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
a pink slip or a pat on the back? — June 26, 2024

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

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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 ®

a different kind of dad — June 12, 2024

a different kind of dad

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There is a man in the Bible called Joshua the son of Nun.  OK, Nun was actually the name of his dad.   And no, his dad did not belong to a convent.  So, what was his mom’s name?  Nun of your business. 

Joshua is my hero and mentor when it comes to fatherhood. 

Moses led the children of Israel to the border of Canaan land.  Joshua’s job was to lead them in the conquest of it.  They crossed the Jordan and by faith, they loosened the grip of the Canaanites.  The campaign took 7 years.  Scholars believe that Joshua was about 77 years old by the end of it.

His people had a history of spiritually waffling.  So, he gave them a post-invasion pep talk in Joshua 24. He challenged them to remain true to the God who had given them the land. 

Then he put some skin in the game saying, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” – Joshua 24:15. (KJV) He boldly promised that, as the leader of his home, he would be faithful to the Lord and teach his children to do the same.   

Once Joshua said his piece, he melted into the landscape.  We don’t hear of him again until he dies of natural causes nearly 33 years later.  (Joshua 24:29)

Now this is quite incredible.  The 33 years of silence that followed his public life projects a very loud message.  You see in those days, when a leader type had success, especially in war, his people would often press the man to become their permanent king.

Gideon successfully rallied his people to overthrow their Midianite oppressors.  The Israelites responded saying, “Rule over us—you, your son, and your grandson” Judges 8:22.   NETBible ®

After Saul died, one of his sons would have typically succeeded him.   But young David was the popular candidate with his warriors (1 Chronicles 11:10).

Jesus had just fed the 5,000 with a few fishes and loaves – clearly an extraordinary miracle.   The diners wanted free meals forever, so they planned to, “seize him by force to make him king” – John 6:15.

After his stunning success, Joshua could have easily proclaimed himself king.  But he understood that God was to be the King of Israel, and the land ruled by His Law.  So, he declined the riches of royalty and withdrew to the hill country and quietly worked the land instead. 

But didn’t he talk about “his house?” Didn’t he have a wife and children?  The Scripture is full of endless genealogies, but there isn’t one for Joshua’s descendants.  No mention of them at all. 

Again, this is unexpected if not amazing – because great leaders often sired greedy kids.  They would rule once dad had passed.  Gideon left 72 sons behind.  The one called Abimelech murdered 70 of his brothers and then proclaimed himself King (Judges 9). 

Joshua’s children, however, must have been spiritually shaped by their godly daddy.  They were pleased to have God as their King.  And like their daddy, they declined the thrill of the throne and chose fun on the farm instead.

We live in a much different world today, but the need is the same – fathers who provide courageous, loving, spiritual leadership for their families.  

I have a friend who made a Joshua commitment as a young man.  He and his wife raised 4 kids.  He didn’t need to bail any out of jail or send them to rehab.  Not a rebel among them.   All four made their own commitment to the Lord early on.

The 4 have sired twice that many.  Each one follows in grandpa’s footsteps, and they are quickly multiplying great grandkids who are blessed by their commitment.

Certainly, there is no parenting guarantee.  Silly kids sometimes reject the best moms and dads. 

Even so, I would rather raise my kids with the gracious, empowering involvement of God than without it.

A PRAYER: Lord I am an older dad, but I want to be a great one.  Help me.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

zapped by a zipper! — June 5, 2024

zapped by a zipper!

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What would the Lord need to do to get our attention? 

I can think of one method that He would not use!

It was a beautiful Sunday morning at church and the worshipful singing had just concluded.   With an air of dignity, I stepped up to the pulpit in the hope of delivering a powerful Spirit-filled sermon.

I reached down to open my message outline, which had been laying there. I saw a yellow post-it note attached which said, “Your zipper is down!” 

Instant brain freeze!  What? Where? How? Who wrote that note?

I wanted to look down and check my fly but that would be too obvious.  Maybe I could get Pentecostal and spin around and fix it on the way.  Or maybe I could use the open fly as an object lesson and bring a message on Zipporah the wife of Moses or maybe we could just sing, “I’ll fly away.”

In exasperation, I just flat stopped, and I told the congregation about the note.  Then I turned around and checked – and – my zipper was exactly where it should have been. 

What a terrible prank!  The guilty one confessed after church.  I hope there isn’t a special judgment for such a sin.

But back to the question – What would the Lord need to do to get our attention?   Well, what if He were to raise a nation from the dead?

The nation of Israel died in 70 A.D. when the Romans leveled it.  Yet, the Bible clearly predicted that Israel would be regathered as a nation in the last days.

For instance, Isaiah 11:11-12 says, “In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people… He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (NIV)

The prophet was one of many who predicted that the nation of Israel would once again exist.  This regathering was to take place during the time that Isaiah called, “The Day of the Lord” (Isaiah 13:6).    

The odds were against it.  To fulfill this prophecy, the dispersed Jewish people would need to retain their identity throughout the ages, come together again, and then reestablish their nation in their original homeland.”   

Despite insurmountable opposition to the Jews, God brought them together again.  After nearly 20 centuries they officially became a nation on May 14, 1948. 

The rebirth of this nation is a specific fulfillment to prophecy.  Its significance cannot be underestimated. 

The apostle John predicted that the last and final battle on earth will be waged against the nation of Israel.  They will defend their homeland in the valley of Megiddo (better known as Armageddon) which is central to the land of Israel – Revelation 16:16.    

The angels who attended the ascension of Christ foretold of His return.  They watched Him rise from the Mount of Olives which is just to the east of Jerusalem.  They predicted that Jesus would return just as He had left (Acts 1:11).  The prophet Zechariah concurred (14:3-4).

It would seem, that God is trying to get our attention!  The regathering of the nation of Israel is the canary in the coal mine – an indication that God’s plan for this world is accelerating towards its conclusion.   We can’t say whether it will happen today, next month or even next year, but the timer is clearly ticking down. 

Isn’t it ironic, that a nation the size of New Jersey so often dominates the world news?  Isn’t it puzzling how a multitude of nations are so focused on that tiny middle eastern region.  Isn’t it surprising how most anyone you meet in the U.S. has a strong opinion about Israel?

The resurrection of the state of Israel is God’s way of letting us know the end is coming.  We need to pay attention and get ready for it.

A PRAYER: Lord, we hear You and we fear You.  Come quickly, Lord, Jesus.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

wrong deposit — May 29, 2024

wrong deposit

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I lost 200 bucks!  Not much in some respects.  On the other hand, I could have bought 4,000 Snickers bars with it in my teenage years (and I am not kidding!)  

It began this way. I was in a strange town but saw a familiar sign.  It said, “Texas Bank.”  I assumed it was a branch of my bank. So, I pulled into the drive thru, put the check for $200 in the tube, and watched it zip away.  I crossed that off my to-do list and headed for home.

BUT later that day, I got a call from the bank.  “Uh sir, you made a deposit in the Texas Bank, but your account is with the Texas Bank and Trust.”   

Seriously?  How could this happen?   The teller deposited the check and gave me a receipt.  Was there another James Johnson.  Well of course there was – maybe 30 of us.  But surely, we didn’t have identical account numbers? 

OK I know I’m shifting the blame.  It’s my fault. I should have read the sign more closely.  In any case, I ended up depositing my $200 in an account from which I could not draw.  I should have invested in Snickers bars.

Jesus had better advice when it comes to making a deposit.  He said, “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and devouring insect destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” –  Matthew 6:19:

He alluded to an earthly bank of sorts.  This bank is overstocked with earthly goods.  In Jesus’ day, one’s well-being was measured by their wardrobe collection; the volume of stored wheat in the grain bin, and the amount of money that was buried in the dirt wall of their home. 

The problem with that bank is that moths feast on stored clothing.  Insects devour food that is not soon eaten, and thieves are relentless in their effort to find what we hide.  It is the excess – the surplus that is in peril.  

Therefore, Jesus suggested a better investment strategy.  He said, “Accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven…”  – Matthew 6:20. We are to use what we have now to make eternal deposits in the bank of heaven. 

Does this mean I need to quit my job, give everything away, shave my head, join a monastery, and think thoughts about God? 

Not at all!  Jesus was speaking to everyday people like us.  People who were instructed to work with their hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and who were scolded if they didn’t (2 Thessalonians 3:10). They were exhorted to provide for their families (1 Timothy 5:8) and to give on a regular basis (1 Corinthians 16:2).   If they had given it all away to follow Jesus, what would they have left to give the next week?

Jesus did not deny us our basic needs.  In fact, He promised later that the Father would make sure that we have them (Matthew 6:33).

So, what was His point?  Clothing, food, and money are essential to life but not the essence of life.   We enjoy what we have, but we’re also compelled to amass more than we need. 

We ought to make some deposits in the bank of heaven – investments that will yield eternal dividends.  So, maybe you could sort through your clothes and give some to the neighbors who lost their house to a fire.  Donate to the local food bank so that the undernourished are fed.  Make a financial commitment to support that missionary couple that serves In Rwanda.

I advertised a set of used bunkbeds.   I was asking $200.  A young single mother was excited to buy them as first beds for her little girls.   I spontaneously decided to give them to her and told her that they were a gift from Jesus.  She was grateful, but so was I.  It was fun to give.

Another $200 was denied to my bank account, but a super deposit made for me in heaven.

A PRAYER: God, we are holding on to things that need to go.  Help us!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com.

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

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

no skin off his feet — May 22, 2024

no skin off his feet

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I have a friend who has three passions: basketball, the guitar and frugality.  One day they all came together.  It was in his college days when he played a lot of hoops.  So much in fact, that he often developed large blisters on the soles of his feet.

He would meticulously cut away the dead skin and apply ointment to his wounds.  But one day he looked at an excised patch of skin and wondered. 

He placed it between some books for a few days, where it dried out and became perfectly hard and flat.  He then trimmed it into the shape of a guitar pick. 

Pleased with his new economical creation, he began to strum his guitar.  Unfortunately, his organic guitar pick, quickly disintegrated into a puff.  The skin of his foot turned to dust in his hands. 

What a great reminder of the truth in Genesis 3:19. Adam and Eve had forfeited everlasting life in the garden when they chose to snub the will of God.   God detailed their consequences in this way, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat food, until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”    

Dust from whence we came, and dust to where we’ll all go.   From Adam to the present day, the number crunchers believe that about 109 billion people have lived and died.  That’s a pretty big dust heap, isn’t it? 

The fine folks of the funeral industry tell us that “dust to dust” is not just a poetic expression.  It takes considerable time, but the final remains of a person are eventually reduced to a handful of dust. 

This stark reality prompted Job, the Old Testament Patriarch to ask the question, “If a man dies, will he live again?” – Job 14:14

Good question!  Will he?  Will a person who dies ever live again? 

Jesus must have thinking of Job when He spoke these words in John 11:25. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even if he dies…”

Yes, a person can overcome death and live again IF they have believed in Jesus. 

This life comes to us in at least two installments. In John 10:10 the Savior said, “I have come so that they may have life and may have it abundantly.”

He assumes what many of us experience.  We wander through life like zombies.  There is a deadness that grips our emotions and strangles our hopes and dreams.  It is a shallowness that cheats our relationships with others and with God.  We often feel like a soda that’s lost its fizz! 

But Jesus promised to resurrect us from this soul death with new life – abundant life.  A life worth living and wonderfully rewarding. 

The second installment comes later.  In 1 Cor 15:51-52 Paul wrote, “Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” 

A time will come when the dust of those 109 billion will be stirred and the saved will be raised to everlasting life. 

But how can we be sure?  There are other isms that hold to some form of resurrection.  They may believe it, but only one faith leader has died and has been raised to life again – and that would be Jesus.

On the third day He arose again according to the Scripture and there were over 500 skeptics who saw Him, spoke with Him and were convinced.  (1 Corinthians 15:6)  We shall be raised by that same almighty power.

It’s good to know that no dust cloth will be needed in heaven.

A Prayer: Lord what a wonderful hope you have given us.   Help us be generous enough to share the news of it with others.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always.

Scripture passages are from the NET Bible ®

the way we drive — May 15, 2024

the way we drive

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It occurred to me the other day that the way we drive a car tends to reflect the way we do life in general.  The reckless teenage boy screams around the corner assuming he is all but immortal.  The cautious elderly lady motors along a good ten miles below the speed limit.   We really do tend to express our personalities by the way we drive.

So, what if they traveled by car in the first century?  What if Jesus had entered Jerusalem in a Mustang convertible instead of on the foal of a donkey? 

Let’s start with Paul. I picture him in an ambulance, screaming along at 120 miles per hour, passing through town after town with the life-saving message of the Gospel.  He actually was quite a driven individual.

Peter, we might find pulled over by a car with red flashing lights.  The patrol officer says, “You were going 70 in a 50 mile an hour zone.  Peter says, “I did not!” “Yes, you did!” says the officer.”  “It wasn’t me!”  “Yes it was,” says the officer.  To which Peter replies, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  Then suddenly a song from Sheryl Crow begins to play on the car radio.

Clueless Philip, he would be the guy driving the wrong way on a one-way street. 

You might find doubting Thomas arguing with his wife in the car.  “Thomas the GPS says turn here!”  “I don’t believe it,” he says.

Diabolical Judas, he would be the guy who bypasses the traffic jam by driving on the shoulder of the road.  Ooh I detest that guy.

We might find the sons of thunder, James and John, duking it out over a parking spot.  

And Jesus, well He might just pick up every hitchhiker He saw.  And when they left His car He might say, “Go and hike no more.”

Goofy thoughts for sure, but it illustrates the fact that we express our personalities by the way we drive.

And I am ashamed to admit this – because my driving has often sent the wrong message.  When I was a young Christian, there was a bumper sticker that was popular with believers.  It said, “Honk if you love Jesus.”   People assumed I was a passionate Christian because I honked all the time – but it was out of frustration rather than a love for my Lord. 

I have been challenged by words like these in Titus 2:7-8.  There Paul encouraged Titus to… “be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss because he has nothing evil to say about us.”  

Titus was to be a good example in, “every way.”  This surely would have included his driving habits!  For him it possibly meant, “make sure you maintain a safe distance from the donkey ahead of you.” 

For us it means to be polite on the road.  If you are cut off don’t go racing after the perpetrator in rage.    Yield that parking spot to the elderly man in the station wagon.   Respect the laws including the speed limit. 

Paul told him that a good example should especially permeate the way that Titus delivered the Gospel message.   To do anything less would open the door to criticism and provide fodder for the Gospel foes. 

Oh my!  I know there were times when I had just taught a Bible study and then drove home in a way that tarnished the message I had just delivered.  Sometimes I would honk at someone and then hope that they were not from my church.

Well, I am glad to say that as the Word of God has taken root in my life, I am far more patient and attentive to the rules of the road than I once was.  I hope the same can be said of you. 

A Prayer: Lord I know I’ll be tested again in this area.  Help me to respond well!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Scripture quotations are from the NETBible ®

we want to go camping!  — May 8, 2024

we want to go camping! 

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We were hopelessly motoring around Custer State Park in South Dakota.  It had already been a long day when we finally realized that we were lost.   The park was a vast expanse – roughly 10 miles wide by 10 miles deep and our campsite was playing hide and seek with us. 

In the spirit of General Custer, I was ready to make my last stand.  So, I suddenly pulled the car up next to a construction crew and strongly exhorted my wife to ask for directions.   I wasn’t going to do it of course.

She was quite flustered, and it showed, but she stuck her head out the window and said, “Uh, we want to go camping!”  (Hmm an interesting way to ask for directions!)

Well, the man leaned back on his shovel and pondered his answer.  He said, “O really?”   Awkward!  She was embarrassed and the rest of us were entertained.

We didn’t know where we were headed.  Some of us experience that kind of confusion in the spiritual realm.

We believe that God is sovereign, and has a plan for our lives, but what we experience day-to-day doesn’t always make sense to us. 

There have been the good times which we have counted as blessings.  But there have also been some hard times sandwiched in between.  There have been seasons of plenty, but also seasons of want. 

There was that job that opened just when it was needed but it ended up in a lay off just 5 years later.  There were spans of time when the nearness of God was incredible, and other times when He seemed to be absent.

It makes us wonder, ”Lord, where are you taking me?  Help me to understand!”

Paul answered that question in Romans 8:28-29.  He wrote, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”  NETBible ®

Many of us have verse 28 memorized.  It’s of priceless encouragement, but it’s verse 29 that we need to consider here.  It says that “he also predestined (us) to be conformed to the image of his Son.”

The word “predestined” tells us that God’s plan for us reaches back to before we were ever born.  The word “conform” tells us that we are still an imperfect work in the process of development. 

This is His roadmap for us– a plan to conform us to the likeness of His most wonderful Son, so that we reflect His character, and operate by His ethics.  It is to value what He values, and to disdain what He rejects. The result is what the Scripture refers to as “godliness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

It is a work that God started the day we were saved and will continue till we meet Jesus face-to-face.  Paul put it this way, “For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” –  Philippians 1:6.

In the meantime, He uses the multifaceted experiences of life to mold and make us; to sharpen us and shape us so that we resemble Jesus more today than we did yesterday.   Our character is like clay in the supple hands of The Potter. 

So, know that the issues that you face, even today are being used by God to fulfill His plan for you.

I once sat in my office with a married couple who disagreed with a pastoral decision that I had made.  She went for my jugular when she said, “We thought this church had a “godly” pastor!”   That deeply wounded me!  Fortunately, most did not share her opinion. 

But, the opinion I value the best and the character I covet the most – is that of my Savior and I am so glad He is busy producing godliness in me.

A PRAYER: Have your way in my life Lord.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture references are from the NETBible.com

an encouraging word — May 1, 2024

an encouraging word

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My wife has taken up the palette and easel to become a painter.   She is doing pretty well!  In fact, I encouraged her to send her finished art to our adult children to hang on their refrigerators.

I’m funnin’ ya’ of course, but that is certainly one way they could encourage her artistic endeavors.

Encouragement can come in the form of pictures on the ice box and other helpful activities, but let’s focus on verbal encouragement for now. 

Hebrews 3:13 tells us we all need a daily dose of it.  It says, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

This is a command directed to us and it is something that we should offer to those around us on a daily basis.

Most encouragement is kind of like milk.  It has a short shelf life.  It expires and then we have to run to the store to get more.  So, we need to encourage each other regularly.

The author tells us why.  He says, “so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”   There is a sin principle which is at work in this world.  Think of it as the sun at work on your skin.  The UV rays penetrate and damage your skin.  Get enough of it over time and you’ll end up with a leathery look.

Likewise, we are bombarded by the destructive lies and the lusts of this world.  It erodes our ego.  Over time it harms our souls and causes us to become insensitive and indifferent to spiritual things.

Encouragement is like sun block.  It keeps the UV rays of sin from penetrating and protects us from damage.

To experience encouragement, we need to be together.  Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”

The author spoke of people who gave up the habit of church.  He pleads – don’t do that because being with other Christians is where encouragement is found.   

Sunday worship lifts us up, the message challenges us, the classes provide personal interaction and the casual conversation at the coffee table is sweet (especially if your church serves donuts as mine does). 

But Sunday worship is not enough. We need to be in relationship with people whom we know, love and trust. I have a friend who was chronically depressed.  He told me that he would often go to small group discouraged but leave feeling great.

So how do we speak encouragement to one another?

– Make it positive.  Sarcasm and encouragement do not get along.  A compliment bathed in sarcasm, is like a chocolate covered olive.

– Make sure what you say is true.  Flattery falls flat.  Don’t tell her she looks like a model when she doesn’t.  When we lie, we imply that the truth may be painful for them to handle – and they sense it.

– Our words should have substance.  To say you look nice – is nice, but insufficient.   Focus on issues of character and virtue and service.   Tell her that you are proud of the way she handled her surly boss.  Tell him that he did well when he shared his faith with his uncle.

It would be nice if we all lived home on the range where seldom is heard a discouraging word.  Ah, but we do not.

But we can change that.  We can start by being the first and most frequent to encourage others.  It’s crazy how the encouraged, will reciprocate.

My grandson was in the midst of potty training.  He would occassionally fail to succeed, but he always ended those sessions by saying out loud, “Good try.” 

I suppose that we could encourage ourselves, as he did – but it is so much more meaningful and powerful when it comes from someone else.

A PRAYER: Lord my own soul feels a little leathery, help me to create an encouraging community.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!

Scripture references are from the New International Version.

the journey of the soul — April 24, 2024

the journey of the soul

/pickleheavenpress

I bought a new cell phone.  My old one was having memory issues, it garbled messages and it was having a rough time recharging.  Which ironically is also how my wife describes me.

The girl at the store opened the phone case and took out the SIM card.  That card contains the essence of my virtual identity.  She slipped the card into the new phone, and I was good to go.

Hooray, my virtual identify was not lost, it was just transferred to a new home.

Believe it or not, this helps me to understand a big existential question – What happens to a person when they die?

Well let’s discuss the soul.  When your parents put your birth on the calendar, God did not withdraw a soul from an existing repository.  Your soul was conceived right along with the rest of you.  It came into being at that moment, but it became an everlasting entity from then on. 

Your soul essence was placed in your body.  I am somewhat disappointed because I feel like my soul should have been placed in athletic body.  But the Lord knows best. 

Anyway, the soul remains in the body until death occurs.  At that time, the body is vacated, and the soul of the Christian goes to be with the Lord.  Like a hermit crab that seeks a bigger shell to inhabit, our soul longs for bigger things.

Paul wrote, “Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth, we are absent from the Lord for we live by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

He argued that the Christian can only be in one of two places – either on earth confined to our mortal bodies, or in heaven with the Lord.   There is no “time out” in Purgatory for bad behavior, nor does the soul ever sleep.  It’s either fixed in our functional earthly body or in heaven.  Jesus said to converted thief on the cross as he was dying, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”  – Luke 23:43.

The soul of the person who fails to trust in Jesus is also separated from their body at death and immediately placed into a situation that the Bible describes as being one of eternal torment. 

Jesus described it when told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.  Both men died.  Humble Lazarus was pictured as being carried off to a blissful heaven, whereas the miserly rich man was carried to a painful place.  From there he cried up to heaven, “…send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.”  – Luke 16:19-31

So, what happens to the soul after all this?   

One day Jesus will return to this earth, and the souls of the faithful will return with Him.  Paul wrote, “God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.”  – 1 Thessalonians 4:14. 

Then their interred bodies will be raised and be made new and imperishable – an eternal body fit to house an eternal soul.   Paul went on to say, “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.” – 4:16

And that is the journey of the soul.  When our bodies fail us, the essence of who we are does not die.  It just gets inserted into a new eternally fit habitation.  It’s a little more complicated than transferring a SIM card, but God gets the job done.   

So be warmed if you belong to Him.  Be warned if you don’t!  

A prayer: Lord this truth enables us to face the future without fear.  Thank You

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®