2007 picture of Ray SparreInsightful 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 Oct 10
           
Good morning, special people.
            Since waking about 3am, I’m a little more able to be on top of my routine schedule.  So I’m able to launch this at 6:15am this time.  I’ll take off when we have some daylight to finish up a mill job…and tax my old body again.  I’m just thankful that it’s still holding up.  Hopefully the rain, that is predicted, will hold off until I get out of there.  It would not be pleasant to have that setting heavily rained on. We’d have a muddy mess.
            May your day contain encouragement to your vital faith.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
8 October 2010
Passage: Hebrews 11:1-16
Focus: “…what is seen is not made out of what was visible.”  Hebrews 11:3.
           
I have a pretty good hunch that our transition from time to eternity will carry with it some incredible revelations that we never could have dreamed of.  But for the time being, I think it is quite proper for us to dream, wonder, and contemplate some of the content of those revelations before we get there. This verse alone opens up a massive can of questions, wonder, and marvel at the magnitude, wisdom, and omnipotence of Creator God.  Think of it. “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible” (11:3).
            Hang for a moment on that word “visible.”  God is invisible. The Bible defines Him as Spirit.  If without Him there was not anything made that was made (John 1:3), does it not follow that everything is made out of God?  A narrow-minded physicist would likely object and pass such an idea off as a bunch of #+@!!  He might point out that “we are quite aware that all things are composed of atoms that are arranged in different configurations so as to determine the nature and quality of matter.” I know I’ve talked about this kind of thing before, but I think it is worth repeating—and it just makes a lot of sense to me that if we can recognize God as Author of the MICROCOSM (infinitely small, invisible), it’s easy to embrace Him as Author of the MACROCOSM (infinitely big, visible).  I would like to say, “Dear Mr. Physicist: How well do you really see atoms?  And if you could see them clearly, can you tell me what in the world makes them stick together?  What makes those little protons, neutrons, and electrons obit around the nucleus?  Why is there even movement?  What are those protons and their relatives made from?  And do you think you could ever create even one atom?—out of nothing? Anyway, it seems to me that all you know are some characteristics of atoms rather than what really makes them exist.”
            “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” (Colossians 1:16-17).  “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
            Before I depart let me draw your attention to verse 13.  It encompasses the 7 names of role models that have been mentioned so far in this “Faith Hall of Fame” (Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah). “All these people were still living by faith when they died.” I choose to accept this standard as my personal priority job description—like them to continue living by faith—for die I certainly will!
 
            “Nature is but a name for an EFFECT whose CAUSE is God.”