2013 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



March 26, 2014

Hi there, dear ones.

I’m having a tough time keeping up with all that’s going on…and needs to go on. Not much space for leisure. With Spring here in force, the grass seems to grow so fast you can watch it. We tend to let God do our landscaping…but I would sure like to help out some. And I would love to attempt another vegetable garden…and spray the fruit trees…but when?

I’m hoping to go out before the day is out and snatch a log or two and sawmill up the pieces I need for fabricating a fairly large sign frame. I also need to fabricate the steel saddle brackets to mount the posts in concrete.

Lunch is on. Blessings on the rest of your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.


26 March
Passage: Acts 26:2-18
Focus: "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” Acts 26:17-18.

If Paul is accurately quoting the words Jesus spoke to him after the big blast of divine light that knocked him to the ground on the road to Damascus, then we are receiving a profound sound byte from the very heart of God that relates to more than just Paul. It’s a message of GOOD NEWS and instruction that relates to us all. After all, we are all in urgent need of having our eyes opened, to be turned from darkness of the NATURAL SIN NATURE, delivered from the grip of Satan, receive forgiveness of sins, and walk in the light as He is in the light. And that conversion encounter is divinely intended to equip us to not only be personally transformed, but to now become a resulting sent-one toward helping others to see and experience the same transformation.

Here is an appropriate word of caution as it relates to the part we play in this vital mission: LET US NEVER PRESUME ANY CAPABILITY IN AND OF OURSELVES TO DO THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. None of us are equal to the task of opening eyes or turning people from darkness to light. All we need to do is to remain as clean as the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, which is essential to being the brightest and most credible reflectors of HIS LIGHT.

Without the Light of Life, it is indeed a dark world out there.


“It is said that a professor is not smarter that other people— he just has his ignorance better organized."