Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings on this cool clear morning, dear one.

The sunlight is still a little dimmer than normal due to a nearby forest fire…near Estacada. The smoke was really billowing and heavy in the air yesterday afternoon.

Becki and I just returned from a walk/jog. Whereas the pool is now closed, and she’s not getting her normal exercise, we did this excursion before she had to get ready for her Bible Study session in Woodburn.

Signs, sawing, and tree work are all on the list for the day…as well as some fruit and veggie processing. And before the opportunity passes, I would like to try building a cider press that utilizes the hydraulic muscle of my sawmill clamp mechanism to squish whole apples without having to chop them. This is not to say that these points on the list will all be accomplished. Whew!

Another matter to follow up on concerns the skid steer. I actually delivered it to a nearby mechanics shop yesterday evening to be worked on today—minor repairs and adjustments.

Be blessed. Love, Dad/Ray.

“The day of Christ” is mentioned twice in this passage. What does it suggest? Besides the certainty of judgment and accounting, I think it generally points to that time when we believers will be transitioned from here to there—when “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). It refers to the completion and fulfillment of the work of Christ in our behalf. It clearly implies a great finish line or terminus of our course here on planet earth. Just be reminded that WE AREN’T THERE YET.

Did you catch the word PARTNERSHIP? (v. 5) That’s what our faith really is—a PARTNERSHIP. That thought stood out to me when we were in Ephesians 2:10 where Paul mentioned that “we are His WORKMANSHIP.” It is good to understand that God’s WORKMANSHIP is a PARTNERSHIP where two parties are at work in the same task or business, each required to do their part, each engaged in FELLOWSHIP. (Hey, there’s a simple 3-point message for you…WORKMANSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, FELLOWSHIP.) What happens in a business partnership when one side does not do his part? The whole thing fails. Let’s establish this fact: If there is any kind of failure linked with our faith and its completion, the blame cannot be placed on His side. “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” It is on our part to do all that needs to be done to give Him the freedom to do all that needs to be done to make it all complete.

In this great process between now and then there are constant choices to be faced and made. I guarantee you will face some today. Do your utmost to use your God-given gift of intelligent thought, along with the Living Word (the Spirit) to “discern what is best.” Best for who? Best for you, your future, your family, your relationships...for God and the completion of His work in you. The Message Translation puts verses 9 to 11 this way: “…that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.”