Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He’s still a tenderfoot and he’ll be one even if he stays out here the rest of his life.”
                    –John Benteen  (Fargo)

       “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
                    –Revelation 20:15(NKJV)
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Where is your focus?  Where is your attention?  How do you live each day?  Answer these questions then read the following verses from Proverbs 8 and reevaluate your answers.

          32 — Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
          33 — Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.
          34 — Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
          35 — For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD;
          36 — But he who sins against me, wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.  (NKJV)

     It is a daily waiting, watching, and walking life.  Bob Beasley writes, “We are to live moment by moment, from faith to faith, step-by-step, on a daily basis.”  Our concentration is to be upon the Lord every moment of every day.  Paul tells us, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.'” (Romans 1:17, NKJV)  We never know what might lie ahead, so we should consciously try to be the best we can in all circumstances.
     J.L. Flores says, “Not to listen is to refuse.  Not to wait on God is to sin against Him–is to despise the provisions of His mercy.”  It is foolish, downright stupid, for people to ignore the wonderful grace and mercy that is before them.  We have this simple, yet profound statement, if you have Christ you have life.  Then the contrast, if you hate Christ, you love death.  To refuse Christ then is a self-destroyer, a sort of spiritual suicide.  “He who refuses to drink of the Fountain of Life, must, of necessity, be left to soul-death.” (Flores)
     We see the wonderful blessings that are promised to those who will listen to the instruction of God’s wisdom and keep God’s ways.  Life and favor (grace) are His and He gives them freely to all who accept the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Why then is man so foolish?  Christian, I would also advise you to check your time; prioritize it to meet with the Lord, to find Him, and to walk with Him.  Perhaps this person was right when he said, “We live in a world full of stupidity.  Stupid acts done by stupid people with stupid motives.”  I remember the words of that bard, Don Edwards, “You can fix ignorance, but stupidity is fatal.”  To go against God and His ways is indeed, fatal.  
     I hear, I read, and I wonder.  How in the world some folks out there actually believe what they say and do.  Samuel Miller hit it right on the head when he said, “Doing without is a stupid misery; but hating wisdom is an insane marvel.”
     Listen to what you are taught!  “Wisdom’s gracious invitation is more desirable than anything and an invitation to a blessed life.” (NKJV Study Bible)

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
He might live a thousand years twice over but not find contentment.  And since he must die like everyone else–well, what’s the use?”  –Ecclesiastes 6:6 (NLT)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     “Is he goin’ to make it?” I inquired of Doc Jones, who was sitting at the table with me enjoying pie and coffee.  
     He had just taken a bite of chocolate pie, so I waited until he swallowed for an answer.  “I still don’t know.  Everyday he lives makes the prognosis good.  I wish I had the means to see the inside workings of a man, but we just don’t have the knowledge; maybe someday.  I’m thinking that you didn’t split his spleen open.  May have cracked it some, but I didn’t see any sign of serious bleeding.  You sure bruised him good, though,” he chortled, then took another bite.
     I held my coffee cup in both hands, contemplating.  “You know, this is worse than actually shootin’ a man.  I’ve seen men suffer from the gut-shot, but the not knowin’ from one day to the next.”
     Doc stopped, the fork halfway to his mouth with a delicious piece of pie on it.  “Miles, you know as well as I do, that none of us know from one day to the next.  Why you could get up, take a deep breath, and keel over from a heart attack.  We just don’t know, that’s why we thank the good Lord for every breath we take,” he paused, then looked straight at me, “or at least we should.”
     He stuck the pie in his mouth, put up his hand with one finger outstretched.  After wiping his mouth, he said, “He can’t be moving around.  The inside of a man must heal, but every day is a good sign.”
     Nodding, I took a sip of the once hot coffee.  “Who’s with him now?”
     “The Preacher.  I think he’s done more for that man than I could have.  I heard them praying the other day, and if he doesn’t get better, I’m pretty sure that the Preacher has led him to the Lord,” he said, then gave a little cough.  “In reality a man couldn’t ask for more than that.  A sick soul made well is better than a broken body mended and the soul still sour and headed for Perdition.”
     I got up and went to the stove where the coffeepot was sitting.  My coffee was on the warm side, and whilst I’ll drink it that way if I have to I much prefer it hot.  I held the pot out to see if Doc wanted a refill but he shook his head.  After filling my cup, I took a drink while standing at the stove and smiled.  Much better.  
     After taking my chair, I asked, “Did you ever find out his name?  All I’ve heard was ‘Copper.'”
     “Reverend Chapman said it was Boyd Finegan, originally from New York.  Guess he had a hard life, his father used him for a punching bag, so he left, came West to try his luck in the mines.”
     “Which I took was not very good.”
     “No, and furthermore, it’s my notion that he’s beating these other folks up to take out on them what his father did to him.  Uh, that is until you gave him that good poke,” Doc stopped, pushed his empty plate toward the center of the table.  “One thing you did, Miles, you put him in a place where he needed to think of his eternal destiny, and thank the Lord the Preacher has been with him.”
     We quieted down and I took several sips of my coffee while it was hot.  “Doc, we just never know.”
     It had been quiet in the diner with only Doc and I sitting at the table, so when the door opened it broke the silence, and both Doc and I turned to look at who was coming in.
     Doc jumped to his feet, his chair falling over backward crashing to the floor.  He motioned, as he pulled out another chair.  I just sat there and watched…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I love the quiet of riding in the dark and the peace of stars twinkling overhead.”

                    –Ron Schwab  (Beware a Pale Horse)

       “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives.  So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
                    –John 14:27 (NLT)
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     “Good news!”  Wouldn’t that be a change?  There is so much doom and gloom, hatred and bitterness in the news and going on throughout the nation and the world that good news is seldom heard.  But that was the message that we were and are given by the angels that night long ago in Bethlehem.  This is the good news of salvation, peace on earth, and joy to all people.
     Christmas?  Too early!  No, it should be celebrated in our hearts all year long if we are truly born-again believers.  Our hearts should be joyous and filled with peace despite what is going on around us.  People clamor for peace, but there can be no true peace unless there is first peace with one’s Maker.  Charles L. Childers said, “Peace between man and God is an essential prerequisite to peace between man and his fellowman.”  Let’s look back at that night when the skies were suddenly burst asunder by a mighty voice of an angel.  (I normally use the NKJV version but am going to go with NLT this morning)  First the preface to the short angelic hymn.

          “That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.  They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them.  ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said.  ‘I bring you good news of great joy for everyone!  The Savior–yes, the Messiah, the Lord–has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David.  And this is how you will recognize him:  You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!’  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others–the armies of heaven–praising God:  (Luke 2:8-13)

Angelic hymn:  “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.” (Luke 2:14)

Link to the Psalms:  “Praise the Lord!  Praise the LORD from the heavens!  Praise him from the skies!  Praise him, all his angels!  Praise him, all the armies of heaven!”  (Psalm 148:1-2, NLT)

WOW!  Can you even imagine?  There is a great lesson here–never forget your experiences with the Lord.  There are experiences in life that we may have only once, do not forget them.  Peter, James and John would never forget the transfiguration, Jacob would never forget wrestling with the Lord, thus we should never forget those wonderful experiences that we have had.  Let no one take them away from you.  They are yours and they add to your faith.
     “Good news of great joy for everyone!”  It is there–the good news.  Rejoice in it, if you have received and partaken of that wonderful news of the Savior and have received Him.  Great joy for everyone?  Yes, yes, if they partake and believe in the good news.  We have this tremendous joy given to us by the Holy Spirit, not only when we celebrate Christmas but every day of the year.  Christmas brings us that great “joy unspeakable and full of glory.”  The world may cry for peace, but my friend, if we have the Holy Spirit residing in us, that peace overflows like a river.
     So this holiday (holy-day) season partake of the riches of this joy and peace, and if you haven’t done so before, let it fill your heart and flow through your being throughout the year.

          “On Christmas night all Christians sing to hear the news the angels bring,
          News of great joy, news of great mirth, news of a merciful Savior’s birth.
          Then why should men on earth be sad, since our Redeemer made us glad,
          When from our sin, He set us free, all for to gain our liberty?”
                    –Luke Wadding

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He turned away to get an enamel cup and the coffee pot off the stove in the corner. He poured the cup full, sat the steaming black brew in front of the man, and stepped back. ‘That’ll be a nickel.’” 

                    –B.N. Rundell  (Wagon Wheel Gap)
 
     Take a deep sip, Pard.  That thar coffee comes from roasters way over in Silver City, New Mexico.  No, thar’s not no pintos nor peppers in it; it’s coffee yuh dodo.  Fresh, hot, black elixir from my own kitchen.  Ahhh, good to have it this mornin’.  Doc prescribed a stress test for me, an’ that meant no coffee for twenty-four hours.  Whoopee, I’ll tell yuh I sure wanted a cup that night before.  After the test, I rode the ol’ steel mount over to the daughter’s house where I promptly swallered three cups.
     Ha, when I first read what ol’ BN wrote I had to chuckle.  Shore did remind me of somethin’ my Grandpa Jones said once on a trip.  He stopped for coffee on a trip back to those wheatfields of Kansas and almost had a combustion fit when he found out that coffee at the cafe cost him a whole dime.  Mom said, he slammed his hand on the table, “Who ever heard of coffee costin’ more than a nickel?”  Ain’t like that now, that’s for shore.
     Things just don’t stop.  The foolishness and stupidity continues.  I know that thar are some out there that’s a-wantin’ a global society.  An’ I tell yuh they don’t know what they’re askin’ for.  When that comes about it’ll be too late for them for that ol’ devil-filled man of lawlessness will be in control.  Pard, if’n yur around then, yuh better seek shelter quick an’ hang on, not only will coffee become scarce or too expensive to buy they’re be a lot of the devil’s doin’ goin’ on.  In fact, this ol’ world will be bustin’ wide open with evil.  But for a politician, a supposedly American mayor (Chicago) to ask for the United Notions to step in an interfere with immigration enforcement in this here U.S.A. is downright shameful.
     Go ahead, Pard, yuh can drink it.  I know it’s the last of the brew, but I’m good to share.  Don’t blame yuh for wantin’ more.  Now, back to my pontificatin’, what I don’t understand is why these so-called leaders, an’ yuh know of whom I’m a-speakin’, go on about things that are illegal.  Illegal immigrants, illegal drugs, Illegal this and that, but don’t they get it?  The term is “illegal.”  How can stoppin’ cartel drugs from comin’ into the U.S. be illegal?  How can stoppin’ noncitizens from votin’ be illegal?  Do yuh get my drift?   
     On top of all this there was the shenanigans the liberals did by shuttin’ down the government.  Didn’t hurt them none, exceptin’ maybe they got their feelin’s hurt by not gettin’ their own way.  An’ most of that was over this ideal of givin’ handouts, welfare, and insurance to–yuh got it–illegals.  My mercy, if’n we’d follow them and check them out I’m a-thinkin’ they mount up not checkin’ their cinch.  No wonder they’re looney; they’ve fallen on their noggin’ too many times an’ don’t know up from down, much less right from wrong.
     Yuh be havin’ a good and safe week, Pard.  Sit tall in the saddle, knowin’ of whom yuh serve.  He’s got it all under control and we all can be a-trustin’ Him, even if’n we have to pay a little more for coffee.
     Vaya con Dios.