Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Comfort is one of the many things you give up when you take up a life in wild country.”
                         –Lou Bradshaw  (Driftin’)

       “And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’”
                         –Matthew 8:20(NKJV)
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                    “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness…’.  But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of your be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin…  While it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'”
                                   –Hebrews 3:7-8, 13, 15 (NKJV)

       Focus on that word, TODAY.  Grasp onto that word until you can get the feeling of its meaning into your heart.  Today…today do not harden your hearts.  Remember, the Book of Hebrews was written to believers, most notably Jewish believers.
       The writer is yelling:  Pay attention!  He is writing to a people who seemingly want to provoke God.  Hard to believe that a Christian would dare to provoke the One who redeemed him, but here is the warning.  It was written to the first century church, and it referred back to God’s people hardening their hearts in the wilderness in the time of Moses.  Yet, it has a real message for us today.
       How far can a person (or nation) push God?  Does God really mean He will do what He says (cf. Dt 28)?  We have been warned regarding God’s judgments.  Why would a believer push God?  “This generation does not believe in a God of judgment.” (William R. Newell)  They see only the God of grace and mercy, the God of handouts and blessings.  It would profit us to heed the warnings God has given to us.
       People claim that Christianity isn’t a religion, but a relationship, then why isn’t that fellowship developed?  Has the world too bright an allure?  The warnings of God have been softened with compromise; a compromise that says we can partake of the world because God is loving and kind and sweet.  I won’t say more about the warning here except that the writer is warning believers not to harden their hearts, not to fall away from the Person of Jesus.  John warns us about being friends with the world.  Paul says we cannot have fellowship with Belial.
       Consider Him–today!  People say they want a relationship, oh, but I ask, do they long to know His ways?  Relationships take time to develop and they take effort.  Most are content to remain ignorant of the ways of God.  They want the perks, but not the pain.  They enjoy the blessings, but shun picking up their cross daily and following Him.  I remember a student telling me once that the reason he didn’t read the Bible was so he could remain ignorant.  His thought was that knowledge made him responsible.  Ignorance is bliss–no, ignorance is dangerous!
       Today–the word implies that immediate action is imperative.  The voice of God is sounding now; it must not be neglected.  Jesus warned of the approaching night.  Paul implores us to redeem the time, and to work out your salvation.  How?  By becoming conscious of a living God who bids us to fellowship now–today.  He is a living Person, therefore we truly can have fellowship with Him.  However, it is up to us to put the world aside and follow Him.  He does not follow us; He will wait for us, but His way is higher and purer than ours so we must place our worldly ideas aside.  
       Do not be one who “dies” in the wilderness.  One who heard the word, but lets the cares of life and deceitfulness of riches harden his heart toward the Lord.  Follow Him, intently; follow Him purposely.  Become a true disciple–follow Him, consider Hi, have a proper attitude toward Him–now, TODAY.

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
In the last episode, the outlaw Fred Dover had passed out and was being carried to the doctor’s office having just come through an appendectomy.  Clem Donor was in jail, while his brother, Lige, was still on the loose.  Let’s go back to those exciting days of yesteryear and see the continuing saga of Miles Forrest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
       “There’s a little community, ’bout ten miles west of here.  I don’t recall the name, but north, on the creek right at a mile we came across an abandoned cabin.  We stayed there for a couple of nights.  That’s the last place we were before coming here,” Clem paused, scratching at his cheek.  “He might have gone there.”
       I stood up to leave, when Charlie hollered, “Where are you going?”
       Stopping, I turned to face him.  He had left the cell and was standing in the doorway.  “Miles, that’s my job.  I’m the sheriff,” he said curtly.  I was sort of stunned by his brashness, but I gave a slight shrug of the shoulders then moved out of the way as Charlie passed.  He knew the country as well as anybody, and would easily find the cabin if it was indeed where Clem Donor had said.
       When Charlie went out the door, I went back to the cell.  Peering down at Donor, who was sitting on the edge of the cot, I asked, “Do you think your brother will try and break you out?”
       “Marshal, I don’t rightly know.  Lige has always been impetuous, just like when he got shot in the eatery.  He might stay and think things through.  He might try and check on Fred, or he might take a notion to break me out.”
       “He’s your brother, what do you think?” I questioned with a little more force.
       “Will the sheriff kill him?” came the meek inquiry from Donor.
       I stared intently at Donor.  “That all depends on your brother.  Now answer my question.”
       “If anything, he’ll come to get me,” replied Donor then with pleading in his eyes, “Don’t kill him, please I’m beggin’ you.”
       “Donor, he may bring it on himself, but I won’t purposely try to kill him.  That’s all I can promise.”
       I turned to walk out nodding with my head that Lucas should follow.  “Lucas, you heard me in there.  I can’t ask you to not do your duty.  If there is an attempted jailbreak you do what is needed,” I admonished him, then smiled.  “I know you can handle this.  Now, you go down and get something to eat and I’ll stay here.  After that we formulate some kind of plan.”
       Lucas didn’t say anything heading for the door.  “If’n you see Mateo, send him by here.”
* * * * *
       Sheriff Gold stopped by the diner to tell Marta where he was going.  While they were talking, Molly went to fix him a poke of food to carry along.  “I should be back in a day, no later than two.  If the kid isn’t at the cabin, I’ll head on back,” he said, then gave Marta a kiss and went out.
       There was a good chance that Lige Donor was holed up in a cabin north of Hesperus.  The are was more of a farming region, as the gold was higher up in the mountains.  The community here was small and mostly Mexican with some Indians living nearby.  Mancos was further up the road, a day’s ride, but most likely the kid was somewhere around Hesperus.  
       The road was good to Hesperus as it was well traveled, but the road to the north at the turnoff was not as well traveled.  It was easily passable, but it was not as worn from the travel as the main road.  Sheriff Gold slowed his pony to a walk after taking the road.  There were few cabins dispersed, but he decided to go on up the creek a mile like Clem Donor had said.  He allowed his horse to walk at a slow gait, as he moved his rifle from the scabbard holding it ready.
       A mile up the road, there was a cabin snuggled in with some aspens.  A small stream moved behind the cabin that downstream moved into the larger creek.  Gold sat his horse looking the situation over.  There wasn’t a horse in front of the cabin, but that didn’t mean there couldn’t be one behind.  Someone was there, as he could see smoke rising from the chimney.  That didn’t mean that it was Lige Donor, but on the other hand, he needed to be ready.
       He was just getting ready to nudge his horse, when the door opened and ….

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Give me a stayer every time. I like a man or a horse who just gets in there and keeps on going.”

                    –Louis L’Amour  (Down the Long Hills)

       “Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.”
                    –Job 14:5 (NKJV)
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This portion of Psalm 90 is cause for great reflection upon one’s life–both the past, present, and hopefully the future.  It is a psalm that should be taken to heart by those alive on earth today.  No one rightly fears the Lord; few are there who comprehend His power.  What would happen if the Lord decided to turn His wrath upon sin?  We think of Him as a loving God, and His is, but there is also that attribute of His wrath.  In the near future, I believe, the inhabitants of the earth, those who have rejected the offer of grace given through the death of Jesus on the cross, will see part of His wrath.

          10 — The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
          11 — Who knows the power of Your anger?  For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
          12 — So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
          13 — Return, O LORD!  How long?  And have compassion on Your servants.
          14 — Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
          15 — Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.
          16 — Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children.
          17 — And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.  (NKJV)

       Verse 10, seems like it belongs in Ecclesiastes.  We work, struggle and toil for seventy years, perhaps eighty.  Human life is short-lived because it is spent under God’s judgment upon man’s sin.  The NIV Study Bible states, “All their health, joys, riches and honor are soured by trouble and sorrow, or emptiness.” (Solomon might say it is “vanity.”)   Then verses 11-12 hit us, “But everyone ought to know the measure of his few days or he will play the arrogant fool, with not thought of his mortality or of his accountability to God.” (NIV Study Bible)
       Many times we read in the writings of Paul to be good stewards, to redeem the time.  James tells us that our life is but a vapor.  Since God has numbered our days, we should do likewise.  We should take account of our responsibilities and see that they are fulfilled to the best of our ability each day.  We are to be good stewards, not hirelings.  We are to be stewards not only of the talents and blessings the Lord has given us, and the blessings of meeting our needs and abundantly so, but also with our time and lives.  “Man must be careful not to waste his life in temporal frivolities but to invest it for eternity.” (Steven Lawson)
       Notice the psalmist cries for the Lord to satisfy us with His mercy.  When we know and recognize that it is by the mercies of the Lord that we are given each day then we will rejoice and be glad.  Our deeds should reflect His mercy, our lives should reflect what He has done for us.  Pray for His mercy and that He will establish the work of our hands–the work that has been done for His glory and for the eternal kingdom of God.  Oh, Lord, establish the works of our hands making them effective and enduring.  Let us be good and faithful stewards of our time and our lives.  Help us to realize that we must live “strategically in light of eternity.” (Lawson)  Let us have purpose, let us live every day for Your approval.
       It has been said, “Aim at nothing, and you will hit it every time.”  Life is like that.  A misdirected life is a wasted life.  Let me pass on some words from Steven Lawson, “Wisely investing one’s life requires living in light of eternity.  It necessitates living with an eternal outlook on all of life…  In order to hit the target of God’s will, one must live for what is truly important and will stand the test of time…  One must live for God and His eternal kingdom today.  Only a life lived for God will be a truly satisfied life.”
       Remember, you have only so much time–invest it wisely.  That amount of time is determined by God and is given to you.  Now, redeem the time.  Now choose wisely what you will do with your life.  Now accept the mercy of God or live in His wrath.  “One must pour his or her life wisely into these eternal realities.” (Lawson)

                    “O God, our help in ages past,
                    Our hope for years to come,
                    Our shelter from the stormy blast,
                    And our eternal home!”
                           –Isaac Watts

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He haunted the coffeepot until it came to a full boil. He poured in cold water to settle the grounds, then dipped out a cup and began to drink it, disregarding its scalding heat.”

                         –Elmer Kelton  (The Day the Cowboys Quit)
 
Good mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  Welcome to my humble abode.  Cup’s on the table an’ if yuh hold it up I’ll fill it for yuh.  Careful yuh don’t drop it or yuh’d have a coffee break.  Ha, thought I’d try to make yuh smile this mornin’.  
       Folks tell me that I need to smile for my pictures or that I need to smile.  Why Pard, I’m smilin’ all the time, in fact, I’m sometimes downright hee-hawin’ at the stupidity of some folks out there.  Thing is if some of their antics were so shameful and sinful they would be for sure incredibly hilarious.  Yuh remember the story about the pig that they cleaned up, washed him all up, put a pretty little pink bow on him and started callin’ him a lamb?  They would stroke his make-believe wool, say “baa baa” and flit around him.  They next mornin’ upon wakin’ they couldn’t find their cute little pet “sheep.”  They went throughout the house and then into the barn.  Finally, they saw, at the edge of the pig slop, a pretty pink bow.  They looked closer and couldn’t believe what they saw; there was their little “sheep” back in the hog wallow.  Yuh see, yuh can’t change the way God made creatures and man is the same way.  No matter the environment, no matter the education, no matter the money, no matter how hard o’ Henry Higgins works on a person, they are still sinners and need a new heart.  That only comes from bein’ born again, acceptin’ the Lord Jesus Christ.
       There my preachifyin’ is done for the day.  With that, my coffee’s done got cold.  I’ll swaller it down fast, hate to waste good coffee.  Yuh did leave enough in the pot for me?
Say, if’n yur in the area stop by Calvary Christian Academy this evening for a BBQ dinner.  The money goes for the kids’ trip to competition later in the spring.  If’n yuh come be sure an’ check yur cinch before headin’ out.  
          Vaya con Dios.