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  |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19 Aug 10
            Good morning, dear ones.
            Even though it’s quite late, I’m going to muscle my way toward doing a jog after I send this.  After that I’ll do my late breakfast and get on with the pile on my plate for the day.
                    May your day be blessed as you “practice His presence.”
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 

19 August 2010
Passage: Romans 9:1-29
Focus: “Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.”  Romans 9:18.
            This topic of ELECTION can present some major difficulties, and some seem to stumble.  However we choose to slice it, I cannot accept that God arbitrarily selects (predestines) some to be saved and some to be lost—some for eternal life and some for destruction—as though He were flipping a coin over every individual—“Heads, you’re in.  Tails, you’re out.”
            The Bible confirms that God definitely wants to have mercy toward those who respond to His love call, those who repent and believe in His Son, Jesus, as their personal Savior and Lord.  And He wants to confirm the value of this amazing LOVE GIFT by determining quite the opposite toward those who respond opposite—hardening those who refuse to repent, those who choose their SINFUL NATURE over His provision and opportunity to “participate in the DIVINE NATURE” (2 Peter 1:4).
            May I recommend that you review Romans 2:4-11.  “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?  But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.  God will give to each person according to what he has done.  To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.  But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.  There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For God does not show favoritism.”
 
            “Rejecting God’s way is simply asking for trouble.”