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 is following, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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 8 Aug 10
            Good morning, beloved.
            It’s overcast at present.  We’re about off to church.
            I have a “bee in my bonnet” with Andy…we’re going out off the Oregon coast in the morning to try to put some albacore tuna in our boat.  All the conditions and reports indicate this as an excellent time.  This is to say that I will probably not be producing one of these compositions tomorrow morning.  It will just be too early.  We plan to be at Garibaldi around 6am.  I hope I can give you an exciting fish story later.
            Have a blessed day.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
8 August 2010
Passage: Romans 1:18-32
Focus: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21.
            Let’s review some fundamental facts from the illuminating Word of God: (1) There are 2 kinds of people: WISE and FOOLISH, made so by the choices they make with their God-given free will.  (2) There are 2 kingdoms: The KINGDOM OF GOD, which is the Kingdom of LIGHT, and there is the KINGDOM OF SATAN, which is the kingdom of DARKNESS.  (3) There are 2 goals and ultimate outcomes related to this: God wants you to be WISE and live in LIGHT, while Satan wants you to be FOOLISH and live in DARKNESS.  If we can get our heads and hearts wrapped around these fundamental concepts so as to embrace them as TRUTH, I believe we can spare ourselves of a lot of unnecessary struggle and damage.
            Without spending much time with commentary, I’m going to insert three other scriptures that are very meaningful to me and only emphasize some key words.
            “The path of the righteous (WISE) is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day (eternal HEAVEN).  But the way of the wicked (FOOLISH) is like deep darkness, they do not know (because they are UNENLIGHTENED and FOOLISH) what makes them stumble” (Proverbs 4:18-19).
            “Those who are wise (WISE in choices) will shine like the brightness of the heavens (lots of LIGHT), and those who lead many to righteousness (WISDOM in choices), like the stars for ever and ever (that’s a very long time!)” (Daniel 12:3).
            “But if (We don’t have to—it’s a choice) we walk in the light (LIGHT of God’s TRUTH), as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (RELATIONSHIP—not just religion), and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (God’s salvation plan is achieved)” (1 John 1:7).
 
            “A wise man always prepares for the inevitable.”