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
Jesus not cheeses — October 16, 2019

Jesus not cheeses

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

After years in the delicacy doldrums, I buried my teeth in the most savory, sensational pizza ever to grace a plate. And I was invited to take home a load of leftovers.  Ah, but with what?

Let me backtrack.  My roots are Irish, but I went to a school where most were of Italian heritage.  I became enculturated.  I learned a few Italian phrases (some of which I was disciplined for repeating) and I was enamored with the cuisine. 

Italian mothers staffed the cafeteria, thereby filling the halls with daily, heavenly, Roma aromas.  Friday was the exception – that was stinky fish stick day.

But I, was made to take my lunch – always and forever.  I could expect one of 3 sandwiches in my Howdy Doody lunch box: peanut butter and pickle, bologna, or Braunschweiger.  The last one I could not pronounce or digest.   

But I got a break in 8th grade.  Our little garage band was invited to perform at the school banquet.  The cafeteria ladies served up the finest, spiciest, most wonderful pizza.  Heavenly stuff!

The band followed dinner and dinner followed the band – or at least this member.  I had a tough time singing I was so stuffed. 

I learned there was a mountain of leftovers.  They offered it to me, and I wanted it – all of it, every beautiful old-world pepperoni disc and stringy piece of mozzarella – BUT – I had nothing to carry it in. 

SO, I did what I had to do.  I removed my guitar and lined the empty case with pizza.  I carefully layered in each piece with the skill of a stone mason so that no space went to waste and then I latched it shut. 

It was a solid pizza guitar – 5” thick – and really heavy to carry.  I would have assigned it to a groupie except we didn’t have any. 

I got it home, gathered my family, put the case on the kitchen table and then dramatically opened my treasure chest to the astonished crowd.  They dug in and I had a couple more myself.   

Now you may be wondering one of two things: “Why do I bother reading a blog written by such a doofus?” or “What could the point of this story possibly be?”

In answer to the second question – it’s all about Jesus. (not cheeses)

May I compare my Jesus to pizza?  Why not?  He compared Himself to bread in John 6.

there is an enticing aroma to Jesus.  

Paul wrote, “Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.”  (Eph. 5:2)   He compared Jesus’ work on the cross to the sweet incense offerings of the Old Testament.   The news that someone died so that others could live – that’s unsettling – its humbling – its enticing.

An aroma directs our noses to the source of joy.   This aroma may be wafting around your work place.  That girl at the other desk is different.  She is patient when challenged and she helps others when she could be advancing herself.  She endured her chemo treatments with courage from above.  She has been changed by the grace of the Lord.  She smells a lot like Jesus.

But how miserable to smell, and yet not be permitted to partake.  Not a problem.

we are invited to taste

The Psalmist wrote, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  (Psalm 34:8). David invites us all to experience the Lord – to feast on His mercy and grace – to personally know and enjoy Him.  Not a simple sample, but a banquet of His goodness. 

Last night my wife and I went to say our evening prayers.  I asked how I might pray for her.  She thought about it and said, “I really don’t have any concerns at the moment”.  Neither did I.  The Lord has been so ridiculously good to us.  We could think of nothing but to use our prayer to thank Him.  We have tasted and found the Lord to be extremely good.

And while Jesus completely satisfies, we will nevertheless long for more.  As the author of the hymn wrote, “More, more about Jesus; More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.”  When we have truly connected with Jesus, we never tire of Him.  

So, dig in and enjoy!

But remember, others are still suffering from the Braunschweiger blahs while Jesus offers so much more.  He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life and may have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

If you are fortunate enough to know Jesus, open that guitar case to your friends and family.

Bible citations from NET Bible ®

too close — October 9, 2019

too close

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

My cousins and my siblings and I were playing hide and seek in the small basement of our home.   Hiding places for the slew of us were as scarce as hen’s teeth, but my little brother Doug improvised. 

He searched the back room and found that the furnace had a hood which extended downward to within 3 feet of the floor.  He was able to stand under it with his head in it.  A perfect fit.  Never mind that only his head and shoulders were hidden. 

Believe it or not, he was the first to be caught.  Game over.  In fact, we were done for the day.  Up the stairs and through the door and into the kitchen we went, where my aunt sat and nursed a cup of coffee. 

She sniffed the air and asked in a disgusted tone, “What is that horrible stench?” 

Well – it was my brother and the unmistakable scent of burning hair.  His crew cut had been scorched by the heat in the furnace hood.  His hair was reduced to ashy, crispy nubs.  Actually, he would look quite stylish today.

As I recall we all got a spanking for that.  Thanks Doug!

My brother did not incinerate – but he could have, because the person that gets too close to the flame often does.

That’s what happened to King David.  He was taking a stroll around his palatial penthouse, when he happened to look down upon another rooftop where a beauty was bathing.  Instead of moving away from the flame, he lingered and watched (and his hair began to smoke.)  Like my brother, he thought that he was hidden and could beat the game.

David used his kingly authority to make a royal mistake –adultery, which led to conspiracy, and then murder.  His example poisoned his children and his Kingdom was crippled.  It all began when he made the choice to stand too close to the flame. (2 Samuel 11)

Joseph on the other hand, was aggressively pursued by the wife of his boss.  He consistently resisted her and when she finally forced the issue, he left his toga in her hands and ran for cover. (Genesis 39)

Paul put it succinctly in 1 Cor 6:18, “Flee immorality.”  We just can’t stand in the flame or be anywhere near it.  We gotta run from it, fast, as soon as we sense the heat.  We need to put distance between ourselves and temptation.  

We were taught to pray about temptation in the Lord’s Prayer. Can we really ask Him to deliver us from evil if we are content to dabble in it?

So, what do we do about the flame?  How do we distance ourselves? 

We could get a filtering app for the phone to block the questionable stuff on the net.  And it would probably be wise to quit lingering at the Keurig with that hottie at work.  And if there really is power in suggestion, then maybe we should be a little more discerning about what streams onto our flat screens.

Years ago, I discovered an effective way to douse the flame.   Temptation likes to hide.  It lurks in the recesses of the mind and is potent as long as it stays in the dark. In fact, it grows there like a black mold. 

To disarm it, temptation needs to be dragged from out of the dark and into the light.  So, when I am tempted, I interrupt it, by verbally saying, out loud, “No!”  Using my lips to say it, and my ears to hear it, exposes the threat.  It gives temptation a cold shower.

As a pastor/counselor I have passed this secret on to many, (mostly men) who have also found it to be really helpful.

Well my brother was a hard core hide and seek player!  He stood there in the heat while his head was being charred.   Believe it or not, he is still with us and enjoying his 6th decade and he has a good-looking head of hair with more color than I do.  But he also has somewhat of a nervous tic.  He jumps every time the furnace kicks on.

my hair won’t beehive — October 2, 2019

my hair won’t beehive

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

Annette (not my mom)

My mother wanted to honor her daddy by looking her best at his funeral, so she got her hair done up in a Bee Hive style for the occasion (ala Annette Funicello.)

It was raining that day, so she decided to reinforce her hive with some aerosol hairspray.

She and my sister rushed back into the house and into the bathroom. Mom quickly grabbed the can and wooshed it all around her head making sure to thoroughly coat every strand.

The effect was slightly delayed, but then it happened. Mom’s hairdo began to grow and glow.  It was poofing out exponentially.  She produced an instantaneous swirling, stark white afro. 

And that’s what happens when you spray your hair with Scrubbing Bubbles, which according to the manufacturer, is a “deep penetrating foam that clings to your bathroom surfaces.” (and your hair)   

My sister laughed hysterically until mom chased her out the house.  My mother finally got it under control and made the funeral in time – and she had several women tell her how wonderful she smelled.  (Plus her hair had no unsightly ring.) 

Things like that just happen when we aren’t careful about the outward appearance.  Worse things happen when we aren’t careful about our inward essence. 

The apostle Peter put it this way, “Let your beauty not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes, but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.”  1 Peter 3:3-4 – NET Bible ®

He addressed women in this case, but his counsel certainly applies to men as well.  He understood that we all like to look our best.  Nothing wrong with that.  Although some of us are quite handicapped. 

Someone once gave me the nickname, “The meandering torso” because my upper torso is disproportionately long compared to my bottom section (which is why my pants tend to sag, or at least that’s what I blame) 

Even I would like to look good, but Peter says, “Hey don’t just give attention to your outer appearance, think about your inner essence as well.  He called it, “the inner person” –  the person “of the heart.” 

Peter argued that it was quality in the inner person persona that grabs the attention of God.  It is “precious in His sight.”   The rest of us find it pretty attractive as well.

Gentleness in a person is alluring while harshness is repelling.  Patience is beautiful; a short-tempered person is beastly.  Kindness is a knockout while a harsh person you want to knock out.  Goodness is a virtue that is becoming while evil is beguiling.   One with a servant’s heart is incredible, but intolerable are the ego centric.

I know a young single woman who is both physically attractive and also has a sweet wonderful heart.   I have wondered when some intelligent young man would recognize her for what she is. 

Such a guy seems to have come along.  He recently pitched a party for her, to get to know her friends.  He stood before us all and gushed over her amazing Christian character – and then – he popped the question – right there in front of us all.

I had to choke back joyful tears.  It was a perfect match.  She had tended to her heart and he was captivated by it.  She said yes! 

A survey found that most of us spend between 11 to 30 minutes each morning getting ready for the day.   21% of men and 38% of women take over 30 minutes.  (Lifestyle, July 10th, 2012; Kate Palmer).  It takes times to look good!

What if we were to take the time that we invest in our morning routine and give an equal amount of time to the inner person?  We could read the Scripture, pray for our friends, text an encouragement to a struggler or even pour a coffee to go for a coworker.

That would be kinda like taking a can of spiritual Scrubbing Bubbles and applying it to our hearts. 

Naw. It would be better than that!  So shall we?

all chipped up — September 25, 2019

all chipped up

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

Why is it that some people read the Bible and can understand it, while others are confused?  How can two people read the same passage and end up with 2 conflicting interpretations?    

It has a lot to do with the missing ingredient.  Sorta like my car key! 

The keys in my pocket were heavy and pokey and would sometimes stab me just for fun.  So, I tried to reduce the glob.  A couple of the car keys had thick plastic decorative jackets on them. I took a knife and removed said jackets. 

What a difference it made!  The jingly tumor on my leg disappeared, plus, I no longer leaned to the right when I walked. 

The next day I went to use my new streamlined key, but the engine whimpered.  It wouldn’t start – which caused me to anxiously wonder, “Could there be an electronic chip buried in the jacket of that key.” 

Google confirmed my suspicion.  It was implanted to – thwart theft!  (try saying that five times fast).  Without the embedded chip, the car was a 6-cylinder paperweight.

Oh great!  I sifted through my garbage looking for that mutilated rubbery thing.  I found it and only hoped that the chip was still chipper.  I held it next to the ignition switch while I turned the key and – the car roared to life. 

Now, think of your Bible as a key and the Holy Spirit as the mysterious chip.  When we come to faith in Christ, the Spirit comes to indwell the Christian much like that chip was embedded.  When we want to correctly understand the words of God, we need both.   He opens our minds to understand what God has already spoken.   

The apostle Paul explained the dynamic in 1 Corinthians 2:12*, “Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.”   The work of the Holy Spirit is to help us correctly interpret what God has communicated in words. 

And that’s important because words are not always enough.  When I was a kid, my friends and I saw a restored ’56 Chevy and we called it a “bad” car.   What we meant was, “It was an impressive car.”  My mom, however, wanted to wash my mouth out with a bar of soap. (Do mom’s use squirt bottles today or is this kind of thing finally illegal?)   Mom needed a teenager to help her understand what we were really saying.

Which brings me back to the Holy Spirit.  He knows the heart and mind and intention of God because He is God.  As we read the Word, we have the author within us to give us spiritual insight and discernment.  

For example, some read Ephesians 5:22 and are offended by it because they understand the words, but only the words, “wives be subject to your own husbands.”   It appears to regard a wife as a subservient person – less valued than her husband.  That really is offensive. 

However, in verse 25, husbands are commanded to “love their wives as Christ loved the church.”  This is seldom considered by the critics of Scripture.  However, both passages, coupled with insight from the Spirit, help us to understand the intention of God.  His plan for marriage is a relationship that is equally and mutually a blessing to each partner.

It involves a husband who sacrifices himself for his wife – in all things, and a wife who responds to his tender leadership with respect.  

What wife would resist the considerate care of such a husband, and what husband would trivialize or marginalize a wife who honors and respects him in such a wonderful way. 

When husband and wife are fulfilling their responsibilities to each other, they create a rich warm partnership where they forge their direction together, in mutual respect.

That’s the understanding we get when the Spirit of God takes the black and white words of Scripture and broadcasts them in color.

If we all had the Spirit to tutor us, then there would be far less quibbling about Scripture.

Is your mental engine failing to start when you sit down to read the Bible? Take a moment to pray before you read.  Invite the Spirit of God to open your mind and give you insight as to how to put it to work in your life.   

__________

A great hymn on the illumination work of the Holy Spirit, expertly sung to one of my favorite melodies – by the Heralds.  Click and listen:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfUlCof-aM8

*Scripture references are from the NET Bible ®

herded — September 18, 2019

herded

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

The hymn says, “He leadeth me,” but does He?  Does God really reach down from heaven and direct me as I make my way through life?

If so how?   Does He navigate a metaphysical map app and speak to us in a Siri voice?   That might be creepy?

And suppose He does lead us – do I necessarily want to go where He is leading?  

Consider Isaiah 48:17, “This is what the Lord, your Protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.”   NET Bible®.

That answers 2 out of 3 of my questions.  Yes, God does guide us.  He “leads us in the way in which we should go.”  And yes, we probably want to follow His lead because He “teaches us to succeed.”   Who wouldn’t want that?  Only the “how” question remains to be answered.

Sure, the Word of God is a great help.  He gives us such wonderful specific direction there about life and marriage and money and parenting and so on.  But the verse seems to be talking about God’s personal intervention.

Perhaps Jake could help?  Jake was a dog – a heeler to be exact.  He was a solid, sturdy, compact dog that was bred to herd sheep and cattle. 

Heelers have coats that are speckled with either blue or a red flecks.  We preferred Jake who was a Blue Heeler.  He complemented my eyes.

Jake had once been one of several working dogs on a cattle ranch in New Mexico.  For some reason the other dogs decided they didn’t like Jake anymore.  They refused to work with him.  (You know how things can be in the work place.)  

Anyway, my son happened along as the rancher was about to give the dog the pink slip (which clashed with his blue specks).  He rescued Jake and took him to his home in the Rockies.  But Jake eventually returned the favor.  He courageously chased a bear from the front porch.

My son did some transitioning, so Jake eventually wound up moving in with us in Texas.  

I understand that the heeler breed originated in Australia. He is part Collie and part Dingo.  Or maybe it was part dingy, because that he was.

He once ran into a brick wall head first which didn’t help his mental stability. 

And he had an obnoxious habit of howling through the night unless he was in bed with you. His howl was an ear piercing elongated, “oooooo” – like a police siren except out of tune.   Maybe that’s why the other heelers shunned him.  A working dog needs his sleep. 

So, what does all this have to do with God?  Keep reading!

My wife and I would occasionally take Jake for a walk.  This was always a memorable experience.   We let him wander without a leash, but he always stayed very near.  In fact, he would pace to and fro, back and forth all around us.  We were being herded – like a couple of cows. 

We walked down the center of our quiet street but if we moved close to the curb (where the wolves lurk) he would cut us off and force us to redirect.  I don’t how many times I almost tripped over that dog.   He would work the right and then the left, but always kept us centered.

If we were to stop and greet a neighbor, he would bump our heels to get us moving again.  Another skill he learned in the livestock business.  Hence the name “heeler.”

I sometimes wondered if he was leading us to the tattoo parlor to be branded!   

I suspect that God guides us much as Jake did.

You didn’t get that job for which you applied. Maybe God blocked the path because it was a diversion from his ultimate best for you. 

You met your fiancé at church even though she lives 2 hours away and you intended to skip church that day.  Could it be that God bumped your heel to get you out of bed, to be there with her in the same place at the same time?   

You and your business partner eventually went your separate ways.  Three years later he was indicted for fraud.  Could it be that God allowed that rift to fester in order to protect you? 

Yes God “leads us in the way in which we should go.”   His sovereign guidance is mysterious, wise and wonderful and oh so effective as He watches over and directs us.  For this I am grateful.

will I be taller in heaven? — September 12, 2019

will I be taller in heaven?

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

I taught the Bible to a group of sweet little older ladies.  One was somewhat “littler” than the others and it was apparent.  I sat taller than she stood.

She said she had been a church organist.  Wow!  A pipe organist must reach 2 different stacked keyboards with her hands, and then her feet must reach down to their own oversized keyboard.  I bet she had stretch marks.

We were considering the future and the new heaven-fit bodies that we will be given.   She interrupted with an odd question, “I have often wondered – will we be taller when we are in heaven?”   

She used the word “we,” but I am pretty sure she meant “I.”  She must have endured a lot of teasing through the years and had decided that her short stature was a liability. 

“Will we be taller in heaven?”  That might come in handy if there is a pick-up game of basketball.   Ah, but Michael Jordan will be 12 feet tall if that were true.

I had never thought about heavenly heights, so we jumped back into the study.  But I continued to think on her question because I have my own liabilities – I hate it when I don’t have an answer. 

My mind carried me back to the biblical character Zacchaeus.  According to the children’s song “Zacchaeus was a wee little man.”   Children can be so cruel. 

However, he may not have been the shortest man in the Bible.  Some argue that the award goes to Knee-high-miah (Nehemiah 1:1).  Others say it was Bildad the Shu-hite. (Job 8:1) Still others say it was Peter who slept on his watch.  (Mark 14:37 KJV)

Jesus was passing through Jericho.  Zacchaeus wanted to get a glimpse of Him but couldn’t see through the throng.  So, he climbed a tree and perched himself on a branch. 

From his lofty seat, he saw Jesus, but more importantly, Jesus saw him.  He told him to come down because He wanted to spend time with him

Zacchaeus was overjoyed.  Most would look over and beyond him, but Jesus looked at him and saw him.   He scampered down the tree and eventually into the Kingdom of God because of His faith response to Jesus.

I asked my friend, “So what about Zacchaeus?  Do you suppose that he wanted to be taller when he got to heaven?” 

She paused and finally said, “Probably not?”  “Why” I asked.  She said, “If he had not been short, he wouldn’t have climbed the tree and perhaps would have never been seen by Jesus?”   

Exactly!  I suspect, in fact, that Zacchaeus wears his short stature as a badge of honor in heaven today. 

So, what is your question?  “When I get to heaven will I be skinnier, more attractive, maybe more coordinated?  Will I be smarter, will my nose be smaller and my lips bigger?   Will I be able to run faster or eat slower?  Will I have more hair on my head and less in my ears?

True confession!   I looked forward to growing older knowing that my complexion would eventually clear.  I am 66 and still waiting.  Maybe heaven will clear that up. 

Here’s the thing, the Scripture tells us that God deliberately and carefully crafted us while we were in the womb – just the way we are.   King David wrote, “Certainly, you made my mind and heart; you wove me together in my mother’s womb.”  Psalm 139:13.  -NET Bible®.

There is no promise that each of us will be perfectly made, at least in the way that we measure one another and yet David, in the very next verse wrote, “I will give you thanks because your deeds are awesome and amazing.”

David may have had big ears and eczema, but he still regarded himself as an awesome creation of God.

I suspect that if we were perfect or close to it, then we would not sense our need for God.  Our weaknesses and imperfections generate a longing in us for a God who loves us anyway and is able to compensate for our weaknesses.    

The apostle Paul had a problem.  Some suspect it was poor eyesight.  He pleaded with God to fix it, but the Lord said, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  (2 Corinthians 12:9a -NET Bible®)  In other words, “Paul, I am allowing you to have this issue, because it compels you to seek me, and to find the grace and power you need to manage.”

Paul replied, “So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.” (12:9b)

I guess height can be measured in more than one way.  I suspect that one day I will meet two people in heaven who stand quite tall – Zacchaeus and my little lady friend.    I hope to stand beside them (possibly with a clear complexion.)

cornered — September 4, 2019

cornered

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

My mother-in-law lived in a home that was last updated during the Eisenhower administration.   One day she came into a little money and decided to freshen up her long-neglected living room.

The walls were begging for fresh paint, so my dad and I volunteered our brushes and went after it. The dingy, quickly gave way to the bright and beautiful. 

She began with a professional carpet cleaning.  The carpet was of a high-quality which was a very dark shade of gray, except it wasn’t.  The cleaning made it five shades lighter.  Did I mention years of neglect? 

We happily worked our way around the room until we came to a triangular-shaped corner cabinet.   We needed to move it to paint behind it, but Margaret wouldn’t hear of it. 

She wanted us to just paint around it.  We were puzzled of course!  What was she hiding? A wall safe? Letters from a high school sweetheart?  A portal to Narnia? 

The more we insisted, the louder her protest.  But dad and I were thorough types, so we ignored her and pulled out the cabinet from the wall.   We were stunned by what we found.

There, on the carpet, was a perfectly formed, filthy, black triangle where the cabinet had stood.  It looked a giant rug tattoo.  The cabinet had clearly not been moved for many years.  

I guess she won the argument with the carpet cleaner.  He was forced to clean around it.

Aw but don’t judge my mother-in-law. She is no different than the rest of us.  What she did to her carpet, we do to our souls. 

Jesus is our carpet cleaner.  His job is to cleanse us from the filth of sin.  The Bible employs the word “wash” to describe what He does for us. (1 Cor 6:11, Heb. 10:22)   How wonderful?  Who doesn’t like to be freshly showered? 

I remember when I first experienced that cleansing. I sought his forgiveness for the things I had stolen, for the people I had hurt, and for rejecting Him and His will for my life.  He forgave me and washed me clean.  The stains of sin were dissolved by His rich mercy and grace.  I felt spiritually fresh.

But, like my mother-in-law, I gave Jesus limited access to my soul.  There was still a small corner that I protected – a filthy spot that was “hidden” from the Lord and the people around me. It was a corner too troublesome to touch and embarrassing to explore.

Pride was the stronghold that continued to accumulate grime beneath my cabinet. 

That was mine!  What’s yours?  Do you harbor bitterness toward your parent(s) or maybe a former love interest?  Do your insecurities compel you to compromise your purity?  Are you strangled by guilt over that secret abortion?   Do you wake up at night wondering if that fatherless boy is actually your child?  It’s uncomfortable – isn’t it? 

We did my mother-in-law a favor when we removed the cabinet.  Once the spot finally saw the light of day, we applied a soapy brush to it.  It dried to look as good as the rest of the carpet.  She was greatly relieved and genuinely delighted.

Sin is very much like that.  It needs to first be exposed.   For a year after I came to Christ, pride lurked in that dark corner of my heart.  But then Jesus pulled back the mask. His Spirit weighed down my spirit until I confessed it and surrendered it to Him. 

Heads up!  Think of this blog as God’s way of moving the cabinet that conceals your sin.  He seeks your permission now to mercifully clean up your mess.

What you need to know, was written in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”  -NET Bible®. (with the emphasis on all!)

Consider the text to the old hymn: “Come ye sinners, poor and needy; Bruised and broken by the fall. Jesus ready stands to save you; Full of pardoning love for all.” 

Listen to the song link below and consider the words above and then surrender that stubborn dark spot to the Lord Jesus.   You’ll be greatly relieved and genuinely delighted if you do.

Come Ye Sinners: guitar and arrangement Jim Johnson
shoes too big — August 28, 2019

shoes too big

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

My son was in the marching band.  His uniform included a pair of white shoes – stark white shoes.  You could wear them in the dark to find your way.

I had to provide these shoes.  They were expensive and only good for marching.   We tried to get him to forgo the prom rentals and wear his whities instead, but he refused. 

Every two years we had to upsize to accommodate his growing feet.  We forced his discards on his younger brother. 

This worked well until his junior year.  He was wearing size 16 by then.   They don’t carry size 16 white shoes at Wal-Mart.  But we did locate a pair at abominable-snowman.com. 

His little brother tried them on, and we decided to ship him to Florida to audition for the Ringling Brothers Circus: Atten: Clown Department.  

My son most definitely left behind some big shoes to fill.

But so did my dad!

Dad was my childhood hero without a doubt.  Such a hard worker.  He was once actually criticized by the union steward who said, “Slow down, you’re making the rest of us look bad.”

He had opportunities to move into management, but he turned them down because it would have meant upending his family.

He put his kids through private school and financed it by doing things like cutting his own hair.

He could warm your bottom with a needed swat, and then warm your heart with a hug.

He seldom interfered once I was on my own, but was ready to offer sound advice when I sought it.  

He wasn’t a perfect man, but certainly a good one. 

Dad has gone on to glory.  His enormous shoes are empty and need to be filled.  Could I be that kind of man for my wife and kids, my grandkids and my employer? 

Possibly!  Moses, the legendary leader of Israel, had died, after he had led Israel out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, around the wilderness and to the east bank of the Jordan River. 

A younger man named Joshua was tasked with leading the nation across the river and into the land to finish what Moses had started – to claim the promises that God made to Abraham centuries before. 

Moses’ sandals felt like size 16s.  But God knew that, which is why He told him, “Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.” – Joshua 1:9, -NET Bible®.    

There was lots to fear – hostile forces, a sketchy supply chain and the prospect of failure.  God didn’t diminish the challenges, but He magnified the solution instead.  He promised to go with him wherever he went and in all that he did.

God told him to be brave.  I am not sure that you can just will yourself to feel brave, when you are feeling afraid.  You can however, move forward, despite your fears, trusting God to help you succeed.  That’s the kind of bravery the Lord had in mind for Joshua.

As a kid, I watched some teens play pinball at the bowling alley.  I accidentally bumped the table.  The game began to flash the word “tilt” and it shut down.  There were 3 angry teenage boys ready to tilt me.  I was terrified. 

Just then, my dad appeared.  I ran to him and left my fears back at the pinball machine.  The presence of a father can do that for a kid. 

Joshua assumed the lead.  When his crew stepped in the waters of the Jordan, the river ceased to flow, and Israel walked through it, just as they had once walked through the Red Sea with Moses.

What shoes do you need to fill?  

Are you subbing for a beloved teacher or maybe replacing the supervisor at work who just retired?  Perhaps the memory of your mother is making you feel inadequate as a mom or maybe you are a widower and your wife has left a huge hole in your family life.  If so – remember, “Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

one letter — August 21, 2019

one letter

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

Have you seen that list of church bulletin bloopers and wondered, “Did they just make that stuff up?”   Well, I was a pastor and I have an authentic collection of my own.

My sermon notes were supposed to say, “the Most High God.”  But this is what came out – “Jesus was the Son of the Moist High God.”  Evidently there is a humidity problem in heaven.

I cited a Miranda Lambert song in a message, “You’re Running with the Fastest Girl in Town.” My spell checker rendered it this way, “You’re running with the fattest girl in town.”   Oops.

One of my most embarrassing typos happened when I was still preparing for the ministry.  During that time, I was also a printer, serving the needs of the Bible college and the community. 

One day Linda dropped by.  She was opening a new pizzeria in town and wanted me to create menus that she could distribute door-to-door.

It was a fun job.  I did the typesetting and used a font with flourish. Black and red ink gave it an Italian pop.   And at the top of that 11 x 17 sheet was the name: Linda’s Pizza Pantry.    She gushed over the finished product and I was proud of my work.

She then gathered her troops and delivered one to every household in our hamlet of 5,000.  At the end of the day, however, she returned with the leftovers to point out a typo. 

It was at the top, in a brazen, 42-point, bright red font: “Linda’s Pizza Panty.”   Panty???  Oh no!  Did it really say Panty?  It did, and Linda’s face was as red as the ink on the page.   She and her pizzeria became the talk of the town. 

One letter can make a huge difference!

The resurrected Jesus stood before Thomas and told him to put his finger through the gaping holes in his hand.  This was evidence that Jesus had died, but the voice speaking to Thomas was evidence He was alive. 

His faith took a giant leap forward.  He said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God.”   (John 20:28)   He was stunned as he recognized and then affirmed the Deity of Jesus.  Thomas essentially said, “Wow, You are God for sure.” 

His words became one of the foremost confessions of faith in the New Testament.

BUT one errant letter could have wrecked it all.  The word for God in the original language of the New Testament is “Theos.”   So, what if John had been sloppy when he recorded his Gospel?  What if he had accidentally added a letter to “Theos” to get ”Theros” instead? 

“Theros” is the word for summer.   So, Thomas would have gone on record as saying, “My Lord and my summer.” 

Ah but it didn’t happen.  It couldn’t happen.  Why?  Because the words that John wrote were precisely those that God wanted to have written.  According to 2 Timothy 3:16. “Every scripture is inspired by God.” -NET Bible®.    

The word inspired literally means “God breathed.”  Which is to say that God penetrated the hearts and minds of those who recorded the Scripture with His precise words.  They were put to ink exactly as they were given.  The passage says it applies to every Scripture. 

Once the Scripture had been revealed, it was faithfully preserved.  The Pharisees tried to argue away the truth, but Jesus said, “The scripture cannot be broken.” – John 10:35 -NET Bible®.    He didn’t allow the critics to side-step the words of Scripture simply because they retained the authority of having been God breathed.

Today we have Bibles, which continue to preserve the original and exact words that God first gave to Moses, David, Matthew, Paul and so on.  People who according to Peter, were carried along by the Holy Spirit when they spoke the very words of God. (2 Peter 1:21)

I recently scoured the net looking for Linda’s Pizza Pantry.  Alas, it appears she may have closed her doors.  (I hope that wasn’t my fault!)  Not a problem with the Scripture. It will be around for eternity.  (Isaiah 40:8)   

So, forget that pizza you are thinking about right now, and taste the truth of the Scripture instead.  It has directed mankind in the past and will carry us into the future.

the weepy wheel watcher — August 14, 2019

the weepy wheel watcher

/pickleheavenpress

james ray johnson

This is the story of Wyn the weepy Wheel Watcher.  My friend Wyn is an avid fan of Wheel of Fortune.  He is even registered to win prizes. 

So, one day a studio contestant spun the mighty wheel and it came to rest on the “Mystery Wedge.”   He flipped it over and found that it was worth $5,000.   Then Wyn’s first name and last initial was projected on the TV screen.  He was randomly selected as the lucky Wheel Watcher.  If the studio contestant could solve the puzzle, then both he and Wyn would become $5,000 richer.

Well the boy was good with his ABC’s and he solved the puzzle.  They both won.  Wyn had 24 hours to contact the show and claim his prize.

No problem – except that on that particular day, Wyn was out watering his veggies instead of vegging out on the sofa.  So, he didn’t know that he had become a winner. 

No problem!  The show also follows up with a phone call – except that Wyn will not answer his cell phone unless he recognizes the number.  Vanna White was not in his contact list – yet. 

No problem!  The show also follows up with an email notice.  Now Wyn does look at his email, but not often.  He checked it the next day and finally got the news.   Fantastic!  He could do a lot with $5,000 bucks – except that he didn’t check his email until after the deadline had passed. He was 15 minutes too late and $5,000 the poorer.  Wyn lost! 

Now you may be saying to yourself, “That’s a nice story – a little goofy – but it’s got nothing to do with me.” But – it does.

Scripture pictures a similar scenario. Christ is in the role of the studio contestant, while everyone else passively sits at home and watches.   And – whatever He wins, we win.

Vanna tell them what they’ve won. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! – and he raised us up together with him…” (Ephesians 2:4-6) -NET Bible®.

Did you catch the word “with?”  We were made alive together with and raised up with Christ.  He won the contest when He defeated sin and death at the cross.  The proof of His victory was in His resurrection. 

Because Christ was raised from the dead, we who have believed in Him are also entitled to the same prize.  This is our ticket to the resurrection and eternal life – a very desirable prize.

I serve as a Hospice Chaplain.  My job is to sit with and listen to and encourage and pray for those who are dying.  Can you guess what they most often want to discuss?  The future, of course!  They want to know if they will live even after they die.

It’s a rich privilege to tell them they can.   John 3:16 is a reminder, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  -NET Bible®. The person who has trusted Christ as Savior in this life, will enjoy His company in the next.   It’s already been won.  We need only claim it. 

But there is a limited time?  The deadline falls the moment we take our last breath in this life.  15 minutes after is just too, too late!  

Wheel of Fortune is the most watched program on TV, with an average of about 2 million people tuning in each day.  I bet one of Wyn’s countless friends was watching the day his name was chosen. 

It would have been nice if one of them would have called.  Wyn might have answered his phone for a friend.  That friend could have asked, “Hey Wyn, did you know that Pat Sajak has a check for $5,000 with your name on it? ” But alas, no one cared enough to call.

So how much do you care?  Isn’t there someone in your circle of family or friends, who needs to know that Jesus has won for them the gift of eternal life?  

I can think of an easy, non-offensive and fun way to do that.  Send them the link to this blog!