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 adventures of a guitar pick — November 29, 2023

the adventures of a guitar pick

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I have made a decision about my last will and testament.  When I pass, and my white-haired head is resting on that velvet pillow, I want my wife to make sure there is a guitar pick in the front pocket of my pants. 

Mostly because there has been one there since the summer of 1966 – the year I started strumming.  From then on, I required myself to always have a pick in my pocket. (which is not the same as a pick pocket)

Why?  Well, you never know when you might find yourself in a music store needing to try out a new guitar.  Or you might be visiting a friend who offers to let you play on his.  

There have been times I have been sitting around a campfire and someone puts a guitar in my hand and asks me to play “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.”   Michael could have been swept out to sea if not for my guitar pick.

Sometimes it became a conversation starter.  I have pulled change from my pocket and among the coins would be my pick.  The cashier would see it and probe, “Oh do you play the guitar?”  “And tamping down my ego I would say, “Yes I do.”

In fact, my pick compensated for what I lacked in the good-looks department.  My guitar pick said that I was a guitar player and that was enough to capture a girl’s heart.

Picks can be a nuisance.  They come flying out when I pull my car keys from my pocket.  I buy snow-white picks only so that I can spot them on the ground. 

And they get worn.  I got to where I buy them by the gross – 144 at a time. 

Sometimes they travel with my pants into the wash and my wife finds them flying around the dryer.

And yet during those 57 years, I have always and perpetually had a guitar pick on my person.  Just test me the next time you see me. 

I know it’s silly, but always having a pick in my pocket brings me comfort.

What I find even more comforting is knowing that God has me in His pocket.

What? You ask.  OK let me explain.  Psalm 60 tells of a time of great trouble for Israel. David, the author complained to God in verses 1-6 of the nations that were on a seek and destroy mission regarding the nation.

The Lord answered in verses 7-8.  He said, “Gilead belongs to me, as does Manasseh. Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my royal scepter.” NETBible ®

He spoke of the various regions that made up Israel reminding David that He treasured His people who lived there.

Gilead was beyond the Jordan River.  Her people lived on the outer limits of the land.  They were the next-door neighbors to the Ammonites, and Moabites and the other irksome “ites” of the land. 

I’d bet they sometimes felt marginalized and often ignored by their countrymen and maybe even the Lord.  But the Lord said, “Gilead belongs to me.”

Eugene Peterson decided that the translation didn’t fully capture the richness behind the statement, so he rendered it this way in the MESSAGE.  He said, “Gilead’s in my pocket.”

I love it.  How special – how secure – how ever present. God’s people in Gilead were safely tucked away deep down in the pocket of God.  As are we – safely tucked away deep down in the pocket of God.

The metaphor captures much.  It brings to mind words like, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  (Hebrews 13:5) and “I am with you always even unto the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) and “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)   Like my pick – perpetually there.

So, settle down and get comfortable in God’s pocket.  It is a place of supreme security.  And if you happen to find a guitar pick down there – it’s probably mine.

A PRAYER: Lord we also seem to live beyond the Jordan as well. Watch over us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

karats — November 22, 2023

karats

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I have a problem.  My wife requires that I spend a fortune to keep her lavishly supplied with loads of karats.  But not the kind that go on your hand, but in your mouth.  It may actually be spelled c-a-r-r-o-t-s. 

Our neighbor has a pasture which is adjacent to our back yard.  In it are four magnificent horses. 

My wife is ecstatically happy about this and so are they.    Whenever she is in the yard, they run to her knowing that she will reach over the fence and ply them with fresh carrots.  She also loves to share this joy with our grandkids.

To her, those carrots of orange are far more valuable than those of gold.

A reminder that riches are not the richest!

This is how great King Solomon put it, “The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money; he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income.” –  Ecclesiastes 5:10.   Wealth may bring a life of luxury, a hedge against inflation, and maybe even a false sense of security.  It does not however, bring satisfaction. 

Solomon recorded his thoughts using the Hebrew word for “satisfied” which is, “sabea.”  It was usually used to describe the feeling of being stuffed after a great meal.  (Proverbs 13:25)  

To apply that to wealth suggests that having riches still leaves us way less than full.  It is to dine and yet be left with gnawing hunger pains.

Solomon added this, “When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase.”  –  5:11. In other words, the more you have, the more the parasites multiply who want to take it.  It’s tough to enjoy wealth when the world is trying to rip it away.

Solomon shares a better way.  He said, “Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works.  Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head.  Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.”  – Ecclesiastes 9:7-9

He tells us we can have a happy heart!  We do this by enjoying the simple things that we already have – the food and drink before us and the work we have accomplished.  He tells us to put on our celebratory party clothes and anoint ourselves with fragrant oil.  We are also to enjoy the spouse He has given us.  He says this is our reward – to enjoy these simple but rich blessings.  

Solomon also authored the book of Proverbs where he wrote, “There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.”  – Proverbs 13:7. The guy with a bulging bank account thinks he is rich, but he is not and yet it is possible for one to be rich without being financially endowed. 

Such contentment is sourced in knowing the Lord.  When He is ours, there is nothing for us to prove, no one to impress, no barrier to overcome.  We rest in Him, and this makes it possible for us to relax and then recognize and enjoy His many blessings.   

My wife gets immense joy from feeding her pasture pals.   Others are blessed when they prune their lush rose bushes.  Many find deep satisfaction in seeing their grown children do well.  Some of us enjoy creation by RV.

I remember a time when I got to do a singing presentation with my wife, my daughter and two grandsons.   Singing for Jesus with my family.  I thought I was going to explode with joy!

So, forget the gold. Trade it for what is truly golden and savor those blessings all the fleeting days of your life! 

A PRAYER: God help me survey my life and find the joy that is hidden in it.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

does God ever tire of our prayers? — November 15, 2023

does God ever tire of our prayers?

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I have two questions concerning prayer:  1. Does God ever get tired of hearing our prayers? and 2. Why did she just pray for someone’s underwear?

As to the second query: When my wife and I were first married, we wanted to merge our quiet times.  As a morning person she had always read her Bible and prayed early in the day.  I, on the other hand, am a night owl and always had my quiet time just before bed. 

Being the sweet accommodating wife she is, she adjusted and came over to the after-dark side. 

And it made our prayer life kinda fun.  At times, she could be in the middle of the most earnest prayer, when the drowsies hit.  Her mind stopped, but the words kept coming.   She wandered off into silly senseless things like that time she prayed for someone’s underwear.

Now as to the second question: Does God ever get tired of hearing our prayers?   Shockingly – the answer is yes! 

I was reading through Exodus (during my nightly quiet time) and this is what I found in chapter 14.  Israel had left Egypt under the leadership of Moses but God had assured them that they were headed for the promised land.

Unfortunately, they were trapped on the shore of the Red Sea with Pharaoh at the rear ready to exterminate them.  Israel earned a few more frequent crier miles by complaining once again. 

Moses said, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again.” – Exodus 14:13.

His fearless words masked his fainting heart.  He too was alarmed.  He felt the pressure.  So, he wisely went to speak to the Lord about it.

But before he could utter a word, the Lord said, “Why do you cry out to me? (14:15a)   What? Moses just wanted to speak to Him, which is called prayer.  He wanted His help. 

But God, in what seems to be an impatient manner said, “Why do you cry out to me?”  And He added, “Tell the Israelites to move on.”  (14:15b)

Evidently Moses needed to pray less and do more.  He knew what he needed to do – he just needed to do it.

“Moses, your job is to get your people moving,” said the Lord. “ So, do it and quit wasting time pretending you are actually seeking guidance.”   Well, we know that prayer is important, but evidently it is an insult when used as an excuse for a failure to act.

I was truly stunned when I read this and realized its implications.   God does direct us, certainly by His Word, and sometimes through other means.   But we don’t always like the direction He gives, or maybe we are too lazy or afraid to do it – so we dither in prayer instead.

The teen asks God for money for a car.  He was offered a job which would enable him to earn it, but he doesn’t like the work. 

Sarah is asking God to bring peace between her and her brother, but she skipped right over Matthew 5:23-24 where she is instructed to take the first step. 

For months I had been praying that God would give me and my wife more ministry opportunities. I had thought about recruiting a friend who sings, to join us in a music ministry but I didn’t act on it.   

I prayed on for several more months, until I read Exodus 14:15 where the Lord seemed to say to me, “Why are you praying about this goofball?  Just do what I suggested you do.”

So, the very next morning I sent a message to that friend, and she immediately replied with excitement.  She too had been praying for such an opportunity.  

So, me, my wife and Brenda Waskowiak are teaming up to sing for Jesus, all because God refused to hear my prayer again.

A Prayer: Lord, thanks for that nudge from Your Word.  Continue to nudge us!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

getting guidance from God — November 8, 2023

getting guidance from God

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I sought divine direction about a decision.  So, I opened my Bible and my eyes fell upon this verse, “their fish stinketh, because there is no water.”  – Isaiah 50:2 (KJV) Wow!  I instantly knew what I needed to do.  I needed to find a better way of understanding the will of God. 

A friend gave me some insight.  As a former Navy pilot, he explained how he had to land a jet on an aircraft carrier at night.  A tough job!  The runway was tiny, moving, and invisible.

There are four successive lights on the landing deck.  He had to visually align his plane with all four.  When the first light was in line with the second, and then the third and fourth, then he had a straight path to follow to safety.

We might think of discovering God’s will in the same way.  We need to align ourselves with four guiding lights.  First…

– Align yourself with the Word of God   

The Bible must be our first and primary source.  Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”  KJV

Submit every decision to the Bible looking for specific commands that affect it.  Respect the “dos” and “don’ts.”  And seek out biblical principles that might affect the decision.   There is no biblical command regarding pole dancing but there are plenty of principles that would nix it as a vocational option.  (Titus 2:4-5)

– Align yourself with the counsel of the wise

The wise are well-seasoned in life – insightful people who have a history of walking with God.  They should know us well enough to give us an informed opinion.

Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with abundant advisers they are established.”  A wise counselor might say, “Sure that choice is biblically OK, but you probably wouldn’t be happy working as a night security guard because you are a people person.”

– Align yourself with your own desire 

If the Bible says it OK, and your wise counselors give the green light, then consider your own desires and ask, “Is this something that I want?”

Anita may say, “Taylor fits the biblical criteria of a good husband, and my parents and friends think he is an incredible catch.  But is he really the guy I want to spend my life with?” 

Psalm 37:4 tells us that when we delight in the Lord and His will, then He gives us the desires of our heart.  To delight in Him requires that the first and second guiding lights already agree.  When this is true, then we can explore our own heart’s desires.

– Align yourself with a Spirit led conviction

Paul spoke of being led by the Spirit of God. He wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.”  – Romans 7:14.   This is about the Spirit of God imparting a sense of conviction about the path ahead. (John 18:8)

Nehemiah described this experience saying, “I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem.” – Nehemiah 2:12

The Spirit of God leads us, but never contrary to the Word of God.  In fact, He typically takes the Word of God, the counsel of others, and our own desires and uses them to guide us.

But then again, He is God, and may wish, at times, to set aside wise counsel and even our own desires, to take us on a faith journey beyond what we are presently able to see or imagine.  That’s pretty much how I ended up being a pastor. 

Four aligned lights.  That’s what we typically need when we are in the dark as to decisions.  May they light your way and may all your landings be happy!   

A PRAYER: Speak Lord.  We really want to pursue Your will.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scriptures are quoted from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.

how much pain does it take? — November 1, 2023

how much pain does it take?

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There are times when God permits pain to change us.  So how much pain does it take?  My son helped me with an answer. 

My little guy discovered scissors.  With them he began to disassemble his world.   He lopped off hair, altered his clothes, tried to shear metal, and destroyed a lot of good stuff. 

We instructed him in the proper use of scissors.  It had all the effect of a pea shooter on armored personnel carrier.    He snipped and I sniped.  I told him to cut it out.  He did.  He amputated Barbie’s arm.  He was oblivious to the pain it caused his sister (not to mention Barbie).

So, it came down to this, “Son if you cut anything else belonging to someone else, then you will have to take your best most favorite action figure and cut off his leg.” 

Another pea repelled.  He did it again.  I said son, “Pick out your best most favorite action figure.  He rooted through his toys and came back holding sad Colonel Potter from the TV show M.A.S.H. 

I said, “Son, that’s not your favorite.  Try again.”    He took 10 minutes and returned.  He was sniffling as he presented to me – Darth Vader.

I handed him the scissors and he began to wail.  I prodded him on.  He kept hesitating and then with trembling hand he finally severed the leg.  I silently held him as he cried.  And Darth was the last thing he ever cut. 

This is what I learned, “When the pleasure of our behavior outweighs the pain of change – there will be no change.  But when the pain of it, outweighs the pleasure, then change comes. 

The man was told to eat healthy and lose weight or risk a heart attack.  But eating was his pleasure.   He eventually had an attack and barely survived.  Suddenly the pain of continuing to eat, outweighed the pleasure.  He changed!

OK, but does God use pain? I believe He does.  Pharaoh enslaved and abused God’s people.  Moses spoke for God saying, “Pharaoh, let them go.” 

He refused.  The benefit of having slaves, outweighed the discomfort that would come by liberating them.

So, God turned the Nile to blood.  No change!   Then the frog invasion, and the itchy irksome flies.  Increased pain – no change. 

Then the livestock got sick, and boils broke out, and hail fell and decimated the land, and then a profound darkness fell upon Egypt.  Still no change. 

Finally, the firstborn of Pharaoh fell ill and died.  When it became utterly personal –  when the pain really came home to him, then he obeyed.  

And then there is the prodigal son of Luke 15.  He left home to pursue the pleasure of wine and women.   He partied until he found himself in a pigpen hungering for the swine slop. 

It was then that he “came to his senses.”  (15:17) He returned home with a new attitude towards God and his father. 

Let me tell you my heart was breaking for my son as he grieved the loss of Darth Vader.   It was hard.  I loved him and I knew that change was necessary.

Like a loving surgeon God uses pain to bring healing to people and even to nations.

So, how much pain does it take?   Enough to precipitate heathy change. 

I try to be sensitive to the Lord and obedient to His Word.  If change needs to occur in my life, I usually cooperate. 

Of course, pain is a standard part of life, and I am not surprised to suffer from time to time.  But if I experience a season of pain, I seek the Lord.  I ask if there is something He would have changed in my life. 

Oh, and by the way, when my son turned 30.  I hid the scissors at his house and gifted him with a vintage Darth Vader action figure.

A Prayer: Lord we do not need unnecessary pain.  Tune our ears to your will and give us the grace to embrace healthy change.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

old strings — October 25, 2023

old strings

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The other day, my grandson said to me, “Papaw, when I am seventy, I hope to be as healthy as you are.”  I said to him, “Sounds like you don’t wanna set the bar too high, do you?”

Old age is tough, but there are a few things that are almost as unpleasant – such as old strings! 

I have a favorite guitar that has fallen out of favor because it is strung with old strings.  They once vibrated with energy but are now dull and listless.

So, what steals the life from a guitar string?   Those on an unplayed guitar will corrode from oxidation and humidity.  

Strings that are played will gather dirt, body oil and dead skin cells.  This gunk works its way into the windings of the string and hardens into a stiff, brittle mass.  This nastiness chokes the vibration out of the string.  And then there is the metal fatigue from all the stretching.

When the strings look dirty, feel rough, sound dull or are out of tune, it’s time to change them.

So, I did.  It’s a tedious task which I have performed maybe a thousand times in my life. 

I put them on, let them stretch and tuned them up – and it was magic.  Pure sweet magic.  They were perfectly intoned, and there was a brightness and a zing that wasn’t there before.  The guitar resonated and reverberated beauteous sound that carried on even as the last chord began to fade.

I played for two hours straight and was in danger of thinking that I was an excellent guitar player – all because of the new strings.

New strings are wonderful, but my life is more like the old ones.

The Lord strums the strings of my heart, and I worship Him.   But my worship can be tainted.  The right words come from my mouth, but my mind is elsewhere. 

I sing of holiness even though I lost my temper 10 minutes before.  I won’t sing loudly because I am concerned about what the guy next to me will think.   I grumble because the song choice isn’t my choice.  I sometimes mouth words that I don’t really mean.  I worship because I am expected to – not because I am compelled by His love.

I am afraid that my worship looks dirty, feels rough, sounds dull and is out of tune.  Time for new strings.

They are coming says the Scripture.  Paul gave us this hope in Ephesians 5:25-27, “…Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious—not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.” NETBible ®

Because of Christ’s love for us, He died on a cross to make us holy so that when we arrive in heaven, we will be glorious – no stain or wrinkle or imperfection of any kind.  There will be in us no impurity to compromise us or shallowness to embarrass us.  There will be nothing to distract us from the Lord. 

Like the news strings, the Lord’s hand will pass over our hearts, and beautiful, magnificent untainted worship will sound.   I am thinking that He will relish this worship even more than I enjoy my new strings.

But why should we deny Him that joy and defer it until we get to heaven?

Get alone and grab your phone.  Pull up your favorite worship song – and sing it – to Him.  With no one to impress; with no ulterior motive to derail you; and with the song of your choice – sing with your heart.  Worship Him.      

A PRAYER: Lord I am sorry that my life sounds so sorry.  I want my worship to bring joy to You both now and in heaven.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.  

*Guitar info from Acoustic Guitar (website), How Guitar Strings Age—and How to Know When to Change Them. 

whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on! — October 18, 2023

whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on!

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It’s ironic!  We work hard to achieve a state of stability and security in our lives, but then the Lord comes along and shakes things up. 

But good things can come from such a shake!

Consider our cruise for instance.  My wife and I have done only one cruise in our almost 50 years of marriage.   It was expensive, but I found a way to help defray the fare.

As we strolled the deck, we passed by the casino.  No, I didn’t gamble, but I noticed an arcade machine – the one where you drop a quarter in, it falls onto a moving bed of quarters and hopefully pushes a few of them off the cliff and into your pocket.   They call them “coin pushers.”

I thought to myself, “Hey I bet some of those quarters randomly drop off due to the movement of the boat and the engine vibrations.”  So, I probed the slot and sure enough there was 2 quarters there. 

I decided check on it throughout the voyage and I became $12.00 richer by the end of the trip.  All that shakin’ helped me bring home the bacon.   

Good things can come from such a shake!

This is certainly true in the spiritual realm. Abraham came to faith in God and then passed it down to Isaac and then to Jacob.   

Jacob’s 12 sons then took up residence in the foreign land of Egypt.  They found favor there for many years.  But as time marched on, they were marginalized and then enslaved. 

And their faith suffered over time.  The truth had not yet been written down so everything they knew of God came by word of mouth.  There was not a special day to gather or a place to worship.  The law had not yet been revealed nor were there priests to teach them.  Their faith consisted of ancient oral traditions traded around a campfire. 

They became comfortable in their slavish routines.   Life wasn’t pleasant, but they knew what they would be doing each day and what they would eat.  They had a place to live and family around them.  It was stable.

Then God decided He needed to shake things up.  He planned to relocate them to the promised land. 

But it was complicated.  Pharaoh resented the plan and made their lives miserable.  He supplied them with fewer materials yet demanded more bricks to be made.  They were not happy with God’s shaking.

Once they were released from Egypt, Pharaoh’s army pursued them with lethal intent.  The people cried.  “Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, because it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’”  – Ex 14:12. They desperately missed the comfort of their rut.

They were mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stuck in the past and they resented the difficulty that change brought.

But then God opened the Red Sea and allowed them to pass through on dry land.   When the forces of Pharaoh pursued them, God allowed the walls of water to fall and swallow them. 

Safe and sound on the other side, the rescued composed a song to celebrate. They sang, “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”  They were saved from certain death, and they knew it. 

The song went on, “This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”  – Exodus 15:2  This God of dusty empty tradition, had now become God of their experience.  Their faith which had been built on the worn stories of their forefathers had become real to them and they wrote a joyful song to tell of it. 

Sounds like they were glad in the end that God did some shakin? 

Are you feeling some vibrations these days.  It’s OK!  The Lord’s just prepping you for something better.

A PRAYER: Lord feel free to uproot me when I get in a rut.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

in the cockpit — October 11, 2023

in the cockpit

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The pilot was a dear friend, so he invited me to sit in the cockpit of his Boeing 727 as the plane was being boarded.  What an honor!  I sat down, lifted my head, and was immediately stunned.  Facing me was a myriad of knobs, buttons, pedals, levers and gauges and maybe a cup holder or two.

The view out the window was panoramic, but the view of the cockpit led me to panic.  What if I should accidentally lean on a lever and cause all the luggage to fall out.  What if I mistakenly goof up the fuel gauge so that we run out of gas midair?   What if I should bump a button that would eject the lady sitting in 26E? 

It was clear to me that I didn’t know enough to belong there.  I folded my arms and locked them tight and refused to move.  I said to my friend, “Hey this is nice! – OK I’m done!“  I went back to coach, found my seat, and sat down and relaxed for the duration of that trip, knowing that someone who actually knows what they are doing is in the cockpit.

That’s also the way I feel when I watch the news these days. I sense that I am in a cockpit of complexity that I want to manage – but can’t.

Jesus may have been describing our era of history when He predicted, “For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  All these things are the beginning of birth pains.” – Matthew 24:7-8

It is disturbing to be sure!  Russia in Ukraine, China poised to seize Taiwan and Hamas overwhelming Israel.   A quick Google search reveals that at the moment (October 2023) there are 32 ongoing conflicts in the world.

Jesus went on to say, “Then many will be led into sin, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will appear and deceive many, and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.”  –  Matthew 24:10-12

He, spoke of an era of moral decay that will supersede the past; an era also tainted with betrayal and hatred and deceptive religion. 

He also cited an increase in lawlessness.  That sure seems to be apparent these days – whether it be nations flouting international law or mobs of individuals looting jewelry stores.  The casualty of this lawlessness is that the love of people grows distrustful, self-centered and ice cold to the needs of others. 

Are these the beginning of birth pangs which will soon manifest itself in the return of our Lord Jesus?  Don’t know – it certainly could be! 

In the meantime, we sit in the cockpit of complexity, fearful that we or perhaps those who lead us will touch the wrong button.   Maybe the wise thing is to leave the cockpit to someone who belongs there. 

In the book of Jeremiah, the Lord left us a little something to calm our nerves.  He said, “I am the Lord, the God of all humankind. There is, indeed, nothing too difficult for me.”  – Jeremiah 32:27.

Nothing, nothing at all is beyond His ability to manage and control.  He is the ultimate pilot.  He is omnisciently aware of our circumstances and can negotiate every storm.  It is His prerogative to change course if He so chooses.  He knows every button and lever and exactly what to do with them. 

And it is a comfort to know that He is determined to safely deliver each of His passengers.  Paul said, “For God did not destine us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  – 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

So, get out of the cockpit, find your seat, tilt it back and trust your pilot.   He will get us safely home!

A PRAYER: Lord we are fearful, but You are powerful.  Help us to remember that!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture references are from the NETBible.com ®

is nearer better? — October 4, 2023

is nearer better?

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I was as lost as a man wandering around Hobby Lobby.  The cell signal was strong when we started out, but the bars were disappearing as we drove on.

We reached an area where there were none, then one, then none, then two, then none.  The nearer we were to a cell tower the better the signal seemed.

But isn’t much of life like that?   Nearer is better!

This applies to cell towers, payday, dinner time, Wi-Fi routers, concert seats, the weekend, vacation destinations, your spouse and most everything except poison ivy. Nearer is better. 

Could this apply to God?   The author of Hebrews says yes.  Several times in his letter he used the terms, “draw near” in relation to God.

Hebrews 4:16 for instance he wrote, “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The words “draw near” are derived from a Greek compound word, “pros-erchomai.  It means to come to or to draw near.  The phrase was used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to describe the priest of Israel as he interceded for his people.

Hebrews portrays Christ as our great high priest who intercedes for us.

He urges us to draw near – to get closer to the throne, where the mercy and grace of God is dispensed.  To face trouble without His mercy and grace would be frightening.   Nearer is better.

The author picks up the theme again in 7:25, “Therefore, He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” 

Again, Jesus is the subject.  “Draw near” in this verse is a present participle.  For you non-grammarians, this means we should understand it this way, “those who are drawing near to God through Him.”

The gist of it is this.  Those of us who are trusting Christ to save us from sin are forever saved through Him and His work at the cross.   Nearer is better.

Then there is 10:1-2 where the author argues that trying to be holy by keeping the OT law is pointless.  The Law was a reminder of sin whereas Christ provided redemption from sin.   He concluded that the Lord “make(s) perfect those who draw near.”

In other words, when we enter God’s presence by the blood of the Lamb, we present to God a record that has been expunged – judged perfect by the law.

One more! Hebrews 10:21-22, “Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” 

When Adam and Eve blew it, they tried to hide from God in the garden.    How different our response, because we have Jesus as our great high priest.  We are compelled to draw near to God, with sincerity and purity and with the assurance we won’t be turned away.   

When I was a little kid, I came to believe that God lived in a dark, austere, stone, church building. He was confined to a gleaming golden tabernacle which was locked.

It sat upon an ornate altar, which rested on a platform which was elevated by a dozen steps.  Between me and God was a railing – a barrier that kept the two of us apart.

In my little mind, I thought it would have been easier to approach the Wizard of Oz.  The architecture of the church was telling me that God wanted nothing to do with me, but my own heart whispered the same awful lie.   

I had no idea that four times in the book of Hebrews, God waved to me and invited me to draw near.   He wants to be with me, and He wants to be with you!  How awesome

A Prayer: Jesus thank you for eliminating the distance. 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture references are from the New American Standard Updated Version

does God answer football prayers? — September 27, 2023

does God answer football prayers?

/pickleheavenpress

Football and prayer go together like queso and chips from a concession stand.
Prayer happens in the locker room, on the field, pre and postgame, on one knee and sometimes from beneath a dogpile.   There are pleas for victory and penitential prayers for the defeated.

The Supreme Court has even made prayer at a football game a constitutional right.   But the question is this – Does God answer football prayers? 

I know of a situation that makes me wonder. 

I have a young friend who is an all-round athlete – a sophomore playing on the Varsity team.   Friday night rolled around, and he was a starter.  He played the first quarter like a seasoned pro – a stand-out for sure. 

His daddy was in the stands, and like his son, he is deeply devoted to the Lord.  He says he was burdened to pray from kickoff to the final whistle.

But he was confused.  The team suffered an embarrassing defeat.  Maybe it was because his son didn’t play the second, or third or even the fourth quarter.

Did the boy aggravate the coach?  Was he injured? Why didn’t the coach send him back in?

There was murmuring in stands.  Dad cornered the coach post-game and asked.   “Why did my boy sit out the last three quarters?  The coach was stunned.  He seemed to just realize what he had done.  He said, “I don’t know. I don’t know why I didn’t play him.”

He was genuinely upset over his oversight.  He called the boy that night at mid-night to apologize.  Wow a coach with an apology – unheard of!

But shortly after the call, the boy began running a fever of 103.  He was really sick.  The doctor eventually diagnosed him with mono.

Mono is a disease that enlarges your spleen, and you don’t want to be playing football when your spleen is enlarged.  A good bump would cause it to rupture resulting in internal hemorrhaging.  10% of people die when that happens.

That daddy prayed.  He expected God to use the boy to save the game.  But God took the boy out of the game to save his life.

Our God is omniscient.  He knows what was, what is, what will be and even what could be.  He has promised to answer our prayers, most often by giving us exactly what we pray for. 

But sometimes He says no, because it is wiser and better for us to do so.

Moses had been chosen by God to confront Pharaoh.  But Moses was content to be a nobody shepherd in the desert.  So, He prayed, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”  – Exodus 4:13. In other words, “I don’t wanna go to Egypt.  Would you please send someone else?”


 The Lord said no, and Moses said, “OK if I have to.”  So, what if God had given Moses exactly what he had asked.  The Hebrew people may still be in Egypt cranking out bricks for pyramids.

The prophet Elijah was afraid, exhausted, and hungry when he prayed, “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life.” –  1 Kings 19:4. The Lord brushed aside his pitiful plea and instead provided food, rest and encouragement.  And the prophet was restored.  But what if God had given the man exactly what he had asked for?

Jesus was in great anguish when He prayed at Gethsemane, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” – Luke 22:42. The Father said “No, Jesus. the cross is the only way forward.”  Where would we be if God had allowed that cup to pass from the Savior?

Keep praying.  God still answers.  But be comforted when He does not answer exactly as you have prayed.  It indicates that His love for you is bigger than your prayers.

A PRAYER: Lord help us to trust Your wisdom when our prayers aren’t answered in the way we expect.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®