The Author of My Story

What an honor to be here. Praise the Lord, everybody. Isn't it a privilege to be in this service this afternoon? I commend you for your attendance and your interest in this ministry.

This is a special week in our lives — Beverly and myself. On Monday I celebrated my 36th birthday, but those digits are backwards. And today is our 42nd anniversary, and I've had the privilege of being married to beautiful Beverly for over four decades. On Monday night I had the opportunity of preaching a youth camp — can you imagine that? And today I have the high privilege of preaching at the very first Sages service that I've ever been privileged to be part of. And I'm so glad it's in Indiana, this wonderful district filled with powerful ministers and pastors, faithful saints of God. And it's such an honor to share this service with you today. Brother Jordan, thank you for the warm welcome from this district. And Brother Hayner, thank you for the privilege of today. It truly is a privilege.

Four years ago this month, we transitioned at Capital Community Church, and I passed the leadership over to Pastor Jack Leaman, and he's doing a wonderful job. And we were having some fellowship out on the lawn after, and I was just going around making sure everybody was good, and it had been a wonderful transition service. And one of our sweet ladies came up to me and said, "Oh, Pastor, you are going to love retirement." She said, "There are so many days I don't even get out of my pajamas. In fact, many days I sleep in till well into the afternoon." I said, "Sister, I think we're talking about two different things here — your retirement and my retirement." I am so grateful that while we retire from jobs and careers and positions, we don't retire from the kingdom of God. God has a work for every person to do, and that includes all of us.

And so I'm going to get right to the Word of the Lord. I believe there's going to be an outpouring in Indiana today — I hope we have a spiritual one to match the physical one. Wasn't this worship team absolutely amazing? If you're like me, you were singing along and you didn't need the screen, because those were the songs we cut our teeth on. And I would be remiss if I didn't say, "Brother Anderson, what an absolute joy. Is there a style you cannot play?" Amazing. It's just such a privilege to be here and hear that and sing. And I'm so grateful.

I want to preach to you in this service today. And I'm aware of the time — and your time. But I want to preach to you something that has burrowed itself into my spirit in the last few weeks. I want to speak to you about the author of my story.

The year was 1961, and the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States was in full swing. Unfortunately, at that point, it looked like the Communists were winning. Four years earlier, Russia's Sputnik 1 satellite had become the first man-made object to orbit the Earth, on October the 4th, 1957. And now, on April the 12th, 1961, it looked like America had lost again, as Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel into space aboard the Vostok One spacecraft. And that put a lot of pressure on President John F. Kennedy. In fact, it led directly to his challenge to Congress just six weeks later, on May the 25th, 1961, to send an American safely to the moon and back before the end of the decade. Many of you were alive at that point, and you remember those events. The task would require years of effort and enormous expenditure and considerable risk. But your president, President Kennedy, considered it necessary if America was going to achieve mastery of space, and also do something else: to win the battle between freedom and tyranny back here on Earth. Because the Soviet Union was exploiting their superiority in space every single day for political purposes.

After cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin returned from space, Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev made an anti-religious speech before the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party. That speech promoted atheism. It attacked Christianity. And he even dared to boast against God Himself. He said in that speech, "Why are you clinging to God? Look — Gagarin flew into space, and saw no God there." That led to one of the most famous propaganda posters in Soviet history. It was produced shortly thereafter. It featured a mocking Russian cosmonaut — he's in space, and he's looking around — and a caption underneath it that says, in the Russian tongue, "There is no God." And of course, Christians around the world were shocked by such blatant disrespect and such unbelief.

But back in America, one New York magazine had an idea. They asked author and theologian C.S. Lewis to respond to the Russians. And he did so brilliantly, in an essay that he titled "The Seeing Eye." And here's what he said — it's so brilliant. Many years later, he said: "You don't relate to God the way a person living in an apartment on the first floor relates to a person living in an apartment on the second floor." In other words, you can't find God just by moving up a little higher in our own space. Instead, C.S. Lewis said, "Our relationship to God is more like William Shakespeare's relationship to his literary characters — Hamlet, and Macbeth, and Othello, and Romeo." You see, William Shakespeare invented those characters, and that's how we should relate to God. You can study all of Shakespeare's plays, and you can pronounce, "I saw no Shakespeare there." But that doesn't change the fact that William Shakespeare existed. In some sense, William Shakespeare is on every single page of every one of his plays — just like our God is on every page of the universe that He created. But you see, Hamlet and Romeo and Macbeth and Othello — they're not aware of Shakespeare's presence, just as atheists are not aware of God's existence. The fact is that Hamlet, or Romeo, can only know about William Shakespeare if the author writes himself into the story — and then the character gets to meet him. And in the very same way, we can only know about God if the author writes Himself into our world, and then we get to meet Him. Aren't you glad that that's exactly what God has done? He is the author of my story.

We begin with one very beautiful and powerful English word. It's found in two verses in Hebrews. It actually comes from two different Greek words, but it's translated the same. And it tells us that Jesus is the author of my story. Hebrews 5 and verse 9: "And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." And here's one you probably know even better than that one — Hebrews 12 and 2: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

So let me tell you how this works. Jesus is the author of His story — or we might say He's the author of all of history. Because "author" means the underlying cause, the primary source, the essential origin. The God we've been worshiping in this place today — He is amazing. He is the architect of creation. He is the maker of man. He is the engineer of redemption. He is the composer of salvation. He is the founder of forgiveness, and the designer of this glorious church. He's the wordsmith of revelation. And He's the poet of prophecy. He is the genius behind grace. And He is the builder of every blessing you've ever enjoyed in your life. But best of all, He is the biographer of our lives. Yes, Jesus is also the author of my story — not just His story, or history. He's the author of my personal story. Aren't you glad about it?

See, we've lived long enough, most of us, to realize this. We've lived long enough to know that if it had not been for the Lord, who was on my side, my story would have been a whole lot different. And our wonderful Creator — He has left clues to His existence everywhere in creation. And He's also left love notes everywhere in my life and in your life. On your birthday: that was the day He started your story. And that was also the day that He wrote you into His story. But this author of the eternities — here's what He did: He created you with a little flaw. He created you with a little deficiency. He lovingly and tenderly crafted your character to feel alone, and empty, and unfulfilled — to always be searching, to be never quite content — until you finally get to meet and know the author of your story.

And brothers and sisters — all of you wonderful Sages — here's what I know: if you want to know the author, you've got to know His book. If you want to know the author, you've got to love His book. I'm so grateful for the Bible, the Scripture, the Word of God. This book has sustained me when I couldn't sustain myself, but I'm thankful that the author wrote this book for me. If you want to know the author, you've got to know the book.

Now, any great story has some tension in the plot. And what keeps us reading is that the tension isn't resolved until the final chapter. Every memorable novel creates that tension using two devices. We didn't invent these — we really discovered them in ancient documents like the Holy Bible. First of all, there's the protagonist — that's the main character; that's the hero of the story. And then there's an antagonist — that's the adversary of the hero. Now, of course, our God — He is the protagonist of the Scripture. He's behind every story. He's behind every triumph. He's behind every victory from Genesis to Revelation. And of course, Satan is the adversary. He's the enemy of God and His people, and he's the enemy from the prologue all the way to the epilogue. He's called in Scripture many names. He's a liar. He's an accuser. He's a tempter. He's a deceiver. He's known as a murderer. He's a wicked slanderer. He's an evil adversary. He tries to pounce on us like a roaring lion, seeking to devour our faith.

But I have news for the devil. And I have news for all of you. The devil is not the author. He's just the antagonist. He appears on a page here, and a paragraph here, and a chapter over here. But I don't have to worry about the adversary when I know the author of the entire story. The devil is not in charge of my life. Jesus is in charge of my life. And the devil, furthermore, he's totally blinded to the fact that the author is only using him, all through the chapters of time, to accomplish His own eternal purpose.

Look at this — Acts 3:15: "You killed the author of life." This is what Peter said to the crowd that was gathered, all the Pharisees and Sadducees and the Sanhedrin: "You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this." You tried to do away with the author. Good luck on that. He's the Creator of all the universe. You can't do anything against Him.

First Corinthians chapter 2, Paul picks up the same theme, and he says: "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory." Watch this: none of the princes of this world knew. They didn't recognize the wisdom of God. If they had known what God was up to when Calvary happened, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Calvary looked like a dead end, but it was an open door. Calvary looked like a death, but it was actually eternal life. Calvary — it looked like a terrible mistake, but it was actually a miracle. Calvary looked like a defeat, but it was actually our victory. If the princes of this world had had a clue what God was up to, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Paul goes on to say: "But as it is written: Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Now, if some of us live long enough, we're going to die, and they're going to have our funeral, and somebody will probably get up and read that verse at some of our funerals — that eye has not seen and ear has not heard — and they'll be talking about heaven. And that's fine, because I'm sure there are things in heaven that our eyes haven't seen, and our ears haven't heard, and it hasn't entered into our heart. But can I tell you: that is not what that verse is talking about. It's not talking about heaven. Look at the next verse: "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit, for the Spirit searcheth all things — yea, the deep things of God."

Here's what's so wonderful about your age group and my age group. We've lived long enough to realize that God reveals things, and God leads us along, and God sustains us through trials. And if you live long enough, you'll see some miracles that your eye has never seen, and your ears never heard about, and it hasn't even entered into your heart. For some of you, the next miracle on your horizon is a backslidden grandchild walking down an aisle in a church in Indiana — or some other state — and coming back to God. And you've been praying for that for a long time. Let me tell you: I know the author of the story, and the last chapter isn't written yet in your family. Don't you give up. Don't you give up. Don't you lose hope, because God is writing your story. Oh, I wish somebody would praise Him for a minute. Yes. Yes.

If you want to understand what the author is doing — if you want to understand what He's doing with history, or with prophecy, or with your own destiny — you've got to understand this book. And that's one of the reasons that we need to have the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We are not like others — a Pentecostal denomination who talks about the history of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We are a fellowship that believes in the immediacy — the right-now baptism of the Holy Ghost. We have Holy Ghost fire in our lives, and in our hearts, and in our churches, and in our services. And the reason we need it, among many other reasons, is that if you know the author, you read the book differently. The Holy Ghost will speak to you out of these sacred pages.

Now, this idea that God is the author — that's not just a casual little metaphor to give us some comfort when we're having a little struggle. Believing that the Bible is literally God-breathed is a foundational truth for the apostolic church. Scripture itself bears witness that while men may have held the pen, God wrote the Bible. This is not just a sacred book. This is a supernatural book. Other books can inform you; let me tell you, this book can transform you. Second Peter — Peter said: "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God — they spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." You need to know this book, because you'll get to meet the author in the pages of this book.

And let me tell you: the promises of the Word of God — they are not just for an ancient people in a different land, on a different continent. Paul wrote to us, and he said, all the promises of God in Jesus are yes, and in Jesus are amen. And so we can pull back a promise in the Old Testament, when the Bible says, "I am the Lord that healeth thee." I know God said that to Israel — I've got a brain, I can figure that out. But it's also a promise to me, because all the promises of God are yes and amen in Jesus. Oh my goodness. I know it was an Old Testament prophet who said, "I speak to the north: Give up. And to the south: Hold not back. Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth." But you see, I've got permission from Paul to say: "All of the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yes and amen." So I'm going to pray that promise over backsliders. I speak to the north: Give up. I speak to the south: Hold not back. Bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Oh my.

This idea that God is the author — it isn't just an imaginary notion either. Three times in the pages of Scripture, we literally see God writing with His own finger. That's how supernatural this book is. The first time is on Mount Sinai, when Moses receives the law of God, and he initiates the covenant of the Old Testament. Exodus 31:18: "And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave him two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God." Now, I know there's a lot of people, in a lot of churches and denominations today, that they trash-talk the law of God. In fact, there's even a growing movement in Christianity that trash-talks the entire Old Testament. It doesn't matter. It's not for us. It doesn't apply. Let me tell you: the New Testament church — their Bible was the Old Testament. The New Testament hadn't been written yet. Jesus quotes from the Old Testament more than just about anybody else. Paul and Peter and James and John — they preach from the Old Testament. The Old Testament is not just something that came before, that has no relevance. The Bible says the law is holy. The law is good. The law is perfect. The law is spiritual. It was the law that brought us the knowledge of sin. And it is the law that is our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. No wonder the law has that kind of power, because the law was written with the finger of God. I am not going to dispute something that God wrote with His own hand. I am not going to discount something that God invested in humanity. So I thank God for the law. We wouldn't know what kind of trouble we were in with God, had it not been for His commandments. When you give a commandment to your child, you're not doing that to hurt them. You're doing that to protect them and bless them. Our God is not an unfaithful father when He gives us a commandment. It's for our own benefit. So as for me — you do what you want — I don't care whether it's Old Testament or New Testament. If the New Testament church embraced it, I'm going to embrace it, whether it came from either testament, because that law was written by the finger of God.

The second time we see God write is in a pagan palace in the nation of Babylon, where King Belshazzar has invited a thousand of his lords to a great feast. And he has dared to desecrate the holy vessels taken from the temple in Jerusalem when Jerusalem fell. And this pagan king is using those vessels to drink his wine and worship his idols. He's got a big head. He thinks, "I rule an empire, and I smashed Jerusalem, and I conquered the Jews, so I'm invincible." But then this happens, in Daniel 5 and 5: "In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace. And the king saw the part of the hand that wrote." The God who brought His people out of Egypt with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm — He's about ready to knock Babylon down. He's not even going to bother to use His hand or His arm. He's just going to use His finger. And when God wrote that judgment on that wall that night, Babylon fell. God would not allow Belshazzar's arrogant defiance to go unchallenged. But it only took God's finger to knock Babylon down. If God could do that to a mighty ancient empire, what in the world do you think God could do for you today, in a service like this? If He just touches you with His hand, anything could happen. Any healing can happen. Any deliverance can happen. Any miracle can happen.

Now, you might miss the third time that God wrote, unless you understand a big Bible truth called the incarnation. You see, the great King of eternity — He emptied Himself of His glory, and He took upon Himself the likeness of men. The Word that had spoken the world into existence now took on flesh, so He could come into our existence. He didn't come to condemn us. He came to save us. He didn't come because He wanted to judge us. He came because He loved us. When He came, truth and mercy reconciled. And when He came, righteousness and peace embraced. And so, when a mob of self-righteous men showed up, and they tossed an unrighteous woman at the feet of Jesus, God used His finger one more time. He didn't use it to point at her. He used it to point at them. John 8:6: "This they said, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him." They think they've got Jesus in a no-win scenario. "Jesus, you know what the law says. What do you say? The law says she should be stoned. What do you say? We hear you're showing mercy to all these people, and you're saying you can forgive sins. What do you say?" They think they've got Him in a no-win scenario, because either He's going to disrespect the law and say it doesn't matter, and then He's going to be judged — or He's going to actually let them put this woman to death, and that will do away with Jesus' reputation as a merciful Messiah. So they think they've got Him boxed in a corner. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger — that wasn't just the finger of a prophet, or a rabbi. That was God robed in flesh. And with His finger, He wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. They had demanded that Jesus make a choice between law and forgiveness. "What do you say, Jesus?" And when He was offered the choice between law and forgiveness — you know what He did? He chose both. He said, "Okay, you like the law. Then you can cast stones at her. Only here's the forgiveness part: let him who is without sin cast the first stone." And then the author of our salvation just stooped down, and let them stew for a few minutes, and He just continued to write in the ground, until eventually they all walked away, convicted by their own conscience.

Now, you know, because you're Bible lovers: the Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus wrote. But we know what any author writes: they write to tell a story. We don't know what He wrote in the ground. Some people think He wrote the sins of the men that were standing around. Some people think He wrote the names of the men who'd actually had relations with that immoral woman. Some people think He wrote a verse from Jeremiah that says they are distant from God, so their sins will be written in the ground — and maybe He wrote that on the ground. Some people just think He may have written her sin on the ground — that He might have written the big word "adultery" on the ground. And I like that theory just about as good as any. I can't prove it. I'm not sure of it. You may have a different idea. And if your pastor preached something different, he's right, and Woodward's wrong. Okay? We got that.

But here's what I think. Jesus is the author of our eternal salvation. He knows that anything written in the dirt, in the dust, on the ground, is temporary. If you go to the beach, and you write your name and your sweetheart's name, and you put a big heart around it in the sand, and you walk away — guess what? The tide's going to come in, and it's going to obliterate that. Maybe Jesus just wrote the word "adultery." Or maybe He just wrote her name. And He knew that the ground would be trampled, and the dust would be disturbed. Here's what He was maybe saying: that anything I write in the dirt — it's temporary. It can be wiped out. It can be changed. I think maybe the author of the ages is just saying: her sin isn't the final chapter of her life. Her mistake isn't the final chapter of her story. And so He says, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more." Lady: it's a new day. It's a new start. It's a new life. It's a new page. It's a new chapter. It's a new story. It's a whole new book.

And I'm thankful Jesus did that for her. But I'm so thankful He did that for us — because not all of us grew up on Pentecostal pews. Some of us have a past. But the author of my story — He steps into every life in this room, and He can erase the past, and He can give you a future. It's what Paul's talking about in 2 Corinthians 5: "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things — " Somebody say, "All." Somebody shout, "All." " — all things are become new."

Now, I'm a teacher, so I just can't help myself. I have to meddle a little bit. But I shouldn't meddle in the pulpit, so I'll stand over here. So here's the thing: there are many good men that study the Scripture and preach the Scripture, and many good men have differing opinions on something that is commonly called generational curses. Some people believe that if your great-grandpa did something, and invited sin into your family tree, that it affects you. And some people believe that if your grandma did this, or she was evil in some way, that it can affect you and your children. Let me tell you where all of those wonderful preachers come together: it's right here in this verse. If any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. It doesn't matter what the devil did. It doesn't matter what your grandmother did. It doesn't matter what sin did. If you're in Christ, He's erased that, and He's written a new chapter in your story, because He's the author of your story. Old things are passed away, and all things are become new.

But Christianity isn't just the decision of a moment. Christianity is the dedication of a life. The new birth is a wonderful page in your story. But for many of us — for most of us — the new birth is in the rearview mirror a good piece. It is not the whole book. The same God who led the Israelites wants to lead us. And as God leads you — and you've had some history, and you've had some journeys — as God leads you in your story, there will be some puzzling paragraphs, and some confusing chapters along the way. You know very well that there will be some pages that make you cry, and some pages that make you pray. There will be days that you feel like giving up, but then you flip a page, and you walk smack into deliverance. There will be moments that make you think your story is over, but then you flip one chapter, and you run right into a miracle. There will be seasons when you don't see God's hand, but you learn to trust His heart. There will be times you don't even feel His presence, but that's when you'll learn to stand on His promise, that I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The oldest book in your Bible — not the first book, but the oldest book — is the book of Job. And in the middle of his terrible trial, Job said these words, chapter 23: "Behold, I go forward, but He's not there. I look backward, but I can't perceive Him. On the left hand, they tell me that God's working over there, but I can't behold Him. And He seems to be hiding Himself on the right hand, and I can't see Him there. I've looked all around in my life, and I can't perceive God anywhere. They tell me He's faithful. They tell me He loves me. They tell me He's for me, but I can't see Him. I don't know where He is." I'm not asking for a show of hands — but I think it would be a lot. Is there anybody here that you've gone through seasons when you wondered where God was in your story? You've walked through seasons that you wondered if He had forgotten where you were, and He'd almost forgotten your name, and the nights were long, and the days seemed dreary, and you were trying to hang on. Let me tell you what Job did in the middle of his story. Job just told us, "I don't know where God is." Then he says, "But He knoweth the way that I take." I don't know where God is, but I have confidence that God knows exactly where I am. Oh, I've been at that place a few times in my life. I didn't know where in the world God was. I had prayed until I felt like I couldn't pray anymore. And I didn't know if God had forgotten my address and my name. But I had a confidence that sustained me through that season: that although I couldn't see God, I knew God could see me. Although I couldn't hear God, I knew God could hear me. Although I didn't know where God was, I had confidence that God knew where I was. And then, in the middle of his terrible trial, Job said, "He knows the way that I take. And so, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." I can't tell you when I'm coming out of this trial. I don't control that. I don't know if God's going to heal me tomorrow, or next week, or three months from now. I can't tell you when I'm coming out of this trial, but I can tell you how I'm coming out of this trial. Whenever God answers, whenever God shows up, whenever the miracle occurs — I shall come forth as gold. I am not coming out of this bitter. I'm not coming out of this backslidden. I am coming out with my hands lifted up, and my voice lifted in praise. I shall come forth as gold.

I need to say something to all you wonderful people in this place today. One of the greatest contributions you make to your church is the faithfulness of a lifetime lived for God. Because young people and new believers who are struggling — they look at you, and they think, "My goodness, if they can make it for 40 years, for 50 years, for 60 years, I think I can get through this week. If that sister that's in a wheelchair, and her body is racked with pain — if she can come to church, and get a little arthritic arm up in the air, and worship Jesus — I guess I can make it one more day. If that brother can come in on crutches, and he can give God a praise, and arthritis has limited his mobility — I guess maybe I can just get up and worship God one more time." Thank you for the faithfulness of a lifetime serving God. It is not wasted. It has value. It has an impact. You are the foundation of this church.

I wish you'd lift up your hands. I'm almost done. Lift up your voice. There's nothing like a seasoned voice. There's nothing like Sages' voices, lifted up in praise to God. I know the young people have more energy — I get it; I'm in your group. But don't ever let them out-worship you. Your worship may sound a little different. It may look a little different, and it might be mobility limited — but don't let it be seat-tethered. Don't just say, "Well, I'm just going to sit here and wait till it's over." No. When you get in church, that's the time. If you can use your strength to walk around Walmart, you can use your strength to walk about Zion. If you can use your strength to go hither and yon, you can use your strength to get to the altar. You might have to sit down when you get here, but it's an example to every young person in our churches. I'm not going to sit back and say, "I'm retired." I'm going to keep walking with Jesus.

Oh my. Let me head toward a conclusion. You know how this works, because you've been in church a long time. You know when pastor says "almost done," you know he's lying. Even in the pulpit, he's lying. Jeremiah 29:11 — God says through the prophet: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "I have plans to prosper you and not to harm you. I have plans to give you hope and a future." Oh my goodness. He's the one who's writing my story. So I trust the Creator of my world. And I trust the Captain of my vessel. And I trust the Savior of my soul. And I trust the Lord of my life. And I trust the author of my story.

My missionary friend Steve Willoughby — he wrote something not too long before he passed. He said: "Jesus, I trust You. I love You. Devil, you are not the boss of me. You are not the Lord of me. You have no authority in my life. You can't do anything unless God gives You permission. You're just the adversary — but my God is the author of my story."

And Paul takes a little turn in the New Testament — 2 Corinthians 3:3: "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us — watch this — written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. This story is not written in tables of stone, but it's written in fleshly tables of the heart." God is writing your story. And you are the book. You're the book that other people see. You're the book that other people encounter. Make sure, when they see you and they read your life, make sure they get a beautiful picture of Jesus.

I refuse to grow up and turn into a critic. I refuse to grow up and turn into a grumbler, or a mumbler, or a complainer. Do I like everything? Oh my goodness, no. I don't like everything. I think there's a whole lot of people doing a whole lot wrong. But Paul sat in a jail in Rome, and wrote these words in Philippians chapter 1. He said: "Some of them are frauds, and some of them are phonies, and some of them are glad I'm in prison. But I'm going to sit here in this jail cell, and I'm going to rejoice that Christ is preached." My goodness — if he can do that, I can sit through a church service when I don't agree with everything that might have gone on, and I didn't like every song that they sang, and I might not even have cared for some of the sermon that pastor preached. But I refuse to grow up and become a critic of that which saved me. I refuse to grow up and become a grumbler, and a mumbler, and a complainer about this church. I feel about the church like Pilate had to admit about Jesus: "I find no fault in the church. I find no fault in it." This church preached to me, and this church helped me raise my children, and they love this truth, and they're raising their kids to love this truth. I have no complaints about the church. My life is here.

Psalm 139:16 — the psalmist said: "God, You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." That's pretty amazing. God knew about the sickness, even though you didn't. God knew about the terrible trial, even though it caught you off guard. God knew. Aren't you glad that you are not the author of your own story? Your story is not an autobiography that you write yourself. It is a biography written by the author who loves you. Every turn of the narrative is filled with His mercies. Every sudden twist of the plot is something that eventually will work together for your good. Every unexpected trial you've ever gone through becomes a tool that conforms you into His image. Every new chapter advances His eternal purpose. Every page unfolds a new day that He has made. And I've just determined: I'm going to look for a reason to rejoice in it. Even the enemies that have appeared in your story are meant for your good, and His glory.

So let me plagiarize Paul for a moment: "What shall we then say to these things? If the author is for us, who can be against us?" The devil can write some bad stuff into your story. The world can write some deep hurts into your story. You can make some mistakes. And it's a dark night. And it's a dreary chapter. But when you trust the author, there's a new page coming.

Last couple of scriptures here. There's another great word in Hebrews 12 and verse 2: He's not only the author of my story. He's the finisher of my faith. He completes what He started. And so you don't have to worry that He's going to drop you, or leave you, or forsake you. And my last verse: Paul wrote, in Philippians chapter 1 and verse 6: "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ." I have confidence that Jesus is working in my life, for my good, every moment.

Would you stand with me in the house of God? Thank you for your kind attention. I'm so honored to be here. Would you reach over — many of you are with your spouse; some of you are standing with friends — would you reach over to somebody, and would you put your hand on their shoulder? And I'd like you to pray for them right now, while they pray for you. Thank You, Jesus. He's been faithful to us, church. There's nothing you're walking through right now. There's nothing your sweet little family has encountered, that He didn't already see it. All you can see is this page. He's already written the next chapter. He will not leave you. He will not forsake you. He will hold you up, and He will hold you together. He's already gone ahead of you, and He's made a way where right now there seems to be no way. You don't have to worry about tomorrow. You know the author of your story. I wish you'd just spin the volume dial on that prayer right now. Just turn it up just a little bit. There's a wonderful anointing that's in this room right now.

Thank You, Jesus. Oh my goodness. Could I ask you to do one more thing? And I'm not going to keep you. You prayed for the people beside you. I'm going to ask you to take a little walk, and find somebody else that's maybe behind you, across the aisle from you. And if you're a couple, I'd like you to find maybe another couple, and just lay your hands on them, and pray with them for their family and their children. If you're a single adult, if you're a single senior, I'd like you to find somebody else — a lady with a lady, and men with men. I'd like you to find somewhere else. Just take a little walk in the sanctuary. We've got just a moment for this before we go. When you find them, you don't need to even know their name, and you certainly don't need to know the details of their situation, but I'd like you to turn this sanctuary into a prayer room right now. If you know that they're sick in their body, pray in Jesus' name for their healing. There's a new chapter coming. If you know they have a backslider in their family — my goodness, join with them. It's already burdening their heart. Join with them, and encourage them a little bit with your prayer today. There's another chapter coming. We know the author of the story. Oh my.