craigtowens

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Continuing to Learn

     With many such parables Jesus spoke the Word to them, as they were able to hear and to comprehend and understand. He did not tell them anything without a parable; but privately to His disciples (those who were peculiarly His own) He explained everything fully. (Mark 4:33-34 AMPC) We will “comprehend and understand” more when we are ready to handle it. There is a joy in the learning…

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T-I-M-E

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/t-i-m-e.mp3 My podcast partner Greg Heeres asked me if I had found one thing that really worked in developing or deepening relationships. My answer is short and to the point.  Check out the full episode of The…

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A Little Is Still Enough

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/a-little-is-still-enough.mp3 “No one will even notice.”  “It really doesn’t matter what I do.”  “There’s not much that I’m good at.”  Sadly, these statements are far too common for a lot of people. Even sadder is how…

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Murmuring Sheep

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/murmuring-sheep.mp3 If you’re a shepherd leader, what do you do when the sheep under your care go, “Grrrr!”?  To make sure that you haven’t done anything that caused the murmuring, you should humbly pray,…

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When God Says “No”

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/when-god-says-22no22.mp3 Last week I asked you to recall a time that your children were asking you for something they really, really wanted. How many times did they ask? If you said, “No” to their first request, did they…

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Links & Quotes

God gave us a Book (the Bible) that tells us all we need to know about praying. I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything. T.M. is beginning a series on the ministry of the apostle Paul. He writes, “Paul was able to accomplish great things against great odds not because he was such an enthralling preacher (he…

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Keep Your Lamp Burning

     In the Tent of Meeting [of God with His people], outside the veil which sets apart the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it burning from evening to morning before the Lord…. (Exodus 27:21)       Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise…

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The Craig And Greg Show: Healthy Leaders

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/episode-97.mp3 In today’s episode, Greg and I discuss what it means to be a healthy leader. We break down the various facets of leadership health, and highlight why each piece is part of an essential structure that…

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The Best Sermons

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/the-best-sermons.mp3 This one is for my fellow pastors. I want to give you THE question to ask to help you in crafting the most applicable and memorable sermons.  It’s a question that Paul asks in Romans 4: “What does…

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The People God Loves To Help

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/the-people-god-loves-to-help.mp3 Who does God love to guide and teach? Check this out… https://youtube.com/shorts/HaGeSd3KMKY?feature=share You may also want to check out two related blog posts: Signing a Blank…

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PUSHing For God’s “Yes

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/pushing-for-gods-22yes22.mp3 Parents, I want you to think back to your children asking you for something they really wanted. How many times did they ask? How many different ways did they ask? What sort of strategies did…

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Links & Quotes

When we pray the closing words of the prayer Jesus gave us—“For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen!—we are both acknowledging God’s awesomeness and we are asking for our lives to display this reality. I have a lot of new video content on my YouTube channel every week. Please check it out and subscribe so you don’t miss anything. “He who loves iniquity does not love…

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A Good Mentor

My son, be attentive to my Wisdom—godly Wisdom learned by actual and costly experience—and incline your ear to my understanding of what is becoming and prudent for you. (Proverbs 5:1)  A checklist for a good mentor:  ✔️they are God-fearing  ✔️ they have learned good lessons in bad times  ✔️ they are willing to invest in you what they have learned  You may also want to check out: Sharper…

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Don’t Confuse The Temporal With The Eternal

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dont-confuse-the-temporal-with-the-eternal.mp3 Politics are a reality for anyone who lives under a human government. But Christians need to be cautious that we don’t put more weight on temporal politics than we do on the…

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My Article In “Influence Magazine”

I was thrilled to be asked to write an article for “Influence Magazine” based on my book When Sheep Bite. This article is a synopsis of my entire book. So if you are interested in seeing what sort of content I have in When Sheep Bite, please check out this article. If you are a pastor—or if you love your pastor—pick up your copy of When Sheep Bite today!

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Defeating My Internal Enemies

     Remember not the sins (the lapses and frailties) of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your mercy and steadfast love remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. … The troubles of my heart are multiplied; bring me out of my distresses. Behold my affliction and my pain and forgive all my sins of thinking and doing. Consider my enemies, for they abound; they hate me with cruel…

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God-Sent Enemies

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. https://craigtowens.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/god-sent-enemies.mp3 It could be that the enemies that are dogging your footsteps—harassing you and closing in on you—are doing so because God incited them to do this.  Why?  So that you will grow stronger in your…