Standing before the mirror I looked at myself, seeing the old scars, marks of old wounds…”
–Louis L’Amour (Mojave Crossing)
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”
–Colossians 2:6 (NKJV)
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There are so many lessons in the Word of God. Many things we cannot understand, many things we do not want to understand. There are things hidden to us and will not be revealed until eternity. But there are things that we ignore, things taken to heart, and things that open up to us throughout our lives.
Take time to read Mark 2:1-12. I have read this several times, have heard dozens upon dozens of sermons from this passage. There are many aspects to this story, but it wasn’t until recently that something new was brought to me. After you have read the complete passage focus on the following:
“I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
–Mark 2:11 (NKJV)
I had never paid attention to the fact that the man who had been paralyzed was told to pick up his bed. Think of that! Most of the sermons deal with the reaction of the Pharisees or the faith of the man’s friends. But the newly healed man was told to pick up his bed. We are not precisely told how old the man was, or how long he had been laying on his bed–paralyzed.
That bed must have been full of lice and bedbugs. Dirty, soiled, smelly, yet he was told to pick it up and walk away with it. He most likely wanted to burn it, much less look at it. D.I. Telbat says that, “God left scars…to remind us how God brings us through the fires of life.”
Are you “carrying a bed”? It is no longer a “sick bed” but a testimony bed. People can see the change in you whether it is salvation and the old man becoming new, or a specific healing, or a specific miracle. It was only after the Pharisees challenged him was the man told by Jesus to pick up his bed. It was now a testimony to the Pharisees.
Life can be a struggle, you may have a bed of affliction, you may have a virus, you may have a house torn by ravages of cold or storm. Listen to the Lord, look at your bed and realize that it may become a testimony. Notice the next verse,
“Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!'”
–Mark 2:12 (NKJV)
Be ready to obey. When the Lord speaks to you, take up your bed and walk. Lift it high, show it to those around, speak words that glorify the Lord.
(I need to thank Gary Wilkerson for the inspiration for these thoughts. The sermon I gathered some of these thoughts came from “A Way When There Is No Way,” April 20, 2020)
Author: Ira Paine
Coffee Percs
The campfire felt good. Even with their coats and gloves, it was cold. They cooked a meal and ate, then cooked a second pot of coffee.”
–R.O. Nash (Will Fain)
Don’t stand out there in the cold, get in this kitchen. Yuh’ve been waitin’ for me? Well, right sorry about that. I was somewhat lazy, and felt good in the blankets. My mercy, this has been a week for the books. Can’t say I’ve had a week quite like this one before, and Pard, I don’t care for another.
I remember growing up in cold weather, colder than what I’ve seen this week, but I was younger then, more spry. And in Colorado we were prepared for such weather. But now that I’m on the oldward trend, the bones ache some, and I prefer to stay warm. Yep, time and Texas has spoiled this ol’ fence post,
I won’t go into our troubles, for there are many out there worse off than the missus and me. At least we have a place to stay, my youngest daughter and her family took us in. We are waiting for the insurance adjuster to check out the water damage in the house, so we can put in a new floor, etc, and move back home.
Pard, with the power out I couldn’t even keep the coffee going. I thought about building a large fire and makin’ some, but reckoned that I’d get even colder sitting outside. I’ve done that plenty of times. Side by the fire is hot and the backside is freezin’. I know that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, but my mercy, nothing is mentioned ’bout the cold. We had several people from our church come an’ help strip the floors; sure is nice to have folks to count on.
How’s the coffee this mornin’? Daughter made it, she and my wife are out finding a laundry to wash, since some of the water is out at her house. I think I’ve taught her well, she makes a pretty good cup of coffee. As I was sayin’, the folk from the church sure helped out. That’s the way the Lord meant it to be, takin’ care of each other when needed.
Listen Pard, I’m goin’ to try to stay warm, and I hope to be seein’ yuh soon. Now listen, jist because it’s cold don’t mean that yuh shouldn’t check yur cinch, don’t be in too big a hurry to neglect that.
Vaya con Dios.
Echoes From the Campfire
The lives of men are dictated to an extent far greater than most men wish to admit, by events beyond their control. Man rides the ocean of history and does what he can to weather its storms.”
–Louis L’Amour (Under the Sweetwater Rim)
“So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?'”
–Matthew 8:27 (NKJV)
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“Well, I left my soul out in the rain
Lord, what a price, I’ve had to pay
The storms of life are washin’ me away.”
–Randy Travis
I finished reading a book last week that depicted a storm in the middle of the second half of the 19th century. This storm, a hurricane, wiped out the thriving city of Indianola. The city at the time was one of the leading ports in Texas, but it laid in ruins only to be hit again a decade later. Twice, and the city never recovered, though it did cause men to warn Galveston to build a seawall–the warning wasn’t heeded.
There are all kinds of storms, and they come in different sizes. I’ve been through hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, snowstorms, blizzards, thunderstorms, windstorms, duststorms, and add to that a storm of a different kind, drought. There is a key words I used–through. I’m still here, I wasn’t maimed or killed.
Then there are the storms of another sort. I’m speaking of the storms of sickness, sorrow, suffering, depression, despair, finances and debt, marriage, kids and their personal storms, death, and a myriad of other types. Currently we are in the midst of a virus storm. We wonder will it ever go away, will like return to normal?
Right now, stop–listen as I ask you–what about your next storm? Don’t shake your head for one will surely come. It may be minor, or it may be major. It may be sickness or it may be a terror attack. Storms are coming; storms are here; storms have always come. How will you prepare yourself? Let me take you to two men who prepared for the coming storm.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
–Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
Two men, both build houses. Both sought shelter and safety from the outside, a place where they could come home and real safe. Both faced the same storm. One held firm through the storm, the other collapsed. There was a major difference in the two houses–the foundation. That also showed a character flaw. One depended upon a foundation built upon the sand–false ideologies, lies, cults, perhaps his own wisdom and because of this foundation when the storm it the house collapsed, and “great was its fall.” We are not told if anyone was injured or if anyone was killed, just that it was a “great fall.” The other man, not leaning on his own understanding, but built his house on the firm foundation. The rock–the Word of God and Jesus Christ.
One of my favorites stories in the Bible is about a storm. You might recall it. Jesus got in a boat and His disciples followed Him. He must have been very tired for He went to sleep, and while He was sleeping a massive storm arose. The waves rocked the boat and even covered the boat. Jesus slept on. Let’s continue reading,
“Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
–Matthew 8:25-26 (NKJV)
Fear struck the disciples because of the storm. Terror arose in their hearts. The Master didn’t care about them. I like the way Jesus handled the situation. First, He rebuked the disciples for their fear and little faith. Then, He rebuked the storm bring about a “great calm.” Who is this man? He is the rock upon whom you can build your house!
I don’t know your storm, or the ones you have been through. I do know that often we do not learn the lessons of the storm. We want this victory, or we want this to happen, but we often do not see what the Lord is doing. “Sometimes he works on our inside before he works on our outside. In doing this, he prepares our hearts for deliverance. You see, when we’re stuck, our only thought is, “I just want to walk again.’ Jesus’ thought is, ‘I want you to live.’ We think, ‘I want to run.’ Jesus’ thought is, ‘I want you to be whole in body, soul and spirit.'” (David Wilkerson)
Build upon the solid rock. Learn the lessons of the storm. Perhaps if the people of Galveston would have heeded the warning from Indianola there would not have been 8,000 (or more) people dead in the catastrophe of 1900.
The Saga of Miles Forrest
I can’t send these!” exclaimed Stanley Offut, “Why Marshal Queens would have a fit.”
I stared at him with a puzzled look on my face. “What’s gotten into you Stan? You will send those telegrams as they are official U.S. Marshal business. I’ll wait to make sure you do, and if I hear any discrepancies or if you don’t decide to send it I will have your job.”
The telegrams were to Jens Blasco, U.S. Marshal–Colorado, Barnes McCoy, U.S. Marshal–Kansas, and Felix Wilcox, U.S. Marshal–New Mexico/Arizona Territory, inquiring about Mike Queens. There was something about him I just didn’t like, but then I reckon he didn’t care much for me either.
“I want an answer as soon as they come in, do you understand?” I said with my eyes boring into him. I had known Stanley Offut for several years. I just couldn’t figure out what had come over him lately.
Stepping out of the telegraph office I looked up and down the street. Charlie Gold and I had talked about heading up to Telluride, but that idea was put to rest by another eight inches of snow. I didn’t want to get stuck in Telluride for a week or even worse somewhere along the trail. Maybe I was getting soft or too old. I’d like to say it was because I had more sense than I used to have.
Solly was standing in his shop, looking out the window smoking one of his big cigars. I waved to him, and he motioned for me to come in. His tobacco store was next to the telegraph office so I went on in to see what he wanted.
“Miles, have a cigar on the house,” he said with a smile knowing that I didn’t smoke. It was kind of a joke with him, and I know it wasn’t to malign my beliefs.
“Not today, Solly, but I have been sorta hankerin’ for a chaw,” I smarted back at him bringing a hearty laugh.
Still laughing, “Yeah, cut a piece from a twist I have here. Chew it up real good, then go give Molly a kiss. Ha, ha, I can just imagine.”
“Imagine all yuh want, ain’t gonna happen. What did yuh want to see me about?” I asked.
He scratched his head, then took a puff and exhaling before answering. “I don’t see Sheriff Gold very often, and I know it doesn’t pertain to you, but the new marshal doesn’t take his, let’s say, routine duties very seriously. If it’s cold or snowing he won’t check the town at night. I seldom see him walking the town.”
I gave a slight shrug of my shoulders, “Solly, nothing I can do about it. Unless complaints are brought to the council there is little to do about it,” I replied, then pulled at my moustache. “I wonder why he wanted the job in the first place.”
“Easy money, prestige, power,” he stated. “Miles, you know there’s a dozen reasons.”
“Thanks for the heads up. I’ll keep my eyes open,” I assured him just before stepping out into the cold again.
Glancing down the street, I saw Doc Jones heading for the diner so I started for him. He was already at the table when I came in the door. A couple of out-of-work miners were sitting at a table and if I had to make a guess, Molly was feeding them for at least half price.
I leaned the Greener and back against the wall, grabbed a cup from the shelf and filled it with coffee from the pot on the stove. The heat being produced by that stove sure felt good. Since it had stopped snowing the temperature had dropped rapidly.
“Hello, Miles,” greeted Doc. He twisted his head a couple of times and I thought I could hear bones popping. “I’ll be glad when spring decides to hit the mountains. These old bones just don’t cotton to the cold like they used to.”
“Ha, I was just thinkin’ the same thing a few minutes ago,” I replied, taking my chair.
I had just sat myself down when Molly came out with a couple pieces of pie, sitting a piece in front of us. “Heard you guys come in, so I thought that you might like a piece.”
“Sit down, Molly,” suggested Doc.
She pulled out a chair. “Only for a minute, Doc. Charlie dropped by saying that Marta was sick and wouldn’t be in today, so I’ve been helping Emelda in the kitchen. She’s making up a bunch of enchiladas for lunch.”
Doc scratched the side of his head just above the ear. “Say,” he started in, “have either of you seen Lucas lately? My woodshed is getting low and he usually is on the spot with keeping it filled.”
Molly and I looked at each other. “Come to think of it, Doc. Our woodpile is low. If he doesn’t come in today or tomorrow I’ll have to get someone to chop some more,” replied Molly, looking at me.
Several merchants and other businesses had hired Lucas to keep their woodpiles filled. He had always been dependable. I hadn’t noticed that he wasn’t working or feeding the horses. I’d check on them after leaving here. “Charlie say anything about Lucas being sick?”
Molly shook her head then turned her attention to Doc.
“No sickness that I’ve heard about,” he said in reply to her glance. “Oh, that reminds me, I’ve been meaning to ask. What did Mateo say when you asked why he quit the deputy’s position?
“He really didn’t have much to say. Not really evasive, but not wantin’ to talk much about it. He did mention that Charlie was goin’ to make him sheriff’s deputy. That might be a better position for him, plus a little more money.”
Doc held up his cup for a refill. “I know that Edith has been meeting with the preacher’s wife and a couple of other ladies to especially pray for you men. She said they even pray for Marshal Queens.”
“Well, we all need it Doc, that’s for sure,” I remarked emptying the last swallow from my cup. “I’m goin’ out to check on a few things. I’ll find out about Lucas.” I started to leave, but stopped to look at Molly. “Save me a couple of those enchiladas.”
I nodded at the two men sitting at the table. One lifted a hand in acknowledgment, then I went out the door into the cold…