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 Sept 10
            Greetings, dear ones.
            11:03am? Wow!  That’s way too late!  But I have had a lot of stuff to do this morning already.  Whew!  I’m already tired!  Someone has said YOU KNOW YOU’RE GETTING OLD WHEN IT TAKES LONGER TO REST THAN IT DID TO GET TIRED.
            Anyway, I had better get on with priority number one—fabricating and installing a couple walls for someone’s little pump house.
            Be blessed.  Keep looking up.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
8 September 2010
Passage: Ephesians 2:11-22
Focus: “His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace…”  Ephesians 2:15.
            During my early school days I was a pretty lousy history student.  However, I find myself increasingly interested in history along with my increase in years. There seems to be a great deal in the archives of history that is truly “stranger than fiction.”  One strange fact of history is the intensity of the HOSTILITY that has and does exist between certain ranks of GENTILES toward JEWS.  It is the phenomenon of anti-Semitism.  It seems quite clear to me that the nature of the conflict is not rooted entirely in natural human bias or prejudice.  There is something clearly sinister and supernatural about it all.  The blind diabolical hatred that some GENTILES have had toward the JEWS defies all natural reason.  And the fact that JEWS remain a distinct people group after so many attempts down through history to exterminate them also defies natural reason.  The basic conclusion I draw is that Satan is very much against the JEWS, and God is very much for the JEWS.
            Let’s face it.  Our Christian faith is very much Jewish.  It has its origins in God’s dealings with the Jewish people flowing out of His promise to Abraham that He would make of Abraham a great massive nation and that all the nations of the world would find blessing through Abraham’s Seed Whom we recognize to be Christ, the Jewish Messiah…but more than that, He is Christ, the Savior of all the world.  (I feel like I could make a list of supporting scriptures here a mile long…so won’t even begin.)
            Today’s reading really is a great passage to bring it all together in simple and concise terms.  How can we not rejoice in this revelation of God that discloses and defines our Salvation…the fact that we GENILES have just as much right and opportunity to participate in God’s plan as do the JEWS.  Indeed “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heir according to the promise” (Gal 3:28-29).  Praise God!
 
            “If your Christianity is not contagious, it must be contaminated.”