Echoes from the Campfire

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

Do right! Always do right. Sometimes that means helping others to make things right.”
                    –B.N. Rundell  (Naches Trail)

       “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
                    –Luke 19:10 (NKJV)
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Jeremiah tells us, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (33:3, NKJV)  Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV)  The call is, “come to Me!”  Then know that help is available.  There is so much that man can do in the physical and intellectual realm that often they do not realize that there is a higher Power who they can come to.  In the arena of the spiritual, though, it must all come through Jesus.
     Man can endure much.  I have read many accounts of POWs and what they had to endure, but even in those trying circumstances most would say that it was hope and faith in God and in our country that aided them and gave them strength.  When the early Christians marched into the Colosseum they could do so only in the strength of Christ.   When man tries to be good in his own self their ending is frustration and no matter what, man can never be good enough.  Paul reminds us of this, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Romans 7:19, NKJV)  Then he shows his frustration–“O wretched man that I am!…”(Romans 7:24, NKJV)
     I came across a little story that is told of a highly successful businessman who was once asked by a reporter if he considered himself a self-made man.  “Yes,” he replied.  Then after a thoughtful moment he added, “But if I had it to do over again, I would call in some help.”  Humorous, yes.  Thoughtful, yes.  Truthful, a resounding, yes.  A self-made man in the eyes of the world may be on their way to Perdition.  There will be no self-made men in heaven in regard to their spiritual well-being.  Yes, we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but we do not save ourselves.  Yes, we are to do good works, but those good works do not save us, we do them because we are saved.
     In the midst of turmoil, where is our help?  When terror strikes, a bullet seeks a victim, a person overdoses, a marriage fails–where is our help?  In this lostness of time in which we live we cry–“O wretched man that I am!”  Now, to the good part.  When we cry out there is a loving Savior there, with hands outstretched ready to help.  To finish up Paul’s frustration, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24, NKJV)  Go ahead answer…Jesus!  Where does my help come from?  Jesus!  Who can I turn to when there is no human solution?  Jesus!  When I need a Savior, when I need a friend, who is there for me?  Jesus!  He is the God who is there!  

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

A disciplined calmness seemed to permeate the man.”
                    –Henry McLaughlin  (Journey to Riverbend)


       “Lord, happy is the man You discipline and teach from Your law.”
                    –Psalm 94:12 (HCSB)
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          “Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.'”  –Numbers 13:30, NKJV

Discipline!  What a term.  Most people cringe when they see or hear that word, yet it is vital to our well being.  Now there are all kinds of discipline and many books have been written on the subject.  When we think of discipline we normally think of pain and sometimes, though wrongly, punishment.  
     I would ask you to read Numbers 13 and 14.  We see two types of people, those who have the discipline of faith and those who do not.  Someone has said that without discipline of some sort “there is disorder, chaos, anxiety, and randomness.”  When you read these verses you see the undisciplined multitude of anxious unbelievers.  See, there are two ways of facing life:  the way of fear and the way of faith.  The way of faith takes a disciplined thought-life and a disciplined faith.  John Ellis tells us that “Life consists of a long series of problems that require decisions–both personal and professional.”  To handle these properly and efficiently we need the discipline of faith.
     Those without discipline of mind, of thought, of voice, of faith… too often go off the handle.  They blurt out stupidities.  I sent a little note to my daughters yesterday:  “We have got to stop saying ‘How stupid can you be?’  It seems that too many people are seeing this as a challenge.”  Listen to them, oh my, but guard the ears and be prepared for the profanity.  Undisciplined lips.
     Let’s look at what takes place after the declaration of faith from Caleb and Joshua.  First, the people of Israel complained to Moses and said, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt!  Or if only we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14:2, NKJV)  If only they knew that they would soon be given the chance to die in the wilderness for they would be required to wander until that generation had passed.  There were more grumblings and rumblings from this undisciplined mob.  They went so far as to say, “Let us select a leade4r and return to Egypt.” (14:4)  
     The men of faith, Moses and Aaron fell  on their faces, hurt, shamed, and knowing that the Lord would not be pleased.  Joshua and Caleb tore their clothes, and proclaimed again their faith and warned the people.  Then the people, the undisciplined, those with lack of faith, the loud-mouths spewed hate from their mouths, “And all the congregation said to stone them with stones…” (14:10)   We see that the undisciplined do not want to hear the truth, the word of faith.  Read on, see the great discipline of Moses, and read of the Lord coming upon the scene.
     Think of yourself, is your faith disciplined?  Are you scatterbrained, or are your thoughts disciplined and on the Lord?  Let me close this morning with a little prayer by former Air Force Chaplain, John R. Ellis:  “Lord God, help me to accept the problems of life as a challenge.  Temper the challenge with courage, and give me faith to know from whence comes my strength.  Amen.”  In other words, let me walk through this life with the discipline of faith.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

We all have to fight off the wolves that would take from us. Those wolves can come in the form of losing loved ones, sickness, death, betrayal, violence, insecurity—basically the darkness that comes from living and makes people lose hope or take the easy path instead of the righteous one.”
                    –D.W. Ulsterman  (Vaughn’s Hill)

       “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”

                     –Matthew 4:16 (ESV)
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Just a few thoughts while I’m resting and away from the homestead.  Sometimes we read and we don’t pick up on certain words.  That’s one reason why I like to read what others say, for they might pick up on something I miss and then I can go back and ponder it.  Take a look at John 13:30, “Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately.  And it was night.” (NKJV)
     There are several things that could be said here about Judas.  He took the bread that Jesus gave him, but it does not say that he participated in the communion supper.  If you read a few verses before, it is mentioned that after Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.  Ponder that for a while.
     What I want you to concentrate on however in this verse are the words, “And it was night.”  By time, it was night.  Day had passed and they were walking in the night to the garden.
     It was night for Judas.  Light had passed from him.  He had rejected the light of the world.  “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (John 1:5, NKJV).  Judas, for some reason, refused to accept the light that was in front of him.  Judas, now would put his betrayal into action.
     It was night for Jesus, as He struggled with what lay before Him when He prayed in the garden.  He was in anguish for He saw a darker night looming in the near future.  A darkness of the soul when His Father gave Him up as the ultimate sacrifice.
     It was night for the disciples but they did not realize it yet.  That would occur on that dark day of the crucifixion and the darkness of the time until the resurrection.
     It was night–a darkness upon the earth as had never occurred before.  The Son of God would become sin.  Satan and his minions would rejoice in that spiritual darkness, but then—-the Light would burst into flame.  Jesus would put an end to darkness.  It is gone, but man must look to the true Light.
     Friend, when in your life it seems that all is dark and there is no hope, look up and see the face of Jesus.  That Light is there for you to see your way into the hope of glory.  With that hope, darkness is dispelled.

 

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on

There are evil men behind every rock out here.”
                    –J. Lee Butts  (Lawdog)


       “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The Lord be with all of you.”
                    –2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
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“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?” (Psalm 2:1, KJV)  I know that this pertains to nations, but in those nations there are segments, sects, and individuals who are used by the devil.   I like the way that the TLB, paraphrases this, “What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord!  How strange that men should try to outwit God!”  
     Ponder the above verse.  I have several thoughts meandering in my mind this morning.  We have seen the video of Charlie Kirk being shot and murdered.  (There is no need to keep replaying it).  We have the remembrance of the terrorist attack of 9/11.  I don’t try to understand the stupidity and the wantonness of all this.  I don’t try to understand the reason for evil men to do what they do.  And with that thought, I get tired of hearing and reading, “Where was God when Charlie Kirk was shot?”  He was right there in the moment, gathering Charlie Kirk home to Him.  Do I understand it?  No.  Do I question the wisdom and working of God?  No.  
     I will admit that this senseless murder has bothered me.  But I understand that God is working His will through it all.  My wife said to me, Charlie Kirk is getting plenty of publicity on everyone’s facebook.  No one will be immune to his testimony–it sort of reminds me of Stephen.  Perhaps what took place in the House bothered me as much.  When the Speaker asked for a moment of prayer, there were shouts of “no!” from the liberal left.  My, my…Lord have mercy.  And you know what, He is showing mercy.
     The words of Paul to Timothy come to mind, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13, KJV)  The ESV translates it this way, “While evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse…”  Friends, listen, we live in perilous times.  Times that are being made ready for the return of the Lord and for the man of lawlessness to appear.  “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, who the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, NKJV)  Paul then tells of the works of evil that will be there, then he adds, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2:15, NKJV)
     My granddaughter posted something, and I won’t quote it verbatim, but give the jest.  Don’t worry about today, don’t worry about your children and this world they have to walk through and live in.  The reason why is that if they have accepted Christ, they are ready to meet Him.  They need to be discipled in God’s Word, but God has placed them in this world, at his time in history, to fulfill their purpose in the here and now.  God isn’t worried, He isn’t scratching His head wondering what He should do now.  It is not an accident that they are living now.  They need to walk in faith, trusting in God.  It finishes with the thought–are you up to the challenge?
     I will mention that the Echoes will be sporadic for the next few weeks as my wife and I will be traveling.  I will try to send something, but it might not be every day.  Pray for traveling mercies for us.