Month: April 2022

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Poking a stick under the suspended coffeepot, he tilted it enough to refill his cup.”

                         –Ralph Compton  (The Goodnight Trail)
 
Come on in this kitchen, Pard.  I don’t have any bread to break nor pie neither, but the coffee is hot and strong.  Yuh won’t have to use a stick to tilt the pot to pour it either, I’ll serve yuh myself.  It’s the least I can do for my Pard.  Glad yuh came over.
       Yuh know, a couple of millennia ago, ol’ Peter and the boys were runnin’ scared, or I should say hidin’ in fear.  Seems like the words of Jesus just slipped right on through their ears, but we’re worse today.  We have the Word and the proof and yet so many so-called believers are runnin’, frettin’, not believing, and some are even hidin’ out in the corners of their homes.  
       Wok has them scared, cancel culture has them scared, the virus has them scared–my mercy, what does it take for a Christian to stand firm in this day and age?  Disney has become corrupt along with dozens of other companies promoting ungodly morals.  Someone has said that instead of Memory Lane people will travel down the Road to Perdition.  The sad part of it is that many Christians will continue to promote and support those abominations.
       Let’s drink some coffee ‘fore my gizzard really gets riled.  Today is referred to as Holy Day, the Saturday after the crucifixion.  It was a dark day when Jesus was laid in the tomb.  There were many questions and I don’t pretend to understand the mysteries regarding what was taking place in the spiritual realm.  Did Jesus go up and smack Satan in the lip and take the keys?  No, definitely not, I don’t even think He jerked the keys of death from his hands.  There was a power play all right, but it was all with the Lord.  The keys were simply handed over to Him.
       That Saturday, to the disciples, was a black day.  They just didn’t realize that Sunday was comin’!  Pard, as we drink our coffee, we need to ponder the great truths that we know regarding the crucifixion and resurrection.  Then tomorrow celebrate that resurrection–He’s no longer in the grave!
       Keep yur focus where it belongs–on the Lord Jesus.  Stay wary for there are those who would be willin’ to do yuh in.  Don’t be helpin’ them none, check yur cinch, and I mean yur spiritual cinch.
        Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on
That’s where the hope comes in, after death.”
                         –D. C. Adkisson  (Mal de Ojo)

       “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

                         –Romans 5:5 (NKJV)
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       “Love so amazing, so divine…” (Isaac Watts)  These words must be spoken about the cross.  Without the work on the cross the resurrection would not mean anything.  There would not be an atonement, a substitute, redemption, reconciliation, propitiation, and pardon without the cross.  On the other hand, without the resurrection there would be no grace or mercy.  Jesus would be like any other ordinary man.  Please do not take the resurrection without the cross.

               So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’  And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”
 
                              –John 19:30(NKJV)
 
       What was finished?  Those final words of Jesus must have meaning.  Was He saying that his life was now over?  Perhaps He was saying that His purpose had been fulfilled and He now could die.  Or was it more than that?  “It is finished!”  Salvation has been made complete.  The wrath and justice of God has been appeased, now man has the opportunity to find fellowship with the Father.  Eternal life is now afforded to man.  
       There was an old song, “The Angels Up in Heaven Must Have Cried,” but did they?  The battle had been raging for centuries, ever since the Fall.  Man was under God’s curse; there must be a perfect sacrifice to meet the holy, just demands of God.  Jesus came, as a man, to fulfill that obligation of the sacrifice, where sin was placed upon Him once and for all.  We cannot even begin to imagine what the Father saw when He looked down upon His Son.  It was something so repulsive that He had to turn His back.  The vomit of sin drenched Jesus inside and out, but “It is finished!”
       There have been many speculations and theological discussions about what happened from the moment of death until the resurrection morning.  Did Satan and his minions celebrate and cheer?  I’m not so sure, for when I read in the Gospels when demons were confronted by Jesus they seemed to know that there was a coming time of their demise.  Darkness occurred on earth, but what was happening in the spiritual realm?  We can only ponder and let our imaginations run.  I personally believe that Jesus freed the believers, the righteous that were in Hades, and that they went to be with Him in heaven.  When a believer dies after the resurrection they no longer go to Hades, but immediately they go to the presence of the Lord.
       I like what G. Campbell Morgan says about the time of “darkness.”  That time after Jesus’ declaration, what took place in those dark hours?  Morgan puts it this way:
 
                    “In the deep darkness, and in the midst of the silence, He triumphed over the forces of evil, the principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly by the cross, putting off from Himself all that assaulted Him in, and by, and through the darkness.”
 
We really have no idea of what took place in the darkness.  Whatever happened, whatever sin and chains that Satan may have thrown upon Jesus were totally broken when on that third day He burst forth from the tomb triumphantly.  There was never a doubt about the resurrection, He knew that He would rise again.
 
                    “And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
                                        –Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV)
 
       “Love so amazing…”, “Amazing Grace…” we accept, but we cannot understand, that’s why the term “amazing.”  The marvelous grace of Jesus that took place on the cross and culminated with the resurrection.  Never let the amazement depart.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

We all age. Our bodies change. But what’s in our hearts doesn’t.”

                    –Jeffrey J. Mariotte (O’Meara’s Gold)

       “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”
                    –Galatians 1:4 (NKJV)
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The Cross plus the Resurrection–you cannot have one without the other.  The result of which is that marvelous Grace.  Today I just want to tantalize your thinking and contemplation with a few of the great hymns of this wonderful weekend.

            “When I survey the wondrous cross,
            On which the Prince of glory died,
            My richest gain I count but loss,
            And pour contempt on all my pride.”
                      –Isaac Watts

Do we really consider the cross “wondrous”?   Do we ever stop to really consider what took place on that cross?  What did Jesus mean when He cried, “It is finished!”?  Look back at the cross, what do you see?  What do you hope for?

            “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
            The emblem of suffering and shame;
            And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
            For a world of lost sinners was slain.”
                      –George Bernard

Be careful, however, that you do not make the cross an idol.  Some wear it around their neck, but it is not magical.  It does not keep the demons at bay.  It was what took place on that cross that makes it so significant, so powerful, so wondrous.  Look at the chorus of F.A. Graves hymn.

                         “He was nailed to the cross for me,
                         He was nailed to the cross for me;
                         On the cross crucified, for me He died;
                         He was nailed to the cross for me.”
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
How do you remember Calvary?  Does it strike fear in your heart?  Do you weep and sorrow over what took place?  Perhaps we should develop a different perspective.  True, what took place was hideous, in fact, more than we’ll ever know.  But it is called Good Friday for a reason, and remember the great sermon by S.M. Lockridge–“It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming!”

            “Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Saviour!
            Waiting the coming day Jesus my Lord!
                      Up from the grave He arose
                      With a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
                      He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
                      And He lives forever with His saints to reign,
                      He arose!  He arose!
                      Hallelujah!  Christ arose!”
                                 –Robert Lowry

One more and I’ll close for today.  I would urge you to get a songbook and read through the great hymns of the Church regarding the Cross and the Resurrection.  We would be lost for eternity if Jesus had not come to be the perfect, complete sacrifice and then defeated the evilness of sin.  We now have the opportunity to live in eternity with Him forever because of His matchless grace.

            “Marvelous grace of loving Lord,
            Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
            Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
            There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
                      Grace, grace, God’s grace,
                      Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
                      Grace, grace, God’s grace,
                      Grace that is greater than all our sin.”
                                   –Julia H. Johnston

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

The truth of the matter was that I liked being alone out there in the early morning. I liked seeing the night pale and the stars wink out one by one, like candles snuffed by a quiet wind. I liked seeing the pink color in the east and the dark trees begin to take on shape.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Chancy)

        “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
                    –2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)
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I know this is not Monday, but I want to draw your attention to some particular Psalms.  The term “Selah,” do you remember what it means?  Most closely it is “think on this,” or “contemplate.”  It could mean a hardy “Amen!” — so be it.  There are many verses in the Old Testament that prophesy about the coming Messiah–Jesus.  It would do us well to contemplate on a few of them as we go into this Easter weekend.  
       There are many Psalms regarding Jesus as Messiah and I want to point out a few for us to focus on going into the weekend.  Here are several that were fulfilled during the Easter week.

               “Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!  We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.”   –Psalm 118:25-26 (NKJV)  cf Mark 11:9

               “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”  –Psalm 41:9 (NKJV)  cf John 13:18

               “All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!'”  –Psalm 22:7-8 (NKJV)  cf Matthew 27:42-43

               “For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.  They pierced My hands and My feet.”  –Psalm 22:16 (NKJV)  cf Matthew 27:35
     
               “They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”  –Psalm 22:18 (NKJV)  cf John 19:23-24

               “They also gave me gall for My food, and for My thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”  –Psalm 69:21 (NKJV)  cf Mark 15:36

               “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”  –Psalm 22:1 (NKJV)  cf Mark 15:34

               “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”  –Psalm 16:10(NKJV)  cf  Acts 2:27

               “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”  –Psalm 118:22 (NKJV)  cf  Acts 4:11

               “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'”  –Psalm 110:1 (NKJV)  cf Hebrews 10:13

       These are only a few verses to remind us that the Messiah was prophesied in the Psalms.  By studying the Psalms we see the Messiah identified as Prophet, Priest, and King.  He is declared the Son of God.  These verses from the Psalms would be some of the Scriptures that the disciples and early followers of Jesus would study together.  They now had a new light upon the Old Testament.
       This Easter, do more than go through the rituals of Easter.  They are important for sure, but take time to contemplate the coming of Jesus.  Remember what those words He said on the cross — “It is finished!” — really meant.  Glory in the grace that is given to us because of the resurrection when death was defeated.

                         “How well your blessed truths agree!
                         How wise and holy your commands!
                         Your promises–how firm they be!
                         How firm our hope and comfort stands!”
                                        –Isaac Watts