Men can’t live without Him, and be men!”
–Ralph Connor (The Sky Pilot)
“For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”
–1 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV)
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E.M. Bounds said, “The fire burns altogether too low.” Ponder that for a few seconds. Does the fire of the Holy Spirit burn brightly in your heart, or is that fire only a faint glow? I think many have missed what God is trying to do in the souls of His people and in the hearts of men in general.
No, God did not send the “corona”, but He did allow it. He was not surprised, and it should serve as a warning in many areas. First, it should awaken each of us to fan the fire of the Spirit back into a flame. Second, it should warn us how quickly a government power can take over. Third, it should awaken in us the power of fear.
It is the devil who wants to “kill, steal, and destroy.” He doesn’t necessarily want your financial destruction, but through that he’ll make you bitter, depressed, and fearful. A panic produced by a disease, promoted by the media is used to destroy your health, add stress to your life, and turn your focus away from God.
In this time, where the Lord is trying to speak to us, the devil has attempted to turn our thoughts away from God and toward the epidemic. Instead of seeking God, men are living in fear, afraid to see family and friends. They are worried about self-preservation instead of seeking the Lord and allowing Him to meet their needs.
Christmas, that wonderful season, that beautiful time of the year, when we look forward to so many things. Satan will try his best to keep you from the real truth and reason for the season. This is the time when Jesus came to earth to begin His earthly life that would eventually lead to Calvary and the salvation of mankind. This Christmas year, turn for a moment to dwell upon the words of the Psalmist.
“My soul longs, yes, even faints
For the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.”
–Psalm 84:2 (NKJV)
I would encourage you this Christmas to focus on the meaning of Christmas. Don’t let the media throw panic in your path, don’t let the joy of the season turn to fear. Seek the Lord, focus on Him, cry out with your whole being to Him. Cherish the purpose of Christmas and all that goes with it.
Author: Ira Paine
Echoes From the Campfire
Life’s mighty sweet when you take it as she comes.”
–Ernest Haycox (Trail Town)
“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 8:26 (NKJV)
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Are you going to spent the next four years, maybe longer, worrying and fretting? The devil wants you to be anxious, worrisome, without peace in your soul. Don’t let him deceive you in that manner. In reality, most of the things we become anxious over never happen, we just think they might, or they are out of our control. Since there is nothing we can do about that, why worry?
Yesterday I wrote about having that “Blessed Assurance…” because Jesus is mine. There is nothing that can jerk you out of the hands of God. The devil may even come along saying that you’re not a Christian, that you don’t feel anything, but always remember the blessed assurance that you are a child of God.
Today I want to look at another way of being assured. I cannot confirm whether the lyrics are by Dallas Holm or Bill Gaither. You can search if you wish. But Dallas Holm sang the song, and he tell us that there is a “Calm Assurance.”
“Well, I’ve a calm assurance
I’ve a calm assurance, I’ve a calm assurance
He is Lord, He is Lord
He’ll see me through.”
One of the things that I see missing in the church today is that quiet working of the Holy Spirit. Oh, I know He is working, but we often want to be like the world and get all noisy and in a twitter over things. Hurry, hurry, and we hop and sway down at the front of the church, then want the preacher to say something that will not only scratch our ears but will tickle our innards. There is very little time spent in quietness, meditation, and contemplation.
For us to be quiet and meditate means that we have to be in God’s Word, that we have to study, and, oh, that takes a little effort. In my morning devotions this week, I came across the following by Thomas Traherne, “As nothing is more easy than to think, so nothing is more difficult than to think well.” To have that calm assurance we must be in the Word of God then peace will begin to soak in our soul.
One more verse from the song:
“There’s nothing else that really matters,
There’s nothing else that really matters,
There’s nothing else that really matters,
‘Cause He is Lord, He is Lord
He’ll see me through.”
Coronavirus , pestilence, natural disasters, if you really know the Lord, if you really trust Him, then He’ll see you through and give that calm assurance. The life of the believer should not be one of turmoil. It should be one of knowing God and having an assurance that He is in control. There may be stress, that is part of life, but in the midst of that stress we should depend upon the Holy Spirit. Let Him give you joy and peace that you need in these times that the enemy seeks to use to steal your confidence. Rest in Christ.
Echoes From the Campfire
Campfires are about the nicest things there are. They add a lot to makin’ the uncomfortable…comfortable.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Agular)
“The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.”
–Isaiah 32:17 (NKJV)
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Are you saved? I mean, do you actually know and are assured that if the trumpet should sound and Christ return for His Church that you would go in the throng? Are you saved? Then first of all, if you cannot answer that question, now is the time to do so. Repent and get right with God for you never know the hour of His coming, or the hour of your death.
We do not “feel” saved, though at times there may come that wonderful movement down in our souls. Feelings are nice and fine, but they do not mean we are saved or not saved. The words of Fanny Crosby’s hymn ring in my mind:
“Blessed assurance, Jesus in mine!
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.”
There is that “blessed assurance” exclamation mark! But let’s look a little further at our assurance.
First, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36, NASB). On the day we accept Jesus as the Son of God, that He died on the cross and rose the third day, we have assurance. God cannot lie, we are saved.
Look at your life. There you will see the second assurance of your salvation. As we are attached to the true Vine we should begin to bear fruit. We should begin to see the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Our attachment to this world will begin to diminish. We will begin to long for the things of God. People around us will notice a difference and if will cause them to react.
The third way that we know the “blessed assurance” is found in Romans 8:16, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” (NASB) What is this assurance? “It is the fact that somewhere deep inside of us, we who have accepted Jesus as our Savior–at times it is as wonderful as the rolling sea–somewhere, deep inside of each of us, there is the witness of the Holy Spirit to our own spirit that we are the children of God.” (Francis A. Schaeffer)
Let me not stop there for assuredly there are times when we are broken, when we don’t “feel” the witness of the Holy Spirit. “When we’re broken, when we have fallen into sin, when Satan our adversary has beaten us again, sometimes this third assurance becomes feeble indeed. At such times, we can go back to the great objective promises.” (Francis A. Schaeffer) What are those promises? Look back at the first two assurances. This is the time when faith comes into play–we must rest assured in the fact that we are saved because the Word of God declares that we are.
When we live in the confidence of His Word, when we rest in the promises and faithfulness of God we can then continue on and live in “blessed assurance.
“This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.”
Live in the assurance that you belong to Him. Then begin to be thankful, begin to praise Him, and be glad that you have the blessed assurance.
The Saga of Miles Forrest
Where do all these people come from?”, questioned Charlie Gold as she lugged a bucket full of cups back to the kitchen. Molly’s Thanksgiving dinner had turned into quite the occasion. It was originally for the miners who were laid off from the big mines during the winter months, but had grown into doings for the entire town.
Sheriff Gold has been relegated to carrying clean dishes back to the kitchen; he was joined by the new preacher in town, the reverend Chapman. I asked him to come as a guest, but he ended up clearing the tables and going outside to pick up dishes as we didn’t have room enough to seat everyone. It had fallen my task to be the lowly dishwasher.
I was glad to see that Mateo and his family came. He wasn’t quite up to walking around much so he was sitting with a pair of old boots at the doorway. They were for donations. Some paid, some did not, but Mateo was there to make sure that none of the sots had sticky fingers. Molly and Marta were busy along with Emelda and Edith Jones. I was happy to see that Mrs. Blackstone and Betty Chapman had volunteered. She had the job of dishing out the stew or chili.
Molly meandered through the tables making her way to me. “Miles, what are we going to do next year?”
“Give them broth,” I replied along with my biggest grin.
“Oh, you’re terrible!” she exclaimed. “But isn’t it wonderful.”
Nodding at her, I inquired, “How many pies did you and Emelda make?”
“Thirty-six, and we cut them into slivers to dish out,” came her reply, then added, “I don’t know how many gallons of stew and chili we ladled out.”
“Good thing ol’ Grizz came by with that bear and elk. Yuh know, I think that’s my first taste of bear chili.”
Molly noticed when my smile dropped and my face became somber. “What’s wrong?”
“The newly elected, or should I say re-elected councilman and leader of the humbug committee is approaching,” I stated, then did my best to reapply my smile. “Did you get plenty to eat Wilson?”
“I didn’t come to eat,” he gruffly replied.
“Oh, that’s a shame, Mr. Foster, surely you want a piece of pie. I think there’s some chocolate left,” said Molly turning on the charm.
He brusquely turned from her, “Who’s making sure the town is safe? Why ruffians could rob us blind!”
“This is all the dishes I could find outside,” interrupted Rev. Chapman. “Oh, hello Mr. Foster.”
Foster turned beet red. One of these days, he’s going to explode. “Good job, Parson. Why don’t you join your wife. Grab a piece of pie before it’s all gone.”
He nodded at Foster when he turned to leave. “Have a good day, Mr. Foster.”
“As I was saying before being rudely interrupted by that new minister, who is protecting our town?”
Flinging a dishcloth over my shoulder, I dropped my rag with a plop in the basin; some of the water splashed up on Foster. That didn’t make him happy, but I did smile. “Well, Wilson, it is Thanksgiving, and if I’m not mistaken, every store in town is closed. The saloons agreed not to open until this evening, so I reckon most everything is safe. Probably safer than if you were in your store.”
“‘Cuse me, oh, I didn’t notice it was you, Mr. Foster,” uttered Charlie then looked at me. “Finished with this bunch?”
“Take them, Charlie. All I have left at the moment are those the Parson brought.” I then turned my attention to Wilson Foster who again had turned red with the new interruption. I glared at him, “Wilson, why don’t you go home to the missus and Darnelle.” It wasn’t a question, but a strong suggestion. “It is Thanksgiving. Gather them together and count your blessin’s.”
“Bah! How you became a marshal I’ll never know,” he steamed.
I gave a big smile, “If I remember right, the first time it was because of your suggestion. Oh, don’t be frettin’ so much. I’ll be out of your hair come the first of the year. Then we’ll see who protects Wilson’s Mercantile when Sheriff Gold is out of town.”
“I’ll not be talked to that way!” he yelled.
Coming from around the washtub, I poked my finger in his face. “You’re not worth a thump,” I said with disgust. “Get out, I’ll not have you spoilin’ this get-together.”
He started to huff, “Don’t, just git!” I ordered.
A couple of hours later, the doors were shut, the place was cleaned. The group of us: Doc and Edith, Charlie and Marta, Mateo and Luciana, Parson Chapman and his wife, even Emelda was there. We were a tired, but satisfied group. A thankful bunch. We were drinking coffee…but there was no pie.