Month: February 2025

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

 “There was right and there was wrong. You did what was right and didn’t do what was wrong.”

                    –C.J. Petit  (Virgil’s Herd)

       “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

                    –Matthew 3:12 (NKJV)
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     Lloyd Ogilvie sets the stage for this last chapter of Amos.  “We behold God who makes and keeps His promises.  He follows through on His promises of judgment as well as His subsequent promises of a new beginning.  His righteousness and grace are inseparable.”

          9.1 — I saw the LORD standing by the altar, and He said:  “Strike the doorposts, that the thresholds may shake, and break them on the heads of them all.  I will slay the last of them with the sword.  He who flees from them shall not get away, and he who escapes from them shall not be delivered.
            .2 — Though they dig into hell, from there My hand shall take them; though they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down;
            .3 — And though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, from there I will search and take them; though they hide from My sight at the bottom of the sea, from there I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them;
            .4 — Though they go into captivity before their enemies, from there I will command the sword, and it shall slay them.  I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good.” (NKJV)

     Amos’ fifth vision is God–the promise-keeper.  Amos is at the altar.  This should have been the place of repentance.  It was to be a place of mercy and atonement.  Instead, however, it was the place of compromise and apostasy; it was a place now desecrated and God will strike it down.  It is fitting that Amos gives forth his vision from there.  “The altar of vision symbolized the rotten core of an apostate people….  The result is that the altar, the temple, and the nation itself will be destroyed.”  (Ogilvie)
     Ogilvie continues his discourse saying the temple will be shaken.  “The judgment of the Lord, which begins with the temple, will pervade the land…   The distortion of their worship of God had permeated the heart of the nation…  Everything was wrong because the nation was not right with God.”  Judgment begins in the sanctuary; no one will escape.  “There is no hiding place from the chastening hand of God, laid on men because of their willful persistent sins.” (Garner)  It will do us well to contemplate this as now, “we are the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19)  Therefore, do not grieve the Spirit.  Jesus declared, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” (Matthew 10:34, NKJV)  “There is no standing before His sword” (Matthew Henry) therefore be sure that you are standing on the side of the Lord so that His righteous sword will not smite you.
     “True security is submitting to God’s authority, committing each day to discern and do His will, accepting His corrective judgment, and claiming His forgiveness.” (Ogilvie).  Israel had long ignored God, refusing to acknowledge their sins and then to repent.  Like so many today, there is the presumption of God’s grace thinking that He will never hold them accountable.
     Open your ears, hear the Word of the Lord–now is the day of salvation; when judgment comes there is no escape.  Ask the souls of Noah’s day, ask those who reaped the fire of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Even those who try to hide in Sheol, the place of the dead, will be found, there will be no protection.  Is this a glimpse of the Great White Throne when hell will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.  When God searches there is no hiding place.  The judgment will be as described in Revelation, “…every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!'” (6:15-16, NKJV)  The rock cannot hide; death is not an escape from the fires of eternity.
     The people rejected the warnings; they rejected the opportunity to repent; they rejected the covenant–they rejected God.  Now it is too late.  Peter C. Craigies says, “One can never earn the privilege of God’s grace, but nor can one abandon its responsibilities without denying the privilege itself.”  The final words of verse four, “I will set My eyes on them for harm and not for good,” should cause the unrepentant to tremble.

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
What do people really get for all their hard work?  I have thought about this in connection with the various kinds of work God has given people to do.”  –Ecclesiastes 3:9-10, NLT
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Once in a while I get to aching.  The cold weather just sweeps through my weary bones; bones that have taken a beating from riding horses, herding cattle, and mostly going after human strays.  Then there are some spots that just ache.  There’s a couple of scars on my upper shoulder where bullets tended to gather.  I don’t know why outlaws seem to find that spot, but it sure is better that a few inches lower.  I was sitting at the diner, rubbing a place on my side where some miscreant shot me while I was in the process of apprehending him, when Doc Jones came in the diner.
     “What’s the problem, Miles?” he inquired, a smirky look on his face.  He knew full well, what the problem was, he’d fixed enough of the holes placed in my body whilst doing my sworn duty.
     “Don’t you have an old lady to attend with rheumatizm, or some poor cowpoke who broke his leg?” I muttered back.
     “No, no, I just came over for a piece of chocolate pie and to watch you commensurate with your supposed ailments,” he cackled before pulling out a chair to sit.  Upon sitting he continued with his jawing.  “Miles, don’t you know that all those aches, pains, and scars are there for a purpose?”
     I gave him a stare of disbelief.
     “They’re there to remind you of how the good Lord kept you from a more serious ailment–dying,” he thought he was funny so he cackled again.
     I had to nod my head in agreement.  “You’re right, Doc.  A few more inches in any number of them and yuh wouldn’t have no one to be makin’ fun of.  You want some coffee?”
     Molly had seen him come in and was coming from the kitchen with a piece of chocolate pie, Doc’s favorite.  I stood to get a cup and pour him some coffee, and upon seeing her approach grabbed another cup.
     After placing the pie in front of Doc, she joined us at the table.  “Molly, I was just explaining to your thick-headed husband that he should be glad he’s got those scars.”
     Her eyebrows arched with a questioning look on her face.  “Oh, he’s just runnin’ his jaws like he normally does.”
     “No, I’m downright serious.  If those little holes were a few inches over in some spots he wouldn’t be sitting here complaining,” he gave a little laugh.  “And he most likely would have fewer holes.”
     “Doc, have you ever heard me complain?  Honestly now?  I may rub a little here and there, and jostle myself around to get more comfortable, but I don’t complain.  I know the hand of the Lord has been protectin’ me all these years.  I may even groan a bit…”
     I was interrupted upon saying that by Molly.  “Doc, he does his groaning while he’s sleeping.”
     “At least I don’t snore.  If anything I purr…”
     Again I was interrupted, this time by Jimmy Hopkins who burst through the door holding a piece of paper.  “Marshal, Mr. Offut sent me a runnin’ with this here telegram.”
     “Sit down, Jimmy,” requested Molly.  “Would you like a piece of pie?”  She had caught him gazing at Doc’s half-eaten pie.
     “Uh, uh, why sure, but I don’t…”
     “The Marshal will pay for it,” Doc informed him, with a snicker.
     Jimmy sat down, while Molly went to get him the pie.  I read the telegram that was from Marshal Blasco.  “Teeter not wanted — STOP — Without name hard to give information — STOP — Could be Hal Thornton, not wanted in Colorado — Wanted in Kansas, arrest him.  JB”
     The Lord works in mysterious ways.  I was just getting ready to tell Doc what was in the telegram when Teeter and his friend, possibly this Thornton, came through the door and settled at a table.  I smiled at him to which I received a nod.  I didn’t want to cause a commotion in the diner, so figured I’d wait until they got up to leave.
     Funny how life has its own way of thinking…

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I want to come out of a morning and look up at those hills and know nothing can be very wrong as long as there’s something so beautiful. My pa used to say that when corruption is visited upon the cities of men, the mountains and the deserts await him. The cities are for money but the high-up hills are purely for the soul.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Galloway)

       “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
                    –1 Chronicles 16:34 (NKJV)
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This morning we’ll finish up with Psalm 136.  Do not forget the concept of this psalm:  “For His mercy endures forever!” or “His faithful love endures forever.”  I like the words of William Gurnall, “The birds rise in the morning and are saluting the rising sun with their sweet notes on the air.  Thus, should we strike up our harps in praising God at the first appearance of mercy.”  Almost every morning I hear the sound of the birds as they rise with their chirping to meet the new day.  How much more should we lift our voices for the mercy and love of the Lord is there for us every morning.

          17 — To Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever;
          18 — And slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever;
          19 — Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever;
          20 — And Og king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever–
          21 — And gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever;
          22 — A heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever,
          23 — Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever;
          24 — And rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever;
          25 — Who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever.
          26 — Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!  For His mercy endures forever.  (NKJV)

     Who or what has God defeated that was in your life?  Instead of His wrath and His anger being poured out upon us, His mercy comes forth, His love covers us, not just today, but forever.  Think of your past and the victories.  Some of which you might not even have known about at the time.  They come about because of God’s great mercy.  It is God’s faithful love for each of us that He moves on our behalf.
     Because of His mercy we have an inheritance.  This is not only for the future but for this life as well.  I recall in the Gospels how Jesus explained that the Father clothes the grass and that we should not worry, for He is a loving Father who will take care of His children.  Why, His love and mercy endures forever.  He delights in giving His children gifts and blessings.  Even as we stumble He is there with His mercy.  When we were away from Him, He had His arms outstretched holding forth mercy and love.
     Note that not only does He give us mercy in forgiving our sins, but that He gives us food, a roof over our head, and clothes on our back.  These things all come from the hand of the Lord.  And, though the world doesn’t realize it, He does the same for them, drawing them if they would only turn to His mercy.  “His unconditional, loyal love is everlasting, never to be extinguished, ever to be expanding.” (Lawson)
     Spurgeon wrote, “God is good beyond all others; indeed, He alone is good in the highest sense: He is the source of good, the good of all good, the sustainer of good, the perfecter of good, the rewarder to good.  For this, He deserves the constant gratitude of His people.  It is this divine goodness that has been showered upon us.”  Therefore, “give thanks to the God of heaven!  For His mercy endures forever.”
 
               “Things future nor things that are now,
               Nor all things below or above,
               Can make Him His purpose forego
               Or sever my soul from His love.”
                      –Augustus Toplady

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

She handed a mug of steaming black coffee to the man as he came back into the kitchen. He thanked her and took a sip of the strong brew. It was a wel-come drink, and he savored it.”
                    –James Leonard  (Return to Brigand’s Gate)

Come on in this kitchen, Pard.  The coffee’s hot, strong, and wonderful as it was my Valentine’s gift from my sweetie.  Better than chocolates or a fuzzy bear.  Did yuh treat yur gal to something nice?  Bring her flowers?  Well, Pard, let me tell yuh the truth of the matter.  I figure that a day like Valentines is nothing more than the media tryin’ to conjure money outta yur pocket with their consumer mentality.  No, Pard, that don’t mean I’m against love and romance, far from it.  What I’m a-sayin’ is that it shouldn’t be jes’ one day.  We should be treatin’ our wives like that on a constant basis.
     Flowers once or twice a year?  Why?  I made myself a promise many a year back that I’d try to keep flowers on the table for my wife.  Why only once or twice?  She’s worth it more than that.  Now, that don’t mean there’s always flowers there.  If’n there’s not it’s ’cause I haven’t been able to get out to get them.  But yuh can bet yur britches that there are many days or weeks that I do.  I mean the gal is prettier than a flower and smells better than a rose, so I put them on the table for her and to compare.  Yep, mush all right, but it’s fun.
     See I figure it this a-way.  Why make it only one special day, when everyday I spend with my gal is a special day.  Chocolates only on special occasions?  Ha, or like you Pard when yur tryin’ to get yurself out of trouble.  A fuzzy bear?  Why, when she’s got me to cuddle?  See, Pard, we travel down this ol’ road of life together, so I ought to be gettin’ her these little things on a regular basis.  Don’t the Lord show His love to us everyday?  I mean sometimes it grandiose, but most of the time He gives us little things as we go through life with Him.  Sometimes He jes’ smiles down on us from heaven.  Ain’t that enough?
     Lots of folks don’t celebrate that day ‘causin’ they don’t have anyone to be with.  But the Lord is with them, hmmm, I wonder if’n they ever thought of a Valentine’s Day with the Lord?  I was readin’ yesterday an’ this verse came up, “Fill us full every morning with your faithful love so we can rejoice and celebrate our whole life long.”  That’s from Psalm 90:14 in this new translation called the CEB.  His love, His mercy are fresh and ready for us each and ev’ry mornin’ so we should be travelin’ through this world light.

     Now, Pard, I sure hope yuh did somethin’ for yur sweetie or else the lumps on yur noggin’ won’t be from fallin’ out of yur saddle ’cause yuh didn’t check yur cinch.  Me and the missus are goin’ to fandango tonight.  Yep, goin’ to dinner with some of the church folk…should be a fine time.  So let’s finish our coffee and get ready for the day.  Not much I can do with this ol’ fence post, but I’ll give it a try.
     Vaya con Dios.