Your Best Life Now… Apostle Paul?
May 18, 2026
Written by Jeff Larson
Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now has sold over 8 million copies and spawned calendars, a board game, and study guides. Its core message: You can live a victorious, abundant, and successful life right now by changing your thinking, speaking positive words of faith, and expecting God’s favor and blessings.
Okay… nuff said about that.
Today, let’s look at the Apostle Paul’s version of Your Best Life Now.
A Little-Known Archaeological Discovery…
While most people know about the Dead Sea Scrolls — ancient manuscripts discovered in 1947 in a remote cave near Qumran — fewer are aware of the truly groundbreaking find made in a small cave (Bob’s Cave) just outside Jerusalem (right behind Shapiro’s Deli).
In 2023, a local shepherd chasing a lost goat stumbled upon five crumpled napkins from Shapiro’s Deli, each one covered in what leading ‘experts’ have confirmed are the Apostle Paul’s mayo-stained fingerprints.
Scholars are calling it “The Bob’s Cave Napkin Collection.”
I, for one, am a believer.
Excerpt from Bob's Cave 'Napkin #1'
Hi, my name is Paul… I used to go by Saul. Big-shot Pharisee. Chief Persecutor of the “Jesus People.” I breathed murderous threats against the disciples and even held coats during Stephen’s stoning.
That was my life — until the Road to Damascus. A blinding light. A voice. Jesus Himself asking, “Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
I went from Chief Church Prosecutor to blind-as-a-bat convert in about 30 seconds.
God has a great sense of humor.
Excerpt from Bob's Cave 'Napkin #2'
Once my sight returned, I couldn’t stop preaching Jesus. The Christians were suspicious at first (go figure), and my old Pharisee buddies thought I was having a midlife crisis.
But I was all-in. Even when Barnabas and I had a sharp disagreement and split ways, we still served the same Lord. (That’s when we invented the word “denominations” — not sure that one’s gonna catch on.)
Side note: A young man named Eutychus once fell asleep during one of my long sermons, fell from a window, and died… then got better. Since then, he has become known as the ‘patron saint of people who sleep in church.’
Excerpt from Bob's Cave 'Napkin #3'
This was a Tale of Two Ministries — the best of times and the worst of times. Great revival. Great persecution. Arrests, death plots, beatings… none of it was on my bucket list.
But God used every prison cell to spread the Gospel. While I suffered, He gave me peace. None of this was about me — it was about Jesus.
Excerpt from Bob's Cave 'Napkin #4'
I even survived a shipwreck (thanks, Skipper and Gilligan),
I was bitten by a poisonous snake on Malta, and shook it off like it was nothing. Some of the locals started a Snake Handler Church right after.
Oh brother.
Excerpt from Bob's Cave 'Napkin #5'
What an honor that God would choose me — former church hater — to preach the Gospel. If I ever write a book, I’d fill it with stories of being blinded, beaten, shipwrecked, snake-bit, and jailed more times than Otis from Mayberry.
I’d probably call it…
“Your Best Life Now.” That has a nice ring to it.
Because these were the best years of my life. It was never about fame or wealth for me… You know, that stuff we call… PROSPERITY. It was always about my love, devotion, and desire to serve Jesus Christ.
The Real Takeaway (You don’t need ancient napkins to know this — just read Acts and Paul’s letters.)
Paul discovered that real joy and fulfillment don’t come from any kind of Prosperity Gospel based on comfort, wealth, or perfect circumstances. They come from being faithful in the moments that make up your day and fully surrendering to God’s call.
My prayer for you today is that you discover the same truth Paul did — and that you are living your best life now in obedient service to Jesus.
Sincerely, Paul (and Jeff — best days ever — Larson)
Final Note: Paul never did write the book Your Best Life Now, that was Joel Osteen. But he is credited with writing 13 books of the Bible. That’s pretty good too.
