Here’s a simple poem that works great as an ending to a sermon on the Healing of the Paralytic in Mark 2:1-12

Dust and shingles fall on the floor

Hypocrisy has blocked the door

A suffocating crowd around

And all of this distracting sound

These four guys had no building code

To renovate this small abode.

To see a beggar meet a king

Makes a roof a minor thing.

Religion always judges men.

Their patience now is wearing thin

But in the middle of the mess

A hopeless man meets holiness

And all the crowd could seem to say

was, “What a wild amazing day.”

~

And I don’t know your present state;

The things that cause your heart to break,

The people who have let you down,

The chaos swirling all around.

But this I know, one thing is true:

The God we trust makes all things new.

So take heart and learn to say

Each morning is a brand new day!

I grew up under the theology of scarcity. It centered around the hear-tell rumours that I didn’t have what it took to be a “really good” Christian. There were those repetitive voices outside and inside my head that said, “try harder, do more, get better.”  I gazed up at the impossible bar and counted myself out. My inadequacy labeled me, before I stepped on the scales.

My past haunted me
My scars mocked me.
My failures demoralized me,
My shame poisoned me.

I never would admit it, but I was certain that no one was as big of a poser as I was. I was weak and the more I tried to fix myself the more self-hatespeech would roll around in my head. And then one day I really did let go.

I raised a white flag and surrendered my efforts, my self-hope, self-punishment, and self-focus. I. JUST. LET. GO.

Then I discovered that the whole point of the gospel is that God is enough.

I just have to love him for being enough. It’s always been about God’s total sufficiency. What does it take to be held in the love of God? It takes a person willing to be still. This is the skill I need before everything else– to be still.  He is so much stronger than I have acted like He was.

But I am learning that He is more than enough to carry a struggler. It’s what He does. It’s His specialty and it’s His passion.  He’s not wringing his hands over your failures. He is ready to use each one to tell a story of grace and mercy.

It’s the same story that Mephibosheth experienced 2 Samuel 9. It’s an unfortunate name. It’s hard to say and spell so I call him Phiby. Phiby was the physically disabled grandson of a dead, vengeful King named Saul. When summoned, in his self-marinating humiliation he asked, “What does the King want with a dog like me.” He had nothing to offer the present king. But the king sought him out and he was seated at the kings table out of mysterious grace.

King David said to Phiby:

Don’t be afraid, for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table. 2 Samuel 9:7 (NIV)

In the same way God the Father says to us, “I will show you kindness for the sake of my Son Jesus.”

John the Beloved put it this way:  Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called “children of God”—and that is not just what we are called, but what we are.  1 John 3:1 (Phillips Translation)

Throughout my days of striving to be acceptable, walking with a spiritual limp, striving to find a place, there is a Good Father who has already accepted me, not as a good servant but a beloved son. And that is good enough for me. In fact, He is more than enough.

I’ve seen him among the children and anyone who loves kids like he does, can be trusted. He is merciful to those who need mercy and He is always just. He willing to sacrifice everything for you and He never sleeps.

He is a doctor who can diagnose an illness before the symptoms appear.

He is a baker and when you go to his house there is always the wonderful smell of bread.
But more than anything…. He is a peacemaker.
He is available to you any time day or night.
He fights for the helpless
He makes time for the lonely
He is ready to step between you and your enemies
When you are befuddled confused and indecisive, He has a plan
When the walls are closing in, His doors will open wide.
He listens when no one else is around to hear you.
He consoles you when there are no arms to embrace you.
He weeps with you when all others curse at you
He is redeemer of your yesterdays and foreseer of your tomorrows.
He been to hell and back and He is still standing strong.
When others doubt you, He says, “you can do it.”
When no one knows you, He calls you by name
When few are truthful He will tell it to you straight.
He has set you apart and pulled you together
He lifts you up and He settles you down.
He’s not insecure, detached or ruthless.
All His plans are above board.
He’s written them all down in a book for you.
And nothing catches Him by surprise.
Many have tried to imitate him
And even more have tried to eliminate Him
But no one can intimidate Him
He is independent and self-sustaining and yet He longs for your love.
He could turn the world on its end and yet he has loved you from the beginning.
And He has invited you to come to His table.

Actor #1: “The Lord is my shepherd,” David writes.

Actor #2: But what kind of shepherd is God? Through the years we have asked this question.

Actor #1: The deceiver has painted many portraits of God as shepherd. Perhaps you have one hidden away in the gallery of your psyche. Here are a few:

Actor #2: Imposter #1—

Actor #1: The dictator is my shepherd I shall not want. He leadeth me with his booming voice—

Actor #2: “You foolish creation! How dare you wander away from the flock. You are in trouble, big time! You hear me? Big time! Have I not told you time and time again to be good or else! And wipe that smile off your face. Grow up! Take your vitamins. Stand up straight. You’ll never measure up. What? Now you’re crying! Oh great . . . that’s just great. Stop crying before I give you something to cry about. I can’t believe how insolent you are. You are driving me crazy!”

Actor #1: After this long litany of complaints He grabs you by your wool sweater collar and his eyes bug out.

Actor #2: “You ought to be grateful that I didn’t kick you into the next century. I’m going to count to ten and if you don’t get back into the fold you are history!! 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9- BOOM!”

Actor #1: Lost Relationships

Actor #2: Boom!

Actor #1: Failure

Actor #2: Boom!

Actor #1: Financial problems

Actor #2: Boom!

Actor #1: Depression

Both: Boom!

Actor #2: Imposter #2- The preoccupied one is my shepherd I shall notwant. He leadeth me as soon as He gets off hold.

Actor #1: “Greetings woolen ones!”

Actor #2: “Hi! This is Joe Lamb?” you say. But then you realize its not really him.

Actor #1: “You’ve reached the shepherd voice messaging system. Thank you for calling. Sorry I’m not in right now. I’m either listening to someone else’s bleating or in a meeting. Please feel free to use our automated information system.

If you have a financial need Press 1.

If you are ill press 2.

If you would like to make a request on someone’s behalf press 3.

If you wish to report any mad cows press 4,

If you are calling about being attacked by wolves press 5.

And if you are lost please hold and someone will be with you shortly.

Due to the fact that this is a heavy calling period, actual ‘on hold time’ is four to five days. Response time may vary. We are sorry for the inconvenience. For quicker response visit our web site at:

Actor #2: WWW.Lost sheep @ wilderness/lambscape.http/baabaa.Blacksheep/hoofbeat//rod-staffcomfort.com

Actor #1: Imposter #3—The “all knowing cynical one” is my shepherd, I shall not want, his pout and rolling eyes they doubt me.

Actor #2: I knew this would happen. I really did. I can’t trust you, can I? You could be like the others. But noooooooooo! You got lost again. Hmmmm. What a shame. Yes shame. Shame on you! Shame, shame, shame, shame. Now am I going to have to put you in the corner of the pin.

Actor #1: Imposter #4— The judge is my shepherd I shall not want.

Actor #2: He leads me into sheep qualification trails

Actor #1: “Oh . . . you again. Yeah, sure I’ll be your shepherd. Are you ready to try again? Remember all you need to do is jump through these three hoops. Then I’ll be your shepherd. If my sheep dog can do it, you can too.”

Actor #2: “But my left front leg is broken and I’m not that fast,” you explain.

Actor #1: “Oh that’s too bad. You’d make a great member of the flock if you would stop making excuses and set aside your personal problems. I run a tight ship and if it is too hot, well then by golly, get out of the kitchen!”

Actor #2: And there are many other shepherds.

Actor #1: But there is only one Good Shepherd.

Actor #2: He’s not the ogre waiting for us to forget to floss so He can swat us with his golden fly swatter.

Actor #1: He’s not a passive god who sits around drumming his fingers on the throne, watching CNN for the latest on world-sized problems while yawning at our infinitesimal requests.

All: That’s not who God is.

Actor #2: The Good Shepherd is walking through the wilderness at nightfall.

Actor #1: His hands are calloused and wounded from caring for His sheep.

Actor #2: He calls out to His lost sheep.

Actor #1: But not a generic, “Hey-sheep-here-I-am call.”

Actor #2: He calls each by name.

Actor #1: As as He does, He weeps because He knows their pain.

Actor #2: He’s not a shepherd who screams,

Actor #1: or shames,

Actor #2: or kicks us back to the fold.

Actor #1: He calls us.

Actor #2: He finds us.

Actor #1: And He picks us up and carries us back home.

Actor #2: That is who God is,

Both: the Good Shepherd.

While churning away on the eliptical Saturday at Planet Fitness, I saw the very beginning of Sandra Bullock movie called “The Proposal.”  As the movie opens, a busy office is on high alert because their  oppressive, driven boss is walking through the door. “It’s Here!” they message each other in the on their bulky 2008 computers.  (See clip below)

Most of us at one time or another have been associated with a person that causes pandemonium upon their arrival. These are the hurricane people. If you are in ministry, politics or involved in any aspect of a school system, you’ve definitely been there and know them by name.  Here are a few real life examples:

Many years ago a pastor, dissatisfied with the choir’s performance walked up to the podium to preach and said, “Well that was a little sub par. Choir stand to your feet. Let’s show them how it’s done.” Then he turned around and conducted the choir HIMSELF as they re-sang the song.  Can you imagine the humiliation of the minister of music? You’d think that the pastor would be reprimanded, but he was a gifted speaker and the band played on.

In an office, long, long ago, there was a department director of a ministry who would habitually pilfer through the refrigerator and eat other people’s lunches.  Believe me, I’m not making this up. An administrative lady caught him eating her lunch and she said, “You owe me five dollars.” His face turn red as he wiped his mouth after finishing her chicken salad in the Tupperware bowl.

“What?” He barked.

“I said, you owe me five dollars because now I’m going to have to buy my lunch.”

“Why do I have to buy your lunch?” He said acting like he didn’t understand.

“Because you just ate mine. It has my name on it.”

“Do you know who I am?”

But the administrative assistant held her ground. “Of course I know who you are. I’ve worked here for years!”

Finally he pulled a five dollar bill out of his wallet, wadded it up and threw it at her!

These are the hurricanes.

A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 29:11

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
Proverbs 18:2

Hurricanes are often gifted, brutal narcissists. They get the work done but have blind spots regarding work relationships, especially regarding subordinates. A friend of mine who was a media minister was ordered to fire up the studio cameras for a pastor who was going to be on television. His assistant rolled in several sport coats, and despite my friend having a load of real work to do, he asked him to let him see himself on the monitor with each coat on, one by one,  in order to select the one that made him look the best. The process lasted for two hours.

One of my most frequent prayers is simply, Lord, please shelter me from the hurricanes in my life, and help me to never be one.

There are hurricane people and then there are storm shelter people. These are the safe people who you go to, when life is brutal. You know you will be refreshed, restored, and replenished by them. You won’t get judgment.

I want to be like the man of Isaiah 32:2:

“A man will be as a hiding place from the wind,
And a cover from the tempest,
As rivers of water in a dry place,
As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.”

Oh, if I could be that man for everyone around me! A place to hide in the path of the storm…

Storm Shelters include Barnabas, Jonathan, and John.  They don’t have to be the lead guy. They are fierce in loyalty and love.

Storm Shelter People have some common characteristics:

• They keep secrets. We all need people we can tell our secrets to. They make us whole.  Storm Shelter people keep their word and honor your secrets like a sacred trust.
• They are ruthlessly in your court no matter what. They refuse to walk away when everybody else does.
• Storm Shelter people are truth tellers and yet what they speak is always infused with love and commitment.
• Storm shelter people never stop you mid sentence with “Enough about you, lets talk about me for a minute”  or with a behavior that communicates that phrase. Their nature is listening actively and there’s healing in their silence.

I really want to be a storm shelter to my friends. I want to be a person of the highest integrity and devotion to the people in my tribe. There have been days when I have failed. But I believe I’m getting better at it. God is reinforcing my walls and building my fortifications.

More than being known or admired, I hope I’ll be a shelter to people because there have been so many storm shelter people who have saved my life when the weather radar is swirling in red.

*Here's the Download for the Sermon

Jesus invites us to ask (and keep on asking), to seek (and keep on seeking) to knock (and keep on knocking).  See Matthew 7:7

In this passage, I sense that Jesus is challenging us to pray continually in three different paradigms.

1:  To Ask–  This is the practice of vocalization.

So often my prayers are scattered shards of synapses. These are thought prayers which can be effective, but not as effective as the prayer spoken aloud in the closet. Our vocal chords are effective tools in private prayer when we speak out to God and in ear-shot of the powers and principalities of this dark age. The sound of your voice in prayer speaks volumes, not only to God but to your own soul. Practice making prayers vocal.

You do not have because you do not ask. James 4:2

Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

2.  To Seek– This is the practice of curiosity in prayer.

We enter into a sleuthing of God’s fingerprints in prayer. We are hunting for His movement. Spying his aspect… To seek as a praying believer is to never lose your curiosity in the movement and mystery of the Divine.

You will find Him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” Deuteronomy 4:29).

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

In a sense I believe that all faith has an element of curiosity to it. Think about Peter on the boat. He must have been curious about this water walking business. Think about Zacchaeus. He must have been very curious about the dinner guest to give away such glorious tax refunds. Faith is often a unique mixture of curiosity and desperation. And I would argue that Thomas’ doubting was caused by a curiosity deficit.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it has saved many a sinner.

3. To Knock— This is the practice of initiative.

In order to knock we must first approach the door. I must admit, I have a strange phobia about knocking.  Maybe my scars that those Evangelism Explosion cold calls of the 80s have had a traumatic effect on my psyche. Nothing gets me more anxious, for some reason, than to knock on a door. Some people get a real thrill out of a door knock.  Not me. I admit it. I’m weird that way. Knocking on the door takes initiative and courage. When we knock and no one comes, there’s always that question of how long we should wait before we give up, stop knocking, and move on to the next big idea or possibility. Jesus implored us to continue to knock in prayer, even if there is no answer. Jesus knows what it’s like to stand at the door and knock. He’s been knocking on the doors of churches for years. For some churches, I would imagine that He’s been knocking for centuries with no entry yet granted. But He’s knocking, still knocking patiently.

So think about that when you consider how long you’ve waiting for that mate, that prodigal or that healing. After all, time is relative.

I just finished reading Joanna and Chip Gaines, The Magnolia Story. By the way, it’s a great read, even for guys like me that end up as accidental HGTV viewers. In the book, the Gaines share amazing stories of how their lives intersected and through courage, faith and perseverance God began to build things in their lives that they never dreamed would happen.

For me there is a biblical moment in every one of their shows, It’s the big reveal. They bring the home owners by their newly redesigned house with a huge photo of the pre-renovated house masking its fresh paint, new porch, replaced shutters and new landscaping. Of course, it’s the dramatic climax of every show as they roll the huge photo away, a moment complete with tears, hugs and ‘wow’s.

The biblical moment for me is the connection we find in Ezekiel 40 when God reveals to Ezekiel the New City and the New Temple.

He brought me there (to the new city). In visions of God, He took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. On its southern slope was a structure resembling a city. Ezekiel 40:1-3 (CSB)

This was God’s big reveal as he walked Ezekiel through the New City and Temple which represent a time when we all will see the glory of God’s perfect work. Complete with eye-popping design, renovation and beauty.

I’m reminded that this world is  a fixer upper. The societal landscape is full of weeds, leaky pipes, stained carpet, faulty tile, and messy closets. They present themselves as lies, injustice, starvation, human trafficking, hypocrisy, hate and dirty politics. But even now, God is at work.

We have the same responsibility that Ezekiel received in verse 4:

He spoke to me: “Son of man, look with your eyes, listen with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for you have been brought here so that I might show it to you. Report everything you see.”

We get to share the big reveal of our soon-to-be home, that Jesus is preparing. It’s what we do as believers.

Remember His promise?

 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you.  If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.  You know the way to where I am going.

I don’t know about you, but after a rough year of lies, violence, injustice, terror, and protests, I’m ready for our new digs. In the meantime, let’s do the two things He’s asked us to do. Do “big reveals” of the Kingdom to come and  pick up a hammer and renovate the fixer upper we have in front of our eyes today.

This book contains

• Lion hunts
  
• Giant death matches
• Angel wrestling
• Honeymoon Bride Mix-ups
• Blazing Chariots
• Talking Mules
• Sorcerers
• Sword fights
• Fire-walking
• Streakers
• Supernatural apparitions
• Shipwrecks
• Exorcisms
• Romance
• Nights afloat
• Blues songs
• Bear attacks
• Ambushes
• Snake pits
• Man-eating fish

This book cannot be tamed. It’s not a comedy of manners complete with tea and crumpets. It’s gritty. It is messy. It is divine. I had the wrong idea for a very long time. I used to believe that the Bible was an answer book when all along it was a book comprised of something much greater than answers.

The Bible isn’t just a set of archaic stories for scholars to debate. God help us all if we ever go the way of so many puffed up proof-texters debating Greek verb tenses and  excoriating each other about immoveable objects and unstoppable forces.

The Bible wasn’t written for scholars. It was written for followers.

God didn’t give us the Bible so we could perform intellectual gymnastics. He gave us the Bible so that we would begin to pattern everything in our lives around it. He didn’t give us the Bible so we could make sense of it. He gave us the Bible so that it could make sense of us. In this Book you’ll find flawed heroes who faced giants, floods, betrayal, dungeons, wars, tornadoes, earthquakes, liars, starvation, bankruptcy, illness, shipwrecks, arrows, swords, divorce, and adultery.

This is a Book of danger. Sometimes the good guys die before they win. There are moments of last-minute rescues, unmerited grace, and ultimate victory because there is a Hero who walks over the face of this Book. He’s on every page. He’s in every heartbreak and mindbending moment.

He’s in the stone that sent a giant falling like a tree.
He’s in the furnace that blazes but never burns.
He’s in the deep closets of hopelessness.
He’s riding on the waves.
And we get to see Him soon.

The Bible will ambush your preconceptions and lay siege to the beachheads of your loneliness. I pray the revolution of Holy Words begins today—from your habits to your mission. I pray that everything will be focused around the voice of God; but not in a safe, calculating way but rather in a radical, holy way. It’s the only rabbit hole worth falling into. Listen to the whisper of God through Scripture. Let this journey consume every corner of your life.

When the journey is over, let’s meet up at the big feast. I’ll be the guy trying his darndest to shake hands with Jeremiah. 

As I wait for my prodigal to return, I am learning. I’m learning about family dynamics, addiction, and culture. I am learning about nights awake, bargaining, denial and anything to forget. I’m learning about doubt and all those things never spoken on “Christian” television. I am learning about how deep in the bones we are connected to our kids. And yet I know love is greater than anything else I’ve experienced. Love mixed with wonder not the wonder of the Rockies, of sunsets, or breathtaking moments. No, this is a different kind of wonder. I wonder if I will see the day he is free. I wonder if he’ll disappear one day taking a greyhound to the new far country. I wonder if all these days of praying will be climatically halted by the sound of door, a phone or a siren. Or will I just wait and wonder and wonder and wonder…

Everybody waits…

You’ve waited, mesmerized by the thought you might someday arrive. You ask- When am I going to find His will? Do I have to wait until? You’ve waited for your son to turn to God. You’ve waited for that love of a lifetime to show up. You prayed for a baby you could hold in your arms. You agonized over how that one word “malignancy” could shatter, scatter, all your preconceptions about God. Alone, you’ve wept bitterly. You’ve prayed consistently. You say, “It doesn’t make sense to me.” You laugh whimsically, about dreams you buried long ago. Every yes turned to no. So you are a Christian- but you have nothing to show. You wonder, “Why is everything so difficult for me?” You cry out to a silent God and wonder,

“Does he care?”
“Is He aware?”
“Why am I stuck here in a line that doesn’t move?”
“Who stole my groove?”
“God, sometimes You just don’t make sense.”

Sometimes. Many times. I wince at the thought that this whole thing is a joke on me Not any sort of divine destiny.

Waiting…

Praying…

Faithing…

But you fear. You fear that you’ve missed out

You shout: Are you even listening?

“I’m tired of watching sand fall through the hourglass.”

“When will I be free from pain?”

“Will I ever love again?”

“Why don’t you do something?”

“I’m in prison.”

“I’m stuck.”

“Where is this promised land?”

“All I ever see is sand.”

But as the noisy rush of life winds down. And we stop and listen. When we scan the horizon of our soul, we hear his voice.

Still and small

Over all

He is there.

In the middle of my mess.

In my brokenness.

In his time.

He is ready

We can stand in confidence blest

The teacher never talks during the test.

He IS watching

And I resolve to wait

He is near.

I will surrender my time

To his time

And in His time. I will stand.

Jesus is calling you to give up your temporary life for something eternal.  

In a race, many run but only one wins the Gold. Go for the gold! Swing for the fences! Win the prize. If you want to be an athlete you work out, go through the drills, and treat your body like a temple. And if you win, that’s great! The crowd roars and the trophy is hoisted in the air. But after all the shouting, the stadium empties and the glory days fade. In the grand scheme of things, you don’t hold the crown forever. There will be other races, other teams, and amazing moments, but for us- the crown we get will never fade. This Championship is for the ages.

I Corinthians 9:24-25 (Conversational Bible)

If we really want to hear from God we must be prepared to hear what He says to us. Often, we treat him like Santa Claus. He knows the naughty and nice of our lives and if he checks it twice and we pass, then (as Pedro in Napoleon Dynamite promised) all of our wildest dreams will come true! This is not the economy of Heaven. To change the world we must pray harder prayers. Below is an ancient prayer that often wrecks me when I stumble across it.

The Franciscan Four Fold Prayer

• May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
• May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
• May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
• And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

Here’s an important question I have to ask myself as I listen for God’s voice:

Am I willing to wait for the call of God?

So many times I try to do things that will somehow orchestrate a response from God. I forget that I am the one who is often impatient and unwilling to respond to His whispers.

God still answers our inquiries this way.  

Me:  I thought you were going to provide for my needs.

HIM: Yes, but I have something to teach you.

Me: Didn’t you say that you’ll answer my prayers?

HIM: Yes, but if you’ll just wait on me I’ll answer questions that are more important than your requests.

Me: Can I really know You more, deeper, with more certainty?

HIM: Yes, but it’s going to require everything you have.

We ask questions. He answers with even greater mystery.  

The story of answered prayer throughout scripture is a testament to the irony of grace. I’ve experienced the same unpredictable God that my brothers who died thousands of years ago experienced.

They asked for multitude. God gave them a remnant.

They asked for comfort. God gave them a cross.

They asked for control. God showed them a whirlwind.

And some say God doesn’t answer prayers?

Waiting is personal for me as I wait for a prodigal to return to God.  

I wait and wonder.

Pray again.

Question.

Pray some more.

Look under the hood.

Pull out the books.

Read.

Listen to way too many stories of other sons and other fathers.

Pray some more and then:

“Oh my! It’s been 10 years of waiting!”

I hear-tell some have waited much longer.

Frankly, I’m tired of hearing about fake news. Fake news draws in the gullible at an alarming rate. You’ve certainly had friends on social media post links about all sorts of deliberately crafted lies in order to press an agenda. And It’s not just the world outside the church. We see incredulous, hyperbolic news to support the Christian worldview also. But we all know that the concept of fake news is not new. And it’s not confined to social media. It’s not only from TV preachers and Christian music that doesn’t square up to the truth about life or God. Lots of fake news just sneaks into our consciousness like a theif, stealing our joy, courage and authenticity. The enemy has been posting fake news for centuries. Here are four examples of fake news many Christians believe.

God will accept you once you get your act together.

We so often fail to approach the throne with confidence because we feel that Jesus is angry and dissatisfied with us as followers. We magnify all our failures and live in a shadow of shame and self-condemnation.

Here’s a truth bomb from Brother Paul:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:1

After the resurrection Jesus pursued a reunion with a denier, a doubter, and a number of deserting disciples.

He’s not the ogre waiting for us to forget to floss so he can swat us with his golden fly swatter. He’s not a passive god who sits around drumming his fingers on the throne, watching CNN for the latest on world-sized problems while yawning at our infinitesimal requests.

That’s not who God is. He is with you and He is for you.

Salvation happens when you get all the facts right.

Salvation is not an intellectual hoop to jump through. It is belief in Jesus even though you are sometimes struggling to understand everything. Children certainly don’t understand everything and yet Jesus tells us to come to Him as children with all our uncertainties and struggles.

The church often minimizes the process of salvation to a doctrinal game of jeopardy. On the contrary, your faith is not dependent upon you having the correct view of the 70 weeks of Daniel. Thank you, Jesus!  It has always been about faith and faith is not without its mysteries. In fact, faith is all about the mystery. Celebrate the mysteries and love Jesus.

If you pray right, you’ll get everything you request.

One of the greatest struggles most believers experience is the perplexity of unanswered prayers.  It’s easy for us to view prayer as a giant vending machine with the candy bar stuck in the machinery. The more we invest in it the more frustrating we become with the process. This is the time to move forward in prayer knowing that God has a better view of our lives than we do. Trust that He will work in His own way and His own time. But NEVER stop partnering with Him in prayer. You will find the reward of unanswered prayers: greater faith and dependence upon God.

God wants you to be pain free. 

Pain is one of God’s greatest teaching tools. The pain you experience will further your growth, cause you to depend on Him, and allow you to help others.

Paul’s thorn in the flesh, though a mystery, was painful. Still he writes:

So there you have it–Four fake news items all Christians struggle with from time to time. What fake news have you discovered. I’d love to here about it. Hopefully discovering fake news is good news today!

A hymn or worship reading.

#1:The gospel is the story that pierces,

#3: molds,

#1: feeds,

#2: reveals,

#3: penetrates,

#1: sanctifies,

#3: heals,

#1: humbles,

#2: and saves.

#3: “Tell me the story,” we sing,

#1: and they did—

#3: that great cloud of witnesses.

#2: And the story continues—

#3: the story of Abraham, the pilgrim,

#1: Isaac, the miracle,

#2: Joshua, the conqueror,

#3: Amos, the prophet,

#1: Moses, the deliverer,

#2: Elijah, the challenger,

#3: John the Baptist,

#1: Mary Magdalene, the redeemed,

#2: Peter the Rock,

#3: Paul the apostle,

#1: and John the Beloved,

#2: whose mortal ears heard what we long to hear:

#3: the voices of the angels singing around the throne of our King Jesus.

All: Holy—Holy—Holy!

#3: The story marched through the ages with resolve and purpose. These were the men and women who trusted the ancient truthes found on the pages of God’s word

#2: Martin Luther,

#1: Joan of Arc,

#3: St. Francis of Assisi,

#3: William Carey,

#1: John Knox,

#2: John Wesley,

#3: B. B. McKinney,

#1: R. G. Lee,

#2: Jim Elliot,

#1: Karl Bart,

#2: Annie Armstrong,

#3: Fanny Crosby,

#1: Lottie Moon,

#2: D. L. Moody,

#1: Corrie Ten Boom,

#3: Watchman Nee,

#1: Martin Luther King, Jr.,

#3: Mother Teresa,

#2: and all those who are called to listen

#3: and to serve

#1: and to tell the story.

#2: to write on their heart every word.

#3:And the story continues.

#1: What story will you leave on Earth?

#3: Will it be your story?

#2: Or will it be His Story?

#1: What story will you tell throughout your days?

#3: Let us tell it well.

All: (Whispered) Amen