Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, special people.

decided yesterday afternoon to take advantage of my great crane truck and the dry weather, position the truck behind our house, fit the boom with the man-lift basket that allows me to position myself all over the place within about 50 feet, and trim some big cedar branches that are hanging over the house as a security threat to the house. It worked great…until a branch must have tripped the kill switch…and I was unable to get the engine running again. It was good that Thano had returned from work by then because he was able to attach my climbing rope to a smaller rope so I could haul it up, tie off to the basket, and rappel down. Even with that cool truck, that is a lot of work.

We left the work undone and ran off to another plan we had—to see that movie titled, “Obama’s America—2016.” I would recommend it. It’s a documentary on President Obama’s real and scary background. But I can’t seem to get on the bandwagon of debating all these issues in the same way that many do…who ignore the spiritual component of this incredible phenomenon. My Biblical worldview leads me to conclude that all this wild unconscionable stuff is right on schedule. Please maintain relationship with your Maker. That’s what really matters. After all, history truly is HIS-story.

OK…moving right along…we have another day in front of us. Let’s get on with it. May you be blessed, inspired, and encouraged as you do.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Wow! There’s some powerful material here. I sure don’t have to get far into this reading before getting pumped with inspiration!

I happened to hear David Jeremiah make a statement on the radio recently while I was driving. He said something like this: “One of the biggest difficulties I’ve faced in getting people saved is to first get them lost.” The point is that no one is going to understand the importance of SALVATION if they don’t first understand their desperate LOSTNESS.

Let’s review the facts that are heavy upon us. Firstly, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23)—SINNERS, CONDEMNED—including you and me. In that condition we are all under God’s WRATH. And His WRATH is bigger and more absolute than any puny opposition from any of us. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:1—“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins…” But now, right here in this short reading, we are presented with one of the most incredible, mind-boggling, and glorious statements contained in Biblical revelation—beyond what the mortal brain could ever process—verse 8: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: (I want to capitalize the text in the rest of the verse…because it is of capital importance!) WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US.” If that fails to move you, I think you need to see your doctor and be checked out. I think we may very well need eternity to get this amazing reality figured out.

Don’t miss the options we all face in relation to this Sovereign God: It’s either WRATH or PEACE. To help confirm the idea, I want to quote verses 1 and 2 together: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. (Read again 1 Corinthians 15:1-2) And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Verse 9 contains the wonderful phrase that we are “saved from God’s WRATH.”

How much time do you need to contemplate your answer to this question: Which do you choose?—WRATH or PEACE?