Soul Work (book review)

June 24, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

You probably think that being a monk is a full-time occupation, right? But what if you could learn from the most committed monks, without actually moving to a monastery? That’s exactly what Randy Harris shows us in Soul Work: Confessions of a Part-Time Monk.

I’ll admit that I was hooked more by the subtitle of this book. After all, whoever heard of a part-time monk. Randy Harris set out to find out more about the deep spiritual walk for which so many monks and hermits are renowned. In the beginning of the book, Randy states that there was something he disagreed with in almost every monastery or hermitage he visited. But he culled through all they had to offer, and presented the best practices in Soul Work.

In short, there is much to learn from the unhurried, quiet, peaceful, and deeply-abiding lives of those who separate themselves from general society. What a huge contrast with our frantic, noisy, stressful, superficial lives. Randy shares what he learned about…

  • Deeper intimacy with God
  • A more refreshed outlook on life
  • A life infused with hope
  • More meaningful prayer times
  • Greater levels of obedience
  • God-honoring humility
  • A more satisfying relationship with God

But we won’t pursue any of these things unless we are truly dissatisfied with our current spiritual level. As Randy wrote,

“We do not move in our spiritual lives until we experience some dissatisfaction with what we’ve got. … The first step toward living an intimate life with God is to realize our own desperation, and that desperation comes largely by developing some sense of God’s holiness.”

This is not a casual read. It’s a book that forced me to confront how much more of God I really wanted in my life, and if I was willing to make the necessary changes to achieve greater intimacy. I was challenged by Soul Work, and I think you will be too.

I am an ACU Press book reviewer.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

My Blind Spot

June 24, 2011 — 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.

Blind spots can be deadly. I simply don’t see what’s right there until—wham!—it crashes into me.

These blind spots have been called our “unconscious incompetence” zone. I’m not doing well in a certain area, but I just don’t know it yet until—wham!

Up to that point everything seems fine, but wise King Solomon said, “Smugness will destroy fools” (Proverbs 1:32).

It seems there are two ways I could deal with my unconscious incompetencies. (1) I could wait until I get blindsided by one of them; or (2) I could ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to me. Neither option seems very pleasant, but if I’m going to get hit—wham!—it seems like a better option to let Someone who loves me, and wants the best for me, to do it (see Hebrews 12:5-11).

David thought so too. He prayed—

Search me thoroughly, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Or, how about Sir Francis Drake’s prayer:

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push us into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

The wham! moments will come. The question is how do you want them to come?

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

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , . 4 Comments »

Wider Longer Higher Deeper

June 6, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

When was the last time you experienced a dimension of God’s love for the first time?

The Apostle Paul suggested that God’s love went beyond our 3-dimensional world—

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

God’s love is WIDER than we can cross in a lifetime…

…LONGER than we can see with natural eyes…

…HIGHER than we can scale on our own…

…DEEPER than we can comprehend.

I love the last verse of Frederick M. Lehman’s hymn The Love Of God—

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , . 1 Comment »

Gutsy Prayer

June 5, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I am no long my own, but Thine,

Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed by Thee or laid aside for Thee,

Exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things

To Thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

Let it be ratified in heaven. Amen. (John Wesley’s covenant prayer, 1780)

Wow, that’s a gutsy prayer to pray! I would like to think I can pray this and truly mean it. What about you? Could you really pray this?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Thursdays With Oswald—The First Thing

May 26, 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.

The First Thing

     If we have received the Spirit of God, He will squeeze right through our lives, as if to ask, “Now where do I come into this relationship, this vacation you have planned, or these new books you want to read?” And He will always press the point until we learn to make Him our first consideration. Whenever we put other things first, there is confusion.

From My Utmost For His Highest

I am so good at making my own plans, and only later calling on God when confusion erupts. How much better it would be if I would involve God first.

I’m trying to learn this.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Get Off Your Knees & Pray (book review)

May 25, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I know the subtitle of Sheila Walsh’s book Get Off Your Knees & Pray is “a woman’s guide to life-changing prayer,” but I thought it was fantastic!

I think something special happens when women pray, so I’d love to see more women getting serious about their prayer life. In a moment I’ll tell you how to win a FREE copy of this book. But first, I’ve asked my wife Betsy to share a thought with you about prayer.

I have never viewed myself as a consistent prayer warrior who stands in the gap for others. I pray for those in need and talk with God on a regular basis about my life, my heart’s desires, my fears, my needs. I always had a simple trust that God would come through, He would somehow make things right. Then one day, things weren’t right. My life was in a place I never imagined. I felt completely out of control. All stability was gone, a majority of my comfort was gone, and I looked at the future and felt uncertainty. I didn’t like this place – at all! The most confusing part was that all I had ever attempted to do was follow God’s leading. Although I attempted to cry out to God, it was difficult because I was angry with God. It’s an interesting place to be when you are attempting to pray to the one who helps you forgive others, when you have anger directed at Him.

That was a long, dark time. I am happy to say, I’m not there today. I have pressed through and God has helped me. Those prayers and cries for help…He heard them all. I remember specific moments when I chose to stand upon God’s Word in prayer and to confess what I could not yet see. My final breakthrough came when I surrendered the need to know why, I was simply willing to trust Him. Let me tell you, it was not a simple choice. It was an act of my will. Today, many of my prayers are still unfilled, but I am confident that God’s plan is happening in my life and the lives of those around me.

One thing that helped me to recognize answered prayer, was to focus on the little moments in my life. As I became grateful and acknowledged God’s leading and provision in my normal everyday life, I became increasingly aware that He was working. In those dark days I believe He was working, I just was focused on the wrong things.

So, if you don’t believe that God is working in your situation, ask Him for a new set of eyes. Begin to thank him for the good things around you, no matter how small. I believe you will begin to see bigger and bigger things emerging.

Here’s how to win a free copy of Get Off Your Knees & Pray. To be entered in the drawing (which will take place Friday, May 27, at 5pm EDT), do one or both of the following:

  1. Leave a comment below about what you’ve learned recently about prayer. Even if your comment is “I need to pray more,” it will help others to know they are not alone.
  2. Send the following message via Twitter: Win a free copy of @SheilaWalsh’s “Get Off Your Knees & Pray” from craigtowens.com at http://wp.me/pmy10-19P #prayingwomen

If you are the winner, you will be notified after the drawing on May 27, 2011.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , . 3 Comments »

Experiencing The Spirit (book review)

May 19, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

Years ago I read Henry Blackaby’s outstanding book Experiencing God, which helped me see God’s relationship with me in a whole new light. Now Henry and Melvin Blackaby have done the same thing with the role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life in Experiencing The Spirit: The Power of Pentecost Every Day.

I’m a fourth-generation Pentecostal, so I’ve grown up with a solid understanding of the Holy Spirit. But Experiencing The Spirit created in me a longing for something more. I don’t want it to just be a head-only theology, but a heart-felt relationship. In fact, this question in the book hit me right between the eyes: Do you spend more time and effort honing your skills than you do seeking the Lord and deepening your relationship with Him?

I don’t want to just know about God, I want to know Him. And a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit is what allows that to happen. The Apostle Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus, and I want to make that my prayer too…

I pray that out of His glorious riches the Father may strengthen me with power through His Holy Spirit in my innermost being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that as I am being rooted and established in love, I may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

For a more intimate relationship with the Spirit of God, I recommend checking out Experiencing The Spirit.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , . 1 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 Comment »

A Mighty Fortress

May 3, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

“I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord’s side.” —Abraham Lincoln

I agree with President Lincoln. Prayer changes things. Prayer changes me. Prayer changes my outlook. Prayer keeps me aligned with God’s principles.

Now more than ever, our nation needs Christians to pray. The Apostle Paul said it loud and clear:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 3:1-2)

If our nation is to remain on the Lord’s side we need to be praying for our elected officials. We need to pray that they will have godly wisdom in carrying out their responsibilities. We need to pray that God will keep them safe.

Please join me on the National Day Of Prayer (NDP) this Thursday, May 5. Calvary Assembly of God will be open for prayer from 9am-7pm, and there will be special prayer times at noon and at 6pm.

If you cannot join me at the church, please pray on your own. You can get more information from the NDP Task Force by clicking here.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Three For Pastors (book reviews)

May 3, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I consider it such an awesome privilege—and a heavy responsibility—to be called to be a pastor. Despite the challenges, I love doing what I’m doing! And although I don’t want this message to become diminished by over-use, I truly do mean it: I ♥ My Church!

Because I want to be the best pastor I can be, I frequently study the lives of historical pastors, and I try to keep current on thoughts from my contemporaries as well. So, if you are a pastor (or if you want to better support your pastor), here are three books I recently read which I would highly recommend to you.

The Heart Of A Great Pastor by H.B. London and Neil B. Wiseman emphasizes how pastors need to take personal responsibility to make sure they are continually giving their best. From revisiting the call of God on their lives, to maintaining a vibrant private prayer and devotional life, to organizing ministries in the church, pastors can never coast. I love this insight from the authors:

“The God-initiated summons takes us [pastors] into life’s main arena where people wrestle with ultimate issues such as birth, life, death, sickness, broken relationships, health and hope, as well as ambiguities and apprehension. This partnership with God takes us to private and public places and to sorrowful and cheerful places. It is our lifetime ticket to represent Jesus at weddings, hospital waiting rooms, grave sites, baptisms, Holy Communion and life-shaping questions that good people have reason to ask, such as ‘Where is God now?’”

Elite Prayer Warriors by Dave Williams is a renewed call to prayer. I grew up with a cliché ringing in my ears and my heart: The church moves forward on her knees.  If this is true for the church (and I firmly believe it is), it is even more true for pastors who serves the church as her under-shepherd. Elite Prayer Warriors encourages pastors  to raise up a team of people who will commit to the spiritual battle of praying for their pastor.

Then Pastor Dave Williams addresses an area that can derail a church in Toxic Committees And Venomous Boards. I’ll let the cat out of the bag right up front: Pastor Williams states unequivocally that committees are unscriptural. After showing the biblical basis for his claim, he then makes the case for a scriptural form of pastoral support: teams. He says, “Committees meet; teams score!”

I also like this quote in the book from Rick Warren:

“Committees discuss it, but ministries do it. Committees argue, ministries act. Committees maintain, ministries minister. Committees talk and consider, ministries serve and care. Committees discuss needs, ministries meet needs.”

Three outstanding books to help you be the best pastor that God has called you to be.

I am a Decapolis book reviewer.

Posted in Pastoring, Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »