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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9 Oct 10
            Good morning, dear people.
            It’s 7:49am.  If it weren’t pouring rain right now, I would be out on my jog.  I’ll get this sent off, and hope for a rain break after. If not, perhaps I will use the old umbrella trick.
            I have a lot on my list for the day.  I guess I’d better keep moving…and see what happens.
            Blessings on your day.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
9 October 2010
Passage: Hebrews 11:17-40
Focus: “Abraham reasoned…” Hebrews 11:19.
            I am inclined to believe that one of the greatest shortcomings of human beings in general is failure to make adequate use of their God-given gift of reason.  Real life and history reveal a constant bent in man toward doing and believing dumb things rather than reasonable and wise things.  Even in the realm of faith, I do not believe that God desires that we detach ourselves from reason.  Although the requirement given by God to Abraham was humanly unreasonable concerning offering his beloved son as a sacrifice, Abraham processed it with reason (call it “creative reason”) and passed the test with flying colors.
            To put the message of God in Isaiah 1:18 in other words, I think God was essentially saying, “Please be reasonable and set your course in life according to these two facts that you cannot change on your own: (1) You are a hopeless sinner. (2)  I am a Mighty and Gracious Savior.”
            As far as practical guidance in godliness is concerned, Romans 12:1-2 could very well be regarded as the central theme verses of the whole Bible. I’ll quote it here in the KJV for two reasons—it’s the version in which I learned it as a little kid, and it also makes use of the word “reason” (a common practice among preachers—using words and phrases best suited for their “sermonizing”).  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies (including the rest of you) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your REASONABLE service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
            I have no alternative but to reason that full surrender (as full as is knowingly possible) to the Lordship of Christ is entirely reasonable (all things considered)—and anything less is unreasonable.
 
            “Good advice from an old carpenter: Measure twice; cut once.”