Month: December 2021

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

God loves to restore hope in our lives, heal our emotional wounds and give us peace, even during the toughest times.”
                    –Kenneth S. Pratt (The Wolves of Windsor Ridge)

       “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

                    –John 14:27 (NLT)
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December, the month we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  A wonderful season, a spectacular time of the year.  It is also a busy month and time can get away from us if we are not careful to guard it.  Throughout the month I will be throwing in a Christmas lesson for the Echo.  Today I want to look at a verse that is sometimes seen in the wrong perspective.

             “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
                              –Luke 2:14 (KJV)

At first glance it seems as if God’s peace will be unto all men.  And in one way it is, but there is a requirement–to accept Jesus as Lord of one’s life.  Then, and only then is there peace.  Look at this verse from other versions and I think you will see the difference.

               “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”  (NASB)
               “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (NIV)
               “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” (RSV)
               “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!” (HCSB)

Peace comes upon those with whom God is pleased.  The world is angry, full of evil and there is no peace except a person rest in the person of Jesus Christ.
       The world cries for peace.  They search for it, committees are formed to bring it, there is even an organization that is supposedly dedicated with the purpose of bringing and keeping world peace–the United Notions (Nations).  Man seeks peace and then there is a murder, a massacre, a pestilence, a war and suddenly peace is gone–it seems futile to try, yet men do.
       How does man seek to find peace?  Many are his efforts and his cry is “Give me peace!”
               1)  He tries to forget God.  It is the remembrance of God that troubles a sinner.  Why is there always such a turmoil around Christmas?  Because it reminds people of God and that they are sinners, therefore, man tries to keep God at a distance or even to ignore His existence.  They try to thrust Him out of their thoughts, their heart, their minds, their conscience hoping then that they might have peace.
               2)  Man attempts to follow the world.  The heart must be filled so they attempt to fill it with the things of the world.  Pleasure, gaiety, business, folly, entertainment, wealth, friends, and a host of others.  Many try to find peace, but in vain.
               3)  Man will attempt to gain peace by working hard and denying self.  He works hard to avoid thoughts of peace, and he thinks that by working hard he will find the good that is not in him.  Hard labor is fruitless to find peace.  It does not pacify the conscience or assure him of pardon.
               4)  Some seek peace in religion.  However, he does not know that true religion is the fruit or result of peace found, not the way to get it.  He may be involved in the church; he may fast and pray; he may observe and celebrate with the church, but to no avail–peace is still as far off as ever.
               5)  Some will seek to escape from the world to find peace by using the things of the world.  They will indulge in perversions, drugs, alcohol, and other devastating habits to rid themselves of the lack of peace that they cannot find.  Some will even use the great and final escape of suicide to find peace.
      Man wants peace, but he takes his own way of getting it, not God’s.   To find peace one must go to the cross.  It is the babe of the manger who hung on the cross for our sins that we find peace.  “Come unto me…I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)  In other words, to find peace one must accept Christ.  Someone has asked what is peace?  “It is peace of conscience; peace with God; peace with the law of God; peace with the holiness of God.  It is reconciliation, friendship, fellowship…” (Bonar)
      Christmas shows us the way to having peace.  The Son of God was given to man as a baby to grow to become the sacrifice that gives us divine peace.  He is the Prince of Peace and He gives that to us as we live in this sick, wicked, and evil world.  The world cries for peace–the believer has peace.
[Much of the above comes from the writings of Horatius Bonar]

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He would admit, when he looked into a mirror, that his hair and his whiskers showed about as much gray as brown, but that was a sign of maturity and reliability.”

                    –Elmer Kelton  (The Smiling Country)

       “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
                    –Hebrews 9:28(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 that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NASB)

Sometimes it is hard to be a loving person, except for self-love, in this crazy, insane world.  Why, just look at what has happened in the past couple of weeks, and can you feel the love oozing for Mr. Rittenhouse after he was found innocent.  We should be nodding our heads that justice did its job, but no, hatred is all around.  Yet in spite of the hatred, the terror, the evil, we are called to love, especially those of the household of faith.
       There is a tendency to live for self, to live for the moment.  I want that and I want it now.  Eve’s sin was that she wanted to taste of the fruit–she wanted it.  She didn’t take much time to think of the eternal consequences, but I want to taste it now.  We must remember that our life is not an automatic kind of life–our life is a continuous whole.  The whole of life must always be present in our minds, and we must always be doing everything in the light of its eternal consequences.  That is one reason why a biblical worldview is so vital; the world must be seen through the lenses of the Bible.
       We abide in God, therefore we must abide in love.  It is hard to love the “unlovely,” and it can be done only through the Holy Spirit.  Some people find it easier to love others, or should I say, show compassion to others, than others.  The final proof that God dwells in us and we in Him is that we love.  

               “By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.”
                              –1 John 4:17 (NASB)

Love has been perfected in us.  Know that salvation is more than pardon and forgiveness.  It is the beginning of sanctification.

               “that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
                              –Titus 2:14(NASB)

Love produces good works.  There is the doctrine of sanctification; one that is hatred and often neglected.  Yet we are to be a sanctified person.  The test of sanctification is humility.  So many people look at sanctification with a negative perspective:  I can’t do this, I can’t do that, no to this, no to that.  Sanctification is not the deliverance from certain sins, but of becoming more and more like Him.
       Now is the day of salvation!  Time will end at death–no longer can it be redeemed.  Our abiding in Jesus and having His love perfected in us give us boldness in the day of judgment.  Once we die our fate is determined; however, it is not death that determines our fate.  Death puts us in the place and position in which we can do nothing about it any longer.  There will be no second chance–destiny is decided in this life and world of time.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You may have a document that says you own the land you’re living on, but the land don’t know that, nor does the wind, rain, sun, or snow know that you’ve got a piece of paper.”
                   –Lou Bradshaw  (Blue Norther)

       “So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”
                   –Matthew 20:16(NKJV)
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Can you hear the “echoes” of those gone before?  The thoughts, attitudes, lessons, and lives of those who have been a part of your life and now are gone–they are truly echoes that we should remember.  
       In saying that I want to remember two individuals who played a major part in my life who were both born on this day.
               Marguerite D. Jones (1918-2011) b: Industry, KS   d:  Longmont, CO  — my Mom
               LaVern E. Adkisson (1923-2004)  b: Williams, OK  d:  Cheyenne, WY — my Aunt Bern
These two ladies were very different, but in some ways similar.  Mom liked to work because she enjoyed spending.  At times in her life she worked three jobs.  She was into her eighties before she stopped working.  “Got to go make a dollar,” was commonly heard coming from her lips.  Bern, she was a coal-miner’s daughter, and never married, but she took it upon herself to help raise me.  Mom didn’t become a Christian until later in life, while Bern became a believer when she was very young, perhaps as a child.  Both had their struggles, their burdens to bear–and they bore them.
       So today I take a little time to remember them and how they influenced by life.
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       The first day of December, another year almost gone.  Hard to believe.  I have a couple of thoughts to pass along today.  I normally don’t borrow as much as I am today, but believe it will bless you.  
       Read the first chapter of Luke to get a background of the birth of John the Baptist.  In our minds, we often think of him as a wild-haired man preaching from the desert and eating strange food.  Max Lucado wrote this of John coming from Matthew 11:1-3:  

               “He was a child of the desert.  Leathery face.  Tanned skin.  Clothing of animal skins.  What he owned fit in a pouch.  His walls were mountains, and his ceiling, the stars.
               But not anymore.  His frontier is walled out, his horizon hidden.  The stars of memories.  The fresh air is all but forgotten.  And the stench of the dungeon relentlessly reminds this child of the desert that he is now a captive of the king.”

       Here was a man whose life drastically changed.  From complete freedom, living in the wilderness to being walled up in a dungeon cell.  What was his purpose in life?  It was to prepare the way of the Lord.  Now that Jesus has come, he has been reduced to living in a cell.  What do you think went through his mind?  After all he was only human.  Jesus said that he was the greatest born among women (Matthew 11:11).  Living in a dungeon, ready to have his head cut off.  What kind of a reward is that?  But think, it will usher him into glory.  His work was completed; he had been chosen and had finished his task.
       Speaking of chosen, it is important to realize that we have all been chosen for some type of service in the Kingdom of God.  When you have your woes, do not neglect to praise God.  Remember John, his purpose, his cell, and his death, but also think of his place in the realms of glory.  Too often we think that life should be a bed of roses after we are born-again.  Hmmm, but remember even a bed of roses have thorns.
       Perhaps you have been watching “The Chosen.”  The story of Jesus and those whom He called–those He chose.  But never forget He has also chosen you.  You need to take on the task of a chosen one.  Troubles, perhaps; sorrows, most likely; but chosen for a task, a calling, a life of service.  William Barclay writes, “To be chosen by God so often means at one and the same time a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.  The piercing truth is that God does not choose a person for ease and comfort and selfish joy but for a task that will take all that head and heart and hand can bring to it.  God chooses a man in order to use him.”
       Christmas is coming and with that in mind remember that God gave us the greatest gift of all.  He sent His Son to earth to complete a task.  Take time to inventory where you are in your walk with the Lord and seek what He has chosen for you to do.  No matter what time of life you are in, there are things that He wants you to accomplish for the Kingdom.