Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson

something to help you laugh and think about life with Christ

Tag: Jesus

useful — March 19, 2025

useful

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She was leading a Bible club at church.  There was one little girl who was completely lost when it came to memorizing the books of the Bible.   She didn’t grow up in church.  She didn’t know the difference between Deuteronomy and a tonsillectomy.  But the leader patiently persevered and the little girl joyfully mastered the task.

The child was blessed with a richer knowledge of the Bible.  Her leader, however, was astounded that God could use her so effectively in the child’s life. She felt nearer and dearer to the Lord because of it.

God uses us to achieve His purposes if we will allow Him!  

In 2 Tim. 2:21 the apostle described Christians as being useful.   He said, “So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master.”

So, is this a desirable thing?  Absolutely. If we are Christians, then we are on the team.  Now when I was a kid, I played on a basketball team, or I should say I watched from the bench.  The coach almost ever sent me in, maybe because he wanted the team to win the game. 

Nevertheless, it was terrible to sit on the bench, to feel like I had nothing to contribute – like I didn’t matter.  The coach didn’t even get my name right in History class.

But God, He wants to send us into the game.

– sometimes God uses our natural abilities  

The early church was experiencing some upsetting management issues.  A man named Philip was one of seven chosen to take charge (Acts 6:3-5).  This was because he had a good reputation, he was a spiritual man, and because he was also wise with managerial expertise.  

Perhaps he was a businessman or a supervisor with the government.  He brought his natural skills to bear on the Lord’s business and the problem was effectively managed.

– sometimes God equips us in supernatural ways 

Persecution had broken out in Jerusalem so the believers, including Philip, fled town.  He ended up in Samaria where the folks had never heard of Jesus, so the administrator began to address the crowd.  And no, it was not a dry, boring message.  In fact, Acts 8:5-8 says, “the crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing.”

He found himself among folks who had not heard the Gospel, so he volunteered to fill the need and speak, and God was pleased, and He chose to supernaturally empower him to cast out demons and heal the sick.

Philip decided, “If there’s no one else – I will do it, and God happily equipped him to get the job done.

– sometimes we are aware that He is using us

Later, Philip was directed by the Lord to meet with a spiritually minded Ethiopian man.  Philip obeyed and told the guy about Jesus, who then surrendered to the Lord and was baptized (Acts 8:26-38).  He understood how the Lord desired to use him, and he cooperated.

– at other times we are unaware of how He is using us

The last time we meet Philip in the Scripture, he opens his home to some weary travelers – Paul and Luke and the rest of his companions (Acts 21:8). Philip fed and sheltered them as ambassadors of the Gospel.  It was a simple kindness he extended.  Yet according to Jesus he probably had no idea how significantly he was used by God (Matthew 25:35 and 40).

God uses us and when He does, there is an interesting and incredible chemistry that forms between us.  We get the sense that God values our work.  He allows Himself to depend upon what we can do.  He chooses to need us.  Our big old all powerful – do anything kind of Father needs us.  That is both astonishing and affirming.

Hey, make yourself available and He will use you too!

A PRAYER: Lord, put me in the game – please!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Scripture passages are from the NETBible®

the longest 5 seconds — February 26, 2025

the longest 5 seconds

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The longest 5 seconds of my life took place at the ballpark.  I was there to spectate as my middle son was on the field – right field – the one with cobwebs because the baseball so seldom arrived there.

Musical genes in my family run rampant, but the athletic ones are as rare as hen’s teeth.  And of course, he was also hindered by an attention deficit that mirrored the national debt.

I was always there to support him.  I wanted him to succeed.  I really did.  But it was lonely out there in right field.  He saw less action than the nerdy boy at the Middle School dance.

The game and the season were only one out away from ending.  Our team was up by one run, but the visitors had a heavy hitter at bat and the bases were loaded.  The tension was thick.

Suddenly the crack of the bat split the sky, and the ball rocketed towards right field.  The noise jarred my son awake.  He saw the ball and was positioning himself to snatch it.  If he blew it, the game would be lost.  To catch it would be a mighty victory. 

For five infinitely long seconds, I was sweating bullets.  I had been in that position myself a few times and usually fumbled the ball or missed it all together.  But I badly wanted better for him.  My prayers ascended as the ball descended.

I watched as the ball finally smacked the center of his glove – and he held onto it.  e defied our expectations The coach went bezerk – so did I. 

Like most fathers, I wanted my kid to succeed.  But for some strange reason, when it comes to our heavenly Father, we sometimes suspect that He is indifferent when it comes to us.   

He doesn’t care about how we do at work, or about our grades at school.  He yawns at obstacles that stand in our way.  We aren’t sure He really wants to help.  Some of us think of Him as that dad that never attends the game when we play.

But in reality, God wants success for us.  

Check out what He once said to us through Zephaniah the prophet.  “The Lord your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver.  He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you” – Zephaniah 3:17.

We understand here that God is in the stands cheering us on.  “He takes great delight in you; he renews you by his love; he shouts for joy over you.”

But He also does something that I could not do for my son.  He enters the playing field and intervenes.  “The Lord your God is in your midst; he is a warrior who can deliver.

How does He intervene?  The Lord gave Nehemiah favor in the eyes of the King so that he could pursue his passion to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:5).

The tabernacle in the wilderness was waiting to be constructed.  So this is what the Lord did, “So Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom the Lord has put skill and ability to know how to do all the work for the service of the sanctuary are to do the work according to all that the Lord has commanded” – Exodus 36:1-2.  The Lord gave skill and ability to those people to give them so they might succeed at their task. 

And then there is this; Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

God truly wants us to succeed in what we do, although sometimes He will stand in the way until we realize that its by His enabling grace that we are able. 

So be encouraged.  Our Father is in the stands rooting for you and on the field working for you.  You have what you need to succeed!  

A PRAYER: Lord, remind us that we are never ever alone in this life.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

something to remember — February 19, 2025

something to remember

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Our trio performed a Christmas Concert at a nursing facility.  Afterwards, a lady who was a resident there, came to speak with me.  With tears cascading down her cheeks she said, “You remind me of my father.”  I said, “Well I sure hope he was a better man than I am.” She replied, “He was a drunk.”  A drunk?  Uh, OK – maybe my last song was a little too much. 

Well, she went on to explain.  He was actually a mean drunk – but each Christmas Season he would mellow.  He would break out his guitar and lead the family in the singing of carols.  As I led the singing that day, that memory was revived and it warmed her heart.   That’s what she preferred to remember about her daddy.

We tend to remember the things that deeply, emotionally impact us – that which is exceedingly good or incredibly bad.  Most of us would hope that any memories of us would be bathed in the warmth of good thoughts. 

The apostle Paul reveals how that might be possible.  In Philippians 1:3-5, he wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you. I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Paul often thought about the Christians in the town of Philippi and the way that they had participated with him in his Gospel ministry.  Those memories fostered joyful thoughts.   

But what did he mean by “participation?”  Well, the book of Philippians was Paul’s version of a thank you note.  He used the letter to express his gratitude for the generous way that they had financially supported his ministry.

He wrote, “For I have received everything, and I have plenty. I have all I need because I received from Epaphroditus what you sent—a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, very pleasing to God” – Philippians 4:18.

They provided the resources that Paul needed in order to do his outreach ministry.  Paul mentioned elsewhere that they gave out of their “deep poverty” (2 Cor 8:1-2).

As Paul carried the Gospel from town-to-town, he often remembered that it was those sweet brothers and sisters at Philippi that made it possible.  They selflessly pared back their own standard of living to support him.

So sometimes I wonder what people might remember about me.  What do they remember of my ministry as a pastor, besides the fact that my shirt tail was always on the loose?   

Maybe it was my pulpit ministry.  After all I spent 10-15 hours each week preparing a sermon – working through the Greek, making sure each message was accurate.  I prepared a video file to go with it.  I even rehearsed the message.  I figure I spent a cumulative total of about 17,940 hours over 23 years of doing sermon prep. 

And yet the only sermon people seem to remember is the one where I almost fell off the platform

People tend to remember other things!   She remembered the time I showed up at the hospital and prayed over their newborn.  That Deacon remembered when I cranked up my lawnmower and mowed his lawn because he wasn’t able. 

My associate remembered how I would always drop what I was doing when he needed to talk with me.  Then there was that man who remembered the grace and forgiveness he received when he came to me for counsel. 

It was those personal, considerate acts of love and service that they remember – things that anyone of us could and probably should do. 

Of course, being remembered, is not what motivated my ministry.  Not at all – but it is heart-warming to know that I have had some positive impact on the lives of others – and it is remembered.

If I had it to do all over again, I think I would spend less time parsing Greek verbs and more time loving people. 

A PRAYER: Thank you, Lord for good memories

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

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

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

give yourself — February 12, 2025

give yourself

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I was in the car along with my wife who isn’t always happy with my driving.  But she did a remarkable job of restraining herself.  She didn’t stomp on an imaginary brake or close her eyes when I passed another car.  In fact, when we arrived, she said, “Thank you!”

I said, “Well you’re welcome.”  She said, “I was talking to God!” Just kidding, my wife loves the way I drive.  OK I’m just kidding about that too.

In truth, I greatly treasure my wife, which is why the following story intrigues me. 

A hospice chaplain took on an older man as a patient.  Oddly, the man’s ex-wife volunteered to become his primary caregiver.  Now though they had divorced many years earlier she showed up to assist him in his time of need. 

He was dying, and yet the two of them talked and then decided to remarry.  The chaplain asked his wife why.  There was no insurance policy, nor could he leave her a house or possessions to amount to much.  Their children were not pressuring them.  So why remarry? 

She said, “When we were young, he gave me homes, and cars, and jewelry and much more.  But he never gave me himself.  But now that’s all he has to give.”

That was all he had left to give, and yet it was the best thing he could give.  It was a treasure that should have been shared with her since the day they first said, “I do.”  Some of us may remember these words from our marriage ceremony, “Now that you have been given to each other…”

That’s the simple essence of a marriage – giving ourselves to each other – our heart and soul – manifested by sharing, listening, serving and being with one another; caring for the hurts and pains of each other; sacrificing to benefit one another and being faithful not only in body but soul, to each other.   

If you are married, take a hint. Make sure you are giving yourself to your spouse.  Tune in to him/her.  Listen, empathize, laugh together, cry together, lose yourself to benefit each other and spend lots of time together.  Your marriage will thrive and grow as you do. 

Do you need some help?  Look to the Lord!  Think on the way that He has loved us.  Paul described it in Galatians 2:20 where he wrote that the Son of God, “loved me and gave himself for me.”   Jesus gave Himself.  But how? 

He laid aside His prerogatives as God and clothed Himself in flesh in order to be with us – so that He could walk and talk and do life with us. 

In His quest, He endured misunderstanding and misrepresentation.  He turned the other cheek just as He directed us to do.  With patience and determination, He stuck with us. 

And though we fled from Gethsemane when He was arrested, and hid from the cross when He was crucified, He continued in His commitment to us.

He quietly endured the brutal suffering of crucifixion, the abandonment at His burial and then enjoyed the glory of being raised again.  This is how He gave Himself – all of Himself, leaving nothing left for Himself. 

I am guessing that’s what Paul meant when he wrote, “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her” Ephesians 5:25. 

There is that phrase again. He, “gave himself.”

I have found that the more we give ourselves, the more of us we have to give.  The more of my life that I lay down for others, the more life the Lord gives to me. 

Like the fishes and loaves – as they were given away and distributed, they were replaced by more and more in the hands of the master.

So, give yourself!  To your spouse for sure, and even your children and most certainly to the Lord. 

Give yourself – because it’s the only thing of real value that you have to give?

A PRAYER: Lord, help me understand what I may be holding back from my wife, and You and others.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

what are the odds? — February 5, 2025

what are the odds?

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Sometimes I wonder if I might have IBS – Irritable Brain Syndrome – but then I have found that there are people who may have even less on the ball than I do. 

There exists today a religious sect of zealous subscribers.  They correctly believe that heaven is the last and best stop of our journey.  However, they teach that only 144,000 of their followers will qualify. 

As of 2024 they number about 8.6 million.  Which means that only 1 out of 60 of the faithful will make it through the pearly gates.  Hmm?  The typical local congregation is no more than 200, which means that an average of 2 people from each gathering will make it to glory land.  How disheartening!

To qualify they must adhere to the teaching and be active in their preaching.  The more people they persuade to be baptized and become followers, the better their chances of going to heaven. 

BUT – let’s suppose each follower was able to enlist just one person.  That would double the membership to 17.2 million followers, which lowers the odds of admission. Only 1 out of 120 of the membership would walk the streets of gold. 

The sect is now over 154 years old which means there is a century and a half of competitors who want to be one of the 144,000.  Oh, and their ecclesiastical authorities refuse to disclose the number of baptisms from the inception of their movement to the present.  I wonder why?

Though they say their teaching is Biblically based, I think they missed a verse or two or maybe two hundred.  Let’s look at just one for now. The apostle Paul wrote, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast” – Ephesians 2:8-9.

Paul said it is by grace that we are saved.  Grace is that undeserved intervention of God – who, out of His goodness, does something for us that we cannot do for ourselves.  He takes spiritually bankrupt people and puts a hefty deposit into our accounts. 

To be saved is to have God redirect our paths from the pit of hell to the pinnacle of heaven. 

Grace is His response to our faith in the divine Lord Jesus, who was crucified for our sins, and then rose again to prove that what He did for us was more than enough. 

Very important is the idea that this salvation is not something that we can earn – it is not of ourselves.  It is the gift of God – not a wage for our work.  If I should attempt to work for something that has been given as a gift – I would insult the giver and steal the generous spirit that prompted it.   But God is the giver of grace, and we, therefore, have no reason to boast. 

And yet the folks in that sect work tirelessly to proselytize.  Just the other day I removed one of their sneaky tracts which was slapped on a gas pump.  They labor to earn a spot in heaven. 

Ironically, they have an aggressive disfellowshipping program, which means they regularly kick people out, which helps to increase the possibility of heaven for those who are left.

And yet Jesus said that once we are in, we can’t be out. He said, “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand – John 10:27-28.

It’s hard to undeserve something that we never deserved in the first place.  We are saved by God’s grace as a response to our faith in Jesus.

Take a moment today and pray.  Tell Him, “Save me Lord for I am a sinner.  I need and I want Jesus and the gift of forgiveness that He died to provide for me.”

A Prayer: Lord help those who misunderstand your gracious liberating truth

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you always

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®

consternation about your location — January 29, 2025

consternation about your location

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We played musical churches.  Cornerstone Church was moving out of their leased facility and our church was moving into it.  Koreen didn’t know that her church, Cornerstone Church, was on the move.  So, the first Sunday that we occupied that space, she showed up for the service as usual. 

Same building, same chair – different congregation.  She knew something was sorta different, but she enjoyed herself anyway.  She figured God brought her to us for a reason.  From that day on she became a beloved part of our church family. 

So, that makes me wonder, “Does it matter where a person is at any point in time?  Is it important to God that I am here rather than there?” 

The Scripture says yes!  God’s sovereign working includes the “where” of a nation (Acts 17:26) and even a person. Solomon wrote, “A person plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps” – Proverbs 16:9.

So, I get it!  God is sovereignly at work in our lives – steering us to the right places, in order to shape and conform us to the image of HIs Son.

OK but what if I am not happy with where I am at the moment?  The single girl is frustrated because she can’t meet a guy in her small town.  The engineer knows he could earn more elsewhere, but he can’t get the first interview.  With so many small children she would like to be closer to grandparents, but it would be too difficult to make a move.

Well, the apostle Paul was not exactly thrilled with his location either.  He found himself in the belly of a dark, disgusting Roman prison cell.  He was a preacher who could not get out and preach. 

But He understood the mysterious and wonderful workings of God and therefore looked for the sovereign hand of God in His circumstances.

He wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that my situation has actually turned out to advance the gospel……and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly” – Philippians 1:12 & 14.

Paul found that because of his incarceration, many others stepped up and began to preach in his stead.  The Gospel preachers multiplied.  Paul learned that he was doing a greater service to God by being in jail than by being out.

– Do you have consternation about your location?  Ask God what He might be trying to teach you through your circumstances?

As a prisoner Paul was expected to provide food and clothing for himself, but he had no way to earn his keep.  Yet, he could say, “I have learned to be content in any circumstance” – Philippians 4:11.

There in prison God was cultivating in Paul the quality of contentedness.  He may be doing the same for you through your circumstances.

– Consternation about your location? Ask God, what character qualities He is developing in you through your circumstances.

In prison, Paul was chained to a Roman guard.  Guess who began to hear the Gospel?  Paul wrote, “The whole imperial guard and everyone else knows that I am in prison for the sake of Christ” – Philippians 1:13.

He used his difficult circumstances to share his faith with those who shackled him. 

– Consternation about your location? Say to the Lord, “OK God, you plopped me in this job, or this neighborhood.  I assume there is someone here that you want me to reach.  Who is it?” 

God has a purpose in every place we find ourselves.  So, this is what I would suggest.  Instead of fighting your location and your circumstances and complaining about your job, or your home, or the town in which you live or the country of which you are a citizen –  

Instead of all that – Look for His purpose in your place.

A PRAYER: Lord, we need a lot of help with this.  Please have your way!

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

Scripture references are from the NETBible ®

how do we know there is a heaven? — January 15, 2025

how do we know there is a heaven?

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I am sometimes asked about the crazy name of my blog, pickleheavenpress!   So what is pickle heaven!  

It is a figment of my imagination!  I was once a poor college student with a lovely wife and 2 darling preschoolers.  Money was tight, but we made it a once-a-week treat to go for some fast food.

The kids would ask, “Daddy, can we go to McDonald’s?”  I would tease them and say, “Well I was thinking I might like to go to that new place called Pickle Heaven.”  Of course it didn’t exist, but they didn’t know that. 

They whined.  They didn’t want a pickle!  “OK McDonald’s it is then.”  Each week for nearly a year, I would suggest Pickle Heaven, but I was always out voted. Then one day I asked, “Where do you all want to eat tonight?”  My 4-year replied, “Daddy, maybe we should try Pickle Heaven.”  Oops. 

My sweet, naïve, children trusted me and assumed that a restaurant called Pickle Heaven actually existed. But what about the heaven we cherish? 

Could it also be a figment of our collective imagination? 

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first man to fly in outer space in 1961.  When he arrived, he looked around the heavens for God.  He didn’t see Him, so he declared, ‘Boga Nyet!’, which translates, ‘There is no God!’

And yet, I certainly believe heaven exists and here’s why. 

The Scripture speaks of it

Scripture is our primary and utterly reliable source of truthful information.  It clearly affirms the existence of heaven.  There is the OT assertion in Psalm 23

 “And I will dwell I the house of the Lord forever.”  And there is the NT corroboration where heaven in mentioned 228 times.  Jesus promised the thief on the cross that the two of them would be together in Paradise that very day they died (Luke 23:43).  If heaven is a piece of fiction, then Jesus misled us.

Belief in heaven is a universal phenomenon

The university of Oxford sanctioned a study involving 57 researchers who conducted over 40 separate studies in 20 countries that represented a diverse range of cultures. Their goal was to find if concepts such as God and an afterlife are taught generation to generation or are they imprinted at birth.  The studies found that belief in an afterlife is a universal and innate part of being a human being.  Throughout time, in every culture and place, people have possessed a belief in the afterlife.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110714103828.htm

This is no surprise!  Solomon described this phenomenon in Ecclesiastes 3:11 saying, “He (God) has set eternity in the hearts of men.”

There have been eyewitnesses to heaven

As a hospice chaplain I have been privileged to hear stories and sometimes even witness the transition of people into the afterlife.  Just recently one of my patients, an elderly Christian woman, was unconscious for a couple of days.  Then she unexpectedly sat up and fixed her gaze on something beyond the walls.  She reached out her hand and said, “Jesus” and then soon passed.  

Just recently my friend lost his daughter to a terminal disease.   According to him, her very last thrill-filled words were, Wow! Wow! Wow! 

Most hospice workers have witnessed similar stories.  

But where is heaven?  We don’t know.  Author Randy Alcorn says, “It’s referred to as “up” in location in the Bible (Luke 9:51) It could be a place in the universe beyond the earth or it may exist entirely outside of our space-time continuum.  (In Light of Eternity, pg. 28)

God hasn’t revealed the exact address of heaven, maybe to avoid the scads of folks who would try to locate it and barge their way in.  Yet, we have proof that there is a heaven, and that Jesus is the way to get there. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6.

I sure hope to see you there!

A PRAYER: Lord, thank You for making room for me and all those I love.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NIV

hair apparent — January 8, 2025

hair apparent

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My son-in-law went to get his hair cut from his regular stylist.  She is a sassy girl – not shy about what she thinks.  He had sprouted somewhat of a beard since his last visit.  She saw it and said, “I don’t like it!” 

She muttered her dislike for the first half of the haircut, and then impulsively

took her razor and drew it down the side of his head, past his ear and onto his face, plowing a clean swath all the way down to the bottom of his chin.  

It was a novel look!  One he didn’t like, so he bowed to her will and she shaved the whole thing away.  

Isn’t it amazing how other people find it so easy to impose their wills upon us?  We live in a world where we are told what pronouns we are allowed to use, what kind of energy will power our cars, and what we must believe about issues of sexuality.  For that matter, my wife frequently tells me to tuck in my shirt.

As far as I know there is only one person who gives us complete freedom of choice. And that would be the Lord.

This was apparent to Adam in the garden.  “The Lord God took the man and placed him in the orchard in Eden to care for it and to maintain it. Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die” – Genesis 2:15-17. 

Adam was forewarned, but certainly not forced.  The Lord allowed him to choose. He could ignore the forbidden fruit and live, or eat of it and die.  I wish elections in this country offered such clear choices. 

Adam and Eve chose poorly, leaving themselves and every child of Eden ever since, to bear the burden of sin and its consequences. 

But in the fullness of time Jesus came to earth, to bear that burden for us.   Peter wrote, “…Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God…”  – 1 Peter 3:18.

Despite the enormous cost to Jesus, we are given complete freedom to receive or reject His gift.

Jesus put it this way in Revelation 3:20, “Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home.”

This was an invitation to those who had believed, and yet it captures the heartfelt invitation that He extends to all of us.  Jesus freely offers everything we need and could ever want, but He politely refuses to barge into our lives and force it upon us.

He stands outside, patiently hoping and waiting that we will turn the deadbolt and push open the door.   He wants an invitation to be an intimate part of our lives, and for us to be a part of His.  He wants to enter our world that we might enjoy an abundant life now and eternal life forever.  

However, as with Adam, there are consequences that come with our choices.  John 3:16 is a sober reminder, “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.”

If you have not done so already, I wonder if you might take some time today to think on this, and if you wish, you too can choose to open the door of your life to Jesus. 

Whisper to Him words like these, “Lord be merciful to me, for I too am a sinner. I am trusting Jesus, the Son of God, to wash me of my sin and give me the gift of eternal life. From this point forward – I am yours.”   

It’s your choice!

A PRAYER: I pray Lord, that each of us would have the wisdom to choose Jesus.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always.

Passages are from the NETBible®

pass the potato — December 25, 2024

pass the potato

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My dad was a simple hardworking truck driver.  He could whip that bobtail through rush hour traffic, but he found it a little harder to navigate social circles.

He was once elected as the president of a local chapter of a fraternal organization and was honored at their annual banquet.  There were several 8 ft. tables, set end-to-end, on an elevated platform at the front, where all the big wigs were seated.  My dad and mom were proudly placed at the center.

Dinner was served which included a big baked potato.  Dad went to forcefully stab it with his fork – but launched the potato instead.   It rolled down the length of the table, end-over-end, past the other surprised diners and then off the edge.

The shepherds of ancient Israel were a lot like my dad except without the potato. 

They were simple unpretentious folk. While the folks in the city wore their stylish clothes, the shepherd was dressed in a drab tunic, topped off with an outer garment which was his coat during the day, his raincoat during a storm, and his blanket during the night.   He was on call 24 hours a day, committed to leading, feeding, protecting and healing his sheep.

He didn’t have much of a life.  He could seldom worship at the temple because his profession put him in a state of perpetual uncleanness.  He was excluded from family life, missing birthday parties and such because he had to be in the field.  His job stunk and often so did he.  It was a very monotonous way of life

Which is why the shepherds of Bethlehem were astounded when an angel sought them out and made them the first to hear of the Savior’s birth.

Luke wrote, “Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger” – Luke 2:8-12.  NETBible ®

The monotony of the meadow was shattered with the appearance of this angel.   He told them that the Savior which all Israel had for so long awaited– that very Savior had just been born in nearby Bethlehem, and they were to go and greet Him.  Then to make his point a multitude of angels appeared and swirled above the bewildered shepherds singing the praises of God (2:13-14).

Those smelly servants of sheep were no longer standing outside the ballpark peeking through a knot hole.  They were on the main stage.

The shepherds followed directions.  “So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger (2:16).

Unlike the magi, they had no expensive gifts to present.  It was only the gift of their attention that they offered to Jesus.

So why would God choose to invite only the dregs of society to the celebration of His Son’s birth? 

It could be any number of reasons.  David was a shepherd, and Jesus was the Son of David.  Or maybe it was because Jesus would one day identify Himself as the Good Shepherd.  Or perhaps it was because the shepherds of Bethlehem tended the sheep destined for sacrifice in the temple nearby and Jesus of course would become the sacrificial Lamb of God. 

Or maybe it was just because God wanted everyone to know that the simple, marginalized, disdained people of this world are most welcome to be with Jesus –  which includes people like you and me – and my dad. 

A PRAYER: Lord, may I be a faithful herald of the Gospel to the marginalized people in my community

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you always. 

O little town of Nazareth — December 18, 2024

O little town of Nazareth

/pickleheavenpress

John Glenn, the first man to orbit the earth was from Ohio.  Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon is also from Ohio.   Someone asked, “If Ohio is such a great place, why does everyone try to get as far away from it as possible?”

God took me from Ohio to Texas where He opened the doors to 32 years of pastoral ministry.   Did God intend for me to become a Texan?

Yes! Paul taught that God sovereignly determines such matters (Acts 17:26).  So, let’s consider Nazareth.  Jesus spent about 30 years of His incarnate existence in that town.  Why did God place Him there?

– It was the fulfillment of prophecy.

Matthew wrote of Joseph, “He came to a town called Nazareth and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus would be called a Nazarene” – Matthew 2:23.   It was obviously important to God’s plan that Jesus be raised there.

– Jesus and Nazareth shared a similar character

Nazareth was an insignificant place.  To get there you would leave the bustling Jezreel Valley, climb a precipitous path to get to an overlook about 350 feet above the valley floor.  This was Nazareth, except you wouldn’t see it because it lay in a basin.

Scholars believe that Nazareth numbered only 100-150. If Jesus’ family was an average size (Mark 6:3) Then the village would have had somewhere between 11-15 families. 

Other towns in the region were known for their industry, academia, or their historical significance, but Nazareth had little to distinguish it – much like Jesus of whom Isaiah said, “He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him – Isaiah 53:2.

– Jesus shared a similar reputation as Nazareth

In John 1:46 Nathanel asked, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  He gave voice to the opinion of many in those days.  People of Galilee were considered to be the equivalent of hillbillies. 

But nearby was a city with a worse reputation. Sepphoris was a wealthy secularized trade center. It was a town full of sinners  

Now here’s the thing, Joseph and Jesus were carpenters who lived in a tiny town.  To make a living it is almost certain that they used their skills to furnish the homes of Sepphoris. 

Some historians believe that this was the very reason that Nazareth existed – as a service town to Sepphoris.  So, it could be said that Nazareth was a town friendly to sinners as was Jesus.  Ironically, His critics called Him, “a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”  – Matthew 11:19.

– Nazareth provided a review of the past

From the overlook in Nazareth, you can see for 30 miles in 3 different directions.   The boy Jesus likely spent a lot of time there taking in the scenery. 

He would have been able to see places associated with Moses, Deborah, Barak, Joshua, David, Elijah and Elisha, Saul, Gideon, Josiah, and the Maccabees.  The view is said to be the most extensive available in Palestine.

God placed Jesus in a village with a panoramic view of the past to remind Him that He had been sent to complete God’s plan of redemption.

– Nazareth provided a preview of the future

At the end of the valley is the place known as Armageddon where the forces of evil will gather in the last days.  God will overthrow them, and Jesus will then return to the earth and bring history to its conclusion.   In Nazareth God planted in Jesus the vision of what lay ahead.

We are deeply imprinted by the culture in which we were raised. So how providential that Jesus was raised in a humble, common-sense place like Nazareth – a place where He would develop a profound appreciation for redemption history and anticipate its future culmination.

So why does God have you where you presently are?

A PRAYER: Why Lord do you have me where I am?

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of our Lord be with you

Scripture references from the NETBible®