Month: September 2021

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Part of it was fate, part of it was the way a man reacted to the fire of the forge, the wind from the bellows. He had come out all right, but others had been less fortunate. Some men had broken in two like a piece of overheated metal.”

                    –Jory Sherman  (Dawn of Revenge)

       “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”
                    –1 John 3:22 (NASB)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NASB)

Everyone has a worldview.  They may not realize it, and they may not practice it consistently, but everyone has a worldview.  The worldview that John is constantly speaking of, as well as the other writers of the New Testament, is Christian.  In 1 John 3:19-24, we see a concise view of the Christian worldview.  We are of the Truth!
       We are told to worship in “spirit and in truth.”  Truth, then is our worldview.  Truth means reality.  We are to worship in reality–in other words by the Word of God in our life.  We live in a real world, therefore we worship through our lives.  Paul says that our reasonable worship is to be a “living sacrifice.”  We are to look at the world with eyes of the Scripture.
       John, in these verses, also speaks of prayer.  Prayer simply is communion and fellowship with God.  A few things that prayer is not:

               1)  automatic — we must do it.
               2)  “saying a prayer” — i.e., “now I lay me down to sleep…”
               3)  a repetition of certain phrases
               4)  it is not emitting certain desires
               5)  it is not giving expression to beautiful thoughts
               6)  it is not auto-suggestion of some means of psychology
               7)  it is not five minutes a day for your health’s sake

It is “before Him.”  We have conversation with Him, by praying without ceasing.  Have you ever talked to yourself?  Then talk to God the same way.  Converse with Him.  Remember the words of Acts 17:28, “for in Him we live and move and exist” (NASB).  It is important for us to understand that we are before God.  He is with us; He is the God who is there.  We walk with Him just as His disciples did in days of yore.  He is the one who leads, and directs, and guides.
       We are free from condemnation, however, there should be self-examination.  Paul states that before we partake of the Lord’s Supper we should examine ourselves.  Before sleeping at night we should examine ourselves.  We don’t beat ourselves up, we don’t live in guilt, because that is taken care of at the cross.  In our time of conversation with the Lord, we should remember to listen.  While we are talking we are in control, we need to get to the point where He is in control.  Someone has put it this way, don’t hide things from God for His x-ray eye is upon us.  Don’t, do not, ever, ever, ever forget that we are children of God.  He longs for us to speak with Him, to tell Him about our day, to plan with Him our tomorrows.

                    “If I live the life, keeping the commandments and loving my brethren, that is proof that I am being controlled by the Holy Spirit, and in that state the Holy Spirit is dictating my prayer to me, and that prayer will be answered.  But if I am not living the life, then my petitions are probably arising from the flesh, from my own carnal nature, and I must not be surprised and disappointed if my requests are not answered and granted to me.”
                                          –D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

     Be honest.  Be humble.  Be willing to be guided.  Don’t try to fool God by telling Him something that might sooth His ego, or tickle His ears.  His is not man, He cannot be manipulated.  He is our Father, we are His children.  

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Don’t you pay no mind to circumstances. You work hard and keep your eye on the Lord. He’ll have His eye on you.”

                    –Reg Quist  (Mac’s Way)
 
        “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  Amen”
                    –Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
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There’s a great day coming…  When?
There’s a great day coming…  How long do we wait?

To answer the question to the above.  There’s a great day coming, by and by…
      People throughout the ages have asked that question, when is the Lord going to return?  How long do we wait for His returning?  The world is wicked, doesn’t He see that?  Is now the appointed time?  Those questions and more have been asked since the day of the Lord’s ascension to heaven.  I will simply answer–in the fullness of time.  Paul used that phrase in regard to the first advent of Jesus.  There was only one moment, one perfect time in history where Jesus could be born and fulfill all the prophecies regarding Him.  It will be the same with His return.  There will be only one moment, one perfect time in history for His return to catch His bride away.  From all appearances it could be any moment now.
       I would call your attention to a verse in 2 Peter:

                    “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
                                              –2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

God is patient!  He is not indifferent, but He is waiting.  Not only waiting for that right moment to send Jesus back, but also waiting to see that last person say “yes” in accepting Jesus as their Savior.  Right now there is still opportunity, there is still  hope.  Perhaps the trumpet is set to the lips, but the sound has not yet come forth and until it does, there is still hope for one more person.  His mercy is stopping the trumpet from sounding, but soon…soon.
       Until that time our purpose, no our duty, no our great commission is to seek the lost, to provide them the gospel.  However, I have seen some recent studies that are alarming.  Only twenty-nine percent of Christians say that evangelism is necessary.  That’s appalling!  Preaching and teaching the Gospel is what we are about.  Yet less than one-third believe that it is urgent.  The world is evil, but many in the church are complacent.  Another study showed that only fifty percent know what the Great Commission is.  Staggering!
Perhaps this will lead to the coming of the Lord–those in the church forsaking their responsibility.

                    “There’s a great day coming, a great day coming,
                    There’s a great day coming by and by;
                    When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left,
                    Are you ready for that day to come?”
                                   –Will L. Thompson

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
Not much else was said, so I dozed most of the way to Silverton only waking up at the water stations.  The sky was clear and blue as can be.  Soon the aspen leaves will be turning to gold.  Maybe I’ll bring Molly on a trip to see them, or even better yet we could ride up the canyon for a ways, camp out, and just enjoy being alone for a change.  I know she faces people every day, and I do as well on my job.  It’ll be a plan, I decided.
       Charlie went straight to the marshal’s office to see if anything was happening.  He really didn’t think so since Shy was recuperating, but he thought he better check the jail anyway.  We really didn’t know where Shy was.  In fact, I didn’t know if Silverton had another doctor since Webb had died.  This was a rough and tumble town and it needed a decent doctor, two really.  I told him we’d meet at Flo’s Cafe after I checked us in at the hotel.
       I stopped by the Wells Fargo office as was my habit.  I worked through that office a few years back and got to know the clerks fairly well.  Morgan Appleby was still there but Dick Fletcher had been transferred to Leadville and the newer clerk, Troy Linton up and quit.  He left for parts unknown.  Tom Shuman and John Collins were the new clerks and Morgan introduced them to me.  
       Morgan poured a cup of coffee for me without me even asking and smiled when he handed it to me.  We made some small talk, then he asked why I was up in Silverton.  I told him I traveled up with the Sheriff regarding the recent demise of Asa Stokes, the town marshal.  I was informed that the vet over at the stables worked on Shy.  Morgan thought that he was shot in the hip breaking the tip of the bone, and also below the ribcage.  As far as he knew Shy was still in bed.  He was in bed over at the late Dr. Webb’s house.  The vet, Terrel Davenport, secured the help of Mrs. Yardley and one of the girls from the a saloon on Blair Street.  She was not one of the working girls, just worked in the saloon for the atmosphere her lovely face provided.
       “From what I hear,” Morgan began to inform me, “it’s been pretty rowdy up there.  Several fights and shootings, and we have no one to corral them.  I hope Sheriff Gold stays around for a while.”
       I thanked him for the coffee, then shook hands with Shuman and Collins and departed for the hotel.  There was one room left so I booked it.  I didn’t know the plans.  Charlie might decide to stay at the jail.  I remember the many nights I slept down at the Wells Fargo office.  I didn’t know what time Charlie would make it down to Flo’s, the office was only a half a block up the street.
       When I stepped in the eatery was about half full.  Miners ate at various times during the day, and several residents of the town would make their appearance at Flo’s as the place was known to serve good food.  I waited for several seconds, looking the room over and letting my eyes adjust.  It probably wasn’t as necessary as it would be if I entered a saloon, but in my trade a person can’t be too careful.  
       A waitress saw me standing there and came over.  “May I help you, sir?” she inquired.
       I saw her take a lingering look at the shotgun I was holding.  It was a required companion almost everywhere I traveled and especially here in Silverton.  I pointed, “Is that table available?”  It was back in the corner.  She led the way and then went for a menu.  I told her to bring two as I was expecting company.  Taking off my hat, I looked carefully around the room to see if I recognized anyone from my past that I knew, or maybe even from a wanted poster I had seen.
       My eyes stopped briefly on one man, then continued to rove, but came back to the man.  Some place in the back of my mind I seemed to recall seeing that person.  As I sipped my coffee I would take a glance now and again at the person.  I didn’t want to appear that I was staring at him.  As I started on my second cup, I thought of what Morgan said about hoping that Charlie stayed around for a while.  After what he told me on the train that might not be so good, but then again, he couldn’t let the riff-raff take over the town.  That had happened all too often in Silverton.  I had seen the same thing in Tincup.       
       It seemed like Charlie was taking quite a spell to arrive.  I know we had eaten on the way up on the train, but that was now several hours ago.  The waitress came by to top my cup several times and I would shrug my shoulders and tell her that I’m still waiting.  Finally Charlie came in the door and when he did I saw the man I had noticed earlier stiffen.  Charlie didn’t notice and came right over to where I was sitting.
       He seemed a little downcast.  “Miles, I’m going to stay over.  I hate to do this to you, but would you try explaining to Marta the situation?”
       I was looking past him, not paying any attention but closely watching the man.
       Then chaos broke out, the man jumped to his feet, turned, drawing his pistol.  I dropped the Greener and fell to the table, made a loud clatter, and drew my pistol firing under the table.  Then I brought my gun up, I fired again my bullet knocking the man back against his table.  
       After the shots, the room became deathly quiet.  Charlie’s eyes were wide, but he stood up with a gun in hand and went to the table.  The two men with the man I shot had their hands in the air.  I thanked the Lord that the man’s first bullet was fired too quickly and hit the floor under Charlie’s chair.  My first one caught him in the lower leg, and the second one took away his life.
       I stayed at the table while Charlie talked to the other two men.  He emptied the pockets of the dead man and when he was satisfied he came back to me.  He threw a few coins of gold and a jack knife on the table.  “Miles,” he sighed, “I’m so glad you didn’t fire that Greener over my shoulder.  I think my heart would have given out.”
       “Who was he?” I asked.  “He was ready to shoot you in the back.”
       “Feller there said that he went by Shawley,” he replied.  Then turned back to look at the man as his two companions were carrying him out.  “Hold it!” he yelled.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

It seems to me a man comes into this world with a little ready raw material—himself. His folks can only give him a sort of push, and a mite of teaching, but in the long run what a man becomes is his own problem. There’ve always been hard times, there’ve always been wars and troubles—famine, disease, and such-like—and some folks are born with money, some with none. In the end it is up to the man what he becomes, and none of those other things matter. In horses, dogs, and men it is character that counts.”

               –Louis L’Amour (Chancy)

       “You must not fear them, for the LORD your God Himself fights for you.”
              –Deuteronomy 3:22(NKJV)
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If Psalm 64 isn’t for us today, I don’t what is.  In these times of questions and perplexities we often complain as we see David doing in the words of this Psalm.  He seeks protection from the Lord.  The first few verses he tells of the adversities that he faces, then he finishes with God’s faithfulness to him and how people will stand in awe when they see God’s working.

       1 — Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
       2 — Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
       3 — Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows–bitter words,
       4 — That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
       5 — They encourage themselves in an evil matter; they talk of laying snares secretly; they say, “Who will see them?”
       6 — They devise iniquities:  “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”  Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
       7 — But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly they shall be wounded.
       8 — So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; all who see them shall flee away.
       9 — All men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider His doing.
      10 — The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and trust in Him.  And all the upright in heart shall glory.  (NKJV)

     First, I want to call your attention to verse 1.  The NKJV softens the term by using meditation.  Literally the translation should be “complaint.”  Do you find yourself complaining about the situation in the world?   Complaining about Afghanistan, about the bureaucrats, about the troubles you have, about those who have died, about life in general.  You complain that nothing is being done.  My, my doesn’t verses 1-6, sound like the liberal politicians and the liberal media.  They encourage themselves by doing more evil.  They plot and scheme.
     We find that we are in the midst of evil-doers.  Those that plot and scheme against us, and against the kingdom of God.  We wait for God to remove the danger, but He does not, He shelters us from its force.  George O. Wood suggest this as a possible scenario, “Is it possible the Lord allows our problems to remain just long enough get a psalm from us, to genuinely shape our character, to forever change us, to provide an occasion of remembrance of His acts on our behalf so we might forever praise Him?”
     I know I have looked at the faces of those in leadership positions who exemplify those that David is talking about.  I can see their smug faces and their arrogance.  Then I have seen those same attitudes of smugness and arrogance on the faces of those who have come against me at times in my life.  Woe is me, and anger begins to simmer….
     But wait!  Read the rest of the Psalm.  God comes against them.  He has finally said, enough is enough!  There comes a time and place when he will no longer allow iniquity show its ugly face.  Yes, the reality of the situation may be in verses 1-6, but the conclusion of the matter is found in verses 7-10.  God is always in control.  Remember, He knows the outcome even before the situation arises.

               “When your enemies assail and your heart begins to fail,
                Don’t forget that God in heaven answers prayer;
                He will make a way for you and will lead you safely through–
                Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”
                           –Charles A. Tindley