Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good day, dear ones.

It’s been a pretty nice day. No rain. An early text message exchange gave some form to my plans for the day. Since my friend, Charlie, was still here offering his help before running on home to Seattle, he became involved. I drove the boom truck to a nearby property, and he drove my pickup and trailer. We dropped a couple fir trees, bucked them up, and loaded them onto the trailer to haul home. It worked out quite well. Now I need to tally and record the logs and unload them from the trailer.

Wow! Thano just came in to give me a piece of some beef jerky he just made. Good stuff! Although, not everyone would like it. It has some serious pepper heat to it. I like it.

Blessings on the rest of your afternoon.

Love, Dad/Ray.

A manufacturing company, for example, that offers load-bearing products used in the construction industry will need to include some form of stress testing as a protection against product failure and liability issues. In God’s program of manufacturing a strong saint that He purposes to represent His Kingdom, He also applies some stress testing, not just to determine the strength and quality of the subject, but to refine and make it stronger. One such test, as presented in the FOCUS VERSE, is praise—perhaps the kind of affirmation and applause that comes as a result of talent, ability, or appearance. But another related test that can be equally damaging or developmental is one in the other direction—like rejection.

Reflecting on this latter test, I’m reminded of Proverbs 24:10—“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!” I’m thankful that the kind of strength the Lord seeks in his people does not have much to do with how much they can bench press. I would be a loser for sure. Instead it depends on how close the wimpy sheep chooses to stay in relation to his shepherd. I’m also reminded of Paul’s instruction relating to strength: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

Psalm 58 was originally sung to the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” I’m sure everyone knows that one. Just kidding. But it’s clear that God already knows that His human creatures are messed up—headed for destruction as bound by the NATURAL SIN NATURE. That’s why He invests so much in the plan of salvation—the opposite of perishing. That nature shows up early in human life as noted by David. “Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies” (Psalms 58:3). That aligns with my observations as well. If there is no training and influence against the NATURAL SIN NATURE, children will most likely grow in the direction of self-centered deceitful evil. That’s exactly why YOU (and I) MUST BE BORN AGAIN (John 3).