Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, special ones.
I only have a few minutes before joining with Becki for our agreed walk/jog. At least it’s not raining at present. Then it’s off to the races…that race between time, production, and my energy.
Before the day is out, we will have the little boys here again…as this is the second weekend of the month…their regular weekend here. Hope Thano is feeling better by then. He’s been battling that cold/flu bug.
May you link up with as much personal utopia today as possible.
Love, Dad/Ray.
PS: Leviticus 26 is a MUST READ!
(B) “But if you do not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant…” Leviticus 26:14.
While utopia has never yet been achieved and sustained on planet earth since the Garden of Eden, the conditional rewards and blessings described in Leviticus 26:3-13 come about as close to that state as anything I can imagine. However, not even that state is realistically achievable in a collective sense this side of heaven due to the NATURAL SIN NATURE of human hearts. Sorry. It never has, and never will—any more than one can make fresh salsa out of rotten tomatoes. On the other hand, there remains the personal option—individuals who personally accept the once-for-all work of Christ as the sacrificial Lamb of God as the only antidote to their NATURAL SIN NATURE, these blessings are still available.
The terms of the God’s agreement with His people bears an IF CLAUSE—in short, “IF you will revere and obey Me, I will bless you beyond yourselves. But IF you rebel and disobey, I will punish you with more trouble than you can imagine.” Therefore, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:12-14).
The very most promising way I can think of to get in on the positive promises of God is to continually make God’s number one command our number one quest—loving Him passionately—which translates to a HEART AFTER GOD.