Author: Ira Paine

The Saga of Miles Forrest

by Ira Paine, Posted on
And I know that whatever God does is final.  Nothing can be added to it or taken from it.  God’s purpose in this is that people should fear him.”  –Ecclesiastes 3:14, NLT
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     I watched, smiling.  That’s how it should be, the wounded caring for the wounded.  No one knows the pain and ache like another person who is suffering.  Hours earlier, both Molly and Doc were forced into a situation that no one should ever have to find themselves.  A situation where they had to take the life of another human.  The weight and burden of that will forever be upon them and it will be only the good Lord in His comfort that will ease the pain they both are currently feeling.
     After Molly finished praying, they continued to sit with heads bowed and eyes closed.  I didn’t want to interfere with the healing process that was taking place.  Both were strong people and with the help of the Lord they’d pull through all right.
     Doc finally broke the silence.  “Miles,” he began, then started shaking his head bringing his hand up to wipe tears away, “I don’t know how you do it.  How can you ever get used to it?”
     “You don’t,” I said in a subdued voice.  “If a person ever gets used to it, then they are hardened almost beyond repair.”  I sighed, feeling the cup in my hands was now almost empty.  “Doc, you’ve seen the scars my body carries from near death experiences.  What you don’t see are those invisible scars.  Wounds that I have had to work through.”
     Molly took one of her hands from Doc and placed it on mine, then gave me a smile and slight nod knowing what I had been through in my life.  “Doc, I’ve laid plenty of men, bad evil men in their grave.  I had to come to grips with the Lord on what I was doin’.  I still don’t understand it all, but I do know that I have been called to help protect the innocent and bring evil men to justice.”
     I got up then to pour another cup of coffee.  Holding the pot I motioned it toward Doc who put his hand over his cup.  Sitting back down, I continued on.  “Doc, I believe that God calls people to certain vocations in life.  I’m a lawman, you’re a doctor,” I stopped to give a half-grin.  “Sometimes you have to patch up the work I’ve done on someone, and, sometimes you have to patch me up.”  He gave a little chuckle.
     “I believe that Molly was called to open this diner and the people that work here fulfill an important part.  None of us know exactly how this all fits in with the Lord’s plan, but we all do our part, where we are, with what we have.”  I took a long swallow after that little speech, then added.  “Sermon over!”
     After another swallow, I said, “Doc, why don’t you and Edith go up to see the Parson.  Just talk things over with him.  It would do you good, and it would help Edith know what you’re feelin’.”
     I looked over at Molly who shook her head.  “I’m fine for now.  I want to get the place cleaned up so we can open for supper.  I’m surprised that Marta hasn’t come down to check on things.”
     “Most likely she’s helpin’ Lola get through this.  She has begun to understand what it’s like to be the wife of an officer of the law,” I remarked.  I looked at Molly, “If you’re all right, I’m goin’ to go check on the prisoner.”
     Doc grunted shaking his head.  “Funny thing, the man you were going to arrest only came out of this with a bump on his head.  His compatriots are all dead,” he paused, then added.  “I need to check on Candless.  I told him to stay in bed today.  His friend was with him and I’ll be sure to tell him that you’re going to speak with the mine superintendent.”
     I threw the last few drops of coffee down my throat.  “Be back in a little while.  You sure you’re okay?”
     She nodded and smiled.  I went to her to give her a comforting hug, then headed for the door with Doc following me.  Just as I was unlocking the door, the knob turned…

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

What makes a man is inside him.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Taggart)

       “And then, when you pray, don’t be like the play-actors….  After all, God, who is your Father, knows your needs before you ask him.”
                    –Matthew 6:5, 8  (Phillips)
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Who am I?  That’s a great and interesting question.  When you look in the mirror who/what do you see?  I have often used Johara’s Window in my teaching.  There is a window divided into four panes:  what I know about myself that no one else knows; what others know about me that I don’t know; the facade, what I let others know, and then there’s that one mysterious pane, what no one, not even myself knows about me.  We can add to that the subconscious.  There you are, a wonder of creation, or of your own imagination and fantasies, or just an ol’ fence post.  The thing is, that God knows you–all of you, inside and out.  Let’s take a look at Psalm 139 this morning.

          1 — O LORD, You have searched me and know me.
          2 — You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
          3 — You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
          4 — For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
          5 — You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.
          6 — Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.  (NKJV)

     This may be a terrifying thought to some knowing that God sees all and knows all about you.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, escapes His notice.  He knows when you breathe in and when you exhale.  However to the Christian, to whom this really speaks it is great comfort.  We are told that no matter where we might find ourselves, that He knows where we are and is there with us.  Amazing–God holds the universe together and yet knows when the sparrow falls and the number of hairs on each of our heads.  William J. Petersen says, “He is present everywhere, personally involved at even the most minute level.  Having created every life, God presided over every aspect of each of these lives.  Every thought, attitude, word, and deed is an open book before Him.”  
     Oh, if we could just get this in our heads!  God is there!  He is very personal, more personal that we let Him.  Relationship—hmmm, I wonder, yet we should willing to accept it for He already knows all about us.  When David penned these words we need to know that  he “sees them not as mere theological abstractions but as dynamic realities that deeply impacted his life.” (Lawson)
     The NLT puts the first verse this way, “…you have examined my heart…”  Talk about open heart surgery.  God knows our very inner person, the depths of our soul that we don’t even examine.  This means literally, “to explore, spy out, to dig deeply into…”  God knows the very depth of our being and He knows it thoroughly.  Nothing can be hidden from His examination.  Verses 2 and 3 tell us that God knows our habits, our routines, our activities, our thoughts as well as the words we speak.  He knows when we go to sleep, our dreams and nightmares.
     Verse 5, the NLT, “You both precede and follow me…”  Incredible!  God is before us and He is following us!  We can’t escape Him, and He does not want us to.  He has us “hedged in,” besieged and He works in us, through us, and in spite of us to bring us closer to Him and develop us by the work of the Holy Spirit more into His image.  Oh, and thank goodness He has His hand on us.  It is not a prissy, cold-fish of a hand, but a firm, solid clamp.  The hand of a good friend clasping your shoulder, to turn you in the right direction or stop you from taking a false step.
     In ancient and medieval times there was the belief in an “evil eye.”  It spoke of a malevolent or sensuous glare from someone who could cause misfortune to come upon an individual.  It was believed that those who possessed the “evil eye” were able to cast spells on others.  Friend, aren’t you glad that we have the eye of the Lord upon us?  He guides us, warns us, comforts us, tells us which direction, which trail to take.  Oh, what a wonderful God we serve–“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!” (NLT)  Yet, He wants us to know Him.

               “I need thy presence every passing hour;
               What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
               Who, like myself, my guide and stay can be?
               Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.”
                     –Henry F. Lyte

 

Coffee Percs

by Ira Paine, Posted on

It’s not polite to drink a man’s coffee and complain.” 

                    –Donald L. Robertson  (Stranger with a Star)
 
Have to be drinkin’ fast, this ol’ fence post has got to be on the road.  Yep, goin’ up to see another couple tie the knot.  So drink it fast, but don’t be a-burnin’ yur lips.  Ahhh, good, I’ll be takin’ what’s left in the pot, well, that is, if’n yuh don’t go guzzlin’ it all up, with me.
     One thing ’bout yuh, Pard, you don’t do any complainin’ lest it’s about my singin’.  Don’t figure that one out either, but least yuh don’t complain ’bout life, work, the weather, or my coffee.  Pard, I’ve seen some run to the sink to water it down, too strong.  Hmpf…
     Speakin’ of whiny babies, my eldest sent a text that showed a whiny baby of the first sort.  Whinin’ that her husband now had to go to work; he couldn’t work from home.  My mercy, she should be thankin’ the good Lord that he has a job.  Whinin’ like that an’ if’n he carries it to work, well, he might just get fired.  She was moaning that she doesn’t get to see him before he leaves.  Mercy, get up, make his coffee, cook him breakfast, then kiss him goodbye an’ send him on his way.  Whiny babies!  Ugh, few things turn the stomach more.  There was more to it along the same lines.  Why aren’t we thankful for what we have?  
     When I worked with the Royal Rangers (for those who don’t know, it’s a boys’ group similar to Boy Scouts) we had a large pacifier made.  The kid who whined had to wear it around the neck until the next boy whined about something.  We also had a rope with a giant knot for those who had been knotty (naughty).  That was rough on the neck.  My classroom pass was a pacifier.  Whiners!  Ugh!  
     Pard, seems to me that too often we are like the children of Israel and want the Lord to just hand everything to us.  The land was theirs for the takin’, but no, they had to murmur and complain–whine.  It’s too hard, they’re like giants, we’re like grasshoppers, why don’t you just smite them Lord.  Goodness, go in and conquer.  No wonder, with all their whinin’ that the Lord got fed up with them.  If they were gonna whine they were gonna do it in the wilderness.
     Hold on, Pard, don’t be drinkin’ that last cup, that’s for muh trip.  Wait, wait, don’t yuh start yur whinin’ on me.  Yuh already had three cups.  An’ yuh weren’t satisfied?  Hmmm, don’t yuh become a whiny baby!  Why Pard, next thing yuh’ll be doin’ will be wantin’ me to check yur cinch for yuh.  So go have a good week, an’ I don’t want to hear ’bout yuh whinin’!
     Vaya con Dios.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He is too little—body, soul and spirit—he is too little.”
                    –Harold Bell Wright  (The Shepherd of the Hills) 


       “You ran well.  Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
                    –Galatians 5:7  (NKJV)
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Perhaps you may remember the image of a dog listening to a phonograph?  The title of this image is “His Master’s Voice.”  Hmmm, is it ironic?  It made me wonder how many people listen to the “words” of a song or an entertainer and do not realize that this may be their master.  I know of many who think that entertainers are demigods; they place them on that status whether they realize it or not.  So, I ask–what do you listen to?  Who do you listen to?  It is quite a pertinent question.
     We read, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” (Exodus 19:5, NKJV)  We often concentrate on the term “covenant” which will be called the Mosaic Covenant, but there is something else that is important and that is obeying.  Often, all too often, we get caught up in doing our own thing rather than what the Lord wants from us.  This includes our time in church, our worship, and our life before Him.
     Praise and prayer around the altar is all well and good, however there is a prerequisite, and that is obedience.  Sincere worship must begin with obedience.  The words of Samuel are still true today, “Has the LORD a great delight in burnt offering and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?  Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV)  Heed what?  His Word!  We are to obey.  Jesus tell us in John, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (14:15, NKJV)  In other words, obey!  What then are you heeding to?  Who are you listening to?
     I don’t know if you have spent much time contemplating Deuteronomy 28, but it would do us all good to ponder these verses from time to time.  The chapter begins, “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.” (28:1-2, NKJV)
A few verses later there is a dire warning, “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” (28:15, NKJV)
     Oh, I can hear the rumblings–but I am free.  I am not under the Law.  Listen, freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to sin.  We are free from the bondage of the law, we are righteous because of Christ, therefore, we should seek to do that which is righteous.  I ask you, what do you listen to?  To whom do you listen?  What voices control your attitudes, your decisions?  We are truly free, free to obey the principles of God’s Word.  We have, because of God’s grace, the responsibility to obey.
     Jeremiah gives us some sobering words, “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people.  And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.  Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.'” (7:23-24, NKJV)  Obedience brings blessing, obedience brings well-being.  Go back in your mind to the picture of the dog sitting in front of the phonograph.  Notice the position of its head.  Leaning his ear toward the sound.  What voices do you incline your ear toward?
     Again the rumblings–that’s Old Testament.  I don’t have to do that, I have freedom, I…I…I, and right there is the problem–the big “I”.  When we do what is right in our own eyes (Judges 21:25) we always get ourselves in trouble.  It can be minor or it can be severe making ourselves demigods.  When “I” gets in the way of God there is a major issue.  The problem is that we often do not like or want to obey.  We would rather enjoy our little kingdom of self, and enjoy the satisfaction that we get from doing things our way rather than obeying the voice of the Lord and His Word.
     “Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things which are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:22, NKJV)  John writes again, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.  This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.” (2 John 6, NKJV)  I would say again, we do not obey to become saved, but because we are born again, we obey.  Friend–who do you listen to?  What are you listening to?