Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Author: pickleheavenpress

I have served as a pastor in East Texas for 32 years and it is my delight to continue my ministry online
the preemergent — May 20, 2026

the preemergent

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I would occasionally tease my wife and tell her that our house was a hospice for plants – it’s where they come to die.  But we have vastly improved our gardening skills over time, at least until last year when a noxious weed invaded our flower beds. 

I took the offender to my local plant care expert, and he told me that the weed was a Chamberbitter (and bitter it was to deal with).  I asked what I could do, and he said “Nothing – once it has taken root, it just spreads like wildfire.” 

But he gave me hope.  He explained that the plant goes to seed each fall and then completely dies out.  In the spring the seeds emerge and start the process all over again. 

He told me I needed to use a preemergent the next spring.  A preemergent creates a chemical barrier in the topsoil which kills the weed seedlings as they germinate.  “Weed seedling!”  Try saying that five times fast.

So the next spring, I got out the spreader and did what I was told to do – and it worked really well.

This prompted me to think of the many spiritual weeds that can infest a soul.   

Sin often has its temporary reward.  It meets some superficial emotional, psychological or even physical need.  But once it takes root, it is notoriously difficult to eliminate. 

So wouldn’t it be great if there was a spiritual preemergent – something that would attack the temptation and keep it from germinating into full-fledged sin. 

Martin Luther was known to speak of temptation and say, “You can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from building a nest there.

I am happy to report that God gave us such a preemergent.  This is how it works!

Breathe:  As you start each day, exhale – confess any sin from the day before that you might have ignored.  Then inhale!  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you again and guide you throughout the day (Colossians 1:9).

Browse the Word:  The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” – Ps 119:11.  A daily intake of the Scripture is super important.  Scripture defines sin but it also empowers us to resist it.  It is a living sword according to Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Bridge with others: Our journey was designed to be traveled with fellow believers.   Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” We need to be in church, and part of a small group, and it would be extra wise to have an accountability partner.  It seems that pastors today are falling into sin at warp speed.  I am certain that few of them have any accountability to another.  

Beseech the Lord:  Jesus told His disciples, “Pray that you enter not into temptation” Luke 22:40.  I don’t think the Lord could be any more explicit.  And finally… 

Build Walls: We need to create barriers between us and the sin opportunities that pull at us.  Paul advised us to “Flee immorality” – 1 Corinthians 6:18. For instance – avoid the flirt at work and make sure someone else is in the room when you are using the computer.

Take your spiritual lawn spreader and sprinkle these things on your soul for nearly a weed free result.  

A Prayer: Lord, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” – Ps 19:14.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.

black or blue — May 13, 2026

black or blue

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My wife told me I needed to change out of my faded blue jeans for black ones.  We were going to a funeral after all.   I obeyed (as per my wedding vows). But then she looked at me and barked, “I said black!” Evidently, I chose a darker blue pair.

She made me try again.  Strike two! Somehow, I ended up with a different pair of dark blue pants.  She asked me to change again – which made me bluer than my pants.

So, what is my problem?  Well, my color discernment is impaired. My name is Jim and I am color blind. 

As I lamented my malady, I started thinking that there are folks today who lack discernment when it comes to Scripture. They read it but somehow end up with conclusions that don’t seem to match the words that they read.  They look at blue but see black. 

For instance. Jesus said, “If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched” – Mark 9:47-48.

Christians from the first century until today have understood Jesus to teach that there is a place called hell, reserved for the unrighteous – a place of eternal torment and unquenchable fire. 

And yet there is an entertainment celebrity today who is well known for his sincere devotion to Christ.  And yet, this man read this passage and yet somehow concluded that the unrighteous simply cease to exist once they die. 

Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:15, spoke of “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (KJV) In other words, a person needs to be discerning and accurate when it comes to the Word of God.  We need to be able to distinguish the black from the blue.  So how do we do this? 

– We can start by laying aside any personal agenda. Let the Scripture freely speak without any preconceived notions.  There was a guy whose mother died but he wasn’t sure if she ended up in heaven.  He eventually discarded his former conviction and came to believe that the unrighteous cease to exist when they die.  His personal preference directed his interpretation of Scripture. 

– We should ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our study. He was given to us to do this very thing (John 16:13).

– Consider the literary context of the passage. Read what precedes and follows it, to get the fullness of it.  Look at the whole of Scripture to see what it teaches on the subject.  If our friend had done this.  He would find much evidence that hell is painful and unending (Matthew 25:30; 41; 46; Luke 16:22-24; Revelation 14:9-11)

– Consider the genre of a passage.  Is it poetry like the Psalms, or prophecy like Daniel, or maybe history like Acts. The genre affects how we understand it.  Our Mark passage contains straightforward teaching from Christ. 

– Consider the cultural/historical context of a passage. The word for hell (Gehenna) was also the name of the local Jerusalem garbage dump, where a fire burned 24/7.  

– Prefer the most obvious understanding of the passage. Read the Scripture in its normal literal sense, unless it is obvious that figurative language is used.  Scripture was not written for the benefit of theologians but for all of us.  When an interpreter makes excuses in order to harmonize a passage with their interpretation – then it’s likely that they have erred.

– Give weight to every word. Jesus spoke of a fire that is never extinguished.  It burns for eternity meaning that it will be fueled for all eternity.

I want to know what God wants me to know – no matter what.  I cannot increase my ability to discern color, but you and I can do lots to sharpen our minds as we explore the Word of God. 

A Prayer: Open our eyes Lord, that we may see.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickelheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com

she turned the Lord’s NO into a YES! — May 6, 2026

she turned the Lord’s NO into a YES!

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Do you have an unanswered prayer?  I know of a woman who can help with that – and no, it is not Mary!

Jesus had been sparring with the spiritual leaders of Israel.  He wanted to rest, so He went where they wouldn’t – into Gentile territory.

Here’s what happened.  “Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.  In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter” – Mark 7:24-26.

His fame followed Him.  There came a woman who pestered Him to set her sweet daughter free from the demons that distressed her.

He responded by saying, “First let the children eat all they want…for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs” -7:27.

Ouch!  Jesus’ priority was to reach the Jews, but she was a gentile –a people the Jews scornfully called dogs.  However, the Greek word that Jesus used for dog, was not of the mangy cur variety, but of a cute little lap dog – a puppy that was cherished by the household. 

It was an expression of affection and yet His answer still disappointed her. To paraphrase, He said, “Sure the puppies will eat, but the first priority at dinnertime is to feed the kids. You will be taken care of someday, but not today. 

And in fact, He performed miracles on behalf of several other gentiles during His ministry years.  Her situation was simply a matter of timing. 

She responded to Him saying, “Yes, Lord…but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” – 7:28.  She politely challenged His decision, reminding Him that people tend to spoil their puppies by feeding them table scraps even during dinner.   

“Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” – 7:29.  So…Jesus reversed His initial “no” decision and said yes to her request because of the particular manner by which she replied to Him.

So, what was it in the way she replied that it affected the Lord?  There was…

– Her Humility: She was not one of God’s Covenant people. She knew that she was not entitled, nor did she make demands on Jesus.  She humbly pleaded for the crumbs from His table. 

– Her Certainty:  It was clear that she already believed in Him.  She addressed Him as Lord and believed that He had divine power to help her child.  But the certainty of her faith was highlighted by her reply.  Just crumbs from Jesus would be enough to save her daughter. As to the timing, even puppies are fed when the children are fed. 

– Her Perceptivity: Jesus often complained about those who had ears but could not hear.  Not true of this woman.  He spoke to her using a figure of speech.  She listened and fully understood and then replied by using the same figure of speech.  I bet Jesus smiled when she did.

– Her Persistency: Matthew tells us that she asked continuously (15:21-23) This kind of persistency in prayer is clearly a virtue that Jesus prized.  Luke 18:1 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Someone said, “People ought to be like postage stamps:  They need to stick to one thing until they get where they’re going.”   

By her reply that woman turned the Lord’s NO into a YES!   I’m not sure how all this works with the sovereignty of God – but I do know that this passage teaches us that the manner in which we pray, affects the way that the Lord answers. 

A Prayer: Lord teach us to pray.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NIV.

God complex — April 29, 2026

God complex

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My SUV thinks its God!  

After years of driving outdated vehicles, I finally got myself one from this century –  a 2024 Honda CR-V.   It was a Godsend!

As I age my driving skills could possibly be diminishing.  At least that’s what my wife says. But my CR-V is keenly aware of my questionable road skills and often compensates for me. 

If a driver makes himself at home in my blind spot.  A little light in my rearview mirror alerts me.   When I forget to dim my lights for an oncoming car, my SUV does not.

My wife tells me that I tend to swerve to the left when I look to the right.  Not anymore.  Lane assist confines me to my lane.  

When I am oblivious to the speed postings, I can find the current limit displayed on my dashboard.   This SUV is making my wife’s back seat driving commentary obsolete.

When I pull up to a light, the vehicle automatically lowers the volume of the radio so the guy in the car next to me can’t hear me listening to “Baby Shark.”  The cruise control even senses when I am getting too close to the vehicle in front of me and it slows me down.  

My SUV is amazing.  It has everything but a cassette player.  

And it reminds me, a lot, of God (the vehicle not the cassette player). 

As I have journeyed my way along, I have assumed that I have controlled the vehicle I called my life.  But actually, God has been with me all along, watching the road ahead and compensating for me.

David conveyed this idea in Psalm 139. 

He wrote, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord” (1-4).  

Our all-knowing God is very aware of what, when and how we do it – even before we do it. 

He continued, “You hem me in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” (5-6) Because God is omnipresent, He surrounds and protects us with His incomprehensible divine force field.

“Where can I go from your Spirit?” wrote David.  “Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (8-10)

No matter where we go, or how fast we travel to get there, He sticks with us. He guides us, keeps us in our lane, and even prevents us from back-ending the person ahead of us.    

“If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you (11-12). He is more efficient in handling the darkness I face than my automated high beams. 

My SUV also does makes me aware of any internal mechanical concerns.  The Lord, however, does that and more.  David wrote, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting (23-24).

Psalm 139 tells us that God assists us when we are weak, alerts us to dangers and concerns and keeps us centered in the narrow way. He is at work for us and in us whether we are aware of it or not.

And He comes with an extended eternal warranty.

A PRAYER: Lord, where would we be without You? 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NIV.  

past tents — April 22, 2026

past tents

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This is not a lecture on verbs, but rather a sad tale of famous tent fails. 

There was the time I bought a used army tent.  It was nice and roomy, but it poured on our first outing, and we suffered several scenic waterfalls from the comfort of our sleeping bags.

Then there was the time I unpacked our tent and was overcome with a stench that took my breath away.  The tent was packed away the last time we used it, while it was still damp.   Monstrous mold and mildew became its new residents.

Most memorable was the fall trip we made to Arkansas.  A fierce storm blew in that night.  We were cowering in our sleeping bags, praying that the branches above us would remain on the trees. 

That’s when a humongous gust of wind collapsed the soaking tent upon us.  It grabbed us as we groped our way out.

All of our clothes and sleepings bags were left underwater in the tent, so we sat in our soggy pajamas, in the car, and shivered the rest of the night. 

Tents can mean trouble, which is why the apostle Paul compared the human body to a tent. In 2 Corinthians 5:1 he wrote, “For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God.”

Why would Paul compare our bodies to tents?  Well, a tent is a temporary dwelling – not designed for the long haul.  A tent offers very little protection to the one who lives in it and a tent quickly deteriorates – it fades, and tears, and leaks and rips.

That’s exactly the way that Paul described our bodies – as being progressively dismantled.  And don’t I know it.  At this stage of life, I feel like I am playing health issue Wack-a-mole.  Smack one malady down and another one pops up somewhere else.

And this is something to groan about says Paul, “For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. – 5:2-4

But one day we will trade up.  Verse 1 reminds us that “we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.”

Here Paul described the resurrection body that is to be given to all who belong to Christ. He compared it to a building – a dwelling far more durable and comfortable than a tent.

We usually enjoyed our camping outings, but after a couple days, we were really glad to tear the tent down and head for home.

This eternal dwelling is guaranteed to those who know Him.  Paul wrote, “Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.” – 5:5

When we came to faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit came to indwell us.  He took up residence within us.  Paul calls this arrangement a “down-payment”- a security deposit. It means that God will deliver on the promise of our new eternal home in the heaven. 

A diamond engagement ring on the hand of a woman is a pledge of the marriage to come.  In the same way, God places His eternal Spirit in us, as a token of His love and commitment.  

So, this is great news.  Though my ratty tent-of-a-body is discombobulating, my durable, eternal, blissful home is waiting for occupancy.  Then I will have a face without wrinkles and an elbow without pain. I’ll have a brain that won’t be clouded with confusion.   Great things are ahead!

I think I’ll celebrate by giving up tent camping for good.

A PRAYER: Lord hold us together until that time we behold You

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you always

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

spend it all — April 15, 2026

spend it all

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What if you had so much money, that you could not spend it all?

Back in the eighty’s, I was a Youth Pastor, and I was charged with occupying a gang of profoundly bored teenagers.  They could not do Tik Tok because cell phones were yet to be invented.  So, I took them to their lair – the Mall. 

I divided them up into teams, and gave each team a calculator (yes, we did have those back then) and a ledger and a pen.  Teams were given one million virtual dollars to spend. 

The rules: Only one item could be purchased from each store; a limit of one kind of an item may be purchased and if it was sold by the measure, they were limited to 1,000 units of that item.

They had to record what and where the item was bought and its cost.  The team that spent the most would win. 

They were chomping at the bit to get started.   A million dollars – that was just crazy.  They bought a dazzling diamond necklace at the jewelry store, 1,000 pounds of fudge; the finest men’s suit, and a dazzling formal dress.  One team even went into office and tried to buy the mall. 

When they reported back, we were astonished to find that the most any team was able to spend was about $250,000 dollars. 

They had a million dollars but could not spend it all.

Here’s the thing, as Christians, you and I have way more than one million virtual bucks.  The apostle Paul considered we who know the Savior as being “rich” 

– These riches are spiritual in nature

In Romans 2:4 Paul wrote, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience…?”  God has richly showered us with tolerance, patience, and kindness.  These are commodities that are sorely lacking in our world, but bountiful with God.

Paul also mentioned God’s mercy (Romans 9:23); spiritual wisdom and knowledge (Romans 11:33); redemption and forgiveness (Ephesians 1:7) and Spirit powered strength (Ephesians 3:16).  And this is just a sampling of our godsend.

– These riches also have a material component.

In Philippians 4:19 we read, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”   We have been given a divine debit card and are able draw from His bulging account.  He promises to meet our legitimate needs.

– We did nothing to deserve these riches

According to Romans 9:23 He bestowed His riches on “vessels of mercy.”  That’s us.  He has enriched us only because of His mercy and grace. 

– God does not discriminate in the distribution of this wealth.

Romans 10:12 says “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.”  His riches are for “all” who call upon Him.  Every race, gender, nationality – all of us.

– It’s impossible for us to understand

Paul wrote in Romans 11:33, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”  He used words like unsearchable and unfathomable to describe the way that God has enriched us.

– We can’t understand it, but we should try.

Paul wrote, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” – Ephesians 1:18.   The apostle prayed for believers both then and now that we might understand the generous riches we have through Christ in God.  Why?  Because just contemplating them excites our souls and draws us closer to Him. 

The riches we have been given are more than virtual – they are actual and eternal in their duration.   And I am certain we will never be able to spend it all. 

A PRAYER: Thank You Lord and please help us to use our riches to honor You and to bless others.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always

Scripture passages are from the NASU.

to behold Him — April 8, 2026

to behold Him

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Many of us were raised in liturgical churches.  A liturgical service begins with the minister saying, “The Lord be with you.” The congregation responds by saying, “And also with you.”

Well, one Sunday the minister attempted to begin the service, but the microphone was malfunctioning. So, he tapped the mic several times and then finally said, “There is something wrong with this!”

And the congregation answered, “And also with you!”

That’s a joke of course, but having been raised in a liturgical church, I believe that this kind of thing could possibly happen.  Our worship was often more routine than reverent. 

But is there such a thing as a perfect worship service?  Not in this life!   A church should assist families with their after-service review by providing an Amazon style 5-star rating system.   

But the services in heaven will be a lot better – won’t they?  I wonder – what will the worship services be like in heaven?

Will Michael the archangel begin by tapping the mic and asking, “Hey is this on?”  Will the video operator still be stuck on verse 1 while we are supposed to be singing verse 2?  Will the feedback from the celestial sound system make our ears bleed?   

The pre-service announcements down here seem to go on for eternity, so will they – in eternity?   Will the guitar player play an annoying little riff while we pray?  Will we have the strength to stand for the entire worship for all eternity? 

I suspect that our worship in heaven will likely be free from those distractions. 

For one thing, we won’t have to imagine Jesus, and what He looks like, or the sound of His voice.  We will see Him face-to-face.

We find this truth in a surprising place.  Job said in the book by his name, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. – Job 9:25-27.

Job has in mind the prelude to the eternal state – the return of the Lord Jesus to this earth to rule for 1,000 years.  Job was extremely excited to put his eyes on his redeemer. Again, he said, “I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold…”

He understood that it would be a long way off, and that he would die before that would ever happen.  But he also believed he would be raised again to see his Redeemer God with his own eyes – and he was thrilled by the prospect. 

John, the apostle, was privileged with preview of our glorified Lord.  He wrote, “He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet, and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest. His head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun shining at full strength” – Revelation 1:13-16.

Wow! Imagine a worship service with Jesus appearing in this way.  John reacted saying, “When I saw Him, I fell down at his feet as though I were dead” – 1:17.

It’s true that some of us worship today as if we were dead – but this is different.  John was awed, stunned and staggered by the magnificent person of the Lord Jesus Christ – as we will be when we bow before Him.

Even if there were things to distract us from our worship in heaven – Jesus will nevertheless, receive 100% of our attention.  No one deserves it more.

 A PRAYER: “Come Lord Jesus” – Revelation 22:20.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are quoted from the NETBible®

a happy autopsy — April 1, 2026

a happy autopsy

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I recently had a medical issue – possibly lymphoma.  So, the doctor performed a biopsy.  My family prayed for me.  In fact, I understand that my grandson asked Jesus that I might get a good report on my autopsy.

Ironically, Jesus actually received a great report on His autopsy.  “He’s alive!” the angel told the women who arrived at His tomb – Luke 24:23.

Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, and rose again on the third day.  He is alive!  And the destinies of His disciples were dramatically changed because of it.

There was certainly proof that He had died.  John stood at the foot of the cross.  He saw the nails that stabbed his hands and feet and the blood that flowed from His side.  He was there to hear Him say, “It is finished” and watched as Jesus exhaled his last breath.  His heart fell when Jesus’ head dropped.

When Christ was removed from His cross, I imagine John looked for any shred of evidence that He was still alive – a pulse or a shallow breath – but he found none.  No heroic medical efforts were made to revive Him.

His body was then embalmed and left unattended in a dirty stone tomb which was sealed with a massive piece of stone.  Three days later the tomb was gloriously found empty.  And yet, the disciples were exceptionally skeptical.

Mark 16:11 says, “And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen…they did not believe.”   Jesus then appeared to two men on the Emmaus Road.  Those guys “went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them” (16:13).  

“Then He appeared to the Eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected” (16:14).

There was less than zero inclination on the part of Jesus’ disciples to believe that He had risen.

But, in that room, they interacted with Him, face to face.  They could see and hear Him and touch Him.  They even watched Him eat (Luke 24:42-43).  That is when Jesus told them to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature – Mark 16:15.

The skepticism was gone and the conviction of a risen Savior gripped their souls.

So, James the apostle proclaimed the risen Christ to all Jerusalem.  But that’s as far as he got.  He was the first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom, being slain with a sword at the command of Herod in 44 A.D. (Acts 12:1-2).

Thomas was once a doubter, and yet he preached the risen Christ in Persia and India.   He was rewarded with a lance through heart by the order of the King of India

Bartholomew preached in Armenia and India.  Because he did, he was stripped of his skin and crucified upside down.    Andrew took the message to Greece where he was crucified on an X-shaped cross.

James, the half-brother to Christ, proclaimed the Lord in Jerusalem which provoked the leaders of Israel to take him up to the pinnacle of the temple and push him off.

Peter was afraid of the authorities which is why he denied Christ 3 times.  After meeting the resurrected Christ, he fearlessly confronted the authorities that had crucified Christ (Acts 4:10).  But his message eventually offended the emperor.  Nero had him crucified in an upside-down position.

Why did these men choose to face persecution and death?   It wasn’t to get rich, and certainly not to become popular.  They did it because the One who overcame the power of death and the grave asked them to do so.  

People will die for something if they believe it is true – even if it is not.   But they will not die for what they know to be a lie.

Those men were uniquely permitted to do an autopsy of sorts on their Messiah who was once verifiably dead.  And the consensus was, “He’s alive!”

A PRAYER: Lord over life and death – we worship You!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible®

5 threats to the frets — March 25, 2026

5 threats to the frets

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My wife is not a fan of my driving.  I was behind the wheel one day with her in the passenger seat.  She did a remarkable job of restraining herself.  She didn’t stomp on an imaginary brake or close her eyes when I passed another car. 

When we arrived, she said, “Thank you!” and I said, “You’re welcome.”  She said, “I was talking to God!”  (Just kidding!) She may not appreciate my driving, but she is on my team. She loves me and I am grateful.  This has not been true of everyone in my life.  

There was the woman who questioned my integrity and the staff member who worked to undermine me.  And then there was that guy who pulled out a handgun and said with a threatening sneer, “This is for Jim Johnson.” 

I’ll be honest, those folks made me anxious and I don’t like anxiety.  It tends to emotionally paralyze me, physically afflict me, and spiritually neuter me.  I could not control them, but I wanted to manage the anxiety they produced in me.

Psalm 37 helped.  I found David’s advice to be like a weed killer that helped choke out anxiety and promote emotional stability.   There he gave 5 threats to the frets.  The wicked around David seemed to be prevailing, while he was not.  So, he began by saying… 

37:1-3 “Be not envious toward wrongdoers.  For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.   Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”

When people do evil things and yet prosper, we are inclined to follow their example – to compromise or to do to them what they do to us.  David, however, tells us to take our eyes off of them; to settle down and carry on with life; to be faithful with our responsibilities and do them with integrity no matter what the wicked do.  It takes trust in the Lord to do this.

37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart’

We are to take our eyes off what seems to be the success of the wicked and to make the Lord our focus and what He provides instead.  When we delight in Him, our motives and desires align with His – and we receive everything that we need.

37:5-6: “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.”

When we commit our way to the Lord, we are choosing to live as He would have us live and then trust Him to produce the right results. 

37:7-8: ”Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.  Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”

We get so worked up when we are unjustly treated.  Blowing up with anger doesn’t help.  We are encouraged instead to rest – to leave the matter in the hands of God and just rest.   

37:9-11: “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. But the humble will inherit the land.”

God will make sure that justice prevails. Over time, those who persecute us will fade from the picture.  God will mute their maliciousness.  We need to patiently wait in the meantime.

Today, I look back and realize that God took care of every single one of those troublesome situations just as David said He would – and I am good.  (But I do hope that the guy with the gun does not read this post).

A PRAYER: Lord God, so much to worry about – Help us rise above the frets.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

Scripture passages are from the NASU

know thyself — March 22, 2026

know thyself

/pickleheavenpress

When I’m driving and I think of something I want to remember, I will record a voicemail on my phone and send it to myself.  The problem is, I do this so often that my email provider treats them as spam and blocks them from my inbox. 

How crazy is that – I am being blocked from communicating with myself.  Oh well I guess that’s better than unfriending myself. 

The truth is most of us are somewhat blocked from ourselves.  In other words, we choose to beware of being self-aware.  We don’t fully know who we are, and why we do what we do, and we are naïve as to how we impact others.   And truthfully, some of us don’t want to know. 

This was an issue that Jesus tackled in Luke 6.  He asked, “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! – Luke 6:41-42.

Jesus created a comical word picture involving one person with a speck in his eye.  The Greek word for speck is “karphos” which could be a tiny piece of straw or wood.  

But then there was another person who was cursed with a beam in his eye.  The Greek word here is “dokos” which refers to the main beam that supports all the other beams in a roof structure.  The main beam suggests that it was a fundamental flaw in his life. 

Jesus focused on what they saw of each other, but what they failed to see in themselves.  Both were flawed, one a little and the other immensely, but both were blind to their own shortcomings.     

I’m reminded of a story I once read in Readers Digest.  Beatrice Rogers was waiting for her turn to enter the confessional at church.  She happened to hear the priest admonish the person ahead of her.  He said, “Please limit your confession to your own sins.”

As with Jesus’ story, we are probably blinded to ourselves a little or a lot and we need to do something about it.  Jesus said, “First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”  – Luke 6:42.

So, what can we do to open our eyes to ourselves? 

Well, we can pray and ask God to open the eyes of our hearts.   David courageously prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” – Psalm 139:23. NASU

But the interesting thing In Jesus story, is that the beam guy was very aware of the failings of the speck guy.  So, what if they were to ask each other to share their observations?

My wife and I have done this for nearly fifty years now.  At bedtime, we pray with each other and read Scripture, but before we do, I ask her, “Have I done any badness today?” 

This is my way of asking her to help me understand how I have impacted her, so I can be a better me.  She answers, I seek her forgiveness and then she turns around and asks me the same question. 

This practice has fabulously helped us to open our eyes to the foolish and hurtful things we bring into our marriage and has made us far better spouses and people because of it.  

I will even occasionally ask my children to let me know if they see any hurtful way in me.

I took this practice to work with me as well.  Periodically I would ask my Elder Board to consider my preaching, and general pastoral ministry and make me aware of anything that might be hurtful.

So, take it from this guy with the beam in his eye.  Make an effort to, “Know Thyself.” 

A PRAYER: Lord, help us to know ourselves.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.