righteousness | Craig T. Owens

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God’s Name On Me

March 11, 2025 — 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.

I have always been both intrigued and encouraged by the blessing Moses was instructed to give the the priests to pronounce over God’s people.

Tell Aaron and his sons, “This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.’” (Numbers 6:23-26)

After giving this blessing, God then says, “And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:27 AMPC).

What does it mean to put God’s name on me?

I think the Bible shows that it means—

I feel the heaviness of His holiness AND
I feel the security of His surrounding presence.

I feel the unapproachableness of His perfect righteousness AND
I feel the welcoming embrace of His atonement.

I feel how unworthy I am AND
I feel how worthy He is.

I know that He knows everything about me AND
I know He still loves me with an unquenchable love.

I know He is the holy Judge AND
I know He is the Forgiver of my sins.

I know that His Holy Spirit convicts me of my sins AND
I know the His Holy Spirit helps me get free of those sins.

What an inexpressible, overflowing-with-joy, irrepressible, unshakable assurance I have in my relationship with my Heavenly Father, through the work of Jesus Christ, and the assurance of the Holy Spirit. This is indeed a blessing that the no one else but my God can put on me!

P.S. You may also be interested in another take on the priestly blessing in my post The Blessing.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: blessing, God's blessing, God's holiness, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, joy, Numbers, righteousness, security. 1 Comment »

Hellbent

August 13, 2024 — 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.

Here’s how God describes a wicked nation:

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled, the oppressive city! She obeyed no voice, she accepted no discipline. She did not trust in the Lord, she did not approach her God. Her leaders within her are roaring lions, her judges are wolves at evening; they have no bones to gnaw in the morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous men; her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the Law. (Zephaniah 3:1-4)

These are people who were once so passionate for God and are hurtling toward His judgment on their sinful lifestyle—

thumbing their noses at their own civil laws
calling their own justice system into question
governed by leaders who are focused on flexing their power for themselves
afflicted by judges ruling by the desires of those who give them “bones to gnaw”
subject to preachers who twist and distort Scripture to suit their own desires

These things can come from nothing but pride that says, “We know best. We don’t need some out-of-date, behind-the-times god telling us what to do!”

These prideful people are hellbent on pursuing their sinful lifestyle—rejecting God’s warning of impending and certain judgment—because they have fooled themselves into believing there is no God!

Our history books are filled with stories of other proud nations that thought this same way, but God both announced and carried out His righteous judgment on them. And still, we foolishly believe we are better than them, that we can avoid the inscrutable eyes of God.

God is looking for one righteous man or woman who will hold to His righteous standard, and who will stand in the gap to intercede for rebellious, hellbent people (Ezekiel 22:30).

Will you be that one?

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: apostasy, Ezekiel, intercession, judgment, revival, righteousness, self-righteous, self-sufficient, Zephaniah. Leave a Comment »

Turn Off The News!

July 23, 2024 — 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.

Anti-anxiety medications are prescribed at a higher rate than any other medication. As a nation, we have become—literally—a nervous wreck!

I think much of our handwringing and stomach churning is from our obsession with keeping up with “current events.” We have alerts endlessly dinging, screaming at us, “Look at this! Can you believe he said that?! Did you hear about this? We must do something about that!”

Christian, where is your hope? In what are you trusting for relief?

God says through Isaiah that sinners are terrified and godless people tremble at the news—

Sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling has seized the godless. “Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?” (Isaiah 33:14)

As these anxiety-plagued people are wondering how they can survive the latest deluge of terrible news, God answers the burning question of real security. He says it is…

…One who walks righteously and speaks with integrity, one who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; one who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking at evil; he will dwell on the heights, his refuge will be the impregnable rock; his bread will be given him, his water will be sure. (Isaiah 33:15-16)

Did you catch what was in the middle of that list? Stop listening to the reports of bloodshed and stop watching all the news reports of evil people doing evil things.

Instead, God says that we should be watching our own lives closely so that we are:

walking righteously
speaking with integrity
not falling for the latest fads
not being “bribed” by so-called influencers to see things their way

When we are focused on God and on living our lives according to His righteous standards, we won’t have any time or mental energy to give to the evil and bloodshed in the headlines. Rather, we will live securely—protected and blessed by our loving Savior and Lord!

Isaiah 33 goes on to describe what we will notice when we turn off the world’s news and gaze at God: “Your eyes will see the King in His beauty” (v. 17), you will no longer be shaken by “fierce people” (v. 19), but you will know that “the majestic One, the Lord, will be for us…and will save us” (vv. 21-22).

Turn off the world’s news and dive into God’s Good News instead. You will immediately feel God’s peace replacing any fearful trembling in your heart and mind.

You may also want to check out:

My blog post The Carbon Monoxide of Anxiety
A series of sermons called X-ing Out Anxiety

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: anxiety, bad news, emotional health, frustration, Good News, Isaiah, peace, righteousness, stress, worship. Leave a Comment »

A Leader’s Example

February 28, 2024 — 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.

When you read through the history of the kings of Israel and Judah, there are two consistently recurring themes for these leaders—

He turned to God and the people put away their idols <or>
He turned from God and the people turned to their idols

It’s true: As goes the leader, so go the people.

In my life, I’ve experienced that the good things that I do over-the-top are only moderately emulated by those around me. But the unhealthy things that I even slightly indulge in are adopted quickly by everyone else.

Godly leaders must be so aware of how their example impacts everyone around them, and they must fight to maintain biblical standards. When we miss the mark, we must be quick to admit our shortcoming, repent, and get back on track.

In Hosea 4:9, God warns that the people will follow the ungodly example of their leaders, which is why God’s punishment is often more severe for those leaders.

On the positive side, in Leviticus 9, Moses and Aaron demonstrate the leadership example of spending time in God’s presence and fully obeying everything God had revealed to them there. Then verse 23 it says that after they came out of His presence, God’s glory appeared to all the people. The positive example of the leaders led to huge blessings for all the people!

A mark of a godly leader is one who increasingly aware of the power of his example.

Leaders, let’s be first to go first in…

…being in God’s presence
…obeying God’s commands
…repenting when we fall short
…asking forgiveness of those who have seen our poor example
…asking God to bless His people because of our good example

This is part 77 in my series on godly leadership. You can check out all of my posts in this series by clicking here.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Aaron, biblical history, example, forgiveness, God's blessing, Hosea, influence, integrity, leadership, Leviticus, Moses, obedience, repentance, righteousness. 1 Comment »

Compromised Leadership

January 24, 2024 — 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.

If we are wise, we can learn invaluable leadership lessons even from those who fell short in their attempts. For example, consider Lot, the nephew of Abraham.

Lot was found “sitting at the gate” in Sodom. This was a place of leadership, the place where legal and business matters were discussed. That means Lot appeared to be accepted by the townsfolk (see Genesis 19:1-14).

But that also means Lot had compromised his values.

Lot didn’t walk right into this leadership role. The Bible tells us how Lot first lived in the vicinity of Sodom and Gomorrah, but then steadily moved closer and closer to the city, until eventually he compromised his values enough to be accepted into a civic leadership position.

Lot obviously did not live or speak according to God’s righteous standards because when he attempted to appeal to a depraved mob of Sodomites, they ridiculed him, reminding him that he was not one of them. And then when Lot tried to warn his future sons-in-law (men who were also Sodomites) about God’s impending judgment on the city, they only laughed at him.

Jesus warned us, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).

The Sodomites spoke well of Lot when he was in the city gate, going along with them, not standing up for righteousness.

So too for us: People of the world will appear to be your friend as long as you don’t make them uncomfortable by standing up and speaking up for the truth. As soon as Lot tried to stand for God, the Sodomites showed him their true colors.

On the other hand, look at the examples of Joseph, Mordecai, Esther, Daniel, and Nehemiah to see righteous people who didn’t compromise their commitment to God’s ways in order to achieve a leadership position in earthly governments. Instead, their righteousness was blessed by God, and He gave them favor.

Ironically, Lot compromised God-honoring values to try to earn favor with men, and in the end, lost favor with them. Those other godly leaders resolutely stood for God regardless of what anyone may have said about them and God gave those leaders favor with men.

A mark of an ungodly leader is one who compromises godly values to gain a leadership status in the world’s eyes.

This is part 76 in my series on godly leadership. You can check out all of my posts in this series by clicking here.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: compromise, Daniel, Esther, favor, Genesis, Gospel of Luke, integrity, Joseph, leadership, Lot, Mordecai, Nehemiah, righteousness, Sodom. 1 Comment »

Walking Intimately

January 17, 2024 — 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.

There’s an interesting verb used with both Enoch and Noah that denotes intimate fellowship—the word is “walked.”

Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

David uses this same verb when he prays, “Vindicate me, Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Examine me, Lord, and put me to the test; refine my mind and my heart. For Your goodness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth” (Psalm 26:1-3).

And Solomon uses the same verb to say that anyone who walks in righteous integrity leaves a legacy of righteousness for his family: “A righteous person who walks in his integrity—how blessed are his sons after him” (Proverbs 20:7).

There is something important that is implied in this walking. God tells us what it is in this question: How can two walk together unless they agree to do so? (Amos 3:3).

But make no mistake, God doesn’t agree with whatever path I choose to walk, but I must agree to walk God’s path.

I must agree that God’s path is best, despite what everyone else is doing—“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Yet Noah didn’t walk with the wicked, but he was commended because he walked with God.

In the New Testament, Enoch and Noah are listed as back-to-back examples of faith (Hebrews 11:5, 7). The verse that connects these two men speaks of the faith-filled integrity that kept them walking with God—

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

That word “seek” means to diligently crave. Enoch and Noah and David show us examples of men who diligently craved walking with God above all else. Their faithful, diligent walking made them stand out from all those around them.

What about us? Hebrews 11:6 says we can follow their example. We can choose to walk with God by faith. We can diligently crave Him above all else. When we walk righteously with God, He “rewards those” who do—for ever and ever!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: David, Enoch, eternity, faithfulness, Genesis, God's blessing, Hebrews, integrity, Noah, proverbs, Psalm, rewards, righteousness, Solomon, video. 2 Comments »

Be The One

June 21, 2022 — 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.

John Maxwell was right: “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

As the leader goes, so goes the family, the neighborhood, the business, the church, the country. Just as Israel’s leaders fell into sin and took the people down with them, so too the religious and political leaders in America are leading people to sin.

God told Ezekiel, “See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood” (Ezekiel 22:6). These ungodly leaders were described as:

disintegrating the family
mistreating orphans and widows
despising God’s holiness
slandering the righteous
promoting idolatry
living lewdly
winking at sexual depravity
being dishonest in their business dealings
defrauding their neighbors
treating people like possessions
pursuing immoral gain
whitewashing evil (vv. 6-12, 25-28)

The bottom line: God says, “You have forgotten Me” (v. 12).

This kind of evil must be punished by an All-Righteous God.

But God is still merciful. He is still looking for just one who will turn away from the sins of the culture and live righteously. He is looking “for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it” (v. 30).

God is looking for just one leader who will seek God’s glory and not personal gain, who will stand for righteousness even if he has to stand alone.

Will you be that one?

I pray I may be that one!

I pray for godly leaders to stand up! “Holy God, may we stand for You in this evil culture. May Your Holy Spirit strengthen us to stand unmoved against the onslaught of depravity. Strengthen us against the evil one and against evil people, knowing that greater are You in us than the evil that is in the world. May we be the ones that refuse to bend our knee to anyone or anything but You. In the powerful name of Jesus, I pray this. Amen!”

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: boldness, Ezekiel, godly living, John Maxwell, leadership, mercy, prayer, quote, righteousness. Leave a Comment »

Highly Esteemed

April 27, 2022 — 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.

“Highly esteemed” is how two different angels addressed Daniel (Daniel 9:23, 10:11). This was a title they obviously heard from God Himself. At both instances, Daniel was in a time of intense and sustained prayer and fasting.

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making request to the Lord my God for His holy hill … Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me…. (Daniel 9:20-21)

At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all. (Daniel 10:2-3)

Prayer was a regular habit for Daniel and prayer was also what Daniel turned to immediately in times of trouble (Daniel 2:18, 6:10).

We see the same thing in the lives of two notable women in the New Testament. Elizabeth is described as an upright woman who observed all of God’s commandments blamelessly. She continuously prayed that she might get pregnant, and then Gabriel came to bring the good news of her upcoming pregnancy. Elizabeth responded by saying, “The Lord has done this for me.… He has shown me His favor” (see Luke 1:5-25).

Mary was also a righteous woman who was steeped in Scripture (as we can see in her song of praise). When Gabriel appeared to her, he called her “highly favored” (see Luke 1:26-55).

A righteous, prayer-filled lifestyle also brings favor and esteem with earthly kings. Daniel and his friends fasted and prayed, which led to King Nebuchadnezzar’s favor directed to them (Daniel 1:11-20, 2:48-49). After three days of prayer and fasting, Queen Esther found favor in the eyes of King Xerxes, which led to the salvation of all the Jewish people (Esther 4:15—5:3). And Nehemiah’s sustained prayer over four months won the favorable reply from King Artaxerxes (see Nehemiah 1:1—2:8).

If you want to hear deep things from God, if you want to be called “highly esteemed” by the Most High, if you want to gain favor with earthly kings, you must be committed to the sustained work of prayer and righteous living. If you would like to dig into this deeper, check out 4 Thoughts To Help Prayer Become A Daily Habit.

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Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: angels, Artaxerxes, Daniel, Elizabeth, Esther, fasting, favor, God's favor, Gospel of Luke, importunity, Mary, Nebuchadnezzar, Nehemiah, prayer, righteousness, Xerxes. Leave a Comment »

The Key To God’s Treasure

February 8, 2022 — 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 fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure (Isaiah 33:6).

What treasure is Isaiah referring to? There is an amazing list of blessings in this chapter! Things like…

God’s graciousness
God’s strength
Salvation
God’s justice
God’s righteousness
A sure foundation
“A rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge”
Eternally secure in God’s presence
Seeing God’s beauty
Having evil people removed from my life
Peace

How do I get the key to this treasure? By placing my faith in Jesus. Jesus paid the price, so He could take the key from the devil and hold it securely. When I am in Him, I have access to this key to God’s riches!

With all of this treasure accessible to me, how do I now live? In a word: Nobly. “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand” (Isaiah 32:8). I am a child of God, a joint-heir with Jesus. I lack no good thing, so I can live securely, gracefully, and nobly. I must live this way to bring glory to my Lord and my Master every single day!

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