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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16 September 2010
Passage: Philippians 2:1-18
Focus: “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” Philippians 2:12.
            Last evening I had a lengthy phone conversation with an old acquaintance that is extremely analytical and critical about almost everything, including God. He isn’t sure there even is a God.  And if there is, he’d sure like to tell Him a thing or two!  To be sure, he has no inclination toward bowing his knee or confessing that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vv. 10-11).  At least, not yet—but according to this passage, a day is coming when he will bow, and he will confess.  At that point, however, his recognition of WHO Jesus is will have come too late to benefit him.
            In view of the shear gravity of this recognition (that Jesus is Lord), Paul urges the Philippian believers, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…”  In other words, don’t take this matter lightly.  It is immensely important.  Make Him your personal LORD—NOW!—not THEN!  The benefits are so out of proportion with the alternatives that Paul exclaims, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).  Then, later in this letter, he affirms, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Philippians 3:8-9).
            Let me encourage you to get this straight: WE ARE SAVED BY WORKS!—BUT IT’S NOT YOUR WORKS ALONE—YOU ALONE ARE NOT EQUAL TO THE TASK—IT IS ONLY HIS WORK WITHIN YOU THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK ASSIGNMENT—WHICH IS REALLY ALL HIS WORK WHEN HE IS REALLY YOUR LORD!  Does that make sense?  If it does, I think you’re on the right course.  If not—well, quite frankly, I’m nervous for you.
            Listen one more time to verses 12 and 13: “Therefore, my dear friends…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”
 
            “Read your Bible—it will scare the hell out of you!”