So as we plodded along under gray wet skies, with only our own discomfort to comfort us.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Palouse)
“‘Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ Says your God.”
–Isaiah 40:1 (NKJV)
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I promised myself at the beginning of the year, to do more serious reading this year, especially that of biographies. I noticed on one of my shelves a book I had started, but with all of the moving it had been placed back on the shelf. Upon retrieving it I glanced at the notes I had taken, and there were many. The book–Five Years to Freedom, by James N. Rowe. It is the story of one of the first POWs of the Vietnam War. The man went through severe torture along with dysentery and infected fungus, add to that the psychological pressures he was forced to endure. There was one point where he was forced to sleep without clothing or netting and the mosquitoes almost drove him mad. He was completely covered with welts from the vicious insects and Rowe cried, “O Lord, please give me strength to make it through today. I hurt, Lord, and I don’t know what to do about it. Please give me strength.”
Most of the time he was alone, sleeping outside in a cage. Now, we are crying about staying in a comfortable house–quarantined to an extent–and we complain, weep, and murmur. This book brought back to mind the senseless and useless teaching of socialism. It brought to my mind a cartoon I saw: “Those who don’t remember history are condemned to repeat it; those who taught history are forced to watch it happen.”
“If I say, ‘I won’t mention Him or speak any longer in His name, His message becomes a fire burning in my heart,
shut up in my bones. I become tired of holding it in, and I cannot prevail. For I have heard the gossip of many people,
‘Terror is on every side! Report him; let’s report him! Everyone I trusted watches for my fall. Perhaps he will be deceived
so that we might prevail against him and take our vengeance on him. But the Lord is with me like a violent warrior….”
–Jeremiah 20:9-11 (HCSB)
How long can you be silent if you know the Lord? Do you desire to feel His presence? In these times of uncertainty, more and more, we need the assurance that the Lord is with us. I came across this little note in my weekly reading:
“I desire God’s presence. To feel Jesus, with all my senses. I desire the rare moments when Jehovah manifests Himself and it overwhelms you. We are unsure whether to speak or be silent. Touched by the flame of God and let His still small voice touch the ear. To be moved by the Holy Ghost in awe. To be inspired of His person. To have the light cast over me making even the shadows of darkness flee. To be flooded by the love warming me to my bones. To be where God is revealing Himself.”
–Russell Snoddy
The key–to be where God is.
Let me mention one more thing: We walk by faith. We do not seek an emotional experience to know that God is there. However, the value of our experience is something that is given to us, something that we cannot doubt. If ever the devil comes and tells you that you are not saved, you stand on the Word of God and remember those times when you experienced the presence of the Almighty.
Author: Ira Paine
Echoes From the Campfire
We’re all responsible. Law and order is a job for all of us. If we shirk it long enough we will have anarchy, and we’ve built will be destroyed.”
–Louis L’Amour (The Empty Land)
“I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
–Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
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Hatred seems to abound today. The more tolerance desired, the more hatred is seen. Governments have even encouraged people to spy on their friends and neighbors and turn them in if they are not practicing “conscientious protocol” during this “pandemic.” There has been a strong attack against churches, one state even going so far as to say churches cannot open until there is a vaccine. Hmmm, will the vaccine be mandatory?
Let me draw your attention to Matthew 10. This is where Jesus first sends out his disciples.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues… Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
–Matthew 10:16-17, 21-22 (NKJV)
There is a cry today, especially by the youth for socialism. Stupid! They know not what they ask for! But above is a picture of socialism, for one of the first things it attempts to do is dissolve the family. Children belong to the State to eventually do its bidding.
However, I want you to see what Jesus did in sending forth men to do their duty. Joseph Parker writes, “He does not promise them a down pillow; He does not promise them genteel society; He does not offer them any social bribe. There is no mistaking the lot of the true Christian witness. Goodness is always hateful to evil; the beasts that gather together in the nighttime hate the light–you torment them if you turn a sudden blaze upon them, and they will display animosity and resentment. Goodness can never establish itself anywhere without a battle; it is a daily battle.”
The culture of today is proclaiming that evil is good and that good is evil. There is a purposeful confusion in our midst; postmodernism seeks to deconstruct everything. Think of the chaos that is caused when family turns against family, when neighbors report on neighbors, when friends reject friends.
There is a real battle going on with one side proclaiming progressivism, tolerance, political correctness which will bring a socialistic, peaceful society. Let’s put away our differences to seek the better good. “We have succeeded now in putting the fire out and have come to the age of courteous civilities and tender regard for one another’s evil habits. The old goodness, the Christ-goodness, fought every day, not with a blade of steel but with that keener blade of conviction, enthusiasm, sacrifice that counted not its life dear unto itself that it might win the battle against evil and darkness and corruption.” (Joseph Parker)
Try to explain true, pure, biblical goodness to someone and they will cry “racism,” or “bigot,” or “intolerance.” It is not goodness that many want, but freedom to express their wickedness and live as they wish. So as Jesus sent out His disciples with a warning, we should heed the same warning in this time. Do not wonder if men revile you; do not be surprised at their evil, but be alert, be wary and guard the truth.
The Saga of Miles Forrest
I was running to the corner when I heard the .45 fire again. Another shot quickly followed it, followed by the shot from the smaller caliber again.
It only took me a moment to gather in the sight before me. I saw Charlie, over in the park, behind a tree. But what really drew my attention was McCall across the street from the diner. He fired at Charlie then started walking toward the diner. That made me hurry, which I didn’t want to do for being in that manner could cause my aim to be thrown off. He had crossed and stepped onto the boardwalk. I slowed to a steady walk.
Standing in front of the diner door, he glanced in my direction, then kicked in the door. When he did that I fired. My bullet hit him in the side turning him. He pulled himself straight, pointed his gun through the doorway. I shot again, and at the same time came a shot from inside. My bullet knocked him back and down, the smaller caliber bullet then hitting him in the face.
By the time I reached him, the light in his eyes was fading. There was movement to my left; I turned quickly finding Doc running to the downed man.
“Hey! You in the diner,” he yelled. “Hold your fire!”
As I approached the dying McCall with Doc leaning over him I asked, “Why? What were you thinkin’, John?”
I could hear gurgling sounds coming from his ruptured lungs where my second bullet hit. He turned his eyes up to meet mine. “Money,” he whispered, then I could see he was gone.
“Lord, help him,” I softly prayed, but I knew that if he had not made things right with God before he drew that last breath it was too late.
Turning toward the kicked in door, I hollered, “Molly, I’m comin’ in.”
Ten paces from the doorway, Molly was just getting up from behind an overturned table. She was holding her pistol in her hand and I could see the rush of the event was quickly wearing off. I reached out, taking the pistol from her and drew her to me.
She buried her head in my chest as I inquired, “You okay?” She didn’t say anything, only nodded in my embrace. I looked around noticing that there were dishes on a few tables. “Anyone hurt?”
Pulling her head back, she murmured, “I don’t think so. Marta was getting them out through the kitchen.”
I could hear men out front picking up the body to take it down to Parker’s. Doc came in and upon seeing me holding Molly asked, “She all right?” Then he quickly added, “Sit her down, so I can examine her.”
He went to a table to pull out a chair. Molly sat down, but would not release my arm. “Doc, I’m all right,” she stated.
“Want some coffee?” I inquired.
She nodded. “Let Marta get it,” she said, grasping my arm tighter.
Marta moved to the coffeepot while Doc took a seat next to Molly continuing to observe her features.
“Miles, I don’t understand. Why would a person like McCall stoop so low as to do something like this? He had a good reputation as a lawman, why would he change now?”
“Reckon I don’t have a good answer for you. A man without Christ is capable of anything. You know that as well as I do. Why a good man goes to the bad, well, he just follows his evil nature,” I responded.
Her hand was trembling as she picked the cup off the table. She started to take a sip, but her hand began to shake spilling coffee. The hot coffee fell on her hand, bringing her back to the present. Doc quickly reached out taking the cup from her.
She looked at Doc then up at me. Our eyes briefly met then she began to sob. “I killed a man.”
I knelt down in front of her, taking up both of her hands in mine. “Molly, look at me,” I calmly ordered. “You were protecting yourself, and besides, it was my bullet that killed him.”
“Still…” she said with remorse, then straightening up, sobering and stated, “I had to defend myself.”
“I fully understand,” I replied, then looked up to see…
Echoes From the Campfire
No system of philosophy or ethics, no growth of government, no improvement in living came without trial and struggle. Struggle…was the law of growth.”
–Louis L’Amour (Crossfire Trail)
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
–Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)
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Do you see things happening that just jerk your jaws? Do people or issues cause the bile to churn and cause you deep consternation? You do your best not to be quarrelsome, not to argue or say the wrong thing. Biting your tongue is hard, but you realize that there is little you can do in those power circles, in fact, you understand that there is little you can do about those around you. Instead you sigh, take a deep breath, and hold your peace…for so long, then it breaks loose.
Here is the first portion of Psalm 39, we find David in a similar situation. The tension is building, the fire burns hotter, and he is ready to explode. Enough is enough, then you remember, as did David–the Lord. We who flow in the midst of emotions, if we are like David, look to the Lord. E.B. Pusey, speaks of this, “Sweet it is that our hope should rest in him who never changes, should bind us to him who alone is the full contentment of the soul, should enter into him, since in him is our being.”
1 – I said, “I will guard my ways so that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 – I was speechless and quiet; I kept silent, even from speaking good, and my pain intensified.
3 – My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, a fire burned. I spoke with my tongue:
4 – “Lord, reveal to me the end of my life and the number of my days. Let me know how short-lived I am.
5 – You, indeed, have made my days short in length, and my life span as nothing in Your sight. Yes, every mortal man is only a vapor. Selah
6 – “Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them.
7 – Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. (HCSB)
I’m sure you can relate to David’s frustration, for I sure can. Admit it, inside you’ve felt it; that seething volcano ready to erupt. The frustration continues to build, and you turn on yourself–what is life? It is as David says, “short.” Another version puts it as the “width of your hand.” Your, my, time on earth is brief in the light of eternity, so what are you doing about it? Oh, how we can relate to verse 6, “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.” (NLT) Here, it reads, “they frantically rush around in vain.”
MacBeth lamented, “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Hmmm, was Shakespeare thinking of Psalm 39? Oh, friend, I trust that your life is not being told by “an idiot.” MacBeth stopped short of the truth. Even in his anger and frustration David knew where to turn–he turned to the Lord. In the midst of the frustrations of life see the Lord as David did–“My hope is in You.”
“I take your promise, Lord, in all its length,
And breadth, and fullness, as my daily strength,
Into life’s future fearless I may gaze,
For Jesus, you are with me all my days.”
–Henry Deck