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.
| Sparre Home Page | Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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2 May 11
Greetings, dear people.
The day is off and running…and I’m trying to keep up. Yesterday took off in a direction I didn’t anticipate too. Circumstances worked out to have me haul a heavy trailer load of sawn lumber out to a guy’s place about 70 miles away…following our Gospel Sing at Pheasant Pointe. Becki joined me. At least it was a nice late afternoon. He agreed to pay me 100 bucks. On the way I filled up the truck for $107. Ouch!
Thank you for accommodating my fallibility. If you read my little compositions, I’m sure you notice “typos” often. I found two in just the one from yesterday.
May your day go well and be blessed.
Love, Dad/Ray
2 May 2011
Psalm 1
Focus: “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2.
No one needs training on how to be WICKED. That comes as easily as falling off a log. So I won’t spend a lot of time with verses 4 through 6. Instead let’s give our best attention to verses 1through 3 that provide vital instruction on how to please God and be BLESSED—how to be rescued and purged from being WICKED.
Verse one: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.” Notice the progression of WICKEDNESS that takes place when one fails to SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD and win His BLESSING. The three physical postures mentioned correspond well with three conditions of the mind (heart). So WALKING, STANDING, and SITTING parallel with THINKING, DOING, and HABIT-FORMING. To be sure, there is no human condition more perverse and hopeless than that of being a HABITUAL SELF-INFLATED MOCKER toward the things of God. Nevertheless, that condition is the predominating material of the world around us.
Verse two identifies our greatest need, our greatest formula for victory, and Satan’s greatest fear. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” We’re talking here about PASSION—that which “floats our boat.” And I’m convinced that nothing less will make God’s Word work right in my behalf. Without this PASSION, I believe that Biblical Christianity is just another “ism” in the big pot of human religions and ideologies.
Verse 3 describes the result of this Bible-based PASSION. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” How? Why? Think about it. How can this wonderful outcome be otherwise if you are PASSIONATELY thinking God’s thoughts, doing His pleasure, and making that a firm lifestyle habit?
“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” - Samuel Johnson