I have a leviton programable timer no.vpt24 Your instructions show two wires in the junction box. I only have one wire.I can join the black to black white to white but no wire to join with red wire

I think you are saying that you have 1 romex-cable entering box.
And that 1 cable has a black, white and bare ground wires.

Here's how to wire Leviton's vpt24 timer.
Timer has Red Black White and Green wires.
Connect White and Green wires to bare ground wire.
Connect Black-timer wire to black wire inside box
Connect Red-timer wire to white wire inside box.
Turn power ON, and try timer.
If timer does not work, then reverse Black-timer and Red-timer.

Here is photo of similar wiring using Intermatic timer
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/EI210-wiring-full.jpg

Below is copy of manual:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/VPT24-single-or-3-way.pdf

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