He was following a duty, and this duty impelled him to make his greatest effort.”
–James Oliver Curwood (The River’s End)
“You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness. Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours a person more righteous than he?”
–Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19 (RSV)
“In other words, we know what it is to be grieved by the sin of this world; we do not merely look at the world with a political eye or with a social eye or with an eye of benevolence. No, we see things as God Himself sees them. Evil becomes a reality, sin becomes a reality in the new sense, and we see these powers, these evil forces that are in the world and which are manipulating the life of the world in their enmity against God and we are concerned about that. We feel that God is in it and that we are likewise in it, in that we are concerned to bring the purposes of God to pass. We meditate, we pray; we do everything that we are capable of in furthering the kingdom of light, so that the kingdom of evil may be finally routed. We are sharers in God’s thought and in God’s enterprise and in God’s whole interest in this life and world.”
–D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Think hard about the about statement. How do you look upon the political scene? Is it through the eyes of God’s Word, or through your own opinions? Are you serving the Lord or are you serving the culture or are you serving yourself? Are you a friend of God or the friend of the world? The answers to these questions are important if you are really concerned about having a relationship, being in fellowship with the Father.
Fellowship means that things are shared. If the Holy Spirit is grieved, are you grieved? Are you a partaker in the things of God, and part of that means picking up your cross daily and following Him? If you are to have true fellowship, a real relationship then you will have shared interests and shared purposes.
There must be an intense desire to do the will of God. It is not in word only, but throughout all aspects of life. We should hunger and thirst after righteousness, not our own desires. In fact, His desires should become our desires. There is promise of the Scripture that is ours to believe and take to heart, however, most only take the second have. Remember, that all promises have a condition. Look at Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (NKJV) Most claim the second phrase, but forget that for God to give us the desires of our heart we must first delight in Him and in doing that we will have the desires of His heart.
Look at what Paul writes, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13, NKJV). We need to read the Word of God to know His will. He is with us through the journey of life. He leads us; He reveals His will to us; He opens doors and shuts them; sometimes He puts up barriers and obstacles as well as removing them, and He will deal with us. I read recently that, “Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.”
Month: March 2021
The Saga of Miles Forrest
Charlie Gold was sitting with me in the diner sharing coffee and looking over the telegrams I had received. Queens was not known in New Mexico Territory, but Marshal Wilcox thanked me for taking care of “the Scorpion” Rafael Garcia. He was not a big time outlaw, but was known for his recklessness and attitude. Pepe was a known killer and the two of them were beginning to cause concern in northern New Mexico.
Both Blasco, Colorado, and McCoy, Kansas, said that Queens was not known to have committed any crimes but had shot several men in fights. I also received a note from Dave Cook, brought down by the train from Silverton. Cook said that Queens was a dangerous man, quick to anger, and he thought malicious. So far Stan Offut had not said anything to Queens, but I reckoned sooner or later he would. At least Queens wouldn’t know about Cook’s telegram.
“What do you think the Judge will do?” asked Charlie after wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve.
Molly was walking up to the table, so I dared not do what Charlie did. Instead I took another swallow as she sat down watching me closely. I touched my mouth with the table linen and received a smile from Molly, then rubbed down my moustache with thumb and forefinger.
“Don’t know, that’s why I want to talk with him before deciding whether or not to bring charges,” I responded.
“Oh, Miles, you’re really not going to charge those children with horse-stealing, are you?” questioned Molly. “And Lucas, he just got caught up in something.”
I stood to take the coffeepot off the stove behind me, and refilled Charlie’s cup, then poured Molly a cup and topped mine off. “That’s just it. He’s got to know that he can’t be led around by the wrong crowd. Remember also, Two-Bits was one of the horses he stole.”
Charlie took over from there. “If it had been some rancher’s horses, say Cecil Thompson for example, most likely we would have found Lucas and Fernando dangling from a tree.”
“It’s bad enough that those boys have been sitting in that jail cell waiting for the Judge to return,” snapped Molly before tasting her coffee.
Marta happened to hear what she said, “No, Molly. If Lucas was not in the jail, I would have wringed his stupid neck!”
That brought a chuckle from Charlie who lowered his head placed his forehead in his hand. He’d already been caught. “What? You think this is funny, my husband? It is not!”
“No dear, I was just imagining you grabbing hold of Lucas, that’s all,” he said trying to be solemn.
I reached out and took the telegrams from Charlie and handed them to Molly. “Looks like Queens is not wanted for anything, but his reputation is not the best.”
“Hmpf,” she muttered, “I could have told you that. When are you to meet with Judge Klaser?”
I looked up at the large banjo clock on the wall, one of the few things that Molly had from her mother. “Fifteen minutes,” I stated, then swallowed the rest of my coffee. “Let’s go Sheriff.”
When we arrived at the Judge’s office, he was standing by his office door to greet us so his secretary wouldn’t have to ask why we were there. He pointed at us and motioned us to follow him into the office. Charlie shut the door behind him.
“Sit down!” he ordered gruffly which was not his normal character. “Now, explain this to me again.”
I went through the scenario of what took place, to which I received a sort of a grunt from time to time from the Judge. When I was finished, he asked, “Are you sure you want to place charges against them? It would be at least five years in the pen.”
Glancing over at Charlie, then back to the Judge with a frown on my face. “I don’t want them to go to prison, but I do want to teach them a lesson.”
Judge Klaser then began to stroke his beard and at the end of each stroke he muttered, “hmmm.” After stroking his beard for several seconds, he scratched his head and cleared his throat with a cough. “I can do this, Miles. But understand this, they will have a record. I can commute their sentence and put them on probation. They will answer to you or Charlie, whoever is available. For six months they will muck the streets or Durango, make sure the community troughs are filled, the wood at all public buildings is cut and stacked. They will report to you at the end of every week, giving you a written report of their work. They are to be available to do any other work that may be required by the community. Oh, and they will attend church with you each Sunday,” he stopped to look at me, then over to Charlie. “Any questions? If not, court date is tomorrow morning.”
“One more thing,” he offered as we started to leave. “They’ll be charged with public mischief and endangerment to property.”
Charlie opened the door and stepped out. I was just about to do so when the Judge hollered, “Miles, hold on a minute.”
I went back to the desk. “Have you heard anything about Queens?”
“Not wanted for anything,” I replied, “but thought to be a dangerous man.”
He nodded then waved me away. Charlie was waiting for me outside and we went down to the jail to tell the “criminals” of their court date. When we walked in Lucas was standing outside the cell with his back against the adjacent one with a look of total fear on his face. Mike Queens was in the cell with Fernando…
Echoes From the Campfire
A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner, so if one’s life is cold and bare he can blame none but himself.”
–Louis L’Amour (Bendigo Shafter)
“Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”
–Philippians 2:16(NKJV)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are children of God and that all the rest of the world around us is under Satan’s power and control.” –1 John 5:19 TLB)
In the last several decades the majority of people have said that the most important thing about going to church is the fellowship. I wonder if that is true now. The “pandemic” has put a damper on fellowship, but an important part of the church is fellowship–first with God, then with other believers. To close church doors when they most need to be open is next to blasphemy.
True fellowship is broken because of sin. Sin has put up a barrier and man cannot face God apart from the Cross. Man was doomed to God’s wrath, but God’s wrath fell upon the head of Jesus Christ. Now, through Jesus, the barrier is down and man can have fellowship with God.
To have fellowship there must be a fundamental sameness. You are no longer of the world so you do not have the sameness of the world, fellowship with the world is broken.
“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
–2 Corinthians 6:14 (NKJV)
“By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
–2 Peter 1:4 (NKJV)
Yet so many “Christians” want their part with the world and have fellowship with God. That cannot be! The Cross put you on one side, so why yearn for where you once were? We share His life, we share His nature, and we are to produce His fruit. Christ now lives in us, we are no longer bound by sin and under the sway of the world–the evil one.
To have fellowship there must also be the love of the same things. “A man’s own character will necessarily be determined by the character of the god whom he worships,” so stated William Barclay. You are of God therefore you need to know His character so that yours will begin to look like His. If you actually seek fellowship (relationship) there are certain things a Christian must believe. True fellowship (relationship) will bring true doctrine and practice. Fellowship means that things are shared–do you know enough of God’s Word to input them into your life? There are shared interests and shared purposes.
“You cannot have communion, you cannot have conversation with a person without knowing that person–there is nothing distant, there is an intimacy and a knowledge.”
–D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Take some of the things you do and see if they line up with God’s Word. When a curse word erupts from your mouth, remember the Lord is there–did you embarrass your Friend? When you became angry, did you feel the tap of the Holy Spirit on your shoulder? Saturday comes around, what are your plans? Did you consult the Lord to see if they are okay with Him? Remember, if you love Him, you will keep His commandments (John 14:15).
Coffee Percs
If you come a-visiting, the coffee’s always on. If you come hunting trouble, why I reckon we can stir you up a mess of that.”
–Louis L’Amour (We Shaped the Land With Our Guns)
Welcome, Pard, just poured the cup for yuh, as I saw yuh comin’ up. Boy, have I got a few things to spew this mornin’ but first let’s indulge some of that tasty brew I made.
From what I’m a-hearin’ the new high bureaucrat, Biden by name said he is ready to send unwarranted officers into yur house for yur guns. Now, ain’t that somethin’?! They let the idiots burn cities–Antifa, BLM–but now they want the guns of legal, law-abiding citizens. They want to defund the police, but he wants to send the police into yur house. I understand the atrocities of recent weeks, especially in my hometown of Boulder, but the problem is not the gun. The problem is not even the person holdin’ the gun. The problem is sin, but now they want to put a muzzle on those who preach against sin. Pard, it’s just a circle of idiocies.
I could go on longer, but I know the bile will start to churn in yur liver and soon yur gizzard will be upset and yu’ll be no good the rest of the day. Take another deep swaller, an’ I’ll say only one more thing. This feller has been in office two months an’ there is already more stupidity seen comin’ out of his mouth and the mouths of other bureaucrats.
Good thing the coffee tastes good, for what’s on the horizon is sure foggy. Notice the price of groceries lately, and the price of gas? Time for me to stop. For all this jawin’ ain’t goin’ to do a bit of good. We’re all goin’ to pay the price an’ I’m not just talkin’ ’bout money.
We need to enter the rest of the Lord. That is where we need to be in troublesome times. It’s kinda like sittin’ in the saddle knowin’ yuh checked yur cinch and can rest easy in the saddle.
Vaya con Dios.