From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 1 01:03:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 1 01:02:35 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Where You Are Message-ID: We have a strange sense of power because we have the wrong perspective. We are flesh and are more impressed by things that we can see and touch. We are impressed by considering the amount of effort that went into the event or object or person we are considering. Why do you think we're impressed with really big cars or really fast jets or really tall buildings? Why can gearheads be in awe of a perfectly restored fifty year-old car? Why am I impressed when I read that Panasonic has built the world's biggest plasma display? ( by the way, it's 103 inches. ) It's because we think in regards to this world. We're impressed by bigger, better, and flashier. Don't you think it odd that the other major religions in the world expect you to go somewhere or pray a certain way to talk to their god? Why should I have to go to a certain temple? Is God limited to where He can go? Why should I have to face a certain direction when I pray? Am I like an antenna and God doesn't get good reception if I'm aimed wrong? I'm sorry. I think these things only add up to being hints that the gods of other faiths are dead. They are limited by man's creation. In one way or another, they can be contained by us. What kind of god is that? I like God, better. God lives. God is everywhere. God promises to come to us: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20 "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." " 2 Corinthians 6:16 You see, His power is displayed in that He is not contained. He is right there with us. We are not impressed by talking to God in our bedroom. But, when you think about it, that's more impressive that talking to an idol in a thousand year-old temple. After all, the idol won't listen. God will. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Oct 2 13:35:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Oct 2 13:35:27 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Dependence Message-ID: <47E593F9-60B1-4CBB-8FDA-76B41AEBAAB6@clanwebb.com> Independence is an illusion. It's fascinating how many people in this world think they are independent. Is a billionaire really independently wealthy? Doesn't he, in fact, depend on assistants and a staff? Doesn't he depend on people to keep the money flowing and the luxury kept up? He can't do it all himself. He depends on there always being people willing to work for him. Is a man who lives off the land really independent? Doesn't he depend on the land itself? What happens if there's a drought? What happens if the river he fishes from dries up? He depends on what he thinks are constants around him. It was nothing this dramatic, but I had a wake-up call about how dependent I am on something. It's probably a bigger deal for me, but it's disruptive nonetheless. We've been without Internet access for half a day. I'm writing this at home with the plan to send it out from work if and when access comes back on. It disrupted my son's evening. He was planning to play an online game with some friends. It disrupted the sending of this devotional as I don't have access and the machine that maintains the mailing list is in my home, so it doesn't have access either. I was reminded of how dependent I am on things that can just disappear. Thank heavens my salvation and my Savior can never be shaken: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28 "[...]And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b I cannot lose my salvation. It will never disappear. I cannot lose my connection to Jesus. He'll never leave me. Those are things I can depend upon. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Mon Oct 2 23:01:58 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Oct 2 23:00:41 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Introduction Message-ID: <44E38D17-891B-4AFD-81DF-5CE16F5D4587@CLANWEBB.COM> What do we fear anymore? I think it has become the fear of failure to live up to what the world deems successful. Having the right everything is generally our main pursuit. Material gain at all cost, veneered relationships, discussions of ownership over the needs of others. Why don't we fear God? Lack of introduction to Him. We are a society that is afraid to say, "I know God. Would you like to meet Him?" Yet, if I were to say I know Robert Redford, Sean Penn, Paris Hilton, or some other celebrity, people would want to know all about them. "Religion has been closely identified with our history and government, Abington School District, 1963, and the history of man is inseparable from the history of religion. Engle v. Vitale 1962. The Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like." From the United States Supreme Court 1980, in the case of Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39,42,46 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" 2 Timothy 3:16 We are so lazy and cornered by carnal stimuli, our ethical taste buds have been burnt to a crisp. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 3 22:27:46 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 3 22:26:26 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Idols Without Statues Message-ID: <34363324-50FA-451E-8EF9-B54E5DD240EB@clanwebb.com> God holds the universe in His hands. It is His will that keeps everything in balance. His will manifests itself to us as scientific laws that we can observe and discover. It seems to be the height of arrogance to observe changes in our universe and immediately assumed that we did it. Who do we think we are? Could we actually kill our planet? Could we shut off a star? Could we create life? These things are out of our ability. That doesn't mean would should stop observing them and letting the rules we know and the intelligence God gave us to show us the way. Where we fall off the path is when we start to believe that we are doing it alone. When we believe that we've gained the intelligence by ourselves and we're learning something that nobody else has ever learned, we're in trouble. God knows it all, He is revealing to us. When we forget about God, our theories, our intelligence, our self- satisfaction become the things we worship. They become our idols. "Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; he who chooses you is detestable." Isaiah 41:22-24 Is that not what is going on now? Aren't those who've lost sight of the Creator trying to do these very things? I see them trying to convince me that they KNOW how the universe was created, how the earth started, and how man came about. I see them pounding the table with conviction because they KNOW what the future holds. They KNOW we're killing the planet. They are trying to to dismay us and fill us with fear, so that we might recognize the gods we should worship. They want us to worship at the altar of man. Those who choose the idols over God are described as "less than nothing". Their works are "utterly worthless". Don't lose sight of God. Don't be distracted by the idols. We are not the ultimate beings in the universe and that's a good thing. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Wed Oct 4 21:40:27 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Oct 4 21:41:46 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Nothing to Prove Message-ID: I started a new book last night. As a matter of fact, I read about half of it. It's by Ray Comfort and consists of a letter-writing relationship he had with an atheist named James David Franz. Franz does a great job presenting his point of view while Mr. Comfort displays his faith. During several discourses, Franz challenges Comfort to take deadly poison to prove his faith in reference to the following scripture: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:16-18 Here is one of those times when a soft Christian might fold in defense of his faith as the verse seems to be very straightforward. However, here is one of those times when too much tramping about creates a quagmire. First of all, your Bible reference will tell you that these verses are a little suspect and that they were not included in all the ancient manuscripts. Second, and I think the most important thought to keep in mind, is that these passages do not tell anybody to go and do these things. It is a statement about the weakness of faith and the attainability by man to reach the same level of faith as Jesus. Also, one should recognize this challenge and the situation it presents. Remember the showdown in the desert Jesus had with Satan? "Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " ' He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " Matthew 4:5-7 If any Christian took this test and died, I feel sure God would ask, "What were you thinking? I gave you a brain. Why didn't you use it?" You see, we have nothing to prove to anyone. If any man or woman elects not to believe, then they must suffer. I choose not to suffer in eternity. God chooses not to suffer fools. If it is good enough for Him, it's good enough for me. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 5 22:20:10 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Oct 5 22:18:51 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Persistence Message-ID: <4EE0F11A-71E4-420E-A983-DC2B0195F599@clanwebb.com> You may think you know what persistence means. To most of us, it means the idea of not giving up or stopping whatever it is you are doing. Being persistent means to be the squeaky wheel. Or, it means doing something reliably even if it's obnoxious. A persistent pain is one that doesn't go away. To software developers, persistence has a related, but different meaning. Persistence is the set of issues around how we write software that needs to keep data around for use in the future. If I let you type a letter and then let all of that data go away, then I have a persistence problem. There's no way for you to get your data back. The data is said to be temporary or transitory. If I want to keep your data around for you to work with, I might store it in some corner of memory for a while. Then the data will persist as long as my program is running. That's better, but when you quit the program, the data is gone again. The next level is to write the data to a storage mechanism that is more permanent. I might allow you to save your data to a hard disk. That means it'll still be there after you shut the computer off. You can depend on it being there next week if you want. That's a much better solution to persistence. It's still not perfect, though. What if your hard drive dies? What if your machine chokes and the hard disk is damaged? If the data is especially important, then it's not persistent enough for you. Then you might need to not only write the data to a hard disk, but to some backup location, too. Some servers will write the same data to multiple hard disks so that if one dies, the others still have a copy. That's much better, but still not perfect. If I write software to depend on data being valid longer than it really is, I have a problem. If I start working on data that has long since been swept away, then the data I'm looking at is stale or, worse, it's just junk. Chances are my software won't work as planned. It's like building a house on a frozen river. It might be fine for a month or two in the winter, but come the spring thaw, you've got problems. I have to write code knowing just how persistent the data is and what to do when it's not available. Perfect persistence, like everything perfect, comes from God. God is dependable. He's always where I left Him, and He's never absent when I go looking for Him. "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17 "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal" Isaiah 26:4 I wish I could write software with such rock solid assumptions. Regardless, I'm glad I can place my spiritual confidence on someone so dependable. I know there's no bugs in that method. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Fri Oct 6 22:56:15 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Oct 6 22:55:13 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not What I Want To Do Message-ID: If I didn't have Jesus Christ and a sense of humor, I would probably be in jail for murder. No kidding. I look for the humor in life, and when I find it in the Bible, it makes me feel like God smiles at our paradox here on earth. Take a man that was so anti-Christian that he used every law on the books to persecute them whenever he found one. Finally, God stepped in, smacked him down, and blinded him to get his attention. Then God sends a timid fellow to care for him until he has recovered. The man then becomes the greatest living proponent for Jesus on the planet. He actually spoke to Jesus after he had been killed by the group that the man represented. In short, the man now "got it". He knew all the right things to say and, most of the time, when to say them. That's aside from the times when he alienated the ones who believed him and several that didn't. When that happened, they plunked him in the cooler to keep him out of mischief. Then this man had the fortitude to say, "Hey, guys, in or out, I'm content." God seemed to use him as a 'juke' to fake out folks and then do something spectacular like convert the jailer. With all this going for him, he was pretty much like you and me because he could never really get over the hump of his sin nature. The following verse brings to my mind a great visual. Picture Paul sitting with his head in his hands after realizing he had just looked at, thought about, said, or otherwise did something really stupid. "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do ? this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:14-20 Now, guys, admit it. How many times have you said, "Why did I do that? I know better!" That is the way it is. We just must not allow ourselves to believe that if there is no chance at removing all sin that we should just give up and dive into the pool with the unsaved. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God?through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." Romans 7:21-25 Life is funny, ain't it? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 8 01:00:18 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 8 00:58:59 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Meaningless Message-ID: Larry Bird was one of my favorite, all-time athletes. I loved hearing stories about how he was in the gym an hour before everyone else and stayed an hour after. He admitted that he wasn't blessed with better skill than the other players on the court, he just worked harder at it. He dedicated himself to being the best player on the court at all times. It was impressive to watch. I used to tell myself that I still had hope if he could play. That was until I realized that he had been blessed with one thing: height. I have to admit a certain level of awe when learning of people who have dedicated their entire lives to a single purpose. Whether it's hearing about folks who spend day in and day out making deals and gathering a fortune. That takes focus and drive. Or, when it's reading about those who spend their lives in a lab searching for knowledge. Or, even when it's learning about an athlete who spent his childhood preparing for a career that lasted longer than usual because of his dedication. There is a level of satisfaction in succeeding in your area of focus. However, I think all of those folks who are not saved end up still asking the question, "Is this it?" Solomon was demonstrably the wealthiest, most powerful man to ever live. He could do or have anything he wanted. He reached the pinnacle in more than one area of his life. He gathered immense knowledge and was known to be exceedingly wise. He had amazing wealth. He allowed himself to indulge in every pleasure the world offered. He embarked on fantastic projects. When it was all said and done, what was his conclusion? "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!" Ecclesiastes 12:8 Anything man could do or accomplish is so small when compared to God because it is still contained in this world. God is not. God's works are eternal. What was Solomon's conclusion? "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13 The moral of this story is that we know someone who has accomplished much more than you ever will. He already figured out that following God was the only future with any lasting value. Learn from Solomon and don't get sidetracked finding the meaning of your life away from Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 8 23:14:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 8 23:13:27 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Living in HD Message-ID: After much comparison shopping and financial planning, we made the decision to purchase a high definition TV recently. As a result, I've become something of an HD snob. Our current cable package includes well over 100 channels to watch. When I watch, though, I only watch one of the dozen or so HD channels. The picture is so much better that I just can't stand watching standard broadcasts on this TV. I will admit that I make exceptions for Mariners games and the Sci-Fi channel. That's only until I can get those in HD, too. One of the things we've noticed while watching shows in HD, though, is that the better picture is good and bad. It's good in that I can see more detail. It's bad in that I can see more detail. I've become pretty adept at spotting bad make-up jobs, now. All of those TV and movie make-up artists were trained to work towards the old video capabilities. Now, the viewer can see much more and not all of the artists have figured out how to deal. This is kind of funny to watch until I look at myself in the mirror. Yike! I wouldn't want some other guy making fun of my bad shave or the fact that I've got blemishes on my forehead. I'm really glad other folks don't get to stare at me in HD. Think of how we interact with our acquaintances, though. We put on a veneer of happiness and tell them that life is good. What if they had spiritual HD? What if they could see past your front and know that you are struggling with sin? That's terrifying. At the same time, it would probably help keep us honest. Well, it's worth remembering, then, that God has the best view of all: "You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you." Psalm 69:5 "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13 God can surely see it. Eventually, others will see it, too. You might as well get your life cleaned up so there's nothing to hide from Him or anyone else. Live like you're being watched in HD. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Mon Oct 9 23:58:51 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Oct 9 23:58:40 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Feed Them Message-ID: The body is a house of many windows: there we all sit, showing ourselves and crying on the passers-by to come and love us. - Robert Louis Stevenson The holidays are upon us men, and this time of the year many can suffer because of broken relationships. If you have loved ones about you, be grateful. But, if you know someone who is alone, don't forget them. "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;" Matthew 25:35 Jesus was not just referring to food for the body, but to relationships as well. People can suffer much with a noble heart if they know someone cares, but when they perceive that there is no hope, then Satan wins. You don't have to convert people just to show them the same compassion that Christ shows you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 10 22:29:29 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 10 22:28:10 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Smartest Guy in the Room Message-ID: <3F75D76F-BDDA-423F-B967-E2E66750BFB1@clanwebb.com> I have to admit to some childish behavior some years ago, but it proves my point so I'll tell you about it. While in college, a buddy of mine and I would amuse ourselves by going to the home electronics department of the local department store and start asking technical questions of the salesperson about the products on display. This was particularly evil for us to do, because we were both studying electrical engineering and signal processing at the time. We would ask pointed questions about what the difference was between two high-end CD players just to see what he came up with. These poor guys never had a chance. They were trained to sell to the average consumer and had no idea what a "1-bit A/D converter" was or why "16x oversampling" was better than "4x oversampling". (By the way, that's a trick question. The human ear cannot detect anything higher than 4x). On a good day, we'd just leave and have a good chuckle to ourselves. On a bad day, we'd argue with him. What this was really all about was proving our superiority by knowing more. We puffed ourselves up by proving that two college students could outsmart the guy making minimum wage at Sears. Wow. For men, there's great satisfaction in having the answer. We love to be the smartest guy in the room on a given subject. Some guys even fall into the trap of simply acting smart. They'll spout buzzwords and hot air trying to convince everyone else they know what they're talking about. If you call them on it, they'll just wiggle around and try to convince you that you just misunderstood them. This is very much a guy thing. It's deeply connected to why we refuse to ask for directions. It's a stubborn pride that is often our downfall and the source of much embarrassment. I love how God loves me anyway. I have this image of Him getting down on one knee, looking me in the eye, putting His hand on my shoulder, and speaking very slowly, "Pay attention now. I'm going to explain this to you very carefully so you can see that I'm in control and not you." "I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, 'My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.' " Isaiah 48:3-5 Can't you hear Him? "See, I told you this was going to happen. Then it happened. I don't think you can really say that you knew it was going to happen beforehand, can you?" The beauty of it is that He doesn't want to humiliate us. He just wants us to admit that we don't know. Then He wants to share bits of what He knows. That bronze forehead would be handy for when I have to bang my head against a wall. On the other hand, wouldn't it just be better to admit that I don't know? I'm not the smartest guy in the room. God is. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Wed Oct 11 21:58:44 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Oct 11 21:57:34 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Laugh It Up Message-ID: <23AE325B-689E-48D2-B627-EC54C567409A@CLANWEBB.COM> Did you hear the one about...? What a great ice-breaker humor can be. Someone once said, "Laughter is the shock absorber for life." I believe that, but I also believe that when you laugh with someone, be sure you both think the same thing is funny. People are attracted to laughter. Imagine that instead of slowing down to see a wreck, you heard on the news that there was a traffic tie-up because everyone was slowing down to see what everyone else was laughing about. It is easy to find things to be miserable about. The world reeks with misery. If, as Christians, we want to attract non-believers, we need to shed this misconception that when we get together, we only smile and laugh because we are caught up in some sort of spiritual furor brought on by the Holy Spirit. People will only come to the light if it is lit up. Give them some universal language to recognize. A good belly- shaker will even burn calories! "Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." " Psalm 126:2 "You and your cat named Felix all tied up in that double helix, now that is what I call intelligent design." Funny when you think about it. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 12 23:05:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Oct 12 23:04:00 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Growth Path Message-ID: <3166F840-B902-4D01-AD3A-D67604AFEDB9@clanwebb.com> One of the engineers I manage asked me something the other day. It's not an uncommon request from professionals. He asked what he needed to do to move up the ladder. He wanted to know what training he needed or what responsibilities he could take on that would help him attain a more senior position. Any good business has growth paths for its employees. Most employees are looking for a job with a path for their future. When I've worked at jobs where I knew there was nowhere else to go, it sucked out all of my enthusiasm. I had a hard time being motivated to work hard when I knew there was no chance of change. I've had employees that I've managed come to me ready to quit because they don't see where they can continue to grow in the company. There's something comforting and encouraging about knowing that I could become a better employee and be given more responsibility. There's motivation in knowing that there's a path I could follow, if I put in the effort. Sometimes, the path doesn't even need to be clear. I might only know that my boss is willing to promote, but I'm not sure in what direction. Just knowing there is a path and someone has made it possible for me to walk along it can be enough. God has certainly laid out a growth path for us. He tells us that He's willing to go with us along the path. He'll help us through the tough patches and point the way so we don't get lost. We can't see all of the path, but we know it's there. We just have to trust Him. " "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." " Jeremiah 29:11 There is great comfort in knowing He has a plan for us. We just have to put in the effort to follow Him and lean on Him. He does all the hard work if we let Him. Just follow the plan. You can have great confidence and joy in knowing that a plan exists and that it's designed specifically for you. Even when I think I've hit a dead end, I can know that even that is part of the plan. It all works together and moves me along. I like the growth path He has set up for me. I'm looking forward to becoming the follower He wants me to be. I hope you're moving along your path, too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Oct 13 22:48:00 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Oct 13 22:46:39 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Corrupt Message-ID: <74A7F566-EA11-472C-BC95-0820FDA75E58@clanwebb.com> What do you call a gallon of raw sewage with a drop of milk in it? That's still sewage. What do you call a gallon of milk with a drop of raw sewage in it? Well, that would be sewage, too. You see, even the smallest corruption changes the nature of the object in question. Nobody wants to drink either of these. They would only want to drink from an uncorrupted gallon of milk. That's because even the smallest corruption in the milk could cause sickness if they consumed it. God knows that sin corrupts. There's nothing we can do to stop it. We've been given a sin nature as part of our heredity. We are all corrupted. This is why none of us would be allowed into Heaven on our own. We are corrupt and God can't allow corruption into Heaven. Worse, no corrupted person can uncorrupt himself or someone else. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 It took someone who was without corruption to take ours away. Jesus promised to pay the price for our corruption and make us clean as a result. That's how we get to go to Heaven. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance?now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Hebrews 9:15 When people ask how Christ can be the only way, remind them that He was the only uncorrupt person to live. When people ask why they can't earn their way in, remind them that they're already sick. There's nothing they can do to remove the corruption from their own spirit. Ask them if they are depending on a person or belief that is undermined by corruption. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." " John 14:6 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 14 22:43:38 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Oct 14 22:42:18 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Remember the Sword Message-ID: When I'm roughing around with my son, I have to take advantage of the skills I have that he doesn't have. He's tall enough and strong enough that I can get in trouble if I'm off-balance. If I let him play the game his way, I could easily lose. So, I usually try to outthink him. When he's looking at my hands, I hook him with my foot. When he's worried about my feet, I wrap him up with my arms. I can also start to pepper him with little pushes and shoves from all different angles. It gets to the point that all he can do is fall backwards and try to react to the last thing I did. He doesn't have time to predict my next move, much less go on the offense. I've disabled his skills by not allowing him the chance to use them. I learned how to do this well. Mostly, I learned because that's how my father played with me. I'm old enough now to understand how it worked and I can use it myself. I'm also old enough to see that the enemy does the very same thing to me. If I don't put on the full armor of God each day, the enemy will use these same techniques on me. I'll let down my guard and think the day is going well. Then, suddenly, there's a problem. It might be something like a car breaking down or a roof leaking or it might be that I stumble into a fight with my wife. Like most men, I immediately react to the problem. I'll make a plan to get the car fixed and arrange transportation until then. Or, I'll make some calls to get a roofer out to repair it. Or, I'll start apologizing and try to repair an injured relationship. But, if I'm not careful, the enemy will come from a different angle and hit me again. Now, it'll be a health problem with extended family or a crisis at work that needs immediate attention. Then, I race off to react to that. Now, the enemy has me on the run. He'll just keep hitting me where I'm not looking and forcing me to react. Pretty soon, all I'm doing is giving ground and trying to repair the problems he leaves in his wake. In the end, he's succeeded in taking away my strength because I'm so busy reacting, I never go on the offense: "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17 He's tricked me into leaving my sword sheathed. Now, the right approach is to deal with the last attack by preparing for the next one. Use the Word to deal with your current problem. Pray for protection from further problems. Pray for unity in your family (he loves to attack that). Men, don't get suckered into constantly reacting until you collapse from burnout. Take a step back, pull out your sword, and follow it's lead into battle. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Oct 16 00:10:05 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Oct 16 00:08:43 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It's Not Mine Message-ID: <1968FD6E-57F5-4E4B-B43A-0567CC6F2A0E@clanwebb.com> As my son progressed through grade school and junior high, we needed to start reminding him more and more that he didn't get to make decisions for the family. He really didn't understand why he couldn't decide when we went out to dinner and where. He thought we should all just agree when he declared what the plans for the family were over the weekend. To help him remember that he wasn't the decision-maker, I taught him to repeat something along with me: "I am not in charge." Whenever he'd tell us what to do for him, I'd make him repeat, "I am not in charge." I only have to remind him of that now, and he realizes the point I'm trying to make. I have a new one that I need to start using myself: "It's not mine." I can't remember how many times I've chosen the path of sin because I wanted to protect what is mine. It might be my money or my hobby or my desire or my sin. It's always something that I want for myself in disobedience to God. I need to remember that it's not mine. Those things in the world? Not mine. "I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it." Psalm 50:11-12 That money I have? Not mine. "[...] Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand." 1 Chronicles 29:14b My body. Surely, that is mine! Nope. Not mine, either. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You and I have no right to yell "Mine!" in the face of God. None of it is ours. It is all his. Remembering that will help keep us out of trouble. Repeat after me, "It's not mine. It's not mine. It's not mine." Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 17 00:08:58 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 17 00:09:46 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Spirit of Things Message-ID: "Come on, now, let's get into the spirit of things." Wet blankets can always ruin a good time, it's true. But, on the other hand, which spirit are we talking about? I can remember times in college when giving into the spirit of things meant a lot of regrets in the morning. Cheering on the old home team, getting behind a worthy project, or being a team player is usually an uplifting experience and to be commended. Just keep in mind that there is a fine line to these things and using it as an excuse for a lack of judgement can be detrimental. When you want to do something you know you ought not to do, but end up doing it just to go along is a poor excuse for character. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." 1 Corinthians 2:12 Listen to the right spirit and understand. Listen to the wrong spirit and have regrets and maybe a headache. As a wise sage once said: "Let your conscience be your guide." J. Cricket. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Oct 18 00:01:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Oct 18 00:02:00 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Just Wait Message-ID: <08E87142-8FA7-4819-89B9-FAF89BB399E6@clanwebb.com> There are days when it's just overwhelming. There are days when I'm ready to throw in the towel and stop trying to stand for something. I read articles and see news stories about how the culture is turning against God. I see so many people reveling in rebellion and sin. Seeing the ignorance on display is bad enough. It's worse when you realize that some aren't ignorant. If you read enough and watch enough, you realize that there's a portion of people out there that know exactly what they are doing. They know that God speaks clearly about how they live and they still choose to live in rebellion. They justify it by claiming there is no God or that Scripture does not describe the real God. Some may even be willing to admit that He is exactly who He says He is, but they simply aren't interested in having a relationship with Him. They love the idea of living life on their terms and then making their own case in the end. And, of course, they hate those of us who have chosen to accept the free gift. We are examples of what they claim is wrong or unnecessary. We become the focus of their anger. At first, I was just sad for these folks. Then, I felt attacked. It goes on long enough and I just don't want to deal with them anymore. I want to retreat and let society rot. I want to disengage. Then I read Scripture again. Then I hear from my Lord again. "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14 I can stand up again. I'll keep working for the goodness of the Lord. I'll wait for Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 19 00:25:34 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Oct 19 00:25:54 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Fruit Inspector Message-ID: Words, words, words. The world is full of words. Many people believe that there is something magical about words. He said, she said, the news said, the paper says... Communication is a wonderful thing, but like most things in a fallen world, it has become tainted. Discernment is an art that has to be cultivated and practiced because acceptance of words from man or woman without discernment is folly. The best way to start the process is to check the fruit on the tree. "Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;" 1 John 3:7 Seek out people that practice righteousness. That is, they do the right thing. Many will work on assumed consent. I am a Christian, therefore I am trustworthy. The saved are at many levels, and you may be disappointed in the actions of a brother or sister. Be a fruit inspector. Actions do speak louder than words. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 19 22:37:49 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Oct 19 22:38:20 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Explaining and Understanding Message-ID: <6A0F4198-125D-40BA-919A-6EA0C7129FBD@clanwebb.com> I sometimes feel like I am always on the defensive about my faith. I always have to have the right answer in order to be able to hold my head up high. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7 The greatest piece of knowledge in the universe is to have set in your mind that there is a God. "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7 Once you know He is there, learn everything you can about Him. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 Here's the deal: You can explain it to them, but you can't understand it for them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 21 01:05:28 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Oct 21 01:05:51 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Home Message-ID: <78446612-200A-492E-8F2C-D4791F120BFF@clanwebb.com> I'm tired. I don't mean spiritually tired or mentally tired. I just mean tired. My shoulders are sore. My back is aching. My legs are feeling a little cramped. Most of all, my feet are really screaming. Despite all of this, I suspect very few of you will have sympathy for me. You see, I acquired all of these aches and pains by spending all day walking around Disneyland. We had spent well for our visit, though, so we pushed ourselves through so we could get the most out of the trip. Nonetheless, there was an oasis-like feeling about heading back to our hotel. We were so happy to get back to beds that we complained about the first night. Our room was our own little oasis because it had our clothes, our soap, our toothbrushes, and the rest of our stuff. As nice as it feels, though, it still isn't home. We know that will feel a million times better. When I'm wiped out spiritually, I seek an oasis here on earth, too. When I do it right, it's just running back to God. Just spending time with Him. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 That satisfies. That brings me relief. It also whets my appetite for my real home. That will be a million times better, too. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:2 My feet hurt. I'm tired. I can't wait to go home. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 22 01:39:32 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 22 01:39:49 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] That's Why Message-ID: <65A867CE-2EA4-40A8-A0D9-FC7CA0AFD448@clanwebb.com> "That's why they play the game." - Various athletes and announcers This is one of the reasons I love watching sports. The analysts and oddsmakers can research their hearts out, but they can't be perfect. Nobody can predict the unexpected. Nobody can predict the things that don't make sense. How many games have you watched or heard about that had a "sure thing" outcome predicted that didn't end that way? That's what makes them fun. At the end of the day, the players have to go out and play the game. That's the only way to determine the winner. I'm beginning to have the same attitude about how to share my faith with others. I can predict and explain what Christ will do for them until I'm blue in the face. The truth is though, they have to actually live the life to know what He will do. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9 How can we hope to predict what salvation will do for someone's life? We can tell them that Christ promised eternal life (which should be enough incentive by itself!), but other than that it's up to Him. I can't predict if they'll get a better job or reconcile their marriage. I can only predict that their life will be on the right track. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:26 Again, it's about the action. Speaking about faith is informative. Understanding faith is enlightening. Living through faith is something else altogether. I can tell people what He did for me and encourage them to accept Him and live the life, too. Only then will they know the outcome. Only then will they know how the game unfolds. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 22 23:46:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 22 23:47:17 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He is Enough Message-ID: <5885CF33-5798-49FD-A70F-EBDB0CE2A691@clanwebb.com> I am going to have a run-in with a guy. In my mind, he is arrogant, arbitrary, and full of himself. I have gone over the scenario of how our meeting will go several times. It occurs to me that I am thinking that I am arrogant and full of myself. "There is a kind ? oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance." Proverbs 30:13 So, I have a choice to make before the meeting. Do I go for the throat, or do I do something else? "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19 "The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me." Psalm 7:8 The question for my meeting now becomes, "Can I be satisfied, as he will certainly walk away feeling superior?" "The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me." Psalm 118:7 The question has always been, "Allen, is Christ enough?" Allen From WYATT at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 24 00:20:12 2006 From: WYATT at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 24 00:20:30 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Matter the Size Message-ID: <60EE48CC-D2E9-4524-8A2A-3B6FCD4C75B9@clanwebb.com> I had an interesting situation come up at work recently. I currently manage four software developers and I have been leading two or more teams of developers in ongoing projects. Over the last couple of weeks, though, one of the projects was shelved and I was asked to become more of a front-line developer for another project. This means I'm doing less managing and more programming again. This is precisely the kind of situation I've seen other people have fits about. It would be easy to say that the company was being disrespectful in asking me to lower myself. It would be easy for me to complain that I wasn't being given as much responsibility as my peers. I learned a long time ago, though, that God puts me where He wants me. If I woke up tomorrow and He decided that it was time for me to sell TVs at Sears, then I suspect that's right where I'd be. I don't recoil from being asked to do the little things. I know there's something to be learned at all levels. It's still an opportunity to serve. Besides, God is looking for obedience at all levels. Remember in the Parable of the Talents ( Matthew 25:14-30 ) that the servants given different numbers of talents were praised equally for their success. The servant given the smallest amount was still expected to serve faithfully. Regardless of the size of the responsibility, God will reward those who serve: "His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:23 Our acts of service are miniscule to God's abilities. But, they are all equal in His eyes. Whether you're being asked to take on a titanic labor or you are presented with the most menial of tasks, do them all in service to God. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 24 22:02:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 24 22:03:00 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Hold Out For Respect Message-ID: <2BB54B5A-628A-465B-84CB-47BCE14EA996@clanwebb.com> Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we have to make the decision to be liked or to be respected. We have to find the courage to say, "Count me out." "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." Ecclesiastes 7:1 So, it really behooves a man to watch his step, because an ounce of pollution can render many gallons ruined. "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." Romans 8:8 Life is a minefield. Watch your step. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Oct 25 23:37:59 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Oct 25 23:38:47 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] As an Example Message-ID: I want to give an example in this writing. It's why we have examples. Why is it again that the cross is so important, besides our salvation? "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21 Why should we not compromise the little things in our lives? "Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants." James 3:4 Why, when we have the opportunity to influence someone, should we take care? "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness." Titus 2:7 Why should we not entertain sexual immorality in our lives? "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire." Jude 1:7 Why can we be changed from day one of our acceptance of Jesus Christ even if we don't know squat about the Word? "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 Men, these signposts for your walk with Christ are posted quite clearly. When you have a question, more often than not, the Word holds instruction followed by an example. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Oct 27 00:04:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Oct 27 00:04:55 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mirror, Mirror Message-ID: <10D71FAD-37F4-493C-8992-F0DF826FD617@clanwebb.com> I've never been one for a soft touch. I prefer to speak the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Of course, I've had to adjust my approach since getting married as the chips seem to frequently fall on my head. Still, when it comes to dealing with people who are not family, I prefer the clear, simple, and honest approach. That way there's no misunderstanding me and I don't have to nudge the listener along. In other words, I prefer the firm yank on the reins when I'm leading the conversation rather than the slow gentle tug. One of the many ways God amazes me is that the Word can speak the truth in clear, simple ways and yet still be compassionate and loving. I guess I just haven't figured out that magic quite yet. Still, I love the fact that real love doesn't mean softening the truth. I love that God sees right down to the core of things. He knows the real motivations and the real desires of people. He even allows us to see that about ourselves through the Word: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double- edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 Wow. That's powerful and a little scary. Not only can God see right into your heart, but reading the Word will reflect your heart back to you. It may not always be a pleasant experience, but it's the only way to repent of sin and continue growing your relationship with Christ. You wouldn't try to repair your car's engine with the lights off. You need to illuminate and expose the problem area so it can be worked on. The same goes for your heart. Grit your teeth and look hard at yourself by using the Word as a mirror. If you see sin, confess it, repent, and remove it from your life. You can't pretend it's not there, because God knows it is. He's just waiting for you to see it, so you can ask Him to fix it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 28 00:50:24 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Oct 28 00:52:16 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Have Faith Message-ID: <383A665A-98DD-4F0C-9AFF-58F5EC748AB3@clanwebb.com> Some time back, I helped a young family find a home. I didn't think it was much of a place, but they thought it was paradise. They have a gaggle of kids and the wife homeschools. He is a painter, and from time to time his boss allows him to use the company equipment to do work after hours to help make up for some slack time. They don't have a lot, but they are rich. They understand that they are rich and it shows. He called a while back and told me that their van needed some heavy repair work. He asked if I knew of anyone who needed some painting done. I announced it around the office and, sure enough, someone needed some work on their home. My coworker told me that this fellow was doing such a great job that he was going to give him a bonus when the work was finished. He also told me that he tried to pay some of the money up front since he was aware of the situation with the van, but the painter refused saying that he wouldn't take any money until he had earned it. It was just the same when this fellow worked for me. As it turned out, we also needed some painting done. I was going to do it myself, but I thought that this family could use the money, so I gave him a call. He looked at the job and told me when he could get started. I asked about the van and he said that it was fixed, but it was still at the shop because he had not paid the bill, yet. As we were walking back to his company truck (he was using it until he got his own van back), I mentioned that I had a small van that I would sell cheap and that it still ran well. I had it in the back of my mind to get it in his hands without it looking like charity as I was sure he'd refuse if I offered it that way. He lit up and said, "I'll make you a deal. I'll paint your downstairs for the van." It sounded perfect to me. This family would get wheels right away and when they did get the other van paid off, he could use this one as a work van. My plans versus God's plans, again... I told him I would find the title and planned on making him take it a couple of days later when he came to work on the house. He called about an hour later, though, and asked if I had found the title. I said I could if he needed the van right away. I was feeling pretty good about myself at this point. He showed up about two hours later with another young man. I thought he was just there to drive one of the cars back, but it wasn't the case. My friend's plan was to earn the van for this young man and his family. Evidently, their car was down and he needed to get back and forth to work. He was a young Christian that my friend had led to the Lord. My friend couldn't wait to show this young guy how Christians were willing to help one another. After my friend and I watched the van go up the street, he looked at me with a grin from ear to ear and said, "It's a God thing, Allen. You were an answer to prayer." He left with his own van still tied up at the shop, his personal truck broken down, and my basement to paint, but so happy that I was envious. What he didn't know is that I learned a valuable lesson about walking in faith. "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 29 00:56:05 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 29 00:56:21 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Your Choice Message-ID: <559F8FC2-230D-4812-BF64-8296F70C5D38@clanwebb.com> "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." " Matthew 16:24 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." " John 14:6 He never said it would be easy. He never said there were alternatives. He said He was the only way and that it will take effort to follow. Still, I'd rather take the hard climb up the mountain than the nice, easy stroll over the edge. It's easier to do the latter, but the ending is less than pleasant. I have those days when I want to set the cross down. I want to give in and just let the world carry me along. I can never bring myself to do it, though, because I know where that river runs. I know that the trouble it brings later is not worth the rest now. At the risk of going on analogy overload, keep running the race. Don't sit down. Don't start coasting backwards with the world. If you give up, it's nobody's fault but your own. Why? "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31 He will provide all of the energy and support you need. It is impossible to run out. You are the one who has to decide to keep going or to give up. And be clear about the fact that if you start pointing fingers and blaming others, you've given up. You always have a choice to go on or give up. I would have to agree with Churchill on this point: "Never, never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 29 22:23:22 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Oct 29 22:23:39 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Real Food Message-ID: "You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body." C.S. Lewis With just a few words, C.S. Lewis focuses our sight on a profound understanding. We are constant in our concentration about our bodies. We worship the perfection of the shell. We spend hours and resources on that which began to die at the moment of birth. Yet, what we "are" starves or is poisoned by what we feed it. The body is nourished through the mouth, but the soul is fed by all the other senses. What we hear, see, touch, and smell feeds the soul. We spend so much more time thinking about what goes in our mouth than what nourishes the soul. We lack the discipline to go on a diet and exercise regimen for the soul, and yet it is what we are. "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36 Death only affects the flesh. The soul goes on. The Bible was grown under the perfect eye of God. It was pruned and weeded through inspiration for perfect digestion. Eat up! Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 31 00:22:16 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 31 00:22:33 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Portable Message-ID: <8CA8C152-E21D-4DBC-906B-CCD2BF5F86EB@clanwebb.com> Are you portable? I don't mean that in the physical sense of being movable. I mean that in a spiritual sense. That term also carries some connotation from my field of work. For most of my professional career, I've been writing software that is targeted at multiple platforms. That is to say that my work will go out in software that runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS. I've also written software for handheld devices, web servers, and other areas. When writing software that can be used in multiple places, there is a need to make the software portable. In software, that term means that the code in question will run on any machine it is built for. There are many examples of large, elaborate software packages that are very much tied to a single platform. When the company attempts to create a version for another platform, they may take years and still not succeed. Some companies have even re-written the program from scratch for the other platform. That code is said to be not portable. The key is that if it's not portable, then you'll likely have to reinvent the wheel for each new platform you add. If the code is portable, then it is more easily adaptable to those new platforms and you've just set yourself up to be more successful as a company. Bottom line: Portability is good. How does that apply to you and me? The question is whether your faith and your life are portable. Would your faith survive a radical shift in the place you're asked to function? Would you be as dedicated if you were serving in a village in Zambia? Would you be as confident in your God if you were led to move to the other side of the country for a job you didn't like as much? Would you still thank Him for everything if someone in your family suddenly dies? How well would your faith adapt to a dramatically worse situation than the one you're in? It should. We're not perfect, but strong faith should not be shaken by any of these things: "Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." John 15:20 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul's faith was very portable. He wrote this in prison: "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20-21 Take this opportunity to see if your faith is only strong because of your current situation. That means it's depending on the wrong things. You can only depend on Christ. Then you'll be portable. You'll be able to function anywhere. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 31 22:28:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Oct 31 22:29:59 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Choke Message-ID: <018AF6FC-A6F5-4D3D-9AB5-6E8928AE34C0@clanwebb.com> Living your life in Christ. Here's a statement that seems to conjure up the image of missionaries, monks, nuns, friars, monasteries, and the like. Try not to over think the thought. Think of it as going through life in Christ. To be sure, the world is both a mess and a testament to God's glory. Man is the mess. There is nothing wrong with God's creation, except sin and that is exclusively man's problem. As a Christian, we start, stumble, fall, and get up again. The non- Christian does the same thing, but for all the wrong reasons. One decision, one moment of perfect clarity and a decision is made. This is what separates one person from another. We pray for the lost, but the simple truth is that not all will be saved. We can devote our lives, to different degrees, to the lost, but the fact remains that we won't reach them all. The world will come to an end as we know it and some will miss the boat. That fact should not keep us from enjoying life. "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Luke 8:14 It's just a fact. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 1 01:03:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 01:03:55 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Where You Are Message-ID: We have a strange sense of power because we have the wrong perspective. We are flesh and are more impressed by things that we can see and touch. We are impressed by considering the amount of effort that went into the event or object or person we are considering. Why do you think we're impressed with really big cars or really fast jets or really tall buildings? Why can gearheads be in awe of a perfectly restored fifty year-old car? Why am I impressed when I read that Panasonic has built the world's biggest plasma display? ( by the way, it's 103 inches. ) It's because we think in regards to this world. We're impressed by bigger, better, and flashier. Don't you think it odd that the other major religions in the world expect you to go somewhere or pray a certain way to talk to their god? Why should I have to go to a certain temple? Is God limited to where He can go? Why should I have to face a certain direction when I pray? Am I like an antenna and God doesn't get good reception if I'm aimed wrong? I'm sorry. I think these things only add up to being hints that the gods of other faiths are dead. They are limited by man's creation. In one way or another, they can be contained by us. What kind of god is that? I like God, better. God lives. God is everywhere. God promises to come to us: "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20 "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." " 2 Corinthians 6:16 You see, His power is displayed in that He is not contained. He is right there with us. We are not impressed by talking to God in our bedroom. But, when you think about it, that's more impressive that talking to an idol in a thousand year-old temple. After all, the idol won't listen. God will. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Oct 2 13:35:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 13:35:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Dependence Message-ID: <47E593F9-60B1-4CBB-8FDA-76B41AEBAAB6@clanwebb.com> Independence is an illusion. It's fascinating how many people in this world think they are independent. Is a billionaire really independently wealthy? Doesn't he, in fact, depend on assistants and a staff? Doesn't he depend on people to keep the money flowing and the luxury kept up? He can't do it all himself. He depends on there always being people willing to work for him. Is a man who lives off the land really independent? Doesn't he depend on the land itself? What happens if there's a drought? What happens if the river he fishes from dries up? He depends on what he thinks are constants around him. It was nothing this dramatic, but I had a wake-up call about how dependent I am on something. It's probably a bigger deal for me, but it's disruptive nonetheless. We've been without Internet access for half a day. I'm writing this at home with the plan to send it out from work if and when access comes back on. It disrupted my son's evening. He was planning to play an online game with some friends. It disrupted the sending of this devotional as I don't have access and the machine that maintains the mailing list is in my home, so it doesn't have access either. I was reminded of how dependent I am on things that can just disappear. Thank heavens my salvation and my Savior can never be shaken: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28 "[...]And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b I cannot lose my salvation. It will never disappear. I cannot lose my connection to Jesus. He'll never leave me. Those are things I can depend upon. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Mon Oct 2 23:01:58 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 23:01:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Introduction Message-ID: <44E38D17-891B-4AFD-81DF-5CE16F5D4587@CLANWEBB.COM> What do we fear anymore? I think it has become the fear of failure to live up to what the world deems successful. Having the right everything is generally our main pursuit. Material gain at all cost, veneered relationships, discussions of ownership over the needs of others. Why don't we fear God? Lack of introduction to Him. We are a society that is afraid to say, "I know God. Would you like to meet Him?" Yet, if I were to say I know Robert Redford, Sean Penn, Paris Hilton, or some other celebrity, people would want to know all about them. "Religion has been closely identified with our history and government, Abington School District, 1963, and the history of man is inseparable from the history of religion. Engle v. Vitale 1962. The Bible may constitutionally be used in an appropriate study of history, civilization, ethics, comparative religion, or the like." From the United States Supreme Court 1980, in the case of Stone v. Graham, 449 U.S. 39,42,46 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;" 2 Timothy 3:16 We are so lazy and cornered by carnal stimuli, our ethical taste buds have been burnt to a crisp. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 3 22:27:46 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 22:27:46 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Idols Without Statues Message-ID: <34363324-50FA-451E-8EF9-B54E5DD240EB@clanwebb.com> God holds the universe in His hands. It is His will that keeps everything in balance. His will manifests itself to us as scientific laws that we can observe and discover. It seems to be the height of arrogance to observe changes in our universe and immediately assumed that we did it. Who do we think we are? Could we actually kill our planet? Could we shut off a star? Could we create life? These things are out of our ability. That doesn't mean would should stop observing them and letting the rules we know and the intelligence God gave us to show us the way. Where we fall off the path is when we start to believe that we are doing it alone. When we believe that we've gained the intelligence by ourselves and we're learning something that nobody else has ever learned, we're in trouble. God knows it all, He is revealing to us. When we forget about God, our theories, our intelligence, our self- satisfaction become the things we worship. They become our idols. "Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come, tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear. But you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; he who chooses you is detestable." Isaiah 41:22-24 Is that not what is going on now? Aren't those who've lost sight of the Creator trying to do these very things? I see them trying to convince me that they KNOW how the universe was created, how the earth started, and how man came about. I see them pounding the table with conviction because they KNOW what the future holds. They KNOW we're killing the planet. They are trying to to dismay us and fill us with fear, so that we might recognize the gods we should worship. They want us to worship at the altar of man. Those who choose the idols over God are described as "less than nothing". Their works are "utterly worthless". Don't lose sight of God. Don't be distracted by the idols. We are not the ultimate beings in the universe and that's a good thing. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Wed Oct 4 21:40:27 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 21:40:27 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Nothing to Prove Message-ID: I started a new book last night. As a matter of fact, I read about half of it. It's by Ray Comfort and consists of a letter-writing relationship he had with an atheist named James David Franz. Franz does a great job presenting his point of view while Mr. Comfort displays his faith. During several discourses, Franz challenges Comfort to take deadly poison to prove his faith in reference to the following scripture: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Mark 16:16-18 Here is one of those times when a soft Christian might fold in defense of his faith as the verse seems to be very straightforward. However, here is one of those times when too much tramping about creates a quagmire. First of all, your Bible reference will tell you that these verses are a little suspect and that they were not included in all the ancient manuscripts. Second, and I think the most important thought to keep in mind, is that these passages do not tell anybody to go and do these things. It is a statement about the weakness of faith and the attainability by man to reach the same level of faith as Jesus. Also, one should recognize this challenge and the situation it presents. Remember the showdown in the desert Jesus had with Satan? "Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " ' He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " Matthew 4:5-7 If any Christian took this test and died, I feel sure God would ask, "What were you thinking? I gave you a brain. Why didn't you use it?" You see, we have nothing to prove to anyone. If any man or woman elects not to believe, then they must suffer. I choose not to suffer in eternity. God chooses not to suffer fools. If it is good enough for Him, it's good enough for me. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 5 22:20:10 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 22:20:10 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Persistence Message-ID: <4EE0F11A-71E4-420E-A983-DC2B0195F599@clanwebb.com> You may think you know what persistence means. To most of us, it means the idea of not giving up or stopping whatever it is you are doing. Being persistent means to be the squeaky wheel. Or, it means doing something reliably even if it's obnoxious. A persistent pain is one that doesn't go away. To software developers, persistence has a related, but different meaning. Persistence is the set of issues around how we write software that needs to keep data around for use in the future. If I let you type a letter and then let all of that data go away, then I have a persistence problem. There's no way for you to get your data back. The data is said to be temporary or transitory. If I want to keep your data around for you to work with, I might store it in some corner of memory for a while. Then the data will persist as long as my program is running. That's better, but when you quit the program, the data is gone again. The next level is to write the data to a storage mechanism that is more permanent. I might allow you to save your data to a hard disk. That means it'll still be there after you shut the computer off. You can depend on it being there next week if you want. That's a much better solution to persistence. It's still not perfect, though. What if your hard drive dies? What if your machine chokes and the hard disk is damaged? If the data is especially important, then it's not persistent enough for you. Then you might need to not only write the data to a hard disk, but to some backup location, too. Some servers will write the same data to multiple hard disks so that if one dies, the others still have a copy. That's much better, but still not perfect. If I write software to depend on data being valid longer than it really is, I have a problem. If I start working on data that has long since been swept away, then the data I'm looking at is stale or, worse, it's just junk. Chances are my software won't work as planned. It's like building a house on a frozen river. It might be fine for a month or two in the winter, but come the spring thaw, you've got problems. I have to write code knowing just how persistent the data is and what to do when it's not available. Perfect persistence, like everything perfect, comes from God. God is dependable. He's always where I left Him, and He's never absent when I go looking for Him. "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17 "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal" Isaiah 26:4 I wish I could write software with such rock solid assumptions. Regardless, I'm glad I can place my spiritual confidence on someone so dependable. I know there's no bugs in that method. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Fri Oct 6 22:56:15 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 22:56:15 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not What I Want To Do Message-ID: If I didn't have Jesus Christ and a sense of humor, I would probably be in jail for murder. No kidding. I look for the humor in life, and when I find it in the Bible, it makes me feel like God smiles at our paradox here on earth. Take a man that was so anti-Christian that he used every law on the books to persecute them whenever he found one. Finally, God stepped in, smacked him down, and blinded him to get his attention. Then God sends a timid fellow to care for him until he has recovered. The man then becomes the greatest living proponent for Jesus on the planet. He actually spoke to Jesus after he had been killed by the group that the man represented. In short, the man now "got it". He knew all the right things to say and, most of the time, when to say them. That's aside from the times when he alienated the ones who believed him and several that didn't. When that happened, they plunked him in the cooler to keep him out of mischief. Then this man had the fortitude to say, "Hey, guys, in or out, I'm content." God seemed to use him as a 'juke' to fake out folks and then do something spectacular like convert the jailer. With all this going for him, he was pretty much like you and me because he could never really get over the hump of his sin nature. The following verse brings to my mind a great visual. Picture Paul sitting with his head in his hands after realizing he had just looked at, thought about, said, or otherwise did something really stupid. "We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do ? this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." Romans 7:14-20 Now, guys, admit it. How many times have you said, "Why did I do that? I know better!" That is the way it is. We just must not allow ourselves to believe that if there is no chance at removing all sin that we should just give up and dive into the pool with the unsaved. "So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God?through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." Romans 7:21-25 Life is funny, ain't it? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 8 01:00:18 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 01:00:18 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Meaningless Message-ID: Larry Bird was one of my favorite, all-time athletes. I loved hearing stories about how he was in the gym an hour before everyone else and stayed an hour after. He admitted that he wasn't blessed with better skill than the other players on the court, he just worked harder at it. He dedicated himself to being the best player on the court at all times. It was impressive to watch. I used to tell myself that I still had hope if he could play. That was until I realized that he had been blessed with one thing: height. I have to admit a certain level of awe when learning of people who have dedicated their entire lives to a single purpose. Whether it's hearing about folks who spend day in and day out making deals and gathering a fortune. That takes focus and drive. Or, when it's reading about those who spend their lives in a lab searching for knowledge. Or, even when it's learning about an athlete who spent his childhood preparing for a career that lasted longer than usual because of his dedication. There is a level of satisfaction in succeeding in your area of focus. However, I think all of those folks who are not saved end up still asking the question, "Is this it?" Solomon was demonstrably the wealthiest, most powerful man to ever live. He could do or have anything he wanted. He reached the pinnacle in more than one area of his life. He gathered immense knowledge and was known to be exceedingly wise. He had amazing wealth. He allowed himself to indulge in every pleasure the world offered. He embarked on fantastic projects. When it was all said and done, what was his conclusion? "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!" Ecclesiastes 12:8 Anything man could do or accomplish is so small when compared to God because it is still contained in this world. God is not. God's works are eternal. What was Solomon's conclusion? "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13 The moral of this story is that we know someone who has accomplished much more than you ever will. He already figured out that following God was the only future with any lasting value. Learn from Solomon and don't get sidetracked finding the meaning of your life away from Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 8 23:14:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2006 23:14:42 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Living in HD Message-ID: After much comparison shopping and financial planning, we made the decision to purchase a high definition TV recently. As a result, I've become something of an HD snob. Our current cable package includes well over 100 channels to watch. When I watch, though, I only watch one of the dozen or so HD channels. The picture is so much better that I just can't stand watching standard broadcasts on this TV. I will admit that I make exceptions for Mariners games and the Sci-Fi channel. That's only until I can get those in HD, too. One of the things we've noticed while watching shows in HD, though, is that the better picture is good and bad. It's good in that I can see more detail. It's bad in that I can see more detail. I've become pretty adept at spotting bad make-up jobs, now. All of those TV and movie make-up artists were trained to work towards the old video capabilities. Now, the viewer can see much more and not all of the artists have figured out how to deal. This is kind of funny to watch until I look at myself in the mirror. Yike! I wouldn't want some other guy making fun of my bad shave or the fact that I've got blemishes on my forehead. I'm really glad other folks don't get to stare at me in HD. Think of how we interact with our acquaintances, though. We put on a veneer of happiness and tell them that life is good. What if they had spiritual HD? What if they could see past your front and know that you are struggling with sin? That's terrifying. At the same time, it would probably help keep us honest. Well, it's worth remembering, then, that God has the best view of all: "You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you." Psalm 69:5 "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13 God can surely see it. Eventually, others will see it, too. You might as well get your life cleaned up so there's nothing to hide from Him or anyone else. Live like you're being watched in HD. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Mon Oct 9 23:58:51 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 23:58:51 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Feed Them Message-ID: The body is a house of many windows: there we all sit, showing ourselves and crying on the passers-by to come and love us. - Robert Louis Stevenson The holidays are upon us men, and this time of the year many can suffer because of broken relationships. If you have loved ones about you, be grateful. But, if you know someone who is alone, don't forget them. "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;" Matthew 25:35 Jesus was not just referring to food for the body, but to relationships as well. People can suffer much with a noble heart if they know someone cares, but when they perceive that there is no hope, then Satan wins. You don't have to convert people just to show them the same compassion that Christ shows you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 10 22:29:29 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:29:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Smartest Guy in the Room Message-ID: <3F75D76F-BDDA-423F-B967-E2E66750BFB1@clanwebb.com> I have to admit to some childish behavior some years ago, but it proves my point so I'll tell you about it. While in college, a buddy of mine and I would amuse ourselves by going to the home electronics department of the local department store and start asking technical questions of the salesperson about the products on display. This was particularly evil for us to do, because we were both studying electrical engineering and signal processing at the time. We would ask pointed questions about what the difference was between two high-end CD players just to see what he came up with. These poor guys never had a chance. They were trained to sell to the average consumer and had no idea what a "1-bit A/D converter" was or why "16x oversampling" was better than "4x oversampling". (By the way, that's a trick question. The human ear cannot detect anything higher than 4x). On a good day, we'd just leave and have a good chuckle to ourselves. On a bad day, we'd argue with him. What this was really all about was proving our superiority by knowing more. We puffed ourselves up by proving that two college students could outsmart the guy making minimum wage at Sears. Wow. For men, there's great satisfaction in having the answer. We love to be the smartest guy in the room on a given subject. Some guys even fall into the trap of simply acting smart. They'll spout buzzwords and hot air trying to convince everyone else they know what they're talking about. If you call them on it, they'll just wiggle around and try to convince you that you just misunderstood them. This is very much a guy thing. It's deeply connected to why we refuse to ask for directions. It's a stubborn pride that is often our downfall and the source of much embarrassment. I love how God loves me anyway. I have this image of Him getting down on one knee, looking me in the eye, putting His hand on my shoulder, and speaking very slowly, "Pay attention now. I'm going to explain this to you very carefully so you can see that I'm in control and not you." "I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, 'My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.' " Isaiah 48:3-5 Can't you hear Him? "See, I told you this was going to happen. Then it happened. I don't think you can really say that you knew it was going to happen beforehand, can you?" The beauty of it is that He doesn't want to humiliate us. He just wants us to admit that we don't know. Then He wants to share bits of what He knows. That bronze forehead would be handy for when I have to bang my head against a wall. On the other hand, wouldn't it just be better to admit that I don't know? I'm not the smartest guy in the room. God is. Wyatt From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Wed Oct 11 21:58:44 2006 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 21:58:44 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Laugh It Up Message-ID: <23AE325B-689E-48D2-B627-EC54C567409A@CLANWEBB.COM> Did you hear the one about...? What a great ice-breaker humor can be. Someone once said, "Laughter is the shock absorber for life." I believe that, but I also believe that when you laugh with someone, be sure you both think the same thing is funny. People are attracted to laughter. Imagine that instead of slowing down to see a wreck, you heard on the news that there was a traffic tie-up because everyone was slowing down to see what everyone else was laughing about. It is easy to find things to be miserable about. The world reeks with misery. If, as Christians, we want to attract non-believers, we need to shed this misconception that when we get together, we only smile and laugh because we are caught up in some sort of spiritual furor brought on by the Holy Spirit. People will only come to the light if it is lit up. Give them some universal language to recognize. A good belly- shaker will even burn calories! "Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." " Psalm 126:2 "You and your cat named Felix all tied up in that double helix, now that is what I call intelligent design." Funny when you think about it. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 12 23:05:20 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 23:05:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Growth Path Message-ID: <3166F840-B902-4D01-AD3A-D67604AFEDB9@clanwebb.com> One of the engineers I manage asked me something the other day. It's not an uncommon request from professionals. He asked what he needed to do to move up the ladder. He wanted to know what training he needed or what responsibilities he could take on that would help him attain a more senior position. Any good business has growth paths for its employees. Most employees are looking for a job with a path for their future. When I've worked at jobs where I knew there was nowhere else to go, it sucked out all of my enthusiasm. I had a hard time being motivated to work hard when I knew there was no chance of change. I've had employees that I've managed come to me ready to quit because they don't see where they can continue to grow in the company. There's something comforting and encouraging about knowing that I could become a better employee and be given more responsibility. There's motivation in knowing that there's a path I could follow, if I put in the effort. Sometimes, the path doesn't even need to be clear. I might only know that my boss is willing to promote, but I'm not sure in what direction. Just knowing there is a path and someone has made it possible for me to walk along it can be enough. God has certainly laid out a growth path for us. He tells us that He's willing to go with us along the path. He'll help us through the tough patches and point the way so we don't get lost. We can't see all of the path, but we know it's there. We just have to trust Him. " "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." " Jeremiah 29:11 There is great comfort in knowing He has a plan for us. We just have to put in the effort to follow Him and lean on Him. He does all the hard work if we let Him. Just follow the plan. You can have great confidence and joy in knowing that a plan exists and that it's designed specifically for you. Even when I think I've hit a dead end, I can know that even that is part of the plan. It all works together and moves me along. I like the growth path He has set up for me. I'm looking forward to becoming the follower He wants me to be. I hope you're moving along your path, too. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Oct 13 22:48:00 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:48:00 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Corrupt Message-ID: <74A7F566-EA11-472C-BC95-0820FDA75E58@clanwebb.com> What do you call a gallon of raw sewage with a drop of milk in it? That's still sewage. What do you call a gallon of milk with a drop of raw sewage in it? Well, that would be sewage, too. You see, even the smallest corruption changes the nature of the object in question. Nobody wants to drink either of these. They would only want to drink from an uncorrupted gallon of milk. That's because even the smallest corruption in the milk could cause sickness if they consumed it. God knows that sin corrupts. There's nothing we can do to stop it. We've been given a sin nature as part of our heredity. We are all corrupted. This is why none of us would be allowed into Heaven on our own. We are corrupt and God can't allow corruption into Heaven. Worse, no corrupted person can uncorrupt himself or someone else. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 It took someone who was without corruption to take ours away. Jesus promised to pay the price for our corruption and make us clean as a result. That's how we get to go to Heaven. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance?now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Hebrews 9:15 When people ask how Christ can be the only way, remind them that He was the only uncorrupt person to live. When people ask why they can't earn their way in, remind them that they're already sick. There's nothing they can do to remove the corruption from their own spirit. Ask them if they are depending on a person or belief that is undermined by corruption. "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." " John 14:6 Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 14 22:43:38 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:43:38 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Remember the Sword Message-ID: When I'm roughing around with my son, I have to take advantage of the skills I have that he doesn't have. He's tall enough and strong enough that I can get in trouble if I'm off-balance. If I let him play the game his way, I could easily lose. So, I usually try to outthink him. When he's looking at my hands, I hook him with my foot. When he's worried about my feet, I wrap him up with my arms. I can also start to pepper him with little pushes and shoves from all different angles. It gets to the point that all he can do is fall backwards and try to react to the last thing I did. He doesn't have time to predict my next move, much less go on the offense. I've disabled his skills by not allowing him the chance to use them. I learned how to do this well. Mostly, I learned because that's how my father played with me. I'm old enough now to understand how it worked and I can use it myself. I'm also old enough to see that the enemy does the very same thing to me. If I don't put on the full armor of God each day, the enemy will use these same techniques on me. I'll let down my guard and think the day is going well. Then, suddenly, there's a problem. It might be something like a car breaking down or a roof leaking or it might be that I stumble into a fight with my wife. Like most men, I immediately react to the problem. I'll make a plan to get the car fixed and arrange transportation until then. Or, I'll make some calls to get a roofer out to repair it. Or, I'll start apologizing and try to repair an injured relationship. But, if I'm not careful, the enemy will come from a different angle and hit me again. Now, it'll be a health problem with extended family or a crisis at work that needs immediate attention. Then, I race off to react to that. Now, the enemy has me on the run. He'll just keep hitting me where I'm not looking and forcing me to react. Pretty soon, all I'm doing is giving ground and trying to repair the problems he leaves in his wake. In the end, he's succeeded in taking away my strength because I'm so busy reacting, I never go on the offense: "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17 He's tricked me into leaving my sword sheathed. Now, the right approach is to deal with the last attack by preparing for the next one. Use the Word to deal with your current problem. Pray for protection from further problems. Pray for unity in your family (he loves to attack that). Men, don't get suckered into constantly reacting until you collapse from burnout. Take a step back, pull out your sword, and follow it's lead into battle. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Oct 16 00:10:05 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 00:10:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It's Not Mine Message-ID: <1968FD6E-57F5-4E4B-B43A-0567CC6F2A0E@clanwebb.com> As my son progressed through grade school and junior high, we needed to start reminding him more and more that he didn't get to make decisions for the family. He really didn't understand why he couldn't decide when we went out to dinner and where. He thought we should all just agree when he declared what the plans for the family were over the weekend. To help him remember that he wasn't the decision-maker, I taught him to repeat something along with me: "I am not in charge." Whenever he'd tell us what to do for him, I'd make him repeat, "I am not in charge." I only have to remind him of that now, and he realizes the point I'm trying to make. I have a new one that I need to start using myself: "It's not mine." I can't remember how many times I've chosen the path of sin because I wanted to protect what is mine. It might be my money or my hobby or my desire or my sin. It's always something that I want for myself in disobedience to God. I need to remember that it's not mine. Those things in the world? Not mine. "I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it." Psalm 50:11-12 That money I have? Not mine. "[...] Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand." 1 Chronicles 29:14b My body. Surely, that is mine! Nope. Not mine, either. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 You and I have no right to yell "Mine!" in the face of God. None of it is ours. It is all his. Remembering that will help keep us out of trouble. Repeat after me, "It's not mine. It's not mine. It's not mine." Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 17 00:08:58 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:08:58 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Spirit of Things Message-ID: "Come on, now, let's get into the spirit of things." Wet blankets can always ruin a good time, it's true. But, on the other hand, which spirit are we talking about? I can remember times in college when giving into the spirit of things meant a lot of regrets in the morning. Cheering on the old home team, getting behind a worthy project, or being a team player is usually an uplifting experience and to be commended. Just keep in mind that there is a fine line to these things and using it as an excuse for a lack of judgement can be detrimental. When you want to do something you know you ought not to do, but end up doing it just to go along is a poor excuse for character. "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." 1 Corinthians 2:12 Listen to the right spirit and understand. Listen to the wrong spirit and have regrets and maybe a headache. As a wise sage once said: "Let your conscience be your guide." J. Cricket. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Oct 18 00:01:41 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 00:01:41 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Just Wait Message-ID: <08E87142-8FA7-4819-89B9-FAF89BB399E6@clanwebb.com> There are days when it's just overwhelming. There are days when I'm ready to throw in the towel and stop trying to stand for something. I read articles and see news stories about how the culture is turning against God. I see so many people reveling in rebellion and sin. Seeing the ignorance on display is bad enough. It's worse when you realize that some aren't ignorant. If you read enough and watch enough, you realize that there's a portion of people out there that know exactly what they are doing. They know that God speaks clearly about how they live and they still choose to live in rebellion. They justify it by claiming there is no God or that Scripture does not describe the real God. Some may even be willing to admit that He is exactly who He says He is, but they simply aren't interested in having a relationship with Him. They love the idea of living life on their terms and then making their own case in the end. And, of course, they hate those of us who have chosen to accept the free gift. We are examples of what they claim is wrong or unnecessary. We become the focus of their anger. At first, I was just sad for these folks. Then, I felt attacked. It goes on long enough and I just don't want to deal with them anymore. I want to retreat and let society rot. I want to disengage. Then I read Scripture again. Then I hear from my Lord again. "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14 I can stand up again. I'll keep working for the goodness of the Lord. I'll wait for Him. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 19 00:25:34 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 00:25:34 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Fruit Inspector Message-ID: Words, words, words. The world is full of words. Many people believe that there is something magical about words. He said, she said, the news said, the paper says... Communication is a wonderful thing, but like most things in a fallen world, it has become tainted. Discernment is an art that has to be cultivated and practiced because acceptance of words from man or woman without discernment is folly. The best way to start the process is to check the fruit on the tree. "Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;" 1 John 3:7 Seek out people that practice righteousness. That is, they do the right thing. Many will work on assumed consent. I am a Christian, therefore I am trustworthy. The saved are at many levels, and you may be disappointed in the actions of a brother or sister. Be a fruit inspector. Actions do speak louder than words. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Oct 19 22:37:49 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 22:37:49 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Explaining and Understanding Message-ID: <6A0F4198-125D-40BA-919A-6EA0C7129FBD@clanwebb.com> I sometimes feel like I am always on the defensive about my faith. I always have to have the right answer in order to be able to hold my head up high. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7 The greatest piece of knowledge in the universe is to have set in your mind that there is a God. "The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding." Proverbs 4:7 Once you know He is there, learn everything you can about Him. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10 Here's the deal: You can explain it to them, but you can't understand it for them. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 21 01:05:28 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 01:05:28 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Home Message-ID: <78446612-200A-492E-8F2C-D4791F120BFF@clanwebb.com> I'm tired. I don't mean spiritually tired or mentally tired. I just mean tired. My shoulders are sore. My back is aching. My legs are feeling a little cramped. Most of all, my feet are really screaming. Despite all of this, I suspect very few of you will have sympathy for me. You see, I acquired all of these aches and pains by spending all day walking around Disneyland. We had spent well for our visit, though, so we pushed ourselves through so we could get the most out of the trip. Nonetheless, there was an oasis-like feeling about heading back to our hotel. We were so happy to get back to beds that we complained about the first night. Our room was our own little oasis because it had our clothes, our soap, our toothbrushes, and the rest of our stuff. As nice as it feels, though, it still isn't home. We know that will feel a million times better. When I'm wiped out spiritually, I seek an oasis here on earth, too. When I do it right, it's just running back to God. Just spending time with Him. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." Proverbs 18:10 That satisfies. That brings me relief. It also whets my appetite for my real home. That will be a million times better, too. "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20 "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you." John 14:2 My feet hurt. I'm tired. I can't wait to go home. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 22 01:39:32 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 01:39:32 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] That's Why Message-ID: <65A867CE-2EA4-40A8-A0D9-FC7CA0AFD448@clanwebb.com> "That's why they play the game." - Various athletes and announcers This is one of the reasons I love watching sports. The analysts and oddsmakers can research their hearts out, but they can't be perfect. Nobody can predict the unexpected. Nobody can predict the things that don't make sense. How many games have you watched or heard about that had a "sure thing" outcome predicted that didn't end that way? That's what makes them fun. At the end of the day, the players have to go out and play the game. That's the only way to determine the winner. I'm beginning to have the same attitude about how to share my faith with others. I can predict and explain what Christ will do for them until I'm blue in the face. The truth is though, they have to actually live the life to know what He will do. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9 How can we hope to predict what salvation will do for someone's life? We can tell them that Christ promised eternal life (which should be enough incentive by itself!), but other than that it's up to Him. I can't predict if they'll get a better job or reconcile their marriage. I can only predict that their life will be on the right track. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:26 Again, it's about the action. Speaking about faith is informative. Understanding faith is enlightening. Living through faith is something else altogether. I can tell people what He did for me and encourage them to accept Him and live the life, too. Only then will they know the outcome. Only then will they know how the game unfolds. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 22 23:46:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:46:55 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He is Enough Message-ID: <5885CF33-5798-49FD-A70F-EBDB0CE2A691@clanwebb.com> I am going to have a run-in with a guy. In my mind, he is arrogant, arbitrary, and full of himself. I have gone over the scenario of how our meeting will go several times. It occurs to me that I am thinking that I am arrogant and full of myself. "There is a kind ? oh how lofty are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised in arrogance." Proverbs 30:13 So, I have a choice to make before the meeting. Do I go for the throat, or do I do something else? "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." Romans 5:19 "The Lord judges the peoples; Vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me." Psalm 7:8 The question for my meeting now becomes, "Can I be satisfied, as he will certainly walk away feeling superior?" "The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me." Psalm 118:7 The question has always been, "Allen, is Christ enough?" Allen From WYATT at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 24 00:20:12 2006 From: WYATT at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:20:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Matter the Size Message-ID: <60EE48CC-D2E9-4524-8A2A-3B6FCD4C75B9@clanwebb.com> I had an interesting situation come up at work recently. I currently manage four software developers and I have been leading two or more teams of developers in ongoing projects. Over the last couple of weeks, though, one of the projects was shelved and I was asked to become more of a front-line developer for another project. This means I'm doing less managing and more programming again. This is precisely the kind of situation I've seen other people have fits about. It would be easy to say that the company was being disrespectful in asking me to lower myself. It would be easy for me to complain that I wasn't being given as much responsibility as my peers. I learned a long time ago, though, that God puts me where He wants me. If I woke up tomorrow and He decided that it was time for me to sell TVs at Sears, then I suspect that's right where I'd be. I don't recoil from being asked to do the little things. I know there's something to be learned at all levels. It's still an opportunity to serve. Besides, God is looking for obedience at all levels. Remember in the Parable of the Talents ( Matthew 25:14-30 ) that the servants given different numbers of talents were praised equally for their success. The servant given the smallest amount was still expected to serve faithfully. Regardless of the size of the responsibility, God will reward those who serve: "His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:23 Our acts of service are miniscule to God's abilities. But, they are all equal in His eyes. Whether you're being asked to take on a titanic labor or you are presented with the most menial of tasks, do them all in service to God. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 24 22:02:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 22:02:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Hold Out For Respect Message-ID: <2BB54B5A-628A-465B-84CB-47BCE14EA996@clanwebb.com> Sometimes we find ourselves in a situation where we have to make the decision to be liked or to be respected. We have to find the courage to say, "Count me out." "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold." Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." Ecclesiastes 7:1 So, it really behooves a man to watch his step, because an ounce of pollution can render many gallons ruined. "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." Romans 8:8 Life is a minefield. Watch your step. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Oct 25 23:37:59 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2006 23:37:59 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] As an Example Message-ID: I want to give an example in this writing. It's why we have examples. Why is it again that the cross is so important, besides our salvation? "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21 Why should we not compromise the little things in our lives? "Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants." James 3:4 Why, when we have the opportunity to influence someone, should we take care? "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness." Titus 2:7 Why should we not entertain sexual immorality in our lives? "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire." Jude 1:7 Why can we be changed from day one of our acceptance of Jesus Christ even if we don't know squat about the Word? "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 Men, these signposts for your walk with Christ are posted quite clearly. When you have a question, more often than not, the Word holds instruction followed by an example. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Oct 27 00:04:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:04:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Mirror, Mirror Message-ID: <10D71FAD-37F4-493C-8992-F0DF826FD617@clanwebb.com> I've never been one for a soft touch. I prefer to speak the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Of course, I've had to adjust my approach since getting married as the chips seem to frequently fall on my head. Still, when it comes to dealing with people who are not family, I prefer the clear, simple, and honest approach. That way there's no misunderstanding me and I don't have to nudge the listener along. In other words, I prefer the firm yank on the reins when I'm leading the conversation rather than the slow gentle tug. One of the many ways God amazes me is that the Word can speak the truth in clear, simple ways and yet still be compassionate and loving. I guess I just haven't figured out that magic quite yet. Still, I love the fact that real love doesn't mean softening the truth. I love that God sees right down to the core of things. He knows the real motivations and the real desires of people. He even allows us to see that about ourselves through the Word: "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double- edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 Wow. That's powerful and a little scary. Not only can God see right into your heart, but reading the Word will reflect your heart back to you. It may not always be a pleasant experience, but it's the only way to repent of sin and continue growing your relationship with Christ. You wouldn't try to repair your car's engine with the lights off. You need to illuminate and expose the problem area so it can be worked on. The same goes for your heart. Grit your teeth and look hard at yourself by using the Word as a mirror. If you see sin, confess it, repent, and remove it from your life. You can't pretend it's not there, because God knows it is. He's just waiting for you to see it, so you can ask Him to fix it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Oct 28 00:50:24 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 00:50:24 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Have Faith Message-ID: <383A665A-98DD-4F0C-9AFF-58F5EC748AB3@clanwebb.com> Some time back, I helped a young family find a home. I didn't think it was much of a place, but they thought it was paradise. They have a gaggle of kids and the wife homeschools. He is a painter, and from time to time his boss allows him to use the company equipment to do work after hours to help make up for some slack time. They don't have a lot, but they are rich. They understand that they are rich and it shows. He called a while back and told me that their van needed some heavy repair work. He asked if I knew of anyone who needed some painting done. I announced it around the office and, sure enough, someone needed some work on their home. My coworker told me that this fellow was doing such a great job that he was going to give him a bonus when the work was finished. He also told me that he tried to pay some of the money up front since he was aware of the situation with the van, but the painter refused saying that he wouldn't take any money until he had earned it. It was just the same when this fellow worked for me. As it turned out, we also needed some painting done. I was going to do it myself, but I thought that this family could use the money, so I gave him a call. He looked at the job and told me when he could get started. I asked about the van and he said that it was fixed, but it was still at the shop because he had not paid the bill, yet. As we were walking back to his company truck (he was using it until he got his own van back), I mentioned that I had a small van that I would sell cheap and that it still ran well. I had it in the back of my mind to get it in his hands without it looking like charity as I was sure he'd refuse if I offered it that way. He lit up and said, "I'll make you a deal. I'll paint your downstairs for the van." It sounded perfect to me. This family would get wheels right away and when they did get the other van paid off, he could use this one as a work van. My plans versus God's plans, again... I told him I would find the title and planned on making him take it a couple of days later when he came to work on the house. He called about an hour later, though, and asked if I had found the title. I said I could if he needed the van right away. I was feeling pretty good about myself at this point. He showed up about two hours later with another young man. I thought he was just there to drive one of the cars back, but it wasn't the case. My friend's plan was to earn the van for this young man and his family. Evidently, their car was down and he needed to get back and forth to work. He was a young Christian that my friend had led to the Lord. My friend couldn't wait to show this young guy how Christians were willing to help one another. After my friend and I watched the van go up the street, he looked at me with a grin from ear to ear and said, "It's a God thing, Allen. You were an answer to prayer." He left with his own van still tied up at the shop, his personal truck broken down, and my basement to paint, but so happy that I was envious. What he didn't know is that I learned a valuable lesson about walking in faith. "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 29 00:56:05 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 00:56:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Your Choice Message-ID: <559F8FC2-230D-4812-BF64-8296F70C5D38@clanwebb.com> "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." " Matthew 16:24 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." " John 14:6 He never said it would be easy. He never said there were alternatives. He said He was the only way and that it will take effort to follow. Still, I'd rather take the hard climb up the mountain than the nice, easy stroll over the edge. It's easier to do the latter, but the ending is less than pleasant. I have those days when I want to set the cross down. I want to give in and just let the world carry me along. I can never bring myself to do it, though, because I know where that river runs. I know that the trouble it brings later is not worth the rest now. At the risk of going on analogy overload, keep running the race. Don't sit down. Don't start coasting backwards with the world. If you give up, it's nobody's fault but your own. Why? "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31 He will provide all of the energy and support you need. It is impossible to run out. You are the one who has to decide to keep going or to give up. And be clear about the fact that if you start pointing fingers and blaming others, you've given up. You always have a choice to go on or give up. I would have to agree with Churchill on this point: "Never, never, never, never give up." Winston Churchill Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Oct 29 22:23:22 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:23:22 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Real Food Message-ID: "You don't have a Soul. You are a Soul. You have a body." C.S. Lewis With just a few words, C.S. Lewis focuses our sight on a profound understanding. We are constant in our concentration about our bodies. We worship the perfection of the shell. We spend hours and resources on that which began to die at the moment of birth. Yet, what we "are" starves or is poisoned by what we feed it. The body is nourished through the mouth, but the soul is fed by all the other senses. What we hear, see, touch, and smell feeds the soul. We spend so much more time thinking about what goes in our mouth than what nourishes the soul. We lack the discipline to go on a diet and exercise regimen for the soul, and yet it is what we are. "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36 Death only affects the flesh. The soul goes on. The Bible was grown under the perfect eye of God. It was pruned and weeded through inspiration for perfect digestion. Eat up! Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 31 00:22:16 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:22:16 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Portable Message-ID: <8CA8C152-E21D-4DBC-906B-CCD2BF5F86EB@clanwebb.com> Are you portable? I don't mean that in the physical sense of being movable. I mean that in a spiritual sense. That term also carries some connotation from my field of work. For most of my professional career, I've been writing software that is targeted at multiple platforms. That is to say that my work will go out in software that runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS. I've also written software for handheld devices, web servers, and other areas. When writing software that can be used in multiple places, there is a need to make the software portable. In software, that term means that the code in question will run on any machine it is built for. There are many examples of large, elaborate software packages that are very much tied to a single platform. When the company attempts to create a version for another platform, they may take years and still not succeed. Some companies have even re-written the program from scratch for the other platform. That code is said to be not portable. The key is that if it's not portable, then you'll likely have to reinvent the wheel for each new platform you add. If the code is portable, then it is more easily adaptable to those new platforms and you've just set yourself up to be more successful as a company. Bottom line: Portability is good. How does that apply to you and me? The question is whether your faith and your life are portable. Would your faith survive a radical shift in the place you're asked to function? Would you be as dedicated if you were serving in a village in Zambia? Would you be as confident in your God if you were led to move to the other side of the country for a job you didn't like as much? Would you still thank Him for everything if someone in your family suddenly dies? How well would your faith adapt to a dramatically worse situation than the one you're in? It should. We're not perfect, but strong faith should not be shaken by any of these things: "Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." John 15:20 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul's faith was very portable. He wrote this in prison: "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20-21 Take this opportunity to see if your faith is only strong because of your current situation. That means it's depending on the wrong things. You can only depend on Christ. Then you'll be portable. You'll be able to function anywhere. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Oct 31 22:28:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 22:28:02 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Choke Message-ID: <018AF6FC-A6F5-4D3D-9AB5-6E8928AE34C0@clanwebb.com> Living your life in Christ. Here's a statement that seems to conjure up the image of missionaries, monks, nuns, friars, monasteries, and the like. Try not to over think the thought. Think of it as going through life in Christ. To be sure, the world is both a mess and a testament to God's glory. Man is the mess. There is nothing wrong with God's creation, except sin and that is exclusively man's problem. As a Christian, we start, stumble, fall, and get up again. The non- Christian does the same thing, but for all the wrong reasons. One decision, one moment of perfect clarity and a decision is made. This is what separates one person from another. We pray for the lost, but the simple truth is that not all will be saved. We can devote our lives, to different degrees, to the lost, but the fact remains that we won't reach them all. The world will come to an end as we know it and some will miss the boat. That fact should not keep us from enjoying life. "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Luke 8:14 It's just a fact. Allen