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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 7 July 10
                Dear ones.
                It’s getting pretty warm where I’m sitting now.  Yes…I’m sitting, but I’m not idle.  In fact, I better get this off and back to work.  Lots to do before bedtime.
                Be blessed.
                                Love, Dad/Ray
 
7 July 2010
Passage: 2 Thessalonians 3
Focus: “We hear that some among you are idle.  They are not busy; they are busy-bodies.”  2 Thessalonians 3:11.
                I believe we have more idleness in our society today than ever before.  That is the natural result of technology.  The other day my doctor made the comment, “We are conveniencing ourselves to death.”  Then when we add the psychological disorder brought on by a popular unnecessary dependence on welfare (and programs like it), it really does make for a widespread unproductive idleness.  By my own unofficial observation, many (if not most) who get in line for this form of income are in the category of obesity.  Doesn’t that say something?
                We can only assume that there were some in the Thessalonian church who over-enjoyed the fellowship and communal living that may have developed and were happy just to hang out and eat.  That had to be the cause for Paul emphasizing the rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (3:10).  Unless there are handicaps and incapacitations, that sounds to me like a pretty good rule.
                But let’s give attention to a more serious form of laziness that Paul addresses in this same passage—moral and spiritual laziness.  At the end of the first paragraph, Paul makes this statement: “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (3:5).  To be sure, there is nothing idle about perseverance.  Then in verse 13 he adds: “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.”  And to be sure, it is highly unlikely that you will ever be guilty of doing what is wrong if you never tire of seeking first the Kingdom of God and doing what is right. 
 
                “A lazy person tempts the devil to tempt him.”