Month: May 2024

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

There’s a vast canyon between saying I believe in God and knowing who God is and having a relationship with him.”

                         –Kenneth Pratt  (Everson Solstice)

       “Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.  Fire goes before Him and burns up His foes on every side.  His lighting lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.”
                         –Psalm 97:2-4 (HCSB)
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                    “Majesty, worship His majesty,
                    Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.
                    Majesty, kingdom authority,
                    Flows from His throne unto His own, His anthem raise….”
                              –Jack Hayford

Majesty is always a declaration of God’s greatness and is an invitation to worship!  It is more than a title or a position of authority.  It is acknowledging the Creator, the One who is above all and cannot be compared to anyone or anything.  “The LORD reigns, He is robed in majesty…” (Psalm 93:1-2)  “They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty…” (Psalm 145:5).  Peter writes, “We were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16).  
     God is great!  But what does that mean?  We cannot describe God physically for no one has seen Him.  We cannot know Him but in an incomplete way, for He is incomprehensible.  When you pray, do you think of God in all of His majesty?  Very little is preached today about the “fear of God.”  And if so, it is watered down to mean only to be in awe of Him.  But, let me tell you, it is much more than that!  “Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise.” (Psalm 48:1).
     Today we tend to make God more personal, and that is true.  He is a personal God, but don’t put Him on the same plane as man or use the same standard to see God as a man.  He is not finite!  He is so much more–the entire universe cannot contain Him.  Packer says that “the Bible never lets us lose sight of His majesty and His unlimited dominion over all His creatures.”
     Yes, we must not forget that God is personal.  He deals with us as individuals, He speaks with us, He grieves over us, but in that do not forget that He is majestic.  He gives us terms, analogies, and describes Himself in anthropomorphic terms so that we can better understand and come to a better knowledge of Him, but He is far more than that.  He helps us in that way so that we do not think of Him merely as a “force,” or a “cosmic principle,” but that He is a living Person.
     When the term “God” is used in our time it is rarely used in regards to divine majesty.  He should not be put into the same context of other relationships.  He is personal, but unlike us, He is great!  He is the Creator, the One who spoke the universe into existence then brought order out of chaos.  He is the One who formed man and breathed into him the breath of life.  We must “remove from our thoughts of God limits that would make Him small.” (J.I. Packer)  We must not “compare Him with powers and forces which we regard as great.” (Packer)  He is much more than that!  
     You can see why the world–mankind–wants to bring us to lesser thoughts of God.  The world, if it has thoughts of God, put Him on the same level with man, and perhaps a little lower.  He is either a weak God, or He does not exist at all.  To have lesser thoughts of God would keep our faith small.  It could bring doubts as to His mighty character.  Small thoughts of God, not properly recognizing His majesty, brings Him down to a level where man could compare Him with other gods, or with man himself.  J.I. Packer said, “A God whose presence and scrutiny I could evade would be a small and trivial deity.  But the true God is great and terrible, just because he is always with me and his eyes are always upon me.  Living becomes an awesome business when you realize that you spend every moment of your life in the sight and company of an omniscient, omnipresent Creator.”  In Job we see Him recognized “with God is terrible majesty.” (Job 37:22 KJV)
     So in your thoughts of God, your singing, your praising, and your worship, do not make Him less than He is.  Knowing that He is incomprehensible should be an aid to our worship.  Do not lose sight of His personalness, but also do not bring Him low and remove the notion that He is an awesome God.  Recognize Him for who He is in all of His splendor, majesty, and glory.  Tremble in His presence, but rest in the knowledge that He is also your heavenly Father.  “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor; for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”  (1 Chronicles 29:11, NIV)  I leave you today with the words from a sermon by one of the masters of sermon articulation:  S. M. Lockeredge.

               “He’s the one who made us,
               It is He who made us and not we ourselves.
               The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.
               No means of measure can define His limitless love,
               No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply.
               No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.”

In other words friends, He is MAJESTIC!

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
Miles was waiting in Taos for the train to return to Durango.  He had taken a room in the hotel and had decided to take a walk before supper to get the lay of the town.  He was in the process of talking with a not too helpful or joyful hostler at the livery.  Join with me and let’s see what happens in the life of Miles Forrest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     “Get on out of here, O’Shannasy!” ordered a rough voice from in back of me.  I started to turn noticing that the hostler only took a couple of steps back and was leaning forward.  After I completed my turn the man spoke to men.  “I don’t like strangers asking questions in my town, nor riling up the citizens.  You have no right…”
     That’s when I cut him off.  “On the contrary,” I said, looking at his badge.  
     A grim look came on his face with his eyes going past me to the hostler.  “O’Shannasy, I told you to git!”
     Without looking at the hostler, I countered that order, “No stay, I want to talk with you!”
     “Mister, you better shut your mouth, or…”
     I noticed his hand on the grip of his gun.  “Or what, Marshal?  Can’t a man talk with a citizen of your town?” I asked, emphasizing “your”.
     The marshal seemed to control his anger then asked.  “Who do you think you are coming in here like this?”
     Calmly I responded, “Deputy United States Marshal Miles Forrest, and this man might have some information regarding a man who attempted to murder people on the train.”
     The marshal snorted, then snapped, “You have no jurisdiction here!”
     Giving him one of my best smiles, I replied, “This badge is my jurisdiction.”
     The man either had a bee in his bonnet or an unsightly rash somewhere unseen.  “I think you need to come with me,” he snarled and started to pull his pistol.
     I poked him, not too gentle, in the gut with the barrel of the Greener causing him to gasp and grab his stomach.  I didn’t want to hit the town marshal, but it was tempting.  Instead I lifted the Greener up cocking it.  “Now, Marshal, why don’t you get along with your business, and let me tend to mine,” I said, then added.  “I don’t care much for folk to interfere with my investigations.” 
     He stared at the barrel of the shotgun; it does have the tendency to gather one’s attention.  His eyes went up to mine, then over to the hostler.  His hand was still on his stomach as he straightened.  “This isn’t over,” he muttered.
     “It is for now!”
     Trying to pull some dignity to his being he removed his hand and with a huff walked away.  I didn’t pay him any more mind and turned to the man before me.  “Mr. O’Shannasay, you heard what I said.  I just want to follow up regarding the train holdup.  One man was wounded and rode away.  All I want to do is talk with him, see if he could be the man from the train.”
     He shook his head while shrugging his shoulders.  “Don’t rightly know.  I didn’t pay much attention.  He gave me a dollar for the stall and feed.  I couldn’t tell if he was shot or not, I didn’t see any blood.”
     “Did he give a name?”
     Shaking his head, “Nope, all he said was ‘take care of my horse’ an’ handed me the coin.”
     I nodded at him.  “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”  I turned, took two steps, then looked back at him.  “That marshal, he have a name?”
     “That’s Marshal Lyles Hampton,” he said, emphasizing the “marshal.”
     Cocking my head to the side, I pulled on my moustache, thinking.  For some reason that name sounded familiar.  Lyles Hampton…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

That was final proof of the strength of nature to soothe, to clarify, to stabilize the tired and weary and upward-gazing soul. Stronger than the recorded deeds of saints, stronger than the eloquence of the gifted uplifters of men, stronger than any words ever written, was the grand, brooding, sculptured aspect of nature. And it must have been so because thousands of years before the age of saints or preachers—before the fret and symbol and figure were cut in stone—man must have watched with thought-developing sight the wonders of the earth, the monuments of time, the glooming of the dark-blue sea, the handiwork of God.”

                    –Zane Grey  (The Call of the Canyon)

       “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
                    –Romans 15:13(HCSB)
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Psalm 117, the shortest Psalm and also the shortest verse in the Bible, yet it contains profound truth.  This psalm issues a universal call that all should praise the Lord. (Lawson)  This little psalm tells us who God is and what He does.

          1 — Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!  Laud Him, all you peoples!
          2 — For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the LORD endures forever.  Praise the LORD!  (NKJV)

The ESV translates verse 2, “For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.”  The NLT puts it this way, “For he loves us with unfailing love…”.
     Think on that!  Make it personal.  He loves you, and He loves me.  He is faithful to you, and He is faithful to me.  This love and faithfulness is forever, and beyond.  The Lord alone is God, and He only is worthy to be praised.  He loves us as a people, a group, and He loves us individually.  Consider the greatness of His love and that He is faithful in His Word and promises.
     John writes, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God!…”. (1 John 3:1, NKJV)  I like the way the NIV has rendered, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God…”.  He loves us without hesitation.  His love is immediate.  He does not have to look us over to see if we fit the bill.  He does not have to think about us.  (Wood)  In this psalm we see that God has a love for all peoples, but there is a special love for His own people that will never cease.  
     Derek Kidner states, “God’s faithfulness is eternal.  God’s plans and promises are as fresh and intact now as on the day they were made, and they will remain so.”.  God’s faithful love towards His chosen ones will never come to an end.  (Lawson)  George Wood explain that we can rely upon God’s faithfulness:
          1)  To strengthen and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
          2)  To not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  (1 Corinthians 10:13)
          3)  To remain faithful even when you’re not.  (2 Timothy 2:11-13)
          4)  To forgive you when you sin.  (1 John 1:9)
          5)  To present you blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 1:8-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
“God us love.  God is faithful.  Everything He does tells you who He is.” (Wood)  So when faith begins to waver contemplate this psalm.  When doubts plumet you, meditate upon this psalm.  Then do what the psalmist does in closing.  PRAISE THE LORD!!!

               “Let every kindred, every tribe, on this terrestrial ball,
               To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all;
               O that will yonder sacred throng, we at his feet may fall!
               We’ll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all.”
                         –Edward Perronet

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

The rain continued for the rest of the night and all the following day. It rattled into their tin plates while they ate, and diluted the hot black coffee they drank.”

                    –Ralph Compton  (The Western Trail)
 
Come on in, Pard.  At least the rain’s gone for a few days.  I’ve seen some rain in my time, but this is one of the best of ’em.  Just when yuh think it’s gonna stop, it starts right on in rainin’ again.  I don’t know how much we’ve had, but it has to be twenty-five inches plus in the past two weeks.  Should have a rain barrel set out.  I remember that Pappy always had one to catch the rain.  But yuh know, we’re complainers at heart, come this summer we’ll be complainin’ of how hot and dry it is and that we wish we’d have some rain.  We need to be in tune with the Lord that no matter the weather we can bring up a smile and take on the storm even if’n we do have to hunker down and endure it for a spell.
       Well, Pard, the coffee’s hot an’ ready for yur tonsil test.  See if’n it slides down or glides down.  I guarantee it’ll move down faster than a cup of molasses.  Take a swaller whilst I tell yuh a story I read ’bout that ol’ circuit-ridin’ preacher Robert Sheffey.  He was quite a character as were many of those dedicated men who went about preachin’ God’s Word to those on the outskirts of civilization.
       It seems that on one of his journeys he was called in to pray for a child who had been bitten by a rattlesnake.  He began to pray, “O Lord, we do thank Thee for rattlesnakes.  If it had not been for a rattlesnake they would never have called upon You.  Send a rattlesnake to bite Bill, and one to bite John, and send a great big one to bite the old man.”  It seems that they weren’t a God-fearin’ family an’ only called on the Preacher as a last resort.  But, yuh know something–the Lord works in mysterious ways.  Here the devil might have meant to take the life of the boy an’ it was used to bring the Preacher, prayer, and eventually possible conversion.  You’ve seen it, an’ I’ve seen it plenty of times where the Lord takes what is meant for evil and uses it for good.
       How ’bout that coffee?  I calls it “kitchen blend” ’cause its made up of some remains of some coffee I had.  Don’t be likin’ it too much, ’cause there’s no way it can be duplicated.  Not the best, but for sure not the worst I’ve had.  See, yuh never know what I might be brewin’.  One day it might be that special elixir Kona, another day Arbuckles or Community, an’ like today–kitchen blend.
       Pard, yuh be sayin’ a prayer for those in the military for today is Armed Forces Day.  Those folk sure do need our prayers, not only from the attacks that might come from and enemy, but from those within our country who want to make clowns of our military.  So, ‘nough said regardin’ that last week, yuh just be prayin’.  Oh, an’ keep yur guns ready and handy, for yuh never know….  Stay ridin’ true to the Lord, an’ checkin’ yur cinch when yuh mount.
          Vaya con Dios.