminds me, “Dad, you said that you would….” Even if I haven’t forgotten what I said, it’s still so nice to know that she was listening to me and remembered what I promised her.

God has never, ever forgotten His word to us. But as our Heavenly Father, He loves to know that we hear His words, that we remember His promises, and that we love Him. So one of the most powerful prayers you can pray is when you pray God’s own words back to Him.

Personalized prayer based on God’s Word is a powerful prayer.

Let me give you an example. Here’s a prayer I wrote out the other day from 1 Chronicles 22:19—

Now…

There is no time to wait, I have to begin now. I cannot put it off a moment longer. It’s never an interruption of my day for me to draw closer to You, my God. Now I come to You in love.

devote…

This is not a partial commitment. I’m giving You my all. I’m laying all of me on Your altar. I’m not holding anything back. It’s all Yours, God, all of me.

your…

This is mine to give, and I’m choosing to give it to You. I’m not living for someone else; I’m not riding anyone’s coattails. I’m giving You what is mine to give. I’m giving you me.

heart…

My dreams, my passions, my desires. They’re all Yours, Heavenly Father. I reserve no passions for my own selfish pursuits, but I only have passion for You.

soul…

My inmost being—who I really am—the part of me that’s truly me is all Yours. My mind, my will, my emotions, my personality is only alive because of You.

seeking…

My longing, my soul’s craving is for You. I look for You’re everywhere and in everything. I seek You in the bird’s song, in the ocean’s roar, in the mountain’s majesty, in the midnight’s silence, in the bee’s buzz, in my children’s laughter, in my wife’s kiss, in my friend’s counsel, in Your love letter to me.

the Lord…

You are Lord over all. There is not now, nor ever will there be, anyone to take Your place in my heart.

your God…

You are mine and I am Yours. Forever. Because You loved me I love You, my God.

Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God (1 Chronicles 22:19).

Use your Bible to form your own powerfully intimate prayers to the Lover of your soul.

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Christ In The Passover

March 30, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

seder-meal

Last night Douglas Carmel (from Rock Of Israel ministries) led our congregation through a ceremonial Seder meal. It was absolutely fascinating!

First of all, to share in a meal that our Jewish brothers have been faithfully observing for thousands of years was very cool. I felt such a connection with my spiritual heritage.

Then to see how Jesus Christ can be seen as the once-for-all Passover Lamb was so eye-opening. As Douglas taught, images from Scripture came flooding back to my memory, but all in a new light: Like when John says, “Look! The Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.”

Finally, to see how Jesus instituted a new covenant for us by His broken body and spilt blood was humbling. He became everything the Seder meal had been pointing to for thousands of years. As we remember this in our Communion services, I will be thinking differently about the cup and the bread.

I’m looking forward to celebrating Christ’s passion, His death, and resurrection in just a couple of weeks, even more so now that I’ll be seeing these events and these Scriptures through different eyes. Thank you, Douglas, for making the Scriptures come alive for us!

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