Author: Ira Paine

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Another sip sent a fresh wave of pleasure through her. Coffee had to be one of God’s greatest gifts to humankind.” 

                    –Lorna Seilstad (When Love Calls)
 
Yippi-yay, Pard, it’s gonna be a good day.  The birds are a-singin’, the crows are cawin’, the sun is shinin’ bright, and the coffee’s done been perked.  Come on in, my, ain’t what that gal said the truth?  Ahh, coffee–one of God’s greatest gifts.  Simple pleasure to enjoy with yuh or by myself.  A person just needs to have a “yeehaw” down in their soul, ‘specially if they’ve gone passed their allotted days on this earth.  Yeehaw!  Powder River, let ‘er buck–another day to add.
       Had some trouble with the ol’ Google.  Said my account was closed due to inactivity.  Makes a body wonder what’s goin’ on.  All of this new fancy technology an’ there’s always a glitch of some sort.  Good thing that doesn’t happen with the Lord.  Don’t have to worry about any glitches, crashes, or viruses with Him.
       Finish yur cup, there’s more in the pot.  Pard, I saw this advertisement on facebook the other day, and it sorta made me chuckle.  It was from that famous preacher-man, David Jeremiah.  Now, don’t go gettin’ me wrong, I think he’s a pretty good one.  But let me continue after I take a sip.  Here’s the advertisement.  “5 Weeks to be Rapture Ready”  Ha, ha,–what happens if the Rapture takes place on Monday?  Yuh just can’t tell the Lord to hold off ’til yuh finish the course.  Now, I understand the purpose is for a church study lesson.  It just struck me funny–why Pard, yuh better already be Rapture Ready!  It could happen at any time.  Look at the craziness, the foolishness, and the evil lurkin’ in the world.  Yuh shore better be Rapture Ready.
       Pard, yuh think it’s bad here now, just wait ’til that Rapture occurs.  Whooeeee, them four horsemen are gonna ride roughshod over the earth.  Then add to that the Seal, Trumpets, and Bowls that are gonna happen.  Ain’t gonna be a pretty sight.  Why I reckon the good Lord might even cause all the coffee beans to dry up on the bushes.
       Yuh be takin’ care Pard.  Be sure yuh are Rapture Ready, and that yuh don’t go sooner ’cause yuh forgot to check yur cinch.
        Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A man can know the Bible from cover to cover but feel dead inside if he isn’t seeking to remain near the Lord in a daily devotion of time in the Word and prayer.”
                         –Kenneth Pratt  (To Kill a Dragon)

       “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

                         –1 Peter 3:12 (NKJV)
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               “Pray without ceasing.”  –1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)
                “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere…”  –1 Timothy 2:8 (NKJV)

Prayer, we are commanded to pray.  Prayer–it is one of our greatest weapons against the enemy.  Prayer–it is one of our greatest tools in building the Kingdom.  Prayer–we ought, we must pray for each other.  Paul said often that he mentioned others in his prayers.  It is vital we pray.  If we want fellowship (relationship) with the Lord we must pray.  The Bible is full of exhortations that we pray, and there are plenty of examples.
       For me, prayer is so hard.  I read all the books on how to pray.  A Christian should not pass through this life without reading E.M. Bounds, but then it is oh, so frustrating.  

               “Whatever affects the intensity of our prayer affects the value of our work.”
               “A lack of ardor in prayer is the sure sign of a lack of depth and of intensity of desire; and the absence of intense desire is a sure sign of God’s absence from the heart!”
               “Our prayer-chamber should have our freshest strength, our calmest time, its hours unfettered, without obtrusion, without haste.”

These are just a few quotations from the pen of the great prayer-warrior Bounds.  Bounds writes to give us encouragement, to give us direction, but when I try to pray like him, all I get is frustration and depression.  Then I think of the Lord’s Prayer (or Disciples’ Prayer if you want to be more modern).  It was very short, in fact it is really an outline of how to pray.  We praise God, acknowledge who He is and His character.  We seek His will and to do that we must have knowledge of the Scriptures.  We petition for daily needs, we ask for our sins to be forgiven and our debts, and we acknowledge that we must forgive as well.  We pray not to be led into temptation (it comes easily enough on its own).  
       Let me share with you a couple of writings regarding prayer.  I have changed the format some, but not the wording.  I hope that you can follow.  They both come from “God Is No Fool” by Lois A. Cheney.

               #1 One morning I awoke with a desire I wanted to fulfill.  It concerned a way I wanted to be.  This was a matter to lay before God.  This was a matter for prayer.  The desire was for a power and goodness, and I wanted the prayer to be right.  I would preface my request with an acknowledgement of my unworthiness.  This wasn’t false; I knew it, and God would accept it.
               All day phrases and words came to me.  My special prayer took shape.  I would set aside a time.  I would approach him in truth.  In the evening I closed myself away from others.  I read from his word.  I reviews the phrases and words of my very special prayer.  Before I got really settled down, I was flooded with the answer, and I was the way I wanted to be.  But I felt cheated.  I had wanted that moment of communication with God.  Then I thought I heard something.  “I heard you this morning.”  I think I have a lot to learn about prayer.

               #2 One morning I awoke with a desire I wanted to fulfill.  It concerned a way I wanted to be.  This was a matter to lay before God.  This was a matter for prayer.  The desire was for a power and goodness, and I wanted the prayer to be right.  I would preface my request with an acknowledgment of my unworthiness.  This wasn’t false; I knew it, and God would accept it.
               All day phrases and words escaped me.  my special prayer lay limp and wouldn’t take shape.  I would set aside a time.  I would approach him in truth.  In the evening I closed myself away from others.  I read from his word.  I fought for phrases and words–I felt embarrassed and mute.  And the world got bigger, and God got greater, and I got smaller.  Frustrated, I jerked to reality, and suddenly I was flooded with the answer, and I was the way I wanted to be.
               But I felt confused…I had wanted that moment of communication with God, but I had found myself impotent and alone.  Then I thought I heard something.  “I heard you this morning.”  I think I have a lot to learn about prayer.

       Pray without ceasing!  We pray in conversation with God.  The more of His word we have in our hearts and minds, the more easily it is to communicate with Him.  If you want a relationship it is important to realize that He is with you every step of the way and if you are walking with Him, you should be talking with Him.  When I came across the idea from Rosalind Rinker’s book about this it totally changed my prayer life.  Of course there is a time for formal prayer, there are special occasions in which we pray, but most of our prayer should simply be a conversation with the Lord, about everyday life, about whatever comes to our mind, about situations, circumstances, issues, problems, that we are facing.  One other thing I have done since I retired is to keep a “prayer calendar.”  This helps me in praying for the needs of others.
       Let me conclude this little more lengthy devotion with words that are meant for you and me today, in this hour in which we live.  They are words from Peter, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.” (1 Peter 4:7, NKJV)

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I hear that bunkhouse gossip is better than an old maids’ convention.”

                    –Lou Bradshaw  (Hickory Jack)

       “But steer clear of all these stupid Godless fictions. Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.”
                    –1 Timothy 4:7 (Phillips)
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              “They will no longer listen to the truth, but will wander off after man-made fictions.”
                         –2 Timothy 4:4 (Phillips)

We live in a time when the truth is mocked.  However, there is another side of the coin and that is when the truth is distorted, twisted, or turned into “man-made fables.”  Paul writes both Timothy and Titus to beware and guard against fables.  Peter says that he did not follow “cunningly, devised fables.”  Let me give you two definitions:
          fable — fictitious tales
          fad — an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities; a craze.

       In Christianity, we have fads and fables.  Most of them have some truth in them, but many are subtle and will lead astray into false doctrine.  Many times people will focus on the fad rather than the doctrines of the Holy Script.  Because they “feel” something strongly they suppose it is from the Holy Spirit.  People search for signs and wonders rather than realizing that signs and wonders follow the gospel, not preceding it.
       I want to look at one “fad” that went through the church a few years back.  It is not quite as popular as it once was, but at one time it was “the thing.”  There was a book written in 2000, “The Prayer of Jabez,” and it was based on the following:

               “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’  So God granted him what he requested.”
                         –1 Chronicles 4:10 (NKJV)

There is quite a bit to this little prayer, but I recall only hearing about the first two parts:  “bless me indeed,” and “enlarge my territory” (or borders).  Perhaps this has been fulfilled in different ways, for I knew a man who had the nickname “Two-Belts.” (You figure it out.)  Before looking at the rest of the prayer, I want to dwell on this portion for a bit.  I had more than one person tell me or advise me that they are praying that their territory would be enlarged.  Oh, there were all kinds of things they were praying for, but I would usually respond in alarm.  “Brother (or Sister) you can’t!  That’s the same territory I’m asking the Lord to give me.”  Hmmm, they would normally get a puzzled look on their face.  Or I might answer, “You can’t pray that.  The Bible says that, ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’ (Exodus 20:17, NKJV)   That is my ox and you can’t have it.”  Again, the same dumb look would come my way.  
       I heard very little, actually none, regarding the rest of the prayer:  Be with me, keep me from evil, don’t let me cause pain.  When you look at that portion of the prayer we can see the teaching of Jesus in them.  Lord, keep me!  Isn’t that something we should pray? Look at the Psalms and how many times that is implied–Keep me!  Then “keep me from evil,” don’t lead me into temptation, don’t let my succumb to my old nature or the evil that is around me.  And finally, don’t let me cause pain, sorrow, or suffering needlessly to someone else.  I haven’t heard this term in many years, but the Golden Rule: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31, NKJV) or as Matthew puts it, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (7:12, NKJV)
       Folks, we live in a real world, and “True spirituality covers all reality” (Francis Schaeffer)  The Holy Spirit is not weird and He does not want us to be foolish.  If that prayer has helped you–fine.  However, most people I knew that prayed it were coveting something that belonged to someone else.  They were greedy, they were self-centered and selfish in their prayer.  In saying that, I know, I know for sure, that the Holy Spirit does put a specific scripture on our hearts at times.  God granted Jabez a specific request:  to enlarge his territory.  However, the rest of the prayer is universal:  O Lord, keep me, don’t let me fall to temptation, don’t let my deeds hurt others.
       One more thought–Jabez’s prayer was answered, not because of the prayer, but because God is sovereign.  Remember, that when you pray something specific for yourself.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A man can’t take back a mistake that bad. But he can grow with it and live better for it.”

                    –T.V. Olsen  (“They Walked Tall”)

       “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
                    –Ecclesiastes 7:5 (NKJV)
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It has often been said that “the good is the enemy of the best,” but is that always true?  It depends much upon circumstance and context and perspective.  You can never do gooder, but you can be better; neither can you be bester.  On the other hand there are so many who are satisfied with the good.  That’s why there is so much mediocrity in our society.  Why can’t a person strive to be better?  Why can’t they become the best?  There are many reasons, but one is that good is good enough.
       But what about God?  He cannot ever be better for He is already the best.  In another way, we have often heard the expression, “God is good–all the time; and all the time–God is good.”  There is nothing half-hearted with God.  There is nothing mediocre in God.  He cannot be any less and He cannot be any more–He is God.  
       In studying Psalm 119, I am seeing that the Psalmist has said that “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (119:71, NKJV).  That is so contrary to much of today’s preaching and thinking.  Affliction is good?  Read the writings of Paul and Peter and they say the same thing.  Now, let’s go on to verse 72, “The law of Your mouth is better to me…”  Affliction is good, but the law, the commandments, the Word of God is better.

               “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” (37:16, NKJV)
               “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.” (63:3, NKJV)
               “This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.” (69:31, NKJV)
               “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (84:10, NKJV)
               “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”  (118:8, NKJV)
               “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (118:9, NKJV)
               “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.” (119:72, NKJV)

       We need to be careful of our thoughts and our priorities.  I might say here, you’ll do this if you know what’s good for you.  Live for the Lord, it is better by far than anything the world has to offer.  In fact, the world is the enemy of God, so if we desire the things of the world we are degrading, not becoming better.  Better life than death, both in the physical realm and the spiritual.  
       We work as unto the Lord, therefore, we do the best we can.  We walk through this life the best we know how.  Can we do better?  Most likely, at times, but we strive to do the best, we try to better ourselves.  Contemplate the above Psalms today and throughout the week.  See what is “better.”  See how to become “better.”  Along the way, in the school of God, we get better.  The writer of the book of Hebrews said, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.” (6:9, NKJV)  There are “better” things that accompany salvation.  We find them as we go through the school of God and life.  Oh, and don’t forget that “obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV)  Have you noticed that obedience is mentioned so much in regard to true worship and life with God.  Better than sacrifice; if you love me keep my commandments–obey.