Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

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Christmas dressing — December 10, 2025

Christmas dressing

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My clothes were in style when I was a teenager – in the style of the previous decade.  When I got married, my wife became my haberdasher.  She buys my apparel at Goodwill Dior.   

But what about the clothes that Jesus wore?  They say, what you wear says something about you.  So, what can we learn about Jesus from His wardrobe? 

Luke 2:7 describes His first ensemble, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes.” – KJV

The shivering baby Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  Why would Luke include a detail like this?  Why not tell us if He was a small baby or a big bruiser?  Or what was His Apgar score?   Uh huh – I know what that is.   

What color was his hair?  Tell me it was red – please?  Was he jaundiced?   Did He look like his momma?

Why focus on swaddling clothes?  And what are they anyway?  In those days, when a child was born, the child’s arms were laid at its side, and the child was snugly wrapped in strips of linen or cotton.

The strips were 5 inches wide by 6 yards long.   A band was also placed under the chin and across the forehead of the child.   The wrapping completely immobilized the child. 

It was believed that by doing this, it would straighten the posture of the child who had been cramped within his mother’s womb.   There was no miniature Dallas Cowboys jersey for Jesus. 

The swaddling clothes spoke of Christ’s incarnation.  As God, Jesus descended to earth to wrap Himself in the flesh of a man.  And just as the swaddling clothes restricted the movement of the baby, the humanity in which Christ was wrapped, restricted his movement as God. 

He was required to lay down the independent use of His divine attributes.   He was tightly wrapped in human flesh as He lived out His life as a man.

That was His first outfit, but the NT mentions Christ’s clothing about 31 times.  Many of the references tell us something unique about Him.

A woman touched the fringe of his cloak and was healed (Luke 8:44). His cloak spoke of His incredible power. At the transfiguration, His garments radiated a glorious light which attested to His majesty (Matthew 17:2).

He was girded with a towel as He washed the feet of the disciples. It was a symbol of His servanthood (John 13:4). 

Herod dressed Him in a robe to mock His claim as King (Luke 23:11) and the soldiers cast lots over His garments at cross (Matthew 27:35) pointing to His complete humiliation.

After He was crucified, “then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes – John 19:40. – KJV

His lifeless body was tenderly covered – wound tightly with linen wrappings, much like a mummy.  The wrappings were imbedded with a mixture of myrrh and aloes. They were so tight it was impossible to escape them. They affirmed the certainty of His death.

But wait a minute!  The man wrapped in His burial clothes looked much like the infant, tightly wrapped in His swaddling clothes.  One seems to have foreshadowed the other.  It was like a linen thread that ran through Christ’s life.  

So, Luke deliberately focused on the infant’s swaddling clothes to help us understand that the Christ child was born to die. 

And we are so very grateful that Jesus did that for us.  But we’re also thrilled that He wore those grave clothes for only three days. 

John put it this way, “Then Simon Peter, who had been following him, arrived and went right into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen cloth lying there, and the face cloth, which had been around Jesus’ head, not lying with the strips of linen cloth but rolled up in a place by itself” John 20:6-7.  NETBible®

The empty wrappings spoke of the certainty of His resurrection.   What a truly amazing story His clothing tells!

A PRAYER: Thank You Jesus for telling the Gospel through your wardrobe.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with You

toilet troubles — October 29, 2025

toilet troubles

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I had toilet troubles.  No – not that kind!  The water valve that fed my toilet was leaking. 

I have made this kind of repair before, BUT I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it again.   So, I began to debate with myself? 

These were the Cons: I would need to use a propane torch in a confined area.  Not sure I wanted to burn the house down.  Sweat joints make me sweat.  I am less patient and careful than when I was younger and most of all – working with a toilet is icky!!!!

As to the Pros: I would save some money!  But the Cons prevailed so I called a plumber.  Then I told my wife about it, and she replied in the most peculiar way.  She said, “I am proud of you!” 

OK wait – so you’re proud of me because I didn’t fix something and expected somebody else to do it?   Hmm – I used to leave my dirty socks lay on the floor and expected her to pick them up.  She didn’t seem very proud of me then.

But she understands me.  I was raised with a do-it-yourself mindset.  If anyone else can do it, I can do it too.  It may take 4 times as long to get it done and I may get bloody knuckles along the way, but I get it done.  Plus, I hate hiring someone to do something I can do. 

That mindset has generally served me well, but I will admit that it has been an unlikable liability at times.  With every problem that comes along, I find myself saying, “I must do this” as if it’s all up to me.   

But that’s not really true, is it?

– I can call upon the Lord

The Psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” – Psalm 46:1. – KJV  Our God is not far removed.  He is present with us.  The Psalmist even emphasized the fact that He is, “very present.”  He is with us – to help us.

Jesus also said, “Apart from me you can accomplish nothing” – John 15:5a. This was spoken concerning our ability to bear spiritual fruit, and yet it was phrased as a blanket statement that seems to cover virtually every facet of our existence. 

Without Him we can’t do marriage, or parenting, or succeed at work.  We can’t feed our families or fend off temptation.  Without His enablement I can’t even tweak my toilet.   Without Him, we can do nothing! 

         There is a second resource I have when I face a problem

– I can call a friend.

The apostle Paul strikes me as a fellow “do-it-yourselfer” and yet he wrote, “Carry one another’s burdens” – Galatians 6:2.  The apostle understood that life can overwhelm us, and we therefore may need the help of trustworthy Christian friends to assist.

He practiced what he preached. His burden was to spread the Gospel, but he couldn’t do it alone.  So, he invited others to assist like Timothy, Titus, Silas and many others.

Check out his memo to the Philippian church, “But for now I have considered it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. For he is my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to me in my need” – Philippians 2:25.

Are there struggles in your marriage?  Pray, and talk to your pastor or a reliable counselor.  Did your furnace quit?  Pray, read the manual, call an AC person.  Does your toilet leak?  I’m sorry but don’t call me!

We do not have to do life alone!   When faced with a prickly problem, always call upon the Lord and feel free to call upon one of the handy human beings God has given to help us.

I called a plumber, and my wife was proud of me.  I suspect the Lord was too.

A PRAYER: Lord, we need you to crucify our do-it-alone mindset.  Would You?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavrenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture citations are from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.    

what’s new? — October 30, 2024

what’s new?

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I have always driven used cars. I could probably afford a new one – but I won’t.  I would never buy a new car for several reasons, but the one that matters most to me is the angst that comes with it. 

You see, when I get something new, I want it to stay new, to smell and to look new and to run like it’s new.  But life just doesn’t work that way, especially when it comes to a car.  A week after you leave the dealer’s lot, there is a ding in the door and a chip in the windshield. 

It’s the second law of thermodynamics.  Things go from order to disorder.  I was running my defroster on one bitter cold day, when right before my eyes, my windshield began to self-destruct.   

The pointless work of trying to preserve the newness of a new car would give me a nervous breakdown.  And I am not the only one. 

I know of a well-to-do man in Arlington Texas who buys a new car every 2-3 years.  When he pulls the car into his garage, he grabs a hammer and puts a deliberate ding in the door.   

He does this with every new car.  Why?  To eliminate the stress of trying to stave off what is inevitable.  The car is going to get dinged sooner or later, so why not eliminate the anxiety up front and enjoy the car.

We relish the new!  We do!  Even with our bodies, we try to preserve what was once new – with creams and nips and tucks, and vitamins and workouts.  However, I still tend to look like my cracked windshield.   

But there is good news ahead.  One day God will wrap up His master plan for this universe.  The Lord revealed the future to John the apostle who recorded it in the book of the Revelation. 

In chapter 21 we find that Jesus had returned to the earth to establish His Kingdom.  He had already rendered judgment on those who had rejected Him.  The new heaven and earth had displaced the old, and divine tissues were wiping away the tears. 

Then we read this, “And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!” – Revelation 21:5. Jesus, from His throne will one day declare, “I am making all things new!” 

That’s amazing.  There is a time ahead for us when all things will be made new.  The old, worn out, compromised, degraded things of this world (including us) will be made new.  It’s the New Deal.

But that’s not all.  The newness is perpetual.   Let me share a grammar lesson that will make you grin instead of groan.

The verb, “make” is in the present tense.  It is not “have made” or “will make” but “I am in process of making all things new.” 

It is an ongoing endeavor.  So when will He be finished?  How long could it take an omnipotent God to make all things new?  Well, He could do it in the blink of an eye.  Any faster and He would catch up to yesterday. 

So, evidently Jesus promises that this newness, will be in a constant state of renewal.  His almighty creative energy will fuel and sustain it.  Never again will things or people be degraded.

Some of us are concerned that heaven will be boring.  I don’t think so – not if the one in charge promises to continually make all things new. 

This sounds too good to be true doesn’t it.  In fact, I think even John may have wondered, which is why Jesus immediately followed up with these words, He said, “Write it down, because these words are reliable and true.” – Revelation 21:6

He said, “Write it down John, in the book of Revelation.  I want everyone to know this and be encouraged by it.”

And that includes me and you too!

A PRAYER:  It seems that everything in this life is wasting away.  Come Lord, and make all things new. 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®