Echoes from the Campfire

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

We can never go back, but we can always go forward with the Lord.”
                    –Kenneth Pratt  (Everson Solstice)

       “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.”

                    –Jeremiah 7:24(NKJV)
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                    “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday!”
                           –U.S. Navy Seal slogan

My wife’s cousin, Nancy, always finishes a note or letter with “Ever onward.”  That’s the way it should be, no, that’s the way it must be in our Christian walk and life; and I would add it is ever upward as well.  It is ever onward, never stalling or going backwards.  Another word of caution:  “No Coasting!”  Greg A. Lane states that “Coasting will always take us downhill.”  Our walk is an uphill climb to the portals of glory.  We sing, “I want to stand on heaven’s tableland”, but do we really put forth the effort required?  
     Paul writes to the Philippians,

               “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”  (3:12-14, NKJV)

He says to forget those things behind.  In other words, do not rest upon your laurels.  We must put past successes and failures behind us; it is important that we remember accomplishments of the past, the lessons we learned, but we are not to use them to think our work is done.  Rejoice over the past, but turn your eyes to the present; you cannot go forward by looking backward.  (Rick Renner)  We must press ever onward and upward.
     “Reaching forward,” or perhaps better is Harbuck, “reaching forth and exerting all my energy.”  That means we do not coast for the goals of the day, nor the goal of heaven.   “Reaching forward,” is to describe a runner approaching the finish line.  He is putting forth all his effort and his eyes are only on the goal.  Barclay says “it describes the man who is going flat out for the finish.”  No Coasting here.  This reaching out means to be “constantly reaching for it [the goal of perfection] in both attitude and lifestyle.” (Edward Starks)
      The climb, at times, is steep, while at other times it is only a hill we must conquer, but it must be climbed as well.  Try coasting uphill.  If you ever ridden a bike you know that is nigh impossible.  How far would you go uphill in a car if you didn’t press on the accelerator?  Yes, we can get tired and weary, but we continue ever onward and upward.

               “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”  (Hebrews 6:11-12, NKJV)

I like the way William Barclay translates part of this verse, “so that you may not become lazily lethargic…”  Harbuck translates this portion, “that you not be sluggish and lazy…”  Push through!  When you have done all to stand, continue to stand.  Go onward and upward, “I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining ev’ry day…” (Johnson Oatman, Jr.)  Yes, sometimes we plod along, planting one foot in front of the other, at other times we are refreshed, and it seems that there are springs on our feet, but in either case we continue to go forward.
       Let me ask some questions in closing that I gleaned from the writings of Rick Renner.  Think carefully on these questions.  1)  Am I accomplishing the goals the Lord has given me?  Remember, there are long-range goals, heaven, discipleship, but there are also short-range goals; goals for each day and week.  2)  Can I stand before Him with a heart free of condemnation, knowing that I gave my very best effort, work, and faith to achieve His will?  True, no matter how hard we try we are not perfect, but we strive in that direction.  I used to tell students, especially my “perfectionists” that they can never be perfect, but they can always be excellent.  3)  What changes do I need to make?  On the way to the summit you might have to gear down (I drove once in the Sierra Nevadas with the brakes going out–used only my gears, made it to Carson City and had brakes put on).  So, learn how to use your gears, but never falter, never fail, keep going “ever onward and upward!”
 
                    “Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal.”
                           –Charles H. Spurgeon

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

You must meet each challenge with your feet planted firmly on the ground, standing as tall as you are, and never panic.”

                         –Lou Bradshaw  (Hickory Jack0

       “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
                         –Hebrews 4:12(NKJV)
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               “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The above is repeated three times in Hebrews chapters 3 and 4.  The people of the early church were being warned from the history of Israel not to rebel and thus harden their hearts against God.  God wants us to hear His message, it is all around us, but we have to be open and ready to hear.  Not only that but then we must obey.  The Lord will not bring judgment if His people repent, humble themselves and obey.  But to not do so brings about a hard heart.
     Look around you, there are plenty of opportunities to hear the Word.  The Psalmist writes, “It is time for You to act, O LORD, for they have regarded Your law as void.” (119:126, NKJV)  In his day the word of the Lord was being disregarded.  The Psalmist is concerned as he looks around at society.  He sees the word of the Lord being scoffed at, mocked, ridiculed, blasphemed and of no relevance in the eyes of the people.  My, my, my doesn’t that seem relevant to our situation today?  
     There has never been a time in our history when the Bible is unpopular, disregarded, and thought irrelevant.  Another translation states it this way, “It is time for the LORD to act, for your law has been broken.” (ESV)  Never doubt that when the cup of iniquity is full, God will act, but more important is that we, as believers, do not disregard His Word.  There is a danger of becoming complacent and compromising.  The Psalmist is saying that in the midst of all the evil and wickedness around him, he will obey the word of the Lord.  He would not do what everyone else was doing.  
     The next two verses should bring us encouragement!  Notice the very next word of verse 127, “Therefore…”  He sees the people around him mocking and disregarding the Word of the Lord, so what does the Psalmist say, “Therefore [when I see all of this] I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!  Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.” (119:127-128, NKJV)  It would be easy for the Psalmist to walk in the way of those around him, but he declares that God’s Word is right, and that he hates the falseness that the people have taken.  He loved God’s Word!  It is His Word that will stand forever.  
     Therefore (there’s that word again) what are we, you and I, going to do as we walk in the midst of a perverse people?  Are we going to stand firm upon the Word of God and not waver?  The Word gives us life, hope, direction, and the promise of glory.  Don’t join the naysayers, or the people-pleasers.  Stay with God’s Word, grasp it even more tightly than ever before.  Love it, adore it, for it will be our way of truth as we move through this life.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

They were men shaped and tempered to the harsh ways of a harsh land, strong in their sense of justice, ruthless in their demand for punishment, relentless in pursuit. In the desert and the wilderness they had built their homes, and from the desert and the wilderness they drew their courage and their code. And the desert knows no mercy, the wilderness shows no kindness.”
                         –Louis L’Amour  (The Key-Lock Man)

       “Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.”

                         –Proverbs 21:15(NLT)
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In this section of the “Pleas for Judgment of False Accusers”, Psalm 109, it seems quite harsh by today’s standards.  Love and mercy tends to be the theme of believers today and there seems to be little emphasis upon judgment of the wicked and evil doers.  But what happens if there is no judgment?  True there should be mercy, but there must also be justice.  Oh, how to balance the two…

          9 — Let his children be fatherless, and His wife a widow.
        10 — Let his children continually be vagabonds and beg; let them seek their bread also from their desolate places.
        11 — Let the creditor seize all that he has, and let strangers plunder his labor.
        12 — Let there be none to extend mercy to him, nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
        13 — Let his posterity be cut off, and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
        14 — Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
        15 — Let them be continually before the LORD, that He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
        16 — Because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
        17 — As he loved cursing, so let it come to him; as he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
        18 — As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, so let it enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones.
        19 — Let it be to him like the garment which covers him, and for a belt with which he girds himself continually.  (NKJV)

     Reading through verse 15 this seems very harsh.  But then, starting in verse 16, we see the reason why.  Before we may be crying “unjust” show mercy.  But now we see the reason why David is speaking so tough.  This “evil man should be judged by God because he never thought of doing a kindness.” (Steven Lawson)  He showed hatred, lacked mercy, oppressed the poor and needy.  He was a foul-mouthed man and he was not grateful for the blessings that had come upon him.  David is saying, now, let all that he did to others come back upon him.
     Have you ever been around people whose every other word seemed to be a cuss word?  It is like this person, it is part of his “garments.”  David is pleading for divine justice.  Now, here is an important point.  He gives the man to God; he asks that God take care of him in His justice.  He does not become the object of wrath upon the man, but asks for the Lord’s judgment, for His justice, and then David be vindicated.  Let him be accursed with his own cursings.  “Our words and our acts create conditions in which we ourselves must live.” (Eugene Peterson)  Repentance is available (mercy) but if there is no repentance we will remain unforgiven.  David turned the matter over to the Lord, we should have the grace to follow his actions with our adversaries.

               “Depth of mercy!  can there be mercy still reserved for me?
               Can my God His wrath forbear–me, the chief of sinners, spare?
               There for me my Savior stands, holding forth His wounded hands;
               God is love!  I know, I feel, Jesus weeps and loves me still.”
                         –Charles Wesley

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

If you learn to really see things and to really listen, half your troubles are over.”
                    –Louis L’Amour  (Brionne)

       “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
                    –Psalm 46:10 (Amplified)
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Yesterday morning, I was sitting in my chair getting ready to do my devotions.  Instead of beginning to write some thoughts I just sat there, looking at the graylight trying to overcome the darkness.  It was slow, but sure and eventually the dawn drove away the night, and soon I could get a glimmer of sunlight in the tops of the trees.  I thought about what I recently wrote about Martha being “cumbered.”  Was I that way?  I was reading my Bible and other good books.  I was studying, but was I letting them get in the way of just being quiet and listening?
       Luke Dysinger said, “Give to God what you have found in your heart.”  Then Bernard Brady added to this, “Then pause for a moment.”  That is where the issues lie.  First, do I/we take time to really look deep into our heart?  We get busy with “things” and we don’t contemplate deeply the Word of God.  The second problem is–pausing.  Oh my, how can a person possibly pause in this frantic world?  Annie and I are both retired, yet it seems hard to take time to pause, and perhaps that is the problem–taking time.
       People want peace and tranquility in their lives.  But where is it?  Many, and I believe a majority of people cannot even lie down at night and fall quickly to sleep.  They are still caught up in the motions of the day or are already so vexed by what will be facing them tomorrow that they cannot even rest at night.  Tomorrow‘s schedule is on our mind:  do this, then this, and if I have time, do this.  I look at the words of Isaiah 30:15, “…In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength…” (NKJV)  That is what the Lord says, but what do the people do?  Go on to verse 16, “And you said, ‘No, for we will flee on horses’—Therefore you shall flee!  And, ‘We will ride on swift horses’—Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!” (NKJV)  Rushing to and fro and for naught.  Where is the quiet time before the Lord?
       “When one finally arrives at the point where schedules are forgotten, and becomes immersed in ancient rhythms, one begins to live…” so wrote Sigurd Olson.  Man then begins to plan, (get the picture) and then as Olson continues, “In the process, however, the man will still be so imbued with the sense of hurry and the thrill of travel that they actually lose what they came to find.”  Trying to make things happen instead of living the life that God has intended for us.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  We have to have schedules, some jobs more than others.  I realize that family, career, friends, and even church puts demands on our lives that must be met, but the key is to find somewhere, some time to get alone and quiet before the Lord.  
       When you’re quiet and alone you begin to see things that you might not have seen before.  “All people look, but few really see,” said Louis L’Amour.  Sit quietly and maybe a fox will wander near you.  Listen and you may hear that still small voice of the Lord speaking to you.  Mother Teresa said, “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence…  The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life.  We need silence.”  Yet, even in the church noise seems to abound.  An example of this happened to us just a few weeks back.  The music was so loud and bombastic that we couldn’t even begin to think much less pray and concentrate on the Lord.  However, “when you’re quiet and still things come to you.” (Greg Lane)
       So I would encourage you to find that spot where you can avoid the noise and take time to be quiet to listen to the Lord.  You must also find, not only the place, but the time.  It doesn’t have to be long, but I would say start with ten minutes.  Ten minutes of thinking about the Lord.  Ten minutes contemplating, perhaps your favorite verses.  Ten minutes of solitude where you can be refreshed.