Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, dear people.
It’s clear and beautiful out there. And I will finally be taking on the portable mill job in Sherwood today that has been delayed due to rain. There’s a lot to do just to lumber off (pun intended) with the mill in tow.
Can you believe that it’s the last day of June? That means that tomorrow commences July! And I don’t have a garden started! With all the other stuff pushing on me, I may have to just give up on that one.
May your passions be correct and good ones today.
Love, Dad/Ray.
Here is another principle of the Kingdom that is worth remembering: UNLESS JESUS, BY MEANS OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT, LENDS SPECIAL INFLUENCE SO AS TO OPEN MY MIND TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES, I’M NEVER GOING TO GET IT. I can read and read and read, but NEVER GET IT! Without this special divine touch, the Bible is just a bunch of black print on white paper. It’s like reading someone else’s mail. It just doesn’t make sense. And even with this touch of His Spirit, there is no guarantee that I will get it all at once. Look at Jesus’ own disciples. The fact is, it is a constant ongoing revelation—an unfolding adventure in glory.
I want to quote from 2 Corinthians 3:16-18: “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord (activates A HEART AFTER GOD), the veil (non-understanding, confusion) is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (freedom from sin, self, and Satan—freedom to know things not otherwise known). And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory (from one glorious revelation after another), which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
For anyone not thus activated, this doesn’t make a lick of sense. I may as well be talking Martian. But anyone so activated will find their insides resonating with the words of Jesus in John 8:31-32: “If you hold to my teaching (with A HEART AFTER GOD), you are really my disciples (as opposed to Christian religionists). Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”