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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 17 July 10
                Dear special people.
                Nice day here.  It was kind of fun this morning to pop in at a fly-in and cruise-in at the Mulino Airport, see all the cool aircraft and cool cars, and join in their blueberry pancake breakfast.  I was even able to do my jog this morning beforehand…with the 3 dogs.  And in the process I picked up a bunch more beer and soft drink cans to pass on to a friend who redeems them as a fund-raiser for BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade).
                Have a nice day.  Be blessed…and be careful.
                                Love, Dad/Ray
               
17 July 2010
Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Focus: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”  1 Corinthians 10:12.
                I really cannot give you a good clear explanation as to why God has allowed the ratio between the saved and the lost to be so dismal.  But that clearly seems to be the way it is.  Perhaps one of the saddest statements recorded in the words of Jesus is in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  Did you hear that?  “Only a few find it.”  I find no pleasure in that realization.  I guess that’s the very reason that the promotion of the Gospel is of such vital urgency. 
                Notice the same dismal ratio as presented in this passage that draws from the experience of the Israelites between their deliverance from Egypt and their entering the Promised Land.  Four times in the text before me the word ALL is used.  They were ALL under the supernatural cloud, they ALL experienced the supernatural deliverance through the Red Sea, they ALL experienced a form of baptism, and ALL ate food that was supernaturally provided.  Sounds good so far.  But then we run into verse 5: “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with MOST of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.” Please pay attention to the comparison between the ALL and the MOST. Let’s read on through verse 6: “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
                Don’t ignore this huge warning: “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”  The point is that it is possible to be caught up in all kinds of Christian and religious stuff—and still fall—without even knowing it—without warning.  So what’s the answer?  BE CAREFUL!  (And read Eph. 6:10-18 again.)
 
                “Today is not won by old victories nor lost by old defeats.”