Author: Ira Paine

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other.  But how can one be warm alone?”  –Ecclesiastes 4:11 (NLT)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     “Miles, we can’t leave Silverton without a marshal,” he paused, looking towards the front office.  “Lucius is an all right jailer, but he can’t handle the likes of Silverton,” he paused again, then added, “so far no one has been able to.”
      I looked out to the office, Tanner was gone to fetch breakfast for the prisoners.  He had calmed down quite a bit unless he had to come feed McGinnis or our guest, Mr. Smith.  “Worst comes to worst, I can stay here if you think you’re able to get McGinnis down to Durango.”
     Charlie had only been sitting up for a couple of days, and McGinnis began yesterday.  Smith would be the problem.  “I could stay until McGinnis is tried and hung an’ keep Smith here with me.  Then after the hangin’ you could come back and I’ll take Smith to Durango.  That way at least one of us would be in town.”
     “Marshal, I ain’t gonna hang!  You wait and see!” yelled McGinnis from his cell.  “Where’s my food, I’m hungry!”
     Doc Minton had been in and said that the prisoner was capable of traveling by train or wagon, and that Charlie should be able to handle the ride as well.  If McGinnis was chained to a seat, Charlie could rest.  Doc said he was coming along fine considering all the blood he lost.
     “Charlie, what say we take our situation upstairs to the One who has the answer for us?”  He nodded and we said a prayer there for God’s guidance and help in needing a marshal for Silverton.
     “Hey!  What’s that you’re doing?” Praying?  You best be doing plenty of that, you’ll need it!” McGinnis scoffed.  “I’ll be spitting on your corpses before long.”  
     I didn’t pay any attention to McGinnis, but he had the ability to grate on my nerves some.  However, I noticed that Smith took notice of what we were doing, leaning forward, attempting to listen.  “You guys really believe that stuff?” he asked in a sincere tone.
     Standing I went across the aisle to stand by Smith’s cell.  “The Lord’s the only hope we have in this life, and for sure the only hope we have for eternity,” I paused looking over at McGinnis where seemed to be carrying a perpetual sneer.  Turning back, I continued speaking to Smith.  “Life is short, shorter than others for some, and it is a comfort knowin’ that the Lord is on your side.”
     While in the midst of my talk with Smith, I heard pounding on the office door.  It was too early for Tanner to return.  I quickly drew my pistol then headed for the door.  Peeking through the shades on the window I saw that it was Osain Beavin, the miner who was in the way of Kid Malloy’s bullet.  Without holstering my gun I unlocked the door inviting Beavin inside then stepped out looking up and down the street.  Up on the corner I saw a man standing that gave rise to suspicion, but I decided to ignore him.
     After locking the door, I put my gun away and turned to Beavin.  “What can I do for you, Mr. Beavin?” I inquired observing that his arm was in a sling.
     He gave a half-smile, then said, “Goin’ down tah Durango with yuh.”
     A thought rushed through my mind.  “How’s the arm?”
     “Doc said I could take the sling off today or tomorrow.  It’s some sore, and I have to be careful movin’ it too quick, but it’ll be alright,” he hesitated, then smiled continuing.  “Ol’ Heinie at the “Iowa” said if I couldn’t sling a hammer he had no need for me.  I will give him credit, he did say that when the arm was better to come see him, there may be an opening.  Well, Marshal, I’ve got to eat between now and then.”
     For some reason, I blurted, “Have you ever considered bein’ a marshal?”  His eyes widened, and he started to speak but no words came.  “You know the people, you know Silverton, and,” I looked at him, “you’re tough.”
     “Well, now, I…”
     Charlie heard me talking and came walking from the cell area.  He nodded at Beavin.  “So you’re our new marshal…glad to have you aboard…”

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

In any such fight it is not only what you do, it is where and how you do it.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Flint)

       “Fight the worthwhile battle of the faith, keep your grip on that life eternal to which you have been called, and to which you boldly professed your loyalty before many witnesses.”

                    –1 Timothy 6:12 (Phillips)
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Someone has said that the first portion of Psalm 144 is like a scrapbook.  If you have ever put one together you place pictures of individuals that you have taken, and often they are doing something.  Here are some pictures of God, and notice what He’s doing.  He’s taking notice of us and going into action for us.  Charles H. Spurgeon asked, “How is it that the Eternal should make so much of mortal man, who begins to die as soon as he begins to live?”

          1 — Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle–
          2 — My lovingkindness and my fortress, my high tower and my deliverer, my shield and the One in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.
          3 — LORD, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?  Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
          4 — Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
          5 — Bow down Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
          6 — Flash forth lightning and scatter them; shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
          7 — Stretch out Your hand from above; rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of foreigners.
          8 — Whose mouth speaks lying words, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.   (NKJV)

     Shape up!  Look who is there with you.  This reads almost like an action-packed war movie from the beginning of training to the climax of the battle.  Pictures of the Lord coming on the scene to help.  Maybe the title would be, “Man–the Passing Shadow.”  Get up, get moving, get ready for the battle and the work of the Lord on your behalf.  Get the pictures of battle and victory in your mind.
     How will God come to your aid today?  How will He rescue from the onslaught of the enemy?  We have to be out in the midst of the battle if we expect the Lord to come and fight with us/for us.  Richard Sibbes wrote, “There can be no victory where there is no combat.”  Don’t worry so much as to the outcome, for the Lord is there to fight for you.  He is there whenever we fight against our enemies, the enemies of God.  Will He part the sea, He did that once.  Will He bring an earthquake to swallow up those who are against you?  Perhaps He will send a delusion upon the enemy so they fight among themselves.  Oh, His ways and weapons are beyond our means, as well as His tragedies and tactics well above our understanding.
     Basic training, what an interesting time.  A time of training, a time of discipline and learning.  David has been through that – now he is ready for combat, for the fight.  “He finds in the Lord not only his protection in battle but also his preparation for battle…  God is unconditionally committed to His servant, forever loyal to His promises.” (Lawson)  Just look at verse 2, He is our shield.  The shield was used to deflect the arrows and projectiles of the enemy.  Who is our shield?  The Lord God Almighty.  He stands deflecting the fiery darts of the enemy.  God will fight for us, He will defend and protect us.
     God is there!  God is for us!  Add to your collection of pictures the victory that He will bring today.  Add another picture of the action He is going to take.  Rest and rejoice in the victory that He will bring.
   
               “Oh, you must fight, be brave against all evil,
               Never run, nor even lag behind;
               If you would win for God and the right,
               Just keep on the firing line.”
                     –Bessie F. Hatcher

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

All eggshells and just about cold, that dang coffee. Made with horse-dung and mud, not Arbuckles in my opinion. He mighta cared well enough for his horses, but he’s lucky there ain’t no law against making bad coffee—if there was, he coulda been hanged, for such swill as he poured us.”

                    –J.V. James  (The Oldest Trick in the Book)
 
Come in here, Pard.  Let yur tongue drool whist I pour yuh some coffee.  Don’t be a-frettin’ none, I ain’t gonna serve yuh no bad coffee.  Nosiree, I don’t believe in such a thing.  There’s plenty in life that I surely don’t understand, an’ one of them is those folk that drink bad coffee.  Fru-fru, cino stuff, that ain’t no good fer man nor beast.  Whist I’ll bet an ol’ sow would turn her nose up at some of those things folks are a-drinkin’.
     Yur lookin’ fine this mornin’, Pard.  Britches are fairly clean, boots been wiped off, yep yuh look purdee nifty.  Pard, that’s another thing I don’t be understandin’ at all.  Yuh tell me why folks think it’s somethin’ nifty to be wearin’ britches with holes in them.  I kid all the time with the younguns about that.  I offer them a couple of dollars to help towards another pair of pants, or I’ll ask how much they paid for their pants and tell them they were cheated since they have so much material missin’.
     Why Pard, back when I was a youngster, I would play on my knees until I wore a hole through my jeans.  Grandma would then put on a patch and I can remember several times of wearin’ a hole in that there patch.  She didn’t want me out with holes in my pants.  Why if’n she was livin’ today, it would save her some time and effort not to be fixin’ up my pants.  
     Pard, I jist don’t rightly understand the thinkin’ of some folks.  Yuh take them crooks, them sidewinders who sneak into this country to commit atrocities and practice their brand of wickedness.  I don’t understand why folks want to allow them to stay.  Why not send them back where’s they came from?  In fact, some of them need to be sent on down to perdition as they’re a-headin’ that way anyhows.
     Go ‘head, don’t be mindin’ me, drink that sweet nectar I made yuh.  Nothin’ wrong with it, no sireee, that’s good coffee.  I done made it my ownself.  But here’s one other thing, Pard.  Since folks are so rarin’ to have weak coffee, or holey clothes, I hope they don’t have any holes in their doctrine.  Pard, they’re’s a bunch of people spoutin’ off weak or wrong teachin’ ’bout the Lord.  We can’t afford to be goin’ out in hostile country without knowin’ what we’re believin’.  Jist like yuh can’t be ridin’ out without checkin’ yur cinch; it jist ain’t safe, nor practical, nor God-fearin’.   No, Pard, we got to have sound doctrine in our hearts, jist like yuh need strong coffee fer yur innards.
     There, Pard, I’ve said my mind.  Time for one more cup, an’ I’ll tell yuh a secret.  Later today, the missus is makin’ a pie an’ I’m already a-hankerin’ for a piece ‘long with another cup of good coffee.  Yuh be havin’ a good week, now!
        Vaya con Dios.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”
                    –Donald L. Robertson  (Stranger with a Star)

       “Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.”
                    –Colossians 2:8 (NLT)
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Hold fast!  That’s the admonition of Proverbs 4:13.  This morning we’ll finish through Proverbs 4:17.  But doesn’t that challenge sound like Paul?  Hold fast!  Stand firm!  It is a good warning that should be heeded in this, the 21st century.  In these times of confusion, pseudo-ideologies, and false religions we must hold fast and stand firm in the doctrine of God’s Word.

          13 — Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life. (NKJV)

The ESV says, to “guard her.”  Therefore it is implied that there are going to be other false instructions and doctrines that will try to remove God’s standards.  One writer puts it this way, “Fasten and do not let slack.”  “This is the way, walk in it,” come the words of Isaiah.  Jeremiah implores us to “walk in obedience.”  It is only when we walk in obedience to our Father’s instruction do we have life.  He is saying that your education is your life–guard it well.  Know the Word of the Lord, hold fast to it.

          14 — Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil.
          15 — Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on.  (NKJV)

Stay far from the path of the wicked!  Avoid it, stay away, man is prone to evil, therefore do not even consider going down that wayward path.  It is a path that may look inviting and most often will, that is why we stay away, we don’t tempt ourselves by even placing one foot on that path.  Charles Bridges warns us, “How often does fellowship with the wicked loosen the fast hold of instruction.  Their path is so contrary to the way of instruction, that the very entrance into it is forsaking the way of God.”  
     There is the atmosphere of contagion along this false way.  Do not think you are strong enough to hold fast to God’s Word if you decide to travel along this wicked way.  As Bob Beasley writes, “The depth of wickedness of the heart of people is unsearchable.”  Man is wicked and there is no depth to which his depravity will not go.  We cannot pray, “lead us not into temptation” when we purposely travel down this way.  Listen to the warning of Charles Bridges, “It is far more easy to shun the occasion of sin, than the sin when the occasion presents it; to resist the beginning, than the progress of sin.”

          16 — For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall.
          17 — For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.  (NKJV)

These are evil men.  They smirk and smile when they see you joining them on their way.  Listen, we need to “recognize the kind of world in which we live.” (J. Vernon McGee)  It is not a tip-toe through the tulips kind of walk, but one that would lead to disaster should you follow the way of the world.  The glow of evil and all that it offers is not all hunky-dory, but  the way of misery and eventually will lead to the pit.  All evil, all sin leads to hurt, and quite often it will lead to ruin.  “To pretend to dread sin without fearing temptation, is self-delusion.” (Bridges)  The Prophet Micah sends out a warning, “Woe to those who devise iniquity, and work out evil on their beds!  At morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.” (2:1, NKJV)  
     We are to abhor evil, we are to stay away from the wicked person.  David warns us in Psalm 36:4 about this person and their schemes, “He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.” (NKJV)  This person will take you by the hand and lead you down the road that is crooked and perverse and will eventually take you to perdition.  Listen, “God doesn’t guide His children when they’re walking in darkness.” (Wiersbe)
     To sum up the advice of the father (Father) — Walk closely with God!