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
undistracted — September 4, 2024

undistracted

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I was a pastor and regarded by some as a paragon of prayer.  Truth is, I am easily distracted, especially when I pray.  I suspect that I have Attention Deficit Disorder but when I was a kid it wasn’t a thing. 

But I do remember that each year in school, my new teacher would seat me at the head of the row nearest to her desk.  Gee and I thought it was because I was so likeable.

I am bothered that my prayers are distracted.  I feel like I am missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.  I think of Jesus words in John 14:13, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  I bet that set their heads to spinning.    “Whatever – as in anything?”  They could hardly believe it, which is why Jesus immediately repeated Himself in verse 14, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

These privileges are extended to us as His disciples.  But alas, the other day I was praying, but then I thought about how often I get distracted when I pray – and it occurred to me that right then I was distracted from prayer by thoughts on distraction from prayer.  Hopeless!

Sometimes, I imagine my prayers going something like this, “Lord?” “Yes my child!”  “My car won’t start.  Would You help me with….hey was that a Tesla?” “What?”  “Oh, I’m sorry, as I was saying, my car is in the shop – shop – You better shop around.”  “What?”  Oh right – well my car needs help.”  “That’s not all that needs help.” 

Over the years, however, I have learned a couple of things to help me manage my distractions.  Jesus taught me to…

– Pray aloud.   

That is what He did.  John 17 contains Jesus concluding prayer at the last supper.  It is an entire chapter long – nearly 700 words and every word was recorded by John because John heard Jesus pray aloud. 

Jesus prayed aloud at the cross (Luke 23:24); at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39); and at the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:41) and when He multiplied the fishes and loaves (John 11:41-42).

         And it appears that it was the custom for all back then.  In Luke 18:13 we read, “The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’”  It was audible and recorded for us.  There are other instances of verbalized prayer found at Acts 8:15, 16:25, and 20:36.

         OK so why out loud?  When our intangible thoughts are silently slithering through our minds, its takes almost nothing to disrupt them, but when speaking our prayers out loud, we hear what our hearts breathe, and we focus.  Because we hear them, God gets to hear them too. 

But didn’t Jesus warn us against being publicly pious?  He did!  According to the King James we are to go into the closet when we pray (Matthew 6:6).  

OK my closet smells so I may skip that.  But His point was to seek a private place and pray there.  Which brings me to a second Jesus lesson…

– Pray alone

Mark 1:35 says, “Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there He spent time in prayer.”

Jesus chose a place without people – “a deserted place” – a place where it was exclusively Him and His Father. He chose a time of day when He would be the least distracted – in the morning before rush hour. He also chose to do it while it was still, “very dark.”  Darkness hides the visual things that distract us.

It seems that even Jesus worked to eliminate distractions from His prayer. So do what you must do, to be done with distractions – and pray!

Speaking of prayer, this is mine.  “Lord, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Help me.” 

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

a chipmunk prayer — August 28, 2024

a chipmunk prayer

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A pang of alarm swept over a young dad as he groped for his wallet.  It was missing.  As you know, these days it is easier to recover from the shingles than the loss of a wallet or a purse. 

So, he mobilized his family, and they scoured the house high and low.  They found coins in the armchair and balls of fuzzy cat hair – but no wallet. 

It soon became a prayer.  “Lord please help us to find that wallet.”  But a day went by, then another, then a week and 14 days later it was still AWOL.

Then one day their cat stood outside the door to their home.  Through the glass, the family could see that she had brought them a present.  She had a chipmunk clamped in her jaws. 

Mom shouted, “Don’t open that door!” but the kids were already granting admission. The cat bolted in the house, and the chipmunk bounded from her mouth.   

The kids were screaming, and mom was scrambling.   The chipmunk ran for cover in the living room. They tracked him down to an armchair.  The sassy little guy was found sitting underneath, right next to dad’s missing wallet.

Prayer answered!  Evidently the little guy was dispatched from God’s lost and found department.  But what a crazy way to answer a prayer.  What was God thinking? 

Well let me say, that prayer is utterly unnecessary.   I mean God is God, He is omniscient – knowing all things.   He knows what we need even before we need it.  And He is utterly capable and very willing to provide for those needs. 

And yet He expects us to ask for what we need.   In fact, His message to us in James 4:2 is, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

But why must we pray?

He created man in the beginning to enjoy a relationship with us.   Prayer is one of the few ways that we find ourselves frequently refreshing that relationship. 

Jesus gave His disciples some instructions on prayer.   He said, “I tell you the solemn truth, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive it, so that your joy may be complete – (John 16:23-24)

It’s all about relationship. We are to pray to the Father, and to do it in Jesus’ name.  When this takes place, He promises that it will be done.  And a partial motivation on the Lord’s part is to give His children complete joy. 

He cares about us.  He wants to interact with us.  He wants to give us joy!  He wants to do what we ask of Him – but we must go through Him first. 

I don’t see my doctor very often because I have a prescription that is automatically filled each month.  If God were to meet our needs in that way – we might take Him for granted – even forget that He is there.  There would be no relationship.

I remember being a young dad, and having my children come to me for help – to fix a broken toy, or bandage a wound, or to grab something beyond their reach.  It was a privilege and even a joy.  It was clear that they needed and appreciated me.   

I suppose God may feel the same way when we seek Him in prayer. 

OK but why a chipmunk?

Well maybe because sometimes we pray, and God faithfully answers.  But He does so through the gift of a friend, or the healing hand of a doctor, or maybe a promotion at work.

And we attribute our good fortune to luck or circumstance or the result of our hard work.   

So sometimes God wants to remind us in unmistakable if not a crazy way, that it is He who hears and specifically tends to our needs. 

So, look for the chipmunks in your life and thank the Father who sent them.

A PRAYER: Thank you Lord, for your blessings on us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NET Bible ®

Graphic by Rhododendrites- Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=117125635

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

/pickleheavenpress

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.