THE JUSTUS SCROLLS, Recollections of An Almost Apostle
Paul D. Morris
M.Div., Ph.D.

Author | Retired Pastor/Counselor
Teacher | Seminar Leader

SUMMARY AND WEBSITE MAP

Here is a list of every literary article on this website. Updated every time a new piece is added. This is the easiest way to access the articles. As of today's date, 12/4/2023, there are 139 articles here for your pleasure and spiritual edification, including the adapted passages in the "Garden of Grace."

PREQUEL

  1. Morris Biographical Abstract: Background and biography of Dr. Paul Morris

  2. My Prayer: Prayer and dedication of this website

  3. A Word for the Uninitiated: Brief orientation to the website

  4. Contact: Contact Dr. Morris

THE JUSTUS SCROLLS

  • The Justus Scrolls,FREE TO READ: The story of Jesus as told by the disciple NOT CHOSEN to replace Judas Iscariot among the apostles.

  • Who is Justus?: Identifies the historical man and the character in the book

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  • Why Choose Justus?: Explains why Joseph bar Sabbas, called Justus was chosen to tell the story of Jesus.

  • Snippets From the Narrative: Selections from the book to give the reader a feel for the story and the writing.

  • Reader Reviews: What others think after reading the book.

  • Google's BARD AI: A review done by Google's Artificial Intelligence engine. Independent machine review.

  • Order Print Version: How to order a printed copy of "The Justus Scrolls."

    THE WALKING STICK

  • Access The Walking Stick: All real saints are fashioned in the crucible of God.

    THESIS 96

  • 21st Century Jesus: With this reminder comes my prayer that it will give us all cause to take comfort in him who is the God of all comfort.

  • About Thesis 96: Where the name 'Thesis 96' came from and why.

  • Accomplishment of Grace What can grace accomplish? What can it do?

  • Actionable Love How others know that we are connected with God.

  • Added Value Jesus was and is human in every respect except for the properties of his body.

  • Anxiety/Angst: Employong the healing power of the WORD.

  • A Place for Experience in Biblical Truth: Christ followers see no issue with interpreting the Scriptures to align with human experience rather than the reverse.

  • Apollos: Since the days of Martin Luther it has been suggested that Apollos was the author of the epistle to the Hebrews.

  • Biblical Prophecy?: There isn't much left of chicanery that hasn't been passed off as legitimate biblical prophecy.

  • Birthright: We were born into this life; each of us with divine purpose and rationale.

  • Big Brother Billy: What happens when you can't hold on to God.

  • Born Again: Jesus nailed it!

  • Choices: All of us make choices every day, but by what values are they guided?

  • Church Authority?: Authority cannot be authority without sanction.

  • Connecting with God: Although I have met God in the Bible, what I know of God is not confined to the Bible.

  • Cost of the Call:Price one might pay for abandoning the call of God in his life.

  • Conversation with God: I get fidgity whenever I see pieces that have God talking words that do not come from the Bible.

  • Demon of the Sore Back: NEVER blame outside forces for natural consequences.

  • Failing: If one is facing debilitating crisis, this is indeed encouraging news.

  • Factoring Viral Disaster: "A single death is a tragedy. A million is a statistic." -- the succinct opinion of Josef Stalin.

  • Fighting Back: Since the Scriptures declare that "God is Love" (1 Jn. 4:8,16), it makes sense that we should view our enemies through the eyes of a loving God.

  • The Forfeiture of Grace: Grace is from God. The forfeiture of grace is the forfeiture of Truth.

  • Grace to the Power of Infinity: In life's struggle, it is perhaps too easy to belittle God's ability to supply our needs.

  • Here I Sit on the Outside: God NEVER forgets who you are, where you are, your purpose and destiny.

  • I Believe: Christian Theology as expressed by Dr. Morris

  • Imagine That: Imagination and understanding Scripture

  • In Harm's Way: How willing are you to place yourself in harm's way for the purposes of God?

  • Is it Praise or a Religious Belch?: What is meant by praising God?

  • Is The Bible the Word of God?: All understanding of scripture must be subject to who Jesus was and is.

  • Jesus and Hell: What Jesus said about the reality of Hell.

  • Just A Little Bit of Good: Certain individuals have no parameters, no limitations to their evil intent and actions.

  • Liberty and Character: Christian liberty builds Christian character.

  • Old Wineskins: What happens when we wear out -- too tired to serve God?.

  • Paul Tournier and Me:Tournier had no theological education, as I have had. I have had no medical training, as did he.

  • Perfection: Something to look forward to.

  • Pope John Paul II: Tribute to a great man.

  • Power of Through: In short, in Grace and Truth, God has given us Himself through his Son, Jesus Christ.

  • Rejecting the Forgiver: The one thing that seems to elude scientific research is the existence of God. .

  • Say What?: Understanding the evolution of the church.

  • Seeing Him Who is Invisible: Our invisible God is no longer invisible.

  • Selective Redemption?: Do we have a choice in whether or not we receive the grace of God?

  • Siblings and Friends: The most important force in human existence.

  • Singular and Uncommon: An honor of unimaginable proportions. It is all any of us can hope for.

  • Sweeping Grace: Doubtless, the most sweeping energy within the broad scope of grace is the energy of redemption.

  • Submission in Love and Marriage: The idea behind submission in marriage concerns mutuality of support, not domination or command.

  • The "Apostle" Paul: I've a suspicion that an old, grizzled apostle will be the first to meet us and give us a hug!

  • The Lens: A Theological discussion of the humanness of Jesus Christ.

  • Then Comes the Kiln: How God uses stress and pain in our lives.

  • Thesis 96 Manifesto: The theological "skeleton" of the Thesis 96 ministry.

  • The WORD: The Word in the Bible, and the WORD of God.

  • The Work of the Ministry: Paul and Barnabas were faced with the work of this ministry. Possibly, they were bewildered if not outright overwhelmed at the magnitude of the task.

  • Think God is Sleepy?: I shall take a step closer to Jesus, a step closer to the one who neither slumbers or sleeps.

  • Where Are You, God?: The struggles of waiting for God to come to our rescue.

  • Wisdom in the Feminine Gender: Wisdom is characterized in the feminine gender! What do we make of this?

    AFFIRMATIONS

  • Affirmations: You are about to expose yourself to what I believe . . .

    GET READY TO SOAR

  • Get Ready to Soar: Create in me an irrepressible desire to take up space in your fullness . . .

  • About Get Ready to Soar: This is the story of a seminar designed by Dr. Morris to stimulate believes in their purpose.

  • Encountering the Presence of God: When a holy God connects with a sinful man, somebody's got to feel something!

  • Creative Faith We come to understand our place in the purpose and love of God.

  • Satan and the Force of Evil: Recognizing the sources of evil and how to cope with it.

  • Spiritual Imprisonment Those things in life that hamper and imprison our ability to live with vitality.

  • Spiritual Inadequacy Speaks of the atrophy of spiritual energy

  • Spiritual Illusion The illusions of Dogmatism, Intractability, Legalism and Apostasy.

    The Castaway Christian Not yet posted.

    Restructuring the Christian Mind Not yet posted.

    Concept of God Not yet posted.

    The No Sweat Technique Not yet posted.

    Relational Concepts Not yet posted.

    Personal Worth Not yet posted.

    Personal Uniqueness and Destiny Not yet posted.

    Managing Your Emotions Not yet posted.

    Motivation and Achievement I Not yet posted.

    Motivation and Achievement II Not yet posted.

    Turning Knowledge into Life Not yet posted.

    Functioning in Relationship Not yet posted.

    Get Ready to Soar Not yet posted.

    LETTERS TO LIZZIE MAE

  • Aging Aging is a process that is not noticed, let alone acknowledged, by the individual to whom it is happening -- until it can no longer be ignored.

  • A Prayer for Redemption Reaching Out to God

  • Alex He had sandy, well-groomed hair, penetrating blue eyes, sharp features, a generous smile

  • BarnabasThe footprints of grace across the sands of life are a wonderful cause for celebration.

  • Black Hands You can't imagine how bad I wanted to ride that mule.

  • Blessings, Gladness and Joy Have you ever just felt someone's love for you just because of their presence?

  • Blue Stars I often touched the flag hanging in our front-door window, caressing it with my fingers wondering.

  • Bread in My Jar Billy Joel's jar full of bread

  • Can You Trust Your Judgment Advice is really easy to give if you do not have to be responsible for the consequences.

  • Charlie Beatty The man who influenced my life more than anyone.

  • Chosen Last Don't make no nevah' min' when you chosen, it's what you do wid' it when you is.

  • Crying in your Pretzels Ain't nobody should cry in their pretzels all night.

  • Dead Sparrows Does God really care when a sparrow falls?

  • Drawing Lines Around Love How religious legalism impacts our ability to love.

  • Eva I believe that God put Eva on this earth for her ninety-five years, just to make it a better place for the rest of us.

  • Forgiveness In the Christian context, it is grace -- not an eye for an eye -- that is the most redemptive.

  • Fred They opened me up and removed 3 liters of blood from my abdominal cavity.

  • Good Timing It's time for you to act, Lord!

  • Greed Perhaps Gekko was right when he said, "Greed is good!"

  • Harvey What not do do with forgiveness.

  • Humility A humble person never actually is aware of his humility.

  • Jesus Ain't No Ghost! Only Jesus himself is Jesus. He alone is living, personal, dynamic and eternal.

  • Leave it All on the Ice They earned the right and the privilege to say that.

  • Lessons I Have Learned 14 lessons (maxims) for a healthy life.

  • Lost and Alone If you can disengage and come to stillness, you just might hear -- footsteps coming in your direction.

  • Monkey Business Christian dielogue with a monkey.

  • Mendocino Hotel Watching the flames jump back and forth, I thought about the job and the money.

  • Painful Trust We actually seize the ram in the thicket. Sometimes trust is a painful thing.

  • Pop and his Plow I remember sitting at the breakfast table over a platter of Aunt Cue's biscuits.

  • Presidents Come and Presidents Go Over the years of 15 administrations, I have learned that Presidents don't matter much -- except maybe to the media.

  • Prison Confrontations In such places I say, I have been privileged to carry the message of Christ.

  • So How Do I Look? Do people see Jesus in me? Or do they see something else?

  • Sophistry If there is anything I despise, it is religious sophistry.

  • The Art of Loving Hyenas There are people who, in their most volatile moments, are very much like hyenas.

  • The Cemetery and the Prison Ten minutes to walk past the tombstones gleaming white against the green, to his grave.

  • The Gift A simple gift that one might give a child for no other reason than it is loved.

  • The Second Son Imagine Jesus simply appeared in our lives as one of our friends?

  • Wandering -- in Grace Wherever you go. Whatever you do. It is with you as much as the color of your eyes.

  • We Were All Americans As I continued to watch, I saw another airliner fly into the second tower.

  • Where Can I Find Doris Day? All of which to ask preternaturally, "How am I any different?"

  • Your Secret Place Draw attention not to ourselves near so much as our lives draw attention to his love.

    DAISY INSPIRATIONS

  • A Child's Faith The story of two puppies, seperated by decades.

  • Aliens Can you count the times when you have felt like an alien on earth?

  • Are You Talkin' to Me? Robert DeNiro looking into a mirror talking to himself and pointing a gun at his image?

  • Chickens After a Grub Daisy is not fond of chickens. Has something to do with them chasing her -- pecking at her bottom.

  • Forgiving the Forgiver She forgives me and licks my nose. If you really want to know about forgiveness, talk to Daisy.

  • God and the Dow-Jones Since God cannot be wrong, how could he have been wrong about you? He made a mistake?

  • Intensions? Better Than a Hallelujah! "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." -- Jesus

  • Land Mines Few of us make it through life without stepping on a land mine or two. When we do, we lose part of ourselves.

  • Of Warts and Wine "I keep a close watch on this heart of mine . . . Because you're mine, I walk the line"

  • On A Morning Walk All I remember is that it was early, maybe 5:30-6 a.m. I was alone on the beach in Dana Point, California.

  • Playing the Piano Can you play the piano? I can. I can play "Mary had a little lamb" with one finger.

  • Stonewall Jackson and the Meaning of Life Stonewall Jackson believed he could not die until God said it was ok.

  • Trouble What to do with the tootsie rolls in your life.

  • Wild Thing! Wild thing! You make my heart sing!" (from the film, "Major League," 1989)

    STORIES AND STUFF

  • Be Proud Boy Ever had to walk four blocks with poop in your knickers?

  • Big Bubba Beasley How to end up on the wrong end of a fist the size of a football.

  • Don't Read This. You'll Get Sick. Title says it all.

  • Memorial Thoughts for My Sister Ninety-four summers have come and gone, warming the face of the earth.

  • The Christmas Drifter My name's Jude.

    GARDEN OF GRACE

  • Voices from the Scriptures Selections from the entire Bible are presented as isolated, in-depth, penetrating thoughts.

  • Psalms of Grace Psalms adapted to reflect God's Grace, in place since the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

  • Words from the Master Teachings of Jesus, taken from the book, "The Justus Scrolls."

  • Letters of Love Selected adaptations from the New Testament Epistles.
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