Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 29, 2025

For evil to stay away, good men must continue to do what is right, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable or difficult.”
–B. N. Rundell (Black Hawk)

“So the Lord’s message spread and became even more powerful.”
–Acts 19:20 (CEV)
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The prophetic visions of Amos were interrupted by the priest of Bethel. Amaziah was determined to get rid of Amos. Albert Garner writes that he became “all shook up” or “became completely unglued.”

7.10 — Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
.11 — For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive from their own land.'”
.12 — Then Amaziah said to Amos: “God, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, and there prophesy.
.13 — But never agains prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.” (NKJV)

Amaziah, the priest, didn’t care for the message and warning from the prophet. He told Jeroboam that the message is stirring the people to a dangerous state, one of conspiracy and revolt, adding to the prophet’s words that Jeroboam would be slain by the sword. Someone said, “The bite of Amos’ condemnation of the sins of Israel’s people was in the truth of his words.” The wickedness of Amaziah’s heart is revealed in his rebuke to Amos. Warren Wiersbe states, “He [Amaziah] claimed that there is no validity to Amos’ message; he only dreamed it up.” Lloyd Ogilvie puts it this way, “Strong words from a power-hungry priest who did not know Yahweh.”
Amaziah was telling Amos to go back to Judah, flee, as in a cowardly manner. Earn your living there and preach there. Do not come to Bethel again; do not disturb the king. But if sin is present it is the duty of the prophet to disturb the king, and the people. Amaziah did not want God’s truth and demands for righteousness proclaimed in Israel (Ogilvie). Was Amaziah that ignorant, or was he deceived by his own pride and wealth and fame? Matthew Henry states, “How willing wicked men are to get clear of their faithful reprovers.” Amos was a problem to Amaziah, but not as big a one that will come forth from the prophet’s lips.

.14 — Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: “I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit.
.15 — Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
.16 — Now therefore, hear the word of the LORD: You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not spout against the house of Isaac.’
.17 — Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; your land shall be divided by survey line; you shall die in a defiled land; and Israel shall surely be led away captive from his own land.'” (NKJV)

As Albert Garner writes, “As well tell the wind to blow no more, command the rain not to fall, or water to run up hill, as to tell a true man of God not to prophesy or witness anymore.” Amos was not intimidated by the priest, nor did he flee, but instead he turned his attention to the priest. He told the priest, “I was not a prophet” indicating that he was not a professional religionist who wanted to rival Amaziah. He then gives his credentials and adds, “the LORD took me.” What could he do if the Lord took him, but answer the call of God? He was prophesying in Bethel for one reason–God sent him. Amos’ commission and accountability is from God.
He confronts Amaziah, now with a prophetic word to him telling him of the judgment that would befall him. Look at what will happen to Amaziah because of his wickedness and apostasy: 1) lose his property; 2) he would go into exile, a “defiled land” meaning a land of pagans and thus ruining his credentials as a priest; 3) sons and daughters would be slain by the sword, most likely that of the Assyrians; 4) his wife shall become a prostitute. Imagine the wife of the priest now in that role either because of the Assyrian soldiers or from a life of destitution. “Amaziah had position, wealth, authority, and reputation, but Amos had the word of the Lord.” (Wiersbe)
Here we see that Amaziah seeks to stop the messenger from God. Man may attempt and even succeed briefly in stopping the messenger, but they cannot stop the message. God’s word will prevail. Never forget our job in proclaiming the message of the Lord to those around us. It may not be by prophetic word, but simply living a life of righteousness before others. “We are called to be saints in plumb with a new commitment to pray for opportunities to practice our gift of righteousness.” (Ogilvie)

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 27, 2025

You feel the night wind. The darkness folds around you. You look up through the leaves to the dark-blue sky and shining stars. You smell the dry sand and the fresh water and the flowers and the spicy desert plants. Every breath you draw is new, untainted.”
–Zane Grey (Wanderer of the Wasteland)

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”
–Psalm 62:8 (ESV)
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The comparison between Yahweh and false gods marks the last portion of Psalm 135. Yahweh, God, rules over all the earth. He is not a tribal deity, nor a mythical creature, nor a god made by human minds and hands.

13 — Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your fame, O LORD, throughout all generations.
14 — For the LORD will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.
15 — The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16 — They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see;
17 — They have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 — Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.
19 — Bless the LORD, O house of Israel! Bless the LORD, O house of Aaron!
20 — Bless the LORD, O house of Levi! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21 — Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD! (NKJV)

By blessing the Lord we are identifying Him as the source of all blessings and being grateful for all that He has given. Compare that with the gods made by human minds and hands. The God we serve is mighty and all-powerful for He created all things; yet He is also compassionate and loving–nothing can separate us from the love of God. God is our secure foundation and we have nothing to fear with Him by our side–bless the Lord!
His name, His character, endures forever! Stephen Lawson proclaims, “His is forever the same, never diminishing, never changing. His divine person is renowned through all generations, immutable and fixed.” Compare that with dumb idols. They tarnish, they become corrupt. They cannot hear, but less speak and take action. And get this truth–“they are lifeless, and those who make them will be like them, that is dead.” (Lawson)
G. Campbell Morgan tells us, “The makers of idols become like that which they make–a man becomes like his god, approximates in character and conduct that to which he yields him homage. The difference between true and false religion is that, in the former, worship is to the One who is forever greater than ourselves, and the others worship their creation, which is forever less than themselves.” People today may not serve the image of Baal, Molech, or Ashtoreth. They may not bow down to Zeus, Isis, or the vast pantheon of mythical gods. But they serve gods they have made–the god of mammon, the god of technology, the god of consumerism. Man, not the gods, build great and elaborate monoliths to these gods, but what good does is serve them. In fact, because of the failure of the gods, many have proclaimed that there is no god, and for sure show themselves to be fools.
The psalmist finishes with another call to worship and proclaim loudly in praise to the Lord of lords. All believers should praise the Lord, if for no other reason, just because He is. All who know and fear Him are called to praise Him. Praise the God who is mighty over all creation, history, and the laws of nature. We should be filled with praise for God at all times. That is why Paul implores us to thank Him in every situation, to work for Him, to do all things for His glory and in His name. Since God never changes, our worship should never change except possibly to get better and more intimate.
Stephen Lawson gives some ways to praise God. First, praise Him fervently. Our worship of God should be wholehearted. “Lukewarmness is a tragic sin. Our praise should be intense and passionate.” Secondly, we are to praise God continually. In good times and in the bad we should acknowledge our great God. In troubles, tragedy, or in the great blessings that come our way, we should be praising Him. Thirdly, we should praise God publicly. That includes gathering with people in public places of worship, but also in our daily walk in the marketplace, the work place, the school, or just walking along the avenue. Fourthly, our praise should ring forth privately. In the quiet moment, alone with God we should be praising Him. Finally, we should praise God intelligently. “All worship is a response to who God is and what He has done. The more truth we learn, the more we should worship Him.”

“Yes, Jesus is the Truth, the Way, That leads you into rest,
Believe in Him without delay,
And you are fully blest.”

–J.H. Stockton

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 24, 2025

Just remember, son, God don’t never leave you.”
–B.N. Rundell (The Trail to Redemption)

“Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed.”
–Psalm 126:3 (CEB)
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“Many of our problems arise when we forget to remember,” states Alistair Begg. We tell our children not to play with the stove, the burners are hot. It does us good to see that they follow instructions, but once in a while they forget. I remember my middle granddaughter, Kylee, putting her hand on the top of the stove without thinking or remembering; she will not forget again. We might tell them, “don’t play with matches, you’ll get burned.” If they don’t listen soon there will be burned fingers (or worse) to take care of.
Jesus often used the phrase, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear.” In other words, pay attention–listen! then remember what you have heard. Yes, experience is a great teacher, but as I used to tell my students–remember that experience gives the test first, then teaches the lesson. That is why it is important to learn the Scriptures, to hear what the Spirit is saying through them, to remember what is being said, then put it into practice. All of us, from young to old, have some kind of experience that we can draw upon. Hopefully, we have learned from them. So much of the time, however, we are like the Israelites.

“Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your fathers: When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgot the LORD their God…” –1 Samuel 12:7-9 (NKJV)

Did you note that last phrase? Look at it, underline it–“they forgot the LORD their God.” Forgetting often brings dire consequences. It could just be a blister on the fingers or it could spell disaster upon a person, family, or even a nation. Never are we to forget our God. Deuteronomy 8:11 gives us a warning, “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today.” (NKJV) Do not be like what became so typical of the Israelites after the death of Joshua. Note the words of Judges 3:7, “So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God…” (NKJV) Instead of remembering God they turned to false gods, idols. What is it that takes our mind away from God? What so easily makes us forget who He is and all that He has done?
Remembering God is not to be a mere function, but a lifestyle. Something that we know is sure, that we depend upon. Alistair Begg writes, in regard to remembering our Creator that, “It means to dwell upon the very ‘Godness’ of God. The Israelites failed to remember Him; in fact, they chose to forget, for it was inconvenient for them to consider God in all His holiness and all His might.” Convenience, that is a problem. It is not “convenient” to get up to attend church. It is not “convenient” to pay tithes and be a good steward. It is not “convenient” to not go along with the crowd.
One of the great tragedies of the church is that most do not know who God is or do not want to remember. People shun the term “theology” which simply means the study of God. Doctrine is forsaken, for doctrine makes us responsible and that would not be “convenient” in many cases. Oh, they might like the love and grace part of His attributes, but throw in wrath and holiness…oh my. Add His sovereignty into the mix, and, well, that’s as much as they can stand.
Part of our problem is that we forget that we are children of God. We forget the road we are traveling on. We forget to pick up our cross. Often we blatantly push thoughts of God aside and choose to forget Him. “Whenever we deviate from the narrow path, whenever we seek to slip out from underneath our almighty King’s jurisdiction, we are failing to remember who God is and what He has done for us.” (Begg) We forget the words that the writer of Hebrews penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that “God is a consuming fire” (12:29) or the words that God gave to Moses for “God is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14)
It would do us good to remember the lyrics from a song once popular. “Hasn’t He always come through for you? He’s the same now as then…and He’ll do it again…” (Dawn Thomas) It would do us good to remember the works of God in the past in our lives. It would do us good to remember that He is the God who is always there.

Echoes From the Campfire

by Ira Paine, Posted on January 23, 2025

A man’s safety depended entirely upon his own vigilance and wisdom.”
–Charles A. Seltzer (Square Deal Sanderson)

“Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.”
–Proverbs 4:7 (NLT)
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2.10 — When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul,
2.11 — Discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you. (NKJV)

Notice the word “when”. When wisdom enters…then discretion will preserve you and understanding will keep you. The Amplified takes a slightly different light, “For skillful and godly Wisdom shall enter into your heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to you.” As does the CEB, “Wisdom will enter your mind, and knowledge will fill you with delight.” This seems to indicate that it will happen instead of “when.”
Bob Beasley says, “For the unregenerate person, the fearsome issue of life is protection. That is one reason he seeks earthly wealth, desires job security, eats health foods, and the like, because he fears poverty, death, sickness, loss of love, loneliness, punishment, etc. He seeks protection in fleeting things that never really protect him.” Such a shame it is to live life in that manner. Thanks be to God, we have Him as our Protector; we have a new heart, one that has been regenerated and is under the guidance and care of the Holy Spirit.
The only way wisdom can enter your heart is when you follow His ways. There must first be a changed heart, otherwise we know that the heart is deceitful. In the verses that follow we see “the evil man” and “the strange woman,” therefore, wisdom located in the heart/mind is a prerequisite. Matthew Henry says that, “If we are truly wise, it will appear by our care to avoid all evil company and evil practices.” Wisdom, then must be internalized. It is there to provide insight, to be learned intimately, and practiced in our daily living.
Strong gives us some insight to this term we call “wisdom.” The word, “chokmah” also means “skill” and can refer to ability in craftsmanship. “True wisdom involves not only intelligence but also moral integrity. Because a sinful lifestyle is ultimately self-destructive.” We see then that to have wisdom is to live a skillful life. A life that follows the Word of God and that is morally upright. We need to be righteous and follow the good path. Trapp says that true “spiritual joy mortifies sin.” If we live in the fullness of the Spirit, follow His lead and take godly wisdom into our hearts and minds, then it will be very hard to deceive us. We will find that sin to the heart after God is “tasteless fooleries.” (Trapp)
Our heart/mind must be guided by the wisdom that God provides. Charles Bridges tells us that, “Clear knowledge floating in the head is deep ignorance. While it only glitters in the understanding, it is dry, speculative, and barren.” There must be a new heart; one that has the light of God to filter wisdom and knowledge properly so that discretion will come and then it will be truly pleasant to the soul.
God’s Word gives direction and understanding to the whole of life. “It becomes not only an external rule, but a preserving, keeping principle.” (Bridges) Paul warns us of the devices and snares of the devil; it is only when we travel this journey with godly discretion can we uncover those traps and find rest and peace along the way. Our walk is secure if we walk warily and not just tip-toe through the tulips of life. Francis Taylor says that men are subject to many dangers until they get Wisdom. He includes: danger to reputation, danger to one’s good and estates through foolishness, danger to body and life by not heeding God’s principles, and there is danger to the soul of eternal misery. Godly wisdom and understanding will therefore, keep us from the foolishness that comes our way and the intentions of evil that is along the way.