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 has followed, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010 and 2011.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2011 Devotion Archives  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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16 Jan 11
            Good morning, dear people.
            We have something like a monsoon with us.  The temperature was nearly 60 degrees this morning when I looked to the thermometer about 4:45am.  That sure is messing up the ski areas.  But I guess God has to do something to offset constant snow…or we would get 50 feet of snow on the mountain passes. He really does have stuff figured out.
            May your day be blessed…as you hunger and thirst for pleasing Him.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
16 January 2011
Proverbs 16
Focus: “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.”  Proverbs 16:26.
            How about you?  Does your appetite work for you?  Sure it does.  Physically speaking, your sense of hunger is a gift from your Designer.  Without that sensation, you might forget to eat—which, if continued long enough would terminate your life.  Of course, some of us might be benefitted by some controlled forgetting.  But have you noticed that you normally don’t eat unless you’re hungry?  There you are!  Your appetite works for you.  Your physical hunger that prompts physical eating perpetuates your physical life.
            I remember my mother quoting a little witticism when I was a kid that harmonizes with the idea of this proverb.  She spoke it with the speech style of a European immigrant.  “I digga da ditch, to earn me da mon, to buy me da bread, to give me da strength, to digga da ditch.”  We can all identify with the motivation and circular cycle of life contained in that expression.
            May I take a moment to relate this to the spiritual component of our lives? Doesn’t the Bible teach that our spiritual (eternal) life is of greater value than our physical?  (“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?  Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37.)  So what food source has been provided to satisfy our spiritual hunger and keep us fit and healthy?  I’ll quote Jesus words again in Matthew 4:4?  “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
            In contrast to our physical side, I believe that our spiritual hunger is not so much automated—that it is largely fed (I guess that’s a pun.) by our choice or desire to be hungry.  Have you noticed that only people who are hungry for God and His Word seek Him and eat His Word? Jesus pronounces a blessing on this level of hunger: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (right relationship with God), for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  Once again, we are describing A HEART AFTER GOD.  “As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1-2).
            May your hunger drive you on.