2016 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



Tue Sept 20, 2022

Hello again.

I’m hoping you will agree that the focus of this devotional is foundational to building an essential Biblical worldview. DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!!!

Lots of work is waiting for me out there. I hardly know where to begin.

Love and prayers—Ray.


20 September
Colossians 1:1-23
“…all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17)

Do you remember the exchange Jesus had with His disciples when He asked them, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Matthew 16:13-19)? They gave a list of speculative answers they had heard from the onlookers. But then Jesus made it more specific and asked, “Who do YOU say I am?” Peter spoke up and gave a great answer—“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

Now listen carefully to how the Apostle Paul gives his answer to the question, WHO IS JESUS? “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:15-20).

Did you hear that?! Do you grasp even a little of what is being said? More important, do you believe it? If so, are you still standing? If this is true, how can we not fall on our faces in worship?! This just about melts the insulation off my thinker!

Get it straight! The fundamental logical LAW OF NON-CONTRADICTION does not allow this claim to be both right and wrong. This disclosure is either TRUE or it is NOT TRUE. If it is TRUE, our lives must be impacted and governed by it. If it is NOT TRUE, then all this Biblical and Gospel stuff is the biggest bunch of lying deceptive nonsense that has ever hit the planet! So which is it? Each of us is required to make that decision.

“When Christ is the center of your focus, all else will come into proper perspective.”