Receive Reject Redeem

July 11, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

At Calvary Assembly of God, we talked about the culture of media in our series In It Not Of It.

The main point I made yesterday is that we need to be aware of the messages the media is sending out, but not pre-occupied by those media messages.

Then we need to decide what part(s) of media we can receive, what part(s) we must reject, and what part(s) we can attempt to redeem.

The final point I would add for Christians who want to biblically engage their culture, is a point I made yesterday—

Instead of criticizing media … critique it. That means skillfully and artfully addressing it.

Instead of condoning media … challenge it by asking “Is this the best message” questions.

When deciding to receive, reject or redeem—or critique and challenge—use this filter from Philippians 4:8.

Does this pass the filter of being true … noble … right … pure … lovely … admirable … excellent … praiseworthy? If so, I can defintiely receive it. However, if it doesn’t meet ALL of these criteria, then I must decide if I can redeem it. If can’t redeem it, then it must be rejected.

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Thursdays With Oswald—Are You Obstinate?

June 9, 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.

Are You Obstinate?

     The difference between an obstinate man and a strong-minded man lies just here: an obstinate man refuses to use his intelligence when a matter is in dispute, while a strong-minded man makes his decision after having deliberately looked at it from all standpoints, and when opposed, he is willing to give reasons for his decision.

From Baffled To Fight Better

So are you obstinate or strong-minded?

Consider what Henry Ward Beecher wrote:

“The difference between perseverance [strong-mindedness] and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.”

So are you obstinate or strong-minded?

The Apostle Paul knew something about being strong-minded:

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14, NLT)

So are you obstinate or strong-minded?

It’s a good question to both ask and answer. I would hope that I’m strong-minded, never obstinate.

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Everywhere And Everywhen

May 17, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Wise words from G. Morgan Campbell:

“The Christian is to seek the upper things, setting his mind upon them, and everywhere and everywhen he is to be hoping for, and endeavoring after, the ultimate. That is the simple meaning of prayer: reaching forward, wishing forward, desiring forward, seeking the upper, the higher, the nobler.”

The Bible is clear, too, about us praying everywhere and everywhen for the very best:

  • We ought always to pray and not to turn coward, faint, lose heart, and give up (Luke 18:1)
  • God has seen how I never stop praying for you (Romans 1:9)
  • For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17)
  • In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy (Philippians 1:4)
  • Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can’t quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! (Colossians 1:3)
  • Epaphras always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God (Colossians 4:12)
  • We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly (1 Thessalonians 1:2)
  • We ought always to thank God for you, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
  • I give thanks to my God for you always when I mention you in my prayers (Philemon 1:4)
  • Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we’re doing or why, but it’s hard going and we need your prayers (Hebrews 13:18)

Someone needs your prayers today.

Will you keep on praying for a friend that he or she will be able to

…reach forward

…wish forward

…desire forward

…seek the upper, the higher, the nobler!

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Disagreeing Agreeably

April 12, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

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

Why do disagreements have to become so, well, disagreeable?

Is it possible to disagree agreeably?

It’s not easy, but I think it’s possible.

When I was younger I couldn’t stand the idea of “losing” an argument: I always had to be right. I think I’ve matured a bit (at least, I hope I have), and I no longer feel the same way. So here are a few lessons I’ve learned:

(1) Remember the person I’m disagreeing with is my brother or sister. God has created both of us, so that makes us siblings.

(2) Always go for win-win. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too (Philippians 2:4).

(3) Choose your battles wisely. You can’t make everything an issue worth dying over. Thomas Jefferson wisely said, “In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current.”

(4) Redefine the “win.” What does it mean to win? Is it to put someone else in their place? That doesn’t seem very healthy. Perhaps a “win” is when values or principles are agreed to, although the way they are applied may be very different from person to person.

(5) Leave the baggage behind. Don’t bring previous hurts into a new situation. Don’t assume this new person will act like someone else from your past.

We’re all different people, so we’re going to have disagreements. The key: let’s find a way to disagree agreeably.

If you have other thoughts about how to disagree agreeably, I would love it if you would share them in the comments.

►► Would you please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry? ◀︎◀︎

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Hmmm

February 1, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Feats of thinking may create reputation, but habits of thinking create character. —A.W. Tozer

If this is true, then I’ve got some questions to ask myself:

  • How do I think?
  • How am I processing the world around me?
  • Do I see the hand of God in daily events?
  • Can I find His truth at work?
  • Am I learning from what I experience each day?
  • Do I think positively or negatively?
  • Do difficulties cause faith or fear?
  • Am I thinking long enough?
  • Do my thoughts produce a Christ-like attitude?
  • Do I take time to think about my thoughts?

Two more thinking quotes for today:

Life consists of what a man is thinking about all day. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. —Philippians 4:8

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Timothy

October 22, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Timothy was a young man that was one of the Apostle Paul’s protégés. Check out just a few things Paul had to say about him:

  • He works so hard for the Master. (1 Corinthians 16:10)
  • I have no one like him—no one of so kindred a spirit—who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests. …But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News (Philippians 2:20, 22)
  • We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. (1 Thessalonians 3:2-3)
  • I sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord, who will recall to your minds my methods of proceeding and course of conduct and way of life in Christ. (1 Corinthians 4:17)
  • TIMOTHY’S THE REAL DEAL! (Philippians 2:22)

[Check out all of the above Scriptures by clicking here.]

I am striving to live up to this “Timothy” standard. I am also working hard to invest in the next generations of Timothys.

Here’s where I believe it all starts: Timothy loved God and served others. May that be said of all of us too.

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Thought Patrol

October 13, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Have you ever found yourself in circumstances that weren’t exactly what you had planned or hoped for? You know, things are just not going your way? What do you do then? How do you handle this? I suggest the first place to start is by thinking about your thinking.

I know that may sound a little unusual, but I have often times had to stop to think about what I’m thinking about. To ask myself, “Why am I thinking that?”

I believe this is what the Bible is really saying when it tells us to take every thought captive. If we don’t, our negative thoughts can lead us to unplanned places and can keep us trapped there. But if we will take time to think about what we’re thinking about, we can discover the key to freedom from that undesirable place.

A few quotes to get us started:

“No man has ever succeeded who kept his mind on negative things… and no man ever rises above his thoughts of himself.” —C.M. Ward

“You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” —James Allen, As A Man Thinketh

“They themselves are makers of themselves by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.” —James Allen, As A Man Thinketh

“Only when you assume full accountability for your thoughts, feelings, actions, and results can you direct your own destiny; otherwise, someone or something else will.” —Roger Conners, Tom Smith & Craig Hickman, The Oz Principle

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” —Philippians 4:8, The Bible

Let’s all work on patrolling our thoughts today.

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Worrywart

June 22, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

“Worry indicates we’re not willing to let God handle certain things—at least not in His way, and certainly not in His time.” —Craig Groeschel, in The Christian Atheist

Worry is a control issue…

…that is, I want to be in control.

Worry is a sovereignty issue…

…that is, I think I know best how things should work out.

Worry is a trust issue…

…that is, I trust God only when things are happening on my timeframe.

Bottom line: Worry is sin when…

  • …I allow something else to be bigger than God.
  • …I allow something else to be more important than God.
  • …I allow something to limit God.
  • …I look more to myself for solutions than I look to God.

Any worry should be a call to prayer: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Any extended worry should be a call to repentance: Jesus commands us four times, “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25-34).

Worry can be disguised in a lot of different forms, but it’s still worry. And it’s still sin. I’m working on this.  

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A Day In The ER

March 25, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Betsy had been experiencing a lower back pain for a couple of days, but yesterday morning it really intensified. She made an appointment to see her doctor, and after just a few minutes of being examined her doctor announced, “I need to send you to the ER. I think you might have a kidney stone.”

So I swooped in, picked up my bride, and off to the ER we went. After the tests there, the doctors believe that it is not a kidney stone but a severe muscle spasm.

I’m grateful for…

  • …the fact that ER trips for our family are few and far between.
  • …relatively easy access to medical care.
  • …the wisdom of doctors.
  • …the kindnesses of nurses.
  • …the genius of scientists who design medicines.
  • …health insurance.
  • …technology that allowed me to communicate with family during this time.
  • …friends who pitched in to help.

I’m not anxious to make another ER trip anytime soon, but it was a good time to look around and recognize how much I have to be grateful for every single day.

What are you grateful for today?

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The Power Of -Ing

January 13, 2010 — Craig T. Owens

Have you ever heard someone say something like:

  • “Wow, look at her. She arrived in style!”
  • “I think I’ve finally arrived.”

This is weird because arriving implies stopping. When I’m driving to the store and I arrive at the store, I don’t keep on driving; I stop at the store. That’s the whole reason I left my house in the first place.

So when we talk about people arriving, do we really mean that they are supposed to stop and park? Correct me on this, but I think the only time we stop in life is when life stops. In other words: We’re dead!

We don’t really want to arrive, do we? We want to hit goals and then keep on going. We want to keep on “ing”ing. Here’s how I’m trying to leverage the power of ing:

I love the words of Abraham Lincoln, who knew the power of ing:

“I do the very best I know how—the very best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end.”

Don’t arrive. Don’t stop. Keep on “ing”ing the right things—God’s things—and see how God will bless your efforts. There is an incredible power in ing!

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