Author: Ira Paine

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
I landed hard, but with someone shooting at me I didn’t linger on the ground.  Dakota had already begun pulling Hoffner back behind some boulders and I followed as fast I could.  Another bullet hit the rock next to me as I dove behind it.  Malone had now committed a federal crime.  Glancing over at Dakota I saw that he was working to stop the bleeding.  Clyde was hit high on the shoulder.
       “He’ll be all right if I can get the bleeding to stop,” Dakota informed me.  “The bullet’s still in him and I’m not about to start cutting on him.  He needs a doctor.”
       Malone was somewhere in the rocks above us.  I was hoping he would stay where he was, but then again, where was he?  I peered out from behind the boulders and was greeted by another shot, nearly clipping my ear.  I couldn’t get a location on him except he was over there somewhere, and he had us pinned down good.
       “Malone!” I yelled.  “You’re under arrest.  I don’t want to have to kill you, so just throw your weapons down and come on out.”
       For that remark I received a laugh and a couple of quick shots fired my direction.  
       Dakota moved up by my side.  “Finally, got the bleeding to stop,” he said.  “Where is that hombre?”
       “Want to take a peek?” I said in jest.  
       He pointed toward some rocks across from us.  “I’m going to try to make it to those rocks.  See if you can spot him as I move.”
       “I’m not able to look around this boulder so you’re on your own.  When you move I’ll try to take a shot,” I paused.  “Yuh better be faster than that bullet.”
       For that remark I received a dirty look from Dakota.  “Ready?”  I tried again to peer around the boulder receiving a bullet for my action, but when the shot was fired Dakota took off.  Another shot missed him and he was safe behind the rocks.  Malone fired again.  He at least had two of us to practice on.
       I looked at the rocks around us.  There must be another way through since Clyde was camped somewhere around here.  He walked out from this location.  Glancing at him he seemed to be resting easy.  I went to him.  “Clyde, Clyde, where’s your camp?”  I figured if I could find his camp there may be a way to move to the right of Malone.
       He remained unconscious.  I moved back to the boulder where I was standing then began to move around the side.  There was another shot, I stared at Dakota.  Then another shot.  Neither had been fired at us.  We looked at each other, but neither of us moved.  After several minutes I chanced a look.  There was not a shot.  We still held our places thinking that perhaps he was moving trying to find another position…but the shots?
       Several minutes had transpired and I didn’t like the wait.  I finally decided that I would move out from my safety spot when I heard the sound of horses walking.  I gave Dakota a puzzled look.  
       “Senor Miles, you can come out now.  Theese man no longer wants to fight.”
       It was Mateo.  I had forgotten that he was going to follow me.  Stepping out I heaved a big sigh then gave him a wide grin.  He had Malone lying over the saddle all tied down.  I could see blood dripping from him to the ground.  “Dead?” I inquired.
       Mateo looked at him.  “Maybe soon.  He is only shot in the leg, but it is bleeding rather bad.”
       “My friend,” I said moving toward Mateo.  “You’re not my idea of an angel, but I’ll take whatever help the Lord sends.”
       This brought a grunt from him along with a large grin.  “Mi esposa, Luciana, may not agree with your assessment.”  We all chuckled with the thought of Mateo as an angel, then Dakota left to go check on Clyde.  Since he was shot in the shoulder I hoped he could ride as far as Thompson’s ranch, then someone could ride for the doctor.
       It took all three of us to get Clyde settled up in the saddle.  Dakota didn’t think he could hold the reins or onto the horn, so he mounted behind him.  We turned our horses and started out for the ranch house when…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

There’s a promised land somewhere beyond the mountain. I was born to look for it.”

                       –Louis L’Amour  (The Man From the Broken Hills)

       “Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.”
                       –Isaiah 55:6 (NKJV)
———————————–
Have you ever felt fear, I mean real fear?  Some folks try to conjure up fear and that is something we call paranoia.  They think they have to be afraid of everything.  Some people were truly afraid and some still are and are continuing to wear masks.  Fear can grip us, fear can cripple us.  How do we cope with fear?  Psalm 76 is good to read in the midst of fear, real of imagined.  “In Judah God is known…”  Is God known in your house?

          1 — In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel.
          2 — In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion.
          3 — There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and sword of battle.     Selah
          4 — You are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.
          5 — The stouthearted were plundered; they have sunk into their sleep; and none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands.
          6 — At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.
          7 — You, Yourself, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry?
          8 — You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still.
          9 — When God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth.     Selah
         10 — Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself.
         11 — Make vows to the LORD your God, and pay them; let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared.
         12 — He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is awesome to the kings of the earth.    (NKJV)

One day there will be no more moaning or groaning.  All enemies of the flesh will have vanished.  The Lord will reign triumphantly, but until that day we need to let Him reign in our hearts.  The old song comes to my mind:

                    “There’ll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
                    No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there…”
                                  –James Hill

There will be a day when God shall once and for all make your enemies defenseless.  Whether they be sickness, suffering, battles, storms, God will revive your heart and make all new.  Only one thing is to be feared–God.
       There is so much junk regarding what it means to fear God.  Some say you cannot fear your father, but I would disagree.  Yes, at times the term means that He is awesome, but it also depicts real fear.  We can walk boldly into the throne room because we are His children and yet we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.  We have a brief glance of the throne in Revelation.  Does that make you giddy or does it bring a solemnness when you look upon the majesty and power of the Almighty?
       When the earth opened up, did not the people fear?  When Elijah stood on Mount Carmel, did not the people fear?  The world does not fear God, in fact, by their actions and their language He is continually mocked.  This will not last forever.  One day He will say enough is enough and then the mockers will cry out in fear–fear of the awesome God and His power.
       As a child of God we do not have to fear that Day.  We may stand in awe at what is taking place but the fear that those on the earth have will not touch us.  Today, we can have that peace in our hearts for the Lord will one day (soon) will judge those who do evil.

                    “My Savior and my Lord,
                    My Conqueror and my King,
                    Thy scepter and thy sword,
                    Thy reigning grace, I sing:
                    Thine is the power; behold, I sit
                    In willing bonds beneath thy feet.”
                              –Isaac Watts

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I willingly depleted my financial resources to a greater extent by purchasing a small sack of coffee.”

                    –John Upton Terrell  (Bunkhouse Papers)
 
My mercy, if that ain’t the truth I don’t know what is.  Befuddled–our President is one befuddled person.  Oh, didn’t hear yuh Pard, I was busy doin’ some thinkin’.  Pour yurself a cup of coffee. I surely don’t want yur mind befuddled.  Our befuddled President made the statement that the right to an abortion comes from a person “being a child of God.”  Now that for sure is a befuddled statement… No, that’s a plain stupid statement and is verging on being blasphemous.  Where do people come up with thoughts like that?  Ah yes, from their father the devil, for he is the “father of lies.”
       How’s the coffee?  Figured yuh’d like it.  Gets right on down to the innards.  Well, drink up, the day awaits yuh.  Let me tell yuh so in case yuh come across a befuddled person yuh can recognize them.  I got the definition from one of them big books some smart fellow put together full of words and their meanin’s.  Now, befuddled means–unable to think clearly; utterly confused or deeply perplexed.  How ’bout it, Pard, know anyone that fits that bill?
       Hope yur enjoyin’ the coffee.  Since my birthday was last week, the kids and grandkids helped fill up my coffee pantry.  Sure I do, I thought everyone would have a coffee pantry.  A person can’t afford to go without coffee, they might become befuddled and then forget to check their cinch.   Nope, put aside a–I was goin’ to say a few nickels but it would take more than just a few to buy coffee–put aside a few dollars, keep it on hand, and don’t let yur coffee pantry get low.
        Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You go to fight a fire without water you just get burned along with the fire.”

                         –Cliff Hudgins  (McNally Texas Ranger)

       “Thus, I will demonstrate my glory among the nations.  Everyone will see the punishment I have inflicted on them and the power I have demonstrated.”
                         –Ezekiel 39:21 (NLT)
———————————-
How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World

Key Verse:  “We know that we are children of God and that the world around us in under the power and control of the evil one.”  –1 John 5:19 (NLT)

       It seems that Jude was compelled to deal with the problem of false teaching drifting into the church by false teachers.  Evil and misguided men were spreading destructive teaching.  The Epistles are full of warnings that we are to guard the truth, to adhere firmly to sound doctrine.  Jude sees that there is a breakdown of this among some in the church.  They are being deluded by the evil one.  Jude says that we must “contend for the faith.”  
       Foolishness abounds.  I saw that a group of people somewhere in Europe identify themselves as sheep.  They dress like sheep, act like sheep, and I’m sure that if they do not come to their senses they will be devoured like sheep.  I knew of a person who was part of the furry fetish–claiming to be a wolf.  They were so confused with their life they eventually took it.  Furries they are called–stupid, confused, deluded is what I call them.  Lost, and in need of Christ.  They do not want to accept the truth, but let me tell you, the truth has finality and is no subject to change.  There is no relative truth no matter what the humanists, postmodernists, and new agers say.  Jesus Christ is the Truth and that will not change; it will hold up through eternity.
       Beware!  Jude tells us that there are those who “crept in.”  This indicates a stealthy insinuations of something evil in society.  These people pervert the grace of God into an excuse for blatant immorality.  

               “For certain men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
                              –Jude 4 (HCSB)

The NIV states it this way, “a license for immorality,” the NASB, “turn the grace…into licentiousness,” while the NKJV uses the term “lewdness.”  They teach one of two things but only with partial truth.  First, God in His grace will freely forgive all their sins, and therefore, second because of that sin magnifies the grace of God.  These people publicly do shameless things, they have ceased to care for any decency.  They flaunt their sins.
       So I will write again, Beware!  Do not be deceived, remember God is not mocked.  There is a holy justice, God though in His mercy also has a holy patience.  In this waiting period before justice is given we are to beware of our surroundings, beware of what teaching we listen to, beware of our practices and not compromise or become complacent.  The evil one is working hard, that is why Jude writes his little letter to encourage us to “contend earnestly for the faith.” (vs 3)