2022-07-27T21:08:24+00:00

goat of God?

July 27, 2022/pickleheavenpress

I was at the garden shop, lifting a bag of potting soil to place in my cart. A couple in their fifties happened by. She stopped and said with urgency, “Oh can I help you with that?”

Well, I hope that kind lady didn’t see the outrage and humiliation on my face. “Hey, I ain’t that old yet! Maybe your husband and I should arm wrestle. I’ll show you who needs help.”

That was embarrassing! Do you know what else would be embarrassing? If Jesus had been known as the “goat of God.”

It was a possibility!

When John the Baptist first looked upon Jesus on the banks of the Jordan River, this is what he said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29

John spoke metaphorically of Christ and quite literally of what He would take away.

John knew the sacrificial system of Israel quite well. He understood that it was designed to pre-shadow the actual work of redemption that Jesus would one day bring. The sacrificial blood of a lamb was a type of the blood of Christ which would be shed for us on the cross.

But here’s the thing. There were multiple kinds of animals that were perfectly suitable as a sacrifice for sin. A young bull would work according to Leviticus 4:3. A male goat would also an acceptable option (Leviticus 4:25) and of course a lamb would also suffice.

So, was there a reason then, why Jesus was known as the Lamb of God and not the goat or bull of God? I can think of at least one possibility.

Obviously, a bull would be most costly, the goat less and the lamb the least. The value of the animal that was offered had to do with a person’s social rank and economic standing.

The high priest was required to offer a bull. A ruler had to offer a goat. Those guys were well-to-do relatively speaking.

But suppose you were just a regular Joe – a paycheck-to-paycheck kind of person. How could you ever be able to afford to buy a bull and then surrender him to the flames of the altar?

God, in His goodness, thought of this guy in Leviticus 4:27-28. There it says, “‘If an ordinary individual sins by straying unintentionally when he violates one of the Lord’s commandments which must not be violated, and he pleads guilty, or his sin that he committed is made known to him, he must bring a flawless female goat.”

An ordinary individual! I can relate. Other translations use synonymous phrases like commoner or common people.

So, this everyday guy could offer a goat if he wished, but if that were not possible then the passage goes on to say, “‘But if he brings a sheep as his offering, for a sin offering…” Leviticus 4:32 A sheep could be substituted.

So, because Jesus was the Lamb of God, and not the bull or the goat, the message to us is this: Jesus’ sacrifice is for all of us – including the commoner.

You don’t have to be the cream of society to be saved. The balance in your bank account does not matter to God. Your social standing is irrelevant to God.

Jesus’ blood is also for the common person – the truckdriver, the mother, the garbage collector, the accountant, the teacher and on it goes.

Hey, scour the Gospels and you will find that it was the common folk that most quickly responded to the ministry of Christ.

I am the son of a truckdriver. I worked in the warehouse and often loaded my dad’s truck. My roots are not with the elite of this world. So, I am thrilled that the grace of God reaches out to people like me – and you.

A PRAYER: God you are so omnipotent, and I am so ordinary. Thank you for reaching out to me

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NET Bible ®

a lover’s leap

July 20, 2022/pickleheavenpress

When my future wife Sharie, first saw me, I was a musician with thick, kinky, red hair that went down to the middle of my back and a beard that made me look like I had the mange. She was not interested.

Months later I had been groomed. Then she was interested, but I was not. I thought she might be attracted to a musician instead of me.

In the meantime, I had vainly dated several girls and we clashed.

One day, I thought, “The ancient Jewish culture had an advantage. Parents assisted in match making and they were equipped with an objective perspective of their kids.”

God had blessed me with a Christian couple, Les and Jacquie Zartman, who had been like parents to me – and knew me well. Through the years, they only had but one comment to make about my dating life. They told me I should get to know Sharie Scott.

Oh my! Sharie? We happened to work at the same place. So even though I didn’t feel it at the time, by faith, I asked her out.

We had dinner, then played board games with friends. I was pleased with evening.

That Monday, work was slow, so the boss happened to assign just Sharie and me to remodel the break trailer.

I was done playing the dating game, so I gave her the third degree, while we worked.

By Friday, my former indifference had morphed into a passionate desire to make her my wife. She was the one I knew that I needed to marry.

God taught me a lot about love through this experience.

– Love is a decision

It was the counsel of friends that caused me to do a 180 with Sharie. Love begins with a decision. That’s why Jesus could say “Love your enemies.” (Luke 6:27) He treated love as if it were a function of the will.

Love is sustained by choices as well. Every day and through every season of life – we must choose again to love that person to whom we are pledged.

– Love is a verb

Past experiences taught me that what I got out of a relationship was proportionate to what I put into it. I had been putting next to nothing in – so the relationships were lame.

With Sharie, I engaged. I took her to dinner and shared her company with my friends. We talked non-stop for a week (a big stretch for me) I bought her a crock pot. (seriously). I found ways to serve her, though my heart had not yet caught up. (That took a whole week!)

In Luke 6:27, Jesus continued, “Do good (even) to those who hate you.” Whether we feel it or not – we need to do the work of love.

– Love is a skill that needs to be learned

Paul instructed older women to teach younger women how to love their husbands and children. (Titus 2:4)

Love is a skill that needs to be learned. As a 20 something, I knew I was ignorant, so I read my Bible and I watched my mentors and learned.

– The feelings of love are the fruit of the work of love.

I had decided to pursue Sharie and actively invest in and love her. The emotions followed. The feelings of love became the fruit of the work of love.

We married 6 months after that first date. And recently celebrated 45 years together. She is my best friend and the love of my life and there is no one I would rather be with.

Love is a decision. Is there someone that you need to choose to love today? Or maybe rechoose to love? Love is a verb: No time for coasting – reengage and serve that one you love. Love is a skill that needs to be learned. Read a book. Find a mentor. Through every era of life, new skills will need to be learned.

A PRAYER: Lord continue to teach us how to love as You love.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Bible references from the NETBible ®

hearing loss

July 13, 2022/pickleheavenpress

As we age, I am finding that my wife and I are wearing out the word, “What?” (as in “what did you say?”) We need either hearing aids or speaking aids. Not sure where the fault lies.

This reminds me, however, of an event that took place recently.

A group was gathered near Zilker park at a Thai food truck. It was a cool clear Austin evening – a great time to share a relaxing meal together after a grueling week of school.

The tranquility was shattered by an ear-splitting car collision in the intersection nearby. The offending pick-up caused the sedan to careen off towards the food truck. Some ran for safety -others did not.

Eleven diners were mowed down. Two sustained life-threatening injuries. But why didn’t they all react and move out of the path of the car?

Sadly, it was because among them were students at the nearby school for the deaf. They just didn’t hear it.

———

Bad things can happen when we fail to hear!

Back in 30 AD or so, the nation of Israel was a mess. Politically: it was enslaved and ruled by the iron fist of the Roman Empire. Economically: Rome drained the wealth of the nation. Spiritually it was a heartless, cheerless cesspool of legalism. The nation desperately prayed for better days.

God answered! He sent them Jesus, who was to redeem them from their sin and then restore the nation and righteously rule the Kingdom from the throne that David once occupied.

He came preaching this message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” – Matthew 4:17

Everything the nation had ever hoped for – prayed for – hinged on their repentance. They were exhorted to turn away from their self-indulgent sin and turn to Jesus the Messiah

But they had a hearing problem. After a long season of preaching His message of repentance Jesus said, “For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” – Matthew 13:15

He would have healed the nation in every way but they were deliberately deaf to His message.

At a later time, Jesus was trudging downhill from the Mount of Olives, He was headed to Jerusalem which was sprawled out before Him.

There on that dirt road, surrounded by a throng of followers – Jesus wept.

Luke 19:41-44 reads, “Now when Jesus approached and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and surround you and close in on you from every side. They will demolish you—you and your children within your walls—and they will not leave within you one stone on top of another because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”

He wept because He knew that Rome would soon level the city and intensify the suffering of the Israeli people and their children. This was because the nation had rejected Him and His offer to intervene and bring healing.

Rome eventually leveled the land just as Jesus had predicted. Was it His fault? No, He tried to intervene. He wanted better things for them. It was the nation’s choice to make.

I am thinking that decades ago, Jesus possibly looked upon the USA and wept once again. Because the nation of which it was said, “God shed His grace on thee” – that nation had become deaf to His message.

And every day the people and the children of our nation are suffering the terrible aftermath of it.

Jesus, I weep with you

A PRAYER: Jesus I weep with You

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you and this nation as well.

Scripture references are from the NET Bible®

a teetering trust

July 6, 2022/pickleheavenpress

If I were Amish, I would be afraid to water ski. My horse might drown!

David, on the other hand, feared nothing. He proved it in the Valley of Elah!

This valley was the site in Israel where David defied Goliath. It is a pleasant verdant vale when there wasn’t a war going on.

Who doesn’t know and cherish the story of the boy with audacious courage? He confronted the giant saying “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you down and cut off your head.” – 1 Samuel 17:45-46

With a sling and stone, he succeeded. This victory became the subject of song and celebration for many years to come in the nation of Israel. Surely, he never forgot that day – and yet it seems that he did.

Fifteen years later David was being pursued by murderous King Saul. David had attracted a band of discontents who were loyal to him. They were a threat that Saul wanted to eliminate.

But the band of fugitives, managed to keep one step ahead of Saul and his army. They finally found refuge in a place known as the Cave of Adullam.

This cave is essentially a big hill, towering about 500 feet over a very flat plain. It is a limestone formation that was eroded over time so that it had become a honeycomb of caves – one of which could contain 300 people at one time. A perfect hiding place for David’s band.

But why were they there?

David was evidently afraid! Saul had tried to use him as a pin cushion with a spear and had led his army on a seek-and-destroy mission against him (1 Samuel 19:1). David had been on the run for some time. And so we read, “David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam.” – 1 Samuel 22:1

But how ironic!

In the valley of Elah David ran to the battle – at Adullam he hid from it. At Elah he removed the protective armor that the King had given him – at Adullam he covered himself with a rock fortress. At Elah his only weapon was a sling, but at Adullam he was armed with the sword of defeat once wielded by Goliath.

The valiant crusader had become a fearful fugitive. It was a crisis of faith.

But, the story takes an even darker turn. The cave of Adullam sat on the rim of the valley of Elah. From that elevated perch David would have had an unobstructed view of the brook from where he took the 5 smooth stones.

He could see the very place where he stood toe-to-toe against Goliath. He could look upon the meadow where the ginormous Philistine lay dead.

David could see all of this from the murky cave in which he hid from King Saul.

Insanely courageous and full of faith at one moment and blinded by fear in the next. A reminder to us that living by faith is a daily challenge. Faith is not a one time proposition. It will be repeatedly tested and must be renewed daily.

Hey these are fearful days. Are they not? Will we meet the challenge as did the fearless boy, or the feckless man?

May David forgive me for using his own words to challenge him and us as well. “Throw your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you. He will never allow the godly to be shaken….but as for me, I trust in You.” – Psalm 55:22-23

A PRAYER: Lord my faith needs a daily infusion. I will look to You to supply it?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scriptures passages are from the NET Bible ®

Picture by David bena at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47491712

is God a bass or a tenor?

June 29, 2022/pickleheavenpress

We were not expecting to be expecting, but God had other ideas. I was still working on my husband skills having been married only 7 months. But we were still very excited about being parents.

I could not wait to meet my little girl. During the pregnancy, I would put my head close to my wife’s tummy and softly sing to my baby so that she could hear and even feel the vibrations. I sang to her – I sang for her – I sang over her – because I loved her.

Ironically, long before she could talk, she would stand up in her crib in the morning and return the song – singing her baby syllables with all her heart.

________

I have learned that God is just as excited about His children. He too sings over them. (I know! Isn’t that a crazy thought?)

The evidence is in Zephaniah 3:17. Now since you have probably never read the book of Zephaniah, let me give you a thumbnail sketch.

God used Zephaniah as a messenger to the nation of Judah. He prophesied that the nation would be judged because of their idolatry, immorality, and spiritual apathy.

But, in the third and final chapter of the book, Zephaniah predicted that God would send His Messiah in the last days and all Israel would turn their hearts toward Him. The distance between God and His people will be bridged.

This is where we find Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” – KJV

On that day God will joyfully celebrate by singing love songs over His children.

It is not a misprint. Most other translations of the Bible render it this way as well.

God joyfully sings over His people much as I sang over my little girl.

I have so many questions? Is God a tenor or a bass? Would a female hear Him as an alto or a soprano? Does this mean He has perfect pitch? Do the angels snicker when He sings? Isn’t He embarrassed?

No way! He is not ashamed to sing of His love for His children. He is a Father who is hopelessly devoted to His little ones.

I have a friend who feels the need to return the song. When Steve Bradley sings during a church service, he is louder than my grandpa’s Sunday tie.

He out-sings us all including the crew on the platform with the microphones. He belts out the hymns with gusto and the contemporary worship songs with just as much energy. He loves to sing to his Redeemer, and the rest of us are inspired to hear him.

It seems that a heart full of love just spills out in song.

So, may I put us on the spot? If our love for the Lord were gauged by the way we sing on Sunday morning, would we move the needle at all?

Hey if we ain’t feelin’ it, I don’t think we ought to fake it. But maybe we should be alarmed that we ain’t feelin’ it!

This next Sunday morning, grab a cup of coffee and your Bible, and mull over Romans 8:28-39 where Paul provides a thrilling description of God’s love for you.

Then, with your heart warmed, head for church and stun the worship leader by enthusiastically singing of your love for the Lord.

A PRAYER: Lord singing is easy for me – but please help those who don’t find it as easy?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

poured out

June 15, 2022/pickleheavenpress

I recently saw a video clip on the news, that I wish I could forget. It took place in Kingsland, Arkansas, population 300. It so happens that the late country crooner, Johnny Cash was from that little town. They honored him by putting his silhouette high up on town’s sole water tower.

But a sharpshooter, with a wry sense of humor, put a bullet right through Johnny’s groin area, which punctured the tank and produced a steady stream of water arcing to the ground.

And now, poor Mr. Cash relieves himself of about 30,000 gallons a day. Hmm – I know how he feels.

Now I bet you are wondering what in the world kind of spiritual point is Jim Johnson gonna make with this story. Well, I got one!

_________

The apostle Paul had a leak of another kind!

He was nearing the end of his ministry – soon to move on to glory. But he shared these parting words with Timothy. He said, “For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand.” – 2 Timothy 4:6

The apostle referenced the sacrificial system of Israel.

The purpose of the Old Testament sacrifices was to bridge the distance between God and man. There were several kinds of offerings, but they could be summed up by grouping them into 2 categories.

There were those that addressed the sin of man (such as the burnt offering). These sacrifices foreshadowed the work of Christ who covered our sins at the cross.

There were also those offerings that symbolized man’s grateful response to God (such as the drink offering).

The burnt offering was the most frequent and important. It was presented to atone for the unclean condition of humanity. It was offered night and day – a perpetual cycle of sacrifice offered for God’s sinful people. (Lev.6:13).

It was the blood of this animal sacrifice that was sprinkled on the altar as a reminder that there is no remission for sin except by the shedding of blood.

Jesus, of course, became the ultimate expression of a burnt offering – His blood sprinkled on the altar, night and day bridging the once impassable gulf between man and God. Sin was and is covered by His sacrifice and an intimacy with God is enjoyed for those who have received His gift.

OK but what about Paul’s poured offering?

He was referencing the “drink offering” which involved a cup of good quality wine, ranging in volume from 1.5 to 3 quarts. It was never offered alone but was given in tandem with the burnt offerings. The priest would pour out the wine around the altar where the fire had consumed the lamb of sacrifice.

Like the burnt offering, it was completely expended. There was nothing left afterwards.

So, Paul compared himself to a drink offering as if to say: “Jesus, the burnt offering for my sins, has given me peace with God. I, therefore, become a drink offering to accompany His sacrifice. Out of gratitude I sacrificially pour myself out, all of me, in service for God’s glory and for the good of others who need to be redeemed.”

Paul went on to tell Timothy, “I have finished the race; I have kept the faith! Finally, the crown of righteousness is reserved for me.” – 2 Timothy 4:7-8

So powerful. Paul told the young man that he had done it. Paul had poured himself out – a living sacrifice throughout his years of ministry. He had withheld nothing. Jesus got it all.

I am awed that Paul could say such things, and that it would be recorded in the eternal Word of God for us to read today.

Makes me wonder what I may be withholding!

A PRAYER: Lord help me find the cork in my life that keeps me from being fully poured out.

This has been Jim Johnson with pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NET Bible ®

destress

June 8, 2022/pickleheavenpress

Famed news commentator, Paul Harvey, once reported about a man in India who was 120 years old. Over the years the guy accumulated 23 wives, but he could remember the names of only 16 of them.

And I thought my life was stressful!

What about yours? At the end of the day, do you feel like there is more to do, but less of you to do it?

Jesus wrestled with the same tension but seemed to be able to successfully manage it. He offered to teach us to do it too.

He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me…” Matthew 11:28-29 Here’s a few things He passed on.

– Jesus rested.

A storm overwhelmed the disciples and threatened to swamp the boat. The services of Jesus seemed to be desperately needed and yet we read, “He was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion.” (Mark 4:38)

Jesus slept when He needed to sleep regardless of what was going on. A good sleep each night and a day off from work every week will refresh us too.

– Jesus dined

The Pharisees accused Him of being a glutton. (Luke 7:34) An exaggerated charge to be sure, but it tells us that Jesus enjoyed food. A car without gas won’t be going far. Get something to eat.

– Jesus charged His batteries.

He had just healed a man on the Sabbath. Jesus’ critics “were filled with mindless rage and began debating with one another what they would do to Jesus.” (Luke 6:11)

This is how He responded, “Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent all night in prayer to God.” (6:12) As His troubles got bigger, Jesus went deeper. He prayed.

– Jesus identified His priorities.

Some of us are torn in a hundred directions but Jesus knew what his mission was, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) That was the magnetic north that gave Him direction

We would be wise to identity our priorities. Your spouse and children are primary. Your job and your service to the Lord are too. Cover them well. If you want to, and have the time and energy left- feel free to take on more.

– Jesus said no when needed

He had put in a 16-hour day of ministry in Capernaum. He then withdrew for a night of prayer. In the morning, the town’s people found Him and pressed Him to return and resume His healing. He replied “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” (Mark 1:38)

He said, “No” to them. He would not allow His preaching to be swallowed up by His healing ministry. Once we have identified our priorities, we then have the freedom to lovingly say no to those things that are not.

– Jesus asked for help. – Matt. 26:36-38

At Gethsemane, Jesus asked Peter, James and John to remain awake and pray with Him as He approached the time of His betrayal. He asked for help. Sometimes, we are stressed because we have chosen to go it alone. Those that do forfeit the support and wisdom and companionship that others bring.

I grew up where the streets were often coated in white in the winter. When stuck in a rut, my teenage impulse was to put the pedal to the metal. My wheels were spinning but I wasn’t moving. Then I got smarter, I learned to accelerate slowly. The tires found traction and I was set free.

You may be stuck in a spiral of stress. If so, accelerate a little more slowly. Take time to rest and eat and pray and reflect on your priorities and even ask for help! You’ll reduce the stress and find the traction you need.

A PRAYER: Thank you for the lesson, Lord. Help me to live it.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Scripture from the NETBible ®

mortarfied

June 1, 2022/pickleheavenpress

Have you ever taken on more than you can handle? I sure have!

I ran into the lumber store to get a small bag of mortar. They don’t come in small bags, so I grabbed a 60 lb. behemoth. A shopping cart would have been helpful, but I was in a hurry.

I got in line to check out. The guy in front of me had two pushcarts full of lumber. Meanwhile, my load kept trying to find the floor.

8 grueling minutes later I made it to the register. With one arm, I somehow slipped my wallet and charge card out and signed my name on the device. The arm with the mortar went numb.

The cashier then asked if there would be anything else. I said, “Well could you put this in one of those plastic bags for me? She looked at me in disbelief and sadly nodded “no.”

I should have gotten a cart – I know, but I have always been a stubborn do-it-all-yourself kind of guy. I don’t need a person or a buggy to lighten my load. I’m all that I need.

This goofiness even slips into my relationship with God at times. When a tough problem comes, I YouTube it to death and then work harder and longer until it’s resolved.

I could have cited the apostle Paul as my example. He admitted in 2 Thessalonians 3:8, “In toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you.”

He sowed Gospel seeds during the day and sewed tents by night. His night gig produced income so that he could be financially self-sufficient as a minister. Paul seems like the poster child for people like me.

BUT, I did a concordance search on that phrase “night and day” and I found that Paul was also busy doing something else. He wrote to Timothy, “I remember you in my prayers as I do constantly night and day.” – 2 Timothy 1:3

It was his habit to pray night and day, reaching out to God, realizing that his strenuous and best efforts in ministry were less than sufficient to get the job done.

After all, it was Jesus who said, “Apart from me, you can accomplish nothing.” – John 15:5

OK, but how does our effort interface with the power of God our behalf?

Consider this. I was a sophomore in high school trying out for the varsity football team. The coach had us doing a drill where one blocker, had to fend off one tackler, and do it well enough to let a running back get by.

It was my turn, and I trembled as I faced an all-city senior. My 165 lbs. wasn’t going to be enough to block his 260.

The coach said “go” and I exploded into my opponent – which turned out to be a dud. He stood me up and stopped me flat.

The running back, however, did not hesitate. He got behind me, put his head in my back and added his strength to mine without missing a step. He blasted us both out of the way and I had succeeded. The guy had been blocked.

I could not have done it without that auxiliary power that was added to mine. And yet I was also crucial to the plan. If I had not been doing my part, the back would have gotten nailed.

So it is with God. We have our responsibilities in this life, and we need to give them our very best effort while at the same time we reach out to the Lord. We seek His infusion of strength and wisdom and at times His direct intervention for success.

The mortar to this story – – I mean – – moral to this story is this. “Work hard – pray hard.” Day and night if you must.

A PRAYER: Lord open my eyes to those times when I am straining to do what you want to do for me.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

mortified