Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on November 8, 2024

He began to think how beautiful the earth was, how Nature hid her rarest gifts for those who loved her most, how good it was to live, if only for these blessings.”
–Zane Grey (The Mysterious Rider)

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.”
–Psalm 48:1 (KJV)
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I used to not understand. I’m speaking of people melting down after an election. But now, I have only pity for them. They are weak of character, placing hope in people and in an agenda that is foolishness and mockery towards God. If there is a meltdown now, what will it be like at the Judgment? Now, the election of Trump doesn’t mean that things will be hunky-dunky. We’ll see if he tears down the “high places.” The issues that are in the news are not the root cause, and that’s why the media is so involved. I saw where late night talk show hosts cried, and were in shock. See, the problem is sin–plain and simple. “O that you had paid attention to my commandments!” (Isaiah 48:18, NRSV). That’s the bottom line–pay attention to what God says.
But this morning I want to remind you, as we enter into the holidays (holy days) to be thankful. We get so caught in what’s going on, the busyness of life. The election was on the mind of so many, and it should have been, but many were looking at it with the wrong perspective. They had man’s agenda in mind, not the will of the Lord. Be thankful, be thankful in all things and for all things.
Sunday a song was playing and my mind went to the idea that God cares for us in some many ways that are unseen. This year has been one of extremes–flooding then very dry. We needed rain, and it was supplied. Now, before you go on and say it was just the water cycle. It was just the way of climate, let me remind you that it was God who put the laws of physics and nature in place. Instead of complaining, griping, and murmuring:
“Take time to ponder
Just who sends the rains.”
–R.W. Hampton
The words of the Lord to Job come to mind–where were you? How dare we tell God anything. How dare we tell Him how to run His universe. Instead of whining, have hope and trust in the Creator.
“So listen my friend if you’ve cause to doubt
Open your eyes and He’s all about
In a wondrous creation abounding with love
By the Father and Son it’s ruled from above.”
Your heart beats, who set it in motion? The blood circulates according to whose plan and design? Who gave you the talents and abilities you have? Realize my friend that the “Master’s In Everything.” No, this is not Cosmic Humanism, New Age. The seasons are not God, but they are designed and set in motion by God. Take a walk in creation, you cannot but see that He’s there. Why do people try to deny Him? Why do they think they are autonomous? “God is greater than man” (Job 33:12, NIV) comes the words of Elihu. Later God asks Job, “Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place? Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth? Tell me, if you know all this.” (Job 38:12, 18, NIV). Go ahead, finish reading chapter 38-39.
Be thankful. Take a look around you and look at all that you can be thankful for. I dare you!
“From the four winds that blow to the whippoorwill call
From the green leaves of spring to the gold in the fall,
From sunrise to sunset and all in between
The Master’s in everything that you see.”

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on November 7, 2024

Some folks are so full of themselves there ain’t no room for anything like facts, truth, good judgment, and such. They think they’re the only ones that know what’s right.”
–B.N. Rundell (High Country)

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

–John 8:32 (NKJV)
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“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” –Proverbs 1:7 (NKJV)

Here we have the key verse, the thesis statement of Proverbs. All the rest can be traced back to this idea. Note that the first six verses tell us that life is full of choices, full of decision-making, and here we see the first decision that must be made–to fear God or become a fool. Bob Beasley, puts it this way, “If one doesn’t get this decision right, all the decisions that follow will be wrong as well.” We see in this verse the introduction of the fool and his characteristics. I also like the way the NIV translates the latter part of the verse, “fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
If a person wants to be wise, wants to obtain true knowledge, they must start here. “Fear of the Lord motivates us to obey God’s commandments, and obedience to them constitutes true wisdom” (NKJV Study Bible). Here is the starting point. Here we see the basic ingredient in wisdom and God’s knowledge–the fear of the Lord. It is vital that we understand that true worship is knowing the character of God and reacting to it. Solomon concludes his magnificent Book of Ecclesiastes with this declaration: “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man” (12:13, KJV). “Of all knowledge, the knowledge of God is the principal. There is no true knowledge without godliness.” (Charles Bridges).
We see, right from the beginning of Proverbs, the introduction of the fool and two of his characteristics: the despising of wisdom and instruction or discipline. Wisdom/knowledge is offered, but the fool despises it and casts it away. This is one of the great tragedies of life. Why they go this way, only they truly know. Warren W. Wiersbe points out one such reason, “There’s so much noise that people can’t hear the things they really want to hear.” Hundreds, if not more, voices and sound call them. They may seek truth, but only find confusion and chaos. They come to despise God’s truth and listen to confused communications and foolish voices. These lead people away from the truth that God offers.
The fool rejects the truth, godly wisdom, and godly morals choosing to listen to other voices or to do what is right in their own eyes. He rejects what Charles Bridges says is, “The fear of the Lord is that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law.” The fool is his own man, he goes his own way, he does things his own way. He rejects, “the necessary foundation of true wisdom is unfeigned righteousness and pureness” (Henry Moore). Now, we must define a “fool.” The Oxford Dictionary says that a fool is, 1) to be gross and dull of understanding; 2) to turn away from; 3) perverse — therefore, God has no influence upon their hearts; to them, practically, there is no God. Beasley states, “Many who are in pews today are practical atheists. They don’t tremble at God and neither do they hold Him in affectionate awe.” It is this person that Paul writes about, “Professing to be wise, they became fools… They exchanged the truth of God for a lie.” (Romans 1:22,25, NKJV) This is the man or woman that Jesus declares in Matthew 7:23, “depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (NKJV).
One other term to look at in this study–“despise.” Look around you at those who despise God’s Word and His moral values. Somebody bluntly said, “Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.” The truth is before them, but they refuse to see it and refuse to accept it rather trusting in the wisdom of man instead. To define “despise” is 1) to feel contempt or a deep repugnance for; 2) something detested; 3) a loathing. There are many who loathe the truth of God’s moral standards, thus they are fools. Job gives us some guidance, “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” (28:28, NKJV)

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on November 6, 2024

When something is unavoidable, foolishness lies in trying to avoid it.”
–Ralph Vaughn (Hell Comes to Paradise)

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”
–Joel 3:14 (NKJV)
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Judgment is coming! The Prophet declares. Come, gather and look at what is happening. Amos is telling others, particularly the Philistines and Egyptians to watch the judgment that is coming. “They are to become witnesses of unrighteousness that prevailed among God’s people, who claimed to be righteous.” In looking at this coming judgment we must remember that sin often causes physical calamity. Israel will face it in the clutches of Assyria. We are warned, “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1, NKJV)
In these verses, 3:9-15, Amos is able to look beyond the grandeur and security of Samaria. He sees the “great tumults in her midst, and the oppressed within her” (3:9, NKJV). Outwardly there is the appearance of strength and stability but in reality there is chaos, panic, and disorder. Lloyd Ogilvie says, “‘great tumult’ can mean the confusion caused by unrestrained and wanton revelry.” He continues to say, “Samaria was Vanity Fair, Sin City, obsessed with sexual lust and sensualism.”
Confusion, chaos, do we not see this today. Gender confusion? Chaos in the streets. Here is the crux of the matter, “‘They do not know how to do right,’ declares the LORD.” (3:10, NIV) Albert Garners states that they have “seared and obstinate conscience.” The people have lost moral perspective and have robbed the poor. Amos states that instead of storehouses filled with grain their storehouse is filled with “robbery and violence.” What are the streets of America like? Hmm…. Instead of living as God’s people, they have corrupted the message and religion of God. This is apostasy!
People get to the point where God is no longer valid in their sight. The only thing they know is what is right in their own eyes. Jesus told John regarding the church in Laodicea, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—” This is the same thing that Amos was seeing and proclaiming. Peter C. Craigie says, “Great walls offer no protection if the lives of those within are weakened with corruption.” Do people care about their neighbor or do they live their own agenda? Remember when Israel wanted a king? “Israel had wanted to be like other nations; soon they would be no nation at all.” (Ogilvie) Do we see this today in globalism, the WHO mandate, and climate control? When God decides to judge there will be no refuge. The Assyrians took Israel captive, dispersing it throughout the lands. This people would partially return and were the hated Samaritans in the time of Jesus–“mongrel Jews.”
Amos is not only warning Israel and the city of Samaria. His words should ring out today in regard to God’s moral law and His righteousness. We read in Proverbs, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.” (14:34, NKJV) Ah, they cry is, “whose righteousness? who determines?” The people of Israel had turned from Yahweh, turned from His laws and covenant. They now worshiped Baal. Instead of honoring the covenant and the sacrifices under the law, they sacrificed to Baal. “The Baal rites not only involved the usual lascivious practices of fertility cults, but even such abominations as child sacrifice.” (New Bible Dictionary) Jeremiah describes this, “They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offering to Baal–something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.” (19:5, NIV)
Watch out, or as Isaiah and other prophets might say, “Woe” Be careful what you do with God’s righteous and moral law. Know of a certainty that God is not mocked. Paul writes, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them…. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:6-7, 11, NIV) Gary G. Cohen brings us to reality, in our day, and in the time of Amos, when he writes, “Amos cries that the whole-world ought to understand what sins had occurred in Samaria, which sins had now caught up with her and had resulted in God’s proclamation that her time of judgment had arrived.”

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on November 5, 2024

Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over—will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” –Luke 6:38 (HCSB)

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It was that time of year when miners who had been laid off for the winter months began to filter into Durango. After the strike and fiasco a few years back, most of the larger mines let the married men stay in the company houses with minimum rent. Silverton, with the aid of the mines, provided a place where single men could stay at a reasonable cost. Many, however, came on down to Durango. It was warmer and there were plenty of places for them to spend their money.

That was the shame of it. The mines, the larger ones at least, paid them well enough to get through the winter months. That is, unless they spent their wages foolishly, which the majority of them did. The vices of the town called out to them and they answered, then they paid the price. Both Rev. Chapman and Father Cisneros tried to help the down and out, but they could only do so much and they had little room to house the men.

Miners came primarily from the Silverton area, but a few still came in from Telluride. There was a little community springing up that had once only been a stage station. They were calling it Cortez. Another place to add to Charlie’s list. A few Mexican sheepherders, a group of small farmers, and now, unemployed miners; yep, Charlie would have his hands full there.

The days were pleasant, but soon winter would be fully upon us. I was sitting by the stove in the diner, when Doc Jones came in to visit. He ambled over, pulled out a chair and sat himself. After he was seated, he pointed to the coffeepot on the stove. Shaking my head, I got up to get him a cup and fill it from the pot. I don’t know why he just didn’t do it himself before sitting down.

Marta and Emelda were running the place under Molly’s supervision, though they didn’t need much of it. Molly was currently out getting some produce from Crandall’s Grocery. I am still amazed that they can put goods in a can and keep them. Sure does help through the year, especially the winter months. Molly still took care of the books and the expenditures.

Doc was sipping his coffee. Setting down the cup, he scratched the side of his face, that meant he was about to say something. “What is the plan for Martin’s store?” he asked. “Seems a shame for it to be sitting there all boarded up. It’s still full of goods isn’t it?”

I didn’t reply for it seemed like he was going to continue. “You know the Peabodys? They seem like fine folks.”

“From what I know of them they are,” I replied wondering where he was going with his thoughts.

“Why don’t you go talk to them?” he said, more of an order than a question. When I didn’t answer, he continued. “Ever thought of letting the Peabodys run the store and sharing the proceeds with Martin’s daughter?”

Marshall Peabody was a man who had brought his family West with him. I wasn’t sure from where they came, someplace in Ohio I thought. He was going to strike it rich, like so many others and went broke instead. Now, he and his wife Eloise were living in a tent north of town with two small children; a girl of six, Penny, and a boy who was four, if I remembered right, named Jake. They had made it thus far by keeping a little garden with Marshall hiring out to odd jobs. People liked him, and he had a good reputation. With Lucas now working at the jail, Marshall had taken his place chopping wood for various businesses and people in town.

“There’s a couple of rooms upstairs,” Doc stated. “That would get them out of that tent and someplace to stay during the winter.”

I sipped at my coffee. “Well, aren’t you going to say anything?” he barked a little exasperated.

Standing up, I took the last swallow, then put on my jacket. Grabbing the Greener I started to walk out. “Where are you going?” he snapped.

“Think, I’ll have a talk with Judge Klaser…”