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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14 Dec 10
            Good morning, dear people.
            Well…it’s late, but the jog is done, garbage is out by the road, breakfast is over, Thano has been lined out with some urgent wood cutting, and the creek is running like crazy.  I’ll stick on a photo herewith to offer a glimpse of the creek.  The highest water I have ever seen is once when it was lapping at the bottom edge of that bearing beam attached to the tree.
            Lots more to do today.  Keep looking up—while some very bad times are drawing near, so is our final redemption.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
14 December 2010
Passage: Revelation 6
Focus: “Come!”  Revelation 6:1.
            It’s like we are allowed to be spectators of a huge theatrical production.  The opening of the six seals are like six scenes in an unfolding global drama enacted on the world stage.  The players are representative of the spiritual super-powers behind the scenes of world affairs.  And the worldlings are finally brought to that recognition—that they, the worldlings, are not as much in control of the world as they had thought.
            I am reminded anew that THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER of this end-times drama is also THE EXECUTIVE SCREEN WRITER AND DIRECTOR.  Notice that the four living creatures before The Throne function like stage hands who call forth the main players for each of the first four scenes.  Each player is told, “Come!”  In other words, “You’re on! It’s time!  This is your spot!”
            I sense that there is in our midst a lot of careless use of the phrase, “God’s unconditional love.”  Of course I am aware of how the phrase is intended, but the final scene in this chapter confirms to me that His love is anything but unconditional in the technical sense. “They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come and who can stand?’” (vv. 16-17).  Did you hear that?  “Wrath of the Lamb?”  To be sure, the exclusive boundaries for GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE are only IN CHRIST—believing in Him, receiving Him, and living to please Him.
            Stay in His love.  Stay out of His wrath—you won’t like it!
 
“Who is wise?  He that learns from everyone.  Who is powerful?  He that governs his passions.  Who is rich?  He that is content.  Who is that?  Nobody!”  - Benjamin Franklin