2024-07-31T21:45:27+00:00

presence

July 31, 2024/pickleheavenpress

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

His presence makes all the difference.

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

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

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

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

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

to the test

July 25, 2024/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.

zapped by a zipper!

June 5, 2024/pickleheavenpress

What would the Lord need to do to get our attention?

I can think of one method that He would not use!

It was a beautiful Sunday morning at church and the worshipful singing had just concluded. With an air of dignity, I stepped up to the pulpit in the hope of delivering a powerful Spirit-filled sermon.

I reached down to open my message outline, which had been laying there. I saw a yellow post-it note attached which said, “Your zipper is down!”

Instant brain freeze! What? Where? How? Who wrote that note?

I wanted to look down and check my fly but that would be too obvious. Maybe I could get Pentecostal and spin around and fix it on the way. Or maybe I could use the open fly as an object lesson and bring a message on Zipporah the wife of Moses or maybe we could just sing, “I’ll fly away.”

In exasperation, I just flat stopped, and I told the congregation about the note. Then I turned around and checked – and – my zipper was exactly where it should have been.

What a terrible prank! The guilty one confessed after church. I hope there isn’t a special judgment for such a sin.

But back to the question – What would the Lord need to do to get our attention? Well, what if He were to raise a nation from the dead?

The nation of Israel died in 70 A.D. when the Romans leveled it. Yet, the Bible clearly predicted that Israel would be regathered as a nation in the last days.

For instance, Isaiah 11:11-12 says, “In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people… He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (NIV)

The prophet was one of many who predicted that the nation of Israel would once again exist. This regathering was to take place during the time that Isaiah called, “The Day of the Lord” (Isaiah 13:6).

The odds were against it. To fulfill this prophecy, the dispersed Jewish people would need to retain their identity throughout the ages, come together again, and then reestablish their nation in their original homeland.”

Despite insurmountable opposition to the Jews, God brought them together again. After nearly 20 centuries they officially became a nation on May 14, 1948.

The rebirth of this nation is a specific fulfillment to prophecy. Its significance cannot be underestimated.

The apostle John predicted that the last and final battle on earth will be waged against the nation of Israel. They will defend their homeland in the valley of Megiddo (better known as Armageddon) which is central to the land of Israel – Revelation 16:16.

The angels who attended the ascension of Christ foretold of His return. They watched Him rise from the Mount of Olives which is just to the east of Jerusalem. They predicted that Jesus would return just as He had left (Acts 1:11). The prophet Zechariah concurred (14:3-4).

It would seem, that God is trying to get our attention! The regathering of the nation of Israel is the canary in the coal mine – an indication that God’s plan for this world is accelerating towards its conclusion. We can’t say whether it will happen today, next month or even next year, but the timer is clearly ticking down.

Isn’t it ironic, that a nation the size of New Jersey so often dominates the world news? Isn’t it puzzling how a multitude of nations are so focused on that tiny middle eastern region. Isn’t it surprising how most anyone you meet in the U.S. has a strong opinion about Israel?

The resurrection of the state of Israel is God’s way of letting us know the end is coming. We need to pay attention and get ready for it.

A PRAYER: Lord, we hear You and we fear You. Come quickly, Lord, Jesus.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

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 ®

the journey of the soul

April 24, 2024/pickleheavenpress

I bought a new cell phone. My old one was having memory issues, it garbled messages and it was having a rough time recharging. Which ironically is also how my wife describes me.

The girl at the store opened the phone case and took out the SIM card. That card contains the essence of my virtual identity. She slipped the card into the new phone, and I was good to go.

Hooray, my virtual identify was not lost, it was just transferred to a new home.

Believe it or not, this helps me to understand a big existential question – What happens to a person when they die?

Well let’s discuss the soul. When your parents put your birth on the calendar, God did not withdraw a soul from an existing repository. Your soul was conceived right along with the rest of you. It came into being at that moment, but it became an everlasting entity from then on.

Your soul essence was placed in your body. I am somewhat disappointed because I feel like my soul should have been placed in athletic body. But the Lord knows best.

Anyway, the soul remains in the body until death occurs. At that time, the body is vacated, and the soul of the Christian goes to be with the Lord. Like a hermit crab that seeks a bigger shell to inhabit, our soul longs for bigger things.

Paul wrote, “Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth, we are absent from the Lord for we live by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” – 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

He argued that the Christian can only be in one of two places – either on earth confined to our mortal bodies, or in heaven with the Lord. There is no “time out” in Purgatory for bad behavior, nor does the soul ever sleep. It’s either fixed in our functional earthly body or in heaven. Jesus said to converted thief on the cross as he was dying, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” – Luke 23:43.

The soul of the person who fails to trust in Jesus is also separated from their body at death and immediately placed into a situation that the Bible describes as being one of eternal torment.

Jesus described it when told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Both men died. Humble Lazarus was pictured as being carried off to a blissful heaven, whereas the miserly rich man was carried to a painful place. From there he cried up to heaven, “…send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.” – Luke 16:19-31

So, what happens to the soul after all this?

One day Jesus will return to this earth, and the souls of the faithful will return with Him. Paul wrote, “God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:14.

Then their interred bodies will be raised and be made new and imperishable – an eternal body fit to house an eternal soul. Paul went on to say, “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” – 4:16

And that is the journey of the soul. When our bodies fail us, the essence of who we are does not die. It just gets inserted into a new eternally fit habitation. It’s a little more complicated than transferring a SIM card, but God gets the job done.

So be warmed if you belong to Him. Be warned if you don’t!

A prayer: Lord this truth enables us to face the future without fear. Thank You

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you!

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

an offensive gift

April 17, 2024/pickleheavenpress

I have a sweet friend who happily teaches at an elementary school. Ladonna posted a note, not long ago on Facebook. She said, “Throughout my years of teaching, my students have brought me little gifts from time to time. It may be a rock, a picture they’ve drawn, or a bracelet made from a pipe cleaner.”

“Today I received another sweet gift.” She included a picture of this gift. It was a container of Secret deodorant! She concluded by asking, “Do you think this student is trying to tell me something?”

I bet you a hundred bucks she smelled her pits that day just to be sure.

I’m sure he meant well, but regardless it was kind of a goofy, maybe even an offensive gift.

Ironically, Jesus also lacks tact when He gives His gift.

He offers us the gift of salvation, but He first must make us aware at how desperately we need it. He lets us know that…

– Without Him we are incapable of doing what He considers to be good.

He said, “Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4.

– Without Him we don’t even have a desire to be good.

Again, He said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” – John 6:44

– and without Him we don’t even understand what that good is.

Jesus said, “Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear, nor do they understand.” – Matthew 13:13

We have proven Him correct by the many and varied ways we have chosen to sin. It’s as Paul said, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” – Romans 3:23.

We treasure the idea that Jesus loves us. But this same Jesus regards people as being totally corrupt and possessing nothing that makes us attractive or acceptable to God. Basically, He says, “We stink!”

We mock the preacher in dowdy dress, who stands on the corner with a sign that says “repent.” And yet Jesus freely used the word as well.

– He said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:32

– He held people responsible for failing to repent. “Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities in which he had done many of his miracles because they did not repent.” – Matthew 11:20

– He predicted a terrible outcome for those who did not repent. He said, “Unless you repent, you will all perish….! – Luke 13:3

OK Jesus we get the message: we stink. Though we don’t usually think of ourselves as being sinners – You do. And in the end its your judgment that matters.

So, what do we do? I was a lazy teenager, I didn’t shower as often as I should have, but I frequently slathered on deodorant. Is that TMI?

We need more than that. Paul said, “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.

That will take away the stink – a good washing. Jesus provides it for those who go to Him. Our sinful past is washed away by the flow of His blood shed at Calvary.

He then gives us His Spirit – His version of Ice Blue Secret. The Spirit helps to keep the stink from returning.

Are you aware at how desperately you need Jesus’ gift? Have you noticed the odor yet? Jesus has, and He offers you the help you need.

It’s not too late to acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a Savior. Whisper that to Him in a prayer. He will hear and He will save.

A Prayer: Save me Lord – from my sins and myself.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

a full cup

March 28, 2024/pickleheavenpress

Our church was participating in communion. A group of us stood at a table. The bread had been received and we were preparing to drink the grape juice. The pastor held up a tiny cup and said to us, “This is the cup of His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Take and drink.”

And we did – except for the guy standing right next to me. His cup was empty – dry as a bone. Wow! I wondered, “What sin did this guy commit that was so bad that he was denied communion?”

Or maybe this was still another evidence of “shrinkflation.” Just not enough Welch’s in the bottle to serve everyone.

Well, it’s most likely that the juice in the cup had leaked out or those who had pre-filled the cups accidentally skipped over that one.

Regardless of why, the pastor quickly handed the confused guy a replacement – and he was able to commune with the Lord and us.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic rite, but our little service made me wonder, “Is it possible for an individual to stand before God one day, and find that he too is holding an empty cup?”

Communion was given to perpetually remind us that Christ shed His blood on a cross to cleanse us from sin and put us in good standing with God.

So, I suppose the question here is, “Did Jesus shed His blood for some and not all?” John the Baptist said no. He saw Jesus and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” – John 1:29. According to John there is a cup for everyone – world-wide.

Jesus also told us that His sacrifice was for all. He said in John 6:51, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” He gave Himself for the lives of those in the entire world!

Paul agreed in 1 Timothy 2:6 where he told us that Jesus gave himself as a “ransom for all.”

Evidently there is a cup of redemption poured out and prepared for every individual who will have ever lived. No one will ever peer into an empty cup when they stand before the Lord.

But – not all will be redeemed! Though Christ died for the whole world, many in the world will nevertheless perish in their sins.

I have officiated at many communion services, and inevitably there have always been some present who have declined to participate. Their reasons varied, but for some, they chose to let the tray pass, because they did not identify with Christ. They had never come to believe in Him and trust Him as their Savior.

Maybe they came to church out of curiosity. Or maybe they were grandparents who were visiting family and the family asked them to go to church with them.

But the tray is passed to grandpa, and grandpa quickly passes it on. There was a full cup prepared for him in that tray, but he let it slip by – a tragedy.

Equally tragic – I recently sat down and spoke with a mother, who had come to faith late in life. But she was passionate about Jesus and wanted her adult son to have his chance to meet the Lord.

So, she set the cup before him, but he refused to drink. This mom is now profoundly sad, because her boy was recently involved in a car accident which took his life.

She is inconsolable now because he is gone and because he had never come to Jesus. She doesn’t expect to ever see him again.

The cup is full! Continue to drink from its lifegiving flow if you know Him. Take your first sip if you don’t.

A Prayer: Lord thank you that there is a cup of redemption for each one of us.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Biblical references from the NET Bible ®

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.

word keeper

February 28, 2024/pickleheavenpress

It was the last day of the week at graduate school, and my friend was about to drive to Texarkana, Texas to attend his father’s wedding. “It’s no big deal,” he said. “This will be his fifth marriage.”

The groom (whom we will call John Doe) had a sad history of matrimonial messes. Where did he even find a woman who volunteered to be Mrs. Doe number 5?

And his friends – well this would be the fifth time that they would show up with fondue pots and bath towels and make a dive for the ceremonial garter.

But one prankster friend came up with a novel gift idea. He had some bumper stickers pre-printed and then distributed them to each wedding goer. The sticker read, “Honk if you’ve been married to John Doe.”

The story is both funny and sad. There were five different occasions where John stood before his friends and family and gave his word – saying, “I John take you, Mary, Bridget, Sandy, Anna and/or Lisa to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death; as God is my witness, I give you my promise.”

He promised! He gave his word, but he broke it at least 4 times at last count.

Is it important to be a word keeper? It is – extremely important! It’s a foundation upon which a functional society is established. It’s tough to do government, or business or church or even family if we cannot trust what people say.

This obligation reaches down from heaven because God certainly expects us to keep our word – in marriage for sure, but in every other aspect of life as well.

In Psalm 15 King David asks a penetrating question. He wrote in verse 1, “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?”

David was thinking of the tabernacle where the Lord was worshipped back in his day. The ornate tent complex was set up on a hill in the city of David, just beyond David’s palace walls. It was the place where the righteous would meet with God.

So, David wondered, “Lord, what kind of person is most welcome at your house?” Do you prefer a person who calls you, “Thee” when they pray?” Or maybe you are partial to prolific personal evangelists.

David, tutored by the Holy Spirit, offered several practical and truthful responses to the question. Included in the short list is this, “(they) keep their promises even when it hurts.” – Psalm 15:4

God throws out the welcome mat for those who do what they say. They are word keepers. If he promised to build the house; he will build the house. If she told the kids that she would take them to the park; they go the park. If he promised to stick with her till death; he sticks.

But that last phrase is disturbing – “even when it hurts.” This is to say that there are times we might make a promise, but circumstances change so that the promise is harder, even costly for us to keep.

The builder underbid the job, but he did it anyway for the amount that was agreed upon. Mom was invited out to coffee, but she passed because she promised the kids a trip to the park. She turned out to be less of a wife than he expected, but he kept his vows anyway.

They kept their promises even when it hurt.

What a wonderful world it would be if we could just rely on others to keep their word to us. And what a wonderful start it would be if it began with you and me.

A PRAYER: God Your Word calls us to be people of our word. Help us to do that!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

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