Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Why does life have to be so hard? Because people make it hard. Most of them would rather be right, or rich, or who knows what, rather than happy.”

                    –Duane Boehm  (Hand of Fate)

       “You ask and don’t have because you ask with evil intentions, to waste it on your own cravings.”
                    –James 4:3  (CEB)
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          3.13 — Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding;
            .14 — For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.
            .15 — She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.  (NKJV)
 
This morning we consider the above verses of Proverbs.  Maybe first we should ask, “What is God’s treasure house?”  The words of Jesus found in Matthew tell us that it is like a treasure hidden in a field and the man sells all that he has to buy that field (13:44), He tells us further that it is like beautiful pearls (13:45-46).  
     Warren Wiersbe writes, “Some people know the price of everything but the value of nothing; consequently they make unwise choices and end up with shoddy merchandise.”  They are looking for the wrong things in the wrong places.  Wisdom does exist and it is to be found.  It is something that we must look for and the lazy man will not find it.  “The Spirit of God does not open the Word of God to lazy minds…” (J. Vernon McGee)  We must earnestly want and seek for the wisdom that comes from God.  Seeking and searching takes time, and effort, and diligence.  The term “find” implies taking pains to draw it from its source.  But once found, the man is happy.  The NKJV Study Bible, “The Hebrew term “happy” (blessed) is an explosive word…it implies that God is truly pleased.”  Wisdom therefore has its home in the heart and brings joy, so there must be “singleness of judgment and purpose” to find her. (Bridges)
     Notice that wisdom is characterized as feminine because she is in contrast to the stranger woman.  Finding her (wisdom) is great gain.  The ESV translates verse 14, “for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.”  Gain, proceeds from wisdom are better than the wealth found here on earth.  Francis Taylor puts it this way, “Wisdom brings more profit than any worldly riches, because it brings better things than riches.”  Yes, money is important, it is something that we need and find useful in this life, but reflect on the words of Wiersbe, “It’s good to have the things money can buy, provided you don’t lose the things money can’t buy.”  Remember, that gold and silver and precious gems are nothing but merchandise, they are not eternal.
     The words of the early church leader, Ignatius, puts things in proper perspective, “Let me be put to any pain, any loss, so I get my Jesus.”  Silver, gold, are fine, but do not lose your focus on Christ because of them.  Then can lead to the pit, while godly wisdom will help guide you along the way to glory.  One of the things that Satan asked in his deception in the Garden was, “did God say?”  We cannot, should not, question the wisdom of God.  Oh, that we would pursue wisdom with the same effort that we pursue money, wealth, careers, and even entertainment.  “We must apprehend with all our might and put forth our utmost vigour in the pursuit of it,” says Matthew Henry.  
     When we find wisdom we will begin to develop the “holy character which is born of heavenly wisdom.” (Flores)  I like where J.L. Flores says wisdom may be found:
               1)  found in affliction,
               2)  found by study of the Divine Word,
               3)  found in the practice of Divine precepts,
               4)  found by communion with God,
               5)  found by the confession of our ignorance and the pleading of God’s promises.
“Wisdom is entire conformity to all the intentions of His truths, providences, and laws.” (Henry)  Therefore it is up to up to diligently search and seek for wisdom.  James tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (1:5, NKJV).  He further states that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (3:17, NKJV)

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
I also noticed that throughout the world there is evil in the courtroom.  Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!”  –Ecclesiastes 3:16, NLT
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
     There was sunshine hitting the far peaks when I arrived in Silverton not long before dusk.  The air had a chill that sort of bit right through you when the wind stirred it up.  Shops would be closing in the next hour so that would keep movement on the streets to a minimum.  I was traveling light, carrying only saddlebags and my trusty Greener.  Instead of going up Greene Street then over to the jail, I decided to go along the tracks a ways, then cut up to the jail.  It was located just a block and a half from the notorious Blair Street.  Good location for a jail.
     I could hear the racket coming from around the corner from the saloons and other places of vice.  Catching myself shaking my head, I never could figure out why a miner, especially one with a wife and kids, would go to one of those places and spend all their hard earned wages.  However, once Brewlinski took me down a shaft and I began to get a glimmer of why.  Those men worked with death all around them in the darkness of a hole where the only light was from the light on their helmet and lanterns in the shaft.  They came out of that hole and went to party, laughing that they had escaped death another shift.
     Arriving at the jail, I could see that there was a dim light inside, but upon trying the knob, I found it locked.  That puzzled me.  “Open up!” I hollered banging on the door.  “Marshal Forrest!”
     I thought I saw movement by the window, then I heard the door being unlocked.  A man with a badge greeted me with gun in hand.  Not to my liking.
     “Come in Marshal, hurry!” he rumbled, his eyes darting in the coming darkness.  “Hurry, before someone sees.”
     After entering, he quickly locked the door again.  “Come away from the windows,” he commanded, the fear coming from his tone.  “I’m Lucius Tanner, deputy.”
     He didn’t bother to reach out his hand as it still held the gun.  At times it was pointed toward the floor, other times at the front of the jail, and there were those times that it landed on me making me somewhat anxious.  Finally I said, Put that gun away!”
     Looking at me with wild eyes, I thought he might take exception, but did as I ordered and holstered his pistol, then wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.  This boy was scared.
     “Where’s Charlie?” I asked receiving no answer.  “Sheriff Gold, where is he?”
     “Back in the first cell.  I didn’t dare try to get him to Doc Minton.”
     Pushing by him, I marched to the cell finding Charlie laid out on a cot.  Blood was on his shoulder and the side of his head.  “Have you sent for the doctor?”
     “No, I didn’t dare go out.  I tried to clean him up the best I could, but I had to watch the door.”
     I went to Charlie and found him breathing.  He had lost a lot of blood, but I saw the wound on his head was just a scratch.  Head wounds tend to bleed, and it must have rattled Tanner seeing all that blood.  As I rolled Charlie over, I heard a groan, that was good and I quickly saw that the bullet had gone through, that was also good, but not much was done in the way of care.
     “Get me some rags and hot water,” I ordered.  Tanner just stood there, looking over my shoulder at Charlie.  “Now!”
     He scurried away, while I began to remove Charlie’s clothing away from the wound.  It needed cleaning, and then I could make a better assessment.  At least for the most part it had stopped bleeding, that was also good.
     It took a few minutes to get water heated and after I had Charlie’s clothes removed, I went to see Tanner.  “Can you tell me what in the world is going on that’s got you in such a fright?”
     “They’re dead,” he cried.  “They’re all dead.”
     “Who’s dead?”
     “All the deputies, shot down.  McGinnis and, and that…”

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Standing alone in the desert at night one feels that all about one there is this listening, an alertness for movement, for life, for change.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Taggart)

       “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

                    –James 1:17  (ESV)
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There is a phrase from a Willie Nelson song that depicts this portion of Psalm 139:  “You were always on my mind.”  It is very far from the mind and thinking of God, however.  For we are always on His mind and He is very much involved with each and every facet of our lives.
       
          13 — For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
          14 — I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
          15 — My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
          16 — Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
          17 — How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!
          18 — If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.  (NKJV)

     I believe that there is a special place in hell for those who practice abortion.  They have destroyed the formation of God’s image in the mother’s womb.  Just to look at the human body, its intricacies has to point to a Creator.  He is the one who laid down your genetic code and DNA.  Not only the physical aspect came from God, but the wonderful brain, the mind that is better than any computer.  The brain that keeps the body running and the brain that is used in the thought process.  The intertwining of the tissue, the muscles, the blood vessels and the nerves are by His handiwork, not just the happenstance of evolution.
     “Nothing takes God by surprise.  He knows the future and can therefore guide us through its trackless ways,” so said W.T. Purkiser.  He knows each and every thought, as well as each and every step we take.  Think of His wonderful thoughts to each of us; yes, each person on earth.  He thought so much of His creation, the wonder of His creation, that He sent His Son to die for it.  Life came from God, sin brought death, but through Christ there is the gift and the hope of eternal life.
     David was amazed at these divine truths; truths that cannot be fully comprehended.  “If he tried to list these truths about God, they outnumber the grains of sand on the beaches of the world, far past his ability to understand.” (Steven Lawson)  If we could and would take the time to seriously sit down and reflect on our lives we would see the numerous “grains” of God’s blessing in our life.  In our frailty and with our sinful nature we really cannot understand the vast love that God has for us.  We are certainly “always on His mind.”  All of us, for God had every person on His mind when Jesus went to the cross.  Friend, God knows each of us, no matter of condition in life, through and through.

               “Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me,
               Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me,
               Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
               Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.”
                       –Patrick, Irish missionary

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He took another sip of his scalding coffee. He wondered sometimes why he wanted the higher quality Arbuckle brand; he drank it so hot he couldn’t taste it anyway.” 

                    –Nathan Wright  (The Trail)
 
Good Saturday mornin’ to yuh, Pard.  Trust yuh had a good week.  Coffee’s on, strong and hot; it’ll tickle yur gizzard plumb right.  Made some of that espresso this mornin’.  Now, Pard, contrary to what folks think, I’m no conusseuer; I just know how I like my coffee.  Why some put on the package, a hint of grape, or lavender, or chocolate.  What I want to know is, does it taste good?  I can’t taste any of those hints.  I came across this coffee ’cause it was on sale and I’ll always try new coffee. Usually not too bad as long as it’s strong enough.  What did the ol’ puncher say, “Life’s too short for bad coffee”?
     Pard, since I’m ponderin’ coffee, I want to be tellin’ yuh that I’ve been ponderin’ a lot this week.  Yesterday I pondered what it must have been like when Jesus was a boy.  I do that quite often.  The good Lord must’ve had a reason to not include much of His young life in the Holy Writ.  Mostly probably, ’cause it has nothin’ to do with His task, His purpose, and our salvation.  Most likely I’ll ponder it some more.
     Just like I’m ponderin’ how yuh can drink that hot coffee so fast.  My mercy, it’ll burns the hair off’n yur tongue.  I reckon yuh done scorched yur throat down to yur gizzard an’ yur holdin’ yur cup out for more.  Pard, sometimes…
     But back to ponderin’.  I’ve pondered a lot of about Genesis, especially the early part.  My eldest daughter sent me a little thought, that caused to stop my slurpin’ and ponder.  Now, I’ve pondered most of this before.  Shem, yuh remember him?  Noah’s son.  Shem would have known Abraham, and I tend to believe that he was the man that Abraham gave honor to–Melchizedek.  Now get this, since Shem was before the flood, he also would have known Methuselah.  Now, go ahead an’ take a swallow, ’cause this is something I haven’t pondered until now.  Methusalah would have known Adam.  I wonder what ol’ Adam told Methuselah?  Think of all that Adam knew.  He walked with God, He talked with God.  He sinned and was tossed out of the Garden.  Did he tell Methuselah what the Garden was like, what the serpent was like, how life changed?  Something for sure to ponder.  But Pard, take it a bit further.  Since Methuselah knew Abraham did he discuss those same things with him?  
     Yuh go ahead and ponder.  Don’t be wrackin’ yur brains over it, but somethin’ interestin’ for sure.  Here’s another thing I ponder.  Why do I always have to be remindin’ yuh to check yur cinch?
     Vaya con Dios.