Philippians | Craig T. Owens

June 2026
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

My Mediator

March 19, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

If anyone ever felt his pain was undeserved, it was Job! His life is so invaluable for us to be able to answer the question, “Where’s God in the midst of my dark times?”

Job tried to makes sense of what was happening to him. Sometimes he thought God was so awesome and so powerful that He was completely unknowable. God was a faceless, unapproachable Being. At other times Job thought God was so righteous that He would have nothing to do with him. So in the depth of his despair he called out for someone to be his mediator (see Job 9:33-35).

An effective mediator has to be someone who can understand and relate to both parties. He cannot be partial to one side, nor unsympathetic to one side. He has to be able to relate to both parties. In this case, he would have to be able to relate to both God and man—he would have to be able to be able to understand this Indefinable Power and this Supreme Morality and man’s struggle to come to grips with both of these views of God. Jesus is that Mediator.

[Jesus] gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. (Philippians 2:7)

God Himself chose to step into all of our pain!!

The Bible describes Jesus as a Man of sorrows, One familiar with suffering, One acquainted with grief.

Jesus knows your pain even more acutely than you know it yourself. He wants to take all of your pain, and bear it for you. Jesus is not some faceless, unknowable Entity; He’s not aloof, He’s not unapproachable, He’s not unmoved by your pain. Will you let Him carry your pain?

He wants you to know Him as your Mediator:

Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because He was tempted in every way that we are. But He did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

What a Friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Hebrews, intercession, Jesus Christ, job, pain, Philippians, suffering. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—Serving Like Christ

March 1, 2012 — 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.

Am I Serving Like Christ?

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve… (Matthew 20:28)

Jesus also said, ‘Yet I am among you as the One who serves’ (Luke 22:27). Paul’s idea of service was the same as our Lord’s—‘…ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake’ (2 Corinthians 4:5). We somehow have the idea that a person called to the ministry is called to be different and above other people. But according to Jesus Christ, he is called to be a ‘doormat’ for others—called to be their spiritual leader, but never their superior. Paul said, ‘I know how to be abased…’ (Philippians 4:12). Paul’s idea of service was to pour his life out to the last drop for others. And whether he received praise or blame made no difference. As long as there was one human being who did not know Jesus, Paul felt a debt of service to that person until he did come to know Him. But the chief motivation behind Paul’s service was not love for others but love for his Lord.

…The institutional church’s idea of a servant of God is not at all like Jesus Christ’s idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of others. Jesus Christ actually ‘out-socialized’ the socialists. He said that in His kingdom the greatest one would be the servant of all (see Matthew 23:11). The real test of a saint is not one’s willingness to preach the gospel, but one’s willingness to do something like washing the disciples’ feet—that is, being willing to do those things that seem unimportant in human estimation but count as everything to God.

From My Utmost For His Highest

I cannot add anything to this brilliant observation. But I can tell you the parts that the Holy Spirit is really working in my heart:

“…called to be a ‘doormat’ for others—called to be their spiritual leader, but never their superior.” God, help me to keep my pride in check.
“The real test of a saint is not one’s willingness to preach the gospel, but one’s willingness to do something like washing the disciples’ feet.” May I never shrink back from willingly serving at the lowest level of society.

UPDATE: This idea of servant-leaders plays prominently in my book Shepherd Leadership: The Metrics That Really Matter.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 2 Corinthians, apostle Paul, Gospel of Luke, Gospel of Matthew, humility, Jesus Christ, Oswald Chambers, Philippians, servant-leadership, servanthood. 2 Comments »

Don’t Get Pulled Back Down

January 30, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

We wrapped up our series on The Danger Of Prayerlessness by looking at a very innocent thing: just doing what seems the natural thing to do.

In Luke 18, Jesus told a story about a persistent widow who would not stop approaching a judge to get justice. She had been wronged, but she didn’t take matters into her own hands, nor did she get tired of asking the judge for help. Either of these responses would have been very natural responses. But that’s the point: they would be natural, and not spiritual; they would depend on us, and not on God.

Luke introduces this story like this: Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1).

The word for give up is one that means to slide back to the natural way of doing, feeling or acting. In other words, to handle things like we always have before. But Jesus said there was a better way: keep taking your request to our Heavenly Father.

Prayer overcomes the “gravitational pull” of my natural tendencies to do things on my own. Prayer is the rocket fuel to help me break free!

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in EVERY circumstance and in EVERYthing, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. (Philippians 4:6 AMP)

Don’t get pulled back down. Instead always pray and never, ever give up! Let your prayers take you higher and higher!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: discipline, Gospel of Luke, importunity, perseverance, persistence, Philippians, prayer, prayerlessness. 1 Comment »

The Blessing Of Fullness

November 28, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Thanksgiving Day 2011 is over, but the days for giving thanks should never be over. Although that sounds humorous, for many of us it is an important reminder. We need to remind ourselves because it is so easy for us to go from overflowing with thankfulness, to feeling depleted and empty.

This is exactly what Paul reminded the Colossians in part 3 of our Overflowing With Thanks series—

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)

Here’s how the cycle works:

When we are thank-full to God for His blessings, we enthrone Christ in our hearts.
When we are Christ-full, He brings with Him all of the peace we will need.
When we are peace-full, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
When our hearts and minds are clear, we can better see the blessings for which we can thank God.
And when we are thank-full to God for His blessings, we start the cycle all over again.

We don’t have to run dry, or become depleted, or lose our joy, or be robbed of our peace. If we will remain watch-full to be thank-full, we will remain Christ-full, which will keep us peace-full.

May we never lose the blessing of fullness!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostle Paul, blessing, Charles Spurgeon, Colossians, peace, Philippians, thankful, thanksgiving. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—You Must Say, “You Must”

October 20, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

You Must Say, “You Must”

If we do not fit ourselves by practice when there is no crisis, we shall find that our nature will fail us when the crisis comes. The grace of God never fails, but we may fail the grace of God. Unless our nervous system is made the ally of the new life from God it becomes a humiliation to us, and we sit down under a tyranny of nerves. Once we receive the Holy Spirit we must sit down to nothing. … When your nervous system, which has been ruled by the wrong disposition, is inclined to say “I can’t,” you must say, “You must,” and to your amazement you find you can!

From Biblical Ethics

The time to learn how to do the God-honoring thing is when there is no crisis in my life. That’s my training time, to prepare me for when the heat is on. The apostle Paul learned this too. As a result of his training, he learned to tell himself, “You must,” in every circumstance:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can [I must!] do everything through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

Don’t waste your non-crisis times. Learn from them how God wants to help you in the midst of your crisis.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostle Paul, discipline, God's provision, Oswald Chambers, Philippians. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—Are You Obstinate?

June 9, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

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.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostle Paul, Henry Ward Beecher, Oswald Chambers, perseverance, Philippians, quote. Leave a Comment »

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!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, G. Morgan Campbell, Gospel of Luke, intercession, Philemon, Philippians, prayer, quote, Romans. 1 Comment »

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? ◀︎◀︎

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: argue, argument, peace, Philippians, quote, reconciliation, relationships, Thomas Jefferson, video, win-win. 1 Comment »

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