Echoes from the Campfire

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

I hear that bunkhouse gossip is better than an old maids’ convention.”

                    –Lou Bradshaw  (Hickory Jack)

       “But steer clear of all these stupid Godless fictions. Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.”
                    –1 Timothy 4:7 (Phillips)
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              “They will no longer listen to the truth, but will wander off after man-made fictions.”
                         –2 Timothy 4:4 (Phillips)

We live in a time when the truth is mocked.  However, there is another side of the coin and that is when the truth is distorted, twisted, or turned into “man-made fables.”  Paul writes both Timothy and Titus to beware and guard against fables.  Peter says that he did not follow “cunningly, devised fables.”  Let me give you two definitions:
          fable — fictitious tales
          fad — an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities; a craze.

       In Christianity, we have fads and fables.  Most of them have some truth in them, but many are subtle and will lead astray into false doctrine.  Many times people will focus on the fad rather than the doctrines of the Holy Script.  Because they “feel” something strongly they suppose it is from the Holy Spirit.  People search for signs and wonders rather than realizing that signs and wonders follow the gospel, not preceding it.
       I want to look at one “fad” that went through the church a few years back.  It is not quite as popular as it once was, but at one time it was “the thing.”  There was a book written in 2000, “The Prayer of Jabez,” and it was based on the following:

               “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’  So God granted him what he requested.”
                         –1 Chronicles 4:10 (NKJV)

There is quite a bit to this little prayer, but I recall only hearing about the first two parts:  “bless me indeed,” and “enlarge my territory” (or borders).  Perhaps this has been fulfilled in different ways, for I knew a man who had the nickname “Two-Belts.” (You figure it out.)  Before looking at the rest of the prayer, I want to dwell on this portion for a bit.  I had more than one person tell me or advise me that they are praying that their territory would be enlarged.  Oh, there were all kinds of things they were praying for, but I would usually respond in alarm.  “Brother (or Sister) you can’t!  That’s the same territory I’m asking the Lord to give me.”  Hmmm, they would normally get a puzzled look on their face.  Or I might answer, “You can’t pray that.  The Bible says that, ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’ (Exodus 20:17, NKJV)   That is my ox and you can’t have it.”  Again, the same dumb look would come my way.  
       I heard very little, actually none, regarding the rest of the prayer:  Be with me, keep me from evil, don’t let me cause pain.  When you look at that portion of the prayer we can see the teaching of Jesus in them.  Lord, keep me!  Isn’t that something we should pray? Look at the Psalms and how many times that is implied–Keep me!  Then “keep me from evil,” don’t lead me into temptation, don’t let my succumb to my old nature or the evil that is around me.  And finally, don’t let me cause pain, sorrow, or suffering needlessly to someone else.  I haven’t heard this term in many years, but the Golden Rule: “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31, NKJV) or as Matthew puts it, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (7:12, NKJV)
       Folks, we live in a real world, and “True spirituality covers all reality” (Francis Schaeffer)  The Holy Spirit is not weird and He does not want us to be foolish.  If that prayer has helped you–fine.  However, most people I knew that prayed it were coveting something that belonged to someone else.  They were greedy, they were self-centered and selfish in their prayer.  In saying that, I know, I know for sure, that the Holy Spirit does put a specific scripture on our hearts at times.  God granted Jabez a specific request:  to enlarge his territory.  However, the rest of the prayer is universal:  O Lord, keep me, don’t let me fall to temptation, don’t let my deeds hurt others.
       One more thought–Jabez’s prayer was answered, not because of the prayer, but because God is sovereign.  Remember, that when you pray something specific for yourself.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A man can’t take back a mistake that bad. But he can grow with it and live better for it.”

                    –T.V. Olsen  (“They Walked Tall”)

       “It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
                    –Ecclesiastes 7:5 (NKJV)
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It has often been said that “the good is the enemy of the best,” but is that always true?  It depends much upon circumstance and context and perspective.  You can never do gooder, but you can be better; neither can you be bester.  On the other hand there are so many who are satisfied with the good.  That’s why there is so much mediocrity in our society.  Why can’t a person strive to be better?  Why can’t they become the best?  There are many reasons, but one is that good is good enough.
       But what about God?  He cannot ever be better for He is already the best.  In another way, we have often heard the expression, “God is good–all the time; and all the time–God is good.”  There is nothing half-hearted with God.  There is nothing mediocre in God.  He cannot be any less and He cannot be any more–He is God.  
       In studying Psalm 119, I am seeing that the Psalmist has said that “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (119:71, NKJV).  That is so contrary to much of today’s preaching and thinking.  Affliction is good?  Read the writings of Paul and Peter and they say the same thing.  Now, let’s go on to verse 72, “The law of Your mouth is better to me…”  Affliction is good, but the law, the commandments, the Word of God is better.

               “A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.” (37:16, NKJV)
               “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.” (63:3, NKJV)
               “This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.” (69:31, NKJV)
               “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (84:10, NKJV)
               “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”  (118:8, NKJV)
               “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (118:9, NKJV)
               “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.” (119:72, NKJV)

       We need to be careful of our thoughts and our priorities.  I might say here, you’ll do this if you know what’s good for you.  Live for the Lord, it is better by far than anything the world has to offer.  In fact, the world is the enemy of God, so if we desire the things of the world we are degrading, not becoming better.  Better life than death, both in the physical realm and the spiritual.  
       We work as unto the Lord, therefore, we do the best we can.  We walk through this life the best we know how.  Can we do better?  Most likely, at times, but we strive to do the best, we try to better ourselves.  Contemplate the above Psalms today and throughout the week.  See what is “better.”  See how to become “better.”  Along the way, in the school of God, we get better.  The writer of the book of Hebrews said, “But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner.” (6:9, NKJV)  There are “better” things that accompany salvation.  We find them as we go through the school of God and life.  Oh, and don’t forget that “obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV)  Have you noticed that obedience is mentioned so much in regard to true worship and life with God.  Better than sacrifice; if you love me keep my commandments–obey.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

The sun, the rain, the wind let nothing alone, but they worry at it, smooth is and rough it again until it is their own. I was like that, myself. A man shaped by storms and hot suns, but most of all by the storms I kept buried inside.”

                     –Louis L’Amour  (The First Fast Draw)

       “And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.”
                    –Luke 8:24 (NKJV)
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Let me start off with an encouraging word from Steven Lawson, “Even in the midst of their darkest hours, believers always have a steadfast hope in God.”   We have a hope that is unshakable and unassailable.  “No matter how black the night, no matter how raging the storm, one’s hope in the Lord should remain strong.” (Lawson)   As we look into Psalm 102, keep that in mind.  This psalm is one of an afflicted man–woe is me.  He is in distress because of his affliction; he is faint and weary because of his trials.

          1 — Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You.
          2 — Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; incline Your ear to me; in the day that I call, answer me speedily.
          3 — For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned like a hearth.
          4 — My heart is stricken and withered like grass, so that I forget to eat my bread.
          5 — Because of the sound of my groaning my bones cling to my skin.
          6 — I am like a pelican of the wilderness; I am like an owl of the desert.
          7 — I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.
          8 — My enemies reproach me all day long; those who deride me swear an oath against me.
          9 — For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,
        10 — Because of Your indignation and Your wrath; for You have lifted me up and cast me away.
        11 — My days are like a shadow that lengthens, and I wither away like grass.  (NKJV)

       Where are you God?  A question along with an exclamation.  I hurt, I fear, I’m in trouble, I’m in despair–where are you God?  George Wood writes, “When you are in emotional pain, there’s no ‘kairos’ [seasonal time]–your life is so burdened that each second seems as an hour, each minute a day, each day a month, and each month a year.  That’s why the Psalmist asks God to do something quickly–‘chronos’ [time that is the endless ticking of the clock] time is a terrible burden and tedium.”
       Read carefully verses 3-11.  Has that ever described your situation?  Perhaps that is the situation that you currently find yourself in.  There is a heavy physical and emotional toll upon the body.  “How awful to be in such desolation of soul and brokenness in spirit!” (Wood)  The writer of this Psalm was alone.  There was no help, no one to cry to, except the Lord and it seems that God has forsaken him as well.  What a terrible place to be.  It seems that weeping became his daily diet.  His life is passing and there does not seem to be any relief in sight.  “Gloom, despair, agony on me…”
       I know of people and have read of others that when great calamity has come that they shut down and shut God out.  This is seen especially when death takes away a loved one.  Anger comes out, they become bitter, and some even utter an oath against God.  They turn their backs on God, when they should be doing what this Psalmist is doing.  Despite his situation, despite seeming as if God has left him, he continues to cry out to Him.  Don’t lose hope in your time of need.  Don’t lose faith in the One who is there waiting for you to turn to Him.

               “We would leave, O God, to Thee
               Every anxious care and fear;
               Thou the troubled thought can see,
               Thou canst dry the bitter tear.”
                       –B. L. Gaskell

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

He always seemed two baths short of Saturday.”
                    –Cliff Hudgins  (The Weathervane Ranch)

       “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

                    –Hebrews 9:14 (NIV)
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I want to continue with some thoughts regarding yesterday’s devotion on righteousness.  To start, we need some background information.  We’ll start with the Tabernacle.  Inside the walls was the brazen altar.  It was a messy, gruesome, bloody place where the priests continually made sacrifices for the people.  It shows us that to enter God’s presence we must come first to the place of sacrifice.
       Between the altar and the Tent of Meeting was the laver.  Think of this, the priests were making sacrifices but before they could enter the Tent of Meeting they had to stop at the altar and wash their hands and feet.  They had already gone through purification rights before making the sacrifice, but now they had to stop and wash their hands and feet again.  They had become stained with blood, dust, dirt, and therefore the priest had to cleanse himself.
       Now to the New Testament and on to the upper room.  We see Jesus, stooped over, a rag in hand and He is washing the disciples’ feet.  He comes to Peter, where Peter asks, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” (John 13:6, NKJV)  Jesus tries to explain, but impetuous Peter continues, “‘You shall never wash my feet!’  Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.'” (13:8, NKJV)  
       Peter still did not understand, but he wanted the Lord.  He cried out and said, “Give me a bath.” (my paraphrase of 13:9)  “Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.'” (13:10, NKJV)  Back to the tabernacle–the priest was clean, but on his way to the Tent of Meeting, his hands and feet became dirty.  They needed washing.  We, after accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are clean, but through the toils of the day we get dirty and need our “hands and feet” cleaned.  Not a new salvation, but some cleansing.  That’s why John writes, “If we confess our sins, (this is going to the laver, or having our feet washed) He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV)
       Journeying through this world we come in contact with evil.  Our lives have become tainted, we’re stained.  But we don’t ask for salvation again, we asked for the cleansing power of Jesus to sweep over us.  The “dirt” of the day needs to be washed away.  We don’t need a bath, but only our hands and feet need to be clean.  The altar took care of the sin; we start to go meet with the Lord in righteousness, but before we get to Him, we are stained by the world and are in need of cleansing.  
       This is only a short synopsis of the symbols, therefore it needs more contemplation by you.  Another aspect to look at is the importance of being “clean” before we meet with the Lord.  When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we need to make sure our hearts are clean.  This is all symbolized by the washing.  It is why, when we lay our heads on our pillows at night, we pray that the Lord forgive us our sins of the day; it is part of that cleansing.