Insightful Musings on the Scripturesby
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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28 Feb 11
Good morning, dear ones.
Wind, rain, relative cold…not a great backdrop for outside work. But we’ll see how it goes. Lots to do.
My dinner date with Samara went well…though we had two misfires before landing in Bentley’s Grill in Salem. The Greek restaurant we first sought was not open. The Indian restaurant was too cold for both of us. We finally settled for good ole American food.
Last day of this month. Only 16 days to prepare for a big experimental challenge.
Blessings. Love. Dad/Ray
28 February 2011
Proverbs 28
Focus: “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1.
It stands to reason that if a person is truly wicked, having done a lot of bad stuff that he hopes to keep hidden, he will always be running scared, paranoid, and a fugitive of his fears, always wondering if and when someone will bring him to account and attempt to punish him for his wrongdoing. That’s sure a lousy way to live!
But the term “wicked man” can be exchanged with a lot of other descriptions found in Proverbs without altering the general affect of the statement. “Fool, simple, lacking judgment, without understanding, evil man, sluggard”—just some examples. The bottom line is that they are people who are ignorant, unenlightened, and unregenerate—in other words, all of us, left to ourselves. They may think they KNOW WHO THEY ARE—but it’s a very faulty view. Their concept of themselves is based on feelings or social feedback—what others think of them—a very flimsy and insecure standard for measurement. It is this kind of people who are most manipulated by superstitions and ideas relative to “good luck” and “bad luck.” They are the ones who can’t walk under a ladder and get all freaked out when a black cat runs across their path.
The “righteous,” however KNOW WHO THEY ARE with authority beyond themselves—the authority of God’s Word. They know where their strength lies, and they continually draw from that strength. They eagerly embrace the advice of Ephesians 6:10-11: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Can you imagine a healthy lion walking scared through the jungle at night—afraid of the dark—or afraid that a herd of angry zebras are going to get him? Of course not. Neither should you when you walk through your jungle—in RIGHT (righteous) relationship with the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH! (Revelation 5:5)
“It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man.” - John Witherspoon