Randy Wray’s Blog

I just don’t understand them. I am so confused by them.

Why do programs like Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility engender such emotional reactions? Why the allure, the attraction, the repetitive viewing?

I’m willing to listen. I’m willing to learn. Please, for the love of everything I hold dear, someone explain to me the reason these programs exist and why women love them so.

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I’ve decided, for the time being, to write my own small group Bible study material. I wanted to take a simple approach to some important aspects of Bible teaching. The aim is to encourage our group members to put into practice simple Bible truths. Rather than study something just to increase our knowledge, I wanted us to study to increase our effectiveness as those trying to live for Christ. Here is the lesson / devotional I wrote for our session last night.

Something To Think About (Part 1)

As a child I can remember spending hours thinking about fishing. I thought about preparing to go fishing. I thought about where we would be fishing. I thought about the fish we would be catching. I thought about fishing quite a bit. These thoughts, for me, were good thoughts.

As an adult I can still spend hours thinking about fishing. If I’d only known about being a professional pescatologist when I was young! Thoughts of fishing, for me, are still good thoughts.

There are other thoughts that run through my mind. I’ll have off-the-wall, crazy, wacky thoughts streak through my mind. I’ll have sinister, dark, sinful thoughts slither through my mind. “Where in the world did that thought come from?” I will wonder. Or, “Why on earth am I thinking that?” is sometimes a follow up thought.

There are thoughts we have that are good, we like thinking about these things. There are also thoughts we have that concern us, that cause great unrest. What are we to do with our thoughts?

There is a familiar proverb which basically says you are whatever you think about. Here’s the actual quote:

For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (Proverbs 23:7 NASB)

The context of this proverb, as a side note, is rather interesting. The lesson this proverb is teaching is that you should not eat with a selfish, stingy person.

A selfish person will say to you “order whatever you want” but in their heart they are saying “as long as it is $1.99 or cheaper!” A stingy person will offer you something to eat in full hope that you will refuse. They have no desire to share with you – they just want to look good for making the offer. Thus a person who thinks selfishly is a selfish person.

I wonder if it is that simple? Is a person with stingy thoughts stingy? Is a person with selfish thoughts selfish? Is a person with evil thoughts evil? Is a person with crazy thoughts crazy? Are there exceptions?

I see a difference between having a selfish, evil, stingy, crazy thought and acting in a selfish, evil, stingy, crazy manner. But then again, I may just be trying to rationalize my selfish, evil, stingy, crazy behavior.

Thoughts are powerful and so very important. Our thoughts guide our actions. The more we think about something the more likely we are to do something. This is perhaps why some of you grew up hearing another saying: “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket”

Jesus knew the power of thoughts — power for good and power for evil. Jesus also taught us that what is down in your well will come up in the bucket. He said:

A good tree does not produce bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. Each tree is known by its own fruit. People don’t gather figs from thornbushes, and they don’t get grapes from bushes. Good people bring good things out of the good they stored in their hearts. But evil people bring evil things out of the evil they stored in their hearts. People speak the things that are in their hearts. (Luke 6:43-45 NCV)

Let’s work on our thoughts to be the people we need to be in heart and mind and action. Here’s the passage of scripture for our attention this week.

Brothers and Sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. (Philipians 4:8a NCV)

Here are some questions to encourage your own application of this teaching.

• What are thoughts that are good?
• What are thoughts that are worthy of praise?
• How do I think like this for someone I care about, someone I like?
• How do I think like this for someone who may not care about me, someone I may not like?

Your challenge this week is to think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. This will involve something differerent, perhaps, for all of us. Certainly it will be easy in some setting and difficult in others.

Before we go out and start thinking good things we should deal with the reality of those wayward thoughts. What are we to do with those thoughts that infiltrate our defenses?

We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5b)

If you want to think about, dwell upon, thoughts that are good and worthy of praise you must capture every thought and cause it to yield to Christ.

You take control of your thoughts. You are not a helpless victim. You have the power and strength to accept or reject thoughts that come to you as potential residents of your mind. So take control. If you are consistently having thoughts which do not yield to Christ you may need to evaluate what you are reading, watching, or digesting as music.

This week, think about those things that are good. Think about those things that are worthy of praise.

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The kids are out of school today. The are so smart they only need 4 days of learnin’ some weeks. I’m taking the day off and we are planning to go see an IMAX movie. I’ll be sure and take my dramamine.

The associate and I have been working on a tag-team sermon for Sunday. A dialogue interchange from Hebrews 3:12-14. Should be interesting.

Have a good weekend.

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I’ve enjoyed the Jim McGuiggan book and offer the following suggestion. The book is basically a collection of inspirational stories / messages. I can’t read more than a couple at a time before my mind starts drifting. It might work best for you, should you decide to read the book, if you read a chapter (they are quite short) or two a day as part of a daily reading regimen.

Awkward moment from last nights mid-week tune-up (the new believers class I teach for a group of seasoned believers). We were reading from Ephesians 4 and one of our class members read verse 8 (a quote from Psalm 68:18) from The Message translation of the Bible. A particular word was used that made me snicker.

I wanted to bust out laughing. I did one of those quick glances to see if anyone else noticed and think I covered up “my indiscretion” with a well-timed cough. Here’s the text from The Message. I shouldn’t have to explain what made me snicker. I may, however, need to explain why it made me snicker.

He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Speaking of . . . . reading . . . . I’ve decided to alter my intended reading list (the one I provided at the start of the year) to include some additional scholarly works from a different stack in my bookshelf. I‚Äôm going to begin with Slaves, Women & Homosexuals, Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis.

Here is an excerpt from the foreword:

What do slaves, women and homosexuals have in common? Most would say their humanity — and not much else. But think about the question again. Here are three groups that in one way of another, at one time or another, have been regarded as less than human. In addition, each of these groups has been at the center of theological reflection and debate in the last two centuries.

Many regard these three groups as hermeneutically equal. What we have learned about interpreting slavery texts in Scripture should be applied to our reading of biblical texts about women and homosexuals. But how do we do this? How does one approach the discussion of each group both biblically and culturally? Is the theological hermeneutics surrounding each group really the same?

Slaves, Women & Homosexuals successfully walks the reader through these hermeneutical mazes. The goal is not only to discuss how these groups are to be seen in the light of Scripture but to make a case for a specific hermeneutical approach to reading relevant scriptural texts. Such an approach may enable us to think through the application of Scripture on an even broader array of topics.

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I arrived at the office this morning and before I could get out of my truck it started to snow. Just like that — no warning or other barometric indicator — it just started to snow.
The kid inside me always brightens up to see the first few snow flakes falling. The old man inside me takes over once it becomes obvious that I will have to shovel out the driveway and sidewalks.

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Today’s post will be a lengthy discussion as to who I am picking to win the Superbowl. If you could care less about sports I’m sure someone else from our blogger consortium will have something spiritual to say that will touch your heart.

Those of you who know me will not be surprised to hear me say I am a competitive person. I’m trying, without success, to dig up some repressed memory that would explain my competitive nature. I say nature because as long as I can remember, I’ve been a competitive person.

This competitive nature has worked out well in many situations but has also not worked out so well in others. Those of you who know me, no examples please. I even have a short list (a very short list) of people who it’s ok if they beat me at something.

I’ve worked hard over the years to suppress that competitive side of me that is not healthy. I feel it bubbling up every now and then when I’m watching my kids play sports or am rooting for a particular team, championship speller or competitive eater. Ok, the speller and the eater was a reach but it allowed me to end the previous sentence with such flourish.

It would be tempting to justify the bad side of my competitiveness with Bible verses. I mean after all, the Bible does say:

1 Corinthians 9:24 (NCV) You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win!

So you could argue, from a Biblical standpoint that if you are going to compete you should compete to win. That is actually the healthy side of competition. The unhealthy side of competition pertains to winning at all cost – even breaking the rules to win. The Bible also has something to say about being a good sport and playing by the rules.

2 Timothy 2:5 (NCV) Also an athlete who takes part in a contest must obey all the rules in order to win.

Certainly athletes have won contests by breaking and bending rules but there is a greater prize in knowing you were a good sport.

I am also looking forward to the Superbowl because whichever team wins will be ok with me. It’s actually going to be fun to watch the game simply for the enjoyment of watching the game.

And now my pick . . . Pittsburgh? Seattle? Who will win the big game? Whichever team scores the most points will win. See that’s the kind of honest and frank dialogue you won’t here from all the “sports pundits” the so called “experts” on television. So remember, you heard it here first. The team who scores the most points will win and it will be ok - with me anyway!

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Today my day will be consumed with a funeral that will start in about 45 minutes. Funerals always make me think about the process of aging - specifically, the swift passing of time.

With that in mind, here are some thoughts from the Psalm 71. Notice how the arrogance of youth is replaced with a mature hope in God.

Psalms 71 (NCV) In you, LORD, is my protection. Never let me be ashamed. Because you do what is right, save and rescue me; listen to me and save me. Be my place of safety where I can always come. Give the command to save me, because you are my rock and my strong, walled city. My God, save me from the power of the wicked and from the hold of evil and cruel people. LORD, you are my hope. LORD, I have trusted you since I was young. I have depended on you since I was born; you helped me even on the day of my birth. I will always praise you. I am an example to many people, because you are my strong protection. I am always praising you; all day long I honor you. Do not reject me when I am old; do not leave me when my strength is gone. My enemies make plans against me, and they meet together to kill me. They say, “God has left him. Go after him and take him, because no one will save him.” God, don’t be far off. My God, hurry to help me. Let those who accuse me be ashamed and destroyed. Let those who are trying to hurt me be covered with shame and disgrace. But I will always have hope and will praise you more and more. I will tell how you do what is right. I will tell about your salvation all day long, even though it is more than I can tell. I will come and tell about your powerful works, Lord GOD. I will remind people that only you do what is right. God, you have taught me since I was young. To this day I tell about the miracles you do. Even though I am old and gray, do not leave me, God. I will tell the children about your power; I will tell those who live after me about your might. God, your justice reaches to the skies. You have done great things; God, there is no one like you. You have given me many troubles and bad times, but you will give me life again. When I am almost dead, you will keep me alive. You will make me greater than ever, and you will comfort me again. I will praise you with the harp. I trust you, my God. I will sing to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. I will shout for joy when I sing praises to you. You have saved me. I will tell about your justice all day long. And those who want to hurt me will be ashamed and disgraced.

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I wish!

Unfortunately it’s going to be another one of those “working weekends.” Church event tonight, tomorrow afternoon, Sunday stuff and a funeral on Monday.

But soon, hopefully very soon I shall cast my flies upon the water.

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I’ve had Matthew 25 on my mind a lot recently. You know how it is when out of the blue a particular Bible verse just pops into your head and you can’t shake it? Sort of like when you hear a song from Air Supply or Barney - you go to extreme lengths to extricate that song from your head.

In the end, with a Bible text that is, hopefully you give in and start listening to what God is trying to tell you. “Ok God, I’m listening,” I say as I wait to understand why these verses will not leave my mind.

Matthew 25:35-40 (NCV) I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the good people will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our house? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?’ Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me.’

This is not a description of the ministries a church should have in order to truly be a church. I’ll save that discussion for another time. This is a description of the kind of people we need to be as followers of Jesus Christ.

Does my path regularly cross someone in need? I need to help them. Does someone I meet need food? I need to feed them. Does someone need medical attention? I need to help care for them. Does someone need to know they are not alone? I need to be there for them.

Will it be hard? Sometimes yes sometimes no. Will their be risk? Maybe, maybe not. Will my gift be appreciated? Yes and no. Will my gift be wasted or misused? Perhaps, but that’s not really my concern.

We can talk about the kind of church we need to be and the kind of programs we need to have until Jesus returns. I wonder if somehow our programs and ministries have occupied our time so much, have worn us out so much that we have not the strength or resources to respond with genuine simplicity to others.

I will make no significant impact in the lives of others unless I begin to view each person as Jesus and serve them as I would serve Jesus.

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I was watching a little television last night and had the most difficult time. There appears to be a shortage of creativity and clever writing as most of the stories rely upon sex and off color humor to generate laughs.

I remember a commedian talking once (though I forget his name) about comedians who are funny and those who are not. The comedians who are not funny rely upon foul language to generate laughs. The comedians who are funny can make you laugh with every day, mundane stuff.

I’m not one of those anti-television types. I enjoy the tranquility and the mind-numbing relaxation that can only result from the tele. I realize there have always been shows that have pushed the boundaries of decency and morality. I like shows for the stories, the plots, the characters. I could do without all the other “amenities.”

The current popular shows makes it hard to:

think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. (Philippians 4:8)

Anybody watched anything worthwhile lately?

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