Insightful Musings on theScriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones…

…on this day before Resurrection Day. “Saturday is here—but Sunday is a comin’!”

I’m still a day behind. This is what I had intended to finish up and send yesterday. Hope I can find time for today’s. I have another confession to make relative to yesterday’s distractions: Conditions seemed to be good on the mountain again. So I made a trip to DMV for a boom truck trip permit, and to DEQ to have the van tested and tags renewed, via Timberline on Mt. Hood. You know—the mountain was right on the way. I put in a couple hours or so playing on the snow. Had a great time. (I picked up a hitch-hiker again at the bottom of the hill heading up to Timberline. I was able to get in a lot of Gospel within those 6 miles. Even riding on the chair offers a “captive audience.” Where are they going to go?) Of course, it also offered a means for achieving some important aerobic exercise. There are all kinds of ways to justify stuff.

I just picked up the little boys. They will spend the rest of this Easter weekend here.

Lots of things to squeeze into this day—including some preparation for presenting at the Clackamas Counting Jail tonight—two back-to-back sessions there.

I’m being called to a late breakfast. Have a blessed day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

The FALL caused the default setting of the human heart to be FOLLY—another way to define the NATURAL SIN NATURE. Even “his people, his saints” recognize that FOLLY is never completely and absolutely eradicated from their CPUs (Central Processing Units). Only those who install the WORD OF GOD with a HEART AFTER GOD as an anti-FOLLY software, and continue to run that program, can function above the infection of FOLLY. And only those so programmed qualify for having their hard drives (HEART DRIVES) wiped clean and uninfected forevermore on the other side of the grave.

Familiar words of Jesus add support to this perspective: “It is written (Deuteronomy 8:3): ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Free from what? Free from inherent FOLLY. A proper downloading of the WORD along with a proper application of WISDOM (proper use of human intelligence) is the absolute best formula in the entire earthly marketplace for managing and living above viral infection of FOLLY. Having been upgraded by this divine provision, one does not need to return to the default setting of FOLLY—unless he is entirely careless—or wants to.

The last lines of Proverbs 25 can speak to this practical matter: “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28). One who “lacks self-control” can be equated with one who is content to simply hear God’s Word but fails to apply. Let’s review James’ commentary in this regard: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom (from FOLLY), and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:23-25). Bingo! There’s the key! Again!