Randy Wray's Blog

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After however many years it has been in my infamous (which of course means more than famous) guitar career I am now the owner of a Fender Stratocaster.

Unfortunately it’s not the one pictured on the left.

It’s the other one.

The plastic one.

The one that comes with Rock Band.

But from a distance you can barely tell the difference.

There are two biblical characters that I really identify with. First, is the young Peter.  I just hope I grow into being the older Peter. Second (who I want to be as a leader) is Caleb.

His story both inspires and challenges me on a personal and spiritual leadership level.  If you’re up for some good end of year, start the next reading, take a look at Numbers 13-14 and Joshua 14).

Here are the fill in the blank items from yesterday’s message notes (and some commentary):

• Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the EVIDENCE.

• Faith is daring to believe and do the right thing regardless of the CONSEQUENCES.

Caleb was a man of great faith because he resolved to do the right thing regardless of the consequences.

• At a time of frustration and discouragement God decides to give the people a GLIMPSE of the promised land.

Notice the difference between what God said to Moses and what Moses said to the recon team (Numbers 13:2; Numbers 13:17-20).

The point is all that stuff didn’t matter IF God was telling them to go!

• It’s wrong (and foolish) to assume that God is sending only if the journey is EASY and the task requires minimal EFFORT.

We know what happens when the recon team comes back based on the song (sing-a-long “10 were bad and 2 were good!).

• The failure of people, to remember God’s promise, was a failure in FAITH.

Caleb draws a line in the sand – a line that only Joshua is willing to cross.  He said:

“The land we explored is very good.  If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land and give us that fertile land.  Don’t turn against the LORD! Don’t be afraid of the people in that land! We will chew them up. They have no protection, but the LORD is with us. So don’t be afraid of them.”

• In the face of difficulty and challenge the people want to QUIT.

In essence they are saying:  “Take us where we want to go not where God needs us to go.”

• For now Caleb must trust and WAIT for God to make good on his promise.
• For Caleb, neither the MOUNTAINS or the GIANTS could get any bigger.

Based on the leadership of Caleb and the experience of the children of Israel I told the church that we had three choices (as I see it):

• We can QUIT.

We can “go back to Egypt.”  We can give up trying to advance forward and choose to “die with our forefathers.”  So great was their desire to go back and die as slaves they were ready to kill Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. Something that would have happened had the glory of the Lord not descended!

• We can CAMP.

We can decide we’ve gone far enough.  We can capture this moment in time and stay where it’s comfortable, and predictable. We can count our accomplishments, set up our perimeters and defend our walls.  It’s what Rueben and Gad wanted to do. (Numbers 32)

Or, like Caleb . . .

• We can CLIMB!

We can resolve to take the mountain and slay some giants along the way!

We’ve had a rough 2008 and 2009 doesn’t promise to be any easier. Just because “all is calm” does not necessarily mean “all is right.”   The worst kind of leader is the one who caters to fear.  The best kind of leader is one who creates faith. Even when all the people have chosen a rock to throw at you, someone has to stand up and say “it’s time to climb!”

There’s room for at least four more.

Two under the dining room table . . .

One in space between the kitchen and the breakfast area . . .

And one in the hallway . . .

We watched The Great Escape last night.

The kids (the oldest in particular) did not like the movie (even after we explained it was based on a true story).

An interesting observation regarding the tension between reality and fantasy.

They objected to the reality of characters in the movie (that they liked) being killed by the enemy soldiers.

Simply saying “well, that’s how it was back then” didn’t seem to pacify.

We’ll probably have to watch Three Amigos, Christmas Vacation, Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite to recover.

We had a great turnout for the Central Valley Home Companion.

Only four of the people gathered even knew about the Prairie Home Companion.

The downside to so few people unaware of the PHC is the potential of them not understanding the format.

The upside to so few people unaware of the PHC was no basis for comparison!

All in all I’d say it was a success.

We had a great number of program participants and those who gathered seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Today is the dress rehearsal for the school play.

The boy and I are once again in charge of audio.

The number one rule of the audio crew is to never do anything that causes people to turn around.

Not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse but I have the uncanny ability of thinking of a really great idea without the “necessary” time to pull it off.

I’ll mull something over and over (say an event) and days before the event the idea strikes which sets into motion a series of events to see if it can be accomplished.

Why is this important to you?  Because I need your help.

This Sunday night we are having our annual cookie exchange / christmas carol event.  Our praise band is going to lead a sing-a-long for the Christmas songs.

And then an idea hit:  How about a scaled down version of the Prairie Home Companion for the evening?

In record time I cranked out a script for the evening but find myself stuck at the closing lines.

So, can you help me?

I need some suggestions to finish the script.  I need to finish the lines that are designated with the dots.

We want to thank you for joining us for this Christmas edition of the Central Valley Home Companion.

Where all the men are  . . .

all the women are  . . .

and all the children are . . .

Any clever ideas?

Message notes from Sunday:

To obtain purses that do not wear out, to become rich in God, we must first change our attitude and our perspective:

TREASURE HUNTERS

Matthew 6:23-24 (NCV) “The eye is a light for the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. And if the only light you have is really darkness, then you have the worst darkness.  “No one can serve two masters. The person will hate one master and love the other, or will follow one master and refuse to follow the other. You cannot serve both God and worldly riches.

Developing a healthy perspective on money and possessions begins with TRUSTING God to take care of us.

The thing you should WANT most is God’s kingdom and doing what God WANTS.

TREASURES ON EARTH

Matthew 6:19 (NCV) “Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them.

There is actually a word play occurring here in the Greek language. This phrase actually reads:

Do not TREASURE up TREASURES for yourselves.

We must understand that treasures may include many things besides money.

4 PROBLEMS WITH TREASURES ON EARTH

Jesus gives four reasons why we should NOT lay up treasures on earth:

1. MOTHS :  In Jesus’ day fine clothes were made with gold threads and worn as a sign of success – but these clothes were susceptible to damage and ruin by moths.
   
2. RUST:  In Jesus’ day having a barn full of grain was a measure of success.  The word “RUST” in this passage literally means “an eating” which would indicate that the barns full of grain were susceptible to rats, mice, worms, and insects.
   
3. LOSS: If your stuff survives the elements it is still susceptible to those who would break in and steal.  And if it’s not stolen you can still loose it!
   
4. LOCKBOX:  (Seriously, any opportunity to use the word Lockbox in a message must be taken! )The problem with a lockbox is along with your possessions (what you’ve locked away) you’ve also locked away your heart.

A real danger with earthly possessions is that our affections can become centered on things – that is where our heart will be.  So, rather than love people and use things, we begin to love things and use people.  When we love things and use people we constantly fight to protect those things that are ours.

TREASURES IN HEAVEN

Rather than wasting our lives maintaining and protecting these things, Jesus gives us an alternative:

Matthew 6:20-21 (NCV) But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is.

Jesus turns the negative realities of a HOARDER to the positive reality of HOPE:

1. Moths and rust cannot CONSUME.
2. Loss and Thieves cannot REMOVE.
3. Your HEART will be with your treasure.

A person’s heart is the center, the core, the essence of their being.  A person worships what is their treasure.  If a person’s treasures are on earth, their heart will worship that treasure.

But, if a person’s treasures are in heaven, they will worship God.