Month: March 2022

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on
I’ll have coffee ready in two shakes of a cow’s tail. And what do you say to bacon?”
                    –William MacLeod Raine  (A Texas Ranger)
 
Mornin’, Pard, good to see yuh.  Big day today–yep, that’s for sure.  It’s the baby daughter’s birthday.  ‘Course she ain’t no child anymore, but she is still my baby; cayn’t get away from that.  I’ll tell yuh what though–she’s one to ride the river with.  Stable, steadfast, loyal, and a prayin’ gal.  
       How’s the coffee this mornin’?  Ahhh, tastes fine to me.  With all the troubles in the world it’s nice to have a good cup of coffee.  Sorta eases the mind and soothes the gizzard.
Just look at the fuss.  My mercy, the price of gas.  My ol’ steel mount is pretty good in its feedin’, but it’s gettin’ up there in years, and my ol’ blue workhoss is still movin’ but it seems to take more feed.  No matter what, we have to consider where we’re goin’.  
       Just another thing to add to the agenda.  Time is comin’ when no man can work–yuh know that is in the Bible if’n yuh didn’t know.  So, we best be gettin’ ourselves ready.  No, I don’t mean to become a prepper, but I do mean to be prepared for the comin’ of the Lord or if He tarries whatever else may come upon the scene.  Get yur household ready, keep yur gun by yur side, have plenty of coffee on hand in case I come a-visitin’, look up and be waitin’ for the trumpet to sound.
       Now, yuh know how much I enjoy coffee, but I’m not as bad as some.  I read of a man who requested that when he died and was cremated that they put his ashes in a Folgers or Maxwell House can.  Ashes to ashes, but I’ll not go that far.  What happens if the grandkids (and I’ve trained mine to make good coffee) gets hold of the wrong can?
       One last swaller, but if yuh stay around I’ll brew up another pot.  Gotcha–busy day ahead.  Well, yuh best be careful ridin’ out there for it’s an evil world under the power of the devil.  Yuh ride wary, and be checkin’ yur cinch.
      Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on
There is no other book on earth more inviting, soothing, encouraging and life changing than an opened Bible.”
                    –Ken Pratt  (Return to Willow Falls)

        “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.'”
                    –John 14:6 (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 lies under the sway of the wicked one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NKJV)

       I pray that those reading these lessons take them to heart.  This world is evil and the devil desperately wants to destroy, especially the children.  Study the history of Israel–the false gods that the people brought into their worship believed in child sacrifice.  Our country is no better for there are many children offered to the devil via the form of abortion.  The killing of the innocent.  However, there are many ways to sacrifice children and one of them is to not teach them about God.  Let them wander and stray in the abyss of the evil in this world.
       My daughter sent me the following.  Read it and see if you don’t agree that we are moving more and more to an apostate culture.  “Where are the true believers?”  So shouted the prophets.  This study was made in 2012, so I wonder how it has changed.  I do not think it has improved.  The study was made by McDowell, Barna, and Nappa regarding the Christian teenager.  Remember this was 2012 so this group are now in their twenties.

               –41% were uncertain whether Jesus was physically resurrected.
               –63% didn’t believe Jesus to be the son of the one true God.
               –44% believed the Bible to be just one of many authoritative voices about Jesus.
               –33% believed that Jesus is not the only way to heaven.
               –only 5% studied the Bible daily.
               –a growing majority believe the Holy Spirit is only a symbol of God’s presence or power rather than a person of the Trinity.
               –60% are uncertain, unsettled, or confused about whether the Bible can be trusted.
               –70% express persistent, measurable doubts that what the Bible says about Jesus is true.

       These were supposed to be “Christian teenagers,” however, in their beliefs/doctrines there is a doubt as to the depth of their Christianity.  There is a growing trend toward heresy and I’m waiting for parents, preachers, and leaders to proclaim, “Thus saith the Lord!”  The atmosphere of our culture is to doubt the Bible, mock Jesus Christ, and serve whatever god they want.
       Why do I speak about doctrine so much?  Go back and read the above statistics.  We are to guard the truth–the doctrine.  We are to trust the holy written Word of God–the Bible.  What is being taught in our homes, for that is where it must start?  What standards are being laid by the parents regarding the truth of the Bible and Jesus Christ?
       I didn’t refer to the Scriptures that I had planned for today’s lesson, but one of them states, “…and there is a sin leading to death.” (1 John 5:17)  I will not get into detail about this now, but part of it is believing the doctrines of the antichrists, and refusing the testimony of the Holy Spirit in regard to the Son of God.  Some say that revival starts in the church, but I will say that revival starts with the individual and moves to the home.  This world is under the control of the devil and his evil, wicked way; do not give into his or sacrifice the children to him.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on
A good cowboy don’t quit in the middle of the work and leave the boss shorthanded.”
                    –Elmer Kelton  (The Smiling Country)

       “For they were trying to make us afraid, saying, ‘Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.’  Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.”
                    –Nehemiah 6:9 (NKJV)
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If your mind was an art gallery in which your thoughts could become visible like pictures hanging on a wall, would you be willing for them to be on exhibit?  Hmmm?  I think I mentioned that I had been reading Samuel and the Kings.  The people of Israel were a mess.  For example, in the Book of Judges, right at the start, “They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths” (Judges 2:13, NKJV).  It was different in Samuel’s time and onward.  Idol worship in one form or another became a disgrace in Israel.  
       Some people worshiped the false gods openly.  How?  Why?  Some people merged the worship of Yahweh with the worship of Baal or other gods.  This was a despicable practice, some involving child sacrifice.  How could Israel, the children of God, the chosen ones, do such an abomination in the sight of the Lord after all He had done for them?
This was not only done by the common man, but the leaders, including the priests, took part in the pagan practices.  Read Ezekiel chapter 8 and he speaks of the abominations of the leadership.  In one verse he mentions people doing that  in the dark, thinking others would not see.

                “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols?’  For they say, ‘The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.'”  
                              –Ezekiel 8:12(NKJV)

       Note that this was during the exile–a time when people should be seeking God for redemption and renewal.  Instead they were serving and worshiping idols.  They adorned the walls of a room in their houses with ugly idols.  This they did in the dark, not permitting others to enter and see what they had in that room.  Then they complained that God had left them and did not answer their prayers.  What hypocrisy and mockery.
       Idols!  It is hard for me to imagine serving Moloch, Dagaon, or Baal after seeing the Lord continually provide for Israel.  Joshua foretold it.  The Judges had to deal with it, and throughout the history of Israel they were constantly being warned by the prophets to put away idols and to turn to Yahweh.  
       However, do we have some idols in the art gallery of our mind?  These would be things that we covet.  Things that take the place of God–not going to His house but rather becoming in some form of recreational activity… Idol.  What have we replaced God with in our minds and hearts?  Oh, some will say they still worship God, but along with their special idols.  What is on the wall of the mind that separates you from God?

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Evil always smiles when it thinks it’s won.”

                    –D.C. Adkisson  (Redemption)

       “That no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”
                   –1 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV)
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It is interesting how God works in our lives.  We don’t know how He is exactly going to do something; our job is to place ourselves in His hands.  There are so many ways He works for our benefit and one of those we hate–affliction.  Now, I am not saying that all affliction is sent by God, in fact, most of it is not.  Most comes from our stupid mistakes or the devil, but God does use affliction to get us back on track.  The Psalmist brings this out:

               “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.  You are good, and do good; teach me Your statutes.”
                              –Psalm 119:67-68 (NKJV)

       Our purpose is to submit to the Lord, but there are times that we stray.  Some versions translate the term “stray” to “wander.”  Sometimes we wander and when we do there are times we wander into the wrong places, we let the wrong thoughts flit through our minds and stop to let them entertain us.  God had to afflict the writer of this Psalm to get his attention.
       In the past two years most families have experienced an affliction.  What did you do when the “virus” came upon you?  How did you react?  The virus most definitely was not of God, however, it should have wakened us to focus more on Him.  Look at the life of Joseph, what the devil meant for evil and to destroy Joseph, God used for good and to deliver Abraham from the famine in Egypt.  Don’t quickly dismiss all affliction as the devil’s handiwork.  Look for what God is doing in the midst of it.
       In my reading this week I came across a piece by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man well acquainted with affliction:

               “I believe that God can and will bring good out of evil, even out of the greatest evil.  For that purpose he needs men who make the best use of everything.  I believe that God will give us all the strength we need to help us resist in all time of distress.  But he never gives it in advance, lest we should rely on ourselves and not on him alone.  A faith such as this should allay all our fears for the future.  I believe that even our mistakes and shortcomings are turned to good account, and that it is no harder for God to deal with them than with our supposedly good deeds.  I believe that God is no timeless fate, but that he waits for and answers sincere prayers and responsible actions.”

In thinking about what Bonhoeffer wrote my mind recalled the Holocaust.  It was for sure a great evil.  But…what good came from it?  There was a need for the Jews to migrate together to form their own nation, hence in 1948, the nation of Israel was formed.  Good from a great evil.
       Do not say that affliction is from God, but look at it closely and how you are responding.  Look to see what it is that you can gain from whatever it is that is happening to you.  That does not alleviate the pain or the discomfort or the suffering or sorrow that might occur, but God might be doing a wondrous work.  Don’t discount it.