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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14 Nov 10
            Good morning, dear ones.
            This is the kind of morning that reminds me that we are residing in Oregon’s rain forest.  It’s pretty wet out there—but still pretty.  That river (creek) is sure cookin’.  Becki’s mother would often comment on it before her passing, “That creek is sure in a hurry!”
            Once again, I too need to be in a hurry to cover all the bases before being at church at 9:30am.
            Blessings on your day.
                        Love, Dad/Ray
 
14 November 2010
Passage: John 11:1-16
Focus: “A man who walks by day will not stumble...”  John 11:9.
            Jesus had just announced to His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”  The disciples could hardly believe their ears.  The last time there were there the Jews had tried to stone Him.  They equated Jesus words with an announcement to suicide.  Jesus’ cryptic response to their baffled surprise is worth our attention.  “Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours of daylight?  A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light.  It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light’” (John 11:9-10).
            Please take courage by the fact that IF your life is dedicated to God and you remain on the course of serving Him, your entire life is marked by divine purpose—you have been assigned a certain amount of work to do within the framework of His plan—along with a certain time period in which to do it.  In the same way that you have no power to lengthen or shorten a day in this world, neither can you alter the window size and scope of God’s will which is set by Him.  This is not to say that it is a rigid script that is not affected by your choices.  I see it as a kind of partnership—“Laborers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).  But there is great encouragement to know that, within these parameters, you become indestructible.  No man, no devil, and no circumstance can thwart the unfolding of His will in your life as you “walk in the light as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7).  So wandering away from THE SHEPHERD or stepping outside THE LIGHT (they are the same) automatically puts one in the dark where stumbling is the norm—where one is subjected to great peril.  Be reminded of what Jesus just said in John 8:12: “I am the Light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Think about it.  Make determinations.
            So the moral of the story is really quite straight forward and simple: STAY CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD-LIGHT.  He is your only eternal security.
            Here’s a good additive for your memory tank—from Proverbs 21:30: “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.”
 
“God’s high purpose is not to make us comfortable, but to make us conformable ... conformable to Christ (Rom. 8:29)”