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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 1 Sept 10
            Dear ones.
            It’s getting late…now 8:06am.  Still haven’t got out the door for a jog.  I intend to do more than that.  There is a terrific section of blackberry bushes along my route.  I’ll stop and pick a couple pounds in a hurry.  It’s probably the best blackberry picking spot I’ve ever found anywhere.
            May you be blessed today.  If you’re not, why not?
                        Love.  Dad/Ray
 
1 September 2010
Passage: Galatians 3:15-25
Focus: “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”  Galatians 3:24.
            God didn’t tell Abraham everything.  He told him, “All nations will be blessed through you (your Seed)” (3:8).  God did not attempt to impart to Abraham the details of this promised blessing nor the transcending requirement of our salvation that says, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).  Abraham did not comprehend that his special Seed through Whom all the nations would be saved and blessed would have to die—that He would become the perfect and sinless “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the whole world” (John 1:9).  And, sadly, there are still many in our world who do not understand that they have absolutely no option toward meeting the righteous demands of a Holy God.  Christ is not one of God’s plans.  He is THE plan.  There is no other plan!  And when we get a picture of all that God has done in order to accomplish this gracious provision for our sin condition, the exclamation of Hebrews 2:3 becomes all the more meaningful: “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?”
            So we are “justified by faith.”  Faith in what?  Faith in Christ and His atonement for our PERSONAL sin condition on the cross.  And faith in His life that equips us to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4)—in victory over sin.  These are not just nice little Christian clichés.  We’re talking about our ONLY HOPE (Colossians 1:27)!
            There are lots of things we can learn and then forget without much consequence.  I, for one, sure wish I could remember everything I’ve ever learned.  But here is a truth we had better not forget.  Forget everything else, but don’t forget this one.  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be save” (Acts 4:12).
 
            “The old nature knows no law.  The new nature needs no law.”