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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 16 August 10
            Greetings, dear people.
            It’s overcast right now…with cooler temperatures.  Quite nice.
            In an attempt to catch up with these devotional compositions, I think I’ll break it into doubles.  In order to come current, I would need to make this a triple.  I’ll do a double today…and another double tomorrow.
            We made another attempt at getting tuna on Monday.  We went with a guy from Tillamook in his cool boat and leaned on his expertise…but still only managed to pull in 4 fish total.  So the 4 of us in our little group at least went home with one fish each.  Better than nothing…but we were hoping for about 4 or so each.
            I need to go out and crank up the sawmill and zip out some board and batt. Have a blessed day where you are.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
16 August 2010
Passage: Romans 7:7-25
Focus: “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.” Romans 7:18.
            This BIBLICAL FACT is at the core of the BIBLICAL GOSPEL.  If we are not hopelessly lost and bound by the SIN NATURE, then the GOSPEL of SALVATION (redemption, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, etc.) makes no sense whatsoever!  If I am not LOST, why would I need to be saved?!  If I am not lost, all this Christian and Biblical stuff is just so much worthless nonsense!
            But if this is a presentation of TRUTH, then I AM LOST and in desperate need of a SAVIOR, as long as my SINFUL NATURE reigns.  Herein is what makes the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL so good—I don’t have to remain a slave to my SINFUL NATURE.  By means of this incredible GIFT OF GOD through CHRIST as my SAVIOR and LORD, I am presented with the option to actually “participate in the DIVINE NATURE (way more beneficial than the SINFUL NATURE) and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:14).  Wow!  Why in the world would I ever want to consider passing up an opportunity like this?!
            Consider again the last sentence of chapter 7: “So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” In other words, God’s revelation of TRUTH sets off a major conflict in my mind—confirming my guilt before a Holy God.  If I simply hang and rattle in that condition—it’s a HELL of a way to live!  That’s exactly what Paul is exclaiming at the end of this chapter: “What a wretched man I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But just before the pressure cooker explodes (We’ve been canning of late) Paul activates the relief valve—“Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  Whew!
            Now let’s jump ahead to Romans 12:2 as it clearly presents the wonderful option of what you and I CAN DO (through Christ) in order to break free from the bondage of our minds to the SINFUL NATURE: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (the SINFUL NATURE), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
            God’s Word, properly eaten and digested, is transformational for anyone who has been living only on the world’s junk food—the standard diet of the SINFUL NATURE.
 
            “God performs what He promises and completes what He commands.”