Your Spiritual Patellar Reflex

November 12, 2012 — 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.

If you’ve ever been to a doctor’s office, you have probably experienced the patellar reflex test. It might be better known as the “knee-jerk reaction.” This is when the doctor taps your knee just below the kneecap to test your body’s involuntary response. How you respond (or don’t respond) tells the doctor a lot about your nervous system’s health.

Did you know that we have a spiritual patellar reflex too?

Consider this verse—

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

How you respond spiritually to stressful things says a lot about your spiritual knee-jerk reflex.

We see this spiritual knee-jerk reflex in the well-known story of Daniel in the lion’s den. Some of the guys who were jealous of Daniel trick the king into passing a law that forbids everyone from praying to anyone other than the king. Look at Daniel’s spiritual knee-jerk reflex:

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)

Daniel’s knee-jerk reaction was to hit his knees in prayer!

This is because hitting his knees in prayer was a spiritual habit for Daniel. Check out this key phrase: he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. The verb tense here is one that means unbroken continuity. In other words, Daniel always prayed, so when anxious times came his spiritual knee-jerk reflex was to do what he always did: Pray, giving thanks to God.

It’s this lifestyle that prompted me to coin the word givingthanksgiving. Giving thanks shouldn’t just be on Thanksgiving Day. It should be a regular activity. And if it is, hitting our knees in prayer will become our spiritual knee-jerk reflex as well.

I want to do better at living this way. I want to pass the spiritual knee-jerk reflex test just like Daniel did. How about you?

Check out the other message in this two-part series series here.

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Sola Christo

October 29, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Sola Christo means that it is by Christ’s work alone are we saved. We must get this firmly in our minds, and be aware of anything which reduces Christ, augments Christ, or replaces Christ. 

I don’t believe in studying cults (the counterfeit). Instead, I study the Real, the Authentic, the One and Only. I want to know Jesus so well, that I can easily spot a counterfeit.

God is Spirit (John 4:24)

Jesus is God made flesh (John 1:14)

God is invisible; Jesus is the visible representation of the Godhead (1 Timothy 1:17; Colossians 1:15; Isaiah 9:6)

There’s no way to the Father but through Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

Jesus wasn’t created; He is Creator (John 1:1-3)

Jesus isn’t a greater angel; He is God (Philippians 2:6)

Jesus isn’t a superior human being; He became a human to save us (Philippians 2:7-8)

Jesus did have a physical body (Luke 24:39)

Jesus did feel pain, experience emotion, wrestle with temptation; get tired and hungry (Matthew 4:2; Matthew 26:38; Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus actually physically died on the Cross and was actually physically resurrected (1 Peter 3:18; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 12-28)

Jesus is fully Man and fully God without diluting either of them (Matthew 3:16-17)

Jesus is…

Creator

Sustainer

Savior 

Redeemer

King

Judge

Lord

That’s my King!

If you have missed any of the messages in this series, you can find them all here.

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Light The Night

October 9, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

There are so many encouragements that Scripture gives us to make a difference in our world:

  • Jesus tells us to be salt that seasons and light that brightens (Matthew 5:13-14).
  • Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).
  • Shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life (Philippians 2:15-16).
  • So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).

We should look for opportunities to do shine every day. But sometimes there are even more appropriate times to do so. One such time is Halloween … Hallow’s Eve … Reformation Day. October 31 used to be a day that glorified God. Now, sadly, it has become a day to glorify anything but God.

So Calvary Assembly of God will be lighting the night again this Halloween. We will put on the best, brightest, friendliest carnival of the evening right on Main Street in Cedar Springs! We have a prayer team going out 24 hours before this event to pray for protection and favor, and to pray for open doors through which the light of Jesus will shine on October 31.

Here’s how you can help:

  • Pray. Start now and pray through October 31.
  • Bring some candy to the church through October 28.
  • Come pray with us at 5pm on October 30.
  • Signup as a volunteer to shine with us from 4-8pm on October 31.

We’re believing the light of Jesus will be seen as we Light The Night!

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A Checklist For Influencers

September 19, 2012 — 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.

As the apostle Paul is wrapping up his letter to his friends in the Church at Philippi, he encourages them to be people others want to be around. After all…

The #1 Rule of Influence: You can only influence people who are close to you.

The #2 Rule of Influence: People won’t get close to you unless you are approachable.

So here’s a quick checklist from Paul to Christians who want to be influencers from Philippians 4:4-9:

  • Rejoice in God. Always.
  • Be gentlemen and gentlewomen. Manners matter.
  • Understand God is always with you.
  • Don’t be anxious or fretful.
  • Pray about everything.
  • Be a thank-full person.
  • Be discerning of what goes in your eyes and ears.
  • Continue to learn and practice godly, biblical principles.

A short list, but a lifetime of growth opportunities.

The more you exhibit these qualities, the more approachable you will be. And the more approachable you are, the more you can influence people to learn about the life-changing power of a personal relationship with Jesus.

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

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GrowING

September 12, 2012 — 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.

A few checklist items for a growING Christian (from Philippians 4:4-9):

  • Learning to rejoice in the Lord. Always.
  • Maturing in gentleness.
  • Becoming more consciously aware of God’s omnipresence.
  • Decreasing in anxiety.
  • Constantly praying.
  • Increasingly thankful.
  • Learning to remain peaceful.
  • Becoming more discerning of what goes into my mind.
  • Learning and relearning biblical principles.

I observe four things about this list:

  1. None of the verbs in the Greek are past tense. These are all on-goING processes.
  2. If this list is changed from in-process to fully-completed, it sounds like Jesus.
  3. I have to decide daily to be growING.
  4. I cannot grow through this list without help: I need the Holy Spirit.

This is a rather short list, but it’s filled with a lifetime of growING opportunities.

If I decide today that I want to be growING, my Heavenly Father will bring me into more opportunities where the Holy Spirit will help me develop and exhibit the qualities of Jesus Christ.

Are you ready to do some growING today? If so, ask the Holy Spirit to take you into your next growING lesson.

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

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Likeminded

September 11, 2012 — 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. 

How many friends do you have? I don’t mean your “friend count” on Facebook, because you and I both know that some of your “friends” aren’t really those people with whom you would share confidential information.

No, I mean real friends.

There were few people as well-known in his day as the apostle Paul. His missionary journeys took him all over the place. The stories he could tell about his adventures would keep an audience glued to their seats. He knew church leaders and governmental officials. He planted churches and trained pastors. If ever there was someone that would have had a full list of friends on Facebook, it would have been Paul.

Yet here’s what he writes to the church at Philippi:

I have no one else like Timothy, who takes a genuine interest in your welfare. For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 2:20-21)

Among other things, Paul says Timothy is:

  • A servant (Philippians 1:1)
  • Trustworthy (2:19)
  • Faithful (2:20)
  • Christ-focused (2:21)
  • A hard worker (2:22)

Yet when Paul says. “I have no one like him,” he uses a Greek word only used once in all of Scripture. The King James Version translates this word likeminded. This word means equal in quality and quantity of soul.

In other words, of all of the people that would be considered a “friend” of Paul, only one—Timothy—did Paul call likeminded: someone who was Paul’s equal in soul.

If that type of friendship was rare for Paul, how much more so for you and me?

God may only bring one likeminded friend into your life (as He did with Paul). If you have that one likeminded friend, cherish that relationship and give God thanks for it! How blessed we are when we have a friend we can call likeminded!

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

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Love Dance

September 10, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I sat enthralled yesterday morning at the ministry of Pastor Bill Leach! He opened my eyes to a well-known passage in Philippians 2:5-11 as I had never before seen it.

In verse 7 the Scripture says that Jesus emptied Himself. Pastor Leach pointed out that this was not by laying something aside, but by taking on the human form. The Divine One became a doulos (the Greek word which means a bondslave with no rights of his own).

“Jesus is truly Man, but not merely Man.”

Jesus understood that being God is not getting, but giving. By taking on the human form, Jesus was showing us that He identified with us and therefore knew what to give us.

“For God so loved the world that He GAVE His One and Only Son.”

When we love someone, we enter into their orbit. We are focused on them and their desires. In the Trinity, each part of the Godhead is orbiting (or dancing) around each other.

In order for us to love God, God had to enter our orbit. We were self-absorbed: we danced only around ourselves. When Jesus took on human form He could enter our orbit—He could dance around us. It’s only then that we could understand how to join the love dance with Him.

Pastor Leach’s message called to my remembrance something I learned from another great pastor, Dave Williams, from 2 Peter 1:

His divine power has given us everything we needfor life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. (v. 3)

This verse sets the stage for what comes next (verses 5-7). The Apostle Peter then tells us to begin to add to our faith and our love dance with God. Add is a compound word that means a lavish dance with no expenses spared!

Because Jesus chose to step into our humanity, He chose to step into our self-centered dance. And now that we have seen Him—the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14)—it’s time to leave our self-centered dance behind and join with a new Dance Partner who loves us like no one else ever has or ever will!

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Respecting Elected Officials

September 5, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

During our prayer time yesterday, I was contemplating the Apostle Peter’s instruction to, “Fear God, and respect the king” (1 Peter 2:17).

  • How do I respect the king (or the other elected officials in my city, state, and country)?
  • Does respect mean saying “yes” to every law that’s passed?
  • Can I be respectful and still disagree with those in elected office? How?

During our hour of prayer at the church last night, I was really wrestling with how I as a Christian should show respect to those in authority in our governments. Here are the nine things the Holy Spirit showed me.

I can show respect to those in authority by:

  1. Not forgetting that God placed them in their office (Daniel 4:25).
  2. Praying for them regularly (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
  3. Obeying all laws that aren’t immoral (Luke 20:25; Acts 5:29).
  4. Disobeying laws that are immoral (Esther 4:16; Acts 4:19).
  5. Holding them to biblical standards (Proverbs 8:15).
  6. Insisting they uphold the United States Constitution (Ecclesiastes 8:2).
  7. Reminding them that God’s wisdom is the ultimate standard (Proverbs 8:22-23).
  8. Requiring them to honor their promises, unless those promises conflict with God’s Word or the Constitution (Esther 1:13; 8:8).
  9. Speak to and about them without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14-15).

(Check out all of the above passages by clicking here.)

I’m working on living these out. What do you think?

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Live Like A Star

September 5, 2012 — 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.

Do you want to influence people?

The first step may sound simple, but it takes a lot of work: People have to want to be around you.

Think about it—it’s hard to influence anyone who doesn’t even want to be in the same room with you, let alone get up-close-and-personal! Here are some wise words:

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life… (Philippians 2:14-16)

Here’s what the Bible says we can do to be the kind of person others want to be around:

  • Don’t be a complainer when things don’t go your way.
  • Stop arguing about everything. There is a time to stand up, and there’s a time to quiet down. Learn the difference between the two.
  • Live above reproach. Simply stated: do the right thing all the time.
  • Live a life that pleases God.
  • Set an example worth following and people will want to follow you!
  • Use the Bible as the infallible standard for all of your life choices.

Living this way makes you shine like a star. Not a rock star or a superstar, but a powerful influencer.

Want to see something cool? The dictionary gives this amazing bit of information about the origin of the word influence—

An astrological term which meant the streaming ethereal power from the stars acting upon the character or destiny of men.

If you live the way the Bible says in these three verses, you will not only shine like a star, you will be positively affecting the character and destiny of those in your circle of influence. How cool is that?!

And that is a great reason to live a God-pleasing life!

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

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What Is Happening Is God Is Happening

August 28, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

The Apostle Paul is in prison and on trial for his life, and yet he pens these words: 

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. (Philippians 1:12) 

Huh?! How can being in prison be a good thing?

First of all, the word know here means experiential knowledge; the kind of insight you only get from personal, intimate, hands-on experience. No one can teach you this, you just have to know it through experience. In essence, Paul is saying, “It might look like a setback from where you’re seated, but I know personally that this is a good thing!” 

Then notice the phrase has happened (I also like this in the King James Version: has fallen out). This isn’t the best translation of this phrase from Greek to English. It’s what is called the middle voice, so that means it’s in the present and imperfect tense. My translation:

It’s happening right now AND it’s not done yet!

  • IF I mean it when I pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…”
  • IF I truly understand that God is working all things together for His glory…
  • IF I really believe that God is directing my steps…
  • THEN I can know that what IS happening IS a God-thing! 

God is up to something that will glorify His name!

And I’m a part of what IS happening to fulfill God’s plan!

So if things aren’t looking too good (even if you’re in prison or on trial for your life!), take note—GOD IS STILL UP TO SOMETHING AND IT’S A GOOD GOD-THING!

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