Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello again, folks.

This is the second transmission of this morning in your direction. Since the first one, I did a jog and made breakfast. With some leftover baked potatoes (Traeger baked) along with some fresh onions, peppers, one fresh jalepeno, and 4 eggs, I made up a great breakfast hash—another version of what I typically call “Milk Creek Delight”—to make it sound like a name you might read from some exotic restaurant menu. Good stuff. Becki is presently off to her Bible Study at Woodburn. My list has already nearly filled up an entire page of my 8.5”x11” yellow pad. I normally assign one page for each day. Among other things, I need to clear out sawdust from the mill shed and re-setup the mill so I can get on with some other sawing needs.

It felt so cold this morning that I actually made a fire in the wood stove. That seems kind of crazy in view of temperature expected to reach near 100 today.

Blessings on your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Allow me to put forth what I believe to be a vital thesis: It is critically important to understand that BIBLICAL MIND CONTROL is foundational to successful BIBLICAL LIVING. If our minds are not controlled by the “law of the Spirit of life” in Christ, then, by default, they will be controlled by “the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

It occurs to me that we have just given ourselves a clear explanation for why the Christian faith is so often given a bad name (“bad press”). It’s because so many claim Christian affiliation without being affiliated with Christ personally—without being transformed in their minds by personal ongoing connection (relationship)—connecting with “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” Indeed, uncrucified people trying to live or represent the “crucified life” presents a whacked and bizarre spectacle that displays all kinds of contradictions.

Let’s take a few moments to walk through a few other scriptures that underscore the essential truth. Firstly, I want to review what I believe is a kind of key scripture—John 6:63, where Jesus states, “The WORDS I have spoken to you are SPIRIT and they are LIFE.” I’m going to take the liberty to create a special phrase—SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE, and incorporate it into these following verses in exchange for the words “word” and “Spirit.”

• “I have hidden your SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
• “Your SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
• “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
• “So I say, live by the SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE, and you will not gratify the desires of the SINFUL NATURE” (Galatians 5:16).
• “Those who live according to the SINFUL NATURE have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE have their minds set on what the SPIRIT WORD OF LIFE desires” (Romans 8:5).

Please join me in paying attention. And please carefully examine this question: Who or what is primarily controlling your mind?