Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Tag: Bible

uncommon sense — May 27, 2026

uncommon sense

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It is uncommon to have common sense.

There was a goodhearted guy who volunteered to serve in the church bus ministry.   He was out solo, learning to drive when the bus stalled in the middle of an intersection.  I pulled over to help. 

It rested on a level spot in the middle of a hill.  I suggested that we push it off center and get it rolling down the hill.  He pointed up the hill and said, “But I want to go there!”  I said to myself, “In your dreams!”

I offered to push from the back while he pushed on the passenger side next to the door of the bus.  If we could get it rolling, he could then jump in and take the wheel and steer it. He agreed.

I pushed and the bus began to rock, when suddenly he joined me on the driver’s side.  I said, “Hey if this thing starts rolling, whose gonna guide it? 

A guy pulled up in a pickup and offered to tow it.  He told the bus driver to put it in neutral and then steer it as it was pulled.  The bus driver got behind the wheel and gave the thumbs up sign. 

The pickup driver gave it the gas and his tires spun furiously in place.  The bus was still in gear, so I slipped away at that point, very much afraid for my life.

The bus driver was a common-sense casualty!     

Can a person address common sense deficiencies?  Sure!  We can learn from parents, or “how to” books, youtube videos and life experiences.  They all have much to teach.

But the best, most comprehensive resource is the book of Proverbs.   The book was written by Solomon in order to teach his son how to live wisely.   Here is a sampling of his sage advice. 

– DEBT: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (22:7).  Solomon tells us that the debt we incur steals our freedom and makes us slaves to those we owe.

– CONFLICT: “Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; abandon strife before it breaks out!” (17:14).  Resolving a conflict is harder than gathering up spilled water.  Best to manage it beforehand.  

– SPEECH: “A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath” (15:1).  Careful, gentle words are always the best especially in a time of conflict. 

– WORK: “In all hard work there is profit, but merely talking about it only brings poverty”  (14:23). Proverbs has much to say about how we work, and the benefits that come from it.

– DISHONEST GAIN: “Stolen waters are sweet, and food obtained in secret is pleasant!”  But they do not realize that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave” (9:17-18).  Solomon honestly discloses the temporary benefits of dishonest gain, but also the enduring consequences. 

– TEMPER: “Like a city that is broken down and without a wall, so is a person who cannot control his temper” (25:28). Solomon should have posted my picture next to this one.  This was once a big problem for me, fortunately much better now because I have digested such Proverbs.

– SAVINGS: “Go to the ant, you sluggard; observe her ways and be wise!  It has no commander, overseer, or ruler, yet it would prepare its food in the summer; it gathered at the harvest what it will eat” (6:6-8).  Saving for the future is always wise.

– FRIENDS: ”There are companions who harm one another, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (18:24).  Loyalty is a hallmark of friendship

Proverbs is bursting with everyday practical wisdom.  Read one of the 31 chapters each day for a good infusion of common sense. 

Is there an appropriate Proverb for my bus driver buddy?  How about this.  “It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.” (19:2) Amen!

A PRAYER: Oh God, help me in my foolishess.

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 preemergent — May 20, 2026

the preemergent

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I would occasionally tease my wife and tell her that our house was a hospice for plants – it’s where they come to die.  But we have vastly improved our gardening skills over time, at least until last year when a noxious weed invaded our flower beds. 

I took the offender to my local plant care expert, and he told me that the weed was a Chamberbitter (and bitter it was to deal with).  I asked what I could do, and he said “Nothing – once it has taken root, it just spreads like wildfire.” 

But he gave me hope.  He explained that the plant goes to seed each fall and then completely dies out.  In the spring the seeds emerge and start the process all over again. 

He told me I needed to use a preemergent the next spring.  A preemergent creates a chemical barrier in the topsoil which kills the weed seedlings as they germinate.  “Weed seedling!”  Try saying that five times fast.

So the next spring, I got out the spreader and did what I was told to do – and it worked really well.

This prompted me to think of the many spiritual weeds that can infest a soul.   

Sin often has its temporary reward.  It meets some superficial emotional, psychological or even physical need.  But once it takes root, it is notoriously difficult to eliminate. 

So wouldn’t it be great if there was a spiritual preemergent – something that would attack the temptation and keep it from germinating into full-fledged sin. 

Martin Luther was known to speak of temptation and say, “You can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can stop it from building a nest there.

I am happy to report that God gave us such a preemergent.  This is how it works!

Breathe:  As you start each day, exhale – confess any sin from the day before that you might have ignored.  Then inhale!  Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you again and guide you throughout the day (Colossians 1:9).

Browse the Word:  The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” – Ps 119:11.  A daily intake of the Scripture is super important.  Scripture defines sin but it also empowers us to resist it.  It is a living sword according to Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Bridge with others: Our journey was designed to be traveled with fellow believers.   Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” We need to be in church, and part of a small group, and it would be extra wise to have an accountability partner.  It seems that pastors today are falling into sin at warp speed.  I am certain that few of them have any accountability to another.  

Beseech the Lord:  Jesus told His disciples, “Pray that you enter not into temptation” Luke 22:40.  I don’t think the Lord could be any more explicit.  And finally… 

Build Walls: We need to create barriers between us and the sin opportunities that pull at us.  Paul advised us to “Flee immorality” – 1 Corinthians 6:18. For instance – avoid the flirt at work and make sure someone else is in the room when you are using the computer.

Take your spiritual lawn spreader and sprinkle these things on your soul for nearly a weed free result.  

A Prayer: Lord, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” – Ps 19:14.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you.

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.

black or blue — May 13, 2026

black or blue

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My wife told me I needed to change out of my faded blue jeans for black ones.  We were going to a funeral after all.   I obeyed (as per my wedding vows). But then she looked at me and barked, “I said black!” Evidently, I chose a darker blue pair.

She made me try again.  Strike two! Somehow, I ended up with a different pair of dark blue pants.  She asked me to change again – which made me bluer than my pants.

So, what is my problem?  Well, my color discernment is impaired. My name is Jim and I am color blind. 

As I lamented my malady, I started thinking that there are folks today who lack discernment when it comes to Scripture. They read it but somehow end up with conclusions that don’t seem to match the words that they read.  They look at blue but see black. 

For instance. Jesus said, “If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched” – Mark 9:47-48.

Christians from the first century until today have understood Jesus to teach that there is a place called hell, reserved for the unrighteous – a place of eternal torment and unquenchable fire. 

And yet there is an entertainment celebrity today who is well known for his sincere devotion to Christ.  And yet, this man read this passage and yet somehow concluded that the unrighteous simply cease to exist once they die. 

Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:15, spoke of “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” (KJV) In other words, a person needs to be discerning and accurate when it comes to the Word of God.  We need to be able to distinguish the black from the blue.  So how do we do this? 

– We can start by laying aside any personal agenda. Let the Scripture freely speak without any preconceived notions.  There was a guy whose mother died but he wasn’t sure if she ended up in heaven.  He eventually discarded his former conviction and came to believe that the unrighteous cease to exist when they die.  His personal preference directed his interpretation of Scripture. 

– We should ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct our study. He was given to us to do this very thing (John 16:13).

– Consider the literary context of the passage. Read what precedes and follows it, to get the fullness of it.  Look at the whole of Scripture to see what it teaches on the subject.  If our friend had done this.  He would find much evidence that hell is painful and unending (Matthew 25:30; 41; 46; Luke 16:22-24; Revelation 14:9-11)

– Consider the genre of a passage.  Is it poetry like the Psalms, or prophecy like Daniel, or maybe history like Acts. The genre affects how we understand it.  Our Mark passage contains straightforward teaching from Christ. 

– Consider the cultural/historical context of a passage. The word for hell (Gehenna) was also the name of the local Jerusalem garbage dump, where a fire burned 24/7.  

– Prefer the most obvious understanding of the passage. Read the Scripture in its normal literal sense, unless it is obvious that figurative language is used.  Scripture was not written for the benefit of theologians but for all of us.  When an interpreter makes excuses in order to harmonize a passage with their interpretation – then it’s likely that they have erred.

– Give weight to every word. Jesus spoke of a fire that is never extinguished.  It burns for eternity meaning that it will be fueled for all eternity.

I want to know what God wants me to know – no matter what.  I cannot increase my ability to discern color, but you and I can do lots to sharpen our minds as we explore the Word of God. 

A Prayer: Open our eyes Lord, that we may see.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickelheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible.com

she turned the Lord’s NO into a YES! — May 6, 2026

she turned the Lord’s NO into a YES!

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Do you have an unanswered prayer?  I know of a woman who can help with that – and no, it is not Mary!

Jesus had been sparring with the spiritual leaders of Israel.  He wanted to rest, so He went where they wouldn’t – into Gentile territory.

Here’s what happened.  “Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.  In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter” – Mark 7:24-26.

His fame followed Him.  There came a woman who pestered Him to set her sweet daughter free from the demons that distressed her.

He responded by saying, “First let the children eat all they want…for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs” -7:27.

Ouch!  Jesus’ priority was to reach the Jews, but she was a gentile –a people the Jews scornfully called dogs.  However, the Greek word that Jesus used for dog, was not of the mangy cur variety, but of a cute little lap dog – a puppy that was cherished by the household. 

It was an expression of affection and yet His answer still disappointed her. To paraphrase, He said, “Sure the puppies will eat, but the first priority at dinnertime is to feed the kids. You will be taken care of someday, but not today. 

And in fact, He performed miracles on behalf of several other gentiles during His ministry years.  Her situation was simply a matter of timing. 

She responded to Him saying, “Yes, Lord…but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs” – 7:28.  She politely challenged His decision, reminding Him that people tend to spoil their puppies by feeding them table scraps even during dinner.   

“Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” – 7:29.  So…Jesus reversed His initial “no” decision and said yes to her request because of the particular manner by which she replied to Him.

So, what was it in the way she replied that it affected the Lord?  There was…

– Her Humility: She was not one of God’s Covenant people. She knew that she was not entitled, nor did she make demands on Jesus.  She humbly pleaded for the crumbs from His table. 

– Her Certainty:  It was clear that she already believed in Him.  She addressed Him as Lord and believed that He had divine power to help her child.  But the certainty of her faith was highlighted by her reply.  Just crumbs from Jesus would be enough to save her daughter. As to the timing, even puppies are fed when the children are fed. 

– Her Perceptivity: Jesus often complained about those who had ears but could not hear.  Not true of this woman.  He spoke to her using a figure of speech.  She listened and fully understood and then replied by using the same figure of speech.  I bet Jesus smiled when she did.

– Her Persistency: Matthew tells us that she asked continuously (15:21-23) This kind of persistency in prayer is clearly a virtue that Jesus prized.  Luke 18:1 says, “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Someone said, “People ought to be like postage stamps:  They need to stick to one thing until they get where they’re going.”   

By her reply that woman turned the Lord’s NO into a YES!   I’m not sure how all this works with the sovereignty of God – but I do know that this passage teaches us that the manner in which we pray, affects the way that the Lord answers. 

A Prayer: Lord teach us to pray.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NIV.

God complex — April 29, 2026

God complex

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My SUV thinks its God!  

After years of driving outdated vehicles, I finally got myself one from this century –  a 2024 Honda CR-V.   It was a Godsend!

As I age my driving skills could possibly be diminishing.  At least that’s what my wife says. But my CR-V is keenly aware of my questionable road skills and often compensates for me. 

If a driver makes himself at home in my blind spot.  A little light in my rearview mirror alerts me.   When I forget to dim my lights for an oncoming car, my SUV does not.

My wife tells me that I tend to swerve to the left when I look to the right.  Not anymore.  Lane assist confines me to my lane.  

When I am oblivious to the speed postings, I can find the current limit displayed on my dashboard.   This SUV is making my wife’s back seat driving commentary obsolete.

When I pull up to a light, the vehicle automatically lowers the volume of the radio so the guy in the car next to me can’t hear me listening to “Baby Shark.”  The cruise control even senses when I am getting too close to the vehicle in front of me and it slows me down.  

My SUV is amazing.  It has everything but a cassette player.  

And it reminds me, a lot, of God (the vehicle not the cassette player). 

As I have journeyed my way along, I have assumed that I have controlled the vehicle I called my life.  But actually, God has been with me all along, watching the road ahead and compensating for me.

David conveyed this idea in Psalm 139. 

He wrote, “O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord” (1-4).  

Our all-knowing God is very aware of what, when and how we do it – even before we do it. 

He continued, “You hem me in behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” (5-6) Because God is omnipresent, He surrounds and protects us with His incomprehensible divine force field.

“Where can I go from your Spirit?” wrote David.  “Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (8-10)

No matter where we go, or how fast we travel to get there, He sticks with us. He guides us, keeps us in our lane, and even prevents us from back-ending the person ahead of us.    

“If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you (11-12). He is more efficient in handling the darkness I face than my automated high beams. 

My SUV also does makes me aware of any internal mechanical concerns.  The Lord, however, does that and more.  David wrote, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting (23-24).

Psalm 139 tells us that God assists us when we are weak, alerts us to dangers and concerns and keeps us centered in the narrow way. He is at work for us and in us whether we are aware of it or not.

And He comes with an extended eternal warranty.

A PRAYER: Lord, where would we be without You? 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NIV.  

to behold Him — April 8, 2026

to behold Him

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Many of us were raised in liturgical churches.  A liturgical service begins with the minister saying, “The Lord be with you.” The congregation responds by saying, “And also with you.”

Well, one Sunday the minister attempted to begin the service, but the microphone was malfunctioning. So, he tapped the mic several times and then finally said, “There is something wrong with this!”

And the congregation answered, “And also with you!”

That’s a joke of course, but having been raised in a liturgical church, I believe that this kind of thing could possibly happen.  Our worship was often more routine than reverent. 

But is there such a thing as a perfect worship service?  Not in this life!   A church should assist families with their after-service review by providing an Amazon style 5-star rating system.   

But the services in heaven will be a lot better – won’t they?  I wonder – what will the worship services be like in heaven?

Will Michael the archangel begin by tapping the mic and asking, “Hey is this on?”  Will the video operator still be stuck on verse 1 while we are supposed to be singing verse 2?  Will the feedback from the celestial sound system make our ears bleed?   

The pre-service announcements down here seem to go on for eternity, so will they – in eternity?   Will the guitar player play an annoying little riff while we pray?  Will we have the strength to stand for the entire worship for all eternity? 

I suspect that our worship in heaven will likely be free from those distractions. 

For one thing, we won’t have to imagine Jesus, and what He looks like, or the sound of His voice.  We will see Him face-to-face.

We find this truth in a surprising place.  Job said in the book by his name, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold, and not another. – Job 9:25-27.

Job has in mind the prelude to the eternal state – the return of the Lord Jesus to this earth to rule for 1,000 years.  Job was extremely excited to put his eyes on his redeemer. Again, he said, “I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and whom my own eyes will behold…”

He understood that it would be a long way off, and that he would die before that would ever happen.  But he also believed he would be raised again to see his Redeemer God with his own eyes – and he was thrilled by the prospect. 

John, the apostle, was privileged with preview of our glorified Lord.  He wrote, “He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet, and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest. His head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His face shone like the sun shining at full strength” – Revelation 1:13-16.

Wow! Imagine a worship service with Jesus appearing in this way.  John reacted saying, “When I saw Him, I fell down at his feet as though I were dead” – 1:17.

It’s true that some of us worship today as if we were dead – but this is different.  John was awed, stunned and staggered by the magnificent person of the Lord Jesus Christ – as we will be when we bow before Him.

Even if there were things to distract us from our worship in heaven – Jesus will nevertheless, receive 100% of our attention.  No one deserves it more.

 A PRAYER: “Come Lord Jesus” – Revelation 22:20.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are quoted from the NETBible®

a happy autopsy — April 1, 2026

a happy autopsy

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I recently had a medical issue – possibly lymphoma.  So, the doctor performed a biopsy.  My family prayed for me.  In fact, I understand that my grandson asked Jesus that I might get a good report on my autopsy.

Ironically, Jesus actually received a great report on His autopsy.  “He’s alive!” the angel told the women who arrived at His tomb – Luke 24:23.

Jesus was crucified, died and was buried, and rose again on the third day.  He is alive!  And the destinies of His disciples were dramatically changed because of it.

There was certainly proof that He had died.  John stood at the foot of the cross.  He saw the nails that stabbed his hands and feet and the blood that flowed from His side.  He was there to hear Him say, “It is finished” and watched as Jesus exhaled his last breath.  His heart fell when Jesus’ head dropped.

When Christ was removed from His cross, I imagine John looked for any shred of evidence that He was still alive – a pulse or a shallow breath – but he found none.  No heroic medical efforts were made to revive Him.

His body was then embalmed and left unattended in a dirty stone tomb which was sealed with a massive piece of stone.  Three days later the tomb was gloriously found empty.  And yet, the disciples were exceptionally skeptical.

Mark 16:11 says, “And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen…they did not believe.”   Jesus then appeared to two men on the Emmaus Road.  Those guys “went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them” (16:13).  

“Then He appeared to the Eleven themselves, while they were eating, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him resurrected” (16:14).

There was less than zero inclination on the part of Jesus’ disciples to believe that He had risen.

But, in that room, they interacted with Him, face to face.  They could see and hear Him and touch Him.  They even watched Him eat (Luke 24:42-43).  That is when Jesus told them to, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature – Mark 16:15.

The skepticism was gone and the conviction of a risen Savior gripped their souls.

So, James the apostle proclaimed the risen Christ to all Jerusalem.  But that’s as far as he got.  He was the first of the apostles to suffer martyrdom, being slain with a sword at the command of Herod in 44 A.D. (Acts 12:1-2).

Thomas was once a doubter, and yet he preached the risen Christ in Persia and India.   He was rewarded with a lance through heart by the order of the King of India

Bartholomew preached in Armenia and India.  Because he did, he was stripped of his skin and crucified upside down.    Andrew took the message to Greece where he was crucified on an X-shaped cross.

James, the half-brother to Christ, proclaimed the Lord in Jerusalem which provoked the leaders of Israel to take him up to the pinnacle of the temple and push him off.

Peter was afraid of the authorities which is why he denied Christ 3 times.  After meeting the resurrected Christ, he fearlessly confronted the authorities that had crucified Christ (Acts 4:10).  But his message eventually offended the emperor.  Nero had him crucified in an upside-down position.

Why did these men choose to face persecution and death?   It wasn’t to get rich, and certainly not to become popular.  They did it because the One who overcame the power of death and the grave asked them to do so.  

People will die for something if they believe it is true – even if it is not.   But they will not die for what they know to be a lie.

Those men were uniquely permitted to do an autopsy of sorts on their Messiah who was once verifiably dead.  And the consensus was, “He’s alive!”

A PRAYER: Lord over life and death – we worship You!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible®

5 threats to the frets — March 25, 2026

5 threats to the frets

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My wife is not a fan of my driving.  I was behind the wheel one day with her in the passenger seat.  She did a remarkable job of restraining herself.  She didn’t stomp on an imaginary brake or close her eyes when I passed another car. 

When we arrived, she said, “Thank you!” and I said, “You’re welcome.”  She said, “I was talking to God!”  (Just kidding!) She may not appreciate my driving, but she is on my team. She loves me and I am grateful.  This has not been true of everyone in my life.  

There was the woman who questioned my integrity and the staff member who worked to undermine me.  And then there was that guy who pulled out a handgun and said with a threatening sneer, “This is for Jim Johnson.” 

I’ll be honest, those folks made me anxious and I don’t like anxiety.  It tends to emotionally paralyze me, physically afflict me, and spiritually neuter me.  I could not control them, but I wanted to manage the anxiety they produced in me.

Psalm 37 helped.  I found David’s advice to be like a weed killer that helped choke out anxiety and promote emotional stability.   There he gave 5 threats to the frets.  The wicked around David seemed to be prevailing, while he was not.  So, he began by saying… 

37:1-3 “Be not envious toward wrongdoers.  For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.   Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”

When people do evil things and yet prosper, we are inclined to follow their example – to compromise or to do to them what they do to us.  David, however, tells us to take our eyes off of them; to settle down and carry on with life; to be faithful with our responsibilities and do them with integrity no matter what the wicked do.  It takes trust in the Lord to do this.

37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart’

We are to take our eyes off what seems to be the success of the wicked and to make the Lord our focus and what He provides instead.  When we delight in Him, our motives and desires align with His – and we receive everything that we need.

37:5-6: “Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.”

When we commit our way to the Lord, we are choosing to live as He would have us live and then trust Him to produce the right results. 

37:7-8: ”Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.  Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”

We get so worked up when we are unjustly treated.  Blowing up with anger doesn’t help.  We are encouraged instead to rest – to leave the matter in the hands of God and just rest.   

37:9-11: “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there. But the humble will inherit the land.”

God will make sure that justice prevails. Over time, those who persecute us will fade from the picture.  God will mute their maliciousness.  We need to patiently wait in the meantime.

Today, I look back and realize that God took care of every single one of those troublesome situations just as David said He would – and I am good.  (But I do hope that the guy with the gun does not read this post).

A PRAYER: Lord God, so much to worry about – Help us rise above the frets.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

Scripture passages are from the NASU

feeling useless — March 18, 2026

feeling useless

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I had a procedure done recently – a cyst was removed from the back of my head.  The doctor sewed it up and it seemed to be healing fairly well.  But a week later I felt around the wound and found that I had a hole in my scalp about the diameter of a pencil.   

That’s when I told my wife, “I need this like a hole in the head.”   For those of you who were born in this century, that is an idiom – an expression describing something that is useless and unwanted – like that hole.   

Oddly enough, there are times that I feel like I am an idiom (which is not to be confused with idiot.)  I worry about how useful I am. 

Like many of you, I have had a job since I was in my mid-teens.  I enjoy work.  I like to look back on what I have accomplished at the end of the day.   I especially enjoyed my ministry years as a pastor.  People were saved, marriages were mended, the church grew and I was sure that God was happy about it. 

I was never the type to define myself by what I did, but I confess that I tended to justify my existence based on how useful I was.   Especially with God.  I was once such a sinner, that I sorta feel like God takes care of me as long as I am useful to Him. 

When things become useless to us, we take them to a thrift store.  Some of us do that with people.  When they no longer serve our purposes, we drop em like a dirty sock.

I am semi-retired now and I find myself feeling like a mess because I am doing less.  So, does this matter to God?  Is His care for me diminished because my body is decrepit?  Does He overlook me because I can only do 10% of the work, I once did for Him? 

Is God less concerned about me because I am less useful to Him?

Not according to Psalm 23.  I was grazing on it one evening when it occurred to me that I am a sheep.  So, I did some research on how sheep were used in the Biblical era. 

Their primary value to the ancient Hebrews was in their fleece.  They produced some milk but not much of it, and they eventually might become lamb chops, but for the most part, it was the wool they produced that gave them value.

But here’s the thing, the sheep were sheared in the early spring – just that one time a year.

It took a whole year’s worth of shepherding to obtain an average of 7 lbs. of wool per sheep.  The bleating beast proved useful only on that one day of shearing.  And yet, the faithful shepherd provided comprehensive oversight and care for his flock 365 days a year.

So, as I age and become less useful, the 23rd Psalm becomes more precious to me.  David wrote…

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”  – KJV

Regardless of the level of service we might offer, our shepherd feeds us, waters us and provides rest and healing for us.  He leads and protects us, honors us and plans a wonderful future for us. 

Why does He do this? Because that’s just who He is! 

A PRAYER: Thank you Shepherd for removing the pressure of performance

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 

submarine races — February 25, 2026

submarine races

/pickleheavenpress

It is very important to tell the truth, but is it ever better to wait to tell it? 

We were cruising in the moonlight along the Olentangy River Road.  Across the river was The Ohio State University.   As I gazed through the window, I noticed a very long line-up of cars that were parked along the river. 

I figured some big event was going on so I asked, “Daddy what’s everyone doing?”   He paused and said, “They are watching the submarine races.”   And I said, “Wow, dad, can we go?  Please?  I want to see the races too?”

If you don’t already know, “submarine race” is a euphemism – a figure of speech, from the 1950’s.  It was used to describe couples who were parked along the river for the purposes of making whoopee (which is another euphemism).

I wasn’t old enough then, to understand the attraction of the sexes, so dad ignored me and I stewed in disappointment over having missed the big event.

It certainly is important to tell the truth, but the situation and ability of a person to hear truth needs to be taken into account.  Consider Jesus.

He was gathered with His disciples for their last supper together.   The atmosphere was sober, even tense at times.  During the meal Jesus foretold of the things to come such as His betrayal (John 13:18-30); Peter’s denial (13:36-38); His departure from them (14:1-6) and their rejection by their world (15:18-21; 16:1-3). 

The guys must have been bewildered and disheartened to say the least, but then Jesus added these words, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” – John 16:12. 

Jesus still had more to say to them – more truth to impart, but He determined that they were just not able at that time to hear any more and to bear the weight of His words.

“But Jesus, didn’t they need the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”  Yes – they did – but it would be revealed later.  Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would pick up where He had left off.  The Spirit would soon come and guide them into all truth. (John 16:13)

I have often thought of these words as I have related to other people and have learned that there really are times that we should withhold the truth.  Not to lie, but to be wise about when we speak it.  

– For instance, we need to postpone truth telling when a person is physically not at their best.  If they are in pain, or physically worn out, it’s better to wait.

– We need to hesitate when the person is emotionally stressed.  If they have just lost a loved one they don’t need to hear, nor are they able to hear your well-intentioned advice. 

– When a person isn’t old enough or mature enough to understand the truth, we need to pause. A six-year old doesn’t need a rundown on the dire state of the family’s finances.

– Be considerate if a person is stretched for time.  It isn’t wise for her to talk to him about marriage concerns when he’s walking out the door to go to work.  

Is it important for a person to hear the truth?  It is!  Paul wrote, “each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor” – Ephesians 4:25.   But he also told us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). 

I have found that it’s usually better to speak the truth sooner rather than later but speaking the truth in love requires us to be sensitive to timing and circumstances.

Yep, my dad was wise in withholding the truth about what they were doing down by the river.  He did, however, eventually educate me when he gave me the talk on the birds and the bees (which is another euphemism). 

A PRAYER: Lord help me speak the truth, at the proper time so that it gives grace to those who hear.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®