Insightful Musings on the New Testament
by
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67

Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.

Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray is following, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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14 June 10
    Greeting in the morning, dear ones.
    It's presently 9:14pm.  I've done my jog, ate breakfast, and even delivered a sign that I did over the weekend.  I was glad to get it out of my view.  It is one of those government-prescribed signs.  Ugly!  Not really my favorite kind of production.
    If it is true that Israel is the time-piece for monitoring end-times, horrific times are about to explode.  Hang in there, be ready, and keep looking up.
    May His blessing be upon you.
        Love, Dad/Ray
   
   
 
14 June 2010
Passage: Luke 15:11-52
Focus: “When he came to his senses…”  Luke 15:17.
            Here, I believe, is the real key to the lost son’s restoration.  It didn’t matter how much the father loved that boy.  It didn’t matter how gracious the father was or how much more he did for him.  In fact, I can only imagine that if the father had gone out and tried to restore his son before his internal turning-point experience of personal repentance it would have only given his son a sloppy attitude toward this father’s grace and even helped to reinforce his waywardness…making it a bit easier to rebel again in the future.  Before his true restoration could happen HE CAME TO HIS SENSES.  That is, he clearly recognized his stupidity and detestable condition in relation to his father and family and knew he had blown it big and was worthy of nothing good.  His only hope was to be made the least of one of his father’s slaves.  And in that recognition he made a decision to stop being a fool who follows error like all the other dumb people he had been partying with.  He decided to step out of the pig pen at any cost, knowing that he had absolutely nothing to lose, except maybe his membership-in-good-standing with his pig-minded friends who would, no doubt, try to dump all kinds of abuse and mockery on him for vacating their self-centered company.  Of course, part of his clear realization was that he didn’t need those so-called friends and their worthless approval anyway.  He made a decision to act upon wisdom.  He humbled himself, and in so doing, his father unexpectedly, lifted (exalted) him up.
            That speaks volumes to me.  Let’s try to avoid getting the sequence of conversion and restoration mixed up.  First the boy CAME TO HIS SENSES and saw himself clearly.  Then he repented and turned his back on his sin with a resolve to cast himself upon the mercy of his father.  Only then was he restored.  Too often, I think, we try to get people saved (restored) and repented (make decisions) before they COME TO THEIR SENSES (truly convicted) and really see themselves as offensive dirty rotten sinners before a Holy God.  The sad evidence of some would-be Christians failing to COME TO THEIR SENSES is the pattern they seem to set for their ongoing “Christian” lives where they move in and out of faith in Christ as easily and often as a man takes off and puts on a shirt.
            One other thought: I am reminded here that true conversion begins and ends with God.  Drawing men to God, convincing and convicting them of sin, and helping them to COME TO THEIR SENSES is really the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit of God.  And ultimately it is the love, grace, power of God that actually does the saving and restoring.  But in between those two great acts of God are the vital materials of repentance and decision-making…which are primarily acts of the human will.  Think about it.
 
            “The first step to receiving eternal life is to admit that we don’t deserve it.”