pornography | Craig T. Owens

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Links & Quotes

July 17, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Some good reading & watching from today…

“Avoid relations with unbelievers in which your relation endorses the unbelief or consequent sins, and avoid the kinds of relationships that involve the interweaving of deep personal values (like marriage). On the other side, don’t avoid relationships where you can have clear testimony to the truth and are allowed to stand on Christian principles, even if you are sometimes criticized for getting too close.” —John Piper

Nick Roen has a very thoughtful post that every Christian should read: Orienting On Homosexual Orientation.

One of the all-time favorite Detroit Tigers was Ty Cobb. This is a great post about Ty Cobb versus Babe Ruth in home runs.

Yes! 4 Ways To Use Failure Well.

Jen Wilkin has a good post for parents: Help Your Kids Say ‘No’ To Porn.

This is a great way of looking at this: True Patriotism Is Axing Taxes To Keep Companies In The USA.

[VIDEO] “Where have we entered when the Bill Of Rights is a partisan matter?” Watch Sen. Ted Cruz defend our First Amendment rights.

Links & Quotes

June 7, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Some interesting reading (and watching and listening) from the last couple of days.

Great D-Day history! You can listen to CBS Radio as they reported the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

Watching porn not only decreases brain size, but it also weakens the watcher’s ability to make good long-term decisions.

Parents: kids can download apps to hide pictures and videos on their electronic devices. Check out the latest news from uknowkids.com.

The Congressional Budget Office now reports that ObamaCare costs are so outrageous that it is impossible for them to calculate the total economic impact.

“It is delightful to worship God, but it is also a humbling thing; and the man who has not been humbled in the presence of God will never be a worshiper of God at all. He may be a church member who keeps the rules and obeys the discipline, and who tithes and goes to conference, but he’ll never be a worshiper unless he is deeply humbled. … There’s an awesomeness about God which is missing in our day altogether; there’s little sense of admiring awe in the Church of Christ these days.” —A.W. Tozer

[VIDEO] Clay Christensen on the importance of religious freedom to democracy.

“The most paralyzing thing we can do for our relationship is to define our spouse by their past, rather than by who they are in the present.” Read more from this post Top 10 Relationship Killers.

Fasting is beneficial spiritually and physically: Fasting can regenerate immune system.

Links & Quotes

June 2, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Some good reading from today.

John Stonestreet explains why pornography is wrong.

“We can preach the Gospel of Christ no further than we have experienced the power of it in our own hearts.” —George Whitefield

“I cannot blame him [George Washington] for having acted according to his ideas of duty in obeying the voice of his country. I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.” —Martha Washington

“All of the examples that we have in the Bible illustrate that glad and devoted and reverent worship is the normal employment of moral beings. Every glimpse that is given us of heaven and of God’s created beings is always a glimpse of worship and rejoicing and praise because God is who He is.” —A.W. Tozer

John Piper brilliantly confronts “gender non-conformists” in his post “Genitalia Are Not Destiny”—But Are They Design?

“It’s tough to say which is worse: denying a victim’s humanity or acknowledging it and hurting them anyway.” Read more of Adam Peters’ post How Planned Parenthood Dehumanizes Its Prey.

For baseball fans (especially Detroit Tigers fans) check out the batters who hit the most home runs in Tiger Stadium.

Chilly Chilton uses a quote from C.S. Lewis to challenge us to Make Small Big.

Avoid “decision fatigue.” 5 Ways To Make Fewer Decisions.

Maintain Sexual Discretion

April 23, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

I’m always saddened when I hear of Christians who stumble in sexual sin. Whether it’s a real relationship with someone not their spouse or a virtual relationship with pornography, the pain and consequences are heart-wrenching.

King Solomon offers some sage advice to help us have victory in this area, which is summed up in just two words: maintain discretion (Proverbs 5:2). These are among his opening words before he describes the sweeter-than-honey, smoother-than-oil allure of sexual temptation.

This phrase—maintain discretion—emphasizes a strategy that is designed and thought-out prior to the moment of temptation: “maintain” means to keep close at hand and ready to use. This is the complete opposite of deciding in the moment. “The Moment” is usually emotionally-charged, intellectually-lacking, and comes at the most inopportune time when you’re at your most vulnerable point.

Solomon says to have a plan in place ahead of time to “keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house” (v. 8).

An even better plan is to make the relationship with your spouse (or future spouse) something so exciting and fulfilling (vv. 15-19) that any momentary temptation appears puny, shallow, and even abhorrent by contrast.

Wisdom is helpful in “the moment,” but it’s even more effective in keeping you away from “the moment.” You don’t have to be a victim of sexual sin, you CAN maintain discretion.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: adultery, marriage, pornography, proverbs, sexual purity, sexual sin, Solomon, spiritual warfare, temptation, victory. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

March 13, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

[VIDEO] Great challenge from John Maxwell about being our best.

It doesn’t matter what you do … Your Job Is More Important Than You Think.

“You see Agape is all giving, not getting. Read what St. Paul says about it in First Corinthians Chap. 13. Then look at a picture of Charity (or Agape) in action in St. Luke, chap 10 v.30-35. And then, better still, look at Matthew chap 25 v.31-46: from which you see that Christ counts all that you do for this baby exactly as if you had done it for Him when He was a baby in the manger at Bethlehem: you are in a sense sharing in the things His mother did for Him. Giving money is only one way of showing charity: to give time and toil is far better and (for most of us) harder. And notice, though it is all giving—you needn’t expect any reward—how you do gets rewarded almost at once.” —C.S. Lewis

Parents and teachers, this is good advice from Tim Elmore on working with ‘difficult’ students: How To Lead An Outlier.

David Wilkerson has a solid word for those in a difficult marriage: Is There Any Hope?

John Stonestreet addresses Generation XXX: Responding To Our Pornified Culture.

Don’t let him get away with it! How Harry Reid Is Trying To End Debate In The Senate.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: agape, Bible, C.S. Lewis, David Wilkerson, Dr. Tim Elmore, Harry Reid, hope, job, John Maxwell, John Stonestreet, marriage, parenting, personal best, politics, pornography, quotes, students, teaching, video, work ethic. Leave a Comment »

Links & Quotes

March 4, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

Some wonderful quotes from Dr. Seuss.

“Pride is ruthless, sleepless, unsmiling concentration on the self.” —C.S. Lewis

Because he is not defending the Constitution of the United States of America … A Coalition Of Civil Rights Leaders & Pastors Want To Impeach Attorney General Eric Holder

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address. It is good to remember his words: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

“If I would have my family ennobled, I must honor the Lord in all things. God may allow the wicked to win worldly honors; but the dignity which He Himself gives, even glory, honor, and immortality, He reserves for those who by holy obedience take care to honor Him.” —Charles Spurgeon

9 Ways To Fight The Temptation Of Pornography

[VIDEO] Funny! What if buying coffee was like buying ObamaCare?

Links & Quotes

February 3, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

These are links to articles and quotes I found interesting today.

Some thoughts on creativity: 8 Creativity Lessons From A Pixar Animator

Tim Elmore on how to connect with others: Who Do You Connect With When You Teach?

“Thy poor prayer would have no force with Omnipotence if force were needed; but His love, like a spring, rises of itself and overflows for the supply of all thy needs.” —Charles Spurgeon

[VIDEO] Comedy from Ken Davis: Why I Don’t Have A Cat

Insight from Mark Driscoll: 5 Things To Look For In A Good Bible Teacher

“Don’t pray for sermons, let sermons come from your prayers. So, as long as I’m meeting with God, I will always have something to say.” —Chilly Chilton

Michael Hyatt’s excellent advice to leaders: 5 Reasons You Should Smile More As A Leader

Encouragement from Max Lucado: A Passion For The Forgotten

John Stonestreet on the dangers of pornography: The Root Of Sexual Exploitation

Only a little time left to download a free song from U2 and help end AIDS: Fight AIDS With (Red)

“The fundamental issue for any of us is to feel loved. If we feel loved by the significant people in our lives, we are more likely to reach out potential for God and good in the world.” —Dr. Gary Chapman

An interesting study on missionaries and societal success: The Truth About Missionaries

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: AIDS, Bible, Charles Spurgeon, Chilly Chilton, comedy, creativity, democracy, Dr. Tim Elmore, encouragement, Gary Chapman, John Stonestreet, Ken Davis, leadership, love language, Mark Driscoll, Max Lucado, Michael Hyatt, missionaries, music, pastors, Pixar, pornography, prayer, quotes, sermon, students, teaching, U2, video. Leave a Comment »

Porn Is Hunting Your Kids

July 10, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

I’m a techy guy: I love every time I can integrate a new gadget into my daily routine. I’m also a learner: I love the almost immediate access I can get to dictionaries, encyclopedias, histories, biographies, books and other study materials online.

But there is a huge danger lurking in all of this technology—PORNOGRAPHY.

Check out this infographic that Best Counseling Degrees put together…

Click for a larger view

Here’s the important thing to remember for anyone on the web, but especially for those of us who are parents: Pornographers are hunting for your kids. Porn is not passively waiting for someone to find it. The pornographers are finding more and more aggressive ways to get your kids hooked on their intoxicating drug.

One of the most heart-wrenching statistics I’ve heard recently comes from Josh McDowell, who reports how many people who are now addicted to porn, saw it accidentally for the first time. In other words, they weren’t looking for porn, but porn was looking for them!

Parents, we must confront this atrocity head-on:

Talk to your kids. Now! If they know how to get on the internet, they’re old enough to hear about what porn is and why they must avoid it.
Check out the helpful resources that Josh McDowell offers at Just One Click Away, or the resources at uknowkids.com.
Install a monitoring application on all your web-enabled devices. I like to use X3 Watch.
Set limits on how much online time is acceptable, and establish a time each night when all electronic are turned off (this goes for you too, Mom and Dad!).

The Bible says that the devil prowls around like a lion. One of the places he stalks freely is the online digital world. Parents, watch out and keep your kids safe!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: addiction, devil, Josh McDowell, parenting, pornography, technology, temptation. Leave a Comment »

Understanding Sexting

February 19, 2013 — Craig T. Owens

Sexting is something parents MUST be aware of. It is beyond unhealthy and unsafe, it is an outright danger to your son or daughter!

In case you haven’t heard the term before, sexting is the sending of suggestive sexual messages, or suggestive, nude or semi-nude pictures via text. It galls me to think that we’ve given our kids cell phone so we can keep them safe, and that same cell phone is being used to rob their innocence, put them in embarrassing situations, and placing them in very dangerous places.

In Understanding Sexting I read some alarming statistics:

28% of teens admitted to having sent a sext
Three-quarters of teens that sext also admitted to having sexual intercourse
Kids involved in sexting are twice as likely to experience psychological distress, including thoughts of suicide
Sexts are quickly becoming the preferred way of cyber-bullying

uknowkids.com has made available a very easy-to-read guide on the topic of sexting. Understanding Sexting can be read very quickly, and it will help you as a parent to be aware of the dangers your kids face, give you some discussion-starter ideas with your kids, as well as sharing some technology tools we can use to keep our kids safe.

“The single biggest deterrent to this risky behavior is parental involvement.” —Understanding Sexting

Understanding Sexting is a FREE e-book from uknowkids.com. Click here to be taken directly to the download page.

Don’t turn a blind eye to this dangerous use of technology that your kids are probably holding in their hand right now. Read this book and talk to your kids. Let’s keep them safe!

You may also be interested in my book review of From Santa to Sexting.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: bullying, cyber-bullying, parenting, peer pressure, pornography, sexting, technology. Leave a Comment »

Pornography Robs A Man Of His Humanness

September 3, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Last week I shared some thoughts from Oswald Chambers on dealing with temptation.

In our internet age, where pornography is so easily accessible, this is a temptation that way too many people battle so often. This is a temptation that you can defeat, but you cannot defeat it on your own!

Here are some very insightful thoughts from Ed Welch, a Christian counselor, that may help you be victorious in your battle with pornography—