From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 1 23:52:43 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 1 23:53:20 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] ...As Christ Loved The Church Message-ID: When I married my wife, I thought I had a pretty good grasp on how the power structure was going to work. My parents were a pretty good model and I figured I'd just do my best to copy that. You can stop laughing now. I learned one thing very quickly: It doesn't work like that. Not all Christian couples are the same, so there's always some growth you have to do on your own to find the right roles. What took me much longer to learn was how it DID work. There are some lessons there that are worth explaining if you haven't already experienced them and worth reviewing if you have. Marriage is this fantastic, elegant relationship that God has constructed for us. He lays down some rules and guidelines not to restrict us or to frustrate us. He explains those things to us so we'll know how it works. If you follow His word, you will do well. Most of us have heard the following verse: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." Ephesians 5:22-24 Wow! That sounds like a sweet deal. Here it is in black and white in the Bible, we should be in charge and our wives can't argue with it. Unbelievers may think Christian marriages work like a doormat relationship. But, it's only because our human minds have twisted the meaning. Like squeezing an orange, we wrench these verses to give us what we want: power, control, authority. The reason God has put men in this position is because He has given our wives and children into our stewardship and we are responsible for them. Like a captain on a ship, we will be held accountable for anything that happens to our family while they are under our care. In fact, Paul lays it out pretty clearly what we are expected to do: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless." Ephesians 5:25-27 That's a pretty high standard. We are commanded to love our wives. Note that he's not telling us to "be in love" with our wives. That's just a feeling that will come and go. We must love our wives. That's an active verb. It's something you do. There are not exceptions. We are to love our wives. Period. Full Stop. No excuses. And beyond that, we are commanded to love them just as Christ loved the church. He allowed himself to be crucified so that the church could be cleansed and be presented to God as holy and blameless. We have to have that same sacrificial love. It is the kind of love that says that we will do everything in our power to make our wives holy and blameless for God. That might mean interceding for her in prayer when she is struggling. It might mean standing in the gap so she doesn't have to experience verbal or emotional abuse from family (even your own parents!). It means that she is the most important thing on the earth to you and you won't hesitate to protect her at all costs from all possible attackers both physical and spiritual. God has entrusted you with her care. Take it seriously. It's not an easy task we are given, but it is the most rewarding relationship you will have on earth if it is done right. You have to be straight with God before you attempt this. Once you are, though, you must treat your wife as your next priority. I still don't have it all figured out yet. Like most things, though, I figure I'll just keep checking His Word. The rest will follow. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 2 23:52:30 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Jun 2 23:53:07 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Vengance is Whose? Message-ID: <0E3A8216-D3FC-11D9-8AE2-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved." Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince This quote describes many a man's approach to how he deals with the world and the people whose lives he touches. Yet, upon examination, we can realize that someone who uses fear is a slave to fear. "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared." Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince This man was a historian and political philosopher who's name has become synonymous with political maneuvering using the "dark whisper". He was the power behind the throne using revenge and all that goes with it. Perhaps you know someone like this. Do you know that man or woman that will go to any lengths to achieve their ambitions? Perhaps they have even done you wrong. How do you deal with such people? How grounded are you in your faith? You sit at the feet of the most powerful entity in all the known and unknown universe. The alpha and omega is your king. How do you deal with such people? "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18 "Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did."" Proverbs 24:29 "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." Romans 12:19 "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15 As men we must understand that our strength lies in our ability to offload to Jesus. Satan wins if we lose our temper and retaliate in kind... or worse. God holds the scales of ultimate justice. Our joy is in this knowledge. We are about love. The world is about hate. Stay strong. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 4 00:52:51 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Jun 4 00:53:28 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Pay Attention to the King Message-ID: As my devotional life grows, I am fascinated by how much the Word reveals about the world we live in right here and right now. I have read the story of King David many times. He is my favorite biblical personality. As flawed as he was throughout his life, he always held tight to his relationship with God. Wars came and went. Battles came and went. Wives came and some of them went. Then, there were the children. Good grief, what a curse to be a king! All your sons want you to die so they can be king. David's son, Adonijah, couldn't wait for David to die. According to 1 Kings 1:6, Adonijah was good looking, charismatic kid. He got a bunch of his buddies together to run in front of his chariot and, with his million dollar smile, declared himself king. 1 Kings 1:9 says that he made quite a show of it, too. He threw a big coming out party, invited almost everybody, had a big barbecue and everything. But, like a lot of guys with Hollywood smiles and big ideas, his plan was lacking. The king he wanted to replace wasn't done, yet. When told about his son's actions, David put a stop to the party and made Solomon king (v34). The difference, of course, was that Adonijah was acting like the king, but David still WAS the king. After Solomon was made king and Adonijah begged for mercy and received it (v51), he still couldn't let it go (2:15). He tried to slip in the back door by asking Solomon to grant him a request that would give him the appearance of ascension to the throne (v17). Solomon doesn't have the emotional ties to his brother that Adonijah was counting on, so Solomon decides he has to get on with being king and has his brother killed. (v24-25) How often are we like Adonijah? We get the big idea, convince a few people, put on a big show and then fail miserably. We find out too late that it wasn't the king's plan. Then we get humiliated, hacked off, and do something stupid. Guys, get to finding out what the king has in mind for you before you go off on your own. Get in the Word. Get connected and pay attention before you throw the big party. "And keep charge of the Lord your God to walk in his commandments, His ordinances, and his testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn." 1 Kings 2:3 These are the words of one king to another. Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 5 00:13:07 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Jun 5 00:13:44 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Message-ID: <444B3013-D591-11D9-B7DE-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Oh, the joys of children! My son is racing into puberty at full speed. Every other day, now, we get questions like, "Is this supposed to be happening?" or "Why is that changing?" or "Will it always be like that?" Since our only child is a boy, my wife deftly hands most of these questions to me. There are delicate ways to answer them, but usually the conversation comes back to one thing that I'm trying to repeat for his comfort: "This is a normal part of growing up. Don't panic." Eventually the changes will slow down and he'll look in the mirror one day and see a man looking back at him. As a loving father, I want to train him for that day so he's ready and can face the world head on. Christ chose the terminology of being "born again" for a reason. He explained that you were being born as a new creation in Christ. You are now a child of God. The mirroring of physical birth and spiritual re-birth doesn't stop there, though. After a baby is born, it matures and grows and becomes an adult. After we are spiritually re-born, we have to go through a similar process. The day you accepted Christ you were a spiritual infant. God was delighted that you joined His family and the angels rejoiced that you will be occupying a house in Heaven. At that moment, though, you began to feed on the spiritual equivalent of mother's milk. You needed it to grow and mature, but you were not a mature Christian. Let me be clear: God wants you to mature. When you are a mature Christian, you are no longer a spiritual infant, but a spiritual warrior. At that point, God can use you to spread His message and serve others. You become a conduit for people to see and learn about Jesus and the salvation He offers. But, none of this happens until you mature. Paul encouraged early Christians to mature spiritually. They were stuck in infancy like many today are. "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 Paul sums it up cleanly: "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11 Unlike our physical bodies, we can actually stop our spiritual maturation by ignoring our heavenly Father. He wants to prepare us for the work ahead, too. Don't do what you did when you were 12 and ignored most of what your parents said. Listen to your new Father. Let Him teach you about your new life and how to be productive in it. Put away the your spiritual childishness. C'mon, guys! Grow up! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 00:12:41 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 6 00:13:18 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Wants Leaders Message-ID: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "He is a born leader." There is a mystique about someone that everyone wants to follow. Being associated with a leader, a winner, or a celebrity is a full-time pursuit for some people. The world doesn't lack for followers. The world and, sadly, the church lack leaders. The reason, in large part, is that men buy into the lie that one has to be a "born leader." Really, you only have to be born to be a leader. Abraham - shepherd and family man - Father of Faith Moses - orphan - led Israel out of bondage Gideon - wheat farmer - military leader David - shepherd and part-time song and dance man - king and warrior Peter - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter Born leaders? I think not. They were borne by God to leadership. The hardest thing about finding a leader is finding someone who will just stand up and show up. The surest thing about a leader is that he operates in unsure territory most of the time. "A leader is a dealer in hope." - Napoleon Bonaparte "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams "Leadership is action, not position." - Me These are thoughts from men about what a great leader is. Now, let's hear from God: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." - Jesus of Nazareth Guys, the church needs you. Go to a quiet place, take five uninterrupted minutes to yourself, block out the noise from the world, and pray this prayer: Dear Lord, If it is your will that I should lead. Show me what I must do. Then take the remaining four minutes and 50 seconds and listen. Then get up and obey. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?" Psalm 27:1 You are in my prayers, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 08:32:31 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 6 08:32:36 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Wants Leaders (CORRECTION) In-Reply-To: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> References: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Message-ID: <43C1037B-19F3-41A0-9FBC-5E5C6D104E27@clanwebb.com> Okay, ten points for those of you who saw the mistake in the list of church leaders. On Jun 6, 2005, at 12:12 AM, Wyatt Webb wrote: > Abraham - shepherd and family man - Father of Faith > Moses - orphan - led Israel out of bondage > Gideon - wheat farmer - military leader > David - shepherd and part-time song and dance man - king and warrior > Peter - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter It should have been: Peter - fisherman - Rock of the Church Paul - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter Thanks for playing, Wyatt -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://clanwebb.com/pipermail/dailypushup/attachments/20050606/08baca83/attachment.html From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 23:32:20 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 6 23:32:56 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] True Freedom Message-ID: Freedom. What a wonderful concept. We crave it. We want to break away for the weekend to the freedom of a vacation. We want to retire to have the freedom to do what we want when we want. The world pretty much equates freedom with a lack of restraint. Of course, there is free fall, too. It's the sudden stop at the end that you have to watch out for. Free also implies something without cost. It's an oxymoron when you really think about it. Anything you get for nothing cost somebody something. If they made it and you got it for nothing, is it really free? What is true freedom? You probably aren't going to like this. True freedom is the ability to make a conscious decision to submit. Ouch! Are you really free on the weekend if, in the end, you have to go back to unwilling bondage? You are never free if you have to go back unwillingly. True freedom is submission. A captured man held as a slave isn't free. But, a the man who willingly becomes a slave is the free man. "Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as a bondslave of God." 1 Peter 2:16 Sound unfair? You're thinking, "Sure. You go first." "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to him who judges righteously." 1 Peter 2:21-23 God bless you guys, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 7 23:06:50 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Jun 7 23:07:28 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You See What I See? Message-ID: <80D8FCED-D7E3-11D9-BB32-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Don't kid yourself. Those who are not saved, are blind. They will profess to be free and in control, but they are blind. They cannot see the shackles of sin. They cannot see that they are, in fact, slaves. That's the great trick of Satan. Let people think they're in control, and he gets to lead them around by the nose. Sometimes the difference between what you see and what the unsaved see can be dramatic. The clearest case in my life was during a college course. I was taking a class called "Science and Religion". You can guess how the professor wanted to approach the subject. Our final project was to write a paper about how science and religion have interacted in a particular area and our assessment of the results or current state. We had to present our papers to the class and take questions. I wrote about the creation versus evolution debate. I argued to the class that many scientists have a non-scientific interest in maintaining that there is no God. The professor stopped me and asked, "So, you're saying that a biologist might intentionally skew his research for non-scientific reasons? Why would they do that?" The answer seemed clear. People who are not saved will avoid any situation or recognition that there might actually be a God. If they somehow proved to themselves that He was there, they would have to acknowledge Him. If they did that, they'd have to accept the fact that either they needed to repent and ask for salvation or accept their final destination of Hell. If you don't want to let go of the reigns of life, you don't want to even think like that. But, at that moment, I had an epiphany. Not only was the answer clear to me, but so was the realization that nobody else in the room would see it or understand it. I couldn't answer the question because nobody else there had my frame of reference. Nobody else could see what I see. I was dumbstruck. I knew the answer, but I couldn't give it. I realized that it didn't matter at that moment. Without seeing the way I did, there was no point in carrying on the conversation. I don't even remember how I finished the presentation, but I remember that moment like it was yesterday. Salvation surely does open your eyes. It opens your shackles and allows you to follow a different master. Only God can open your eyes. "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." Psalm 119:18 God was speaking through Isaiah when he wrote: "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open the eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." Isaiah 42:6b-7 Paul was given direction to spread the Gospel with one of the specific results being an opening of eyes. Jesus told Paul on the road to Damascus: "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." Acts 26:17-18 If you are saved, your eyes are open. It's like having night vision goggles in the dark world of sin. The good news is you can see the traps. The bad news is that you don't have an excuse when you fall into one yourself. The better news is that you can tell others how to have their eyes opened, too. When you do, though, beware of trying to explain what you can see and what they cannot. You will not be able to convince your friend of the existence of a pit down the trail if he cannot see his hand in front of his face. You must help him to see first. Then you can avoid the pit together. Keep your eyes open, men. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 8 23:22:35 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 8 23:23:12 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You Understand? Message-ID: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. I love it here. Whether it's the mountains, the forests, or the beaches, there is always something fun to do or beautiful to see. I can't imagine living anywhere else. However, I must also admit that this part of the country is generally a spiritual desert. Many people around here have decided that they don't need God. I saw one such person's car in traffic this morning. What struck me was the combination of bumper stickers in this car's window: "The last time we mixed politics and religion, people were burned at the stake" "Support your local goddess" "Don't hold strong opinions about things you don't understand" The juxtaposition of the first two with the last one made me laugh out loud. How arrogant to think that you have complete understanding to back up your opinions and your opponents do not. Furthermore, how hypocritical to show such disdain for God based on faulty understanding and, simultaneously, criticize those who make unfounded, strong statements. Wow. The lack of understanding in the unsaved is profound. "God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers... They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness." Psalm 82:1,5 "How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand," Psalm 92:5-6 Job describes what he has seen God do and concludes: "And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" Job 26:14 Isaiah writes about those who worship other idols: "They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds are closed so they cannot understand." Isaiah 44:18 True understanding can only come from God through faith. It can never come from your own education or logic. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10 "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130 So, believe on the Lord. Study his Word. He will bless you with understanding. Then you can certainly hold strong opinions about Him and the offer of salvation. For you will have understanding. Just don't forget that it doesn't come from you. It comes from Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5 Now, go share your understanding with those who lack it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 00:13:13 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Jun 10 00:13:51 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] How Do I Love Thee? Message-ID: <1C1333BE-D97F-11D9-BA5F-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> My wife and I just celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. I reflect upon the years of ups and downs and I truly cannot express how our love has evolved. If I had to choose a Bible verse about love, I would be stuck. My feelings for my wife are based more in terms of a reflection or a cast shadow. I can't conceive of anything that could separate us. When all the humor, cards, and good wishes are said and done, we will remain. To be sure, I have become too complacent in our relationship. I have become too assumptive. I need to listen more. I can't guarantee that I will reach any admirable level of perfection in these areas. I do know this: Separation, except by death, is not an option. We have left our families and become one. My wife is a gift not unlike a spiritual gift. "And an eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."" 1 Corinthians 12:21 I am sure as men you have all suffered the fate of walking up and down the aisle looking for the right greeting card for your wife. What failures we are that we leave our expressions of love to our wives for someone else to write. Love is a darn tough task. We can measure our performance against a Biblical standard. The list is: "Love is... patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecoming, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 I must admit that when I say I love my wife, I fall way short of that definition. I suppose I should be grateful she is willing to be sustained with less as I can only claim to practice some of the list some of the time. I can tell you that I grow weary of trying to be fresh, new, and stimulating in expressing feelings for my wife because I am such a dismal failure in doing so. So, I pray. I pray she will always be the apple of my eye. I pray that our intimate moments will grow. I pray that God will remind me of my obligations to Him for her. I pray that the day will come when: "... when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away" 1 Corinthians 13:10 I know God wants me to become better at my relationship with my wife, but the more I reflect, the more the next verse comes into play: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" 1 Corinthians 13:12 We all should work on our faith every day, but as hard as it is to give in completely, we have a taller mountain to climb. "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13 Guys, it points right to the cross. Fix your eyes on Jesus if you want to love your wife. Let's make a pact: If we can't speak our love with elegance, let's resolve to show it through Christ. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 15:02:54 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Jun 10 15:03:06 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Push Up for Review Message-ID: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> We live in a society that teaches us to seek fame, recognition, and glory. Actors and actresses want people to know their names, not just the movies they make. Musicians and artists want to be well known for the art they create, but they still want to be well known. Even in sports, we are starting to see individual players have a fanbase that is more attached to the player than the team. The name of the performer, athlete, or artist is important to us. Often, these folks have a distinctive imprint or signature on what they do. We recognize the author simply by viewing the art or watching the play. Furthermore, we want to be recognized for what we do. It is considered very unethical to take credit for someone else's work. People have lost jobs and paid fines for simply copying another person's work product. That doesn't keep some from trying, though. In a way, unsaved and many saved folks do that every day. Each time that someone is praised, recognized, or honored, they have a choice. They can puff up a little bit and feel pretty important, or they can redirect the glory to the source of the abilities they have: God. Let's face it. His fingerprints are all over you. First off, he created your physical body: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27 Then, when you were saved, you became a new creation: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 Wait a minute! If I'm a new creation, how come I still have that scar from when I was five? How come I'm still losing my hair? You are a new creation, but it's a spiritual creation and that's what's most important to God. He wants your heart and mind to show his signature. He wants people to recognize His handiwork in how your spirit has been molded. The key here is that you shouldn't hide the artwork from the world. You must display it so the artist can be known and recognized. Not only that, but you cannot take credit for what He has done. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" John 13:35 Love each other. Do good works. This is how the world will see God's artistry on your life. Of all the famous people we know of, only God actually deserves the praise and glory. The rest are unworthy. It is not your artistry or talent on display. It is the result of the gifts God gave you. Act like it. And we don't even have to live in a museum! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 15:18:06 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Jun 10 15:19:05 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Push Up for Review In-Reply-To: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> References: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> Message-ID: <4e1946b00cb413169faf697b6d1164e3@clanwebb.com> Whoops! That last one was a little early. Consider that your Saturday morning Push Up. Sorry for any confusion, Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 11 23:58:58 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Jun 12 00:01:39 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Missing the Mark Message-ID: <7302D032-DB0F-11D9-A62E-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Often we lack dimension in our faith. Our colors are flat. They lack texture, tint, hue, saturation, reflection, complementary colors, and other facets. Knowing about these aspects is what separates regular folk from artists. Did you realize that there are eight different words in the Old Testament and twelve in the New Testament used to describe a single concept? This variety of vocabulary is used to describe sin. The word "chata" is used 522 times in the Old Testament. Its basic meaning is "to miss the mark". It is equivalent to the Greek word "hamartano". Thinking of the archer, it is easy to understand what missing the mark means. But, even in this, we are one dimensional. The arrow misses the mark. The target is untouched and there is no quivering shaft protruding from the bulls-eye. The archer missed. However, we need to remember that this is not just the passive idea of missing the mark, but also the active idea of hitting the wrong mark. The arrow went somewhere and it did hit something. For that, there will be consequences. For sure, that is the way of sin. When a man commits adultery, he misses the mark. At the same time, though, he has hit his wife and children. It hits his mother and father, his brothers and sisters, his friends. And don't forget all of the same people connected to the woman in this relationship. Sin is so selfish. "But he who sins against me injures himself; All those that hate me love death." Proverbs 8:36 Sin is self centered. Pray that God reveals your selfish motives before you act on them. Keep on keeping on, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 12 23:58:29 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 13 00:01:47 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Making the Numbers Message-ID: <8C56D0CA-DBD8-11D9-8204-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I suppose that the term "goal" has, in many ways, circumvented the term "vision" in our culture. I am in sales. For those of you in the same profession, you understand what it means to be a goal-setter. We are encouraged to see ourselves in the lifestyle we want and then put a monetary cost to our vision. We then are told to break down annual numbers to monthly number to weekly numbers to daily numbers and, finally, to contact numbers. Now, never fool yourself that they are your numbers. They just want you to say the numbers they want to hear and put your name on them. Then employers can spur us with our numbers. "You said that this is what you wanted and to achieve those numbers this is what is expected of you." "Did you make your numbers?" is the question at the end of each month. If you have been in sales for a few years, you will also know that if you make your numbers, they raise your numbers. If you make those numbers, they raise them again. Now, if you make them often enough, they will shrink your territory and add another guy so they can whip him with his numbers. After all, nothing happens in the free enterprise system unless something is sold. The bottom line in any corporation, when it comes to sales, is that there is a numbers person, who isn't in sales, that has a number in a file that tells him when you are making too much or too little. Make too little and you are out. Make too much and they change the rules. The amount of "blue sky" in the promise of "the sky's the limit" is bigger than the Goodyear Blimp. We submit ourselves to this charade because we like to sell, but any seasoned salesperson will tell you that it is just part of the game. I remember a time when my sales manager made us inflate our numbers so high (to make him look good) that, in the following months, when we were not making those impossible numbers, he got real surly. We faced off in a sales meeting when we all had had enough of one another. Everyone knew the numbers were not attainable. He knew it. We knew it. And, yet, there we were acting like we didn't know it. (By the way, this is the essence of why I have spent the last ten years as an independent contractor.) "Don't ask someone to commit to moving a mountain with a spoon and then jump his bones because you don't like where he started. In the end, you don't move mountains with a spoon." That was my witty remark. He then did what all sales managers do when they are not making their numbers: they change salesmen. In this case, he chose me because I wasn't making my numbers. Thus saving his number (being number one) he went back to the meeting stating that it was attitudes like mine that kept everyone from making their numbers. Praise Jesus. He doesn't have quotas and forbids us to lie. Oswald Chambers says it perfectly, "All that we build will be inspected by God. When God inspects us with his searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15." Jesus is the master planner. We must let him take over completely. He knows the numbers. He will make the numbers. He owns the territory. God bless all independent salesmen. As long as we are trying to make a living, there will be prayer in the work force. God bless all sales managers that support their people. Your jobs are tough. I know because I've been there, too. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 13 23:19:21 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 13 23:23:40 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Provides Message-ID: <3F101FF5-DC9C-11D9-983C-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Say, I'll bet you would really like to understand your wife or girlfriend. Forget it! Larry Crabb states it well: "Who can exhaustively understand the product of an infinite God?" She will always be a mystery in many ways. He goes on to explain that if you concentrate on a person's needs, you will gain some understanding of your mate or significant other. A good place to start is with two important needs: significance and security. If we are to be the leaders in our relationships, it seems only logical that we are in charge of providing an environment that fosters these two needs. But, is it? Doesn't it make more sense to hold up our heavenly provider and be obedient to Him? Sure it does, because, in human terms, one person can never provide enough to another person. One part of the relationship always feels like the other could do more or that one expects too much. As to security: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25,27 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phillipians 4:6 As to significance: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 I think sometimes as men we manufacture worldly ideas about significance and security. Houses, cars, and bank accounts become the answer to both of these needs. Actually, these are the trappings of a false view. Obedience to God will provide these things as byproducts of our effort, but true significance and security comes from knowing God and being identified with Him. Yes, we will work hard to produce, but God provides. "Lord, let us work hard to produce, but never let us forget that you are the provider" Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 15 00:16:21 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 15 00:20:49 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Build on the Foundation Message-ID: <5FD231BD-DD6D-11D9-B2BC-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Summer is upon us and, like every year, summer brings weddings. I have been to my share of weddings over the years and I have seen all types: big, little, expensive, modest, dignified, goofy, and a variety of ways to include or exclude God in the proceedings. Some of those marriages have lasted many years. Some have ended. Some have proceeded exactly as I predicted. Some have amazed me. The part of the ceremony that has the most impact on me is the exchanging of vows. That's where the bride and groom make promises to each other to be committed through thick and thin. They make those promises in front of friends and family and God. This is a serious commitment and my heart breaks for those couples who are standing at the altar, staring into each other's eyes, and simply mouthing the words without considering the meaning. There are those weddings where God is simply hovering around the edges like the candles and His name is invoked once or twice to give the ceremony some heft. They feel lacking to me because they are missing a foundation. Here are two people seeking to launch their new life together, but without the firm foundation that marriage needs. Sure, there are unsaved who have long marriages, but they are bucking the odds. Would you rather build your marriage on unstable ground and hope that the storm never comes or build it on stable ground and know that you can withstand any storm? "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 Believe me, if you haven't had to weather storms, you will. If you think you're done weathering storms, you aren't. Not only should you build your life on the rock, but your marriage as well. A marriage built on Christ will withstand the storms of money trouble, in-law trouble, job troubles, child troubles, and relationship trouble. A marriage not built on Christ is a toss-up. Why take the chance? If you are married, talk to your wife tonight. Make sure the two of you are on the same wavelength about where Christ is in your marriage. Pray together. Talk to each other. Lift each other up to Him. If you are planning to get married, talk to your fiance or girlfriend about where Christ will be in your future plans. Make it clear up front so you two can take that first step together in the same direction. If you are neither of the above, pray about God's plan for your life. Pray for your future wife and your future marriage. Keep yourself centered on Christ and she will be brought to your doorstep. When she appears, it will be because you trusted in Him. Not because you set Him aside to find her. Jesus is the master builder. He has the best plans in the universe and He's offering them for free. Use them. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 15 23:25:30 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 15 23:30:03 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Wanna Play? Message-ID: <6F88C48E-DE2F-11D9-BA76-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I love sports. I love talking about my favorite teams and players with other fans. I love speculating on who will get drafted or traded. I have come to realize, however, that I watch a lot more sports than I actually play. It was the other way around when I was younger. It's not that I wouldn't like to play. I just don't have the time or dedication for those sports anymore. There's just something about being in the game, though, that I miss. I remember playing basketball in high school. I was the classic bench-warmer, but I still loved it. I usually got to play every game, even if it was just a few minutes. I wasn't expected to score or dominate. I just needed to follow the plays, make the passes, block out my man, and fill the lanes on the fast break. I loved practicing with the team (that was the most well-conditioned I have ever been), traveling with the team, and being on the floor. I was one of the guys. Part of the group that was doing something. I had a hard time watching other teams play, then, because I wanted to be part of it. I didn't want to be on the sidelines when the big play happened. I can still remember the intensity and excitement during a tense game with a big crowd. It was electric. As those days have faded, I have come to realize that we all have an even better opportunity. Thankfully, our ability to participate on this new team is unrelated to our size, shape, or vertical leap. No, the only requirement is commitment. Jesus has offered us a spot on his squad. He is delighted that you made it to the game. But, now, He wants to see a show of hands for who wants to play the game and not just watch. You see, Jesus could field a team of angels. Heck, He could play by Himself and win the game without us. He loves us, though, and wants us to be part of His plan. He's got the plays drawn up. He knows where we need to be on the floor. Some of us will play the part of the point guard, the scoring star, the quiet defensive specialist, or even the bench-warmer who keeps the crowd excited and only gets two minutes a night. He's got a specific role in mind for each one of us. The point is that we get to play. We just have to make that commitment to Christ. Jesus did this tangibly while He was here on Earth: "He appointed twelve -- designating them apostles -- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." Mark 3:14 Jesus could have done all these things Himself, but He wanted a team. He chose men who made a commitment to Him to be His team. He taught them the plays and sent them out on the floor to execute them. They were responsible for bringing the gospel to untold numbers of people. Now, there were certainly other people who believed in Jesus and were saved. But, they were content to sit in the bleachers and watch. They were sincerely happy and cheered when they heard about the great things that Peter, John, and Paul did. But, they didn't want to get out and play, too. I pray that isn't me, but I always fear that it is. It is my personal belief that the church suffers from too many bleacher bums and not enough men willing to raise their hands and say, "I'll play." Ask yourself which one you want to be. Find out what is taking up space in your life that is keeping you from making that kind of commitment and dump it. Just like high school basketball, you'll get beat up, you'll be sore, but you'll love it. You'll get to be part of the team. You'll get to be part of the team that's doing something. C'mon. I'll raise my hand if you do. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 16 23:32:31 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Jun 16 23:33:21 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who Would You Rather Be? Message-ID: <954F3C5C-DEF9-11D9-A166-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Michael Jackson is acquitted by a jury of men and women on earth. We know the courtroom was filled with lies. We just aren't sure who was lying when. So, twelve people sift through what they heard, applied what the judge told them, tried to set aside personal prejudice, and looked at the allowable cold, hard facts. What do we have? There's a tormented man that has all the world can offer. There's a mother that is so twisted that she would use her children and the system to extort money. There are lawyers and prosecutors that submit and omit only the information that suits their side. There is the mob that worships, the mob that hates, and the press that exploits. Finally, there are the young men who look to their past and cannot find anyone who hasn't used them in one way or another. One is tempted to cry out, "What has the world come to?" It isn't what it has come to. It is what it is: FALLEN! "But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel." Proverbs 12:10 "The wicked man desires the booty of evil men. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips." Proverbs 12:12-13 "He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit." Proverbs 12:17 "Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil." Proverbs 12:20 "Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD" Proverbs 12:22 Satan has thrown back his head and laughed at man over this. He has won. He has destroyed lives and made a mockery of love and righteousness. But, (with God around, there's always a "but" when it comes to evil): "But the precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death." Proverbs 12:27-28 Right now, ask yourself: Would you rather be Michael Jackson or you? In His name, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 18 00:38:36 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Jun 18 00:39:30 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Live Where You Are Message-ID: I talked to my dad this afternoon and he asked me a favor. "Could you write the Push Up for today? I'm going to the Mariners game tonight." What a guy. Never being one to pass a great opportunity, I will use him as my first object lesson. My wife, my son, and I used to go to quite a few Mariners games when we lived in the Seattle area a few years ago. We miss them quite a bit. Hearing that Dad was going tonight, I groaned in jealousy. I love that stadium. I love watching baseball. I love spending that kind of time with my family. I was bummed. This is not a unique experience for us. You see it every day. When someone gets a raise at work, there are always folks that get a little upset. "Why does he get that raise? Why does he deserve it?" Or, when someone drives up in a new car, there will be people grumbling, "That's not fair! How come he gets a new car and I don't? I must be getting shafted." When you think about this, it's a bizarre non sequitur. The complainer's situation hasn't changed one iota. Some friend or acquaintance has had a good thing happen and the complainer uses it as a reason to get angry or pouty. If it doesn't affect you tangibly, why do you let your attitude change? This, of course, is the basis for most class warfare in this country, too. "Those people have more than you do. Let's punish them and you'll feel better." Revenge is often of this variety. It's not so much to gain something for yourself, but to make another person suffer as you feel they deserve. First off, we are sinners. We are terrible judges of what is fair and what isn't. Needless to say, we are depending on the fact that Jesus has offered to overlook the fair payment for our lives. He's allowing us to ride on his tab. Let God do the judging of what is fair and what isn't. That's not our job. Secondly, God chooses who will be blessed and who won't be. There are reasons for them all. God has put you where you are to help you grow. He intends for you to learn and build a relationship with Him. Get to work on that and stop complaining about the folks around you. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important that food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:25-27 Don't desire what others have. Be glad that God loves you and has given you what you DO have. Realizing that where you are and what you have is in God's plan will allow you to be content in knowing you're on the right track. He's guiding you and teaching you. Let it happen. Don't shake your fist at Him and demand to be on someone else's track of life. It wouldn't work for you anyway. I know Dad had fun. So did we. He was where God wanted him and so were we. I can live with that. Can you? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 19 00:30:50 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Jun 19 00:32:52 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Listen Carefully and Act Immediately Message-ID: <0FD78A11-E094-11D9-8D28-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"" Matthew 14:29-30 This is amazing to me. Peter jumps out of the boat and that doesn't bother him. A little breeze comes up and that is when he begins to sink. What is that all about? I can walk on water, but if it gets windy I sink. Actually, I have a little experience with this type of situation. No kidding. I do. A couple of us were on the Deschutes river in Oregon. We were headed upriver in a home built, wooden jet boat through a set of husky rapids when a cable came loose. This cable controls the gate that covers the opening at the end of the volute on the pump. The lever that controls the action was inoperable. In short, the motor was useless and we were coming back down through rapids backwards. Now water outside a jet boat is an exciting ride. The prospect of turning sideways in a rapid, hanging up on a rock or a snag, tilting, and letting water inside the boat is to be avoided at all costs. I looked at my buddy running the boat and he looked at me in the bow. I could tell by the way he was gunning the engine and how his head was snapping back and forth checking out the water that he felt we were in trouble. I looked off the bow and I could see the shore beginning to recede as we drifted toward the center of the river. Right at this point I was at the same moment as Peter. Oswald Chambers describes the moment this way. "If you debate for even a second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately - totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything - by casting all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him." Peter left the boat and so did I. I took the free end of the anchor rope with me and dove toward the shore with the idea of tying off on something and stopping the boat. Just like Peter, though, I came to a critical moment. I came to the end of the rope before I reached the shore and, while underwater, I was being pulled back out toward the center of the river. For Peter it was the wind. For me it was running out of air. I felt the panic rise in an instant and self-preservation was my first priority. I stopped swimming and was about to let go of the rope so I would rise to the surface. At that moment, as I was coming up, I drifted right over a huge snag on the bottom. I wrapped my legs around it and with what little slack in the rope was produced by my heading back toward the boat, I was able to get a wrap around the log. I broke the surface still holding on to about six inches of line. The rope went taut and held. The boat drifted sideways, out of the current, and into an eddy. Just that quick it was all over. God was gracious. He gave me the impulse and the solution. All I had to do was react when He spoke. God didn't give Peter a log, as He did for me, and Peter was rebuked for his lack of faith. As for me, I wasn't very strong in my faith at that time in my life, but I remember the event and the impulse. If it happens again, I will recognize His voice. I know I am not alone with this experience. If you have had such a moment, e-mail me at a.r.webb@worldnet.att.net Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 20 00:29:42 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 20 00:30:45 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Get Sharp Message-ID: <11515C3B-E15D-11D9-A376-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I was feeling pretty proud of myself. I had graduated at the top of my high school class. I had given a speech at my graduation that was the only one to get a standing ovation. Everyone around me was telling me what a smart person I was and how I was going to tackle the world with ease. Then I started my first semester at MIT. There is a saying that goes around campus that fit my mood appropriately during those first months. "An MIT education is like taking a drink from a fire hose. You drown and your parents get soaked." Those baseline classes that everyone takes sure felt like a tidal wave. I went from feeling confident that college would be just as easy as high school to feeling terrified that I clearly didn't belong there and I would be told to take a hike any day now. That took about three months. I had stepped into a completely different world. Getting into MIT had been my goal, but it was only the beginning. Learning how to function and succeed in my new environment was a whole world of work that I hadn't contemplated when I went in. It was arduous and exhausting, but very rewarding. I have no doubt that my four years there shaped me in significant ways. I see some strong similarities to my early years as a Christian and to new Christians around me now. There is an exhilaration at getting saved (as there should be), but then there's a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look that says, "What do I do next?" It's more than you expect, but you know it's worth every minute of it. If this is you, make sure you are well connected to those who can teach you. A church is a great start, but a mentor or small group is even better. Stay connected. Learn at the feet of those who know. If you have been a Christian for a while, then you will know some of these baby Christians I describe. Offer your knowledge and experience to help them along. They can't do it without you. Not to mention that teaching others will only make you a better defender of your faith and more useful to God. If I had not had teachers leading me through Solid State Chemistry and Differential Equations, I would have probably given up in frustration. You have a responsibility to help your brothers along. This is even tougher for men as we tend to want to be the lone wolf. Men, we need to stick together to help learn, understand, and process all the Lord has given us to know. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 Find someone to sharpen and you will be sharpened, too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 21 07:47:23 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Jun 21 07:48:06 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Romans in the Road Message-ID: <159c828ccebdebf5e564b16b47737cd9@clanwebb.com> We have all been at a point when we we are intimidated by the possibility that someone may ask us what it means to be a Christian. We start, stumble, and and stall our way through an explanation. Most men can get tongue-tied to the point that they look like a kitten after ten minutes with a ball of yarn. I will attempt to give you a good tool to get started. You may have heard about it before, but you can't slip it out of the holster with ease when you need it. This is commonly referred to as the Roman Road. The Roman Road traces the basics of Christianity through four verses in the book of Romans. These are Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, and 10:9. Let me give you a mental image to help remember these verse locations. Imagine that you and a friend are walking down a road together and you come upon 3 big Roman Centurions all decked out in their armor sitting in the middle of the road who don't intend to let you pass. This is a little intimidating so you begin to size up the situation. You count the Romans (3), you count you and your buddy (2), then you count the Romans again (3). This gives you 3:23. While considering the situation, you double-take as these guys stand up and look huge. You're sure their number has doubled (6). You count you and your buddy again (2) and then count the Romans again to make sure. Whew! There are still the same number (3). This give you 6:23 Realizing that your buddy isn't really big enough to help ( he's only 5'8" ) you figure you'll have to rush these Romans if you are to continue on the road. You start counting down to yourself "10-9..." This gives you 5:8 and 10:9 If you can remember this little situation, you can remember the Roman Road. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; " Romans 10:9 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 22 00:28:45 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 22 00:29:29 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Let It Out Message-ID: <443941BB-E2EF-11D9-AE71-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> When I was young, we had a pet parakeet named Sam. I thought he was pretty cool. I would talk to him and watch him play on his little ladder and nibble off of the birdseed bell he always had. One day, my parents discovered that Sam had died. They were pretty worried about how I would deal with the loss of a pet. They thought carefully about how they would break the news to me. It went something like this: "Wyatt, we have some sad news. Sam died." "Sam who?" "Sam the bird." "Oh. That's too bad." That was it. They were a little surprised, but I really didn't have much of a reaction at all. There was nothing to mourn for me because Sam didn't mean that much to me. On the other end of the spectrum was a beloved dog we had named Kate. She had lived with us for quite a while and had even become good friends with our cat. Kate was hit by a car, but held on for several days before she died. My parents and I mourned that loss. We were very sad and missed Kate dearly. It was a time in my life when I was trying to toughen up and not cry anymore, but that event still caused me to shed a few tears. Even the cat wandered the house crying for a week after Kate died. We all dealt with that loss by living through it. It was sad, but we had to process the feelings to move on. As adults, men prefer not to cry at all. The only really allowable times are things like seeing your son win MVP or watching the end of "Field of Dreams". There's just something unmanly about crying in pain, frustration, or happiness. Guess what, guys. Real men don't hold it in. We do that to show that we're strong and we can handle the situation alone. Don't kid yourself. Seek support from family, friends, your pastor, and God. They love you enough that they want to share in your pain and your joy. They will help even out the valleys and amplify the peaks. Jesus is your friend, too. He wants that same kind of relationship. Remember that Jesus didn't feel the need to hold it in either. As men, we love the image of Jesus getting angry and chasing the moneychangers out of the temple. We could see ourselves doing that. But, when Jesus heard about the death of his friend Lazarus and the pain it caused his sisters, Jesus openly mourned with them. "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ... Jesus wept." John 11:33,35 Just before Jesus was arrested, he prayed fervently for you. He didn't say something macho like, "God, make sure they always have good weather for fishing and enough wine when they're done." No, he prayed: "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their[ the apostles' ] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-21, 23 That's a pretty deep, emotional feeling he has for you. Don't be afraid to share those same feelings with Him. Mourn your losses. Cry with happiness at your joys. Don't hold back. Let yourself be emotionally intimate with Him and with your brothers and sisters in Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 23 00:11:37 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Jun 23 00:12:24 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Eat Right Message-ID: <09E7B920-E3B6-11D9-A499-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> There is one thing I remember quite fondly about my teenage years. I loved the fact that I could eat anything I wanted, as much as I wanted, and whenever I wanted and it didn't make any difference. My friends and I would inhale roughly one large pizza each on a good night. It became a badge of honor to be the largest consumer of food at any given table. I remember actually being frustrated that I couldn't put on a few pounds to help me muscle my way around while playing basketball. That all came to a crashing halt on Thanksgiving of 1988. I was at college, far from home, and had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving dinner. There were a few of us in the dorm who were staying over Thanksgiving break, so we all decided to go out to dinner together. We had all kinds of food and none of it resembled traditional Thanksgiving fare. Afterwards, the waitress asked if we wanted dessert. I was still feeling gastronomically invincible, so I ordered a dessert called 'Death By Chocolate'. I took the name as a challenge. It came in a dish the size of a punchbowl. Much to the shock of my friends, I ate the entire thing. It took about ten minutes for me to realize that my metabolism wasn't going to bail me out of this situation like it had before. Worse, I had neglected to think about the fact that we had not driven to the restaurant. We had walked there. I would have to walk back. It was over a mile. That experience reminded me that there are consequences for how we feed ourselves. The same holds true for how we feed ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Just like eating too much now will make me overweight and slow me down, feeding the other aspects of your life the wrong food will make you lazy and ineffective. It can even make you sick. Furthermore, the fruit you produce is directly related to the nutrients you consume. We can tell when we've eaten something bad for us because we put on a few pounds, we get heartburn, we can't sleep. Spiritually, you can tell when you're on the wrong diet based on the fruit you produce. Jesus was pretty clear about what nutrients you need if you want to bear fruit. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 Here's the basic spiritual diet plan, straight from Jesus: "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4 People around you, saved and unsaved, can tell if you are bearing fruit, too. It's in how you talk: "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" James 3:10-11 It's in how you treat others: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 Most of all, people see the fruit in how you live: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" Galatians 5:22 My father taught me a very basic rule of life when I was young: Garbage in, garbage out. You cannot consume the unholy and claim to be holy. It can't happen any more than you can water the lawn with gasoline and expect it to grow. This extends to the company you keep, the things you read, the shows you watch, the movies you rent, the music you listen to, and places you go. It's everything. Make sure you're on the right diet. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 24 00:34:12 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Jun 24 00:34:58 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You Hear That? Message-ID: <5BEA05FA-E482-11D9-9ECE-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> While in college, I was lucky enough to take a course in acoustics from Dr. Amar Bose. He is the founder of Bose Corporation that makes all the very cool speakers, radios, and sound systems. One of the bonuses of taking his course was that the entire class was able to tour his nearby research facility at the end of the semester. We got to see how they design sound systems for different cars. We got to stand in a room where they tested their theater quality subwoofers and feel our insides turn to jelly. We saw how they went about doing some of the best quality reproduction of sound in the industry. One thing I remember well, though, was a particularly eerie room. They had something called an anechoic chamber. This was a ten by ten by ten cube cage suspended inside of a larger soundproof booth. The space between the cage and the booth walls was covered with large angled foam padding. The purpose of this chamber was to completely eliminate all echoes. Not only did it block all sound from outside the booth, but no sound whatsoever bounced off of any surface inside the booth. While standing and talking to the tour guide, we could hear each other very clearly. The eerie part was in a simple demo the guide gave. He held up his keychain in front of his chest and began shaking the keys. We could all hear the keys jangling clearly. He then continued shaking them and simply turned around so that his body was blocking our view of the keys. We could see his arm moving and knew the keys were still banging against each other. However, as soon as the keys were out of view, we could not hear a sound. It was as silent as if nothing was happening. Without the usual echoes we hear off of walls, tables, floors, and whatnot, the sound could not reach our ears. This strikes me as an excellent illustration of how our communication with God works. God speaks to us, but we don't always hear. Just like my experience in the chamber, I could only hear the sound when all external sound was blocked and when I could see the source of the sound. It's really hard to hear God if you have external distractions and aren't focused on Him. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." 1 Chronicles 16:11 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 Paul is being clear in the above verse. You cannot be of this world and hear God clearly. You need to be transformed via salvation. Then, and only then, will you be able to discern God's will from the rest of the noise around you. Block out the distractions. Focus on the source. It takes effort, but when you do it right, you will hear Him clearly and powerfully. He's speaking to each of us. Can you hear Him? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 25 02:26:05 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Jun 25 02:26:54 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Say What? Message-ID: <27CF0B9F-E55B-11D9-9025-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Used incorrectly, it can cause pain, leave scars, incite violence, trigger battles, and even start international war. Used correctly, it can sooth, heal, calm, make peace, encourage, and bless. For good or ill, it will always change people's lives. I'm describing something we all use every day and, sometimes, we use it with a casualness that is dangerous. I am speaking, of course, of your tongue. If someone was walking down the street waving a gun indiscriminately, we would want him arrested. He could easily injure or kill another person. And, yet, we can do lasting, deep damage with the things we say to our friends, our children and our wives. Guns can be valuable tools. We use them to defend our country, to keep criminals in jail, and even to protect the property God has seen fit to let us have. Guns are only useful, though, when the wielder is trained in their use. Our tongue is the same way. If we do not train ourselves to use our tongue correctly, we're liable to hurt someone... badly. And more likely than not, it'll be someone you care about. God knows full well how much danger and opportunity comes with this part of our body: "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" Proverbs 12:18 "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21 In this last verse, note that the "fruit" mentioned is not necessarily something you want. The writer is saying that those who love to talk will have to deal with the consequences of what they say. Beware. How can we protect ourselves and our love ones? Just like with guns, the first step of safety is to limit their use. Don't speak without a purpose and make sure your purpose is worthy. It is much easier to say something than to unsay something. Most of the time, the damage is irreversible. Something you say after half a second of thought may take ten years to heal. Remember what Mom said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." That statement is clearly derived from scripture. "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Proverbs 10:19 "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue." Proverbs 11:12 "A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." Proverbs 17:27-28 I suspect many of you, like me, are still learning how to do this. Work hard at it, though. How you speak to your friends is part of the image of Christ that they will see. How you speak to your children will shape them for the rest of their lives. How you speak to your wife can build her up or tear her down, and your children will notice. Your sons will mimic you and treat their future wives the same way. Your daughters will think that what you say is acceptable behavior in a future husband. Make sure they have a good model. Consider your words carefully. Make them worthy of being said. Wield your tongue with care. The quality of your life will depend on it. "For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech."" 1 Peter 3:10 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 26 00:42:34 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Jun 26 00:43:51 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Ruts Message-ID: Men are creatures of habit. As we get older, the habits can get harder to break. How many of you have had that experience where you are driving somewhere, you get distracted by the phone, radio, or a conversation and you magically end up at either your house or your office? How many of you have learned that if you want to remember to do something in the morning, you had better attach a note to your keys or your wallet? How many of you have forgotten entire steps of your morning routine because of a minor interruption that threw you off track? Men's minds can be very efficient. Of course, that's not the word women would use to describe them. We have learned that you don't have to remember ten different things every morning. We know that if we just remember the first thing that it will remind us of the second and the second will remind us of the third and so on. Every time we perform an action, we are carving deeper and deeper grooves in our brain. Just like railroad tracks, we only have to remember where to start the engine. After that, we just follow the rails we've laid down before. Pretty soon, we can do it half asleep. We have come to depend on this chaining mechanism to help us perform complicated processes without having to remember each step individually. Nobody thinks about everything we do to get ready for work in the morning. We just know that if we get up and get in the shower, everything else will flow naturally and before you know it you'll be clean, dressed and on your way to work. Now, if work wasn't your destination that particular morning, you could be in trouble. These habit mechanisms are very powerful. Once they are set up, we don't have to expend a lot of mental energy to take advantage of them. However, if we ever want to change a habit, watch out. The deeper the rut, the easier it is to fall in even when you're consciously trying to avoid them. Once you fall into the rut, it can be darn near impossible to get out. Sometimes, you don't even know you're in the rut because you're used to doing it without thinking. That's how you end up at your office on a Saturday morning. This phenomenon will fight against you when you get saved. You have carved many, many ruts in your thought life that came from your sinful nature. But, precisely because they are ruts and habits, they are some of the hardest things in the world to avoid mentally. Despite your salvation, do you still find yourself craving a new boat or TV? Do you still find yourself cursing at the idiot driver in the next lane? Do you still find yourself ignoring your wife and kids to watch the game? Do you still find yourself watching cable channels or surfing the websites that you know you should avoid? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. We all have those kinds of ruts to avoid. Unlike ruts in a road, they don't ever get filled in. The only way to avoid them is to create new habits and new ruts. Paul felt exactly this way, too: "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate... For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." Romans 7:15,18 Beating yourself up about it won't help, though. First off, you have to admit what Paul said: You have nothing good in you that is not from Christ. You cannot overcome sin on your own. Second, recognize that the only way to create new habits and fight your old ruts is to live in the Spirit. Let Him drive all aspects of your life. Notice that I did say ALL aspects. You can't do this halfway. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Galatians 5:16 You will slip up. You will fail. The real question is what do you do then? Don't decide that you're a failure and give up. Don't tell yourself, "Just a little taste, then I won't have to come back." You need to get up, ask forgiveness, and turn it all over to Jesus. Satan wants you to feel guilty and worthless. Satan wants you to feel like you can beat it on your own. Jesus wants you to know that the debt is paid and you are forgiven. Just seek to live by the Spirit. Let Him help you create new habits. My favorite one is to just open the Word whenever I feel myself sliding into a rut. That's a new habit that will never steer you wrong. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 26 23:58:46 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 27 00:00:45 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Think Right Message-ID: Several years back, Clint Eastwood starred in a movie titled, "Firefox". The plot concerned a war-haunted pilot pressed into service again. He is to be smuggled into the Soviet Union and steal their latest jet fighter. The key, and the reason Eastwood's character is chosen, is that the pilot of this plane had to also speak and think in Russian. The plane's weapons systems and flight systems are driven by thought. So, to successfully fly the plane, the pilot had to be able to think in Russian. Several times during the movie this was a stumbling block for him. Under extreme peril he couldn't automatically think in Russian and several near misses were the highlights of the action scenes. Men, we have two opposing thought processes: world thought and Biblical thought. When we are in peril, the vast majority of us think with world thought, not Biblical. When we need it most, we are thinking wrong. After we are bloody, wounded, and defeated, then we think in Biblical thought. We have to learn to arm our weapons systems by thinking Biblically, then go on the offensive. In the book, "Think Biblically", John MacArthur quotes the "AD 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith and Conduct": "The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life is either expressly set down in scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the spirit or traditions of men." "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" 2 Timothy 3:16 Arm yourselves. Remember: "Don't show up to a gunfight with a knife" and don't show up to a fight with the Devil with physiology. Letting God pack my parachute. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 27 23:51:29 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Jun 27 23:52:18 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Be A Demas Message-ID: <0E2EB9C8-E7A1-11D9-87AC-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> If you spend time in the scriptures, you will meet a lot of fascinating characters. Some are great warrior heroes. Some were political giants. Some were even legendary thinkers. Some are tragic and their flaws can be great lessons to us, too. But, among the Davids, the Solomons, and the Pauls lurk the Demases. Demas was a prisoner with Paul while he was writing his captivity letters. He is mentioned as a, "Hi from Demas," reference from Paul to Luke. Paul, however, isn't too pleased with Demas in his last letter to Timothy. "Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica..." 2 Timothy 4:10 This line has a bitter edge to it. In short, Demas revealed a character trait that really fried Paul's grits. Disloyalty is something Paul never tolerated. A little something left over from his former profession as "Saul the prosecutor". We know these guys in today's world as the men that get involved with ministry and then fade away as the job or a hobby calls to them. They are also the guys that make sure the Christian fish is on their business card, but you feel like you need to count your fingers after shaking their hand. They use the church directory as a "Leads List". Don't be a Demas. Get in for life and be like Christ: "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with the humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:1-5 Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 29 00:10:11 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 29 00:11:09 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Integrity of the Word Message-ID: If you haven't heard the "telephone game" theory about why the Bible couldn't have maintained its integrity over the centuries, you will. It goes like this: "You know that game telephone? The one where kids sit in a circle and one whispers a message to the kid next to him. Then that one whispers it to the next one until it's all the way around the circle. The last kid tells everyone what he heard and the whole group laughs at how different it is than the original message. How can the Bible be the same as when it started if it just kept getting copied over and over?" There are two things wrong with this. God isn't in the circle and there aren't any Masorites in the game. I'm sure you're asking the same question Butch asked Sundance: "Who are those guys?" The name Masorite comes from the Hebrew MASORAH, meaning "tradition." They were the guardians of Jewish tradition. Their main purpose was to copy scripture. In this case, what we know as the Old Testament. Hundreds of years after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the Masorites rose up in the Jewish community of Tiberius where work was being done in copying the Hebrew Text. This group eventually worked out a system by which they counted each letter of each page of the Scriptures. They could tell you what the first letter was on any given line of any given page of any given scroll. "The Masorites had a passionate concern with their special statistics. They went into a bizarre counting successively of letters, words, verses, sections and chapters in each Scriptural writing and in all the twenty-four books of the Bible." Nathan Ausubel, The Book of Jewish Knowledge Impressed yet? Okay, then there's vowel pointing. The Masorites also worked up a system of vowel pointing for the Hebrew Text. This helped to fix the pronunciation of the Hebrew words since the Hebrew language contains no written vowels. How about now? Ok, then. Here's some more: The Talmud contains a strict set of rules for copying the Old Testament Scriptures. An examination of these rules will show that it was very difficult for errors to creep into the codex. A synagogue scroll was to be: - Written on the skin of a clean animal - Prepared by a Jew - Fastened together with strings taken from clean animals - Lined and spaced so that each page had a certain number of columns The codex must meet the following requirements: - The length of each volume must extend not less than 48 lines and not more than 60 lines and the breadth must consist of 30 letters. - The whole copy must first be lined; if three words were written without first being lined, the copy must be discarded - The ink must be black, developed according to a special recipe - The transcriber could not deviate in the least from the original - No word or letter, not even a yod, could be written from memory. The scribe must look at each word before writing. - Between every consonant, the space of a hair or thread must intervene - Between every new paragraph or section, the breadth of nine consonants must intervene - The fifth book of Moses must terminate exactly with a line Besides this, the copyist must: - Sit in full Jewish dress - Wash his whole body - Not begin to write the name of God with a pen newly dipped in ink. Should a king address him while writing that name, he must take no notice of him. - If a mistake were made in copying, he was not allowed to erase it or cross it out, but must throw the ruined page away and start anew Don't fall for the false obvious. Have faith that God protected His Word. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 By the way, this research came from John Stevenson's, "In Search of Ancient Manuscripts." Keep in the Word Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 29 23:15:13 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Jun 29 23:16:03 2005 Subject: [Daily Push Up] To Do Message-ID: <520BAF92-E92E-11D9-A265-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> What are your tasks? What is on your to-do list? For me, the list includes things for my job like "Finish writing specification for new product" or "Update time estimates and milestones for current project". It includes some things for my home like "Tighten planks in the back deck" and "patch over exposed screws in stairwell". There are a few things that are church related like "Arrange for snacks for youth group" or "Write tithe check". These are all things that need to get done. I wouldn't be a good employee, husband, or servant of my church if I let them slide. However, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minutiae and forget the big picture. The big picture is that we have tasks given to us by Christ. He has saved us not to sit on the couch and take up space, but to serve Him. He gave us guidance on how to treat each other, how to guard ourselves against sin, and how to build a relationship with Him. But, that wasn't all. He also told us to spread the word about Him: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." Matthew 28:19-20 We have a pretty clear task set before us. Does this mean we all have to become missionaries? No, not necessarily. God will lead you to that decision if that's where He wants you. Most of us, though, need to be missionaries right where we are. We need to spread the word about Jesus. Now, that's easy for me to say, but harder for me to do. It's much more comfortable to sit in church and pray for the missionaries and cheer them on when they come back with slideshows. It can be downright scary to tell others about Jesus, but that is the task Jesus has set before us. Paul understood it clearly. He also understood that there were no other tasks he could perform that would have an eternal effect. Therefore none of those other things really mattered in the long run. When it's all said and done, you won't care about those projects at work or the repairs at home. Make sure those eternal tasks are staying at the top of your list and not getting sidetracked. "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24 Don't forget your purpose here. Do the little things on the way down the road, but don't forget the reason for the journey. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 1 23:52:43 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 1 Jun 2005 23:52:43 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] ...As Christ Loved The Church Message-ID: When I married my wife, I thought I had a pretty good grasp on how the power structure was going to work. My parents were a pretty good model and I figured I'd just do my best to copy that. You can stop laughing now. I learned one thing very quickly: It doesn't work like that. Not all Christian couples are the same, so there's always some growth you have to do on your own to find the right roles. What took me much longer to learn was how it DID work. There are some lessons there that are worth explaining if you haven't already experienced them and worth reviewing if you have. Marriage is this fantastic, elegant relationship that God has constructed for us. He lays down some rules and guidelines not to restrict us or to frustrate us. He explains those things to us so we'll know how it works. If you follow His word, you will do well. Most of us have heard the following verse: "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." Ephesians 5:22-24 Wow! That sounds like a sweet deal. Here it is in black and white in the Bible, we should be in charge and our wives can't argue with it. Unbelievers may think Christian marriages work like a doormat relationship. But, it's only because our human minds have twisted the meaning. Like squeezing an orange, we wrench these verses to give us what we want: power, control, authority. The reason God has put men in this position is because He has given our wives and children into our stewardship and we are responsible for them. Like a captain on a ship, we will be held accountable for anything that happens to our family while they are under our care. In fact, Paul lays it out pretty clearly what we are expected to do: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless." Ephesians 5:25-27 That's a pretty high standard. We are commanded to love our wives. Note that he's not telling us to "be in love" with our wives. That's just a feeling that will come and go. We must love our wives. That's an active verb. It's something you do. There are not exceptions. We are to love our wives. Period. Full Stop. No excuses. And beyond that, we are commanded to love them just as Christ loved the church. He allowed himself to be crucified so that the church could be cleansed and be presented to God as holy and blameless. We have to have that same sacrificial love. It is the kind of love that says that we will do everything in our power to make our wives holy and blameless for God. That might mean interceding for her in prayer when she is struggling. It might mean standing in the gap so she doesn't have to experience verbal or emotional abuse from family (even your own parents!). It means that she is the most important thing on the earth to you and you won't hesitate to protect her at all costs from all possible attackers both physical and spiritual. God has entrusted you with her care. Take it seriously. It's not an easy task we are given, but it is the most rewarding relationship you will have on earth if it is done right. You have to be straight with God before you attempt this. Once you are, though, you must treat your wife as your next priority. I still don't have it all figured out yet. Like most things, though, I figure I'll just keep checking His Word. The rest will follow. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 2 23:52:30 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2005 23:52:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Vengance is Whose? Message-ID: <0E3A8216-D3FC-11D9-8AE2-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "Since love and fear can hardly exist together, if we must choose between them, it is far safer to be feared than loved." Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince This quote describes many a man's approach to how he deals with the world and the people whose lives he touches. Yet, upon examination, we can realize that someone who uses fear is a slave to fear. "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared." Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince This man was a historian and political philosopher who's name has become synonymous with political maneuvering using the "dark whisper". He was the power behind the throne using revenge and all that goes with it. Perhaps you know someone like this. Do you know that man or woman that will go to any lengths to achieve their ambitions? Perhaps they have even done you wrong. How do you deal with such people? How grounded are you in your faith? You sit at the feet of the most powerful entity in all the known and unknown universe. The alpha and omega is your king. How do you deal with such people? "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:18 "Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did."" Proverbs 24:29 "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." Romans 12:19 "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15 As men we must understand that our strength lies in our ability to offload to Jesus. Satan wins if we lose our temper and retaliate in kind... or worse. God holds the scales of ultimate justice. Our joy is in this knowledge. We are about love. The world is about hate. Stay strong. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 4 00:52:51 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 4 Jun 2005 00:52:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Pay Attention to the King Message-ID: As my devotional life grows, I am fascinated by how much the Word reveals about the world we live in right here and right now. I have read the story of King David many times. He is my favorite biblical personality. As flawed as he was throughout his life, he always held tight to his relationship with God. Wars came and went. Battles came and went. Wives came and some of them went. Then, there were the children. Good grief, what a curse to be a king! All your sons want you to die so they can be king. David's son, Adonijah, couldn't wait for David to die. According to 1 Kings 1:6, Adonijah was good looking, charismatic kid. He got a bunch of his buddies together to run in front of his chariot and, with his million dollar smile, declared himself king. 1 Kings 1:9 says that he made quite a show of it, too. He threw a big coming out party, invited almost everybody, had a big barbecue and everything. But, like a lot of guys with Hollywood smiles and big ideas, his plan was lacking. The king he wanted to replace wasn't done, yet. When told about his son's actions, David put a stop to the party and made Solomon king (v34). The difference, of course, was that Adonijah was acting like the king, but David still WAS the king. After Solomon was made king and Adonijah begged for mercy and received it (v51), he still couldn't let it go (2:15). He tried to slip in the back door by asking Solomon to grant him a request that would give him the appearance of ascension to the throne (v17). Solomon doesn't have the emotional ties to his brother that Adonijah was counting on, so Solomon decides he has to get on with being king and has his brother killed. (v24-25) How often are we like Adonijah? We get the big idea, convince a few people, put on a big show and then fail miserably. We find out too late that it wasn't the king's plan. Then we get humiliated, hacked off, and do something stupid. Guys, get to finding out what the king has in mind for you before you go off on your own. Get in the Word. Get connected and pay attention before you throw the big party. "And keep charge of the Lord your God to walk in his commandments, His ordinances, and his testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn." 1 Kings 2:3 These are the words of one king to another. Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 5 00:13:07 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2005 00:13:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Message-ID: <444B3013-D591-11D9-B7DE-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Oh, the joys of children! My son is racing into puberty at full speed. Every other day, now, we get questions like, "Is this supposed to be happening?" or "Why is that changing?" or "Will it always be like that?" Since our only child is a boy, my wife deftly hands most of these questions to me. There are delicate ways to answer them, but usually the conversation comes back to one thing that I'm trying to repeat for his comfort: "This is a normal part of growing up. Don't panic." Eventually the changes will slow down and he'll look in the mirror one day and see a man looking back at him. As a loving father, I want to train him for that day so he's ready and can face the world head on. Christ chose the terminology of being "born again" for a reason. He explained that you were being born as a new creation in Christ. You are now a child of God. The mirroring of physical birth and spiritual re-birth doesn't stop there, though. After a baby is born, it matures and grows and becomes an adult. After we are spiritually re-born, we have to go through a similar process. The day you accepted Christ you were a spiritual infant. God was delighted that you joined His family and the angels rejoiced that you will be occupying a house in Heaven. At that moment, though, you began to feed on the spiritual equivalent of mother's milk. You needed it to grow and mature, but you were not a mature Christian. Let me be clear: God wants you to mature. When you are a mature Christian, you are no longer a spiritual infant, but a spiritual warrior. At that point, God can use you to spread His message and serve others. You become a conduit for people to see and learn about Jesus and the salvation He offers. But, none of this happens until you mature. Paul encouraged early Christians to mature spiritually. They were stuck in infancy like many today are. "I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 Paul sums it up cleanly: "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11 Unlike our physical bodies, we can actually stop our spiritual maturation by ignoring our heavenly Father. He wants to prepare us for the work ahead, too. Don't do what you did when you were 12 and ignored most of what your parents said. Listen to your new Father. Let Him teach you about your new life and how to be productive in it. Put away the your spiritual childishness. C'mon, guys! Grow up! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 00:12:41 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 00:12:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Wants Leaders Message-ID: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "He is a born leader." There is a mystique about someone that everyone wants to follow. Being associated with a leader, a winner, or a celebrity is a full-time pursuit for some people. The world doesn't lack for followers. The world and, sadly, the church lack leaders. The reason, in large part, is that men buy into the lie that one has to be a "born leader." Really, you only have to be born to be a leader. Abraham - shepherd and family man - Father of Faith Moses - orphan - led Israel out of bondage Gideon - wheat farmer - military leader David - shepherd and part-time song and dance man - king and warrior Peter - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter Born leaders? I think not. They were borne by God to leadership. The hardest thing about finding a leader is finding someone who will just stand up and show up. The surest thing about a leader is that he operates in unsure territory most of the time. "A leader is a dealer in hope." - Napoleon Bonaparte "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adams "Leadership is action, not position." - Me These are thoughts from men about what a great leader is. Now, let's hear from God: "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." - Jesus of Nazareth Guys, the church needs you. Go to a quiet place, take five uninterrupted minutes to yourself, block out the noise from the world, and pray this prayer: Dear Lord, If it is your will that I should lead. Show me what I must do. Then take the remaining four minutes and 50 seconds and listen. Then get up and obey. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?" Psalm 27:1 You are in my prayers, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 08:32:31 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 08:32:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Wants Leaders (CORRECTION) In-Reply-To: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> References: <5F540744-D65A-11D9-9A6B-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Message-ID: <43C1037B-19F3-41A0-9FBC-5E5C6D104E27@clanwebb.com> Okay, ten points for those of you who saw the mistake in the list of church leaders. On Jun 6, 2005, at 12:12 AM, Wyatt Webb wrote: > Abraham - shepherd and family man - Father of Faith > Moses - orphan - led Israel out of bondage > Gideon - wheat farmer - military leader > David - shepherd and part-time song and dance man - king and warrior > Peter - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter It should have been: Peter - fisherman - Rock of the Church Paul - shyster lawyer - teacher and church planter Thanks for playing, Wyatt -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://clanwebb.com/pipermail/dailypushup/attachments/20050606/08baca83/attachment-0001.html From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 6 23:32:20 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 23:32:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] True Freedom Message-ID: Freedom. What a wonderful concept. We crave it. We want to break away for the weekend to the freedom of a vacation. We want to retire to have the freedom to do what we want when we want. The world pretty much equates freedom with a lack of restraint. Of course, there is free fall, too. It's the sudden stop at the end that you have to watch out for. Free also implies something without cost. It's an oxymoron when you really think about it. Anything you get for nothing cost somebody something. If they made it and you got it for nothing, is it really free? What is true freedom? You probably aren't going to like this. True freedom is the ability to make a conscious decision to submit. Ouch! Are you really free on the weekend if, in the end, you have to go back to unwilling bondage? You are never free if you have to go back unwillingly. True freedom is submission. A captured man held as a slave isn't free. But, a the man who willingly becomes a slave is the free man. "Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as a bondslave of God." 1 Peter 2:16 Sound unfair? You're thinking, "Sure. You go first." "For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to him who judges righteously." 1 Peter 2:21-23 God bless you guys, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 7 23:06:50 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 23:06:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You See What I See? Message-ID: <80D8FCED-D7E3-11D9-BB32-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Don't kid yourself. Those who are not saved, are blind. They will profess to be free and in control, but they are blind. They cannot see the shackles of sin. They cannot see that they are, in fact, slaves. That's the great trick of Satan. Let people think they're in control, and he gets to lead them around by the nose. Sometimes the difference between what you see and what the unsaved see can be dramatic. The clearest case in my life was during a college course. I was taking a class called "Science and Religion". You can guess how the professor wanted to approach the subject. Our final project was to write a paper about how science and religion have interacted in a particular area and our assessment of the results or current state. We had to present our papers to the class and take questions. I wrote about the creation versus evolution debate. I argued to the class that many scientists have a non-scientific interest in maintaining that there is no God. The professor stopped me and asked, "So, you're saying that a biologist might intentionally skew his research for non-scientific reasons? Why would they do that?" The answer seemed clear. People who are not saved will avoid any situation or recognition that there might actually be a God. If they somehow proved to themselves that He was there, they would have to acknowledge Him. If they did that, they'd have to accept the fact that either they needed to repent and ask for salvation or accept their final destination of Hell. If you don't want to let go of the reigns of life, you don't want to even think like that. But, at that moment, I had an epiphany. Not only was the answer clear to me, but so was the realization that nobody else in the room would see it or understand it. I couldn't answer the question because nobody else there had my frame of reference. Nobody else could see what I see. I was dumbstruck. I knew the answer, but I couldn't give it. I realized that it didn't matter at that moment. Without seeing the way I did, there was no point in carrying on the conversation. I don't even remember how I finished the presentation, but I remember that moment like it was yesterday. Salvation surely does open your eyes. It opens your shackles and allows you to follow a different master. Only God can open your eyes. "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law." Psalm 119:18 God was speaking through Isaiah when he wrote: "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open the eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." Isaiah 42:6b-7 Paul was given direction to spread the Gospel with one of the specific results being an opening of eyes. Jesus told Paul on the road to Damascus: "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." Acts 26:17-18 If you are saved, your eyes are open. It's like having night vision goggles in the dark world of sin. The good news is you can see the traps. The bad news is that you don't have an excuse when you fall into one yourself. The better news is that you can tell others how to have their eyes opened, too. When you do, though, beware of trying to explain what you can see and what they cannot. You will not be able to convince your friend of the existence of a pit down the trail if he cannot see his hand in front of his face. You must help him to see first. Then you can avoid the pit together. Keep your eyes open, men. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 8 23:22:35 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2005 23:22:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You Understand? Message-ID: I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. I love it here. Whether it's the mountains, the forests, or the beaches, there is always something fun to do or beautiful to see. I can't imagine living anywhere else. However, I must also admit that this part of the country is generally a spiritual desert. Many people around here have decided that they don't need God. I saw one such person's car in traffic this morning. What struck me was the combination of bumper stickers in this car's window: "The last time we mixed politics and religion, people were burned at the stake" "Support your local goddess" "Don't hold strong opinions about things you don't understand" The juxtaposition of the first two with the last one made me laugh out loud. How arrogant to think that you have complete understanding to back up your opinions and your opponents do not. Furthermore, how hypocritical to show such disdain for God based on faulty understanding and, simultaneously, criticize those who make unfounded, strong statements. Wow. The lack of understanding in the unsaved is profound. "God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers... They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness." Psalm 82:1,5 "How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand," Psalm 92:5-6 Job describes what he has seen God do and concludes: "And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" Job 26:14 Isaiah writes about those who worship other idols: "They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds are closed so they cannot understand." Isaiah 44:18 True understanding can only come from God through faith. It can never come from your own education or logic. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10 "The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130 So, believe on the Lord. Study his Word. He will bless you with understanding. Then you can certainly hold strong opinions about Him and the offer of salvation. For you will have understanding. Just don't forget that it doesn't come from you. It comes from Him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5 Now, go share your understanding with those who lack it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 00:13:13 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 00:13:13 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] How Do I Love Thee? Message-ID: <1C1333BE-D97F-11D9-BA5F-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> My wife and I just celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary. I reflect upon the years of ups and downs and I truly cannot express how our love has evolved. If I had to choose a Bible verse about love, I would be stuck. My feelings for my wife are based more in terms of a reflection or a cast shadow. I can't conceive of anything that could separate us. When all the humor, cards, and good wishes are said and done, we will remain. To be sure, I have become too complacent in our relationship. I have become too assumptive. I need to listen more. I can't guarantee that I will reach any admirable level of perfection in these areas. I do know this: Separation, except by death, is not an option. We have left our families and become one. My wife is a gift not unlike a spiritual gift. "And an eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."" 1 Corinthians 12:21 I am sure as men you have all suffered the fate of walking up and down the aisle looking for the right greeting card for your wife. What failures we are that we leave our expressions of love to our wives for someone else to write. Love is a darn tough task. We can measure our performance against a Biblical standard. The list is: "Love is... patient, kind, not jealous, does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecoming, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 I must admit that when I say I love my wife, I fall way short of that definition. I suppose I should be grateful she is willing to be sustained with less as I can only claim to practice some of the list some of the time. I can tell you that I grow weary of trying to be fresh, new, and stimulating in expressing feelings for my wife because I am such a dismal failure in doing so. So, I pray. I pray she will always be the apple of my eye. I pray that our intimate moments will grow. I pray that God will remind me of my obligations to Him for her. I pray that the day will come when: "... when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away" 1 Corinthians 13:10 I know God wants me to become better at my relationship with my wife, but the more I reflect, the more the next verse comes into play: "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known" 1 Corinthians 13:12 We all should work on our faith every day, but as hard as it is to give in completely, we have a taller mountain to climb. "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13 Guys, it points right to the cross. Fix your eyes on Jesus if you want to love your wife. Let's make a pact: If we can't speak our love with elegance, let's resolve to show it through Christ. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 15:02:54 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 15:02:54 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Push Up for Review Message-ID: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> We live in a society that teaches us to seek fame, recognition, and glory. Actors and actresses want people to know their names, not just the movies they make. Musicians and artists want to be well known for the art they create, but they still want to be well known. Even in sports, we are starting to see individual players have a fanbase that is more attached to the player than the team. The name of the performer, athlete, or artist is important to us. Often, these folks have a distinctive imprint or signature on what they do. We recognize the author simply by viewing the art or watching the play. Furthermore, we want to be recognized for what we do. It is considered very unethical to take credit for someone else's work. People have lost jobs and paid fines for simply copying another person's work product. That doesn't keep some from trying, though. In a way, unsaved and many saved folks do that every day. Each time that someone is praised, recognized, or honored, they have a choice. They can puff up a little bit and feel pretty important, or they can redirect the glory to the source of the abilities they have: God. Let's face it. His fingerprints are all over you. First off, he created your physical body: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27 Then, when you were saved, you became a new creation: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 Wait a minute! If I'm a new creation, how come I still have that scar from when I was five? How come I'm still losing my hair? You are a new creation, but it's a spiritual creation and that's what's most important to God. He wants your heart and mind to show his signature. He wants people to recognize His handiwork in how your spirit has been molded. The key here is that you shouldn't hide the artwork from the world. You must display it so the artist can be known and recognized. Not only that, but you cannot take credit for what He has done. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" John 13:35 Love each other. Do good works. This is how the world will see God's artistry on your life. Of all the famous people we know of, only God actually deserves the praise and glory. The rest are unworthy. It is not your artistry or talent on display. It is the result of the gifts God gave you. Act like it. And we don't even have to live in a museum! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 10 15:18:06 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 10 Jun 2005 15:18:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Push Up for Review In-Reply-To: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> References: <7cad626767fe16450cd5054caf2dac01@clanwebb.com> Message-ID: <4e1946b00cb413169faf697b6d1164e3@clanwebb.com> Whoops! That last one was a little early. Consider that your Saturday morning Push Up. Sorry for any confusion, Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 11 23:58:58 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2005 23:58:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Missing the Mark Message-ID: <7302D032-DB0F-11D9-A62E-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Often we lack dimension in our faith. Our colors are flat. They lack texture, tint, hue, saturation, reflection, complementary colors, and other facets. Knowing about these aspects is what separates regular folk from artists. Did you realize that there are eight different words in the Old Testament and twelve in the New Testament used to describe a single concept? This variety of vocabulary is used to describe sin. The word "chata" is used 522 times in the Old Testament. Its basic meaning is "to miss the mark". It is equivalent to the Greek word "hamartano". Thinking of the archer, it is easy to understand what missing the mark means. But, even in this, we are one dimensional. The arrow misses the mark. The target is untouched and there is no quivering shaft protruding from the bulls-eye. The archer missed. However, we need to remember that this is not just the passive idea of missing the mark, but also the active idea of hitting the wrong mark. The arrow went somewhere and it did hit something. For that, there will be consequences. For sure, that is the way of sin. When a man commits adultery, he misses the mark. At the same time, though, he has hit his wife and children. It hits his mother and father, his brothers and sisters, his friends. And don't forget all of the same people connected to the woman in this relationship. Sin is so selfish. "But he who sins against me injures himself; All those that hate me love death." Proverbs 8:36 Sin is self centered. Pray that God reveals your selfish motives before you act on them. Keep on keeping on, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 12 23:58:29 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 23:58:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Making the Numbers Message-ID: <8C56D0CA-DBD8-11D9-8204-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I suppose that the term "goal" has, in many ways, circumvented the term "vision" in our culture. I am in sales. For those of you in the same profession, you understand what it means to be a goal-setter. We are encouraged to see ourselves in the lifestyle we want and then put a monetary cost to our vision. We then are told to break down annual numbers to monthly number to weekly numbers to daily numbers and, finally, to contact numbers. Now, never fool yourself that they are your numbers. They just want you to say the numbers they want to hear and put your name on them. Then employers can spur us with our numbers. "You said that this is what you wanted and to achieve those numbers this is what is expected of you." "Did you make your numbers?" is the question at the end of each month. If you have been in sales for a few years, you will also know that if you make your numbers, they raise your numbers. If you make those numbers, they raise them again. Now, if you make them often enough, they will shrink your territory and add another guy so they can whip him with his numbers. After all, nothing happens in the free enterprise system unless something is sold. The bottom line in any corporation, when it comes to sales, is that there is a numbers person, who isn't in sales, that has a number in a file that tells him when you are making too much or too little. Make too little and you are out. Make too much and they change the rules. The amount of "blue sky" in the promise of "the sky's the limit" is bigger than the Goodyear Blimp. We submit ourselves to this charade because we like to sell, but any seasoned salesperson will tell you that it is just part of the game. I remember a time when my sales manager made us inflate our numbers so high (to make him look good) that, in the following months, when we were not making those impossible numbers, he got real surly. We faced off in a sales meeting when we all had had enough of one another. Everyone knew the numbers were not attainable. He knew it. We knew it. And, yet, there we were acting like we didn't know it. (By the way, this is the essence of why I have spent the last ten years as an independent contractor.) "Don't ask someone to commit to moving a mountain with a spoon and then jump his bones because you don't like where he started. In the end, you don't move mountains with a spoon." That was my witty remark. He then did what all sales managers do when they are not making their numbers: they change salesmen. In this case, he chose me because I wasn't making my numbers. Thus saving his number (being number one) he went back to the meeting stating that it was attitudes like mine that kept everyone from making their numbers. Praise Jesus. He doesn't have quotas and forbids us to lie. Oswald Chambers says it perfectly, "All that we build will be inspected by God. When God inspects us with his searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15." Jesus is the master planner. We must let him take over completely. He knows the numbers. He will make the numbers. He owns the territory. God bless all independent salesmen. As long as we are trying to make a living, there will be prayer in the work force. God bless all sales managers that support their people. Your jobs are tough. I know because I've been there, too. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 13 23:19:21 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2005 23:19:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] God Provides Message-ID: <3F101FF5-DC9C-11D9-983C-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Say, I'll bet you would really like to understand your wife or girlfriend. Forget it! Larry Crabb states it well: "Who can exhaustively understand the product of an infinite God?" She will always be a mystery in many ways. He goes on to explain that if you concentrate on a person's needs, you will gain some understanding of your mate or significant other. A good place to start is with two important needs: significance and security. If we are to be the leaders in our relationships, it seems only logical that we are in charge of providing an environment that fosters these two needs. But, is it? Doesn't it make more sense to hold up our heavenly provider and be obedient to Him? Sure it does, because, in human terms, one person can never provide enough to another person. One part of the relationship always feels like the other could do more or that one expects too much. As to security: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25,27 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Phillipians 4:6 As to significance: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 I think sometimes as men we manufacture worldly ideas about significance and security. Houses, cars, and bank accounts become the answer to both of these needs. Actually, these are the trappings of a false view. Obedience to God will provide these things as byproducts of our effort, but true significance and security comes from knowing God and being identified with Him. Yes, we will work hard to produce, but God provides. "Lord, let us work hard to produce, but never let us forget that you are the provider" Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 15 00:16:21 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 00:16:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Build on the Foundation Message-ID: <5FD231BD-DD6D-11D9-B2BC-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Summer is upon us and, like every year, summer brings weddings. I have been to my share of weddings over the years and I have seen all types: big, little, expensive, modest, dignified, goofy, and a variety of ways to include or exclude God in the proceedings. Some of those marriages have lasted many years. Some have ended. Some have proceeded exactly as I predicted. Some have amazed me. The part of the ceremony that has the most impact on me is the exchanging of vows. That's where the bride and groom make promises to each other to be committed through thick and thin. They make those promises in front of friends and family and God. This is a serious commitment and my heart breaks for those couples who are standing at the altar, staring into each other's eyes, and simply mouthing the words without considering the meaning. There are those weddings where God is simply hovering around the edges like the candles and His name is invoked once or twice to give the ceremony some heft. They feel lacking to me because they are missing a foundation. Here are two people seeking to launch their new life together, but without the firm foundation that marriage needs. Sure, there are unsaved who have long marriages, but they are bucking the odds. Would you rather build your marriage on unstable ground and hope that the storm never comes or build it on stable ground and know that you can withstand any storm? "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 Believe me, if you haven't had to weather storms, you will. If you think you're done weathering storms, you aren't. Not only should you build your life on the rock, but your marriage as well. A marriage built on Christ will withstand the storms of money trouble, in-law trouble, job troubles, child troubles, and relationship trouble. A marriage not built on Christ is a toss-up. Why take the chance? If you are married, talk to your wife tonight. Make sure the two of you are on the same wavelength about where Christ is in your marriage. Pray together. Talk to each other. Lift each other up to Him. If you are planning to get married, talk to your fiance or girlfriend about where Christ will be in your future plans. Make it clear up front so you two can take that first step together in the same direction. If you are neither of the above, pray about God's plan for your life. Pray for your future wife and your future marriage. Keep yourself centered on Christ and she will be brought to your doorstep. When she appears, it will be because you trusted in Him. Not because you set Him aside to find her. Jesus is the master builder. He has the best plans in the universe and He's offering them for free. Use them. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 15 23:25:30 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 23:25:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Wanna Play? Message-ID: <6F88C48E-DE2F-11D9-BA76-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I love sports. I love talking about my favorite teams and players with other fans. I love speculating on who will get drafted or traded. I have come to realize, however, that I watch a lot more sports than I actually play. It was the other way around when I was younger. It's not that I wouldn't like to play. I just don't have the time or dedication for those sports anymore. There's just something about being in the game, though, that I miss. I remember playing basketball in high school. I was the classic bench-warmer, but I still loved it. I usually got to play every game, even if it was just a few minutes. I wasn't expected to score or dominate. I just needed to follow the plays, make the passes, block out my man, and fill the lanes on the fast break. I loved practicing with the team (that was the most well-conditioned I have ever been), traveling with the team, and being on the floor. I was one of the guys. Part of the group that was doing something. I had a hard time watching other teams play, then, because I wanted to be part of it. I didn't want to be on the sidelines when the big play happened. I can still remember the intensity and excitement during a tense game with a big crowd. It was electric. As those days have faded, I have come to realize that we all have an even better opportunity. Thankfully, our ability to participate on this new team is unrelated to our size, shape, or vertical leap. No, the only requirement is commitment. Jesus has offered us a spot on his squad. He is delighted that you made it to the game. But, now, He wants to see a show of hands for who wants to play the game and not just watch. You see, Jesus could field a team of angels. Heck, He could play by Himself and win the game without us. He loves us, though, and wants us to be part of His plan. He's got the plays drawn up. He knows where we need to be on the floor. Some of us will play the part of the point guard, the scoring star, the quiet defensive specialist, or even the bench-warmer who keeps the crowd excited and only gets two minutes a night. He's got a specific role in mind for each one of us. The point is that we get to play. We just have to make that commitment to Christ. Jesus did this tangibly while He was here on Earth: "He appointed twelve -- designating them apostles -- that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." Mark 3:14 Jesus could have done all these things Himself, but He wanted a team. He chose men who made a commitment to Him to be His team. He taught them the plays and sent them out on the floor to execute them. They were responsible for bringing the gospel to untold numbers of people. Now, there were certainly other people who believed in Jesus and were saved. But, they were content to sit in the bleachers and watch. They were sincerely happy and cheered when they heard about the great things that Peter, John, and Paul did. But, they didn't want to get out and play, too. I pray that isn't me, but I always fear that it is. It is my personal belief that the church suffers from too many bleacher bums and not enough men willing to raise their hands and say, "I'll play." Ask yourself which one you want to be. Find out what is taking up space in your life that is keeping you from making that kind of commitment and dump it. Just like high school basketball, you'll get beat up, you'll be sore, but you'll love it. You'll get to be part of the team. You'll get to be part of the team that's doing something. C'mon. I'll raise my hand if you do. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 16 23:32:31 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 23:32:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who Would You Rather Be? Message-ID: <954F3C5C-DEF9-11D9-A166-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Michael Jackson is acquitted by a jury of men and women on earth. We know the courtroom was filled with lies. We just aren't sure who was lying when. So, twelve people sift through what they heard, applied what the judge told them, tried to set aside personal prejudice, and looked at the allowable cold, hard facts. What do we have? There's a tormented man that has all the world can offer. There's a mother that is so twisted that she would use her children and the system to extort money. There are lawyers and prosecutors that submit and omit only the information that suits their side. There is the mob that worships, the mob that hates, and the press that exploits. Finally, there are the young men who look to their past and cannot find anyone who hasn't used them in one way or another. One is tempted to cry out, "What has the world come to?" It isn't what it has come to. It is what it is: FALLEN! "But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel." Proverbs 12:10 "The wicked man desires the booty of evil men. An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips." Proverbs 12:12-13 "He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit." Proverbs 12:17 "Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil." Proverbs 12:20 "Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD" Proverbs 12:22 Satan has thrown back his head and laughed at man over this. He has won. He has destroyed lives and made a mockery of love and righteousness. But, (with God around, there's always a "but" when it comes to evil): "But the precious possession of a man is diligence. In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death." Proverbs 12:27-28 Right now, ask yourself: Would you rather be Michael Jackson or you? In His name, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 18 00:38:36 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 00:38:36 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Live Where You Are Message-ID: I talked to my dad this afternoon and he asked me a favor. "Could you write the Push Up for today? I'm going to the Mariners game tonight." What a guy. Never being one to pass a great opportunity, I will use him as my first object lesson. My wife, my son, and I used to go to quite a few Mariners games when we lived in the Seattle area a few years ago. We miss them quite a bit. Hearing that Dad was going tonight, I groaned in jealousy. I love that stadium. I love watching baseball. I love spending that kind of time with my family. I was bummed. This is not a unique experience for us. You see it every day. When someone gets a raise at work, there are always folks that get a little upset. "Why does he get that raise? Why does he deserve it?" Or, when someone drives up in a new car, there will be people grumbling, "That's not fair! How come he gets a new car and I don't? I must be getting shafted." When you think about this, it's a bizarre non sequitur. The complainer's situation hasn't changed one iota. Some friend or acquaintance has had a good thing happen and the complainer uses it as a reason to get angry or pouty. If it doesn't affect you tangibly, why do you let your attitude change? This, of course, is the basis for most class warfare in this country, too. "Those people have more than you do. Let's punish them and you'll feel better." Revenge is often of this variety. It's not so much to gain something for yourself, but to make another person suffer as you feel they deserve. First off, we are sinners. We are terrible judges of what is fair and what isn't. Needless to say, we are depending on the fact that Jesus has offered to overlook the fair payment for our lives. He's allowing us to ride on his tab. Let God do the judging of what is fair and what isn't. That's not our job. Secondly, God chooses who will be blessed and who won't be. There are reasons for them all. God has put you where you are to help you grow. He intends for you to learn and build a relationship with Him. Get to work on that and stop complaining about the folks around you. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important that food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matthew 6:25-27 Don't desire what others have. Be glad that God loves you and has given you what you DO have. Realizing that where you are and what you have is in God's plan will allow you to be content in knowing you're on the right track. He's guiding you and teaching you. Let it happen. Don't shake your fist at Him and demand to be on someone else's track of life. It wouldn't work for you anyway. I know Dad had fun. So did we. He was where God wanted him and so were we. I can live with that. Can you? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 19 00:30:50 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 19 Jun 2005 00:30:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Listen Carefully and Act Immediately Message-ID: <0FD78A11-E094-11D9-8D28-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> "And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"" Matthew 14:29-30 This is amazing to me. Peter jumps out of the boat and that doesn't bother him. A little breeze comes up and that is when he begins to sink. What is that all about? I can walk on water, but if it gets windy I sink. Actually, I have a little experience with this type of situation. No kidding. I do. A couple of us were on the Deschutes river in Oregon. We were headed upriver in a home built, wooden jet boat through a set of husky rapids when a cable came loose. This cable controls the gate that covers the opening at the end of the volute on the pump. The lever that controls the action was inoperable. In short, the motor was useless and we were coming back down through rapids backwards. Now water outside a jet boat is an exciting ride. The prospect of turning sideways in a rapid, hanging up on a rock or a snag, tilting, and letting water inside the boat is to be avoided at all costs. I looked at my buddy running the boat and he looked at me in the bow. I could tell by the way he was gunning the engine and how his head was snapping back and forth checking out the water that he felt we were in trouble. I looked off the bow and I could see the shore beginning to recede as we drifted toward the center of the river. Right at this point I was at the same moment as Peter. Oswald Chambers describes the moment this way. "If you debate for even a second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately - totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything - by casting all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him." Peter left the boat and so did I. I took the free end of the anchor rope with me and dove toward the shore with the idea of tying off on something and stopping the boat. Just like Peter, though, I came to a critical moment. I came to the end of the rope before I reached the shore and, while underwater, I was being pulled back out toward the center of the river. For Peter it was the wind. For me it was running out of air. I felt the panic rise in an instant and self-preservation was my first priority. I stopped swimming and was about to let go of the rope so I would rise to the surface. At that moment, as I was coming up, I drifted right over a huge snag on the bottom. I wrapped my legs around it and with what little slack in the rope was produced by my heading back toward the boat, I was able to get a wrap around the log. I broke the surface still holding on to about six inches of line. The rope went taut and held. The boat drifted sideways, out of the current, and into an eddy. Just that quick it was all over. God was gracious. He gave me the impulse and the solution. All I had to do was react when He spoke. God didn't give Peter a log, as He did for me, and Peter was rebuked for his lack of faith. As for me, I wasn't very strong in my faith at that time in my life, but I remember the event and the impulse. If it happens again, I will recognize His voice. I know I am not alone with this experience. If you have had such a moment, e-mail me at a.r.webb at worldnet.att.net Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 20 00:29:42 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 00:29:42 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Get Sharp Message-ID: <11515C3B-E15D-11D9-A376-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> I was feeling pretty proud of myself. I had graduated at the top of my high school class. I had given a speech at my graduation that was the only one to get a standing ovation. Everyone around me was telling me what a smart person I was and how I was going to tackle the world with ease. Then I started my first semester at MIT. There is a saying that goes around campus that fit my mood appropriately during those first months. "An MIT education is like taking a drink from a fire hose. You drown and your parents get soaked." Those baseline classes that everyone takes sure felt like a tidal wave. I went from feeling confident that college would be just as easy as high school to feeling terrified that I clearly didn't belong there and I would be told to take a hike any day now. That took about three months. I had stepped into a completely different world. Getting into MIT had been my goal, but it was only the beginning. Learning how to function and succeed in my new environment was a whole world of work that I hadn't contemplated when I went in. It was arduous and exhausting, but very rewarding. I have no doubt that my four years there shaped me in significant ways. I see some strong similarities to my early years as a Christian and to new Christians around me now. There is an exhilaration at getting saved (as there should be), but then there's a sort of deer-in-the-headlights look that says, "What do I do next?" It's more than you expect, but you know it's worth every minute of it. If this is you, make sure you are well connected to those who can teach you. A church is a great start, but a mentor or small group is even better. Stay connected. Learn at the feet of those who know. If you have been a Christian for a while, then you will know some of these baby Christians I describe. Offer your knowledge and experience to help them along. They can't do it without you. Not to mention that teaching others will only make you a better defender of your faith and more useful to God. If I had not had teachers leading me through Solid State Chemistry and Differential Equations, I would have probably given up in frustration. You have a responsibility to help your brothers along. This is even tougher for men as we tend to want to be the lone wolf. Men, we need to stick together to help learn, understand, and process all the Lord has given us to know. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17 Find someone to sharpen and you will be sharpened, too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 21 07:47:23 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2005 07:47:23 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Romans in the Road Message-ID: <159c828ccebdebf5e564b16b47737cd9@clanwebb.com> We have all been at a point when we we are intimidated by the possibility that someone may ask us what it means to be a Christian. We start, stumble, and and stall our way through an explanation. Most men can get tongue-tied to the point that they look like a kitten after ten minutes with a ball of yarn. I will attempt to give you a good tool to get started. You may have heard about it before, but you can't slip it out of the holster with ease when you need it. This is commonly referred to as the Roman Road. The Roman Road traces the basics of Christianity through four verses in the book of Romans. These are Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, and 10:9. Let me give you a mental image to help remember these verse locations. Imagine that you and a friend are walking down a road together and you come upon 3 big Roman Centurions all decked out in their armor sitting in the middle of the road who don't intend to let you pass. This is a little intimidating so you begin to size up the situation. You count the Romans (3), you count you and your buddy (2), then you count the Romans again (3). This gives you 3:23. While considering the situation, you double-take as these guys stand up and look huge. You're sure their number has doubled (6). You count you and your buddy again (2) and then count the Romans again to make sure. Whew! There are still the same number (3). This give you 6:23 Realizing that your buddy isn't really big enough to help ( he's only 5'8" ) you figure you'll have to rush these Romans if you are to continue on the road. You start counting down to yourself "10-9..." This gives you 5:8 and 10:9 If you can remember this little situation, you can remember the Roman Road. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; " Romans 10:9 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 22 00:28:45 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2005 00:28:45 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Let It Out Message-ID: <443941BB-E2EF-11D9-AE71-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> When I was young, we had a pet parakeet named Sam. I thought he was pretty cool. I would talk to him and watch him play on his little ladder and nibble off of the birdseed bell he always had. One day, my parents discovered that Sam had died. They were pretty worried about how I would deal with the loss of a pet. They thought carefully about how they would break the news to me. It went something like this: "Wyatt, we have some sad news. Sam died." "Sam who?" "Sam the bird." "Oh. That's too bad." That was it. They were a little surprised, but I really didn't have much of a reaction at all. There was nothing to mourn for me because Sam didn't mean that much to me. On the other end of the spectrum was a beloved dog we had named Kate. She had lived with us for quite a while and had even become good friends with our cat. Kate was hit by a car, but held on for several days before she died. My parents and I mourned that loss. We were very sad and missed Kate dearly. It was a time in my life when I was trying to toughen up and not cry anymore, but that event still caused me to shed a few tears. Even the cat wandered the house crying for a week after Kate died. We all dealt with that loss by living through it. It was sad, but we had to process the feelings to move on. As adults, men prefer not to cry at all. The only really allowable times are things like seeing your son win MVP or watching the end of "Field of Dreams". There's just something unmanly about crying in pain, frustration, or happiness. Guess what, guys. Real men don't hold it in. We do that to show that we're strong and we can handle the situation alone. Don't kid yourself. Seek support from family, friends, your pastor, and God. They love you enough that they want to share in your pain and your joy. They will help even out the valleys and amplify the peaks. Jesus is your friend, too. He wants that same kind of relationship. Remember that Jesus didn't feel the need to hold it in either. As men, we love the image of Jesus getting angry and chasing the moneychangers out of the temple. We could see ourselves doing that. But, when Jesus heard about the death of his friend Lazarus and the pain it caused his sisters, Jesus openly mourned with them. "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ... Jesus wept." John 11:33,35 Just before Jesus was arrested, he prayed fervently for you. He didn't say something macho like, "God, make sure they always have good weather for fishing and enough wine when they're done." No, he prayed: "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their[ the apostles' ] message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." John 17:20-21, 23 That's a pretty deep, emotional feeling he has for you. Don't be afraid to share those same feelings with Him. Mourn your losses. Cry with happiness at your joys. Don't hold back. Let yourself be emotionally intimate with Him and with your brothers and sisters in Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 23 00:11:37 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 00:11:37 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Eat Right Message-ID: <09E7B920-E3B6-11D9-A499-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> There is one thing I remember quite fondly about my teenage years. I loved the fact that I could eat anything I wanted, as much as I wanted, and whenever I wanted and it didn't make any difference. My friends and I would inhale roughly one large pizza each on a good night. It became a badge of honor to be the largest consumer of food at any given table. I remember actually being frustrated that I couldn't put on a few pounds to help me muscle my way around while playing basketball. That all came to a crashing halt on Thanksgiving of 1988. I was at college, far from home, and had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving dinner. There were a few of us in the dorm who were staying over Thanksgiving break, so we all decided to go out to dinner together. We had all kinds of food and none of it resembled traditional Thanksgiving fare. Afterwards, the waitress asked if we wanted dessert. I was still feeling gastronomically invincible, so I ordered a dessert called 'Death By Chocolate'. I took the name as a challenge. It came in a dish the size of a punchbowl. Much to the shock of my friends, I ate the entire thing. It took about ten minutes for me to realize that my metabolism wasn't going to bail me out of this situation like it had before. Worse, I had neglected to think about the fact that we had not driven to the restaurant. We had walked there. I would have to walk back. It was over a mile. That experience reminded me that there are consequences for how we feed ourselves. The same holds true for how we feed ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Just like eating too much now will make me overweight and slow me down, feeding the other aspects of your life the wrong food will make you lazy and ineffective. It can even make you sick. Furthermore, the fruit you produce is directly related to the nutrients you consume. We can tell when we've eaten something bad for us because we put on a few pounds, we get heartburn, we can't sleep. Spiritually, you can tell when you're on the wrong diet based on the fruit you produce. Jesus was pretty clear about what nutrients you need if you want to bear fruit. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 Here's the basic spiritual diet plan, straight from Jesus: "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4 People around you, saved and unsaved, can tell if you are bearing fruit, too. It's in how you talk: "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?" James 3:10-11 It's in how you treat others: "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 Most of all, people see the fruit in how you live: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" Galatians 5:22 My father taught me a very basic rule of life when I was young: Garbage in, garbage out. You cannot consume the unholy and claim to be holy. It can't happen any more than you can water the lawn with gasoline and expect it to grow. This extends to the company you keep, the things you read, the shows you watch, the movies you rent, the music you listen to, and places you go. It's everything. Make sure you're on the right diet. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 24 00:34:12 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:34:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Do You Hear That? Message-ID: <5BEA05FA-E482-11D9-9ECE-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> While in college, I was lucky enough to take a course in acoustics from Dr. Amar Bose. He is the founder of Bose Corporation that makes all the very cool speakers, radios, and sound systems. One of the bonuses of taking his course was that the entire class was able to tour his nearby research facility at the end of the semester. We got to see how they design sound systems for different cars. We got to stand in a room where they tested their theater quality subwoofers and feel our insides turn to jelly. We saw how they went about doing some of the best quality reproduction of sound in the industry. One thing I remember well, though, was a particularly eerie room. They had something called an anechoic chamber. This was a ten by ten by ten cube cage suspended inside of a larger soundproof booth. The space between the cage and the booth walls was covered with large angled foam padding. The purpose of this chamber was to completely eliminate all echoes. Not only did it block all sound from outside the booth, but no sound whatsoever bounced off of any surface inside the booth. While standing and talking to the tour guide, we could hear each other very clearly. The eerie part was in a simple demo the guide gave. He held up his keychain in front of his chest and began shaking the keys. We could all hear the keys jangling clearly. He then continued shaking them and simply turned around so that his body was blocking our view of the keys. We could see his arm moving and knew the keys were still banging against each other. However, as soon as the keys were out of view, we could not hear a sound. It was as silent as if nothing was happening. Without the usual echoes we hear off of walls, tables, floors, and whatnot, the sound could not reach our ears. This strikes me as an excellent illustration of how our communication with God works. God speaks to us, but we don't always hear. Just like my experience in the chamber, I could only hear the sound when all external sound was blocked and when I could see the source of the sound. It's really hard to hear God if you have external distractions and aren't focused on Him. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." 1 Chronicles 16:11 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 Paul is being clear in the above verse. You cannot be of this world and hear God clearly. You need to be transformed via salvation. Then, and only then, will you be able to discern God's will from the rest of the noise around you. Block out the distractions. Focus on the source. It takes effort, but when you do it right, you will hear Him clearly and powerfully. He's speaking to each of us. Can you hear Him? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 25 02:26:05 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 02:26:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Say What? Message-ID: <27CF0B9F-E55B-11D9-9025-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> Used incorrectly, it can cause pain, leave scars, incite violence, trigger battles, and even start international war. Used correctly, it can sooth, heal, calm, make peace, encourage, and bless. For good or ill, it will always change people's lives. I'm describing something we all use every day and, sometimes, we use it with a casualness that is dangerous. I am speaking, of course, of your tongue. If someone was walking down the street waving a gun indiscriminately, we would want him arrested. He could easily injure or kill another person. And, yet, we can do lasting, deep damage with the things we say to our friends, our children and our wives. Guns can be valuable tools. We use them to defend our country, to keep criminals in jail, and even to protect the property God has seen fit to let us have. Guns are only useful, though, when the wielder is trained in their use. Our tongue is the same way. If we do not train ourselves to use our tongue correctly, we're liable to hurt someone... badly. And more likely than not, it'll be someone you care about. God knows full well how much danger and opportunity comes with this part of our body: "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" Proverbs 12:18 "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21 In this last verse, note that the "fruit" mentioned is not necessarily something you want. The writer is saying that those who love to talk will have to deal with the consequences of what they say. Beware. How can we protect ourselves and our love ones? Just like with guns, the first step of safety is to limit their use. Don't speak without a purpose and make sure your purpose is worthy. It is much easier to say something than to unsay something. Most of the time, the damage is irreversible. Something you say after half a second of thought may take ten years to heal. Remember what Mom said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." That statement is clearly derived from scripture. "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Proverbs 10:19 "A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue." Proverbs 11:12 "A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." Proverbs 17:27-28 I suspect many of you, like me, are still learning how to do this. Work hard at it, though. How you speak to your friends is part of the image of Christ that they will see. How you speak to your children will shape them for the rest of their lives. How you speak to your wife can build her up or tear her down, and your children will notice. Your sons will mimic you and treat their future wives the same way. Your daughters will think that what you say is acceptable behavior in a future husband. Make sure they have a good model. Consider your words carefully. Make them worthy of being said. Wield your tongue with care. The quality of your life will depend on it. "For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech."" 1 Peter 3:10 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 26 00:42:34 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 00:42:34 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Ruts Message-ID: Men are creatures of habit. As we get older, the habits can get harder to break. How many of you have had that experience where you are driving somewhere, you get distracted by the phone, radio, or a conversation and you magically end up at either your house or your office? How many of you have learned that if you want to remember to do something in the morning, you had better attach a note to your keys or your wallet? How many of you have forgotten entire steps of your morning routine because of a minor interruption that threw you off track? Men's minds can be very efficient. Of course, that's not the word women would use to describe them. We have learned that you don't have to remember ten different things every morning. We know that if we just remember the first thing that it will remind us of the second and the second will remind us of the third and so on. Every time we perform an action, we are carving deeper and deeper grooves in our brain. Just like railroad tracks, we only have to remember where to start the engine. After that, we just follow the rails we've laid down before. Pretty soon, we can do it half asleep. We have come to depend on this chaining mechanism to help us perform complicated processes without having to remember each step individually. Nobody thinks about everything we do to get ready for work in the morning. We just know that if we get up and get in the shower, everything else will flow naturally and before you know it you'll be clean, dressed and on your way to work. Now, if work wasn't your destination that particular morning, you could be in trouble. These habit mechanisms are very powerful. Once they are set up, we don't have to expend a lot of mental energy to take advantage of them. However, if we ever want to change a habit, watch out. The deeper the rut, the easier it is to fall in even when you're consciously trying to avoid them. Once you fall into the rut, it can be darn near impossible to get out. Sometimes, you don't even know you're in the rut because you're used to doing it without thinking. That's how you end up at your office on a Saturday morning. This phenomenon will fight against you when you get saved. You have carved many, many ruts in your thought life that came from your sinful nature. But, precisely because they are ruts and habits, they are some of the hardest things in the world to avoid mentally. Despite your salvation, do you still find yourself craving a new boat or TV? Do you still find yourself cursing at the idiot driver in the next lane? Do you still find yourself ignoring your wife and kids to watch the game? Do you still find yourself watching cable channels or surfing the websites that you know you should avoid? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. We all have those kinds of ruts to avoid. Unlike ruts in a road, they don't ever get filled in. The only way to avoid them is to create new habits and new ruts. Paul felt exactly this way, too: "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate... For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not." Romans 7:15,18 Beating yourself up about it won't help, though. First off, you have to admit what Paul said: You have nothing good in you that is not from Christ. You cannot overcome sin on your own. Second, recognize that the only way to create new habits and fight your old ruts is to live in the Spirit. Let Him drive all aspects of your life. Notice that I did say ALL aspects. You can't do this halfway. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Galatians 5:16 You will slip up. You will fail. The real question is what do you do then? Don't decide that you're a failure and give up. Don't tell yourself, "Just a little taste, then I won't have to come back." You need to get up, ask forgiveness, and turn it all over to Jesus. Satan wants you to feel guilty and worthless. Satan wants you to feel like you can beat it on your own. Jesus wants you to know that the debt is paid and you are forgiven. Just seek to live by the Spirit. Let Him help you create new habits. My favorite one is to just open the Word whenever I feel myself sliding into a rut. That's a new habit that will never steer you wrong. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 26 23:58:46 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 23:58:46 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Think Right Message-ID: Several years back, Clint Eastwood starred in a movie titled, "Firefox". The plot concerned a war-haunted pilot pressed into service again. He is to be smuggled into the Soviet Union and steal their latest jet fighter. The key, and the reason Eastwood's character is chosen, is that the pilot of this plane had to also speak and think in Russian. The plane's weapons systems and flight systems are driven by thought. So, to successfully fly the plane, the pilot had to be able to think in Russian. Several times during the movie this was a stumbling block for him. Under extreme peril he couldn't automatically think in Russian and several near misses were the highlights of the action scenes. Men, we have two opposing thought processes: world thought and Biblical thought. When we are in peril, the vast majority of us think with world thought, not Biblical. When we need it most, we are thinking wrong. After we are bloody, wounded, and defeated, then we think in Biblical thought. We have to learn to arm our weapons systems by thinking Biblically, then go on the offensive. In the book, "Think Biblically", John MacArthur quotes the "AD 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith and Conduct": "The whole counsel of God, concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith, and life is either expressly set down in scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelations of the spirit or traditions of men." "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" 2 Timothy 3:16 Arm yourselves. Remember: "Don't show up to a gunfight with a knife" and don't show up to a fight with the Devil with physiology. Letting God pack my parachute. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 27 23:51:29 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 23:51:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Be A Demas Message-ID: <0E2EB9C8-E7A1-11D9-87AC-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> If you spend time in the scriptures, you will meet a lot of fascinating characters. Some are great warrior heroes. Some were political giants. Some were even legendary thinkers. Some are tragic and their flaws can be great lessons to us, too. But, among the Davids, the Solomons, and the Pauls lurk the Demases. Demas was a prisoner with Paul while he was writing his captivity letters. He is mentioned as a, "Hi from Demas," reference from Paul to Luke. Paul, however, isn't too pleased with Demas in his last letter to Timothy. "Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica..." 2 Timothy 4:10 This line has a bitter edge to it. In short, Demas revealed a character trait that really fried Paul's grits. Disloyalty is something Paul never tolerated. A little something left over from his former profession as "Saul the prosecutor". We know these guys in today's world as the men that get involved with ministry and then fade away as the job or a hobby calls to them. They are also the guys that make sure the Christian fish is on their business card, but you feel like you need to count your fingers after shaking their hand. They use the church directory as a "Leads List". Don't be a Demas. Get in for life and be like Christ: "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with the humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:1-5 Blessings, Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 29 00:10:11 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 00:10:11 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Integrity of the Word Message-ID: If you haven't heard the "telephone game" theory about why the Bible couldn't have maintained its integrity over the centuries, you will. It goes like this: "You know that game telephone? The one where kids sit in a circle and one whispers a message to the kid next to him. Then that one whispers it to the next one until it's all the way around the circle. The last kid tells everyone what he heard and the whole group laughs at how different it is than the original message. How can the Bible be the same as when it started if it just kept getting copied over and over?" There are two things wrong with this. God isn't in the circle and there aren't any Masorites in the game. I'm sure you're asking the same question Butch asked Sundance: "Who are those guys?" The name Masorite comes from the Hebrew MASORAH, meaning "tradition." They were the guardians of Jewish tradition. Their main purpose was to copy scripture. In this case, what we know as the Old Testament. Hundreds of years after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, the Masorites rose up in the Jewish community of Tiberius where work was being done in copying the Hebrew Text. This group eventually worked out a system by which they counted each letter of each page of the Scriptures. They could tell you what the first letter was on any given line of any given page of any given scroll. "The Masorites had a passionate concern with their special statistics. They went into a bizarre counting successively of letters, words, verses, sections and chapters in each Scriptural writing and in all the twenty-four books of the Bible." Nathan Ausubel, The Book of Jewish Knowledge Impressed yet? Okay, then there's vowel pointing. The Masorites also worked up a system of vowel pointing for the Hebrew Text. This helped to fix the pronunciation of the Hebrew words since the Hebrew language contains no written vowels. How about now? Ok, then. Here's some more: The Talmud contains a strict set of rules for copying the Old Testament Scriptures. An examination of these rules will show that it was very difficult for errors to creep into the codex. A synagogue scroll was to be: - Written on the skin of a clean animal - Prepared by a Jew - Fastened together with strings taken from clean animals - Lined and spaced so that each page had a certain number of columns The codex must meet the following requirements: - The length of each volume must extend not less than 48 lines and not more than 60 lines and the breadth must consist of 30 letters. - The whole copy must first be lined; if three words were written without first being lined, the copy must be discarded - The ink must be black, developed according to a special recipe - The transcriber could not deviate in the least from the original - No word or letter, not even a yod, could be written from memory. The scribe must look at each word before writing. - Between every consonant, the space of a hair or thread must intervene - Between every new paragraph or section, the breadth of nine consonants must intervene - The fifth book of Moses must terminate exactly with a line Besides this, the copyist must: - Sit in full Jewish dress - Wash his whole body - Not begin to write the name of God with a pen newly dipped in ink. Should a king address him while writing that name, he must take no notice of him. - If a mistake were made in copying, he was not allowed to erase it or cross it out, but must throw the ruined page away and start anew Don't fall for the false obvious. Have faith that God protected His Word. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 By the way, this research came from John Stevenson's, "In Search of Ancient Manuscripts." Keep in the Word Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 29 23:15:13 2005 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 23:15:13 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] To Do Message-ID: <520BAF92-E92E-11D9-A265-000A9599B718@clanwebb.com> What are your tasks? What is on your to-do list? For me, the list includes things for my job like "Finish writing specification for new product" or "Update time estimates and milestones for current project". It includes some things for my home like "Tighten planks in the back deck" and "patch over exposed screws in stairwell". There are a few things that are church related like "Arrange for snacks for youth group" or "Write tithe check". These are all things that need to get done. I wouldn't be a good employee, husband, or servant of my church if I let them slide. However, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day minutiae and forget the big picture. The big picture is that we have tasks given to us by Christ. He has saved us not to sit on the couch and take up space, but to serve Him. He gave us guidance on how to treat each other, how to guard ourselves against sin, and how to build a relationship with Him. But, that wasn't all. He also told us to spread the word about Him: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..." Matthew 28:19-20 We have a pretty clear task set before us. Does this mean we all have to become missionaries? No, not necessarily. God will lead you to that decision if that's where He wants you. Most of us, though, need to be missionaries right where we are. We need to spread the word about Jesus. Now, that's easy for me to say, but harder for me to do. It's much more comfortable to sit in church and pray for the missionaries and cheer them on when they come back with slideshows. It can be downright scary to tell others about Jesus, but that is the task Jesus has set before us. Paul understood it clearly. He also understood that there were no other tasks he could perform that would have an eternal effect. Therefore none of those other things really mattered in the long run. When it's all said and done, you won't care about those projects at work or the repairs at home. Make sure those eternal tasks are staying at the top of your list and not getting sidetracked. "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts 20:24 Don't forget your purpose here. Do the little things on the way down the road, but don't forget the reason for the journey. Wyatt