Pray More Than Preach

April 4, 2014 — Craig T. Owens

Pastors, please read this…

Tozer“No man should stand before an audience who has not first stood before God. Many hours of communion should precede one hour in the pulpit. The prayer chamber should be more familiar than the public platform. Prayer should be continuous, preaching but intermittent. …See to it that we pray more than we preach and we will never preach ourselves out. Stay with God in the secret place longer than we are with men in the public place and the fountain of our wisdom will never dry up. Keep our hearts open to the inflowing Spirit and we will not become exhausted by the outflow. Cultivate the acquaintance of God more than the friendship of men and we will always have abundance of bread to give to the hungry.” —A.W. Tozer

Question: Are you praying enough?

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Thursdays With Oswald—Solitude

December 19, 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.

Oswald Chambers

Solitude 

     Solitude with God repairs the damage done by the fret and noise and clamor of the world. … The disaster of shallowness ultimately follows the spiritual life that takes not the shining way upon the Mount of God. Power from on high has the Highest as its source, and the solitudes of the Highest must never be departed from, else that power will cease. 

From Christian Disciplines 

We live in a go, go faster, then go some more world. Everything is urgency and immediacy. It is vital for Christians to find times of solitude to tune out the clamor and tune in to God’s Voice.

The prophet Elijah was one who learned that God was not in the noise, but in the still, small Voice (see 1 Kings 19:1-13). Are we quieting ourselves enough to hear His Voice? If we don’t, we run the risk of spiritual burnout, just as Elijah experienced. Find Make some time for solitude this week.

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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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You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have

June 19, 2012 — Craig T. Owens 




It seems like a pretty simple concept. If I don’t possess something, as much as I may want to give it away to someone else, I can’t do it.


We know this, don’t we? If my best friend really needs $20, and I really want to give him $20, I cannot help him if I only have $12 in my wallet. I cannot give what I do not have.


So when you take the time to strengthen yourself physically—by getting enough sleep, by exercising, by eating a healthy diet—you are simply preparing yourself to be able to give your physical strength to another.


When you take the time to recharge yourself emotionally—by taking some solitude time, by getting around positive people—you are preparing yourself to be able to give your emotional strength to another.


When you take the time to expand your mind—by reading a book, by taking a class—you are preparing yourself to be able to give your intellectual strength to another.


And when you take the time to renew yourself spiritually—by reading your Bible, by praying, by going to church—you are preparing yourself to be able to give your spiritual strength to another.


“Brethren, let us look well to our own steadfastness in the faith, our own holy walking with God. Some say that such advice is selfish; but I believe that, in truth, it is not selfishness, but a sane and practical love of others which leads us to be mindful of our own spiritual state.” —Charles Spurgeon


Look at the life of Jesus. He never apologized for taking time away to pray, to sleep, to talk with His Father. Then He was never at a loss when someone needed physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual strength.




What are you doing to recharge your batteries? It’s never selfish to take the time you need to gather the strength you will need to help others. In fact, being prepared mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually is one of the most loving things you can do.








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Thursdays With Oswald—Exhausted For God

February 16, 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.


Exhausted For God


     Jesus said to Peter, ‘Feed My sheep,’ but He gave him nothing to feed them with. The process of being made broken bread and poured out wine means that you have to be the nourishment for other souls until they learn to feed on God. They must drain you to the dregs. Be careful that you get your supply, or before long you will be utterly exhausted. Before other souls learn to draw on the life of the Lord Jesus direct, they have to draw on it through you; you have to be literally ‘sucked,’ until they learn to take their nourishment from God. We owe it to God to be our best for His lambs and His sheep as well as for Himself.


     Has the way in which you have been serving God betrayed you into exhaustion? If so, then rally your affections. Where did you start the service from? From your own sympathy or from the basis of the Redemption of Jesus Christ? Continually go back to the foundation of your affections and recollect where the source of power is. You have no right to say, ‘O Lord, I am so exhausted.’ He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. Be exhausted for God, but remember that your supply comes from Him. ‘All my fresh springs shall be in Thee.’


From My Utmost For His Highest


He saved and sanctified you in order to exhaust you. I want to be continually filled up and poured out for God. But in order to be of any good to others, I have to keep going back to the Source of life. If I’m not filled up with God’s presence, I will be exhausted, but not in the right way.


I have shared quite a bit about the correct way for godly leaders to be replenished through self-care. Check out these posts.










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Can You Hear Him Now?

January 11, 2012 — Craig T. Owens 




Wow, my life is busy! Sometimes I feel like a starter’s pistol goes off first thing in the morning, and I’m on a dead sprint all day long.


<BANG!> Get everyone up … get dressed … make breakfast … feed the pets … pack lunches … get everyone out the door on time … work at the church … meetings … errands … En-Gedi Youth Center … after-school activities … grocery store … make dinner … clean up … more meetings … homework … <WHEW!>


That’s why I have made it a long-standing habit to spend some quality quiet time in the morning. It’s time well-spent reading my Bible, sipping some tea, and just listening for God’s unmistakable Voice.


The apostle Paul advised us to study to be quiet (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Make it a habit to tune out the noise and business.


Francois Fenelon said it this way—


“God does not cease to speak, but the noise of the creatures without, and of our passions within, confines us and prevents our hearing. We must silence every creature, including self, that in the deep stillness of the soul we may perceive the ineffable voice of the Bridegroom. We must lend an attentive ear, for His voice is soft and still, and is only heard of those who hear nothing else.”


I hope you will choose to make some time to hear His Voice today, and everyday.






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Overloaded Recap

March 28, 2011 — Craig T. Owens 




We all have times that life feels overwhelming. Like there is too much to do, but not enough of us (or our time, or our money, or our willpower, or…) to accomplish what we need to. In a word: we are overloaded.


I just finished a 4-part series about God’s ways for finding relief for our overloaded lives, and I thought this quick recap might be helpful.


If you’re feeling OVERLOADED, remember…




Less Is More


When the “less” is stuff, the “more” is relationships.


Off Makes On Better


A day OFF (a Sabbath) helps you appreciate ON more.


Study To Be Quiet


Tune out all the noise so you can tune in to God’s voice.


Trust God First


Give God the first 10% of your income and enjoy His blessing.








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Uncomfortably Quiet

July 26, 2010 — Craig T. Owens 




Yesterday we dove into part two of our series The Stranglehold Of Worry by looking at anxiety. The medical dictionary defines anxiety as “worry compound by our own self-doubts about our ability to cope with worry.” Wow, talk about a double whammy!


You’re already worrying about something, and then you worry about what you’re worrying about!


Or for many people, anxiety boils down to worrying about what others are thinking about what you’re worrying about.


There’s a story in Luke 10 where Dr. Luke notices Martha’s anxiety. She is trying to be the best hostess she can for Jesus and His disciples, but it has gone beyond that. She is worrying about what Jesus thinks about her hospitality. She’s tied up in knots. What makes it even worse for Martha is that her sister (who was helping Martha get everything ready for the meal) is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him speak.


Jesus tells Martha, “You are all worked up over trying to make a good impression. You are worried and upset. Look at Mary: she’s sitting quietly and listening to Me.”


Sitting quietly…


We don’t do that very well, do we? Our lives are bombarded with noise. In fact, when Jesus tells Martha she is worried, the Greek word means overly-busy. That’s how too many of us try to cope with worry, but the noise and busyness just lead to more anxiety.


We closed our service on Sunday in a very unusual, very uncomfortable way. We were silent. No music, no singing, no closing prayer. Just sitting silently at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. It was uncomfortable but so beneficial.


Listen to King David:


I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content. 


It might be uncomfortable, but it is just what the Lover of your soul ordered. Find some time to switch off the radio, leave the mp3 player and cell phone behind, and get someplace where you can just sit quietly at Jesus’ feet and hear the loving words He has to say to you.






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The Imbalanced Mother

May 10, 2010 — Craig T. Owens 




We had a great time celebrating Moms yesterday. Moms are these amazing creatures that seem to be everywhere and doing everything. This ability to multitask is a blessing, but it can lead to problems if Moms try to perfectly balance their lives through more multitasking.


Perfect balance is an impossibility. Just as soon as you think you have everything balanced, life throws you a curve: a sick child … a flat tire … change of plans … I’m sure you know the drill.


Instead of trying to be the perfectly balanced multitasker, I suggest that you become a purposely imbalanced, God-leaning mother.


Imbalance your day toward God. 


Take the time necessary to lean into God, and the rest of your day will be well-ordered.


Dads and kids, the greatest thing you can do to honor your wife/mother, is to make sure she has undisturbed time alone with God. I promise you that after she spends this time, the rest of her day—and therefore your day—will go much more smoothly. Help her to imbalance her life.


Here’s a great poem from Faye Inchfawn written in 1920:


See, I am cumbered, Lord,


With serving, and with small vexatious things.


Upstairs, and down, my feet


Must hasten, sure and fleet.


So weary that I cannot heed Thy word;


So tired, I cannot now mount up with wings.


I wrestle – how I wrestle! – through the hours.


Nay, not with principalities, nor powers—


Dark spiritual foes of God’s and man’s—


But with antagonistic pots and pans:


With footmarks in the hall,


With smears upon the wall,


With doubtful ears, and small unwashen hands,


And with a babe’s innumerable demands.


I toil with feverish haste, while tear-drops glisten,


 


(O, child of Mine, be still. And listen—listen!)


 


At last, I laid aside

Important work, no other hands could do

So well (I thought), no skill contrive so true.

And with my heart’s door open—open wide—


With leisured feet, and idle hands, I sat.


I, foolish, fussy, blind as any bat,

Sat down to listen, and to learn. And lo,

My thousand tasks were done the better so.


 






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My Big Three

February 2, 2009 — Craig T. Owens 




three1Busy. Commute. Busy. Lesson prep. Busy. Kids’ schedules. Very busy. Meetings. Extremely busy. Household chores. Hectic busy. Hospital visits. Running-to-catch-myself busy.


In my busyness, something gets squeezed out of my life very easily. I don’t intend for this to happen, in fact it’s the last thing that should ever get squeezed out, but it does. I can tell when it does. Not right away, but soon it catches up with me and I’m running on vapors. I know that when I take the time to put it back into my life, the busyness doesn’t seem so busy anymore.


What is this power source? Consider the life of Jesus.


No one had more to accomplish in such a short period of time than Jesus. He only had three years to find, equip and launch the men who would take His message to all the world. No small task, and not a minute to lose. Yet instead of seeing Jesus run at the frantic pace I so easily slip into, I see these incredible pauses.


Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. (Mark 1:35)


How long did He pray? The Bible doesn’t say, but I suspect He was in prayer with His Heavenly Father until His conversation was concluded. It may have been a while, or it may have been somewhat shorter.


Then all throughout the day, Jesus was never rushed or pushed or running helter-skelter, but He seemed to move at just the right speed. This is because Jesus was taking His cues from His Father all day long:


For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say. (John 12:49-50)


Sometimes when there were big decisions or momentous occasions facing Him, Jesus would spend an extended time in prayer. For example:


 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)


I’m trying to make Jesus’ big three my big three:


    

  1. An untimed conversation with God every morning.
    2. 

  2. All-day sensitivity to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
    3. 

  3. Periodic prayer retreats before making big decisions.
    4. 



This is taking all of the discipline I can muster, but I must make this my top priority!






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