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  |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 Aug 10
            Greetings, dear ones, on a beautiful cool morning…that is fast warming up.
            Lots on the list again.  As soon as I send this I’ll be off to town for several stops…some business…some in preparation for making an attack on albacore tuna.  The Lord is good!
            As you maintain close relationship with Him, may your day be good.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
5 August 2010
Passage:  2 Corinthians 12
Focus: “Even if I choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth.  But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.”  2 Corinthians 12:6.
We are certainly gaining some insights into the real Paul through these readings….and of the real problems that he faced as a missionary church planter.  He is clearly upset over the infiltration of certain spurious ministers who were apparently quite dramatic and sensational in their style and gained a large following among the young undiscerning Corinthian believers that he had earlier established.  They must have told lots of exciting stories to draw attention to themselves and to show off their great spiritual power and knowledge.  Judging by Paul’s reaction, they must have been far better at talking and manipulating people’s emotions than they were at living an exemplary life.  They must have been causing the people to think more highly of them than was appropriate with the hidden motive to collect some big offerings.  Perhaps Paul recognized that this kind of so-called ministry generated a form of exciting Christian entertainment without generating any true edification of the believers.  In an attempt to defend the worth of his own ministry investment and to protect this young work from a wrong theology, Paul goes to telling some sensational stories of his own. He clearly does not enjoy this kind of thing.  He states that ordinarily I REFRAIN to avoid people thinking of him beyond what is appropriately demonstrated by his life and the power of the Word of God that he promotes.
As I meditate on this I have to consider that maybe it is by God’s grace that I have not been awarded a lot of sensational and dramatic miraculous manifestations.  If I could lay claim to such trophies of great spiritual power and anointing, it is quite possible that my own dirty little ego (self) would cause me to lift myself up before men too, with a kind of spiritual pride that is unproductive of the fruit of the Spirit.  I think it is good for me to pick up on the words that the Lord spoke to Paul in verse 9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Think of it.  That says to me that my personal understanding of my own weakness and my genuine reception of the grace of God that transforms me into a person with a renewed mind have the potential of satisfying and fulfilling His plan for my life.  It becomes a sufficient completion of the purpose for His power.
Shall we pray?  Let’s make it personal.  “Lord, may I REFRAIN from attempting to make use of Your gracious gifts as instruments of winning attention to myself.  May I be satisfied with Your all-sufficient grace.  May Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in this earthen vessel as it is in heaven.  Amen.”
 
“You can’t glorify self and Christ at the same time.”