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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18 August 2010
Passage: Romans 8:18-39
Focus: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”  Romans 8:28.
            I confess that I get a little nervous when I hear people using a popular expression—talking about “God’s UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.”  Yes, “God so loved the world.”  But that sure doesn’t mean that everyone in the world automatically gets the full benefit of that love.  That full benefit is very CONDITIONAL—the condition being “whosoever believeth in Him” (John 3:16).  And believing in Him includes fulfilling the top requirement (Supreme Commandment) of the entire revealed Word of God—to LOVE GOD.  (See Matthew 22:34-40)
            This is born out in our reading of Romans 8.  Consider carefully the focus scripture above.  Who is it that God works everything out for the good of?  “Those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Please, please, please get this straight.  God accomplishes the full benefit of His love in the lives and destinies of only ONE kind of people—those who respond to His love call and practice the Supreme Commandment—those who LOVE HIM.
            I want us to review the last portion of this chapter.  It is indeed a wonderful crescendo of Biblical Truth.  But it also contains this implicit warning that we must not overlook.
            “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  …No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39). 
            Did you hear that?  HALELUIA!  Absolutely NOTHING can separate me from the love of God—with ONE glaring exception—ME—my NON-LOVE—my failure (neglect or refusal) to subscribe to the Supreme Commandment—to LOVE GOD.
 
            “God has a perfect plan for our lives, but it cannot be perfect until we accept it.”