Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

I, me, mine — June 18, 2025

I, me, mine

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These 3 may be the most overused words in the English language.  As toddlers, they were our first attempts at communication.  “Me do it!”  “No mine!”  And we carry them with us all the way into our twilight years, “Gertrude, I want the thermostat set on 86.” 

In fact, I was thinking about my prayers as an infant Christian.  At age 19 I offered up a lot of, “I, me, mine” prayers like, “Lord, my acne has broken out and I have a date.  Would you help me please?”  Or “Lord, could you transfer my acne to that guy that’s picking on me?” 

When we have the “I, me, mine” disease, it makes those around us sick – – of us.  No one appreciates a fussy, demanding child.   People run from egocentric adults, and they barely tolerate even the elderly mother who has run-on complaints about her health.

The Beatles once recorded a song called, “I, me, mine.”  It was written by George Harrison as a bold self-disclosure of the infighting going on within the band at that time.  

The lyrics lamented the self-centered orientation of humanity.  Ironically this was the very last song that the Beatles ever recorded. That mentality was responsible for the end of what was probably the most influential rock band ever. 

And that’s what it does to rock bands, friendships, churches, business partnerships, families and marriages. 

As a pastor I did a fair amount of marriage counseling.  Like other counselors I discovered that financial disagreements were often the fuel of marriage conflicts and divorce situations.  And it wasn’t whether a couple had money or not.  The conflict was over how the money should be spent.  I was an “I, me, mine” problem.   

And what about churches?  I did a study of the New Testament Epistles. I found that the churches at Philippi, and Thessalonica and Colossae and all the rest had some kind of serious conflict going on – all fueled by the “I, me, mine” mentality.  The church today is in no worse shape than it was in the first century.

The Spirit of God understands this problem, which is why He gave Paul these words for us,

“Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well” – Philippians 2:3-4. NETBible.com

He gave us a “you/yours” solution to the problem.  Let’s just tackle that one phrase, “treat one another as more important than yourself.”

I found that when I act as if my agenda, is the most important, then it pushes others to do the same.   When I expect my demands to be met, others react by asserting their counter demands.  When I think of myself as being number one, others must either accept that they are number two or aggressively compete with me for the number one spot.

Scripture tells me that the better way is to begin with a number two mindset.  My opinion, my will, my agenda need to be set aside on behalf of that other person. 

I have found that when I defer to others, they very often respond by deferring to me. When I enter a public building, I will often hold the door for that person behind me.  If there is a second door, they will typically hold it open for me.

“Treat one another as more important than yourself.” 

If I practiced this in my marriage, I would just put on a sweater when my wife cranks the thermostat down.  If we had this attitude at church, we would include a hymn or two for the older folks. 

If we were to do this at work, the productivity of the team would dramatically increase.   If we were to practice this in Congress, well, well that would be a miracle, wouldn’t it?

A PRAYER: Lord, I know we can’t do this without your enabling grace.  Help us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

live to tell about it — June 11, 2025

live to tell about it

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Six months ago, it happened.  In the words of Fred Sandford, “Oh, this is the big one! I’m coming to you Elizabeth?!”  Yes, I had a heart attack, but it wasn’t just any attack.  It was a widow maker. 

The left anterior descending artery (known as the widow maker) was 99% blocked and the pain was rapidly growing in its intensity.  I got to the hospital just in time, and they were able to stent the growth.  

But here’s the thing. I recently learned that, of all who experience a widow maker, only 12% survive.  12 out of every one hundred people live to tell about it.  

I read that and wept – well almost.  It made me wonder, however, “Wow God, I got through that and with no permanent damage.  Why did You allow me to be one of the 12%?” 

Then I was reading my Bible, and I got a reasonable answer from Romans 8:29.  There Paul wrote, “…those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”

Here we understand that God exercises sovereign control over all of creation.  His mastery reaches the past, controls the present and projects into the future.  

He in fact, predestines or in other words, predetermines that life should always follow His comprehensive plan.  There is nothing that has happened or will ever happen that has not been preordained by Him. 

Which is why Romans 8:28 precedes 8:29, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

His sovereign power works for those of us who love Him.  The words, “work together” are translated from one Greek word, “synergei.”  The basis for our English word “synergy.”

Synergy is a popular word in our culture.  It involves the combined power of two things when they work which is greater than the sum of either thing by themselves.  It’s sort of like mixing Hershey’s chocolate syrup with milk.   Milk is good, chocolate is good – but together they are delicious!

Likewise, God takes the good things and the not so good things and works them together so that the end result is like a delicious gulp of chocolate milk. 

Why does He do this?  He answered that back in verse 29.  That we might be, “conformed to the image of his Son.”

That is God’s grand game plan, to progressively shape His children so that they end up with a profound resemblance to the Lord Jesus.  The Greek word for “conform” is “sum-morphus.”   Which contains the basis for our English word “morph.”

Morphing is what they do in the movies.  They take an image and slightly alter each successive frame until it becomes a whole different image.  A flower becomes a person or a frog a prince.  The process on the screen is extremely subtle.   

In a similar way God, takes our experiences and uses them to continually slightly adjust us, so that one day we blossom and bear the full and beautiful image of Jesus Himself. 

And like the movie, the process is so subtle that we are hardly aware of it at the time it is happening.  And yet, today I can look back at my 50 plus years with Jesus and clearly see that a lot of conformation has taken place in my life. For which I am profoundly grateful.

This explains life with God fairly well, every setback, all the blessings, the health challenges, the victories, the hurts, the encouragements, the failures and successes, all are divinely purposed to make us more like Jesus.

OK but why did God allow me to be a widow maker survivor?  Well, on the day of my heart attack, I went knocking on the door of heaven.  I am guessing that the Lord looked through the peephole and He said, “O my!  You are still pretty rough. I’m gonna have to send you back for some more conforming.”

A PRAYER: Lord, have Your way our lives!  Conform away – please!

This has been Jim Johnson and picklheavenpress.com

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

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com

the burden of the booth — June 4, 2025

the burden of the booth

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It was dark and foreboding as I knelt there in that claustrophobic little confessional booth.  I was feeling trapped both by the booth and the burden upon me.  Then the small door to the other side slid open.  I could see the dim outline of Father Missimi through the screen. 

That was the cue for this little 8-year-old to begin.  I said, “Bless me Father for I have sinned.  My last confession was 1 week ago.”  And then it was time to unload my sins. 

But what could I say?  For the most part, I was a good little boy.  I was obedient to my parents, and I got good grades in my Catholic school. This created a quandary for me. 

I feared my teacher, Sister Mary Cletus.  She was hovering outside the booth expecting me to confess my sins.  Father Missimi was on the other side patiently waiting to hear them. But I couldn’t think of any sins to confess. 

And if I went to confession without confessing a sin, would that not be a sin in and of itself?  So, I decided to cooperate.  I needed to fabricate a few sins. “Go with the ten commandments,” I thought.  “Father, I took the name of the Lord my God in vain, and I did not remember to keep the Sabbath day holy – oh and I coveted my neighbor’s goods.”

And then I thought, “Wait a minute – I am presently bearing false witness.  I am lying about sins I did not commit to a holy priest, but I can’t tell him about it because then he would never believe my confessions in the future, and I will therefore be forever unforgiven. 

So, I finished up with my false confession, and he uttered his words of absolution and then ordered me to pray 10 Our Fathers, 10 Hail Mary’s, 10 Glory Be’s and to light a candle and give some money to the poor.

Oh, and by the way, Father Missimi, this post is my official confession of my bogus confession. – Smiley Face!

Confession was so difficult and confusing back then but much simpler now. 

According to 1 John 1:9-10.  John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

When we violate the expectations of God, we put a kink our relationship with Him.  He does not cease to love us, nor does sin imperil our salvation.  But sin muddies our relationship with God. 

When I took my dad’s hatchet without asking, and then lost it, he was not happy with me, but He didn’t disown me.  My standing as His son was always firm.  I had wounded our relationship, however, and that needed to be addressed. 

Likewise, our forgiveness is founded on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  His blood washed us legally clean, but ongoing confession removes the spiritual, emotional distance that sin creates.  It cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

When we injure our relationship with God through sin, we need to confess it.  And we don’t need a booth to do it.  God is omniscient and knows where we are, what we’ve done and what we need to do about it. 

Neither do we need an intermediary in a dimly lit cubicle to assist.  We are to confess our sins to Him, the Lord Himself, according to John.  And the Father will promptly forgive us and restore the sweetness to our relationship with Him.

Silly me!  I once fabricated fictional sins to confess, yet John says, “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.” – 1 John 1:10. A really honest person doesn’t have to manufacture sins.

Well, I have left the dim booth for the light.  And the weekly chore, I once abhored has become a sweet time of reconnecting with the Father, whom I so deeply love.  He waits to hear from you as well. 

A PRAYER: Father, forgive us, for we have sinned!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

destined for dog food!    — May 28, 2025

destined for dog food!   

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Harry de Leyer was on his way to the horse auction.  He needed an additional steed for the use of his riding students.   But, due to a vehicle breakdown, the auction had closed by the time he arrived.

This had been the last hope for the horses.  The unpurchased leftovers had already been loaded and were bound for a Pennsylvania slaughterhouse where they would be processed into dog food. 

Harry rapidly surveyed the neglected animals.  He spied a bulky, broken down, white horse who had spent his life pulling an Amish plow.  He pulled him out of the truck and walked him around.  They seemed to connect. 

Harry bought the horse for a meager $80.00 and gave him the apt name Snowman.

Snowman found new life on Harry’s farm.  Without the burden of a plow, the horse took to the air.  He loved to jump.  Harry recognized his talent and cultivated it.   With Harry in the saddle, they made their way to competitions and were soon beating out horses who had been bred to be jumpers.  

By 1958, Snowman had become a champion, winning the Triple Crown of jumping.  He continued to beat out his competition for many years after.

Like Snowman, we Christians have been plucked out of an auction of sorts.  The Bible portrays an unsaved person as being a slave to be sold.  The Scripture employs the word “redemption” to describe the process, using three different Greek words that help us to understand what it means to be redeemed.

Our journey begins at the slave market.   My only exposure to a slave market has been through the movies.  I remember seeing, half naked people, with an emptiness that seemed to seep through their eyes.  They possessed nothing, not even control over their own bodies. 

It’s a gruesome but fairly accurate picture of our situation.  Potential bidders poke and prod us hoping to take possession of our souls.   But Jesus sees us and decides to buy us.  This is the first word for redemption, “agoradzo” which means to buy.   It is found in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For you were bought at a price.”  Jesus gave His life blood on a cross to purchase we who were formerly slaves to sin. 

The second word is “ekagoradzo” which mean “to buy out of.”  This word is used in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”   This carries the idea of first buying and then removing us from the market.  Once Jesus purchased our souls, we would always remain His, never to become available to be resold to another.

The third word translated as redemption is the word, “lutroo.” This carries the idea of removing the chains from a slave and then giving the slave their freedom.  This word is used in Titus 2:14, He “gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness” NIV.

Snowman was destined to become dogfood.  We also were headed to the slaughterhouse, to spend an eternity in the unquenchable fires of hell (Mark 9:43-45)

Snowman was overlooked by every other buyer at that auction.  Likewise, Jesus saw us not for who we had been but who we could be. 

Snowman was acquired for $80 when the average cost for a jumping horse at that time ranged from the thousands to the tens of thousands.  But Jesus paid even more – the ultimate cost – His laid down His very life to save us. 

Liberated from the plow, and saved from the slaughterhouse, Snowman was then free to do what he enjoyed the most, running and jumping with His Master in tow.   And we the redeemed are also free indeed (John 8:36).  We have the privilege of joyfully serving and doing life with the sweetest, kindest, most benevolent Master ever.

– a way better destiny for us than dogfood!

A PRAYER: Lord, help us to better understand what it means to be redeemed.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are taken from the NETBible ®

Photo by VentnorNJ – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107870915

oops! — May 21, 2025

oops!

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The street crew may have started well but then fell asleep on the job.  The center line they left painted on the street looked like the work of a myopic monkey or by me.

There are two things I want etched into my headstone.  The first is, “I should have gone to the doctor when my wife told me to.”  The other is, “I hate to paint.”   

I start a painting task with the very best of intentions.  I move the brush slowly and carefully.  And it doesn’t look half bad.  But I am not a slow and careful person, and the job quickly becomes tedious for me.  So halfway through I am painting quickly and sloppily – leaving more paint on the carpet than the wall.

What if God had approached His work with such a warped work ethic?  What if God had been impatient or careless or even lazy with creation?  What if He had made the earth but didn’t set it to spinning – no sunrise – no sunset.    

What if He spent all His energy on making Adam, leaving nothing left over for Eve?   Where would we be?  Well, we wouldn’t!

If God had not been diligent, we might have three seasons instead of four.  (However, losing a Texas summer may not be so bad)

But that’s not God, is it?  He was thorough with every detail to the end, leaving us with a marvelously balanced, beautifully detailed and self-sustaining world. 

We see this quality in Jesus as well, His peers considered Him and said, “He had done everything well” – Mark 7:37.  Everything that Jesus did, He did really well.  I wonder if He ever had to paint? 

And the Lord continues to work with such diligence today especially when it comes to you and me.  Paul wrote, “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.   That’s good news.   He has grown me much, but there is still lots of ground to cover.  I am so glad that He is committed to seeing it through.  He finishes what He starts.

Now, as a person made in His image, I am thinking He would have me to do as He does.  In fact, I am sure of it.  God through Solomon had this to say in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might…”    That is God speaking to us.  “Work with all your might,” He says! – everything you got.

Diligence is a quality that God expects of us.   To be diligent is to be careful and conscientious with the work that we do.  We are exhorted in the New Testament to be diligent about various things approximately 10 times.

And then there is this truth that Paul left us that in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord” (NASU).

We are to work, being motivated from the heart, regarding every task as an assignment from the Lord. The idea is to offer Him our very, very best – to give attention to every detail, to do it skillfully, and to finish the task in a timely way, and to do it with a good attitude.  It is to do the kind of work that causes those who watch us to direct their attention to the God we serve.

We need to bring these qualities to bear on our occupations and marriages, and parenting and certainly our service to the Lord.   “Whatever we do,” says Paul.

When we work in this way, we have something satisfying to look upon with a sanctified sense of pride.  Others find value in it as well.  Proverbs 22:29 says, “You have seen a person skilled in his work, he will take his position before kings…”

Wow, I feel like I need to go and repaint that wall. 

A PRAYER: Lord, help me work better, to better please You.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com unless otherwise noted.  

who tempted the devil? — May 14, 2025

who tempted the devil?

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Lucifer was created as a beautiful holy angel, but he sinned and fell from his lofty position and became Satan the diabolical tempter.  But who was it that tempted Lucifer to sin? 

There was not an evil entity that preceded him – no one to poke and prod him to sin.  Evidently, it was his own independent self-will that set itself against the Lord.  The devil made the devil do it!

This caused me to wonder about Gethsemane.  There, Jesus asked God to remove the cup He was expected to drink.  The cup was a metaphor that represented the trauma that was to quickly come.

There would be the betrayal, the mockery of a trial, the whip lashing, the crown of thorns and the nails in his hands and feet.  On the cross He would suffer an insatiable thirst and find it extremely difficult to catch a breath.  Only then would He die.

Worst of all – the sins of the world, past, present, and future would be piled upon Him so that for the first time in eternity the Father would turn away from His Son causing Him to cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – Matthew 27:46.

Jesus knew it was coming, and he dreaded it. Three times He prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me!” – Matthew 26:39.

He was honestly struggling.  Should we call it temptation?  It seems like it, but is this the devil’s doing?   Maybe not?

In the Gospels, we find Satan and his crew showing up on many occasions.   He took center stage when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4).  Jesus often interacted with demons who opposed Him (Matthew 8:31-32; 9:32; 12:22).

When Peter defied the Lord, Jesus recognized the influence of the evil one and said, “Get behind me Satan” – Matthew 16:23.  And then in John 13:27, we find Satan actually entering Judas.

It surely seems that if Satan was responsible for the traumatic struggle at Gethsemane, it would have been apparent.  But the narrative mentions only Jesus.

What was going on?  Well, the beauteous mystery of Christ is His incarnation, where Almighty God took on human flesh while remaining 100% God.

Paul described it this way, Jesus “who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.  He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” – Phil 2:6-8.

This was an incredibly unselfish act and very necessary.  The holiness of God was needed to atone for man, but an eternal God could not die to provide it.  A man, however, could die, but had no holiness to offer.  So, God emptied Himself and took the form of a bondservant to redeem us.

Gethsemane then was the supreme test of His humanity.  He became flesh to redeem man, but when the time came, would He in His humanity choose to freely suffer to make it happen?

He didn’t need the devil to manipulate him, He had His own flesh to contend with.  Ironically it was during this test that He found His disciples sleeping instead of watching and He reminded them that “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” – Matthew 26:41. Could Jesus have been speaking out of His own struggle?

How glad I am that His threefold plea to the Father was also underlined by His submission.  He prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will” – Matthew 26:39.

He defied His very human inclination for self-preservation and humbly submitted Himself to the severe will of the Father.  Shortly thereafter, He peacefully surrendered to those who would crucify Him.  How fortunate for us that He did!

A PRAYER: Lord – thank you for freely grasping that cup and drinking of it for us

This has been Jim Johnson and picklheavenpress.com

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

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com

bluebell and the blues — May 7, 2025

bluebell and the blues

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Solomon once wrote, “There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink…” – Ecclesiastes 2:24.  So what did he think was so great to eat?  Dates and figs?  I don’t know, but, if he were alive today, he might revise his words to say, “There is nothing better for people than to eat ice cream, especially Bluebell.”  Amen!

OK – maybe we need to back up and understand the context of Solomon’s words.  The brutally honest book of Ecclesiastes was written to help us live meaningful lives.

He argued that many of us strive our way through life, and this striving is folly.  Some labor to be rich, but are never able to enjoy their money (5:10-12); Some wrangle their way to fame, and yet the humble still seem to outshine them (10:6-7).

Others strive to have power and yet the very powerful king of Israel went on record saying, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.”  (1:2) Some strive for security, but Solomon reminds us that naked we came, and naked we will go. (5:15)

And then there are some that are obsessed with our health and long life, but Solomon said, “youth and the prime of life are fleeting.” (11:10)  He often emphasized the fact that we are all gonna die (5:16). 

He sums up all our striving with the word, “vanity,” which he repeated 38 times in the book.  All is vanity

When we strive for things that we never really obtain, it is a pointless, painful experience.  Even when we do obtain them, we are stunned by the pointlessness of it all.

I was voted senior class president in high school.  I was jubilant for a day or two until I found out that honor was outweighed by the onerous responsibility.

Now before you look for Xanax, you need to know that Solomon was not depressed.  He was quite upbeat and hopeful.  The one word Solomon used in his book more than the word vanity, is God (40 times).

He tells us to consider God’s works (7:13)  to listen to His words (5:1) to fear Him (5:7) to please Him (7:26) and to remember him (12:1)   He described life “under the sun” as vanity (4:7), but He knew that we are headed to that place above the sun, in the presence of God where hope abounds (12:6-8).

Which means that the person who is rightly related to the Lord can cease to strive and enjoy being alive.  In fact, we should strive less and savor more the blessings He gives.

He encourages us to enjoy our mate (9:9), food and drink (5:18) and every fruit of our labor (5:19) When God has the proper place in our lives, we are free to do that.  

He put it this way in his book, “What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?   For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax.  This also is futile!  “There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work.  I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God. For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.”  (2:22-25)

I am embarrassed by the phrase, “and even at night his mind cannot relax.”   It has been my experience much too often. 

What took Solomon a whole book to say, the apostle Paul said in one sentence “Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” –  1 Timothy  6:17

So, strive less, serve the Lord more and savor the blessings He gives.  Seriously, it is impossible to wear a frown while enjoying a bowl of Bluebell.  

A PRAYER: Lord, I need your help in this area!  Help me to rest in 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 ® 

all authority — April 30, 2025

all authority

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We finally reached the age where we needed a large-print edition alarm clock.  The numbers on it were 2” tall and it was loud too.  I awakened to the sound of garbage-truck backing into my bedroom.  It was an annoying authority.  It told me when to go to bed, and get up, and leave the house for an appointment.

There are annoying authorities but then there are beneficial ones as well like the policeman who protects us and the doctor who helps to heal us.

Jesus, however, is the ultimate authority – of the best variety.  He demonstrated it over three very different but important realms in Mark 1.

“Then they went to Capernaum. When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people there were amazed by his teaching because He taught them like one who had authority, not like the experts in the law” (vrs. 21-22).

There in Capernaum, He spoke with authority.  His words were powerful, accurate and penetrating, issued from the author of all truth.   He often said, “You have heard it said….but I say to you.”   His words corrected falsehood and could be fully trusted.

There was a sign on the hand dryer in the restroom at work.  It read, “Push here for a word from the boss.”  Maybe, but when Jesus spoke, He wasn’t blowing hot air.  The people understood the difference.

We find another demonstration of His authority in verses 23-28.  There was a man in the synagogue who was indwelt and controlled by a demonic power.  When Jesus arrived, the demon spoke through the man – opposing Jesus and everything He stood for. 

Then this happened, “But Jesus rebuked him: “Silence! Come out of him!” After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority!” (vrs. 25-27).

There was a time when ignorant people would drill a hole in the skull of a living person who was suspected of being possessed – an escape hatch through which to expel a demon.  Foolishness for sure.  Jesus on the other hand, by His authority alone, as the Son of God, could speak a word and the forces of evil were vanquished.

There is yet another evidence of Christ’s authority in Mark 1. 

The Sabbath service was completed, and instead of heading to the Olive Garden for lunch, Jesus and crew went to Peter’s home.  There they found his mother-in-law suffering with a fever.  Jesus responded, “He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. (vs. 31)

When Jesus acted, the feverish sickness instantly subsided. He demonstrated His authority over sickness and disease.

The people of Capernaum recognized and were amazed by Jesus’ authority when He spoke and when He cast out demons.  But when He defeated illness,

They were prompted to submit themselves to His authority.  Mark wrote, “When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered by the door” (vrs 32-33).

Jesus’ authority is not limited by place, or time, or by the size of the problem.   He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” – Matt. 28:18.  When I need to get up in the morning, I heed the authority of my alarm clock.  With every other problem, I need Jesus.

Does Jesus have the authority to help me with my problems? Can His servants give me counsel that will make a difference?  Can His Word give me some clear instruction?  Is He able to supernaturally intervene to help? The answer is yes to all the above. 

Make an appointment with Him today.  Bring your issues to Him in prayer.   He has the authority to make a difference and He will do it for you.

A PRAYER: Lord, You are a great God, greater than all our problems.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scriptures passages are from the NETBible.com ®

teenaged mutants — April 23, 2025

teenaged mutants

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It was as black as night in there as we sloshed through knee deep water that had the sour smell of a sewer – maybe because it was.  We were traveling underneath my hometown through a storm sewer system.  I am sad to report that we did not locate the lair of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

It was a dumb thing to do.  We walked into the darkness of those pipes, inhaled the gases and were oblivious to any drop-offs that might be ahead.  We also brought home a petri dish full of bacteria.  We were dancing with danger.

But this was not the first time.  I remember waiting for the school bus on wintry days, while standing in the exhaust of a car to keep warm.   This did not improve my report card. 

Often, we would scream downhill on bicycles at a good 30 mph, praying we could make it across the narrow bridge at the bottom of the hill.  Miss it and your name was mud, which was also where you ended up.

It was our practice to shatter thermometers and take the mercury and roll it around in our hands.  I once rode on top of a car traveling 60 mph while frantically trying to maintain my grip on the trim around the windows.  I toyed with most every danger back then except to run with scissors.

Every bit of it – dumb and dangerous stuff.   But it wasn’t till I got older that I realized that the greatest dangers to me were not without, but within me,

In Mark 7:20-23 Jesus said, “What comes out of a person defiles him.  For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.  All these evils come from within and defile a person.” 

To defile something is to corrupt and destroy it.  The human heart is like a boiling volcano that erupts and spews scalding lava and toxic ash leaving barrenness behind.

The list of offenses reads like my autobiography. Sexual immorality – check.  Theft – guilty on multiple counts.  Murder, Adultery – Hey there’s a couple I didn’t do.  Greed – yep.  Evil – well yes.  Deceit – I was a chronic liar.  Debauchery – not totally sure what that is so I’ll just say no!  Envy – mm huh.  Slander, Pride, and Folly – Guilty as charged.

These things are dangers for sure for they are the kinds of things that send us to hell.  Jesus warned us, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” –Matthew 10:28.

Breathing the carbon monoxide from that snow covered car could have killed my body, but the sins of my heart result in God’s judgment – the destruction of my body – and my soul in hell. 

Fortunately, God is in the business of dealing with ugly hearts.  He once said to His people, “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you” – Ezekiel 36:26.

As a young adult, I began thinking, “Hey life is tough enough.  I sure don’t want my defective heart to condemn me to an eternal hell.”   So, one night I said to Jesus “I am sorry.  I have offended You and rejected Your way.  You once volunteered to suffer the consequences of my sin.  I accept Your offer.  And I want to do life with You from this point on.” 

He accepted my apology and has given me that new heart of which He spoke.

These days, the most dangerous thing I do is to postpone my colonoscopy.  I am safe with Jesus!  Are you? 

If you have not yet asked Jesus to forgive you and give you a new heart, you should seriously consider it.  You are welcome to contact me if you want help with this. 

A PRAYER: Lord, please continue to sculpt my heart so that it mirrors yours.

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 ®

the Big Tex tragedy — April 16, 2025

the Big Tex tragedy

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Big Tex is the king-sized animated cowboy who has welcomed people to the State Fair of Texas since 1952. He was born in Kerens, TX as a 49-foot Santa Claus but later was reconfigured as a cowboy. In 1951, he became Big Tex.

He was clad in blue jeans and a plaid shirt and wore the face of Will Rogers. He would greet fair visitors with a wave and a wink and a booming HOOWDEEE, FOOLKS!!!”   The two million annual visitors to the state fair made it a priority to do a selfie with the icon.

Sadly, I was there with my family the day that Big Tex died. We were near the midway when sirens began to wail. We had no idea what happened until 2 hours later we were forced aside to make way for a funeral procession.

A large tractor slowly and respectfully pulled an exceptionally long trailer. Big Tex was stretched out upon it. He was still and silent, and wrapped in a makeshift body bag.

As he passed, the cheerful sound of the throng fell to a whisper. Big Tex was dead! An electrical fire had started in his right boot and worked its way up throughout his fiberglass body.

There was genuine sadness among the fairgoers for their beloved Big Tex.

It was sort-of a silly and yet surreal experience. I thought about the irony of it all. The flesh and blood Jesus also died but received almost no sympathy from the crowd.

He had presented Himself to Israel as their Messiah, and His approval rating was stellar. For 3-plus years He had circulated throughout His homeland healing, delivering, and preaching a stirring message of hope. 

He acted selflessly, spoke courageously, and did harm to no one. If cell phones had been in existence, 99% of his contemporaries would have had a selfie with the Savior.

But He was opposed by a manipulative and powerful minority who arranged to have Him pinned to a tree. And there He hung, just outside the city, along a major thoroughfare.

Matthew’s Gospel described what happened, “Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!” In the same way even the chief priests—together with the experts in the law and elders—were mocking him: “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down now from the cross, we will believe in him! He trusts in God—let God, if he wants to, deliver him now” – Matthew 27:39-43.  NETBible ®

There was little grief for Jesus, just cruel and heartless mockery. Jesus died! His adversaries assumed it was all over. His body was packed away in a cold stone tomb. But 3 days later, He shattered their foolish expectations.

They had said, “If He comes down from the cross, then we will believe in him.”  Well Jesus was still alive when they said that. Yes, that would have been somewhat of a miracle if He would have set himself free from the nails and escaped.

Instead, they made quite sure He had died and was entombed. He lay lifeless for three days – and only then – only then He set Himself free – from the graveclothes, and the tomb and the iron grip of death.

Texans also assumed that they had seen the last of our beloved Big Tex. But he was secreted away and made bigger and better. He gained 6,000 pounds and was strengthened to withstand 100 mile an hour winds.  He then took his rightful place at the State Fair in 2013.

Jesus is more than Bondo. He truly lives and is clad in His resurrection body and has taken His rightful place in heaven to one day judge the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:5).

Praise His mighty name!

A PRAYER: Lord, our present grief is for the many who do not acknowledge You!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!