Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Tag: faith

frozen with fear — January 28, 2026

frozen with fear

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Someone told me, “You need to get in shape!”  I said “I am in shape. Round is a shape.”

OK I admit I am a mess in more ways than one!  Case in point!   Years ago, my wife observed something odd about me. She asked, “Why do you swing your left arm when you walk, but not your right?” 

Sure enough, as we walked my left arm would swing front to back in sync with my gait, but my right arm was fastened to my side, but I couldn’t explain why.  When I run, both arms are working but not when I walk.

Eventually I came up with the most plausible explanation.  I was ambushed and beaten several times on the walk home from school during High School.  It was terrifying and traumatic.  

The gangs would find me and surround me, but I couldn’t outrun them.  They simultaneously would bust me with their fists and then flee.  And I would pick myself up from the ground, brush away the tears and go home. 

I needed to defend myself, so I began to carry a small bottle opener with a sharp tip.  I carried it in the palm of my right hand.  I deliberately did not swing my right arm when I walked, in order to hide my weapon.

But here it is 50 plus years later and I still walk with my arm glued to my side. Fear has frozen it there.

Some people fear swimming, others flying.  Some avoid crowds while others being alone?  Some avoid hospitals and others public speaking.   Dig deep and you’ll often find a difficult experience that cemented these fears into our psyches.  Christ the Counselor can help! 

His disciples were on a smallish boat at night which was battered by the wind and waves.  That was scary enough, but then an apparition on the water approached them.  Matthew says, “They were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear” – Matthew 14:26.

They were afraid of something they didn’t understand which is true of most fears.  And yet, that scary sight was Jesus.  He was right there in the middle of their fears.  

When we are afraid, we need to Know that Jesus is in the middle of the things that scare us.  There in the foreboding darkness is Jesus who wants to help us confront our fears. 

Jesus spoke to them, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid” – 14:27. If they had known that their powerful Savior was there with them, they wouldn’t have been afraid.  Jesus’ presence is enough to assure us.   He said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you” – Hebrews 13:5.

Peter wanted to verify that it was truly Jesus, so he asked the Lord to command him to walk on the water to meet Him (14:28-29).  Jesus did, and Peter jumped out of the boat and tread the angry waves.  Once he knew that Jesus was present, he had the courage to walk towards the very thing that frightened him.  Likewise, We need to walk toward the fears that paralyze us.

Of course, we know what happened next.  Peter took his eyes off Jesus and locked them on the waves – and he began to sink (14:30-31). So, it is with fear.   Even when we have summoned the courage to walk on water, we will falter if we allow the thing we fear become our focus.  We need to fix our eyes on Jesus when our fears try to distract us.

Dr. Erwin Lutzer once said, “When we focus on the very thing that we are trying to get rid of, its power over us actually increases…But if your focus is on Jesus – on your obedience to Him, His power will flow through your whole being and drive away the fear.”

Hmm, maybe it’s time that I quit giving the Lord the stiff arm!

A PRAYER: Lord, I don’t want to be frozen in my fears.  Please thaw me out!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always.

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

on-the-spot — January 21, 2026

on-the-spot

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It can be terrifying when life puts us – on-the-spot!

It was a gorgeous day for an outdoor wedding.  She was a Texan and he was a Chinese national.  They met on a mission trip and fell in love.  He moved to Texas shortly before they were married. 

I did the premarital counseling with them.  He could speak English well enough, but our culture was certainly a new frontier for him.  I was excited about officiating their wedding. 

He and I were together, waiting for the ceremony to begin.  He was pacing nervously, and I was in a mischievous mood, so I asked, “Are you ready to sing your song?”  Well, his skin tone flashed to pale white. 

“Song, what song?”  “The song” I said.  “You know, the one you’re supposed to sing to your bride just before the vows.”  “I no sing!”  “But it’s our custom. You must.”  “Out there?” “Yes!”

Pretty cruel – I know, but it was such fun.  I quickly told him the truth, however, before he tried to jilt the bride or needed a replacement pair of tuxedo pants.

It can be terrifying when life puts us on-the-spot!   But you know what that’s like…

– the boss unfairly accuses you

– your teen daughter asks to leave with her waiting friend to go to an iffy party

– the teacher looks at your test paper and says, “Is this all there is?”

– the doctor rushes in and asks, “do you want us to resuscitate your mother”

At times like those we need presence of mind, a pulse of less than 200 bpm, and a good dose of wisdom would be great – but all we got is, “Me no sing.”  

Nehemiah found himself in one of those situations.  He was a Jewish slave who was the cupbearer to the king who tasted every drink before it met the lips of the king.  Cupbearers were expendable.  Kings were not.

Nehemiah, however, was distressed about the poor state of his homeland.  He wanted to see Jerusalem thrive again, starting with the rebuilding of her fallen walls.

So, the day came when the King was parched and ready for a glass of Chardonet and Nehemiah was on the job.  And then this happened.  

He said, “I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill?” –  Nehemiah 2:1-2

Nehemiah was so downhearted about his homeland that his happy service to the king was missing.  It was noticed which is why he wrote, “I was very much afraid.” (2:2)

To serve the king required a person to stow their personal issues and provide their personal best.  In those days, failure to do so could have sent him to the executioner.

So, Nehemiah told the king why he was sad.  The king replied, “What is it you want?” (2:4)

Already in trouble for disturbing the king with his personal matters and now locked into a vise-like dilemma – withhold the truth and possibly die for it; or tell the truth and possibly die for it. 

But Nehemiah understood and trusted the God of whom the Psalmist wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:10 KJV.  He knew Him to be an on-the-spot God.

So, Nehemiah whispered a very brief prayer to the Lord right there (2:5) and then asked for permission to return and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

He sucked in his breath and then waited until the king answered.  Nehemiah could write, “It pleased the king to send me” (2:6).

On-the-spot help.  Just a brief prayer, uttered to a God who Nehemiah knew to be an ever-present help in time of trouble.

When we are suddenly put on the spot – confronted with trouble, He will be there for us as well – just a brief prayer away.

A PRAYER: Lord, please remind me to pray when I am put on the spot

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always

Scripture passages cited from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

when God says no  — January 14, 2026

when God says no 

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My grandson sideswiped the neighbor’s brand-new Ford Mustang with his bicycle.  His momma called her car insurance company to see if they would cover the damage. 

The adjuster asked for a description of the vehicle that caused the accident?”   My daughter told him, “It was a Blue Mongoose.” 

With stifled laughter the adjuster said no to the claim!

“No” may be the most ugly and painful word in the English language.  When we have a request, or an expectation of another – we do not want to hear the word “no.”   Especially when that “no” comes from the Lord.

It was early in the ministry of Jesus.  He had debuted His power in the town of Capernaum, where He had healed many of various diseases, and cast out demons (Mark 1:34).  It was a sensational start!   

From there He returned to His hometown of Nazareth and joined the faithful for the Sabbath service.  He read Isaiah 61:1 to them.  

He then said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled…” – Luke 4:21.  In saying this, Jesus asserted that He was the Messiah of which Isaiah had spoken. 

The folks of Nazareth were pleased.  “All were speaking well of him and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth” (4:22). The mood in that synagogue was jubilant.  Jesus had become an instant celebrity, and they were ready for Him to bring His healing powers to their little berg.

But they were also wondering, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” (4:22). Jesus was a hometown boy from a small town (scholars say about 11-15 families) So those folks knew Jesus all too well.

They watched Him learn to walk, and even cry when He scraped his knee. They touched His calloused carpenter’s hands.  They wondered why his peers took wives, but not Him. 

He was, after all, Joseph’s son. He can’t be the Messiah – can He?   They wanted miracles but were not willing to embrace the miracle worker.  Jesus was aware, and with words that took about 46 seconds to speak, He essentially said no to them.  “I’m not gonna give you the miracles you want to see” (23-27).   

This is how they responded, 28 When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff” (4:28-29).

Wow!  When the Lord said no – they went ballistic.  They wanted to kill Him. 

Here’s the thing, sometimes He also says no to us.  “No, I am not going to provide the $500 you are asking for; No, I am not going to heal you, at least right now; No, I’m not going to change your brother’s heart.” 

Sometimes He says no because we ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3).  Or because it would be detrimental for us to have what we ask (Matthew 20:22).  Sometimes as with the folks at Nazareth, He says no to our prayers because we want the blessing without the blesser.   

Some respond to His denial, by pushing Him off the cliff of our consciousness.  “I am done with Jesus.  If He were a good God, He would have said yes.  If He were all powerful, He could have answered my prayer.  If He were all knowing, He would know how badly I want what I am asking.” 

But He is a good God, He is all powerful and all knowing.  And when He says no, it is very much because He is a good, all-powerful and all-knowing God. 

When He says no to us, we would be wise to say to Him, “Lord I may not appreciate this right now, by I am trusting that You are doing what’s right by me.

Amen? 

A PRAYER: Lord tune up my prayers, and give me grace when You say no.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you

All Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

give it a rest — December 3, 2025

give it a rest

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I love nature, unless it is on my porch and armed with stingers.  A family of yellow jackets decided to move into our home.  To exit or enter said home was a big risk.  So, I decided to tackle the problem. 

I sprayed the raiders with Raid.  They fell one at a time.  But with a nest of approximately 5,000, I would poison myself to death before the insects.   The peppermint oil that was recommended refreshed them instead of repelling them.

The fake wasp nest that was guaranteed to scare them to death just made them laugh.  I even caulked the entrance to the nest, but they tunneled around it.

Finally, I decided to go with green energy.  I took an industrial grade fan, set it up right under the entry to their nest.   The ferocious wind blew, and the jackets couldn’t pass through it to land. 

But oh, how they tried!  They would back up, get a flying start and charge toward the nest, only to be blown away.  It was sort of entertaining to watch.  Really soon the wasps began to drop like flies – completely exhausted, and there they died.

I finally had created a problem that they could not overcome.  Maybe they should have ceded the battle and moved in with a cousin in another nest.  Instead, they tried and tried, and the effort killed them.

Like those wispy wasps, most of us know what it is like to face a problem that cannot be overcome.   We are wired to be problem solvers, and we usually succeed.  But every so often we encounter a windstorm that defies our most valiant effort to tame it.

Now I believe that if we can solve the problem, then we certainly need to try, but what if it can’t be solved?  What if the doc says the cancer is terminal?  What if our spouse runs off and marries another?   What if our hair starts falling out and wrinkles line our faces? 

Some of us carry on!  We strive with all our might to change what can’t be changed.   And like the wasps, we exhaust ourselves – some even endangering our health in the process.

Is there a better way?  God has some good advice.  He said, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God” – Psalm 46:10.   God has the power to change our circumstances if He should want to.  He also retains the prerogative of leaving things as they are.   The Psalmist urges us to get smart – to stop trying to force the sovereign will of God and rest in Him instead.

Sometimes we just need to trust God and learn to live with a problem. 

Great King David understood this.  He wrote in Psalm 131, “O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look” (131:1a).  There are times we strive not out of need, but out of pride.  “I will not accept defeat.”  David, however, humbled himself before his circumstances and his God. 

And then he wrote, “I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things that are beyond me” (131:1b).David recognized that there are problems that he could resolve, but there were also those he could not – things that were beyond him and his ability. So, he chose to cease his vain striving.

He continued, “Indeed, I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child with its mother; I am content like a young child” (131:2).  He replaced his striving with resting on the breast of God.  He likened himself to an infant that was no longer frantic to nurse but content to relax in his mother’s embrace.

This was what David did, and he encouraged his countrymen and you and me to do the same by ending the Psalm with “O Israel, hope in the Lord now and forevermore!”  (131:3).

Sometimes we just need to trust God and learn to live with a problem. 

A PRAYER: Lord help me to know when to strive, and when to let go

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

thrift store saints — November 25, 2025

thrift store saints

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Our favorite family entertainment takes place at a thrift store.  A grandson decided he would embarrass me at such a store. He would bring to me various absurd items – like a woman’s bra for instance – and then ask in a loud voice in front of witnesses.  Hey Papaw, do you need another one of these?”  I say, “Nah I’ve got plenty.”      

Later he brought me a pair of kid’s underpants – emblazoned with cartoons. The twelve-year old said, “Hey Papaw, do you want these?”  I shook my head no.  He was halfway back to returning them when I yelled out so that all could hear, “OK son, if you really want those underwear, I’ll buy them for you.”

I believe we could have sat him down on the shelf with the other red items. 

At another time, it was the last day of a rummage sale – whatever you could stuff in a brown paper bag – all for five bucks.  My wife was an eager shopper.  So my older grandson and I would covertly slip bizarre items into her bag.  We laughed and giggled and had the best time. 

When we got home, my wife unpacked the bag and found things like a useless old TV remote, a deluxe Jello cookbook (we don’t eat Jello).  There was even a very large lead weight on a chain.  

She had all that craziness spread out on a bed.  After a good laugh, I went to collect it to ship it off to another thrift store, but she told me “No, no I am keeping all that stuff.”  And she did.  It took her a while, but she ended up finding uses for most of it. (except the Jello cookbook)

This reminds me of Jesus.  He entered this world with the intention of “seeking and saving the lost” (Luke 19:10).  What He found was a musty, thrift-store setting – a random selection of discarded and very used, mostly broken people.

The apostle Paul gave us a sample list of what He found.  He included those who were sexually immoral, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, those who are verbally abusive and even swindlers.  But then he wrote, “Some of you once lived this way. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” – 1 Corinthians 6:11. NETBible ®

One of the first things my wife does with thrift-store purchases is to wash them when we get home.  Exactly what Jesus did. He washed the stink and stigma away.

I know many of these once broken people.  There was the man who faked his way through church every Sunday but was hooked on meth.  He finally met Jesus and said goodbye to his addiction. 

Another man – very successful in business, but a serial offender when it came to infidelity.  He ended up without a family, homeless, addicted and finally incarcerated.  On the way to his cell, he came to Christ.  When he was released, he went back to the streets to reach the hopelessly broken for Jesus.

There was the woman at the well in the Bible.  She went through a parade of men looking for real love.  The parade ended when she met Jesus. 

I had a good friend who had been a raging alcoholic, who was daily destroying his family of three until He met Jesus.  He then began to literally carry a wooden cross around the world to bring attention to the message of Christ.   

I broke so many laws in my teenage years, that they should have sent me to jail for a long time.  But Jesus ended up doing for me what the legal system could have never done. 

Jesus strolled through the aisles of this world finding the used, broken and discarded, redeeming us, and giving us a fresh purpose in his house.  And like my wife, there’s no way He would ever part with His crazy collection of thrift store saints. 

A PRAYER: Lord, thank you for removing the stink and the stigma from us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

something to pond-er — November 19, 2025

something to pond-er

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At one time, my daughter taught at a Christian school in South Korea.  My wife went to visit her for a week, and the itinerary included a trip to her local church.   My wife brought me a church bulletin as a souvenir.  Whoopee!

I actually read the bulletin which was written in both Korean and English.  Advertised in it was an upcoming retreat.  Included were three pictures with a compelling caption beneath each one.  Keep in mind, however, that the captions were Korean ideas, translated into English.

There was a picture of a mountain and beneath, it said, “Breathtaking Mountain Scenery.”  There was a second picture of some asphalt.  The caption said, “Basketball Courts NOT made of dirt.”  Hey, that’s exciting. 

The third picture was of a pond.  The caption said, “Pond with real water!”  Hmm, it makes you curious about the ponds filled with fake water.

Pond or not, real water is essential to our lives!

Water lubricates our joints, cushions tissues, and protects organs.   It transports nutrition and flushes out toxins.  It keeps our brains humming and our skin plump and healthy.  It supports our immune system, improves our mood, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

I must confess, however, that I prefer soda over water. Soda is mostly water anyway, so why not?

Yes, soda is mostly water, but the additives compromise and even reverse the benefits that pure water brings. 

Soda does not provide the essential minerals and vitamins. Sugar makes us fat and gives us cancer, diabetes and inflammation.  The sweeteners are linked to negative health effects.  Caffeine causes the body to drain off the water already stored in our bodies and so on. 

But here’s the crazy thing.  The experts say that a glass of soda is 90-99% water.  But that remaining 1% turns a soda into a health hazard.

This causes me to wonder about the water Jesus’ offers.

He challenged throngs of worshippers at the temple saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink” – John 7:37-38.  

This is to say that there is water for us to drink that the Lord provides.  He used that figure of speech to let us know that His water does for our spiritual existence what H2O does for our material state. 

Because God is holy, His water is also holy and 100% pure.  And it really and truly does for us what the Lord promised.  It gives and sustains an effervescent spiritual vitality within us. 

But silly me – sometimes I substitute his water for soda. 

I tell myself, “I need Jesus plus “blank” to be happy.”   I need the 99% that Jesus gives but I also need my IRA to grow, or I need to be in charge at work, or I need my kids to adore me, or I need a new bass boat.  

And it’s that added 1% that we strive to have, that steals the joy of knowing and serving Jesus.  It ends up stripping us of any satisfaction.  A little bit of compromise makes a catastrophic difference.

We need to drink deeply and exclusively of the water Jesus gives.

They say we can live only 3-4 days without water intake.  Which is why my daughter carries around a Stanley cup that is big enough to hydrate a camel.  Jesus, however, supplies us with an inexhaustible supply (John 4:13-14). 

Bottled water can be pricey, but Jesus said, “To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge” – Revelation 21:6.

When I was a kid, we would run around on a hot summer day.  If we got thirsty, we would pick out a house nearby, grab their garden hose and drink.   It satisfied us even though it had kind of rubbery taste.

There’s no after taste with Jesus.  So, drink deeply!

A PRAYER: Lord, please help me identify that 1% 

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

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.    

no fueling — September 17, 2025

no fueling

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Somewhere in the state of Kansas I pulled in to get some gas.  But the options on the pump baffled me.  There was regular, mid-grade, premium, diesel, E10, E15, E85, ethanol free and biodiesel.  I wasn’t sure which to get so I tried, “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe; Catch a tiger by the toe.”  

I remembered the story of a friend who borrowed a diesel van and unknowingly put unleaded in it.  The engine struggled to start and then sputtered when it did.  His trip was canceled, and the van’s fuel system got a costly and thorough cleanse.

The kind of fuel we put in our tank makes a difference.   The very same is true of our spiritual lives.  We who know the Lord need to make sure that we fuel our minds with the right stuff. 

The apostle Paul told us to think about that which is true, worthy of respect, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).   Too often we put the wrong kind of fuel in our spiritual tanks and foul up the system.

We need the right kind of fuel, and it needs to go into the right place.  Suppose a teen driver jumped in her car for the first time and found the gas gauge on empty.  Would she be silly enough to remove the cap and gas up the radiator, or maybe top off the cup holder? 

Obviously not!  The fuel needs to go into the fuel tank.  Spiritually speaking, however, the fuel doesn’t always make it there.  Some of us read our Bibles and fill our minds with the right fuel, but we still lack spiritual get up and go.   

That’s probably because the ultimate destination for that fuel is not the mind, but the heart.  The Psalmist wrote, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” – Ps 119:11 (KJV).  So how does the Scripture make it to our heart? 

Psalm 119 is centered around the Scripture.  The concept of meditation is mentioned there at least 5 times.  For instance, verse 48 says, “I will lift my hands to your commands, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes” (NIV)

To meditate is to think deeply and carefully about something.  If the Psalm were written today, the Psalmist might have used the word “marinate.”  When we read the Scripture, we need to marinate our minds with it. 

We need to pause and soak our minds with what we are reading – deliberately think about the verse, each word.  What does it mean? How does it apply to you right now? 

Let me use Romans 8:28 as an example on how to marinate, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” NIV.  Let’s consider it word by word. 

“And we know” – This is a truth that we are certain of.

“That in all things” -All things: not some things, or a few things, not just the pleasant but even the painful.

“God” -Not a fictional person but a very real, powerful person in my life

“Works” -Not once worked or will work but is working at this moment.

“For the good” – The pleasant and the painful things interact with each other in God’s plan, but it results in something very good for me

“For those who love Him” –I do love Him, but how much?

“Who have been called” -He called me out of the darkness into the light

“According to His purpose” – His wise purpose shapes His plan for me.  

Marinate!  Chew on smaller portions.  Take some time and soak your mind. It’s about quality time spent not quantity.   The goal is not necessarily to memorize but to marinate your mind with the truth. 

The next time you go for a fill up – choose the premium option – the Word of God; and marinate the truth all the way into your tank.

A PRAYER: Lord, stir up a hunger in me for your Word

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

when helping hurts — August 27, 2025

when helping hurts

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His daddy was a pastor.  The little guy had to sit through church to hear his dad preach on subjects like justification and sanctification.   One day his Sunday School teacher asked if anyone knew what “procrastination” was.  The little boy, wanting to be helpful, said, “I don’t know what it means, but I know my dad believes in it.” 

Sometimes we want to help but we unintentionally hurt the cause instead.  The leper of Mark 1 is a case in point. 

He came to Jesus pleading for healing.  Jesus touched the untouchable.  (1:40-42).  Completely cleansed of the disease, the man was ready to tell the world what Jesus had done for him.   

But “Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning. He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them” – NETBible.com® (1:44).  

He gave the man three directives. 1) Say nothing to anyone 2) “Show yourself to the priest” 3) And offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded.

Jesus wanted him to keep the miracle to himself, at least until he reported to the priests and offered the appropriate sacrifice to the Lord (Leviticus 14:1-32).  Doing this would help the priests understand that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God.

But the man (previously known as the leper) had a better idea.  He wanted to help the cause of Christ by spreading the Word, but to do so meant that He had to ignore the 3 directives Jesus gave him (1:45a).   Instead of helping the cause, he hurt it.

1. He limited Jesus’ ministry: Verse 45 says, “Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places.”  The multitude that heard, wanted to be healed as well.  So, Jesus, couldn’t go to the cities to seek out the lost.  The lost had to go to the desert to seek Him.

2. He misdirected Jesus’ ministry:  Yes, throngs of people still sought Jesus but for their physical healthcare, not spiritual welfare.  The message of the Kingdom of God was obscured.

3. He embarrassed Jesus’ ministry: If he had he gone to the priest, he would have been ceremonially washed and freshly dressed.  Instead, this evangelist was dirty and smelly, with tattered clothes.

4. He discredited Jesus’ ministry: Jesus told him to do what the law required.  Not only did he disobey Jesus but the OT law as well.  So, Jesus became associated with a lawbreaker and rebel.

5. He destroyed Jesus’ ministry to some:  The law required a leper who had been helped to subject himself to the inspection of the priests.  To see the man and hear his story may have inclined the priests to believe in Jesus.  In fact, this was likely the beginning of the offense that the religious leaders felt towards Jesus.  Some of those priests may be in hell today partly because of the man’s disobedience.

Though the guy had good intentions, his decision was very harmful to the cause of Christ.  

So, when does helping hurt?  When we disregard the Word of God to do it. 

Sarah wants her husband to become more of a spiritual man, so she pesters him about church and family devotions and ignores 1 Peter 3:1-2 and the need to win him without a word.   

Andrew’s parents require him to pass English if he wants to go on the youth mission trip.  But Andrew wants to serve God, so he used ChatGPT on his essay.

Ed spends 20 hours a week helping at church but ignores his responsibilities at home. 

Resist the temptation to improve on our Lord’s commands.  Make sure you know what the Word of God says.  If in doubt, consult someone who knows the Bible well.  Submit your plan of action, and your motives to the Word of God and act accordingly.   Because, if we don’t, then our helping might hurt.

A PRAYER: Lord, forgive us for thinking we have a better way.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you`

changing table — August 13, 2025

changing table

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I suspect that the only people who really enjoy change are infants.  And yet we who are angry, depressed, lustful, abusive, addicted and lazy need to change. But it feels so hopeless.  Is it possible?

Consider a man who is being considered for a pastoral position. The search committee interviewed his references.  There were several significant comments that caused them concern. 

“The candidate does not like to assume a leadership role.”   This is a red flag.  A pastor needs to lead the church, manage the staff and represent the church to the community. 

“The candidate tends to avoid responsibility and obligations.”  This guy would likely do as little as possible to get by.  Could he manage the plethora of details that a pastor encounters or even follow through with a task?  

“The candidate likes to make his own decisions.”   In other words, he does not play well with others.  Board meetings would be a nightmare.

“The candidate is very timid and shy in a group nor does not like to have a large group of friends.”  We don’t need a hermit as the pastor.

If you were on that committee – how would you vote regarding this candidate?  Well, I would definitely cast a no vote.  I would not want to hire – ME.

This is a fictitious scenario, but the comments were taken verbatim from the notes of counselor, based on a battery of vocational tests that I took in January of 1972. 

And yet, in June of 1986, I was unexpectedly hired as a pastor and successfully served that same church for 32 years.  Were the tests wrong?  No – that was truly me in early 1972.  What happened?

I stopped in at the “changing table.” I met Jesus 10 months after I had taken those tests.  At that time, I was “born again” (John 3:3) and I became a “new man” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).  The old passed away, and new things began to emerge. 

God was doing a great work in me, but I did my part too.  Paul wrote, “present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service” – Romans 12:1.

A sacrificial lamb in ancient Israel had no say in the matter, but we do.  We can choose to give ourselves wholly to the Lord – a living sacrifice not consumed by fire, but by a passion to serve the Lord.     

He went on to say, “Do not be conformed to this present world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” –12:2. 

We are to be “transformed” says Paul.  This word is derived from the Greek word, “metamorphose” as in metamorphosis.   The dictionary captures the word this way, “a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.”

Paul tells us that change is very possible.  In fact, we are expected to change and grow.  Anger can be tamed, depression lifted, lust extinguished, abusers repentant, addictions canceled, and laziness turned into productivity. 

It happens as we experience the renewing of our minds.  So how is the mind renewed?  It happens when we read and marinate our minds with the Word of God.  Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that Scripture is alive – meaning that the Holy Spirit actively uses it to help transform us.

Renewal also takes place when we take what we read and let it shape the way we pray.  It also happens when we spend meaningful time with other Christian people whose thinking begins to impact our own.

The things we read and media we watch also tend to either conform us to this world or transform our minds. 

Change is tough.  Don’t give up on yourself.  Take time today to say to the Lord,  “I really want to be different and better.  I am laying my life on the altar and asking You Lord, to make it happen.”  

A PRAYER: Lord I am ready to change.  Would You change me – gently please?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®