2024-09-17T21:02:20+00:00

the clueless coach

September 17, 2024/pickleheavenpress

When I was a kid, soccer was something you did to your sister.

I had never actually touched a soccer ball until the first day of practice, but I had a first grader who was an aspiring Pele. The coach concluded that first session with a plea. He needed parents to serve as assistant coaches. I got volunteered!

Three times a week I showed up and ran the kids through the drills that the coach assigned. They learned to dribble, pass, juggle, trap and do something called headers.

And I did my best to coach them with insightful commands such as, “Run faster; quit picking your nose and pay attention” and, “you kicked the ball in the wrong goal!”

Well, we did not have a winning season. But the parents and kids were all very appreciative. They gave thoughtful gifts to each of the coaches. Mine was a book – “Soccer for Dummies” and I am not kidding either.

The end of the season was kind of late to discover that there was an instruction manual available to me.

Now most of us are busy with things that are far more complicated and consequential than soccer. Some are working through the snags of marriage. Others are piloting the waters of parenting. Some are overwhelmed by the challenges of the workplace. Many of us are trying to pay the bills with a paltry income and some are spiritually ambitious but stuck.

What we need to know, is that the God who individually crafted us, has given us a fantastic resource to help us succeed. Psalm 119 is a song that magnifies the value of the Word of God for life.

For instance, this is where we find written, “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” – Psalm 119:105.

But also written there is this very interesting thought, “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts” – Ps 119:45.

How incredibly ironic! The Psalmist tells us that he lived a liberated life- a life of success and freedom – because he fastidiously was focused on knowing and living the truths that are written in the Word of God.

He understood that the training he got in his home was insufficient. He knew that his schooling was sometimes skewed. He listened to podcasts that were broadcast by people with their own set of problems. He knew that.

So, he wisely zeroed in on that one singular inspired resource that provides flawless wisdom.

So many today want freedom but they believe it comes by improvising on the truth or even ignoring it altogether. The Psalmist tells us that an enjoyable and effective life comes from closely adhering to the Word of God.

And it’s all there. Fulfilling Marriage? We are told to love and respect one another and are given particulars on how to do it in Ephesians 4:25-32 and 5:25-33. Pleasant Parenting? There are answers in Ephesians 6:4.

What about work? “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” – Colossians 3:23.

We even have a financial advisor in the Bible. For instance it says, “The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered” – Proverbs 11:25 (NASU).

Of course, it all is funneled through our spiritual frame of reference which is why Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” – Matthew 6:33.

The Scripture portions that I cited are not magic bullets but prime samples of the vast storehouse of wisdom in the Word of God.

Here’s the thing. When your season ends, you don’t want to be given a Bible that is subtitled, “Life for Dummies.” Pick it up now and experience liberty in your life.

A PRAYER: Lord, I was almost twenty when I finally discovered, “Life for Dummies.” Thank you for your patience and the gift.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture references are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.

my redneck tesla

September 11, 2024/pickleheavenpress

I decided to convert an old Toyota Sienna into a camper van. My kids thought I was crazy (and I guess I am). I had fun doing the conversion myself. Now folks who follow behind me on the road may be puzzled by the 3-prong household plug that pokes out of my van. I tell people that’s where I connect my redneck Tesla to the charging station.

Power is necessary to redneck Teslas and to Christians in general. Our gracious God understands this, and He provided the Holy Spirit to be our charging station.

So, what do we know about the Holy Spirit? He is not an “it” or a “something,” nor is He the holy “influence” of the Father. Seven times Jesus referred to Him as a “He” in John 16. For instance, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13). He is a full-fledged person possessing intellect, emotion, and a will.

Granted, He is a different kind of person, existing as a spirit. But He has the capacity to manifest Himself in a physical form such as He did at the Baptism of Jesus. Then He appeared in a form that compared to a dove (Matthew 3:16).

What’s more is that He is a “holy” Spirit – a member of our triune Godhead. He possesses the same attributes as God. He is all knowing (1 Corinthians 2:10-12); all powerful (Job 33:4); omnipresent (John 14:16); and eternal (Hebrews 9:14).

All three were present at the Baptism of Jesus. The Father spoke from heaven, the Spirit descended from heaven, as the Son was dipped in the waters of the Jordan (Matthew 3:16-17)

And He plays an extremely important role in the life of the believer. When Jesus ascended to heaven, He made sure that His replacement descended and took up residence in the life of a every born-again Christian. The apostles and their brethren were gifted on the day of Pentecost. Believers today receive Him the moment we come to faith (Ephesians 1:13).

His role is to teach us (John 16:14); to convict us of sin (John 16:8); to intercede for us (Romans 8:26) to guide us (John 16:13); to gift us (1 Corinthians 12:4-11); and especially to empower us.

Before Jesus left, He wanted His disciples to know that the Spirit would be sent to energize their efforts. He told them to, “Stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” – Luke 24:49. Like an American Express Card, they were not to leave home without it.

This Pentecostal power filled their prayers so that the supernatural became a reality (Acts 12:5-8). It bathed them in courage and conviction to be bold witnesses of the risen Christ (Acts 1:8). It strengthened their battered hopes (Romans 15:13); and provided a means with which to resist the caustic influence of sin (Ephesians 3:14-21). He empowered them, and today empowers us to live victorious lives.

And this power is continuously supplied. We don’t need to stop every 272 miles and plug into an EV charging station and sit there baking beneath the windshield for 10 hours.

This power is always there for us, unless we should offend the Spirit. Because this power comes through a person, we can sometimes disappoint and even grieve that person through spiritual insensitivity, disobedience or rejection (Ephesians 4:30). When this happens, the power goes poof!

And there amid the 12- lane highway of life, during rush hour, with the draft of semis shaking our car – we helplessly sit – powerless.

But because He is a gracious and forgiving God, He welcomes a contrite plea for forgiveness and will respond to a request to be filled again (Ephesians 5:18). He is our recharging station, and how blessed we are that He resides within us.

If your spiritual batteries are full, good for you! If not, talk to the Holy Spirit about it.

A Prayer: Lord, more power 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®

to the test

July 25, 2024/pickleheavenpress

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.

battle dress

July 1, 2024/pickleheavenpress

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.

a pink slip or a pat on the back?

June 26, 2024/pickleheavenpress

“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.

the way we drive

May 15, 2024/pickleheavenpress

It occurred to me the other day that the way we drive a car tends to reflect the way we do life in general. The reckless teenage boy screams around the corner assuming he is all but immortal. The cautious elderly lady motors along a good ten miles below the speed limit. We really do tend to express our personalities by the way we drive.

So, what if they traveled by car in the first century? What if Jesus had entered Jerusalem in a Mustang convertible instead of on the foal of a donkey?

Let’s start with Paul. I picture him in an ambulance, screaming along at 120 miles per hour, passing through town after town with the life-saving message of the Gospel. He actually was quite a driven individual.

Peter, we might find pulled over by a car with red flashing lights. The patrol officer says, “You were going 70 in a 50 mile an hour zone. Peter says, “I did not!” “Yes, you did!” says the officer.” “It wasn’t me!” “Yes it was,” says the officer. To which Peter replies, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Then suddenly a song from Sheryl Crow begins to play on the car radio.

Clueless Philip, he would be the guy driving the wrong way on a one-way street.

You might find doubting Thomas arguing with his wife in the car. “Thomas the GPS says turn here!” “I don’t believe it,” he says.

Diabolical Judas, he would be the guy who bypasses the traffic jam by driving on the shoulder of the road. Ooh I detest that guy.

We might find the sons of thunder, James and John, duking it out over a parking spot.

And Jesus, well He might just pick up every hitchhiker He saw. And when they left His car He might say, “Go and hike no more.”

Goofy thoughts for sure, but it illustrates the fact that we express our personalities by the way we drive.

And I am ashamed to admit this – because my driving has often sent the wrong message. When I was a young Christian, there was a bumper sticker that was popular with believers. It said, “Honk if you love Jesus.” People assumed I was a passionate Christian because I honked all the time – but it was out of frustration rather than a love for my Lord.

I have been challenged by words like these in Titus 2:7-8. There Paul encouraged Titus to… “be an example of good works in every way. In your teaching show integrity, dignity, and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss because he has nothing evil to say about us.”

Titus was to be a good example in, “every way.” This surely would have included his driving habits! For him it possibly meant, “make sure you maintain a safe distance from the donkey ahead of you.”

For us it means to be polite on the road. If you are cut off don’t go racing after the perpetrator in rage. Yield that parking spot to the elderly man in the station wagon. Respect the laws including the speed limit.

Paul told him that a good example should especially permeate the way that Titus delivered the Gospel message. To do anything less would open the door to criticism and provide fodder for the Gospel foes.

Oh my! I know there were times when I had just taught a Bible study and then drove home in a way that tarnished the message I had just delivered. Sometimes I would honk at someone and then hope that they were not from my church.

Well, I am glad to say that as the Word of God has taken root in my life, I am far more patient and attentive to the rules of the road than I once was. I hope the same can be said of you.

A Prayer: Lord I know I’ll be tested again in this area. Help me to respond well!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Scripture quotations are from the NETBible ®

an encouraging word

May 1, 2024/pickleheavenpress

My wife has taken up the palette and easel to become a painter. She is doing pretty well! In fact, I encouraged her to send her finished art to our adult children to hang on their refrigerators.

I’m funnin’ ya’ of course, but that is certainly one way they could encourage her artistic endeavors.

Encouragement can come in the form of pictures on the ice box and other helpful activities, but let’s focus on verbal encouragement for now.

Hebrews 3:13 tells us we all need a daily dose of it. It says, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”

This is a command directed to us and it is something that we should offer to those around us on a daily basis.

Most encouragement is kind of like milk. It has a short shelf life. It expires and then we have to run to the store to get more. So, we need to encourage each other regularly.

The author tells us why. He says, “so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” There is a sin principle which is at work in this world. Think of it as the sun at work on your skin. The UV rays penetrate and damage your skin. Get enough of it over time and you’ll end up with a leathery look.

Likewise, we are bombarded by the destructive lies and the lusts of this world. It erodes our ego. Over time it harms our souls and causes us to become insensitive and indifferent to spiritual things.

Encouragement is like sun block. It keeps the UV rays of sin from penetrating and protects us from damage.

To experience encouragement, we need to be together. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”

The author spoke of people who gave up the habit of church. He pleads – don’t do that because being with other Christians is where encouragement is found.

Sunday worship lifts us up, the message challenges us, the classes provide personal interaction and the casual conversation at the coffee table is sweet (especially if your church serves donuts as mine does).

But Sunday worship is not enough. We need to be in relationship with people whom we know, love and trust. I have a friend who was chronically depressed. He told me that he would often go to small group discouraged but leave feeling great.

So how do we speak encouragement to one another?

– Make it positive. Sarcasm and encouragement do not get along. A compliment bathed in sarcasm, is like a chocolate covered olive.

– Make sure what you say is true. Flattery falls flat. Don’t tell her she looks like a model when she doesn’t. When we lie, we imply that the truth may be painful for them to handle – and they sense it.

– Our words should have substance. To say you look nice – is nice, but insufficient. Focus on issues of character and virtue and service. Tell her that you are proud of the way she handled her surly boss. Tell him that he did well when he shared his faith with his uncle.

It would be nice if we all lived home on the range where seldom is heard a discouraging word. Ah, but we do not.

But we can change that. We can start by being the first and most frequent to encourage others. It’s crazy how the encouraged, will reciprocate.

My grandson was in the midst of potty training. He would occassionally fail to succeed, but he always ended those sessions by saying out loud, “Good try.”

I suppose that we could encourage ourselves, as he did – but it is so much more meaningful and powerful when it comes from someone else.

A PRAYER: Lord my own soul feels a little leathery, help me to create an encouraging community.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!

Scripture references are from the New International Version.

shoe pile

April 10, 2024/pickleheavenpress

For 12 hours each day I taught the Bible to house church leaders in Beijing. Sunday was my last day in China, and I was to bring the message at a clandestine house church meeting.

My translator and I were the first to arrive. Following the custom, we removed our athletic shoes and left them outside the apartment door. My schedule was intense: preach, then quickly exit to drive to the airport to ride a 747 on home. A tight schedule.

Folks began to show up. Their arrival times were staggered so as not to draw attention from the authorities. Eventually, about 100 of us were jammed together for a glorious time of worship.

After the last Amen, I was alarmed to realize that I was seriously behind schedule. I snatched my stuff and exited – only to run into a mountain.

I found a pile athletic shoes that looked much like mine (maybe because they were all manufactured in China.) I tore into them looking for my pair. Shoes were flying around like it was the BOGO sale at the shoe store.

I rifled through them and even gave a couple of pairs the smell test.

After 5 eternal minutes I remembered some wise advice that I once heard, “If the shoe fits, wear it.”

Ah but they were all 2 to 3 sizes too small. And then it hit me: look for the clown- sized shoes. Found em – and I was on my way.

Now I wonder if you might join me in my shoe search? In Ephesians 6, Paul described for us the spiritual armor that God has supplied for the Christian. Most of us understand the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.

But our footwear is a little more puzzling. Paul told us to prepare for spiritual battle by “…by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace.” – Ephesians 6:15 NETBible ®

He used the sandal of the Roman soldier as his model. His “caliga” was a thickly-soled sandal that was strapped around the ankle in several places. Nails studded the sole much like golf cleats.

Those shoes were not made for running but for standing. The soldier needed stability for hand-to-hand combat.

Paul tells us that the Gospel gives us that kind of spiritual stability and confidence. It’s the “good news of peace” – a promise of being at peace with God. (Romans 5:1)

The shoes of the Gospel is the confidence that we who believe now belong to God, through placing our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. It is the conviction that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that our eternal future is determined by what we do with Him.

The Gospel enables us to stand unwavering in our faith even while it is besieged. And it is, isn’t it? As always, we face a myriad of theological frontal attacks on our faith.

Our culture insists on reshaping our theology. We are pressed to transfer our faith from what the Scripture says, to what culture wants the Scripture to say. Current statistics, in fact, indicate that the majority of younger Christians today reject the idea that salvation comes through Christ alone. Looks like our inferior shoes are slipping.

My time in China was intimidating. I was in hostile territory, speaking to people who had been indoctrinated from birth with Mao’s anti-God teaching.

I could have been arrested at any moment, but I was there anyway because I believed the Gospel with all my heart – that it was absolute truth, so desperately needed to spiritually liberate the Chinese.

I urgently needed my Gospel shoes in China, and thank God, I didn’t have to frantically hunt for them at the door.

The battle for the mind also rages in your community. God, therefore, has provided shoes for you too – just your size. Put em on and take your stand.

A prayer: Lord when the world pushes on us, may we stand immovable!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

what’s the plan?

March 20, 2024/pickleheavenpress

My wife and I are still reasonably healthy and yet – we recently moved into a nursing home. We bought a house that was originally designed to be the last home of an aging couple.

So, they built for themselves a practical one-level ranch. Included were grab bars positioned next to the toilet and the bathtub for the day that their legs would lose their lift.

There is a nice bench in the walk-in shower for a mid-shower rest. And the halls in the house are wide enough to accommodate a king-sized wheelchair or a dump truck if needed.

They were thinking ahead and were therefore able to comfortably live out their last days in the home that they had built.

The Lord applauds that kind of planning and preparation for the future.

For instance, Proverbs 21:5 says, “Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run.” I believe ahead is quite a bit better than behind.”

Consider the ant for example. Solomon wrote, “Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions.” – Proverbs 6:6-8

The ant plans for the future. He gathers and stores when he can, so he will have food when it is needed.

There will certainly be someone who would object saying, “Planning is contrary to believing. We need to walk by faith and trust God for the future.”

Well, we certainly do need to trust God. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.” Our plans need to be made on our knees.

But planning is not at odds with our faith. Jesus said, “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you…” – Luke 14:28-30 Jesus clearly understood the need to plan.

So for what do we plan?

Sarah is headed off to college, – but she needs to check out the job market before she gets that degree in bagpipe technology.

Lamar is so excited about his beautiful brand-new baby girl. Oh, but there will be an expensive wedding in her future. He may need to start setting aside a little money for that.

I have friends who do a yearly inventory of their marriage, and then make specific plans for dates, trips and so on to help strengthen their marriage in the year to come.

Terrell and Tammy are in their fifties now. They are finally starting to plan for retirement, but the projections are not looking so good. They really regret not having started to save when they were younger.

Planning works with lesser things as well. Who hasn’t gone on a trip and forgotten their toothbrush? Consider downloading a travel checklist app or create your own.

Store the list in your computer and print it out and use it each time you pack for a trip. You’ll never forget your toothbrush again, and the airline passenger next to you will thank you for it.

And what about your forever future? We can plan and prepare for that as well. John 3:16 says, “For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” NETBible ®

How does the old adage go, “When we fail to plan, we plan to fail.” Seems true enough to be in the Bible.

As for me I am planning to go sit down and take a shower!

A PRAYER: Lord pry us from the present to help us plan for what’s ahead.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

presuming on the provision of God

March 12, 2024/pickleheavenpress

When you need encouragement, you can’t necessarily count on a Bible scholar to give it!

I once had an opportunity to speak with a published professor from a Christian University. He seemed to take an interest in me, and asked what I thought my next step in life might be. I told him that I was planning on studying at Dallas Theological Seminary where I would prepare to do ministry.

He immediately reacted , “How much money have you saved?” This was not the kind of question I expected from a man of faith!

With embarrassment I told him, “$1,000.” He shot back again with an authoritative tone, “Don’t go! Don’t go until you have lots more saved!” The implication was, “You won’t make it unless you go loaded.”

I began second guessing my goal. The man had a doctorate in the ways of God. He also had wallet wisdom. He happened to be footing the bill for his son who was a student at DTS at that time.

Who was I to disregard his admonition – and yet – God put it in my heart to study there. And I took His promise literally. “And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19

In early August I gathered up my goods, my wife, two kids, and my thousand bucks and headed to Dallas. I didn’t have the money yet to pay for my first semester’s tuition or buy books or to rent an apartment. BUT by the first day of class I did.

God miraculously provided. And I continued to have what I needed before each term began. I graduated on time with no debt.

So, here’s a question! Did I presume upon the provision of God? Did I make a decision which forced God to cover it. I don’t believe I did. He directed me to go to Seminary and I have learned that, “God funds what God wills.”

That money was necessary to do His will. So, He supplied as promised.

Is it even possible to presume upon the provision of God? It is!

We presume upon the provision of God…

– when we go where God does not will.

If He wanted me to stay home and be a plumber, He would not have made it financially possible to do Seminary. God does not fund what God does not will.

– when we confuse our wants with needs.

He promised to provide for our essential needs. According to the Sermon on the Mount these needs are food, clothing and housing. (Matthew 6)

– when we expect God will fund our every financial decision.

Let’s suppose that 80% of my budget goes to needs, and 10% to wants. (setting aside 10% for giving.) But I decide to buy a bigger house with a much bigger mortgage payment.

Is God then obligated to increase my income to fund that decision? No! It means that now 88% of the budget will go to cover needs, leaving 2% to spend on wants.

– when we cheat on God.

The promise God made to the Philippians was premised on that fact that they were generous givers. They supported the ministry of Paul to the point where they impoverished themselves. (Philippians 4:10-18)

God does not require a tithe from the New Testament believer, but He does expect us to give. Paul wrote, “Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. (1 Corinthians 9:7)

It really is foolish to presume – like the time I naively asked one of our ladies at church when her baby was due. Hey, take it easy on me. Her top looked like maternity wear.

You, however, are much wiser – so be careful about presuming on the provision of God.

A Prayer: Lord sometimes the distinction between faith and presumption is not clear to us. Please give us the wisdom we need.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

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Tag: faith

the clueless coach

my redneck tesla

to the test

battle dress

a pink slip or a pat on the back?

the way we drive

an encouraging word

shoe pile

what’s the plan?

presuming on the provision of God

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