Author: Ira Paine

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Many times he had found himself in the presence of death, and long ago it had ceased to frighten him.”
                    –James Oliver Curwood  (Back to God’s Country)

       “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”
                    –Matthew 5:8 (NKJV)
—————————-
No, I am not dwelling on death, but it does cross my mind now and again since my heart attack, and I’m almost six years past my allotted time.  Now mind you, I’ll take whatever time the Lord gives me, and no, I’m not morbid, wringing my hands as to when it’s going to happen.  Look at the news and ponder…  This is a world of death.  Death’s owner, the devil smiles whenever another one dies especially if they do not know the Lord.  General Harold Moore said this regarding the world and the battle we face, “This is perhaps the ultimate terror:  to be lost and alone in a hostile land where the next man you meet wants only to kill you.”  He was speaking, of course, of the war in Vietnam.  However, there is more truth in what he says in the spiritual sense as well.  
     Many of us as we journeyed through this life have faced many and myriad wilderness experiences.  Some have wandered in the dry and hot deserts of life.  Some were in the rugged mountains, or the dense jungles.  Some may have experienced them all at one time or another, but know this–no one survives the final wilderness journey of death.  Oh, in the bright days of life we may mock death.  We “tip our hat and take our last ride,” but in reality are we ready for it?  If you are a Christian it is but a last ride in this life, but oh, the rides that await us in eternity.  To the unbeliever death is a terror, an unknown, a mysterious, fearful phenomenon that, ready or not, must be faced.
     This wilderness may not be your own now, but surely one day it will be.  Right now it may be the loss of a dear loved one; that in itself is a special ordeal.  Sorrow is a wilderness all of its own and everyone who has faced the death of a loved one must deal with it.  As Christians we most certainly believe as Paul, “To die is gain”; however, facing it is another thing entirely.  Some call it “crossing the Divide,” others “crossing over Jordan”; those terms in themselves declare the struggle of crossing through the experiences that may be faced in the wilderness.
     People mockingly joke, “He is so heavenly-minded that he is no earthly-good”; but perhaps this is the answer or a help in the wilderness of death.  Since the road of the journey of life stops, the answer lies on the other side of the veil, the river, the divide.  To be properly prepared, we need to focus on eternity in heaven realizing the brevity oflife on this earth.
     Yes, it is a mystery, even for the Christian.  What is it that is needed to face this new journey?  I would say four essential things.  First, a pure heart, one that has been changed by the spiritual regeneration of the Holy Spirit.  Second, trust in the Word of God; God will do what He says.  Third, that great requirement of the Christian life and walk–faith; this coincides with knowing and trusting in the Word of God.  Fourth, hope, a wondrous hope in the promises of God, in heaven itself.  He has gone to prepare a place for us!  Someone once wrote, “An eternal hope is the oxygen of the soul.”  As we require oxygen to live this life on earth, perhaps it is that eternal hope that brings life to the soul enabling it to cross the wilderness of death.  And do not fear, the Lord will be there as He always has been holding your hand.

(much taken from Trails in the Wilderness)

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on
Neither of us is going to get out of this alive.  That’s the only thing a man knows about life.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Conagher)
 
       “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
                    –Romans 6:11 (NKJV)
——————————
          “Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
          Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so.”
                    –John Donne
 
     We often think of “Death” as a person.  Images of the Grim Reaper go through our mind; an evil image of horror holding a scythe ready to cut down the living.  John writes in Revelation, “Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death.” (20:14, NKJV)  Notice that the first mention of Death is capitalized, a proper name, and it is part of our imagery.  We read in Paul’s writing, “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:26, NKJV)  He continues the thought, “Death is swallowed up in victory.  O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?” (15:54-55, NKJV)  One reason that we use this analogy is that death is so mysterious.  When you look at the body lying in the casket they are truly dead–dead to this life, dead to the physical, oh, but the spiritual body is eternal.
     One thing every person, male or female, has in common is that all come to meet this mysterious phenomenon we call “Death.”  We read in Hebrews, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” (9:27, NKJV)   Philip Comfort writes in regards to Donne’s poem, “This was a reminder to all that the death of one person is not an isolated event.  All share the same fate.”  But know this!  “Man does not die as a body.  He dies as a man, in the totality of his being.  He dies as a spiritual and physical being…  Physical death, then, is a fit symbol of, and expression of, and unity with, the deeper death that sin inevitably brings.” (New Bible Dictionary)
     But know this!  Call it fate, call it ironic, but John Donne finishes his poem with this climatic statement, “Death, thou shalt die.”  Just as Paul proclaims, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  The victory, of course, is Jesus Christ.  By His resurrection, death no longer has control; it has been defeated, overridden, and cast away.  “Death cannot be proud because it will suffer what it has done to all others.” (Comfort)  Notice what John writes in Revelation what happens to Death–it is cast into the lake of fire.  Jesus used death to deliver man from death.  He died that men may live.  Paul refers to the death of a believer as “sleep”.
     Without Christ, however death is indeed grim, there is no hope, no life beyond the grave, only that horrendous and terrible second death in the lake of fire awaits.  He is like the rich man who cried out “I am tormented in this flame”. (Luke 16:24)  However my friend, the Christian should not and need not be afraid of death.  Francis Schaeffer states, “To Christians there is a continuity of life on a straight horizontal line from this life on into the world to come.”  Christians because of the new birth do not go down into the pit to await judgment.  The chasm, the pit, is past at the new birth.  Death cannot separate the Christian from God, in fact, death brings them into the fullness of God.  “Death is not the chasm; we have already passed from death to life.” (Schaeffer)  As Death has been defeated by Christ, it no longer binds us, but we are free to enter the gloryland that is prepared for us.  Live in Christ–die in Christ…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He’s a man with evil eyes, and I think they reflect what truly is in his heart.”
                    –Jim Taylor  (Ride into the Storm)

       “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.”

                    –2 Thessalonians 3:2 (KJV)
————————————
Look closely at what the words of this Proverb says.  Then think of some of our so-called leaders…hmmmm.

          “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.”  –Proverbs 10:11 (NKJV)
          “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.”  –Proverbs 10:11 (NIV)

     Water is an element often used metaphorically or as an analogy in Scripture.  It speaks of everlasting rest and peace.  Ezekiel tells of a river coming forth from the Temple that becomes so wide and deep that no one can cross it (47:1-12).  Imagine for a moment that flowing stream from the heavenly throne.  We also see another side of water in the holy writ; it speaks of judgment.  Noah found grace while the earth and its inhabitants were destroyed as the water covered the earth.  Moses also saw water as judgment when the Red Sea destroyed Pharaoh’s army. (Beasley)
     Jesus tells us, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” (John 7:37-38, NKJV)  We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and He is the living water that is within us–filling us, cleansing us, purifying us.  Then as this is happening the fullness and goodness of God should be flowing out of us.  It brings hope and grace, but within the water there is also a hidden warning that the world will be cleansed one day.
     The second part of this verse reveals opposite characteristics that are seen in the speech of man.  When the righteous speak “it is as if the cover was removed from a pure, clean well of water.  He has no evil intentions to conceal:  his words are an index to his heart.” (J.L. Flores)  They are healing, refreshing, and uplifting to the hearts of men.  Truth is cleansing if only man will receive and let it flow into him.  However, the wicked person has other intentions–violence and evil.  Listen closely to some of our bureaucrats.  (One example is that a leader in the House said that a certain person should be “put on ice.”  That is evil, that depicts violence of the worst kind–murder).  The plans of the wicked are not devised for the good of his fellow-man.  J.L. Flores writes this, “His words are like a poisonous stream carrying moral death wherever they flow.”  
     Think of the world today–the evil that abounds, the terror that brings fear to the soul of man, the wickedness that destroys not only the body and mind, but also the soul and spirit of man.  The glee that comes from the “father of lies” when he sees what is happening.  Think of what will happen when those with the “fountain of life” are removed from this world.  When the Body of Christ is gone, think of the evil and terror that will happen.  Wickedness will abound; it will run amuck which means to behave uncontrollably.  No controls, lawlessness, anarchy.  Let me say this then in closing–today is the day of salvation!  Do not let it escape you.

 

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.”  –Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NLT)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
     What is that arguing?  Well, it’s not really an argument, just a whiny, shrieking voice simmering over a command given to him.  I’m lost, I don’t understand.  Then I heard a scream, and I recognized the sound of that voice.  It had, thankfully, been a couple of years since I had heard it.  The smell came to me, causing me to retch.  It was the enemy trying to take my soul one more time.  Then a calmness came over me as He walked over to me.  Smiling, I felt His hand on my brow, and my restlessness and ftifulness stopped.
     “Papa, he’s coming to.  Look, his eyelids are fluttering.”
     When I opened my eyes I saw a young girl touching my forehead with a cool, soft hand.  She smiled down at me.  I started to sit up, but she put her other hand on my shoulder, “Shhh, rest easy.  My Papa is here to take care of you.”
     I tried to lick my lips, I was so thirsty, but couldn’t.  Slowly I lifted my hand to touch my lips with my fingers, hoping she could see the pleading in my eyes.
     “Britta,” I heard a husky voice speak to her.  “He is thirsty, fetch him some water.  I will watch over him.”
     The hand left my brow, which I disliked, then I looked upward to see a stout man with a light-colored yet full beard, and intense blue eyes looking down at me.  “Ja, good, you are awake.  Hurry, child, he is thirsty, I’m a-betting.”
     I tried to lift my head and the pain hit me in a swirl.  I had to grit my teeth trying hard not to pass out.  I wanted that water.  “Easy, easy, you have a nasty wound on your huvud.”  He moved behind me then to lift me from my shoulders while the young girl brought a cup to my lips.  I slobbered at it trying to get it all in my mouth at one time.  
     “No!” she ordered.  “Drink slowly or I will give it to you in a spoon.”
     I smiled and winked, causing her to smile.  She brought the cup back to my lips.  This time I did what she told me.  I didn’t want her to remove that refreshing liquid from my mouth.
     A sigh came from me when I emptied the cup.  “I will get you some more in a minute,” she said in a tender manner, the smile never leaving her face.  It was then I saw the same deep blue eyes that were on the man.
     “Where am I?” I asked in a low sounding voice.  
     The man had put a rolled up blanket behind my shoulders to keep me sitting up.  He then moved the girl aside.  “I am Anders Jorgensen.  My son, Axel, and I were returning from town when we heard a shot.  Coming over the rise we saw a body lying on the ground next to a horse,” he stopped to smile, then continued.  “That body was you.  There was a man on horseback aiming a rifle at you.  Axel shot in the air, the man looked our direction then turned his horse in a gallop to the west.”
     “Did you see what he looked like?”
     “No, there was only a glimpse of his face, and he was in a heavy coat.  Only thing was that he was riding a fine palomino,” came his reply.  “You rest, my hustra, uh, my wife is preparing some soup.  You will eat soon, then we talk some more.  Britta, some more water.”
     After drinking another cup, I was feeling much better but I had a severe headache.  “Mor cleaned your wound, it was bleeding quite badly.”  She chuckled, “Mor said you must have a hard huvud–head.”
     I smiled, “That and the good Lord was lookin’ after me.”
     Her eyes widened…