2007 picture of Ray SparreInsightful 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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27 June 10
            Greetings, dear ones.
            Well…this hasn’t happened before.  I’m sending a series of three days of devotionals.  Yesterday was so chocked full of busyness that I didn’t get to it.  Today’s production was only generated this evening.  And I’m adding an advance for tomorrow because I’m going fishing early.  I plan to leave the house at 3am.  We’ll head to the coast and drop my Pacific City Dory into the ocean at Pacific City…and see what happens.  We’ll do line fishing as well as spear fishing.
            I need the bed…so good night.  Be blessed.
                                                          Love, Dad/Ray


27 June 2010
Passage: Luke 23:26-49
Focus: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:43.
           
Here’s the big critical question: Was Jesus telling the truth when he said, “I tell you the truth”?  I believe He was.  And if your answer is YES, be reminded of your own wonderful future.  I have every reason to believe that you too will make that same transfer to paradise when you pass through the door of death.  There’s nothing gloomy about that prospect.
            This is not to say that I know very much about life after death.  I’ve never died before.  But I have become absolutely convinced that there is such a thing—life after death.  Neither do I claim to understand all that goes on between the Holy God and a sinful man that allows that condemned sinner to so drastically change his heart, his course, and his destiny—and qualify him for ETERNAL LIFE.  All I know is that it can and does happen in response to humble seeking, confession, and repentance.  And it happened to this condemned criminal, not while kneeling at an altar in some church, but while hanging on a cross and opening his heart to Jesus.  Ponder that fact.
 
            “Death cannot sever what the cross unites.”