Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

The manger’s message is one of liberating mercy. God has wondrously taken the initiative and come to rescue us through Jesus.”
                    –Alistair Begg

       “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
                    –Hebrews 2:14(NKJV)
——————————–
The flickering flames from the year 2024, are fast going out.  Soon 2024 will be but an “echo” to remember.  In the next couple of days, ponder the coming of the Lord Jesus.  He came as a babe to Bethlehem.  The shepherds heard the chorus of angels, the magi saw the star.  The next time He comes there will be signs in the heavens, but there will not be a heavenly choir, but the sounding of the trumpet — be ready!

     “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
                    –John 1:1-5 (NKJV)

     “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
                    –2 Corinthians 9:15 (NKJV)

     “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
                    –John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

     “But made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
                    –Philippians 2:7-8 (NKJV)

 When I think of Christ, leaving heaven to come to earth — I am amazed.  When I think of Him putting aside His glory — I am in marvel.  When I think of Jesus coming to die for me — I am humbled.  Oh what a Savior we have!  Oh what an opportunity that is ours!  Make Him real in your hearts and minds this Christmas.

       “And if that isn’t love
       The ocean is dry
       There’s no stars in the sky
       And the little sparrows can’t fly.
       If that isn’t love
       Then heaven’s a myth,
       There’s no feeling like this
       If that isn’t love.”
               –Dottie Rambo

This will be the last “Echo” until after Christmas.  I am not sure right now when I will write again, hmm, maybe not even until 2025.  Until then I will tell you that my new book–Lawman–is available for purchase at Amazon.  
From my home to yours — have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Somebody poured coffee into his cup and he muttered a thanks without looking up.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Conagher)
 
That’s the way it is, Pard, with life, with coffee, with Christmas, that is — we might mutter a thanks, but we really don’t look up from what we’re a-doin’, especially since most have a phone in their hands.  But Pard, we should really take time to say thanks–thanks to the good Lord for His blessin’s; thanks to Him for the gift of His Son on that night so many years ago.  Yuh know He could have let man go on to his destruction, but instead he provided a Savior.
     Joseph, and especially Mary, were weary from their travels.  The day had been long, the animal was tired, and now they couldn’t find a place to stay.  Go ‘head, Pard, yuh can be drinkin’ whilst I’m talkin’.  The was finally a place found, not really conducive, but it got them out of the elements.  Joseph got Mary all situated, as comfortable as she could be in her situation, then proceeded to take care of the donkey, put some hay in the manger, where in a little while he’d be layin’ the heavenly child.
     I don’t know if Mary was ponderin’ these things in her heart right then, or whether she was just wantin’ the baby to be born.  Sometime during that night, she delivered.  The baby was born and was named Jesus!  There doesn’t seem to be any hoopla in the stable, maybe it was a silent night, ‘ceptin’ of course the cryin’ of the baby.  ‘Course He could’ve been unusual, as He was, an’ “no cryin’ He makes.”
     Ahhh, that is good coffee this mornin’, ha did yuh thank yur ol’ fence post, the coffee-maker?  Nah, but don’t be frettin’, I know that down in yur cold heart that yur thankful for those few swallers.  Ha, good to be sharin’ with yuh.  Now, back to the baby Jesus.  It may have been quiet in the stable, except for the sound of the animal eatin’, but somewhere, not far away the shepherds heard a commotion, “Glory to God in the Highest!”  Pard, that must have been somethin’!  When they heard the news they took traipsin’ off to find the baby an’ when they arrived He was lyin’ in a manger.  The faithful donkey had eaten his fill, Joseph probably cleaned up around it and replenished the hay and the shepherds found Him lyin’ there.  Now, for sure, Mary begins to ponder.
     Little was known about what would happen to the Babe.  He was Immanuel, He was to be the Savior of the world, but unless one really understood the words of the Old Testament they didn’t know all that awaited the Child.  There must have been thousands of angels around that stable in the spirit realm.  Here was the Lord God incarnate, helpless as a baby with Joseph to protect Him.  Pard, I’m just wonderin’ if ol’ slewfoot was around to take a peek.  It would have been a sight for him as well.  
     Pard, the coffee’s gone, that means yuh got to be along yur way.  It would do us all good to ponder the birth of Jesus in our hearts and minds.  Don’t be so distracted by yur marbles rollin’ in yur noggin’ that yuh forget to check yur cinch.  Yuh do that an’ yuh might be doin’ yur ponderin’ from the hospital bed.  Hmm, we sure need to be ponderin’ the Lord before we get ourselves in that situation.  Be havin’ a Merry Christmas!
       Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift.”
                    –John R. Rice

       “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

                    –Romans 6:23  (NKJV)
——————————–
               “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  –2 Corinthians 9:15 (NKJV)

How often do we put into words the gift of God of His Son, Jesus?  At Christmas we have a wonderful opportunity to begin to express our thanksgiving.  We can’t fully describe His Gift, and the ESV translates it, “inexpressible”.  It is too marvelous for our comprehension; it is too magnificent for our soul to express our feelings.  We can quote the verse, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16, NKJV).  Look closely and ponder.  Let your heart’s-mind dwell on the giving of the Father; a heavenly Father who did not spare His only Son for the redemption of mankind.
     We give gifts.  We like to give and we like to get, don’t get too pious.  However, most of the gifts we give are material, and really there’s nothing wrong with that as long and it is not manipulative and the motive is right.  The gifts we give tarnish, or tear apart, or break, and even traditions fade away, but the Gift of the Father is eternal.  God, in His goodness and mercy, reached down to give mankind an eternal, personal gift.  A special gift for everyone who has ever taken a breath on this earth.  It is not a gift that can be purchased; it is not a gift that can be won as a door prize.  It is priceless and eternal and it has purchased your eternal soul if you but reach out and take it.
     Look at the last two words:  “indescribable gift.”  How can the birth of Jesus be described?  Put all the prophecies together, then add the situation and circumstances of the time of His birth and describe how it could happen.  It cannot!  Indescribable means that it cannot be fully expounded upon; that is cannot be compared to anything; that it cannot be completely explained, and there is no ending to this Gift. (Whitmire)

               “The half cannot be fancied, this side the golden shore;
               O there He’ll be still sweeter than He ever was before.”
                         –W.C. Martin

We cannot begin to even know even the half of this Gift; we cannot come to know even half of the Father’s love that He has for us.  We accept His grace by faith.
     You want to have a wonderful Christmas?  Then receive the wonderful Gift of the heavenly Father.  If you already have then begin to praise Him for that Gift.  When you receive Jesus, this Gift, you are actually praising God by receiving.  It is not until we receive that we can begin, and I say only begin to understand God’s Gift.  We must love Christ before we can begin to enjoy Christ.  “Christ gives us the right perspective, the right estimate, the right measure of a human being.” (George W. Truett)
 ________________

(Note:  I have been blessed with a wonderful Sunday School teacher–Troy Whitmire.  I want to give him credit for stirring the thinking pot of my mind.  Several ideas came from his lesson last Sunday.)

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

The things that go on in the dark prove that people believe in You. They are afraid to do those same things in blaze of daylight. Afraid You will see them. Ashamed. But at night, well, they think Your vision or concern is somehow limited. May I only do those things at night that I would do in the light of day.”
                    –Stephen Bly  (Throw the Devil Off the Train)

       “Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

                    –Luke 21:26-27 (NKJV)
—————————
This is a very solemn set of scriptures.  Every person, in their heart of hearts, knows there is a God.  Atheists, ha–fools!  These verses indicate that to some extent God gives people what they want.  They can choose to ignore and reject Him and the result is disaster.  Matthew Henry calls it, “the doom of those that continue obstinate against all these means and methods of grace.”  

       1.24 — Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
       1.25 — Because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke,
       1.26 — I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes,
       1.27 — When your terror comes like a storm, and your destruction comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you.
       1.28 — Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.
       1.29 — Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
       1.30 — They would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke.
       1.31 — Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies.  (NKJV)

     There is the promise of life.  God has offered His Son as a gift to mankind to redeem them, but…  Oh, that men would not reject this Gift.  Man should never find himself in the position where he rejects God.  Paul writes, “Do not be haughty, but fear.” (Romans 11:20, NKJV)  The KJV version puts it this way, “be not high-minded.”  Do not think of yourself above God.  In other words, do not reject His offer.  “Because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools…” (Romans 1:21-22, NKJV)  Matthew Henry states, “Those who do not choose the fear of the Lord, show that they have no knowledge.”
     Imagine God laughing at someone’s folly.  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31, NKJV).  Oh reader, do not invoke the laughter of God.  For “if God laugh, thou hast good cause to cry” (John Trapp).  Choose the right way, walk with God while there is time.  Those who walk the path that Satan and the world offer are stepping on precarious ground and are deprived of the security of the promises of God (Charles Bridges).  Time is short, today is the day of salvation.
     Remember the parable of the wedding feast told by Jesus.  The dinner was ready, but…”They made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business…  The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.”  (Matthew 22:5,8, NKJV)   God is stretching out His hand, who will accept His invitation?  Luke tells us that when the guests are told that things are ready, they all began to make excuses.  The Master after giving instructions declares, “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:24, NKJV)   Andrew Fausset writes, “Men are free in choosing destruction, so the blame rests wholly on themselves.”  “Their miserable end is the fruit–not of God’s way, but of their own.  His plan, His device for them, was a plan of salvation.” (Ralph Wardlaw)
     The time is at hand for the return of the Lord for those who look for Him.  The trumpet will soon sound, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is on the distant horizon.  Those who are ready are looking up.  Others say they are too busy, others may say there is no God and scoffs.  However, as Warren Wiersbe says, “Wisdom sees a storm of judgment coming that will bring distress and anguish to all who reject God’s invitation.”  
     “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!” (Isaiah 1:2, NKJV)  Do not cause the Lord to laugh, to mock you when you are left behind.  “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6, NKJV)  “Men’s own desires fulfilled are made their sorest plagues” (Fausset).