Author: Ira Paine

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Sitting on the edge of his fire was a blackened coffeepot. It was a daily ritual, making and drinking coffee. A foot from the fire, resting on the ground, was his coffee mug. He drank from it regularly throughout the day. Every day.”

                    –Cotton Smith
 
     Greetin’s to yuh, Pard.  Coffee’s hot and strong, come an’ grab a cup.  Don’t yuh be bashful!  Trust yuh had a good week, no matter what though, it’s past.  Might be some consequences left over, but they’ll pass.  The thing is Pard, to face the day, and prepare for the future.  ‘Course we know that day might not show up, but we need to be ready if it does.  Same’s true ’bout the comin’ of the Lord.  It’s gonna happen, it might not be today, but we have our heart ready in case He comes tomorrow.
     Yuh know, seasons come and go, not only the seasons of nature, but of life and even in the short term.  Last night the middle granddaughter moved from the season of high school to the big adult world and the world of college.  Big change, but it is part of life.  Oh, not necessarily the college part, but the season of movin’ on with life after high school.  Boy howdy, I can remember that time.  I was ready to get on with the summer for baseball and then on to college.  I was raised right, and was ready to prove myself to the world.  It was time for me to be gettin’ on.  Long story short, I made it through–could have done better, but I made it.  Then on to the military, which I enjoyed.
     By the time I was headin’ for my Masters, I had my habits and routine down, and really enjoyed that work.  Yep, seasons come and go.  What’s that yuh say?  I’m in the season where I’m ridin’ my rockin’ chair now.  Pard, yuh best be careful or I’ll cut yur coffee rations.  Now, I’ll tell yuh the truth.  When I get up in the mornin’ to do my readin’ and studyin’ I sit in my rocker, drinkin’ coffee, lookin’ at the sun shine through the trees.  I’m not about to be thrown by that chair, but sometimes the readin’ stumps me or at least causes me to contemplate.
     Quit yur grinnin’.  But what I’m tellin’ yuh is that seasons come, and they go.  However, and get this Pard, get it good–the Lord is with us in all seasons of life, all seasons of change along the journey.  Our job is to be listenin’ to Him and obeyin’ His Word.  If’n we do that we’ll have a better time gettin’ through the obstacles on the trail and facin’ those fiery darts of the enemy.
     One thing I’ve noticed through the years of our partakin’ of coffee together.  No matter the day, the hour, or the season, I keep havin’ to reminding yuh to check yur cinch.  One of these days…   Well, we’ll leave it at that.
     Vaya con Dios.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

What a man knows isn’t important. It’s what he is that counts.”
                    –Jack Schaefer  (Shane)

       “Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.”
                    –Psalm 27:13 (NLT)
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There are many things that I do not understand and the older I get it seems as if there are more of them.  I don’t understand when people say, “adulting is hard,” or “I have to adult today.”  Grow up!  A couple of years back I responded to someone on Facebook who I thought I knew.  Through their high school years they were one of the “whining babies” but a good student.  They wrote a whining note on Facebook to which I responded, “Get a life,” and received a scathing letter on messenger on her behalf.  Another one I hear quite a bit, “I’m so stressed out.”  My mercy, do you not have the Holy Spirit living within you?  
     I read the words of Jesus, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, NKJV)  More abundantly, not stress, not worry, but abundant life is through Jesus.  The abundant life that gives salvation, nourishment to our souls, healing for our bodies and minds, strength to face the problems of the day and life.  Why then do we whine and whimper?  
     Perhaps it is because we try to do everything in our own strength; we forget that we belong to the Lord.  Our confidence is in ourselves and when we fail, well, some just fall apart.  Shame…  Because of Christ and the Holy Spirit living within us and guiding us we should have confidence to face each day, to face each problem, to climb over each obstacle.  In Christ life is good.  That does not mean that everything in life is good.  Someone wrote, “Life is composed of both joys and sorrows, triumphs and defeats.  Yet when we consider all the experiences of life in relation to our love for God, life as a whole works out for our good.”  Paul reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NKJV)  Grab hold of those first few words–“We know that all things…”.
     I know of those who say that we can make it.  Have confidence in yourself; pull yourself up; take one more step.  Listen, without Christ that is a recipe for failure.  Oh, yes, we are to have confidence, but our hope is in the Lord.  We should have confidence–faith and trust–in our heavenly Father.  He is the One who has our future in His hands.  He is the One in whom we can depend.  Therefore, put your confidence in Him.  “Success or failure is not measured by a few outstanding or disappointing days, but by all the days of our life.” (Elijah A. Cockman)  
     Quit being a whining baby!  Be a man or woman of God!  Stand firm, and when having done all, continue to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)  Listen, through the exercise of our faith, God will take the events of each day and work them for our good.  But we must trust and not doubt.  We are to be joyful and not murmur.  Perhaps we should recall what happened to all the whining babies that Moses had to deal with.  If I recall rightly, they all died in the wilderness except the two who had faith–Joshua and Caleb.  Live your life abundantly in Christ.  The words of Thoro Harris should be ours as well:

               “Are you trusting Jesus, All along the way?
               Does He grow more precious To your heart each day?
               Are you His disciple?
               Test His Word and see,
               He will give the Spirit more abundantly.”

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

People who search for their past, forgetting the importance of living now, lose their future.”
                    –Donald L. Robertson  (Forgotten Season)

       “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”
                    –Matthew 6:33(Amplified)
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One more look at the duty of the Father (and Mother) and the listening requirements of the child — call it Proverbs 4:1-9, part two.  This morning we focus on verses 5-9.

          5 — Get wisdom!  Get understanding!  Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.
          6 — Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you.
          7 — Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.  And in all your getting, get understanding.
          8 — Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her.
          9 — She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.   (NKJV)

The ESV translates verse 5, “Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.”  So many roll their eyes when their parents begin to tell them the way to walk.  Old fogeys, they think.  Shame–instead they should listen, take it to heart.  There are many needs that begin with life and will not cease until death.  One of the primary ones is to get wisdom.  Without wisdom how will the needs and issues of life be dealt with?  
     Wisdom is valuable; it is precious.  Think of the words of Jesus, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46, NKJV)  Wisdom is one of those pearls.  True wisdom is rare and precious.
     With wisdom we have that inner voice which will guide us if we remain true to God’s instruction, His words of wisdom.  Dan Dick states, “Doing what we know to be right offers not only freedom from guilt, but also a joy which comes forth from our soul.”  Be wise then and your soul will be kept.  Those words of verse 6 could be translated, “she will stand sentry over you.”  Wisdom will help guard us.  The words of Samuel Miller carry much truth, “Each wise thing that we do makes us wiser.”
     The principal thing!  Get it, hold it, live by it.  “Real wisdom is the knowledge of God and all His handiworks.” (Dick)  Therefore we must start with God.  We are given life to enjoy; it is a gift from God, but to enjoy it we must first come to Him.  We must enjoy life with godly wisdom, not with man’s.  “Weeds and thistles only will be the spontaneous produce if the ground is not broken up and good seed sown.” (Horne)  Let true, godly wisdom be the seed that is sown in your life, and when that happens “the pleasures of wisdom exceed all others–in kind, degree, and duration.” (Horne)
     Which is it that you seek?  Fame or honor?  Wisdom will bring honor but not necessarily fame.  Fame is loud and noisy applause while honor is silent and internal homage.  Oh, with honor may come a measure of fame, but that is not what is sought in the heart of the prudent.  “Fame floats on the breath of the multitude; honor rests on the judgment of the thinking.” (Blair)  Fame is awards and congratulations while honor seeks the will of God.  
     As mentioned in yesterday’s writing, there are two major problems:  Fathers are not teaching properly (or at all), and children are not listening.  There is a world of hurt and evil out there for the one who does not heed the voice and words of the heavenly Father.  Perhaps the real problem is as J. Vernon McGee states, “The real difficulty is that in man there is not that love and longing for God and for the things of God.”

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Let the sign speak to you. They have much to tell you, but you must look, listen, and learn.”
                    –B.N. Rundell  (Last Chance Gulch)

       “It is better to listen to rebuke from a wise person than to listen to the song of fools.”

                    –Ecclesiastes 7:5 (HCSB)
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Sometimes we have the tendency to read over Scripture without really looking at what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us.  Proverbs 4 begins with some vital information regarding how to live with instructions to parents and children.

          1 — Hear my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding.
          2 — For I give you good doctrine:  do not forsake my law.
          3 — When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother,
          4 — He also taught me, and said to me:  let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live.   (NKJV)
(ESV)
          1 — Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
          2 — for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
          4 — he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.”

     Instead of dead-beat dads and those who have abandoned the family it would behoove fathers to speak like this to their children.  It would change society if fathers would take up their role and responsibilities and teach their children properly.  Think of the difference it would make if fathers would teach their children properly.  Down deep it is a spiritual problem.  J. Vernon McGee writes, “The real difficulty is that in man there is not that love and longing for God and for the things of God.”  If man truly loved God they would desire that their children would also love Him.  
     Parents are responsible for the existence of their children:  conception, nurturing, education.  “The child is given to its parent by God in its undeveloped moral condition, but God retains His own inheritance in the gift.  He looks for nurture, for cultivation.  He demands from the parent such a fulfillment of parental duties as will ensure Him that His gift shall grow of more and more worth in the moral universe.” (J.L. Flores)  
     However, there is a second requirement presented–Listen!  The neglect of listening to instruction is a sin against self, society, and God.  It is up to the child to receive the Word and instruction of their parents and cherish it.  There must be the willingness to be taught, for a computer mind is not enough to make it through this world and into eternity, wisdom is needed.  Wisdom, proper teaching/instruction should be taught from one generation to the next.  It is the way to preserve truth, heritage, and traditions.  
     The father is depicted as giving good doctrine, or precepts.  Know this, that good doctrine, instruction in life, brings good character.  However, is starts with the right concept of God.  J.L. Flores reminds us that there “can be no right feelings towards God unless there has been right teaching about Him.”  That, first of all is the responsibility of the home, not the state.  Listen – without good character the result is bad character.  Without the proper knowledge of God there cannot be good character.  Flores states, “A man must know God as He is before he can begin to follow Him.  There must be a true mirror to give correct reflection.”  But if the father, the mother, is not diligent in their teaching and if the child does not care to listen the result is a confused, chaotic society.  
     This world is a big, bad, mad, and evil place therefore–LISTEN!  Get wisdom, hold fast to it, then live the life properly as you have been taught.  Someone has used the illustration that God is calling out to us, “Come and get it.”  First is the call for salvation, to accept Jesus Christ, and second, is the call to believers to gain understanding from God’s Word.  The primary item on the menu in Proverbs is that of wisdom–come and get it.  Embrace the security, honor, and beauty that it offers.  Realize that most of society’s problems are a mistaken view of God and the lack of proper teaching to the children.  A mistaken view of God brings with it soul disease.  
     Know this that is it up to us as parents and as “students” to give out God’s Word, to listen to God’s Word, and then to obey it.  “There’s a price to pay if you want to know God’s truth and obey it.” (Wiersbe).  There is also a price to pay, an eternal one, if the truth of God is not accepted.  Listen now and obey.