From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 1 00:09:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 1 00:09:49 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Everything Message-ID: It sounds silly to say it out loud, but we all do it. At some time or another (it's a daily occurrence for me), every man will say, "I can handle this. I don't need to bring God into it," or, "I see the solution. I don't need to ask Him for help." Sometimes, we'll do what we think is right and, sure enough, it works out. So, were we right? Can we handle some things without God? Um, no. The fallacy in our logic is that we don't recognize that God is already involved, even though you haven't explicitly gone to Him for help. Those things you think you're doing by yourself? Not so much. Now, the fact of the matter is that when you do acknowledge God and ask for Him to help or seek His will, the resolution will always be the right one. It may not be the most comfortable or the least painful, but it will be the right one. So, how do I know that God's involved with anything I do that succeeds? "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 So, without God I can do precisely nothing. Therefore, if I've accomplished anything He must be involved. If I seek Him out and place my trust in Him for success, how do I know that it will always work? "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13 Paul says "everything", not "most things" or "important things". He said "everything". Don't you think we'd be better off to go to Him with everything? Yeah, me too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 1 22:02:54 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 1 22:03:34 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Put It On Message-ID: <81F2611A-22F0-4630-946E-63B9F274B625@clanwebb.com> "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes form the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. WIth this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10-18 Blaise Pascal had this to say in his work, "Pensees": "... Thinking too little about things or thinking too much both make us obstinate and fanatical..." Don't over-think the verses, just do them every day. God made a lot of scholars. Most of us ain't one of them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 3 00:23:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 3 00:24:38 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Training Message-ID: <374D5D26-B690-485A-BB44-A46D420CCE28@clanwebb.com> Are you thankful for problems? Are you grateful for disruptions and irritations? No, me neither. Of course, the easy answer is often the wrong answer. We are supposed to be thankful for trials. Those are the growth processes that make us stronger and more capable of handling situations that we'll see in the future. When you pray for patience, you will experience trials. Why? Because God doesn't just bestow patience on you, He teaches it to you. If you asked a major league hitting instructor to make you a good hitter, he wouldn't wave his magic wand and cause you to suddenly start spraying doubles in the gap. No, he'd make you practice and practice and practice some more. He'd make sure you could handle batting practice pitches. Then he might let you face some minor league pitchers. If you really showed promise, you might get to face a big leaguer. He isn't going to sprinkle you with fairy dust and then let you bat cleanup for a major league team. You would have been overwhelmed and in over your head. How do you think God gives you gifts like patience, compassion, mercy, love, faith, and the rest? He guides you through trials in your life to give you the experience you need to develop those fruits of the spirit. Would you thank the hitting instructor while he was training you? So, why don't you thank God while He's training you? Just because the training isn't fun? Practice is rarely fun. It's being prepared for the game that is worth getting excited about. "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. [...] It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn from your decrees." Psalm 119:67, 71 Got a problem? Congratulations. Be thankful He cares enough to train you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 3 23:45:52 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 3 23:49:26 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Clueless Message-ID: <8A88FE6B-D6B4-402C-8F05-6349F02FFF34@clanwebb.com> Want to hear something scary? I heard this on the radio today: A recent survey revealed that 90% of Americans believe that they are in the upper 10% of intelligence in the United States. We really think we are smarter than nine out of ten people we meet. Our education ranking in the world suffers every year. I can only think we are becoming more delusional by the day. I also heard that 23% of high school students can't find Louisiana on a map and the number soars when asked to find Iraq. But, we are absolutely sure we have the intelligence to question God. No wonder we can be convinced of evolution and random chance. With this kind of thinking and attitude about ourselves, the options for Satan are endless. I know in my life that when I think I can think for myself, God simply removes the illusion of my own abilities and I fall flat on my face. I can only think that He's doing something similar to the world. "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 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. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 When perfection comes (that's Jesus), our worldly knowledge will be revealed as so imperfect that it won't qualify as an excuse. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 5 00:03:01 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri May 5 00:03:41 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What You've Missed Message-ID: I am often amazed by the things about which people choose to complain. Once, after a round of layoffs, I overheard coworkers complaining about the seating arrangement of their cubes. That always made me shake my head. How can you be annoyed at where you sit, when a few of your peers are out looking for a new job? Where's the sense of perspective? We, of course, are guilty of this everyday. We pray for God to solve our problems and heal our illnesses. Yet, we all know that we are living the life of kings as compared to many brothers and sisters in the third world. We often lose our perspective, too. How easy it is for us to forget. "if the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth." Psalm 124:2-6 Spend some time thanking Him for what you've missed. Thank Him for what He's helped you avoid. I think you'll find your blessings to be plentiful. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 6 01:15:51 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat May 6 01:16:32 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Protection By Removal Message-ID: <7697E4A3-8C86-4CCB-B4CA-C233B2B85692@clanwebb.com> I remember when my son was at one of those transition stages of development. He had learned just enough motor skill to try new things and had developed the independence to want to do it himself. Whether it was pouring a glass of water or setting up the TV to watch a movie, he figured he had learned enough to handle it alone. As a parent who was concerned about water being spilled or the DVD being scratched, I still tried to help. He would get angry and tell me to leave him alone. Why did I persist? For two reasons: First, I didn't want him to do any damage to the items he was working with. Second, I didn't want him to get frustrated if he didn't get it right even though he was still too immature. In both cases I was trying to protect him and those around him. I would either help or prevent him from doing these things until I knew he could handle them. God is the perfect parent and does the same thing for us. He knows the things that will hurt us and keeps us away from them. He knows the things that we can handle with His help and He will put us in a position to deal with them. "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land alloted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil." Psalm 125:1-3 Trusting in God is a solid, guaranteed security. That's because He'll protect you and that may mean taking those things away from you that may harm you or those around you. This Psalm promises that He would even cause kingdoms to change to help you avoid the temptation of following the wrong path. How cool is that? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 6 23:20:43 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat May 6 23:21:25 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] His Will Message-ID: <7B018F60-DB8C-492E-9A3B-94265169D7A8@clanwebb.com> Over the past several months I've been actively working on my prayer life. I'm making a point of praying at least once a day for specific requests that others have made. I'm also trying to pray more regularly for my wife and my son. While these are all good things, I'm finding myself falling into a bad habit. I have a tendency to pray for the outcome I want and then follow it up with, "But, more than these, I want Your will to be done." Originally, I felt it was the right way to pray as I was letting God know that my desire was for His will to be done above all else. Now, though, I see that it's actually a kind of catch-all phrase. It's like saying to God, "Here's what I want to happen, but you do what you feel is best. Surprise me!" It's a shortcut. The problem is that I'm being lazy about seeking God's will. I'm praying based on my own desires and ideas, but then I tack on, "but Your will be done," and I figure I covered the bases. This is just laziness because God wants us to know and do His will. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 "However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 "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 Read those carefully. God has revealed to us both the reward and the path to it. He also says that He will give us the tools to discover His will. He wants us to follow His will because it's the best thing for us. He isn't hiding His will from us. So, if we don't see it, it's our fault. Seek His will. Ask Him to reveal it to you. Remember, though, you have to open the lines of communication to ask such a question. Once you know it, then you can pray specifically for His will. Pray. Read. Listen. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 7 23:35:29 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun May 7 23:36:10 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] 100 Percent Message-ID: "I may not have been the world's greatest saint, but neither am I the worst. I've never robbed any banks or killed anyone." With just the very faint hint of a smile he added, "All told, I figure that I'm as good as most and better than some. I figure I'm probably good enough to get in." Okay, Christian. What do you say next? Here's an idea: "How did you come to that conclusion? Imagine you are up before a judge on a count of vehicular manslaughter. Just a momentary lapse on an otherwise perfect driving record and you killed someone. Are you going to tell the judge that except for this one thing, you're as good as most and better than some? What if your judge is a 100 percent judge? By that I mean he's an all or nothing judge. He's the one that says 80 percent isn't good enough, 90 percent isn't good enough, and even 99 percent isn't good enough. The price has to be paid. Do you have someone willing to pay the price for you?" "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10 Christ is called the "propitiation for our sins." Here a different Greek word is used (hilasmos). Christ is "the propitiation," because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. (From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary) It's gotta be 100 percent, boys...100 percent. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 9 00:08:36 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue May 9 00:09:19 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Freedom Message-ID: <460DAC07-94BA-4790-868D-2169FF5CB4DE@clanwebb.com> As I've mentioned before, I'm still a geek at heart. I like good sci- fi and fantasy books and movies. I'm a comic book fan and love the recent rash of superhero movies. I think part of my love for these movies is finally seeing on the big screen all the things I imagined as a child. The only difference, of course, was that when I imagined them, I was the superhero. I was the one who could fly and fight and defeat the supervillan. I still have dreams from time to time in which I can defy the laws of physics and gravity. I love the promise of freedom attached to being able to stick to walls or run at hyperspeed. There is something invigorating about the idea of being able to break the laws that govern the working of the universe. More and more I realize that I have access to that feeling now. In fact, Jesus has allowed me to function outside the laws of the world. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2 The laws of sin and death have no power over me anymore. That's even cooler than overcoming the law of gravity. That's something to be jazzed about. That's real freedom. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 9 23:48:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue May 9 23:49:18 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The River Message-ID: I love a mountaintop experience. There were times in my native Colorado or in Hell's Canyon on the Snake River, when a particular view, sunrise, or night sky was so beautiful that I thought the sound of my heart beating was an intrusion on the moment. There are also times during a service when a song brings back a vivid memory or I am overcome by the presence of God so much that it's tangible. I begin to actually feel that He isn't a God that I have to imagine, but a God that's so real I can feed off of his closeness. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 Then the world dilutes Him from me. He is still there, like the river and the mountains, but I cannot feel His closeness. I am not standing near a river where I can hear the water, touch it, and taste it, and it seems very far away. As a man, I have to hike to the river everyday or I am in danger of forgetting how to find my way back. It will always be there: millions of gallons of water flowing to the sea, but I will be thirsty. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5 The people had Him for a while. The twelve were with Him daily. He awoke them and told them what to do, where to go, what to say, and how to find food and shelter. Then He went away and, like a father to the child, He told them that they had the knowledge to find their way. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." " John 14:6 It isn't easy for the hearts and minds of men to grasp the knowledge that brings them to the point where they can grasp the reality of God when we cannot see Him. So, before He left, He made a promise to those of us that need a guide back to the river. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:15-18 So, you see, the river comes to us. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 10 22:26:06 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 10 22:26:44 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Walk Securely Message-ID: <426B2D70-D3D9-4729-8B4E-38086F4A3F3F@clanwebb.com> I was probably about ten or eleven years old. My friends and I would ride our bikes down to the local 7-Eleven almost every day during the summer. We'd bring whatever money we had to buy a Slurpee or some candy. Most of the time, all we had was a quarter or two, so we'd load up on the nickel candy they had on the bottom racks. Like most kids that age, when surrounded by friends of still-evolving morals, we started to notice just how easy it would be to pocket an extra piece of candy. If we were really smooth, we figured we could get several pieces. It took us a while to get the gumption to try, but we did eventually do it. I still remember the dramatically different feeling I had. For days and days, I could walk up to the counter and pay for my choices easily and then enjoy them as we sauntered out of the store. On those days, there was nothing to worry about. On this day, though, I was nervous and worried. After paying, I walked as fast as I could to my bike and rode away quickly. I was looking over my shoulder to see if the clerk was going to follow me. I was too stressed out to really enjoy my ill-gotten gains. I just wanted to go home and hoped that nobody would find out. Of course, my mind raced with scenarios involving the police and unpleasant calls to my parents. What I learned that day was that I had a conscience and it was there for a reason. What I've learned over time since then is that, when you do right, you have nothing to worry about. When you do wrong, you'll always have to wonder if someone figured it out. "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs 10:9 It's no surprise that the Bible clearly states the truth of life that I discovered through that experience. By the way, it works both ways. If you make sure you are walking with integrity, you don't have to worry about watching your back. By the same token, if you suddenly feel nervous or stressed about someone hunting you down, perhaps you should think about what you've done to start those worries. In other words, you can use this proverb to plan your path and you can use it to figure out what path you just finished using, if you aren't sure. I like to walk with my eyes forward. I need to see where God is leading me. Make sure you don't have a reason to look back. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 12 00:06:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri May 12 00:06:58 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Are You Ready? Message-ID: <823EF9BC-D20E-4D1D-BC78-44E85F6A1362@clanwebb.com> As you get older, more of the people who know will die. The response of friends differs, but the goal is the same and that is to be a comfort. Some say, "Well, they had a long life and they didn't suffer." Presumably they did live long, but who is to put a number on it? Perhaps they'll say, "They knew the end was near." I'm not so sure I would want to know. There's always this good one, "There is no more pain for them now," and the overused, "They are in a better place now." There is really only one good answer and someone I pray with said it last Sunday. We were through praying and having a good laugh over some stories when he became very dizzy. He couldn't get up from his chair and those of us there became concerned. As we stayed with him and prayed, he gave the indication that he was in some serious distress, but he thought it would pass. In his distress, he became very calm and gave us very direct instructions: "If this is the end, guys, do not call 911 until I'm gone. I am serious. I am ready to go." He recovered after a while and promised to see a doctor. I thought about his instructions and it brought to mind an elderly missionary lady named Anne that told me one day, "Allen, I am going to get a tattoo right across my chest and it is going to say "NO HEROIC MEASURES"." I laughed with her and marveled at the same time. To the friends of both of these people, I will be able to say after their passing, "They were ready to go!" These are the only words of comfort I want to hear from anybody about anybody I know. I was standing near a nationally known preacher one night and he had just returned from his mother-in-law's funeral the previous day. I said, "Sorry to hear about your wife's mother." He looked at me and replied, "Why? She is better off than you and me." People who know and know that they know, are ready. It is a sobering thought to really ask yourself, "If I died right now, would I be excited about what would happen next?" "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I got to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 13 00:22:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat May 13 00:23:58 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] You Stink Message-ID: <746E9190-E524-4F4D-B4C9-B98AA811193B@clanwebb.com> I was showing a home to some clients last night. They were a nice couple and they brought their young daughter. I think she was about eleven or so. The thing about kids is that they are just so honest. I used to get embarrassed if anyone - child or not - said something bad about a home I was showing. Even if the homeowners were there or not. I thought a simple, "Thanks, Allen, but this home isn't for us," would suffice. However, people have some very unkind things they feel they must blurt out. This young girl went out on the back porch of the home where there were a couple of garbage sacks. She sang out loudly, "It stinks out here, Mom!" The homeowner started to apologize as they were just in the process of putting it out for pick up the next day. Everyone let it slide because of her age. So, it was no harm, no foul. I started to think about it on the way home and it came to me that God must have a similar experience. When He looks into our lives - physical, mental, and spiritual - it must stink. He must wonder when we are going to put the garbage out. Jim Cymbala in his book, "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire", tells the story of a homeless guy that comes up to him after the service. Jim thinks he is going to ask for money, so he puts up with the urine and unwashed smell long enough to reach for his money clip only to have the guy say, "I don't want your money. I want Jesus. If I can't find Him, I will die out in the world." Jim says he felt God saying, "Jim, if you and your wife have any value to me, if you have any purpose in My work, it has to do with this odor. This is the smell of the world I died for." "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult" Proverbs 12:16 Ever stop to think how much God overlooks in your life? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 14 00:31:35 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun May 14 00:32:12 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Savior Needed Message-ID: As I've often mentioned before, I'm a comic book fan. I'm having a blast watching all of these recent movies that are based on comic book characters. It's like being a big kid and it makes the characters feel more real. That's all escapism for me, though. It's an opportunity to set aside my worries for a couple of hours and enjoy a fun story with my family. When I'm in that mode, there's nothing I hate worse than finding that the movie is trying to hammer home a controversial or incorrect opinion. It changes from entertaining me to indoctrinating me and I don't like it. I saw a trailer for "Superman Returns" yesterday that made be cringe. I'm looking forward to that movie, but there was one line in the commercial that really annoyed me. Lois Lane is looking up at Superman and says, "The world doesn't need a savior and neither do I." Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I have a hard time believing dialogue like that was written accidentally. I think the hidden message was likely intentional on someone's part and most of the other folks involved didn't care. The world does need a savior. Every person on the planet needs one. Hollywood wants you to bite your lip, stiffen your spine and tell the world you can do it on your own. The Word tells me different: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7 I need a savior. So do you. Don't ever forget it and don't ever stop being thankful that He saved you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 15 00:19:23 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 15 00:20:06 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Can't Know It All Message-ID: <99758E9E-BC8B-40B2-A8D8-D20A005095CF@clanwebb.com> I read a fun little web page written by someone in England who was annoyed with the BBC. You see, they had predicted a sunny day for the upcoming Friday. As such, this fellow planned to take the day off and booked a trip to the coast. When he got there, it was a downpour. In his frustration, he started to track the prediction of the BBC's weather center. He found over the course of several months that they were accurate about 53% of the time. Accurate? Heck, that's like throwing darts at a board of choices. When the seasons are right, the national weather centers know to start watching for hurricanes and tornadoes. They can tell you that the weather is right to form one, but they can never tell you exactly where or when. With hurricanes, they can't even tell you which way they'll be going in two days. The fact is that there's just too much data to process to make such a prediction and we don't even know how to measure some of what we would need to know. On completely different note, I can find detailed explanations of how a sperm and egg combine into an embryo, how the embryo matures into child, and how the child grows along the way. What I cannot find, however, is how this process came to be. Nobody can explain to me where this long, delicate, and complicated process came from. Science simply can't explain it because they refuse to believe it was designed. Stick with me here, I'm going to tie these together. And, yet, we have science telling us that everything can be explained. They admit they can't explain some things, yet, but they promise that they will be able to some day. The fact is that we cannot know all of God. We should try to learn as much as possible about Him and the world He created, but we should not be going forward with the arrogance of believing that we will be able to know everything. Pride will get in the way of good science. How do I know all these things to be true? Easy, I checked the book of truth. "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 15 23:48:03 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 15 23:50:22 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Faith in Your Father Message-ID: <24AD6480-6531-41B1-B764-49DA2ED1D9D0@clanwebb.com> I have started to read - listen, actually - to John McCain's book, "Faith of our Fathers". The very first chapter lets the reader know that the faith he is referring to is that faith he has in his heritage. His father was Navy and he loved his father. His father loved his father, who was also Navy. Actually, that McCain was very famous in that he was Admiral Halsey's right hand man and can be seen in the famous photograph of the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri. John McCain can trace his history back to the staff of General George Washington. It seems that the love of heritage in his family transcended the love of the women they married. His mother once asked his father if he loved his father more than he loved her and he said, "Yes". The McCains are a colorful lot of hard drinkers, gamblers, and tough men. John McCain is a driven man and a slave to his heritage. As a man I can admire these men, all of them, for their service and chuckle at their vices. But, in the end, I guess I would have to say just give me old George Bush. Yep, old milquetoast George that had a famous father and a famous grandfather, but went the route of the spoiled underachieving child to become the President. You might ask, "Why?" Well, I prefer him because George doesn't wear his heritage on his sleeve. He wears his faith. He embraces the love of his God, his wife, and his family. I am sure he loves Laura more than he loves his father. I'm also sure that George Sr. wants it that way. "no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 Admiral "Bull" Halsey was a vital part of winning World War II. But, he hung McCain's grandfather out to dry when his own neck was on the line. McCain lost his command to go home and die at his own homecoming party. Men will always let you down sooner or later. God won't. Are you living to please your earthly father, or your heavenly one? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 17 00:10:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 17 00:11:19 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What You're Supposed To Be Doing Message-ID: <71FBAF35-67FC-468A-9944-5185AF59B950@clanwebb.com> Some years ago, I had put myself in a tough position professionally that led to some stupid choices. It started with my ongoing desire to always try new things. While keeping busy at my day job, I hooked up with a software designer online who needed an engineer to build the software he was envisioning. I agreed and began to work on that project in the evenings and on the weekends. Where it got sticky was when my project at my day job entered the crunch period where we were working ten to fourteen hour days for six days a week. This particular project kept getting delayed, so we had an unusually long crunch period that lasted almost six months. This caused the schedule of my day job to overrun the schedule I had contractually agreed to with my side project. I wanted the side project to succeed and I certainly didn't want to fail to deliver on the contract. The end result was that there were days when I would go to work and spend most of the day working on my side project. So, here I was ignoring the work I was getting paid for to work on a personal project that only had possible royalties attached. Furthermore, the rest of my team was killing themselves to finish the project while I was spending time on something else. Had my boss discovered what I was doing, I could have easily been fired. I was using company property for my own profit and ignoring my assigned tasks. My priorities were seriously out of whack. It's not that I wanted it to be that way, I just got overwhelmed and forgot one important thing. What was I there to do? I was there to do the work I was getting paid for. I had no business trying to juggle in anything else. Jesus made a similar decision when He started His ministry. "That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." Mark 1:32-38 Jesus could have easily continued to do good work healing the people coming to the house, but He knew He had a job to do. He simply decided to go do what He was there to do. That's not heartless or uncaring. It's just staying focused. When you feel you're up to your ears, stop and focus on what you're supposed to be doing. The rest will follow. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 17 23:53:10 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 17 23:53:50 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Keep Wisdom In View Message-ID: <63DF7FF7-301F-4E38-92D8-90E336E4AB8B@clanwebb.com> While listening to the local sports radio station today, I heard one of the hosts tell a story about his daughter. What struck me was how that story connected with a Scripture I had read the same day. He was talking about what it was like to watch a track meet for middle schoolers. Most of the kids were just happy to be there and didn't care how they did. His daughter was supposed to race in the relay, but they had to withdraw because they couldn't find two of the runners who were probably at the concessions stand or off picking flowers. It was that kind of day. At one point, he talked about how he was giving his daughter advice on running. While she was running her first race, she started to look up in the stands to wave to her parents and friends and she looked all around the field. All this while she was running a race. He encouraged her to stay focused on the race at hand. He explained that she'd have a better chance at success if she focused on her finish line. It reminded me of how some folks go through that stage of life where they don't like the race they are running. They decide they need to go "find themselves". This is just code for wanting to find something different. They don't like the race they are in and the goals laid out, so they go looking for something else. When you do that in your spiritual race, you can get really lost. Finding an alternative running style and even choosing a different finish line won't make you happier. It'll just leave you further behind and more confused. "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17:24 Those who recognize that the race God has set out is the right one, will stay focused on their race. They won't let the goal of wisdom out of their sight. Those who don't, will look throughout the earth for something else. They will find or invent some alternative because they don't like God's race. That doesn't change the rules, though. It just makes you look funny running the wrong way with the wrong goal in mind. Discover God's race and stay focused on it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 19 00:00:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri May 19 00:01:53 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Team Players Message-ID: I've been getting slowly drawn into the NBA playoffs over the last few nights. I had soured on it a bit the past few years. Some of that because my hometown team has been in the lottery, but some of it also because I was getting turned off by the showboats and me-first players that seemed to have overtaken the league. What's drawn me back in has been some very impressive team play. The teams playing now seem to be balancing their scoring, playing great team defense, and being unselfish. It's exciting to watch games with great players making the rest of their team better. There's strength in a team that works together. The team becomes greater than the sum of its parts. It's quite entertaining to watch. I'm reminded of the difference between one person praying and two or more praying together. While God certainly listens to your prayers no matter where you are, Jesus made a point that gathering together just turbo charges the connection. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:19-20 Don't stop praying alone. But, also seek out opportunities to pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ. There's power there. Warriors working together make each of them better on the battlefield. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 20 00:59:58 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat May 20 01:00:36 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Follow The Plot Message-ID: <62AB3A5B-7A70-4A6D-BDBF-098A3F051502@clanwebb.com> My class is finishing up our study of the Old Testament. This study has led me to several conclusions. One I came to last night during class, is that we take the phrase "God's plan" too literally. God doesn't have a plan as much as He has a plot. If we look at His past history with humans we can see the plot very clearly. We can then apply it toward the clues He gives us for the future. This is why it is so important to be in the Word. I worry too much about God's plan for me. That "me" thing is a snare. If we just look at the plot, we will see ourselves in it and from that we can see the ultimate outcome for us. I see myself in two places in the Old Testament: King David and the prophet Habakkuk. With David, I hold in common that paradoxical personality that causes me to put in the same amount of effort when I am in tune with the Lord and when I sin. I am always seeking the Lord, but I can mess up big time. I haven't ordered anyone's murder yet, and I will try to avoid looking at that option. I also get upset with God like Habakkuk did. "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?" Habakkuk 1:2 This is me in spades. Like most of us, I can read what is going to happen to evil in the world, but I want it now. I want to enjoy the revenge. Oops... there it is again. The fact is that God will deal out the justice and we need to let Him catalog it and do it when He's ready. The fact is that we need to worry about our relationship with Him. We need to forget trying to see our own plan and use the plot to guide us. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1:1-6 The fact is that when I think of all the people that I want to get their comeuppance, I can't really wish hell on them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 21 00:06:35 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun May 21 00:07:16 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Wimps Message-ID: When it comes right down to it, I'm a wimp. Now, we could have a reasonable conversation about that characterization in regards to my physical abilities, but that's not what I'm referring to. I'm a spiritual wimp. God has led me to a better relationship with Him over the past few years. I pray more. I'm in the Word more. I'm building deep friendships with brothers in Christ. But, when it comes to sharing my faith, I can be a wimp. I have grabbed ahold of the new command from Jesus: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 This is a powerful point. People will recognize Christ by how you act and how you love. Actions speak louder than words. However, I've taken that as an excuse to never use words. I can always claim I'm minding my own business. Nobody can accuse me of challenging them or trying to pressure them. I don't have to go out on a limb and expose myself. I don't have to take a real risk. Christ will work through my life, but when it comes time for me to speak, I'm a wimp. While this is a common situation for Christians, it's somewhat illogical. Here we are with the most powerful information known to man. We know how to guarantee passage into Heaven. It's backed up by the Word, the most powerful weapon known to man. And yet, we're afraid of someone getting angry or causing someone mental anguish by sharing this information. I was thinking about this when I read the first chapter of Joshua today. It tells the story of Joshua being appointed leader by God after Moses' death. God then tells him to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Despite all of the power and salvation God had displayed, He had to give Joshua a pep talk: "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous." Joshua 1:6-7a Why do we need to be reminded of the power behind us? Why did God need to remind Joshua? Well, because we're human, of course. Don't feel bad if you need to be pumped up from time to time, but don't avoid it either. Sometimes you have to cross the river and do what God has led you to do. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 Don't wimp out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 21 23:36:08 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun May 21 23:36:50 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mind Wars Message-ID: <5EA0AA35-3F7B-4D37-96A5-9EB8BAACCAA6@clanwebb.com> I was reading in "The Confessions of St. Augustine" and, as often as not, one phrase stands out each time I read a section. He often says, "The mind will not be hidden from truth. But the truth is hid from it." Boy, is that hitting the nail on the head! Our minds always know the truth of our thoughts and actions. But, how often is it that we try to hide the truth from our minds in order to justify our thoughts and actions? The sin nature that we've inherited is overpowering at times. It can be relentless and even victorious, at times. The mind is always the gateway. The mind is where the battle is won or lost. "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth." Psalm 26:2-3 It's not Star Wars, it's mind wars. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 22 23:40:51 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 22 23:42:27 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] How to Experience His Power Message-ID: <8B0F1BA8-28A6-4F94-93F0-1D44AD07279C@clanwebb.com> The theater carries many traditions including the fact that, in the early days, it wasn't regarded as something people of piety would attend. To be sure, it was the forerunner to movies and other entertainment venues that Christians now view, and some rightfully so, as to be avoided as they hold no moral nourishment. In fact, many spectacles include an aspect that attracts that side of human nature that is always testing to experience what would otherwise revolt the senses. If one were to suddenly come upon a car accident and find bodies dismembered and strewn about, we should rightfully react quite differently than when we attend a NASCAR event with the expectations of being witness to a spectacular crash. The point being, we want to experience the fascination of a crash, but not the side effects. Some people do the same thing with God. In so doing, they try to force Him to display His power without have to deal with the side effects. They try things like witchcraft, astrology, perversions, or anything else to get the adrenaline pumping and the senses excited. One might even point to BASE jumping, skydiving, and assorted other events as tempting God. Drawing the line and justification get blurred in our minds as we reach out to fully experience all that we can to make our senses spike. We can't lock ourselves up, put on blindfolds, plug our ears, and stop eating and drinking, so we do what we do. Well, make decisions and keep in mind, pray upon, and ponder this: "Be he has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 24 00:09:06 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 24 00:09:45 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Commemorate Message-ID: <2330C0DB-8928-453A-9DEA-CBA74C654C8A@clanwebb.com> There is a seat in the right field bleachers of Fenway Park that is painted red. It marks where the longest measurable home run ever hit inside Fenway Park landed. Ted Williams hit it out on June 9, 1946 and it was measured at 502 feet. It was an amazing accomplishment and the Red Sox saw fit to memorialize it. There is a seat just beyond the left field wall in the Metrodome that is golden-colored. It marks the place where Kirby Puckett hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. It was one of many highlights in Puckett's career and the Twins wanted folks to remember it. "And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God." Joshua 4:20-24 As a society, we build monuments and commemorate great accomplishments. How much more so should we remember the great things God has done for us? I'm not suggesting you build altars in your backyard or paint your knee-prints in the bedroom where you first accepted Christ. But, I am suggesting that you take seriously the act of remembering and passing on God's work in your life. Tell the stories, especially to your children. You want them to ask, "What do those scars mean?" Then, you can answer, "That's where Christ healed me." Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 24 22:31:23 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 24 22:32:03 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Basics First Message-ID: <84BF81FB-B6BC-4039-BC4E-988A60C1E951@clanwebb.com> One of the underlying lessons that comes into play while homeschooling is the idea of incremental learning. What I mean by that is the process of learning a new concept by building on the ones you've already learned. You can't teach multiplication until the student knows addition. You can't teach exponents until they know multiplication. And so on... This is something that hasn't always sunk in with our son. He will get frustrated with a new topic because it doesn't make sense. We'll then discover that he didn't really understand the previous topics well enough to move on. After some review, the pieces fall in to place. The value of understanding the foundational issues before you move on to higher level concepts is critical. It just can't work any other way. While working through my Bible study workbook, I came across this great quote about discovering God's will for you and how obedience must come first: "If you refuse to obey God in what he has already shown you, why should God give you further direction? Obedience to the known will of God is important in receiving further guidance." So, this leads me back to a situation that I've seen before. Someone (maybe me) wants to know what God has planned, but God seems to be silent on the issue. He has a deep desire to know God's will, but he just feels stuck. Well, what can we find out easily about God's will for us? "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;" 1 Thessalonians 4:3 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men." 1 Peter 2:15 So, God's will is to avoid sexual immorality (by the way, this includes pornography and lusting in your mind as well as adultery), give thanks in all circumstances, and to do good. If you aren't doing those things, why should God give you further direction? If you haven't made an attempt to live by the basic rules He's laid out, what makes you think you're ready for something bigger? So, if you're feeling that God is silent, maybe you need to make sure you're caught up on your homework. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu May 25 22:09:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu May 25 22:10:33 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Build Your Relationship Message-ID: <305A5DD4-5492-4CC3-A9C0-730289DEE49B@clanwebb.com> Let me pose a hypothetical situation. I invite you over to my house for a cookout. As you enter the front door, I give you an outline of the evening's events. First, we will say our "hello"s. Then, we will proceed to inform one another of upcoming events in our lives. After this brief interlude, we will hold a serious discussion about some deep thought and conclude the evening by listening to a little music. Then, you can go home. You would probably think, "What's with this guy? Why can't we just get to know each other and see where the evening goes?" You would be right to think things at my house were a little weird. However, this is usually the way most people approach their time with God in church. We have lost, or are embarrassed by, any personal spontaneity in our relationship with God. We don't take the time to just let the relationship grow and just get to know God. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3a Does this Psalm sound at all like your normal church routine? You know: Getting up on Sunday morning, getting the kids dressed, fed, and rushed out the door. Arriving at church. Being greeted with a handshake and given a bulletin. Then, sitting down and going through the routine of singing, announcements, singing, sermon, singing, and offering. To be sure, attending services is important, but it is no substitute for thirty minutes of staring into a fire, watching the water, or otherwise listening to creation. It is during these times when one can inhale, then exhale and say to God, "I need to talk to you about some things," or "It's really hard for me to..." Then, let the Holy Spirit clean up your mind, help you rearrange your attitude, get focused, and feel clean. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 27 00:24:08 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat May 27 00:25:17 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Entering Battle Message-ID: Software development is notoriously difficult to estimate. This is a problem for two major reasons. First, with software, it's difficult to quantify how much you don't know. You may think you have to write a little code to work with a new device or interact with a new web service. Then, when you try to actually do it, it turns out to be very involved and complicated. Secondly, software engineers are a naturally optimistic lot. We tend to say things like, "I can't see why that would take more than two days," or, "That's trivial. No worries. I'll squeeze that feature in." The problem is that when an optimistic engineer is off by a couple of days on scores of features, your schedule is now off by months. This is such a problem that it's only half-jokingly that project managers will take estimates from software engineers and double them... and then double them again. The bottom line is that there's a constant problem of underestimation. Reading in Joshua, I saw that the Israelites (and Joshua personally) got hit with these same two problems. "Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water." Joshua 7:2-5 Joshua was bitten by optimistic estimation. He was also bitten by what he didn't know. When he asked God why this happened, God was pretty direct: "Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions." Joshua 7:11 This is a great metaphor for your spiritual life. Don't ever underestimate the power of sin in your life. Attack it with full force and drive it out. Don't go halfway and get beaten. Furthermore, if you seem to be losing battles, make sure there isn't some sin in your life that you are refusing to acknowledge. Make sure you aren't hiding it under the rug and hoping God won't notice. Go into battle with your house in order and with your entire army. Only then will you have a chance. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 28 00:15:50 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun May 28 00:16:55 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] On Pascal Message-ID: I am now reading books that, as a young man in school, I thought were a waste of my time. I was too busy trying to prove to the world how smart I was and why everyone should pay attention to me. So, now I am reading Blaise Pascal, a Frenchman who lived before the whole French nation lost their collective minds. He didn't live very long, but left his thumbprint on math, physics, religion, and literature. He was only on the planet for thirty-nine years, but the brain cells never stopped working. I like the guy because he can reduce ideas to the short and sweet. Try this (I am paraphrasing): One problem with imagination is that it places the same emphasis on truth and fiction. Ain't that the truth! How often do we think, "What a great idea!" only to find out it has no basis in fact, because it was just an idea. Here's another one, and remember this thought was around in the middle of the 1600s: The sport of kings is chasing a rabbit or a ball. Ain't that the truth, too! Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, and the hunting channel. There is nothing wrong with these pursuits as recreation, but they should have no place in the core of our lives. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10-12 There are primary and secondary concerns in life. Get them straight. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 29 00:04:21 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 29 00:04:59 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Memorial Message-ID: <8D2DE611-0FBF-4EFA-8E06-D2780A98D974@clanwebb.com> My patriotism comes mostly from being raised by patriotic parents. A healthy diet of World War II movies and John Wayne didn't hurt either. By the time I was in high school, I had clear ideas about why my country was the best ever. I felt strongly that we had a right to defend ourselves and I had the deepest reverence and respect for those who did. I got my first taste of patriotic indignation during my ROTC mini boot camp. The Marine drill seargant that was dragging us through the mud had been in the barracks in Beirut when they were attacked in 1983. When he told us that fact with no other information, I could see the pain in his face at the friends he had lost. I got more of it as I went through college and into the workforce. So many well- educated, smart people have so little respect for what these men and women do. It's hard to watch those folks insulted and put down in movies, biased news reports, and even on the floor of Congress. It only seems to get worse. Today is the day we remember those who have fallen for us. Regardless of your opinion of the people who send them, you must have the utmost respect for those who go. I believe that we should also remember those brothers and sisters who have fallen and are in danger for simply believing in Christ. There are far more than we are told and more every day. They are as much our brother as the guy sitting next to you in Sunday service. They have a much more dangerous life to live and many do not survive. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15 So, I will fly my flag tomorrow to tell my neighbors that I remember those Americans who have died protecting me. I will also pray tomorrow. I would suggest that we all pray for those whose lives are in danger for being Christians. They carry a message even more powerful than the promise of our country. They know about the promise of Christ. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 29 23:56:16 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon May 29 23:56:54 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Risk Faith Message-ID: <617EBA9B-06D0-4CDD-85BC-97FF74338F23@clanwebb.com> Faith is both painful and joyful. When we place our faith in an object or a person and it or they fail, we must always remember that it wasn't wrong to have faith, but rather that the thing or the person was not worthy of our faith. Faith is always good, but the results can be painful. On the other hand, when our faith is rewarded by the expected (or better than expected) results, it is joyful. Paul came to a point, at least for a period when writing to friends: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 There is no risk in faith when it is in Christ. The risk is only when faith is placed in the world. A great weakness we have as men is that when we step out in faith, we always tie a tether to the world. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 30 23:29:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue May 30 23:31:15 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Kill 'Em All Message-ID: I've been reading through Joshua about how he led the Israelites into the Promised Land. God led him to fight and defeat king after king after king. As a kid, this was a great story of a warrior who led a motivated army against enemies of all kinds. As an adult, all I can think of is how bloody and exhausting it was to keep attacking and keep fighting. Each time they conquered a king, God told them to kill every living creature. Again, my mind reels at imagining that kind of bloodshed and just the time and effort involved in wiping out a city's population. What I know, though, is that God told them to do this for their own good. He knew that the Israelites would be corrupted by alien culture and religion. He knew that none of that would be helpful in their efforts to follow Him. "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:15-16 This is what God knew and was preventing by telling them to completely destroy these cities. With age has come recognition, too. I recognize the parallels in the story to every man's battle with sin. When we are saved, we are a new creation. We literally have to re-settle the territory of our own body. "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24 As you are surveying the landscape of your worldly life, you need to wipe out all of the things that have taken root. You have to kill every living part of the sin that has settled in your life. Leave nothing left. Any part left over will only corrupt you and begin to drag you back to the life before. You can't promise yourself to ignore those settlements. You can't choose to avoid them. You have to attack them with the backing of God and annihilate them. The power behind that sin will never give up trying to bring you down. Don't let it keep a foothold in your life. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 31 22:08:01 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed May 31 22:08:44 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Faith and Reason Message-ID: <6A88394B-4FC1-41C1-9751-4FDF6506158E@clanwebb.com> I am the type of guy that likes his solutions reduced to the lowest common denominator. I don't like my solutions cluttered up with a lot of peripheral notation that might distract me. Sometimes, problems cannot be rendered down to a simple solution. Often, we just run out of evidence or our tools and abilities come to the end of their capacities. This is when some things stay, to a certain extent, a mystery and we just have to say, "I don't know. It beats the heck outta me!" Reason must maintain the capacity to believe, because the consequences are evident that reasoning is feeble. Only blind arrogance believes it can reason out every last thing. It leaves no room for the supernatural. Faith is stronger than reason because it simply accepts the solution and doesn't require every footprint to be revealed. Faith accepts, but the trick is to know when to accept and when to remain skeptical. I have concluded that if it is of the world, one should remain skeptical. If it is of God and His Word, then you can accept it. When you read about all of the miracles Jesus performed, take note how He always tells the recipient, "It is by your faith that..." They didn't know how He cured them or manipulated the forces of nature or foretold the future, the just knew He did it. They key was that they had faith He could before He did it. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 For the Christian, Christ is reason enough. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 1 00:09:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 00:09:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Everything Message-ID: It sounds silly to say it out loud, but we all do it. At some time or another (it's a daily occurrence for me), every man will say, "I can handle this. I don't need to bring God into it," or, "I see the solution. I don't need to ask Him for help." Sometimes, we'll do what we think is right and, sure enough, it works out. So, were we right? Can we handle some things without God? Um, no. The fallacy in our logic is that we don't recognize that God is already involved, even though you haven't explicitly gone to Him for help. Those things you think you're doing by yourself? Not so much. Now, the fact of the matter is that when you do acknowledge God and ask for Him to help or seek His will, the resolution will always be the right one. It may not be the most comfortable or the least painful, but it will be the right one. So, how do I know that God's involved with anything I do that succeeds? "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 So, without God I can do precisely nothing. Therefore, if I've accomplished anything He must be involved. If I seek Him out and place my trust in Him for success, how do I know that it will always work? "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13 Paul says "everything", not "most things" or "important things". He said "everything". Don't you think we'd be better off to go to Him with everything? Yeah, me too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 1 22:02:54 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 1 May 2006 22:02:54 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Put It On Message-ID: <81F2611A-22F0-4630-946E-63B9F274B625@clanwebb.com> "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes form the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. WIth this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:10-18 Blaise Pascal had this to say in his work, "Pensees": "... Thinking too little about things or thinking too much both make us obstinate and fanatical..." Don't over-think the verses, just do them every day. God made a lot of scholars. Most of us ain't one of them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 3 00:23:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 00:23:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Training Message-ID: <374D5D26-B690-485A-BB44-A46D420CCE28@clanwebb.com> Are you thankful for problems? Are you grateful for disruptions and irritations? No, me neither. Of course, the easy answer is often the wrong answer. We are supposed to be thankful for trials. Those are the growth processes that make us stronger and more capable of handling situations that we'll see in the future. When you pray for patience, you will experience trials. Why? Because God doesn't just bestow patience on you, He teaches it to you. If you asked a major league hitting instructor to make you a good hitter, he wouldn't wave his magic wand and cause you to suddenly start spraying doubles in the gap. No, he'd make you practice and practice and practice some more. He'd make sure you could handle batting practice pitches. Then he might let you face some minor league pitchers. If you really showed promise, you might get to face a big leaguer. He isn't going to sprinkle you with fairy dust and then let you bat cleanup for a major league team. You would have been overwhelmed and in over your head. How do you think God gives you gifts like patience, compassion, mercy, love, faith, and the rest? He guides you through trials in your life to give you the experience you need to develop those fruits of the spirit. Would you thank the hitting instructor while he was training you? So, why don't you thank God while He's training you? Just because the training isn't fun? Practice is rarely fun. It's being prepared for the game that is worth getting excited about. "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. [...] It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn from your decrees." Psalm 119:67, 71 Got a problem? Congratulations. Be thankful He cares enough to train you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 3 23:45:52 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 3 May 2006 23:45:52 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Clueless Message-ID: <8A88FE6B-D6B4-402C-8F05-6349F02FFF34@clanwebb.com> Want to hear something scary? I heard this on the radio today: A recent survey revealed that 90% of Americans believe that they are in the upper 10% of intelligence in the United States. We really think we are smarter than nine out of ten people we meet. Our education ranking in the world suffers every year. I can only think we are becoming more delusional by the day. I also heard that 23% of high school students can't find Louisiana on a map and the number soars when asked to find Iraq. But, we are absolutely sure we have the intelligence to question God. No wonder we can be convinced of evolution and random chance. With this kind of thinking and attitude about ourselves, the options for Satan are endless. I know in my life that when I think I can think for myself, God simply removes the illusion of my own abilities and I fall flat on my face. I can only think that He's doing something similar to the world. "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 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. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 When perfection comes (that's Jesus), our worldly knowledge will be revealed as so imperfect that it won't qualify as an excuse. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 5 00:03:01 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 00:03:01 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What You've Missed Message-ID: I am often amazed by the things about which people choose to complain. Once, after a round of layoffs, I overheard coworkers complaining about the seating arrangement of their cubes. That always made me shake my head. How can you be annoyed at where you sit, when a few of your peers are out looking for a new job? Where's the sense of perspective? We, of course, are guilty of this everyday. We pray for God to solve our problems and heal our illnesses. Yet, we all know that we are living the life of kings as compared to many brothers and sisters in the third world. We often lose our perspective, too. How easy it is for us to forget. "if the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth." Psalm 124:2-6 Spend some time thanking Him for what you've missed. Thank Him for what He's helped you avoid. I think you'll find your blessings to be plentiful. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 6 01:15:51 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 01:15:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Protection By Removal Message-ID: <7697E4A3-8C86-4CCB-B4CA-C233B2B85692@clanwebb.com> I remember when my son was at one of those transition stages of development. He had learned just enough motor skill to try new things and had developed the independence to want to do it himself. Whether it was pouring a glass of water or setting up the TV to watch a movie, he figured he had learned enough to handle it alone. As a parent who was concerned about water being spilled or the DVD being scratched, I still tried to help. He would get angry and tell me to leave him alone. Why did I persist? For two reasons: First, I didn't want him to do any damage to the items he was working with. Second, I didn't want him to get frustrated if he didn't get it right even though he was still too immature. In both cases I was trying to protect him and those around him. I would either help or prevent him from doing these things until I knew he could handle them. God is the perfect parent and does the same thing for us. He knows the things that will hurt us and keeps us away from them. He knows the things that we can handle with His help and He will put us in a position to deal with them. "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land alloted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil." Psalm 125:1-3 Trusting in God is a solid, guaranteed security. That's because He'll protect you and that may mean taking those things away from you that may harm you or those around you. This Psalm promises that He would even cause kingdoms to change to help you avoid the temptation of following the wrong path. How cool is that? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 6 23:20:43 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 6 May 2006 23:20:43 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] His Will Message-ID: <7B018F60-DB8C-492E-9A3B-94265169D7A8@clanwebb.com> Over the past several months I've been actively working on my prayer life. I'm making a point of praying at least once a day for specific requests that others have made. I'm also trying to pray more regularly for my wife and my son. While these are all good things, I'm finding myself falling into a bad habit. I have a tendency to pray for the outcome I want and then follow it up with, "But, more than these, I want Your will to be done." Originally, I felt it was the right way to pray as I was letting God know that my desire was for His will to be done above all else. Now, though, I see that it's actually a kind of catch-all phrase. It's like saying to God, "Here's what I want to happen, but you do what you feel is best. Surprise me!" It's a shortcut. The problem is that I'm being lazy about seeking God's will. I'm praying based on my own desires and ideas, but then I tack on, "but Your will be done," and I figure I covered the bases. This is just laziness because God wants us to know and do His will. "The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." 1 John 2:17 "However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" - but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 "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 Read those carefully. God has revealed to us both the reward and the path to it. He also says that He will give us the tools to discover His will. He wants us to follow His will because it's the best thing for us. He isn't hiding His will from us. So, if we don't see it, it's our fault. Seek His will. Ask Him to reveal it to you. Remember, though, you have to open the lines of communication to ask such a question. Once you know it, then you can pray specifically for His will. Pray. Read. Listen. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 7 23:35:29 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 23:35:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] 100 Percent Message-ID: "I may not have been the world's greatest saint, but neither am I the worst. I've never robbed any banks or killed anyone." With just the very faint hint of a smile he added, "All told, I figure that I'm as good as most and better than some. I figure I'm probably good enough to get in." Okay, Christian. What do you say next? Here's an idea: "How did you come to that conclusion? Imagine you are up before a judge on a count of vehicular manslaughter. Just a momentary lapse on an otherwise perfect driving record and you killed someone. Are you going to tell the judge that except for this one thing, you're as good as most and better than some? What if your judge is a 100 percent judge? By that I mean he's an all or nothing judge. He's the one that says 80 percent isn't good enough, 90 percent isn't good enough, and even 99 percent isn't good enough. The price has to be paid. Do you have someone willing to pay the price for you?" "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10 Christ is called the "propitiation for our sins." Here a different Greek word is used (hilasmos). Christ is "the propitiation," because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. (From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary) It's gotta be 100 percent, boys...100 percent. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 9 00:08:36 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 00:08:36 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Freedom Message-ID: <460DAC07-94BA-4790-868D-2169FF5CB4DE@clanwebb.com> As I've mentioned before, I'm still a geek at heart. I like good sci- fi and fantasy books and movies. I'm a comic book fan and love the recent rash of superhero movies. I think part of my love for these movies is finally seeing on the big screen all the things I imagined as a child. The only difference, of course, was that when I imagined them, I was the superhero. I was the one who could fly and fight and defeat the supervillan. I still have dreams from time to time in which I can defy the laws of physics and gravity. I love the promise of freedom attached to being able to stick to walls or run at hyperspeed. There is something invigorating about the idea of being able to break the laws that govern the working of the universe. More and more I realize that I have access to that feeling now. In fact, Jesus has allowed me to function outside the laws of the world. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2 The laws of sin and death have no power over me anymore. That's even cooler than overcoming the law of gravity. That's something to be jazzed about. That's real freedom. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 9 23:48:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 23:48:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The River Message-ID: I love a mountaintop experience. There were times in my native Colorado or in Hell's Canyon on the Snake River, when a particular view, sunrise, or night sky was so beautiful that I thought the sound of my heart beating was an intrusion on the moment. There are also times during a service when a song brings back a vivid memory or I am overcome by the presence of God so much that it's tangible. I begin to actually feel that He isn't a God that I have to imagine, but a God that's so real I can feed off of his closeness. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 Then the world dilutes Him from me. He is still there, like the river and the mountains, but I cannot feel His closeness. I am not standing near a river where I can hear the water, touch it, and taste it, and it seems very far away. As a man, I have to hike to the river everyday or I am in danger of forgetting how to find my way back. It will always be there: millions of gallons of water flowing to the sea, but I will be thirsty. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5 The people had Him for a while. The twelve were with Him daily. He awoke them and told them what to do, where to go, what to say, and how to find food and shelter. Then He went away and, like a father to the child, He told them that they had the knowledge to find their way. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one come to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." " John 14:6 It isn't easy for the hearts and minds of men to grasp the knowledge that brings them to the point where they can grasp the reality of God when we cannot see Him. So, before He left, He made a promise to those of us that need a guide back to the river. "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him or knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:15-18 So, you see, the river comes to us. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 10 22:26:06 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 22:26:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Walk Securely Message-ID: <426B2D70-D3D9-4729-8B4E-38086F4A3F3F@clanwebb.com> I was probably about ten or eleven years old. My friends and I would ride our bikes down to the local 7-Eleven almost every day during the summer. We'd bring whatever money we had to buy a Slurpee or some candy. Most of the time, all we had was a quarter or two, so we'd load up on the nickel candy they had on the bottom racks. Like most kids that age, when surrounded by friends of still-evolving morals, we started to notice just how easy it would be to pocket an extra piece of candy. If we were really smooth, we figured we could get several pieces. It took us a while to get the gumption to try, but we did eventually do it. I still remember the dramatically different feeling I had. For days and days, I could walk up to the counter and pay for my choices easily and then enjoy them as we sauntered out of the store. On those days, there was nothing to worry about. On this day, though, I was nervous and worried. After paying, I walked as fast as I could to my bike and rode away quickly. I was looking over my shoulder to see if the clerk was going to follow me. I was too stressed out to really enjoy my ill-gotten gains. I just wanted to go home and hoped that nobody would find out. Of course, my mind raced with scenarios involving the police and unpleasant calls to my parents. What I learned that day was that I had a conscience and it was there for a reason. What I've learned over time since then is that, when you do right, you have nothing to worry about. When you do wrong, you'll always have to wonder if someone figured it out. "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." Proverbs 10:9 It's no surprise that the Bible clearly states the truth of life that I discovered through that experience. By the way, it works both ways. If you make sure you are walking with integrity, you don't have to worry about watching your back. By the same token, if you suddenly feel nervous or stressed about someone hunting you down, perhaps you should think about what you've done to start those worries. In other words, you can use this proverb to plan your path and you can use it to figure out what path you just finished using, if you aren't sure. I like to walk with my eyes forward. I need to see where God is leading me. Make sure you don't have a reason to look back. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 12 00:06:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 00:06:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Are You Ready? Message-ID: <823EF9BC-D20E-4D1D-BC78-44E85F6A1362@clanwebb.com> As you get older, more of the people who know will die. The response of friends differs, but the goal is the same and that is to be a comfort. Some say, "Well, they had a long life and they didn't suffer." Presumably they did live long, but who is to put a number on it? Perhaps they'll say, "They knew the end was near." I'm not so sure I would want to know. There's always this good one, "There is no more pain for them now," and the overused, "They are in a better place now." There is really only one good answer and someone I pray with said it last Sunday. We were through praying and having a good laugh over some stories when he became very dizzy. He couldn't get up from his chair and those of us there became concerned. As we stayed with him and prayed, he gave the indication that he was in some serious distress, but he thought it would pass. In his distress, he became very calm and gave us very direct instructions: "If this is the end, guys, do not call 911 until I'm gone. I am serious. I am ready to go." He recovered after a while and promised to see a doctor. I thought about his instructions and it brought to mind an elderly missionary lady named Anne that told me one day, "Allen, I am going to get a tattoo right across my chest and it is going to say "NO HEROIC MEASURES"." I laughed with her and marveled at the same time. To the friends of both of these people, I will be able to say after their passing, "They were ready to go!" These are the only words of comfort I want to hear from anybody about anybody I know. I was standing near a nationally known preacher one night and he had just returned from his mother-in-law's funeral the previous day. I said, "Sorry to hear about your wife's mother." He looked at me and replied, "Why? She is better off than you and me." People who know and know that they know, are ready. It is a sobering thought to really ask yourself, "If I died right now, would I be excited about what would happen next?" "Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I got to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 13 00:22:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 13 May 2006 00:22:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] You Stink Message-ID: <746E9190-E524-4F4D-B4C9-B98AA811193B@clanwebb.com> I was showing a home to some clients last night. They were a nice couple and they brought their young daughter. I think she was about eleven or so. The thing about kids is that they are just so honest. I used to get embarrassed if anyone - child or not - said something bad about a home I was showing. Even if the homeowners were there or not. I thought a simple, "Thanks, Allen, but this home isn't for us," would suffice. However, people have some very unkind things they feel they must blurt out. This young girl went out on the back porch of the home where there were a couple of garbage sacks. She sang out loudly, "It stinks out here, Mom!" The homeowner started to apologize as they were just in the process of putting it out for pick up the next day. Everyone let it slide because of her age. So, it was no harm, no foul. I started to think about it on the way home and it came to me that God must have a similar experience. When He looks into our lives - physical, mental, and spiritual - it must stink. He must wonder when we are going to put the garbage out. Jim Cymbala in his book, "Fresh Wind Fresh Fire", tells the story of a homeless guy that comes up to him after the service. Jim thinks he is going to ask for money, so he puts up with the urine and unwashed smell long enough to reach for his money clip only to have the guy say, "I don't want your money. I want Jesus. If I can't find Him, I will die out in the world." Jim says he felt God saying, "Jim, if you and your wife have any value to me, if you have any purpose in My work, it has to do with this odor. This is the smell of the world I died for." "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult" Proverbs 12:16 Ever stop to think how much God overlooks in your life? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 14 00:31:35 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 14 May 2006 00:31:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Savior Needed Message-ID: As I've often mentioned before, I'm a comic book fan. I'm having a blast watching all of these recent movies that are based on comic book characters. It's like being a big kid and it makes the characters feel more real. That's all escapism for me, though. It's an opportunity to set aside my worries for a couple of hours and enjoy a fun story with my family. When I'm in that mode, there's nothing I hate worse than finding that the movie is trying to hammer home a controversial or incorrect opinion. It changes from entertaining me to indoctrinating me and I don't like it. I saw a trailer for "Superman Returns" yesterday that made be cringe. I'm looking forward to that movie, but there was one line in the commercial that really annoyed me. Lois Lane is looking up at Superman and says, "The world doesn't need a savior and neither do I." Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I have a hard time believing dialogue like that was written accidentally. I think the hidden message was likely intentional on someone's part and most of the other folks involved didn't care. The world does need a savior. Every person on the planet needs one. Hollywood wants you to bite your lip, stiffen your spine and tell the world you can do it on your own. The Word tells me different: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5-7 I need a savior. So do you. Don't ever forget it and don't ever stop being thankful that He saved you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 15 00:19:23 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 00:19:23 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Can't Know It All Message-ID: <99758E9E-BC8B-40B2-A8D8-D20A005095CF@clanwebb.com> I read a fun little web page written by someone in England who was annoyed with the BBC. You see, they had predicted a sunny day for the upcoming Friday. As such, this fellow planned to take the day off and booked a trip to the coast. When he got there, it was a downpour. In his frustration, he started to track the prediction of the BBC's weather center. He found over the course of several months that they were accurate about 53% of the time. Accurate? Heck, that's like throwing darts at a board of choices. When the seasons are right, the national weather centers know to start watching for hurricanes and tornadoes. They can tell you that the weather is right to form one, but they can never tell you exactly where or when. With hurricanes, they can't even tell you which way they'll be going in two days. The fact is that there's just too much data to process to make such a prediction and we don't even know how to measure some of what we would need to know. On completely different note, I can find detailed explanations of how a sperm and egg combine into an embryo, how the embryo matures into child, and how the child grows along the way. What I cannot find, however, is how this process came to be. Nobody can explain to me where this long, delicate, and complicated process came from. Science simply can't explain it because they refuse to believe it was designed. Stick with me here, I'm going to tie these together. And, yet, we have science telling us that everything can be explained. They admit they can't explain some things, yet, but they promise that they will be able to some day. The fact is that we cannot know all of God. We should try to learn as much as possible about Him and the world He created, but we should not be going forward with the arrogance of believing that we will be able to know everything. Pride will get in the way of good science. How do I know all these things to be true? Easy, I checked the book of truth. "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." Ecclesiastes 11:5 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 15 23:48:03 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 23:48:03 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Faith in Your Father Message-ID: <24AD6480-6531-41B1-B764-49DA2ED1D9D0@clanwebb.com> I have started to read - listen, actually - to John McCain's book, "Faith of our Fathers". The very first chapter lets the reader know that the faith he is referring to is that faith he has in his heritage. His father was Navy and he loved his father. His father loved his father, who was also Navy. Actually, that McCain was very famous in that he was Admiral Halsey's right hand man and can be seen in the famous photograph of the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri. John McCain can trace his history back to the staff of General George Washington. It seems that the love of heritage in his family transcended the love of the women they married. His mother once asked his father if he loved his father more than he loved her and he said, "Yes". The McCains are a colorful lot of hard drinkers, gamblers, and tough men. John McCain is a driven man and a slave to his heritage. As a man I can admire these men, all of them, for their service and chuckle at their vices. But, in the end, I guess I would have to say just give me old George Bush. Yep, old milquetoast George that had a famous father and a famous grandfather, but went the route of the spoiled underachieving child to become the President. You might ask, "Why?" Well, I prefer him because George doesn't wear his heritage on his sleeve. He wears his faith. He embraces the love of his God, his wife, and his family. I am sure he loves Laura more than he loves his father. I'm also sure that George Sr. wants it that way. "no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord." Isaiah 54:17 Admiral "Bull" Halsey was a vital part of winning World War II. But, he hung McCain's grandfather out to dry when his own neck was on the line. McCain lost his command to go home and die at his own homecoming party. Men will always let you down sooner or later. God won't. Are you living to please your earthly father, or your heavenly one? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 17 00:10:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 00:10:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] What You're Supposed To Be Doing Message-ID: <71FBAF35-67FC-468A-9944-5185AF59B950@clanwebb.com> Some years ago, I had put myself in a tough position professionally that led to some stupid choices. It started with my ongoing desire to always try new things. While keeping busy at my day job, I hooked up with a software designer online who needed an engineer to build the software he was envisioning. I agreed and began to work on that project in the evenings and on the weekends. Where it got sticky was when my project at my day job entered the crunch period where we were working ten to fourteen hour days for six days a week. This particular project kept getting delayed, so we had an unusually long crunch period that lasted almost six months. This caused the schedule of my day job to overrun the schedule I had contractually agreed to with my side project. I wanted the side project to succeed and I certainly didn't want to fail to deliver on the contract. The end result was that there were days when I would go to work and spend most of the day working on my side project. So, here I was ignoring the work I was getting paid for to work on a personal project that only had possible royalties attached. Furthermore, the rest of my team was killing themselves to finish the project while I was spending time on something else. Had my boss discovered what I was doing, I could have easily been fired. I was using company property for my own profit and ignoring my assigned tasks. My priorities were seriously out of whack. It's not that I wanted it to be that way, I just got overwhelmed and forgot one important thing. What was I there to do? I was there to do the work I was getting paid for. I had no business trying to juggle in anything else. Jesus made a similar decision when He started His ministry. "That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." Mark 1:32-38 Jesus could have easily continued to do good work healing the people coming to the house, but He knew He had a job to do. He simply decided to go do what He was there to do. That's not heartless or uncaring. It's just staying focused. When you feel you're up to your ears, stop and focus on what you're supposed to be doing. The rest will follow. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 17 23:53:10 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 23:53:10 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Keep Wisdom In View Message-ID: <63DF7FF7-301F-4E38-92D8-90E336E4AB8B@clanwebb.com> While listening to the local sports radio station today, I heard one of the hosts tell a story about his daughter. What struck me was how that story connected with a Scripture I had read the same day. He was talking about what it was like to watch a track meet for middle schoolers. Most of the kids were just happy to be there and didn't care how they did. His daughter was supposed to race in the relay, but they had to withdraw because they couldn't find two of the runners who were probably at the concessions stand or off picking flowers. It was that kind of day. At one point, he talked about how he was giving his daughter advice on running. While she was running her first race, she started to look up in the stands to wave to her parents and friends and she looked all around the field. All this while she was running a race. He encouraged her to stay focused on the race at hand. He explained that she'd have a better chance at success if she focused on her finish line. It reminded me of how some folks go through that stage of life where they don't like the race they are running. They decide they need to go "find themselves". This is just code for wanting to find something different. They don't like the race they are in and the goals laid out, so they go looking for something else. When you do that in your spiritual race, you can get really lost. Finding an alternative running style and even choosing a different finish line won't make you happier. It'll just leave you further behind and more confused. "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth." Proverbs 17:24 Those who recognize that the race God has set out is the right one, will stay focused on their race. They won't let the goal of wisdom out of their sight. Those who don't, will look throughout the earth for something else. They will find or invent some alternative because they don't like God's race. That doesn't change the rules, though. It just makes you look funny running the wrong way with the wrong goal in mind. Discover God's race and stay focused on it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri May 19 00:00:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 00:00:42 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Team Players Message-ID: I've been getting slowly drawn into the NBA playoffs over the last few nights. I had soured on it a bit the past few years. Some of that because my hometown team has been in the lottery, but some of it also because I was getting turned off by the showboats and me-first players that seemed to have overtaken the league. What's drawn me back in has been some very impressive team play. The teams playing now seem to be balancing their scoring, playing great team defense, and being unselfish. It's exciting to watch games with great players making the rest of their team better. There's strength in a team that works together. The team becomes greater than the sum of its parts. It's quite entertaining to watch. I'm reminded of the difference between one person praying and two or more praying together. While God certainly listens to your prayers no matter where you are, Jesus made a point that gathering together just turbo charges the connection. "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:19-20 Don't stop praying alone. But, also seek out opportunities to pray with your brothers and sisters in Christ. There's power there. Warriors working together make each of them better on the battlefield. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 20 00:59:58 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 00:59:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Follow The Plot Message-ID: <62AB3A5B-7A70-4A6D-BDBF-098A3F051502@clanwebb.com> My class is finishing up our study of the Old Testament. This study has led me to several conclusions. One I came to last night during class, is that we take the phrase "God's plan" too literally. God doesn't have a plan as much as He has a plot. If we look at His past history with humans we can see the plot very clearly. We can then apply it toward the clues He gives us for the future. This is why it is so important to be in the Word. I worry too much about God's plan for me. That "me" thing is a snare. If we just look at the plot, we will see ourselves in it and from that we can see the ultimate outcome for us. I see myself in two places in the Old Testament: King David and the prophet Habakkuk. With David, I hold in common that paradoxical personality that causes me to put in the same amount of effort when I am in tune with the Lord and when I sin. I am always seeking the Lord, but I can mess up big time. I haven't ordered anyone's murder yet, and I will try to avoid looking at that option. I also get upset with God like Habakkuk did. "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save?" Habakkuk 1:2 This is me in spades. Like most of us, I can read what is going to happen to evil in the world, but I want it now. I want to enjoy the revenge. Oops... there it is again. The fact is that God will deal out the justice and we need to let Him catalog it and do it when He's ready. The fact is that we need to worry about our relationship with Him. We need to forget trying to see our own plan and use the plot to guide us. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1:1-6 The fact is that when I think of all the people that I want to get their comeuppance, I can't really wish hell on them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 21 00:06:35 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 00:06:35 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Wimps Message-ID: When it comes right down to it, I'm a wimp. Now, we could have a reasonable conversation about that characterization in regards to my physical abilities, but that's not what I'm referring to. I'm a spiritual wimp. God has led me to a better relationship with Him over the past few years. I pray more. I'm in the Word more. I'm building deep friendships with brothers in Christ. But, when it comes to sharing my faith, I can be a wimp. I have grabbed ahold of the new command from Jesus: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 This is a powerful point. People will recognize Christ by how you act and how you love. Actions speak louder than words. However, I've taken that as an excuse to never use words. I can always claim I'm minding my own business. Nobody can accuse me of challenging them or trying to pressure them. I don't have to go out on a limb and expose myself. I don't have to take a real risk. Christ will work through my life, but when it comes time for me to speak, I'm a wimp. While this is a common situation for Christians, it's somewhat illogical. Here we are with the most powerful information known to man. We know how to guarantee passage into Heaven. It's backed up by the Word, the most powerful weapon known to man. And yet, we're afraid of someone getting angry or causing someone mental anguish by sharing this information. I was thinking about this when I read the first chapter of Joshua today. It tells the story of Joshua being appointed leader by God after Moses' death. God then tells him to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Despite all of the power and salvation God had displayed, He had to give Joshua a pep talk: "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous." Joshua 1:6-7a Why do we need to be reminded of the power behind us? Why did God need to remind Joshua? Well, because we're human, of course. Don't feel bad if you need to be pumped up from time to time, but don't avoid it either. Sometimes you have to cross the river and do what God has led you to do. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 Don't wimp out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 21 23:36:08 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 21 May 2006 23:36:08 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mind Wars Message-ID: <5EA0AA35-3F7B-4D37-96A5-9EB8BAACCAA6@clanwebb.com> I was reading in "The Confessions of St. Augustine" and, as often as not, one phrase stands out each time I read a section. He often says, "The mind will not be hidden from truth. But the truth is hid from it." Boy, is that hitting the nail on the head! Our minds always know the truth of our thoughts and actions. But, how often is it that we try to hide the truth from our minds in order to justify our thoughts and actions? The sin nature that we've inherited is overpowering at times. It can be relentless and even victorious, at times. The mind is always the gateway. The mind is where the battle is won or lost. "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth." Psalm 26:2-3 It's not Star Wars, it's mind wars. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 22 23:40:51 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 22 May 2006 23:40:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] How to Experience His Power Message-ID: <8B0F1BA8-28A6-4F94-93F0-1D44AD07279C@clanwebb.com> The theater carries many traditions including the fact that, in the early days, it wasn't regarded as something people of piety would attend. To be sure, it was the forerunner to movies and other entertainment venues that Christians now view, and some rightfully so, as to be avoided as they hold no moral nourishment. In fact, many spectacles include an aspect that attracts that side of human nature that is always testing to experience what would otherwise revolt the senses. If one were to suddenly come upon a car accident and find bodies dismembered and strewn about, we should rightfully react quite differently than when we attend a NASCAR event with the expectations of being witness to a spectacular crash. The point being, we want to experience the fascination of a crash, but not the side effects. Some people do the same thing with God. In so doing, they try to force Him to display His power without have to deal with the side effects. They try things like witchcraft, astrology, perversions, or anything else to get the adrenaline pumping and the senses excited. One might even point to BASE jumping, skydiving, and assorted other events as tempting God. Drawing the line and justification get blurred in our minds as we reach out to fully experience all that we can to make our senses spike. We can't lock ourselves up, put on blindfolds, plug our ears, and stop eating and drinking, so we do what we do. Well, make decisions and keep in mind, pray upon, and ponder this: "Be he has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 24 00:09:06 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 00:09:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Commemorate Message-ID: <2330C0DB-8928-453A-9DEA-CBA74C654C8A@clanwebb.com> There is a seat in the right field bleachers of Fenway Park that is painted red. It marks where the longest measurable home run ever hit inside Fenway Park landed. Ted Williams hit it out on June 9, 1946 and it was measured at 502 feet. It was an amazing accomplishment and the Red Sox saw fit to memorialize it. There is a seat just beyond the left field wall in the Metrodome that is golden-colored. It marks the place where Kirby Puckett hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning of Game 6 of the 1991 World Series. It was one of many highlights in Puckett's career and the Twins wanted folks to remember it. "And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God." Joshua 4:20-24 As a society, we build monuments and commemorate great accomplishments. How much more so should we remember the great things God has done for us? I'm not suggesting you build altars in your backyard or paint your knee-prints in the bedroom where you first accepted Christ. But, I am suggesting that you take seriously the act of remembering and passing on God's work in your life. Tell the stories, especially to your children. You want them to ask, "What do those scars mean?" Then, you can answer, "That's where Christ healed me." Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 24 22:31:23 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 22:31:23 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Basics First Message-ID: <84BF81FB-B6BC-4039-BC4E-988A60C1E951@clanwebb.com> One of the underlying lessons that comes into play while homeschooling is the idea of incremental learning. What I mean by that is the process of learning a new concept by building on the ones you've already learned. You can't teach multiplication until the student knows addition. You can't teach exponents until they know multiplication. And so on... This is something that hasn't always sunk in with our son. He will get frustrated with a new topic because it doesn't make sense. We'll then discover that he didn't really understand the previous topics well enough to move on. After some review, the pieces fall in to place. The value of understanding the foundational issues before you move on to higher level concepts is critical. It just can't work any other way. While working through my Bible study workbook, I came across this great quote about discovering God's will for you and how obedience must come first: "If you refuse to obey God in what he has already shown you, why should God give you further direction? Obedience to the known will of God is important in receiving further guidance." So, this leads me back to a situation that I've seen before. Someone (maybe me) wants to know what God has planned, but God seems to be silent on the issue. He has a deep desire to know God's will, but he just feels stuck. Well, what can we find out easily about God's will for us? "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;" 1 Thessalonians 4:3 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men." 1 Peter 2:15 So, God's will is to avoid sexual immorality (by the way, this includes pornography and lusting in your mind as well as adultery), give thanks in all circumstances, and to do good. If you aren't doing those things, why should God give you further direction? If you haven't made an attempt to live by the basic rules He's laid out, what makes you think you're ready for something bigger? So, if you're feeling that God is silent, maybe you need to make sure you're caught up on your homework. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu May 25 22:09:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 25 May 2006 22:09:55 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Build Your Relationship Message-ID: <305A5DD4-5492-4CC3-A9C0-730289DEE49B@clanwebb.com> Let me pose a hypothetical situation. I invite you over to my house for a cookout. As you enter the front door, I give you an outline of the evening's events. First, we will say our "hello"s. Then, we will proceed to inform one another of upcoming events in our lives. After this brief interlude, we will hold a serious discussion about some deep thought and conclude the evening by listening to a little music. Then, you can go home. You would probably think, "What's with this guy? Why can't we just get to know each other and see where the evening goes?" You would be right to think things at my house were a little weird. However, this is usually the way most people approach their time with God in church. We have lost, or are embarrassed by, any personal spontaneity in our relationship with God. We don't take the time to just let the relationship grow and just get to know God. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2-3a Does this Psalm sound at all like your normal church routine? You know: Getting up on Sunday morning, getting the kids dressed, fed, and rushed out the door. Arriving at church. Being greeted with a handshake and given a bulletin. Then, sitting down and going through the routine of singing, announcements, singing, sermon, singing, and offering. To be sure, attending services is important, but it is no substitute for thirty minutes of staring into a fire, watching the water, or otherwise listening to creation. It is during these times when one can inhale, then exhale and say to God, "I need to talk to you about some things," or "It's really hard for me to..." Then, let the Holy Spirit clean up your mind, help you rearrange your attitude, get focused, and feel clean. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat May 27 00:24:08 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 27 May 2006 00:24:08 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Entering Battle Message-ID: Software development is notoriously difficult to estimate. This is a problem for two major reasons. First, with software, it's difficult to quantify how much you don't know. You may think you have to write a little code to work with a new device or interact with a new web service. Then, when you try to actually do it, it turns out to be very involved and complicated. Secondly, software engineers are a naturally optimistic lot. We tend to say things like, "I can't see why that would take more than two days," or, "That's trivial. No worries. I'll squeeze that feature in." The problem is that when an optimistic engineer is off by a couple of days on scores of features, your schedule is now off by months. This is such a problem that it's only half-jokingly that project managers will take estimates from software engineers and double them... and then double them again. The bottom line is that there's a constant problem of underestimation. Reading in Joshua, I saw that the Israelites (and Joshua personally) got hit with these same two problems. "Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water." Joshua 7:2-5 Joshua was bitten by optimistic estimation. He was also bitten by what he didn't know. When he asked God why this happened, God was pretty direct: "Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions." Joshua 7:11 This is a great metaphor for your spiritual life. Don't ever underestimate the power of sin in your life. Attack it with full force and drive it out. Don't go halfway and get beaten. Furthermore, if you seem to be losing battles, make sure there isn't some sin in your life that you are refusing to acknowledge. Make sure you aren't hiding it under the rug and hoping God won't notice. Go into battle with your house in order and with your entire army. Only then will you have a chance. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun May 28 00:15:50 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 28 May 2006 00:15:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] On Pascal Message-ID: I am now reading books that, as a young man in school, I thought were a waste of my time. I was too busy trying to prove to the world how smart I was and why everyone should pay attention to me. So, now I am reading Blaise Pascal, a Frenchman who lived before the whole French nation lost their collective minds. He didn't live very long, but left his thumbprint on math, physics, religion, and literature. He was only on the planet for thirty-nine years, but the brain cells never stopped working. I like the guy because he can reduce ideas to the short and sweet. Try this (I am paraphrasing): One problem with imagination is that it places the same emphasis on truth and fiction. Ain't that the truth! How often do we think, "What a great idea!" only to find out it has no basis in fact, because it was just an idea. Here's another one, and remember this thought was around in the middle of the 1600s: The sport of kings is chasing a rabbit or a ball. Ain't that the truth, too! Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, and the hunting channel. There is nothing wrong with these pursuits as recreation, but they should have no place in the core of our lives. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit." Psalm 51:10-12 There are primary and secondary concerns in life. Get them straight. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 29 00:04:21 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 00:04:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Memorial Message-ID: <8D2DE611-0FBF-4EFA-8E06-D2780A98D974@clanwebb.com> My patriotism comes mostly from being raised by patriotic parents. A healthy diet of World War II movies and John Wayne didn't hurt either. By the time I was in high school, I had clear ideas about why my country was the best ever. I felt strongly that we had a right to defend ourselves and I had the deepest reverence and respect for those who did. I got my first taste of patriotic indignation during my ROTC mini boot camp. The Marine drill seargant that was dragging us through the mud had been in the barracks in Beirut when they were attacked in 1983. When he told us that fact with no other information, I could see the pain in his face at the friends he had lost. I got more of it as I went through college and into the workforce. So many well- educated, smart people have so little respect for what these men and women do. It's hard to watch those folks insulted and put down in movies, biased news reports, and even on the floor of Congress. It only seems to get worse. Today is the day we remember those who have fallen for us. Regardless of your opinion of the people who send them, you must have the utmost respect for those who go. I believe that we should also remember those brothers and sisters who have fallen and are in danger for simply believing in Christ. There are far more than we are told and more every day. They are as much our brother as the guy sitting next to you in Sunday service. They have a much more dangerous life to live and many do not survive. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15 So, I will fly my flag tomorrow to tell my neighbors that I remember those Americans who have died protecting me. I will also pray tomorrow. I would suggest that we all pray for those whose lives are in danger for being Christians. They carry a message even more powerful than the promise of our country. They know about the promise of Christ. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon May 29 23:56:16 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 29 May 2006 23:56:16 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Risk Faith Message-ID: <617EBA9B-06D0-4CDD-85BC-97FF74338F23@clanwebb.com> Faith is both painful and joyful. When we place our faith in an object or a person and it or they fail, we must always remember that it wasn't wrong to have faith, but rather that the thing or the person was not worthy of our faith. Faith is always good, but the results can be painful. On the other hand, when our faith is rewarded by the expected (or better than expected) results, it is joyful. Paul came to a point, at least for a period when writing to friends: "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11-13 There is no risk in faith when it is in Christ. The risk is only when faith is placed in the world. A great weakness we have as men is that when we step out in faith, we always tie a tether to the world. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue May 30 23:29:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 30 May 2006 23:29:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Kill 'Em All Message-ID: I've been reading through Joshua about how he led the Israelites into the Promised Land. God led him to fight and defeat king after king after king. As a kid, this was a great story of a warrior who led a motivated army against enemies of all kinds. As an adult, all I can think of is how bloody and exhausting it was to keep attacking and keep fighting. Each time they conquered a king, God told them to kill every living creature. Again, my mind reels at imagining that kind of bloodshed and just the time and effort involved in wiping out a city's population. What I know, though, is that God told them to do this for their own good. He knew that the Israelites would be corrupted by alien culture and religion. He knew that none of that would be helpful in their efforts to follow Him. "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:15-16 This is what God knew and was preventing by telling them to completely destroy these cities. With age has come recognition, too. I recognize the parallels in the story to every man's battle with sin. When we are saved, we are a new creation. We literally have to re-settle the territory of our own body. "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24 As you are surveying the landscape of your worldly life, you need to wipe out all of the things that have taken root. You have to kill every living part of the sin that has settled in your life. Leave nothing left. Any part left over will only corrupt you and begin to drag you back to the life before. You can't promise yourself to ignore those settlements. You can't choose to avoid them. You have to attack them with the backing of God and annihilate them. The power behind that sin will never give up trying to bring you down. Don't let it keep a foothold in your life. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed May 31 22:08:01 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 22:08:01 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Faith and Reason Message-ID: <6A88394B-4FC1-41C1-9751-4FDF6506158E@clanwebb.com> I am the type of guy that likes his solutions reduced to the lowest common denominator. I don't like my solutions cluttered up with a lot of peripheral notation that might distract me. Sometimes, problems cannot be rendered down to a simple solution. Often, we just run out of evidence or our tools and abilities come to the end of their capacities. This is when some things stay, to a certain extent, a mystery and we just have to say, "I don't know. It beats the heck outta me!" Reason must maintain the capacity to believe, because the consequences are evident that reasoning is feeble. Only blind arrogance believes it can reason out every last thing. It leaves no room for the supernatural. Faith is stronger than reason because it simply accepts the solution and doesn't require every footprint to be revealed. Faith accepts, but the trick is to know when to accept and when to remain skeptical. I have concluded that if it is of the world, one should remain skeptical. If it is of God and His Word, then you can accept it. When you read about all of the miracles Jesus performed, take note how He always tells the recipient, "It is by your faith that..." They didn't know how He cured them or manipulated the forces of nature or foretold the future, the just knew He did it. They key was that they had faith He could before He did it. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 For the Christian, Christ is reason enough. Allen