Remember—never forget who you are and treat all men as friends until they prove differently.”
–Bobby Cavazos (The Cowboy From the Wild Horse Desert)
“The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.”
–Proverbs 19:23 (NKJV)
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It was with concern that I read where the city bureaucrats of New York have finally forced Samaritan’s Purse from their domain. One of the most renown benevolent distributors have been rejected because of its founder, Franklin Graham. It is because Rev. Graham stands for the authority of the Word of God and the truth it presents. Folks this is dangerous.
“And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”
–Matthew 11:23-24 (NKJV)
And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
–Mark 6:11 (NKJV)
Have these people just sealed their doom? In Matthew, Jesus is speaking about Capernaum. It was not a spectacular city, but it was a place where he healed many, and had done miracles. They had seen His power and His compassion, but they were coming to a point of rejecting Him. This had been His home base during His ministry on earth.
In Mark, Jesus is speaking to any place that rejects the message of the Gospel. Sodom and Gomorrah were immoral cities; they were know for their perverted lifestyle. Yet Jesus makes reference to them and to the fact that those cities that refuse the hear the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ would face eternal destruction. Sodom had not heard the message of Christ, but these places where the disciples are going are being given the Gospel.
If the message of Christ is not heeded, they were instructed to “shake of the dust from under your feet as a testimony against them.” It is good that we remember that the disciples’ message, the message of the Bible, is one that brings judgment as well as salvation. The Holy Spirit either convicts or condemns, then it is up to the receiver to choose. They can repent when they hear the Good News or they can choose to be condemned.
We live in perilous times; times in which the Word of God is being preached, and from what I understand thousands are coming to the Lord. Yet, at this same time others are rejecting the truth of God’s Word; they are falling away. I saw where one bureaucrat had a paper upon which was written, “how Jesus helped in the pandemic,” and below the title it was blank. Woe, for it will be better for Sodom in the day of judgment.
In this time, this current time on earth, rejoice! Again rejoice, for this is an opportunity for you to present the Word of God, not necessarily in your words, but through your actions and attitudes. Take comfort in His promises, trust always in Him, and to use that King James expression for the Holy Spirit–remember He is our Comforter.
Month: May 2020
Echoes From the Campfire
Sometimes I wonder if anything is ever ended. The words a man speaks today live on in his thoughts or the memories of others, and the shot fired, the blow struck, the thing done today is like a stone tossed into a pool and the ripples keep widening out until they touch lives far from ours.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Daybreakers)
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
–1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)
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I didn’t want to get out of my Monday and Tuesday routine, so I waited until today to discuss a milestone. A few weeks back, Kim asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner. My response was steak, either twice-baked potatoes or hashbrowns, green beans, and homemade bread. Annie asked if I wanted cake or pie. Now, my preference always runs to pie, so I got a little compromise out of her and she made me mini-pies for the weekend and a cake for my birthday. So, while I’m on the subject of food and my birthday dinner I thought I should put forth one of my favorite poems. It’s titled: “Here’s to Steak.”
Here’s to that steak
Thick and juicy and sizzlin’
Cooked in the camp tent
When the weather was drizzlin’
With scaldin’ black coffee
Ate that steak with my knife
Now…what’s better in life?
–Vance Wampler
If you want to imagine that juicy, luscious steak go ahead, or go my facebook page for a picture of pure delight.
So I reached that capstone birthday–70. That’s the days we’re allotted. Anything more is a bonus, but I reckon that the Lord has given me five years of bonus time already. This coming June, it will have been five years since my heart attack; I had 100% blockage, so from that time till now it has been bonus time the Lord has given me on this old earth.
“The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only of labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”
–Psalm 90:10 (NKJV)
For sure now, every day is a bonus. Five years since the old ticker went whammee, and now the big seventy. The Lord sure has been good to me through all those years. He has met all of our needs, and blessed in many other ways as well. My prayer is now that I don’t waste away the added hours and days; that they’ll go in serving Him one way or another.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes.
The Saga of Miles Forrest
Take him to jail, Sheriff,” I said motioning toward Olson.
“Os, get out some paper and write exactly what you saw and heard,” I ordered Oswald Dierker the bartender at Olson’s saloon. “I want it dated, and signed. Sheriff, before you take off with Olson I want you to read what Os wrote, then sign it.”
I turned my attention back to McCall who was now standing. “McCall, I don’t understand you. I even vouched for you to the city council.”
His face turned into a snarl, and he lashed out. “Forrest, you’ll pay for this.” He dropped his hand lower toward the butt of his gun. I stepped on his hand and it sounded as if I broke a bone, but it would have been in his little finger. Painful, a little, would it keep him from handling a gun, slightly maybe.
“Go ahead, give it a try,” I challenged him.
“I’m faster than you, Forrest!” he asserted.
“Your call, I’m waitin’.”
Quickly he placed both hands on the table. He must have figured there was just enough damage and pain to slow him down and he didn’t figure on eating some of my lead.
“I’ll be back for you,” I informed him then picked up the Greener, took the two shells from my vest pockets and loaded it.
Walking out of the saloon I turned to my left starting up the street toward Foster’s mercantile. There was always a pleasant atmosphere in his store, largely due to his daughter who kept the shelves straight and stocked. When I walked in she was standing on a little ladder dusting shelves.
“Hello, Darnelle, your father around?” I asked.
“Why, Marshal Forrest, I haven’t seen you in several weeks. Where have you been keeping yourself? And yes, he is in the backroom. Daddy! You’ve a visitor!” She stepped down from the ladder and stood behind the counter busying herself straightened out jars filled with different kinds of candies.
She always made me grin. “Been chasing badmen down in New Mexico. Bad deal,” I informed her.
Fear ran across her face for a moment. “You didn’t get hurt?”
Shaking my head, “No’m, but two U.S. Marshals were seriously wounded. The Lord kept His hand on me.”
“Why, Miles, welcome. I didn’t know you were back. What can I do for you?” inquired Wilson Foster.
“Mister Foster,” I began. I always liked him and his wife, a good man, but at times he was sort of weak-kneed. “Has McCall asked you for money for his protection?”
He started blinking his eyes rapidly then looked down. “Uh, why Miles, whatever do you mean?”
“Wilson, don’t play games with me! If you’re hidin’ somethin’ I’ll find it out! Now answer me!”
I glanced at Darnelle; her eyes were wide. “Daddy, tell him!” she snapped.
My stare went back to Foster. “I’m waitin’.”
“Uh, well, he called it ‘insurance,'” responded Foster. “It’s just twenty-five dollars a month. No real big deal.”
I wanted to slap him silly. “It’s called extortion! An officer of the law doesn’t protect you for money; it’s part of his sworn duty.”
Upon receiving the information I was needing I turned to walk out tipping my hat, “Darnelle.”
Going across the street to John Newsome’s shop I hoped he wouldn’t be as mealy-mouthed as Foster. He was over at a counter rearranging some of the ladies’ wear. This was a shop that I wanted to be out of quickly and so I go right to the point and he answered me the same.
I stopped to see Rufus, owner of the Broken Drum, and he was quick to answer my question. The charge for him was to be thirty-five dollars since he was competition with Olson. I liked Rufus, didn’t care much for his occupation, but he was an honest man.
One more stop, I didn’t have to go to every store, but I wanted a fair sampling. On down the street, back toward the diner next to the telegraph office was Solly Vendor’s cigar store. The same story, McCall was planning on making a tidy some from these businesses. I had enough evidence to arrest McCall so I headed back up toward Olson’s saloon.
McCall wasn’t there. Looking at Os, he just opened his hands shrugging his shoulders. As I started to walk out I heard the shot of a small caliber pistol, then the boom of a .45…
Echoes From the Campfire
If somebody does you dirt and gets caught at it, they hate you all the more.”
–Louis L’Amour (Chancy)
“For the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.”
–Isaiah 57:20 (NKJV)
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Psalm 38 shows a tremendous cry for help from David. He didn’t bother with any of his accusers, even though they were falsely accusing him. He showed restraint in not acting against them. W. Graham Scroggie said, “When we answer back, we may win a battle and lose the campaign; but when we are silent we may lose a battle but shall win the campaign. It is well to sacrifice a passing victory for the sake of the final triumph.”
David went to the Lord with his sin, asking for forgiveness, but did not answer his critics. Meditate on the words of this portion of Psalm 38.
13 – I am like a deaf person; I do not hear. I am like a speechless person who does not open his mouth.
14 – I am like a man who does not hear and has no arguments in his mouth.
15 – I put my hope in You, Lord; You will answer, Lord my God.
16 – For I said, “Don’t let them rejoice over me—those who are arrogant toward me when I stumble.”
17 – For I am about to fall, and my pain is constantly with me.
18 – So I confess my guilt; I am anxious because of my sin.
19 – But my enemies are vigorous and powerful; many hate me for no reason.
20 – Those who repay evil for good attack me for pursuing good.
21 – Lord, do not abandon me; my God, do not be far from me.
22 – Hurry to help me, Lord, my Savior. (HCSB)
There are those who love to gloat over another’s misery, whether it be a mistake, or failure, or sin. They are smug in their satisfaction of seeing a righteous man fail. David finally puts that aside, realizing that his hope is in the Lord and not in the vain thoughts of his enemies.
Why was David being attacked so mercilessly? Because he pursued good. He didn’t go along with plans for evil. He did not call evil good and good evil; he stood for the right. He knew they were powerful, but he would put his trust in the Lord. In that, he cried out to the Lord to be his immediate help.
“Be still, my soul! The Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! Thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”
–Katharina von Schlegel
It our iniquity and in our quandary the Lord might not give us an immediate answer or immediate relief. He might allow the process to continue in our life until we finally realize the lesson and call in deep sincerity upon Him. Keep your trust in Him no matter your situation, whether it is induced by others or by your sin. “He wants our obedience at His first call, but He will accept our surrender even after many invitations have been spurned.” (George O. Wood) Lean on Him, and tell your soul to “be still.”