Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

presence — July 31, 2024

presence

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His presence makes all the difference. 

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

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

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

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

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

to the test — July 25, 2024

to the test

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This had been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

big ears — July 17, 2024

big ears

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.

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

battle dress — July 1, 2024

battle dress

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The battle is upon us so hurry and get dressed.

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

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

olive tree identity — June 26, 2024

olive tree identity

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

a pink slip or a pat on the back? —

a pink slip or a pat on the back?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Caitlin and the cut list — June 19, 2024

Caitlin and the cut list

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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

/pickleheavenpress

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 ®