Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on April 2, 2026

He enjoyed the territory, always most content when he rode alone in new country, given time to enjoy the solitude with his Lord and all of His creation.”

–B.N. Rundell (Last Chance Gulch)

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet by believing in him, you are filled with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”
–1 Peter 1:8 (ESV)
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“It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Oh, the half has never yet been told.”
–B.E. Warren

What a tremendous Easter song! But wait, this is a solemn, sorrowful time. We read the words of Isaiah, “He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” (53:3, NKJV) He was a man of sorrows, He knew and experienced grief, more than any man who ever lived, for He saw sin in its reality and fullness, and in fact, felt it firsthand. Yes, it was agony, shame, and the cross was real, the pain was real, but there was more. Jesus was a man full of joy!
I cannot remember in my long years a message of the joy of the Holy Week. Yes, there are songs of triumph, of victory, of overcoming, but joy? Those last few weeks before the crucifixion Jesus did much teaching about what was to come and what to expect. One of the aspects He told His disciples was that of joy. John tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (15:11, NKJV). The cross is looming before Him, the intense agony of physical torture and of spiritual torture waits only days away, and Jesus is speaking of joy.
We tend to dwell and stay only on the intenseness of the cross and that whole week of ordeal. But there is more, so I want to just take a few moments and in this week of Jesus moving towards Calvary and think of His joy. George Morrison tells us that “Jesus’ joy was an intense reality.” While many dwell on the sorrow, and walk around with a lower lip hanging on the ground, Jesus was speaking of joy. Look at His life and often we see His joy. It was the times of joy that the Pharisees could not understand and caused them consternation. They could understand sorrow, grief coming from the Messiah, but joy?
Jesus living in the fullness of life. The fruit of the Spirit burst forth from His very being. “Morally, He was in perfect poise with heaven. Spiritually, He had the fullness of the Spirit.” (Morrison) He had life, and He came so others could have life, and that they might have it abundantly. (John 10:10) Morrison says, “He came to give what He Himself possessed. And that abundant life, rooted in His sinlessness and continually enriched by new obedience, was one of the splendid secrets of His joy.”
The source of Jesus’ joy was in the relationship with the Father. Jesus’ joy was rooted in the love and fellowship with the Father. The source of Jesus’ joy was complete surrender to His purpose in life. His vocation, His calling and surrendering to it brought joy. He was completely surrendered to the will of the Father. As Morrison reminds us, “Neglect your work and you are never glad. Do it half-heartedly, and gloom is everywhere. But give yourself to it, with heart and soul and strength, and all the birds are singing in the trees.”
The source of Jesus’ joy was the fulfillment of His purpose. He looked forward to the reward of His suffering, agony, and death. We read in Hebrew 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (NKJV) J.B. Phillips translates it this way, “For he himself endured a cross and thought nothing of its shame because of the joy he knew would follow his suffering…” I have to take some inventory here on my own life. The cross I am told to pick up, do I do it with joy knowing that there is a reward waiting? Do I moan and groan, whine and complain, or do I see the results and thus pick it up and carry it joyfully, rejoicing on my way?
Easter, a glorious time! Take time to reflect, to contemplate, to meditate. Take time with family, enJOY them. Take some time to be alone with the Lord. However, in all of this know that the joy of the Lord is your strength, and that we should have joy unspeakable as we travel this often troublesome road to glory.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on April 1, 2026

I judge a man by the way he handles himself, and you’ve been ridin’ for the brand. I ain’t interested in anything else.”

–Louis L’Amour (“Riding for the Brand”)

“The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.”
–John 10:13 (NKJV)
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One assignment for you in regards to April Fools Day. The Book of Proverbs, which we are studying each Wednesday, is loaded with the definition and actions of a fool. Take time to read them on this day designed to remember “fools.” Now on to today’s study:
“The labor of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.” –Proverbs 10:16(NKJV)
The first thing to remember is that there are two paths to travel. The righteous are on the way of life, but the wicked wander from it. There is the way of the Lord, and there is the way of the world. When I look at the above verse the first thing that comes to my mind is Romans 6:23, “But the wages of sin is death,” however, the wages of the righteous bring them life, abundantly in this life and full abundance in eternity. The question that must be answered is, who do you work for? There are two “bosses” in this world. One is the Creator, the Lord, the other the prince of darkness, the enemy of our soul. One represents the kingdom of God, the other the wickedness of the system of this world.
In my experiences I have found that most people are simply hirelings. And the shame of it is that many Christians fall into this category as well. Oh, they are sure enough believers, but they do not recognize that all they do should be unto the Lord, so they work nominally, haphazardly, only wanting a paycheck and what it can get them. They haven’t tapped into the great truth that God is their Lord and their work, no matter what it is, should be done unto Him. The hireling works for a paycheck, benefits, and the weekend. The non-Christian labors for sure for themselves; their minds are lost to the things of God and they do not submit to righteousness. Bob Beasley says, they are “Lured by the glamour and glitter of the ‘good life,’ he receives instead the wages of the ‘bad death.'” As Christians this should not be our attitude nor our actions. “We work in and through Him. Our labours, therefore, is His work–wrought in dependence on Him; not for life, but to life.” (Charles Bridges)
Romans 8:6, is a sobering verse, “For to be carnally minded is death…” (NKJV) It is important that we realize, as J. Vernon McGee states, “God is not going to fellowship with a carnally-minded person.” People crave fellowship, in fact some clamor for it. Isn’t it ironic that many of those who say they desire for fellowship with God and will dance a jig on Sunday will not work for Him in their career, workplace, or studies? Those that want fellowship, do not consider the things that bring true fellowship with the Lord–“the labor of the righteous leads to life,” is being in fellowship with God. Charles Bridges tells us that “Labor, not idleness, is the stamp of a servant of God.”
What about the righteous then? J.L. Flores gives us some thoughts regarding the righteous. First, there can be no true life without righteousness. Secondly, righteousness must show that it exists by honest labor. Thirdly, the honest labor of a righteous man shall bless his existence. I shall ask the question again, Who do you work for?
As you consider that you must then ask the next question, for what do we labor? To be honest there are hard workers among the godless, but they toil for worldly gain, to get ahead in this life. That’s all they have–this life. Spend it now–you can’t take it with you. Be wise in your perspective of those who work, or do not. “The whole subject teaches us not to make poverty and riches the standard by which to measure a man’s blessedness or misfortune.” (Flores) Again we are reminded that, “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15, NKJV)
Read again the verse from Proverbs then add to it the words of Paul, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NKJV)

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on March 31, 2026

Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don’t fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?” –Ecclesiastes 7:13(NLT)

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The man was almost grotesque when he smiled. Somewhere back down the line in his life there had been someone take a knife or hatchet to his face splitting it in half from top to bottom just to the left of his nose. Hence his name, Charlie Two-Face.

“You are disturbed by my appearance, white man?” he questioned while touching the scar where it ended at his chin. “Many years ago, when I was young, a fight with the Ute. He swung at me with his tomahawk, splitting my face in half. He thought he had killed me,” he coughed a laugh, “in fact, I thought he had killed me. Fortunately, the Great Spirit kept the blade from splitting my skull and head in half, just breaking through the skin.”

I didn’t say anything while he told me the story. The pain, both physical and mental he went through must have been tremendous. The large scar came about, he said, because of the blade, but also there were white men, mountain men, in the camp with him. They used horsehair to stitch him up. “Ranger, I wanted to die, it hurt so much.” He became very quiet when the proprietor came with more coffee. He offered some to Charlie who shook his head. “I would not die! I had to find the Ute who did this to me.”

“Pard, I can’t even begin to imagine,” I said, then he cut me off.

“No, you can’t, you can’t imagine. I was no longer the name I cannot mention, but became Charlie Two-Face. A man scorned by all. It was not until I had begun to heal that one of the men who fixed my face told me that the one who did this was not alive, but was killed in the skirmish.”

“Why live?” I asked myself. “Vengeance was taken from me. Blood rite was taken from me. Then I went to a little village in New Mexico. There was a family who needed help. I would hunt and bring them food. It was there that I was introduced to a padre. My heart was black, my mind was sick with hatred and bitterness and remorse, for I was no longer a full man.” He grunted a laugh again. “It was this padre who told me that I was now two men.”

I held the cup in both my hands, sipping from it as I listened to his story. “I was told the story of a Man who was beaten beyond all recognition. One so severe that He was torn apart, yet still living and placed upon what the padre called, a cross. Ranger, I could relate to Him, the pain, the agony, the suffering. What I could not understand with my black heart was how I was told when He was on that cross, He cried to the Great Spirit in the sky, for Him to forgive those who did this to Him.”

Charlie looked up for several seconds then brought his eyes down to meet mine. “I stayed with the padre, helping him around the little village. He showed me the way of helping others, those who had so little.”

Placing the cup on the table I reached out to clasp his hand. “Charlie, I cannot feel your pain, but I also know this Man. This Jesus, and He helped me understand how to walk this path of life.”

His face was solemn, unreadable. No smile, no emotion. Then his eyes flickered, one side of his mouth smiled, the other remained. “Utes, half-breeds,” he spoke, breaking the silence. “They have some kind of vendetta against the Navaho. Maybe it is old, tribal, but I think it is that their hearts were like mine, black and evil.”

“Do you know where these men are?” I asked, releasing his arm.

He was silent, I nodded, understanding. “I will not kill them. I help the families of the ones who are now in eternal rest. But…”

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on March 30, 2026

A man shares his days with hunger, thirst and cold, with the good times and the bad, and the first part of being a man is to understand that.”
–Louis L’Amour (Galloway)

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.”
–Psalm 42:1 (NIV)
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“God blesses those people who want to obey him more than to eat or drink. They will be given what they want!” –Matthew 5:6 (CEV)

Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Ah, then the question must be, how hungry? how thirsty are you? One more thing that should be brought into consideration is what is it that you are currently eating? We all thirst and hunger for something, but not everything is good for us. Someone wrote, “Your diet is not only what you eat. It is what you watch, what you listen to, what you read, and the people you hang around. Pay attention to what you feed your soul, not just your stomach.” Stuffing your mouth with the wrong stuff will curb your spiritual appetite.
As Christians we should be hungry for the things of God and that includes righteousness. The sinner is destitute of righteousness, but Christ is the perfect righteousness for all His people. Why then do we linger at the table of the devil? Why do we thirst after the forbidden and the things that would hinder our walk and our relationship with God? I am not speaking of “legal righteousness” which is imparted when we are justified. But what about implanted righteousness? We are now alive in Christ and dead men do not hunger. Hunger proceeds from life. Hunger is a sense of lack. When we are born again, we have the spiritual hunger that follows the new birth. Thomas Watson declares, “The appetite is as well from God, as the food.”
We should be hungry for the things of God. Our hunger shows the character of a godly man, so now another question: are you hungering? Watson tells us, “Desire is the best evidence of a Christian.” Let that sink in. If you are not hungry for the things of God, not thirsty for the fountain that flows from the inner spring of the Spirit, then it might be good to check your position. As we eat food daily for nourishment so should hunger daily for spiritual food. Get this, unless we hunger after righteousness we cannot obtain it.
Take a moment to consider the reasons why people do not hunger and thirst after righteousness. One reason might be that they have never felt any emptiness. They are full of self-righteousness like the Pharisees, they have bloated stomachs. Others, in a similar fashion, think they are well enough without it. “I’m saved” they say, and that is enough. They complain about the lack of this or that, the lack of answered prayers, the lack of God meeting their needs, but never about the lack of righteousness. They would rather sleep than eat as Peter states in 2 Peter 2:3. They refuse good food when placed in front of them and would rather run to the calorie counter of useless or false teachings. Some may come for the garnishing, the entertainment, the fellowship and not partake of the food. While others, I would have to call them pseudo-Christians, would rather play in the streets of the world, or they prefer vain things rather than the things of God, and then, you’ve seen them even in church, they prefer their phone to the food offered from the pulpit. There is one more group, those who prefer disputes rather than the practice of piety. They will argue over the leftovers; they would rather pick bones that eat of the heavenly manna presented to them.
Oh that we would have that deep hunger for the things of God. Oh that we could just have one more bite of His presence, His food, His water, His righteousness. We have the opportunity to have our hunger filled. Do not be like those the psalmist mentions, “They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.” (Psalm 107:5, NIV) What happened, they missed the feast for one reason or another.