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
expectations — August 21, 2024

expectations

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Most of us have expectations.  We are delighted when they are met, disappointed when they are not, and surprised and overjoyed when they are exceeded.

I can relate.  I am 1/3 of a singing trio consisting of my wife, a dear friend and me.  The sum of our ages is 206, and that is not in dog years.

We were invited to sing at a well-attended church service.  The time came for us to do our thing.  I braced myself as I pried my stiff body out of the seat.  As we began to move forward the percussion section did an intro.  Oh wait, that was the sound of popping joints.  The congregation began to wonder. 

We then ascended the five stairs to get up to the platform.  Slow and deliberate were our steps.  I needed to take a breath when I reached the summit.  The congregation experienced some dismay.

We positioned ourselves at the mics.  Facing the congregation were two grey haired women, and one guy crowned with a snow-white mop.  It was like a reunion tour except this time it was the grandmamas and the grandpapas.  Our listeners finally saw what they were getting, and they whimpered.

If I had been sitting out there with them, I would have been thinking, “Oh no, this is going to be a very painful performance.”

But then – I began to pick my guitar and it half sounded like I knew what I was doing.  And then our voices came in – pleasant, strong, skillfully blended and in sync.

And the congregation let out a huge sigh of relief.   In fact, they even enjoyed it.  After the service we received countless encouragements and another potential gig – a seniors group of course.

So yes, I exaggerated my story a little to make you laugh, but you get the picture.  It’s always amazing to have one’s expectations exceeded.    May that always be the case with yours.

But if they aren’t, let me tell you about one that most definitely will.  Heaven!

We have a partial description of heaven given in Revelation 21-22.  It is a place gilded in gold and adorned with walls of precious stones and gates of pearl.  The sun and moon are displaced by the luminous glory of the Lamb of God.

The Biblical description is amply supplemented by Bluegrass music where 9 out of 10 songs seem to be focused on, “glory land.”   The description we have of heaven available to us is already beyond our ability to comprehend and yet it hardly scratches the surface.

I love the honesty of the song, “I Can Only Imagine.”   There the writer admits he doesn’t fully understand what heaven is like, but he enjoys imagining what it might be. 

The apostle Paul was given a unique preview according to 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.  He was caught up to heaven either through a vision, or an in-person visit.   Even after that, he could not adequately describe heaven for us. 

He said, “(I) was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak (4).  He spoke of his heavenly experience as being “extraordinary” (6) and “surpassing in greatness” (7).

We expect the ordinary, but Paul says what is ahead is extraordinary.  We expect things will be great in heaven, but we are told that they will surpass greatness.

At another place, Paul again described our experience in heaven.  He said, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him” – 1 Corinthians 2:9.

Beyond the pale is an unimaginable and yet, magnificent experience.   We know just enough today to wonder.

But this is for sure, when it comes to heaven you can expect your expectations to be exceeded.

A PRAYER: Lord, I’m glad I don’t know fully what to expect, but I’m glad the surprise will last an eternity.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

circle syndrome — August 14, 2024

circle syndrome

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I paid $100 to purchase a car in my teen years.  No, that’s not a typo.  It truly cost me $100, and it was worth every penny of it.  It was a very used 1960 Plymouth Fury that had lost its passion.

It was a peculiar car, having a bar graph for a speedometer and a pushbutton gear selector.  It was also a car with a scenic view.  The floorboards were rusted through allowing me to watch the street pass beneath me.   I could empathize with Fred Flintstone. 

At one point, the car developed an annoying problem.  Each time I made a left turn, the engine would die – every single left turn without exception.  Fortunately, the car would start right up again, but it just wouldn’t tolerate a left turn.   Which was OK if my destination could be reached by right turns only. 

I was doomed to perpetually drive around the block!

I wonder if this might sound familiar to you. 

Sometimes life can feel like a circular rut – like a perpetual cruise around the block!  We may be moving, but we don’t seem to get anywhere. 

Some perceive it in their finances.  They live hand to mouth – one bill is paid, and another quickly replaces it.  They just can’t break the cycle and get ahead.

Some experience it in their marriage.  Toxic habits perpetuate the hurt and unhappiness.

Some see it at the job.  There just doesn’t seem to be a path ahead – just more mind-numbing routine.

This is not the way the Lord would have us to live.  In fact, He provided clear instruction on how to get off the hamster wheel of woe.

Solomon recorded God’s words in Proverbs 3:5 & 6. He wrote, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.”

The author implies that most of our difficulties are of our own making.  The life choices we make may be skewed by our lusts, our fears, our insecurities and maybe our pride.   Objectivity and wisdom are lost in the mix. 

The better way to live is to trust in the Lord, all the way – with all our hearts.   It is to use our brains for sure, but to ultimately rely on the wisdom of God, and not our own understanding. 

For instance, it doesn’t make human sense to give when my needs are so great, and yet God says I should, so I will. 

He goes on to say, “Acknowledge him in all your ways, and he will make your paths straight (vs. 6).   The word “all” is used again.  We need to acknowledge Him in every way – the way we think, the way we live, and the decisions we make. 

As we learn to do this, God promises to move us from circular insanity to a straight path which is permeated with purpose.  It will move us forward in a healthy way.

Travel in Solomon’s day took place over narrow paths that snaked in and around the hill country.    At times the path would be washed out or blocked by debris.   The traveler might need to backtrack to find a way around. 

But when King Solomon traveled, he would be proceeded by servants who would clear and repair the road so that the King’s travel would easy, direct, and unobstructed. They made his path straight. 

God promises to go before and clear the way for those who ultimately rely on His understanding of life.  This person studies the Word of God, and implements it in their finances, marriage, their work and parenting – and in every way.

What results is progress which is purposeful and meaningful – a path much easier and more direct than the one we are on now. 

My dad and I replaced the float in the carburetor of my car which liberated me from my silly circular cycle.  I am hoping that God does the same for us and much more!

A PRAYER: Lord, help me break free, to follow a straight path.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com ®

livelyville — August 7, 2024

livelyville

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I was cruising the backroads of East Texas when I passed through Livelyville.  Now I thought to myself, “This sounds like a fun place to live!”  Turns out – it isn’t. 

The population is zero.  It is a rural, unincorporated place.  There is not a school, post office or store but they do have a historical marker.  The town was founded by Thomas Lively back in the 1850’s, but even he eventually chose to move away.  I guess even old Thomas was bored.

But the one thing that caught my attention, was the big green sign that pointed the way to the official Livelyville Cemetery (where the population is considerably larger).

Now I decided right then, that when it’s my time to go, well that’s where I want to be buried!”  I want me a plot in that graveyard.  It seems like there might always be a hope for a man buried in the Livelyville Cemetery.

Well, the truth is, many cemeteries will be lively places one of these days, at least that’s what the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. (NETBible ®)

The people of Thessalonica were expecting Jesus to return at any moment, but He tarried so long that some of them had died.  Those left were inconsolably sad.  They assumed it was all over for those folks whose bodies slept and they grieved without a hope.

But, God through Paul said, “Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.”   (vs. 13).

And then, Paul gave them a hope. He wrote, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also, we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians. For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep” (vss 14-15).

Knowing that Christ is scheduled to return to this earth, Paul says that Jesus will, at that time, tend to those who have already died. 

He said, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (vs. 16).

The bodies of those Christians who had gone on before, will rise up from the grave.  They will become reconstituted and transformed and joined to their eternal souls.  At that time any graveyard containing the remains of the faithful will become a Livelyville Cemetery. 

And what about the rest of us?  Paul says, “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will always be with the Lord.” (vs 17)

So, at the same time, believers who are still alive will also be transformed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).   We will join those who have been raised from the dead and also the Lord Jesus Himself and we will forevermore be by His side.

In Texas, it is common to find a picnic pavilion in the middle of a cemetery.  It is the gathering place for the annual family reunion.  It will be a wondrous time when those beneath the sod join those beneath the shelter. 

I’m telling you there is going to be some liveliness in the Livelyville Cemetery one of these days.  A joy filled reunion of generations of faithful family members reveling in God’s almighty power, the richness of His grace and the taste of eternity.

And when Jesus comes, I might be a pile of dust, or I might be eating a chicken leg at the picnic.  Either way I will be with Jesus.   I hope you’ll be there too!

A PRAYER: God, remind us to share this with those who have no hope.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 

presence — July 31, 2024

presence

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A storm was brewing, but the grass needed mowing.  Amid thunderous, flashing skies, I pushed the equivalent of a metal lightning rod through the grass. 

It started to rain but I persevered.  Like captain Ahab at the prow of a mighty whaling ship with the wind-driven spray of the sea lashing my face – I courageously (or maybe foolishly) pressed on. 

But then I was joined by a big old mangy dog that was obviously terrified by what he did not understand.  He jumped with every clap of thunder, and he followed me – stuck to me like glue with every turn.

He was more afraid of the thunder and lightning than the noise of my Briggs and Stratton.  Being near me seem to bring him a measure of comfort and a sense of security.  

So, for a half an hour we plowed through the lawn together and as we did, I began to reflect on what I had just read the night before in my Bible. 

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” – Ps 46:1.  These words sound as if they were written by someone who had experienced them.

Actually, scholars suspect that King Hezekiah of Judah was the author.  He had prayed for deliverance from his enemy and God answered by sending His angel to slay the 185,000 Assyrian troops that were there to topple the capital city. 

God proved to be a stone-walled refuge and the strength of His people.  The King was full of gratitude and a Psalm. 

The latter part of the verse fascinates me.  He referred to God as a “very present help in trouble.”

When we are in trouble, we typically need help.  It might come from afar such as from your dad who Venmo’s some money to help you get your car fixed.  In the same way, a person can rely on God to dispatch help from heaven when it is needed.

But the Psalmist said that God was a “present help.”  This would be like dad driving several hours and taking his weekend to work on your car himself.  The Psalmist said God is like that.  He shows up when you need him.   Or as they say in Texas, “He shows up and shows out.” 

But the Psalmist adds that little qualifying word, “very.”   God is a “very present help.”

Not only is He present, He is very present.  Sometimes a person can be present without being present.  You see, dad might make the drive and show up, but maybe he is not hugely concerned about your problem.  Maybe he doesn’t listen to you when you describe the noise your car is making.  His kind of help is not very helpful. 

Not true of God.  His presence means that He stops what He is doing to give us His full attention.  He is engaged and aware and listening and incredibly able and willing to do what needs to be done. 

Because this is true, the Psalmist continued in verse 2 by saying, “Therefore we will not fear.”   How can a person possibly be afraid when our God is very present and inclined to help? 

His presence makes all the difference. 

So how does He make His presence known in troublesome times?  We might see Him in the specific answers to our prayers.  Some say they’ve heard Him speak words of comfort as He has directed them to specific Scripture.  Some say He has filled them with peace when He is near while others say they have actually heard his voice. 

One of the most common ways we experience His presence is through the presence of His servants.  That person who sits with us through our sickness, or the loss of a parent – that person becomes like the moon and reflects the rays of the sun.  

My presence made a small difference for that sad doggie, but God’s presence makes all the difference for us.

A PRAYER: Be with us Lord.  Your presence makes a difference.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

to the test — July 25, 2024

to the test

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I was a highly motivated school-boy.  I often finished my tests before the teacher had distributed them to the rest of the class. 

I was in such a hurry that I seldom took the time to read the instructions – which is why I usually got a score of either 100% or 0%.   You see sometimes I circled the right answers when I should have Xed out the wrong ones.  Oh well!

Fortunately, when the Word of God is tested, it always passes with flying colors.

One promise is found in Matthew 6:33 which says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – KJV.

This calls us to make God’s Kingdom business our highest priority.  Jesus promised that God will provide all the necessities of life previously mentioned in chapter 6 such as food, clothing, shelter – as we prioritize His Kingdom each day.

We might paraphrase it in this way, “When we take care of God’s business – He takes care of ours.”   OK, but how does this fare when tested?  May I offer an example? 

There was a time when a financial tornado swept into my house. 

My pre-teen daughter was told by the orthodontist that she needed braces.    The cost was $3,000 and he wanted half of it up front to get started.  That same day my accountant called and said, “You owe the IRS $3,000 dollars in taxes!” 

And then I went to start my car and it didn’t work.  I would have to hire a mechanic to fix it.  And then my wife threw a load in the clothes dryer, but it didn’t spin.  Alas more money for an appliance repair man.  

We were shocked, astonished and stunned.  All of this happened in one day.  Of course, financial problems occur.  It’s a given in life.   But they don’t usually come in a 4-pack.   Was our sovereign God trying to communicate with us?

We had always been responsible with our money.  We tithed and on top of that we provided financial support to three different missionary families.  

But the $600 in our checking account was not enough to cover the $6,000 we owed.  Where would we get all that money?

THEN to top it all off we came to realize that we were three months behind in the financial support that we had pledged to the missionaries. 

Well, I guess we weren’t doing such a great job of taking care of God’s business. 

My wife and I spent time in prayer.  We decided that the first priority was to take care of God’s business.  We had to send the money to the missionaries that we had promised.  They might be hungry!

We could file an extension on the taxes, postpone the braces, let the dead car sit, and use the laundromat for our clothes – but we had to take care of God’s business.  We must get the money to our missionaries.  So, we did that, and it zeroed out our checking account.

BUT – the very next day the Orthodontist called and said, “Hey I understand you are a pastor.   Well, we like to take care of our pastors so the braces will cost $1,500 instead of $3,000 and no downpayment is necessary.

Soon after the accountant called and said, “I worked through your taxes again, and found a way to reduce them.  Instead of $3,000 you owe $300 dollars this year.

And then I popped the hood on my car.  I found the problem and it was a cheap fix that even I could do.  I was on a roll, so I tackled the dryer.  Once again, I fixed it at very little cost.  By the end of the week, we had a surplus in the bank. 

When we take care of God’s business, He takes care of ours.  It’s true.  Even when tested, it stands.  It gives me the confidence I need to rely on His Word in all things.

A PRAYER: Lord, help us to trust every detail of Your Word.

This had been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

big ears — July 17, 2024

big ears

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They say that our ears and nose never cease to grow.  The rest of the body does, but not the ears and the nose.

Now I don’t think I’m vain or anything, but I feel like my ears are big enough and I can already pretty much hear everything I want and somethings that I don’t.   

But if this is true, it creates some prickly theological issues like, “How big will a person’s ears be in heaven?  Will mine be toddler or granddad sized?” 

And what about Methuselah?  Genesis says, “The entire lifetime of Methuselah was 969 years” – (5:27).  Wow, he must have had some mighty big protrusions popping out of head.

Then there was that incident where Peter deftly cut off the ear of the slave of the High Priest.   Was this because the man was an old geezer with jumbo ears for targets? (John 18:10)  

Well, I decided to research the claim.  Turns out – it’s a myth!  Ears and noses also cease to grow.   However, they are made of cartilage, and such stuff begins to sag over time.  So, they stop growing, but then they start drooping and stretch themselves out.

And what is even more irksome is the fact that our cheeks and lips lose volume as we age, which exaggerates the appearance of our ears and nose.*

So, what’s the difference?  One day Yoda, we will be!

But here is the thing.  I don’t think I would mind having bigger ears – spiritually speaking that is. 

Jesus spoke a good deal about ears and their capacity to hear and understand His teachings.  Twice He said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” – Matthew 11:15; 13:9) KJV

Usually this was said in relation to the Pharisees and Sadducees who audibly heard the words of Christ but failed to consider them and properly respond to them.

But sometimes Jesus’ own disciples were deaf.   He spoke to them about the “leaven” of the Pharisees,” which prompted them to argue, “Well who forgot to bring the bread anyway?” (Mark 8:14-18) They heard His words but misunderstood their meaning. 

I sometimes do that when I read the Scripture.  It happens when my mind is predisposed to think in a certain way and if what I read contradicts my thinking, I just don’t get it.  I don’t see it.

As a young believer, I naively thought that the Christian life would be problem free. I allowed everything I read to support my belief and glossed over Jesus’ words, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” – John 15:20.

Many of us have the habit of picking and choosing which truths we accept.  It bothers me that Jesus saved His harshest criticism for people who do this.

As for me, I want ears to hear and understand Jesus – the bigger the better.  Jesus said to His disciples, “Your ears (are blessed) because they hear” – Matthew 13:16.

So, what can we do to grow our ears?  First: lay aside the pride.  Pride creates an egocentric shield that repels truth.  I have a grandson that once told his brother, “Don’t assume that I don’t know everything.”

The Psalmist, however, humbly assumed that he didn’t know everything.  He prayed, “Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvelous things in your law” – Ps 119:18.

It is often our fears that make us deaf to the truth – the fear of what will happen if we should obey.  Fear not!  His word was given not to sink us but to spring us from the shackles of spiritual mediocrity (John 8:36). 

Sometimes we just don’t get it because we are so busy and distracted.  He says to us, “Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still” – Psalm 4:4. – NASU

So, call me Dumbo.  I don’t care as long I am able to clearly hear and understand the voice of my Lord.

A PRAYER: We are serious Lord.  We want to hear and understand.  Help us.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.

* https://www.flushinghospital.org/newsletter/truth-or-myth-our-nose-and-our-ears-never-stop-growing/

battle dress — July 1, 2024

battle dress

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I have a picture of my entire family dressed in camo.  You might look at it and wonder about us, as in, “Did they go overboard with Y2K preparations?” 

Actually, our son was on leave from the Air Force and his mother wanted a family photo.  The rest of us didn’t.  There were disagreements as to when, where and what to wear. 

So we agreed on wearing my son’s BDU’s (Battle Dress Uniform) which he wore when he was on duty.

We loved the final product, and our son took the pic back to the base and hung it on the wall.  A fellow airman looked at it in wonder and asked, “Is your whole family in the Air Force?”  His words exactly!  This was somewhat alarming to hear, given that this guy often stood guard over nuclear weapons.

It really is a great picture – an entire family – from ages twelve to forty-three, each one dressed as if we were ready for battle. 

Now, I wonder if every Christian family should be pictured this way because the Scripture tells us that we are at war.  Enlisted is every member of the family.

Twice Paul told young Timothy to, “Fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 1:18; 6:12).   

The enemy is not our fellow human being.  Peter wrote, “Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour” – 1 Peter 5:8. NETBible ® Our adversary is the one who preys upon us and our fellow human beings.  Unlike some ideologies today, our goal is not to destroy people, but to loosen Satan’s smothering grip upon us.

But beware!  He is a master of disguise.  He often parades as a do-gooder – “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). He also appeared to Eve as an ordinary garden snake and in the book of Revelation, he will appear as a charismatic world leader.  

Today, we may not recognize him, but his undercover presence is pervasive.  Have you ever told a lie?  Perhaps it was because the one called the father of lies first whispered it into your ear (John 8:44). 

Have you ever found your stomach in knots because you really wanted something that you knew that you shouldn’t have?  It could have been the one called the tempter who was prodding you on (1 Thessalonians 3:5).

Remember when you wanted to support that missionary, but an unexpected expense cleaned out your wallet?   The same thing happened to Job.  Satan swept away his wealth. 

Have you ever served on a church committee rife with dissension and bickering?   James 3:14-15 tells us that this is the handiwork of the evil one.

Did you plan to go on a mission trip but had something happen that made it impossible?  The devil also stood in the way of the apostle Paul (1 Thessalonians 2:18).

Are you ever selfish?  Scripture says in Acts 5:3 that Satan filled the heart of two believers to lie about money.

Do you sometimes desire that which is sensual and impure?  According to 1 Corinthians 7:5, this is the insinuation of the devil himself.   

Have you ever made a dumb decision and wondered, “How could I have ever done that?”  2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that Satan is able to inhibit our ability to think clearly. 

The enemy is more of a terrorist than a solider.  He slips past our border patrols and waits for the right time and opportunity to disturb and disrupt and destroy.

Every family member must put on our spiritual battle dress which Paul calls the “full armor of God.”   He gives the details in Ephesians 6:10-18, but of special interest is the only weapon that is issued – “the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God” (vrs. 17)  

We need to study it, apply it, and live it.  With the truth, we both defend ourselves and destroy the designs of the devil.

The battle is upon us so hurry and get dressed.

A PRAYER: Prepare us, Lord! Protect us, Lord!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

olive tree identity — June 26, 2024

olive tree identity

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In this age of self-identification, I believe I might identify as a donut. This might come in handy if I were ever pulled over by a policeman for speeding. 

So, what if you were to identify as a tree. What tree would best capture you? Some of us might be hardheaded oaks.  Others fragrant but fragile pines.  You might identify as a cedar so thoroughly resistant to rot.  Some are aspens who tremble when the wind blows.  My wife might consider me to be a pecan tree because I’m nuts. 

Great King David chose to identify as an olive tree or at least he likened himself to one in Psalm 52:8. But why?

Well let’s back up and try to understand his situation.  In Psalm 52, David told of being undermined by a guy named Doeg, the Edomite.  Doeg was an agent of King Saul.  He murdered those who assisted David (1 Samuel 18:22-23) and was chasing after David himself.

So, in the Psalm David spoke directly to dastardly Doeg predicting his downfall.  He wrote, “God will make you a permanent heap of ruins.  He will scoop you up and remove you from your home; he will uproot you from the land of the living – Psalm 5:5 – NETBible ®.

Doeg was entrenched in Saul’s administration.  David promised that God would remove him from power and from his comfortable home and even uproot him entirely from the land.  In other words, Doeg was headed for a disaster at the hand of the Lord.

But because David served the living God and His agenda, he had a different future ahead of him.  He wrote, “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God” (Psalm 52:8).

Why an olive tree?  It’s the most highly valued tree in the land.  It is exceptionally gnarly but it gets the job done.  This tree thrives in stony, depleted soil where few other trees could survive.

It takes ages for an olive tree to mature, but once it does it is almost impossible to kill.   A tree will thrive and bear fruit for many centuries   If it is completely cut down, it will sprout again from the roots.   The trees in the Garden of Gethsemane today are nurtured by the same root system as the trees that once sheltered Jesus when He prayed there.

That sounds a lot like David. He was a survivor. He outlasted a deranged king who tried to spear him to death.  He survived a civil war led by his treacherous son.  He overcame assaults by the marauding nations that surrounded his people.  He even bested a giant.  Like an olive tree his roots went deep enabling him to defy his often-hostile environment. 

He also professed to be green.  Not grinch green but healthy green.  You could expect him to bear fruit.  A fruitful tree provided olives which were consumed at every meal.  Its oil was used in the place of butter.

The oil was also used to light the night and to dress a wound.  It was even used as a body cleanser.    An olive tree was an enormous source of blessing.

Unlike his predecessor Saul, David brought a phenomenal era of blessing to the nation of Israel as he ruled from the throne.   The nation became spiritually centered, was prosperous, secure and at peace under his godly leadership. 

All this was possible only because David was planted in the house of Lord.   A person’s household, in those days, included his entire estate.   So, David considered himself to be a tree firmly rooted in the Lord’s country, on His estate. 

He was a tree planted by streams of living water, fed and nourished by God’s Word, and trimmed by His correction.

As for us, I guess it doesn’t matter if we are an oak or a pecan.  We just need to make sure that our roots are planted in God’s country.  It is there that we will thrive and be fruitful.

A PRAYER: Lord, I may need to be transplanted.  Will you see to that?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

a pink slip or a pat on the back? —

a pink slip or a pat on the back?

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“Everybody is smoking grass.  Should I take my youth group home?”

Let me explain.  I was a desperate youth pastor.  My teens would never make the cover of Christianity Today.  Going to church was slightly more pleasant to them than a tooth ache. 

They were obese with knowledge but emaciated in their faith.  To them, Christianity was about ethical principles rather than the person of Jesus.  So, I put them to work.  I created challenges for them that were so difficult they would need to turn their heads upward.

I invited John to join the Christian band I was forming.  He wasn’t a super spiritual guy, and he didn’t play guitar, but I promised to teach him.  He signed on, and then he recruited others until we had ourselves a band.

We worked hard, even wrote our own material, and began to sing it.   Our equipment was janky and our skills jankier.  But when the boys sang for other teens, the kids really listened. 

After each concert, kids would seek out band members and ask questions about God or ask them for prayer.  My guys realized that they were in over their heads, and it pushed them to seek the Lord.  They were definitely growing!

But then John signed us up to sing at a fundraiser.  We followed our map to the end of a dirt road to a makeshift amphitheater.   We settled in and listened to the bands that preceded us.  Church this was not!

One band sang, “If you got bad news, you want to kick them blues, cocaine.”  Band after band was singing their hedonism with all their hearts as the acrid scent of marijuana wafted over the crowd.

I was thinking, “Oh man the parents of these kids are gonna throw a fit. There is surely a pink slip in my future.”  So, we huddled up and I told the boys that we didn’t belong there, and the crowd would never tolerate our message anyway.

But the boys, to a person said, “No this is exactly the kind of crowd that needs to hear our songs.”   Oh my!  I created a monster – or at least helped to cultivate a monster faith in those boys. 

So, it was finally our time.  Most of the bands were old and grizzled, ours had peach fuzz faces.  But they set those faces to proclaim the Gospel.  We started with the song, “Jesus is the Only Way” and several folks found another way – they left the concert.

We did a song called, “Oh No” about a boy who resisted the invitation to have sex with his girlfriend.   Most of the crowd was shocked but they listened with extreme interest.

The multitude was polite and they clapped after every song.  Soon after, we packed up for home.  I wanted to Fabreeze the boys but couldn’t find any.

A couple of weeks later, a stranger recognized our drummer from the concert.  He told him that he had recommitted his life to Jesus that day because of what we did.

Our guys beamed with sanctified pride over what God did to them and the way God worked through them.   I am happy to say that 35 years later those men are still doing life with Jesus. 

So how about you?  Could it be said that you too are obese with knowledge but emaciated in your faith? 

We typically lack in the faith department because we avoid situations that require faith.  We settle for security and comfort rather than risking something for Jesus.  And yet the author of Hebrews wrote, “Now without faith it is impossible to please Him” – Hebrew 11:6.  – NETBible ®

Move out of your comfort zone into a realm that requires faith. Teach the Junior high class; go on that mission trip; share your faith with your neighbor.  Pray as you do, and your faith will be met with wonderful fruit and a sweetened intimacy with Jesus.

A PRAYER: Lord, please push us out of the nest and help our faith to fly.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Caitlin and the cut list — June 19, 2024

Caitlin and the cut list

/pickleheavenpress

It was reported that WNBA sensation, Caitlin Clark was not invited to join the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team.  A firestorm of opinion erupted over the decision.

But this is what got my attention.  A representative from the Olympic Committee privately met with Caitlin beforehand, to let her know of their decision. 

Gee I wish I would have enjoyed such consideration. 

There was that time I tried out for the Varity football team.  I was a scrawny sophomore competing against seasoned seniors for a spot on the team.  I was determined to wow coach Montgomery.  I worked harder and sweat wetter than the rest.  I even pushed my 1960 Ford Fairlane around the block to build up my leg strength.

In those days you learned whether you made the cut or not by checking “the list” posted in the locker room.  The names of only those who made it were on the list.

The day came and I scanned the list.  My name was not on it – not even an honorable mention.  I wasn’t good enough to make the cut.   

The other guys slyly scanned the list for my name as well.  The omission became another reason to tease the guy with red hair and acne.

I felt such shame.  There was nothing left for me to do but to join the chess club!

I sometimes ponder the day when I again will need to scan a list for my name.  The Bible calls it, “The Book of Life.”  It’s a thing, mentioned 7 times in Scripture. 

It’s a list that most would like to be on.  Jesus told His disciples, “rejoice that your names stand written in heaven” – Luke 10:20.

Paul mentioned at least one person who made it.  The name Clement is recorded in the book of life (Philippians 4:3).

This is a book where the names of those who have been redeemed are written.  These folks have believed the message of Christ, repented of their sins, placed their faith in Jesus by trusting what He did at the cross to save them.   These are those who have chosen to do life with the Lord Jesus. 

To be on the list, is to be entitled to enjoy the everlasting bliss of eternal life in heaven.  The apostle John described some sensational aspects of heaven in Revelation 21:22-27.  He concluded by saying that those privileges are only for, “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (vs 27).

Like any list, not every name is on it.  Again, John wrote, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire – Revelation 20:15.   Wow – that sounds a whole lot worse than the chess club.

However, God is more considerate than the coach.  He gives us a personal heads up on whether we made the cut or not.   John wrote, “I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” – 1 John 5:13.

He tells us that we can “know” today if our names are on the list based on whether we have believed in the name of the Son of God.

Nice!  Usually by the time the list is posted it’s too late.  But God tells us beforehand that we are guaranteed to make the list if we were to place our faith in Christ today. 

The coach had some hard decisions to make.  You can only pack so many football players on the bus.  But God has no such constraint.  Heaven is vast and accommodating and the Scripture says, “He does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” – 2 Peter 3:9.

So, if your name isn’t on that list yet, you might want to do something about that.

A PRAYER: Lord, I pray that Your list will include the names of all those I love.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com ®