Insightful Musings on the Scripturesby
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 has followed, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010 and 2011.
| Sparre Home Page | Daily Reading Guide | 2011 Devotion Archives | 2010 Devotion Archives |
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16 July 11
Greetings, dear people.
It’s already been a full day. Becki and I just returned from the memorial service of Martin Kirk whom I mentioned was killed Sunday night in a hit-and-run car crash. It was a great celebration of a great man. It’s good to be reminded that we’re all terminal around here.
That pigeon is still here. I’m not so sure that he doesn’t have designs for taking up residence here. Maybe we’re feeding him too well. I don’t mind his visit…but if he’s going to be roosting all over inside my pole barn, bombing everything below…I don’t know…I understand pigeon soup is pretty good.
I’m heading out to the pole barn now to carry on with a welding project…fabricating a 4’x4’x6’ cradle to receive slabwood surrounding the milling operation…which we steel band to make bundles…then fork lift to a storage pile…then sell them for 30 bucks each. It’s not a money-maker, but offers a practical solution to waste management.
Blessings on the rest of your day. Love—Dad/Ray.
16 July 2011
Psalm 75
Focus: “In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs.” Psalm 75:8.
Let me ask that you read this FOCUS VERSE again carefully. It offers a very provocative trail of thought for me. But it’s really not new and revolutionary as I gather some other Biblical facts in my own mind. The idea that God offers the option of stupid drunkenness to mankind is quite compatible with Biblical revelation. Take, for example, that famous passage in Romans 1—“Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28). In other words, God allows people to become intoxicated with their own rebellion if they want to—when they reject the His wisdom, light, and truth.
Please allow me to repeat some fundamentals of my own Biblical worldview—(1) There are only TWO kingdoms in the universe—the Kingdom of God (TRUTH, LIGHT, LIFE) and the Kingdom of Satan (DECEPTION, DARKNESS, DEATH). I don’t know about you, but that simple premise helps me sort out a lot of the stuff in life. (2) However, these TWO kingdoms are not equal—the Kingdom of Satan only exists by the permissive will of the Sovereign Kingdom of God. Nevertheless, both kingdoms are temporarily in conflict and competition over the same territory—ownership and control of the souls of men. (3) When a person seeks God above all else (because He is above all else), His rule, and His righteousness (right relationship with Him), His TRUTH, LIGHT, and LIFE are imparted—perspectives, values, and lifestyles change—lights of understanding come on—“all things become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17)—“transformed” with a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). It’s a spiritual (metaphysical, mystical) thing and is experienced in various personalized ways, but it’s very real—as real as gravity. (4) When a person rejects or ignores God and His kingdom rule or any personal accountability to Him, what does he have left? All that is left is the subtle deceptive Kingdom of Satan—and such a person becomes a subject of that kingdom by default. His membership status there is not necessarily by choice, but is the automatic consequence of NOT choosing (seeking) God and His rule.
Do you see why I’m inspired to repeat these ideas? Do you see how it relates to the FOCUS VERSE? Using my own words, the fundamental options before us are SOBER SEEKING or DRUNKEN DECEPTION. In the multiple-choice test of life, those are the basic choices presented. A person is never more wise and sober than when he seeks “first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). And please get this straight—a person is never more foolish and out-of-his-mind intoxicated than when he rejects God and the wonderful gift of LIFE He offers.
Another question wafts through my mind that I think can relate: How much hope is there for the restoration and recovery of a drunk who constantly blames someone else, or even heredity, for his drunken condition and the stupid mess he has made of his life?
“Inferiors revolt in order that they may be equal, and equals that they may be superior.” - Aristotle