poem | Craig T. Owens

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Barney’s Choice

September 1, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking at the funeral of my good friend Barney Fritcher. Barney was an amazing man who lived as much like Jesus as anyone else I have ever met.

In December 2008 I tried my hand at a little poetry, which I posted on my blog with the title Choices. It was a humble attempt at expressing myself. But Barney, who truly had a God-given gift for poetry, wrote a poem in response that left my eyes filled with tears. I read his poem at his memorial service yesterday, and found out that no one else had heard this poem before then. Since many have been asking for a copy of it, and since it is such an amazing piece, I thought I would share it here for everyone to enjoy.

There have been times

when choices I’ve made

if given the chance

I would gladly trade.

The path that I took

was rocky and rough

and things all around me

seemed to be tough.

I could have asked Jesus

to lend me a hand

to reach down and pull me

from the sinking sand.

He could have helped me

to a road that was paved

but I walked on my own

before I was saved.

I climbed over

the brush and the briar

thinking I could help myself

from that fire.

When trees fell down

and blocked my way

I could have gotten down

on my knees to pray.

I could have said,

“Lord, it’s You that I choose

please save my life

before life I lose.”

But I was stubborn

fighting for my goal

now to the Lord

I have given my soul.

The path I now travel

is clear to me

and any obstruction

is plain to see.

When I look ahead

and problems arise

I pray to the Lord

and He hears my cries.

He helps me to choose

a safe way to go

making my sins

as white as snow.

Of all of the choices

that I have made

I’m glad I made one

I’m glad I’ve been saved.

May we all make the choice that Barney made to invite Jesus into our lives!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Barney Fritcher, choices, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry, prayer, salvation. 1 Comment »

O Lord, Forgive

March 6, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

A friend of mine gave me some solid counsel a number of years ago that has always stuck with me: The mark of a maturing Christian is one who is closing the gap between sin and repentance.

Sin is open treason against God. Why would I want to overlook it or excuse it?! Once I recognize it as sin, why would I want to hold on to it?!

If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins—dismiss our lawlessness—and continuously cleanse us from all unrighteousness—everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action. (1 John 1:9 AMPC)

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

May we all take the time to reflect on our words and actions to see if we have sinned, and then to quickly confess that sin and ask for our loving God’s forgiveness.

“If my soul has turned perversely to the dark;

If I have left some brother wounded by the way;

If I have preferred my aims to Yours;

If I have been impatient and would not wait;

If I have marred the pattern drawn out for my life;

If I have cost tears to those I loved;

If my heart has murmured against Your will,

O Lord, forgive.” —F. B. Meyer

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 John, confession, F.B. Meyer, forgiveness, introspection, Isaiah, poem, prayer, quote, repentance, sin. Leave a Comment »

Keep On Learning

February 20, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Don’t ever think you know it all.

Because you can’t!

There’s no way you can know it all.

So keep on learning.

Keep on digging into God’s Word.

Keep on letting the Holy Spirit teach you.

God is the only Know-It-All.

And He wants to teach you too.

What should a man learn?

Not hard to answer:

steadfastness in holiness,

shortness of words,

gentle brotherliness…

walking in obedience to God…

zeal in prayer…

bringing pride low,

simplicity of heart…

patience in the face of hardship. —Colmán mac Beógnai

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Bible study, Colmán mac Beógnai, education, Holy Spirit, lifelong learner, poem, poetry, prayer, proverbs. 1 Comment »

The Greatest Artist Of All Time

February 13, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Jefferson Bethke has a true gift. God has gifted him to link words and phrases in a lyrical fashion as he delivers a biblically-centered, God-honoring message.

I love this poem called “The Greatest Artist Of All Time.” Please take the time to soak this up—

What a great closing line:

God’s not finished with making a masterpiece of you!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: creativity, God's purpose, Jefferson Bethke, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—New Eyes Of Grace

January 10, 2013 — 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.

New Eyes Of Grace

Wherever the grace of God works effectually in a man’s inner nature, his nervous system is altered and the external world begins to take on a new guise. Why? Because he has a new disposition. “If any man is in Christ Jesus,” his nervous system will prove that he is a “new creature,” and he will begin to see things differently.

Heaven above is a brighter blue,

Earth around is a sweeter green;

Something lives in every hue

Christless eyes have never seen:

Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,

Flowers with deeper beauties shine,

Since I know, as now I know,

I am His and He is mine. [Loved With Everlasting Love by George Wade Robinson]

From Biblical Psychology

There is so much more to see, if we’ll just let God open our eyes. One of the byproducts of His grace: Experiencing the world through our five senses which are now fully alive.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: grace, Jesus Christ, music, Oswald Chambers, poem, poetry. Leave a Comment »

Endless Noise

October 22, 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.

The psalmist said it this way, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

The apostle Paul said, “Study to be quiet” (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

And the prophet Elijah learned that God was not in the big crashing, jarring noises but in “a still small Voice” (1 Kings 19:12).

We are bombarded by noise. Are we missing God in all the noise? When was the last time I was quiet? Quiet enough to hear His still small Voice?

Nearly 80 years ago T.S. Eliot wrote a poem called Choruses From The Rock. Check out this passage—

The endless cycle of idea and action,

Endless invention, endless experiment,

Brings knowledge of motion, but not of stillness;

Knowledge of speech, but not of silence;

Knowledge of words, and ignorance of the Word.

All our knowledge brings us nearer to our ignorance,

All our ignorance brings us nearer to death,

But nearness to death no nearer to God.

Where is the Life we have lost in living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?

Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?

The cycles of Heaven in twenty centuries

Bring us farther from God and nearer to the Dust.

Jesus found time early in the silent morning to get alone with His Father. We would do well to follow this example. Let’s make some quiet time today to hear what God is saying to our hearts.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Kings, 1 Thessalonians, Elijah, meditation, poem, poetry, Psalm, quiet, solitude, T.S. Eliot. Leave a Comment »

7 Quotes On The Spiritual Life From “The Book Of Man”

July 23, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I really enjoyed reading The Book Of Man by William J. Bennett (you can read my book review here). The topics were very broad, so I’ll be sharing some of my favorite quotes on the different sections in this book over the next few days.

Here are seven quotes on man’s spiritual life…

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;

I was made weak, that I might learn to humbly obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things;

I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy;

I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;

I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;

I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing I asked for but everything I had hoped for.

Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among men, most richly blessed. —Anonymous

“The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America. … Our country is in need of and ready for a spiritual renewal.” —Ronald Reagan

“What can be more excellent than prayer; what is more profitable to our life; what sweeter to our souls; what more sublime, in the course of our whole life, than the practice of prayer!” —Augustine

“Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise; for Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee.” —Augustine

“O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive Thee, intelligence to understand Thee, diligence to seek Thee, patience to wait for Thee, eyes to behold Thee, a heart to meditate upon Thee, and a life to proclaim Thee; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.” —Saint Benedict of Nursia

“No human creature can believe, how powerful prayer is, and what it is able to effect, but only those that have learned it by experience.” —Martin Luther

“There are some men, who know a thousand other people, but who do not know their own selves; the greatest stranger to them, in the whole world, is their own heart. They have never looked into it, never talked with it, never examined it, never questioned it. They follow its evil devices, but they scarcely know that they have a heart, they so seldom look into it.” —Charles Spurgeon

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Augustine, Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, poem, poetry, prayer, quotes, Ronald Reagan, William Bennett. Leave a Comment »

Be Your Sermon

June 22, 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.

Pastor, what’s God been speaking to you personally?

How has the Holy Spirit been working your sermon on your heart this week?

What has Scripture shown you about you (not just about your congregation)?

When you tell your congregation how God has been working on you, the Word comes alive. Because now they don’t see you as a perfect person preaching at them, but as a fellow traveler who’s hearing from God and learning on the journey just as they are.

“The preacher must throw his thought into his teaching. He must not weary the people by telling them the truth in a stale and unprofitable manner with nothing fresh from his own soul to give it force. Above all he must put heart work into preaching. He must feel what he preaches. It must be with him. It is never an easy thing. He must feel as if he could preach his very life away before the sermon is done.” ―Charles Spurgeon

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;

Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.

And the best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds.

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll let me see it done;

I can watch your hands in actions, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,

But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.

For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live. (Edgar A. Guest)

C’mon, pastor, let us SEE your sermon!

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Posted in Pastoring. Tags: authenticity, Charles Spurgeon, Edgar Guest, Holy Spirit, pastoring, poem, poetry, preaching, quote, sermon, transparency, video. Leave a Comment »

“The Bridge Builder”

June 17, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I shared this poem in my Father’s Day message this morning, and several folks have asked me to share it. I’m happy to do so!

An old man walking a lonesome road,

Came at the evening, cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and wide and deep.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The rolling stream had no fears for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side,

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow traveler near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here,

Your journey will end with the passing day,

You never again will pass this way,

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build you this bridge at eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head,

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followeth after me today,

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

The chasm that was naught to me,

To the fair headed youth may a pitfall be.

He too must cross in the twilight dim –

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.” —W.A. Dromgoale

I am thankful for all of the fathers who said they would be courageous enough to be a bridge-builder for their kids! May God bless you as you follow through on this noble calling.