From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 1 23:54:10 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2007 23:54:10 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Falling Message-ID: I have fallen many times in my life. I am talking here about the mechanical type of falling. I have had some graceful spills where I went down looking pretty good. Then, there were those times when my rear-end passed my head several times and I ended up in a very ungraceful heap while bleeding from some place or another. Falling happens, but some stand out. There was the time I had about eighty pounds of deer meat on my back and lost my footing. When I stopped in a blackberry patch, I had eight pounds of pre-tenderized venison to carry while limping back to camp. I also ended up looking like I had shaved with a weed eater. Falling happens, unless you never put one foot in front of another. You will fall, but if you give God your load, he will not let you fall permanently. You may stumble toward the abyss, but He will not let you fall. "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:22 I just love that word "never"... Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 3 00:21:38 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 00:21:38 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Triangulation Message-ID: In school, I was taught how important it was to keep myself informed so that I could be a good citizen. I was taught to read the newspaper and watch the nightly news. I gave up on that process several years ago. Those news outlets that claim to be neutral never were. It's just quite obvious to me now that they aren't. I don't mind biased news, just tell me beforehand so I can filter accordingly. In fact, I've found the best way to get news is not just from one biased source, but from several. Then I can triangulate. Triangulation is the method by which you can locate the source of a signal by taking distance measurements from three known points on a map. If I know how far away the source is from one point, it could be anywhere along a circle. If I know from two points, it could be at one of two locations based on where the two circles intersect. With measurements from a third point, I can be precise and point out where the signal is coming from. The same goes for gathering news. I read about the same event or person from multiple sources. The things that show up in most of those sources are likely to be the truth. The things that only one source mentions, I can throw away as likely to be outlier noise. It takes more work to gather news for myself this way, but it is the only way to filter out bias and the spin that each news provider has. Now, the same method can be used to interpret Scripture. I don't need to triangulate to filter out spin and bias in Scripture. I do it to filter out my own jaundiced eye. I apply my own desires and bias to each verse I read. If I use Scripture to test Scripture, then I can be sure that I'm seeing the truth and not my personal version of a single verse. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16 Don't be thrown off by someone challenging you with a verse out of context. Always go back to the Word to test Scripture against itself. It is internally consistent and so any interpretation that conflicts with other Scripture cannot be true. By the same token, don't add your own interpretation to God's Word and believe that it is just as authoritative. Use God's Word to interpret God's Word. Triangulate. Get all human bias out of the way and understand real truth. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 3 23:57:14 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 23:57:14 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Eyes Have It Message-ID: Ever notice that the only difference between, "Wow! Look at what she's wearing!" and, "You are not wearing that!" is how closely related you are to the subject? In the past few days, I've had opportunity to be around various crowds of people that I don't normally spend time with. Because the weather is warm and because our society calls it necessary, far too many women and girls were dressed without the proper modesty. It's easy for me to sniff arrogantly at them and tsk-tsk their upbringing and lack of morals. It's easy for me to quote Scripture: "Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion." Proverbs 11:22 But, as head of my household, I hold more responsibility than that. For the women living under my roof, I have a responsibility to explain modesty. I can explain, from experience, what most men are thinking when women dress inappropriately and help them to understand why such actions don't do anyone any good. For the boys living under my roof, I need to sympathize with them and then set an example of how to react. If I ogle and gaze at the girl in the bikini top, the Victoria's Secret model, or the starlet caught topless in the tabloids, my demands for modesty are meaningless. I have only proven that what I really approve of is different than what I've said. The girls will learn to dress to earn the positive reaction. The boys will learn it's okay to stare. Neither of these is the proper outcome. No, the walk has to match the talk. We need to teach and explain modesty and why it is important. More importantly, though, we need to model the proper reaction so as to reinforce that message, not undermine it. Actions speak much louder than words, especially in this arena. Instead of staring (even to condemn), I turn away. I change the channel. I pick a different checkout lane. "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." Job 31:1 Of all the commitments I have made, this is easily one of the most difficult for me to keep. However, it is critical that I do for the sake of my marriage, my son, and my relationship with Christ. Do not be fooled into the hypocrisy of, "But she chose to wear it!" or "She's getting paid to show off her body" or "You can look, but you can't touch" or "I'm single, it's okay". It simply does not work that way. That is the enemy entrapping you. Jesus spelled it out clearly and there's no rationalizing around it. "You have heard it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28 Teach modesty and reflect the expectation of modesty. Make a covenant with your eyes. Be the example that makes it easier for someone else, not more difficult. Don't let your relationship with Christ be weakened because you tried to find the loophole. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 5 00:09:12 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 00:09:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stumbling in the Dark Message-ID: <204BB742-4D66-46E2-AF4E-43F9D33201B3@clanwebb.com> Have you ever tried to navigate your living room in the dark? Being a clever person, I always figure I can remember the layout of the room and just imagine where the furniture should be. I can put a hand out now and then to make sure my assumptions were correct. For some reason, though, I always feel the need to try to be as smooth and graceful as possible. It's like I'm being observed by someone and want to prove how cool I am that I can walk through a room full of furniture in the dark without any disruption. I think this is a guy thing where we can't stand the idea of looking uncool... even when it's in a dark room and everyone else is asleep. Nonetheless, on several of these occasions, I have stubbed a toe or stepped on something of an odd shape that was left out. I then spend the rest of my journey trying to figure out what the item was based on the sound I heard, the shape of the object, or any other clue I can get. I'll never actually turn on the light to look, though, because that would completely remove any coolness I have left. The cool character can figure this stuff out without looking. I'm always amazed the next morning to discover how wrong I was in identifying any objects. I was sure it was a CD case, but it was a magazine. I was sure it was a calculator, but it was a cell phone. Stepping on my keys is always unnatural feeling and brings up images of grotesque spiders or Amazonian bugs. It's never what it seems. "But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble." Proverbs 4:19 The lost of the world continue to stumble around in the dark and try to figure out the right path by guessing what they've stepped on or stumbled into. Just like my living room at night, it is much easier to navigate life when you turn on the light. "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." Proverbs 3:18 When you aren't sure which way to go or you're not even sure where you are, stop stumbling around and turn on the light. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 6 00:37:28 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 00:37:28 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Like a Sore Thumb Message-ID: I was never part of the cool crowd in school. I had a good circle of friends, but we definitely weren't the ones that hung out with the cheerleaders or the football players. The closest I ever got was helping one cheerleader with her homework and doing a team project with one of the basketball players. I also did the stats for the girls basketball team. I just hung around the edges, but never got invited in. Being a clever boy, though, I turned this to my advantage. I took pride in being different and standing out. I wasn't afraid to take some risks now and then. Not being part of the cool crowd actually freed me from worrying about being shunned. I already was, so there was nothing to lose. I ran for student office, and asked the other fringe kids to vote for me. I wasn't afraid to stand up for my beliefs in biology class, history class, and against a very liberal speech teacher. I was called a few names for doing well in class and blowing the curve. That just made me want to do it more. High school is something of a microcosm of American society. Everyone wants to be part of the hip group. They want to be in on the jokes and part of the crowd. Many people are too afraid to stand out because they might get laughed at or kicked out. God calls us to stand out. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16 You are to stick out like a sore thumb. You are to draw attention to yourself, so you can redirect it to Christ. You are to encourage people to swim against the tide. This will likely get you excommunicated from the crowd. That's okay, it's better to be with God than with the crowd anyway. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 6 23:57:11 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 23:57:11 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Repeating History Message-ID: <56621843-A84F-4E44-9C66-D27777CE21FE@clanwebb.com> King David wrote this psalm thousands of years ago. See how true it rings right here and now: "Help, Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips ? who is our master?" "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the Lord. "I will protect them from those who malign them." And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men." Psalm 12 Notice the verse that describes people claiming they can triumph with their speech. They are convinced that the words of their own mouths can conquer anything and that they need no master to guide them. This sounds like every humanistic talking head on TV. The last verse really jumped out at me. Would you say that American society honors what is vile? They do by simply redefining that which was vile to be acceptable. What is vile according to God is certainly honored in the news, entertainment, and the rest of popular culture. Those who love and live this vileness do strut. Just flip by MTV for a few minutes. The good news is that this is nothing that God hasn't seen before. He's got it under control. The bad news is that society still dwells in the filthiest of places after all these years. The lesson to learn is to not be suckered in just because someone has convinced you that what used to be sin is now normal. Just because everyone is doing it doesn't mean it's not sin. Do not fall into the trap of thinking your thoughts or speech can conquer anything. God conquers all. Do not fall into the trap of sinning and strutting. Repent and be humble. Those are the actions of a Christian. Wyatt From Wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 7 23:50:13 2007 From: Wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2007 23:50:13 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Temptation Message-ID: <12014682-7FC1-4120-903D-488285D4B2A2@clanwebb.com> Temptation. It is such a hard thing to ignore nowadays. It seems to be everywhere in this world: the mall, the Internet, and TV. It seems that everywhere we go, we can't escape it. You can try to ignore temptation, but the world will try to slip it in. We need to learn to train our eyes, brain, and heart. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Matthew 26:41 There we go. God hit it right there. Our spirit is willing to not be tempted, but it's the lust of our worldly flesh that gets in the way. Watch with your eyes. Guard your eyes. Don't be tempted into stupid things. Pray to God daily. It will be a lot easier on your day with God helping you. Temptation is alluring. It looks really good from the start, but once you have actually done or looked at something, then you find yourself asking, "Why did I do that?" Satan is trying to get under your skin. He knows we are easily tempted, so he will use any tactic. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 Doesn't that make you feel great? God knows that you are going to fall to temptation eventually. We are sinners, after all. He will provide a way out for you whenever this happens, though. Listen, people, you can try on your own to fight off temptation, but we can't do it on your own. We need help from the Heavenly Father to fight the daily fight against temptation. Watch and pray, David From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 8 21:06:59 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2007 21:06:59 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who We Serve Message-ID: Political perspective is something we best get our arms around in the coming months. There will be many decisions to make and so much rhetoric and spinning of information that gaining clarity will be like trying to reconstruct all the fruit out of a smoothie. Please remember that God is in control and that men and women are not going to save the world. Who we elect will be the ones God wants to be elected. We must not squander our vote or keep silent, but rather prayerfully consider those we support. I urge you not to stand in a pool of indignation only to have it harden and then for you to be cast into deep water and sink. Always vote for the best person of the choices that align themselves closest to God and against those that are against God. Have faith in His wisdom for the time. Don't be a Jonah and question God's choice or motives. Staying home because your candidate may be eliminated doesn't absolve you from praying about the ones that are left and casting a vote for the one God places on your heart. Cast your vote for the lost, the innocent, the helpless, the law-abiding, and infirm people that need your vote. God will take care of the elected official. He will direct the outcome. Vote for the best of the lot and don't expect perfection except from God. "All kings bow down to him and all nations will serve him." Psalm 72:11 "All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them." 1 Timothy 6:1-2 We are all slaves. God just grants us the ability to have a say as to whom we serve. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 10 00:44:26 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2007 00:44:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Let Go of the Monkey Message-ID: I love it when I have the opportunity to say or do something that seems to hit the perfect note for someone else. It's fun to play on an inside joke, a long-running ribbing, or just finish the full circle with a distant event. If you still aren't following, let me give you an example. My sister received her Master's Degree this weekend and we made the drive to help celebrate her graduation. As a graduation gift, I had purchased what I thought was the perfect item over three months ago. I bought her a plush monkey with velcro on the hands and feet. This was the perfect note because of a story from our childhood. I had owned a similar monkey when she was quite young, but I was concerned about her ruining it, so I never let her play with it. Once, I finally allowed her to wear it around her neck as long as she didn't touch it. I was very possessive and she has joked with me about it since then. Over the years, she remembered how much she wanted to play with that toy and I finally bought her one of her own. Furthermore, her Master's Thesis was on the study of primates in captivity, so the monkey had a double meaning. At the moment she opened the gift, she understood what I was saying and appreciated both the humor and the affection in the message. What was even more fascinating was what happened next. Our two-year old niece, who was sitting at the same table, immediately wanted to play with the monkey. Seeing this young child with sticky hands and food on her face made my sister pause. She was in precisely the same place I had been so many years before. However, she made the correct decision. She allowed our niece to play with the monkey and allowed her to share the same joy she had just experienced when opening the gift. I was reminded of the parable about the slave who was forgiven his debt, but then did not forgive his debtor. Her actions reminded me how we must be a conduit for the attitude of Christ. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12 These are only two of many, but you get the point. We cannot claim to be followers of Christ if we receive the gifts of mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, and the rest and then refuse to give those to those around us. Are you being a conduit? Or are you holding up the distribution of His gifts with your own hang-ups? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 11 00:05:19 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:05:19 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Writer's Block Message-ID: What to write? What point should I make today? What great insight can I offer? I was a bit blocked on my subject matter today. I tried to draw a devotional out of my recent activities, something I saw on the news, or even some childhood memory that I could dredge up. Nothing was coming. I did a few searches on the Bible reference website I use, but nothing was coalescing. Then my eyes wandered to the verse of the day: "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 I was immediately reminded that it's not about me or my abilities as a writer. This is about Him. It's about reminding us all that He is God. He will be exalted whether I write about Him or not. Instead of staking my claim and feeling self-important about spreading of His Word, I should be asking simply to be used. So, I'll get out of the way today and just let Him speak. Read the verse again: "Be still and know that I am God" The longer you meditate, the more power it carries. I need to do that more often. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Jun 11 22:46:04 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:46:04 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Obstacle Management Message-ID: Does this sound familiar? Running as fast as you can, you must jump a ditch, climb a wall, swing over water, crawl under barbed wire, dance through tires on the grounds, and then end by snaking through mud before you have completed your task. Well, it's either an obstacle course, life, or a typical day. Obstacles come in different forms and some are to be conquered, some are to be avoided, and others we just have to live through, if possible. "Therefore this is what the Lord says: "I will put obstacles before this people. Fathers and sons alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish." " Jeremiah 6:21 When God has had enough, and we are blind in our walk, we may reach this point. "And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." " Isaiah 57:14 This is when God determines that we have had enough. "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3 This is when God is fine tuning our sanctification. "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." Romans 16:17 This is when our walk is in tune with God and our eyes are opened. Guys, not every mountain is to be climbed and to do it "just because it's there" really proves nothing. Learn your course through a personal relationship with God so you can recognize the difference between the need to return to God, being contrite before God, stepping up and being tested by God, or avoiding a test by a false God. Allen From WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM Tue Jun 12 22:36:52 2007 From: WYATT at CLANWEBB.COM (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 22:36:52 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] By Your Fingernails Message-ID: <72C28773-1C19-4584-A7A0-4CE21C491149@CLANWEBB.COM> I appreciate the direction the pastors at my church teach. They do not teach like the expert teaches the novice. They do not teach like the veteran teaches the rookie. They teach like a peer saying, "Hey, look what God revealed to me. We should all hear this." My point is that they include themselves when teaching how to think, act, and otherwise behave. They don't make any pretense of being any better at it than the rest of us. I appreciate that because it helps to dissipate the myth of the perfectly holy person. The average American looks at a pastor or priest and thinks that he's got it figured out and he's living a clean life without difficulty. At times, people contemplating Jesus will decide they can't live up to the expectations. I think they feel like this: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold." Psalm 73:1-2 It's easy to feel like you're hanging on by your fingernails and so there's no hope of being eligible for God's goodness. The reason most folks follow this logic is because we're raised in a world where you usually don't get something you don't deserve. If we haven't been very, very good people, how can we deserve God's love? Of course, that's the whole point. We don't deserve it. Nobody does. It's a gift. Even the faith we have in Christ is a gift. There is nothing we can do on our own. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith?and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God? not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:7-8 So, if you or someone you know feels like they've almost slipped over the edge and they're barely hanging on, remind them that they have lots of company. None of us have earned God's goodness. He's chosen to love all of us regardless. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 13 23:24:05 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:24:05 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Done With It Message-ID: <111B3303-35E8-40CF-AED8-D5B41FDCD75F@clanwebb.com> Sin is like flies and mosquitoes. They will always be with us, and they will always be negative. The fact that sin is always in our lives means we have to have the right attitude rather than just trying to sweat it out, gut it out, or go on a guilt trip. Sin gets you from time to time and it is your attitude about the encounter that is more important than anything. As you ski down the slope, you are going to miss a gate once in a while. The course is too long and there are too many unknowns. The object is to finish the race with your best effort because when you reach the finish line, sin is not allowed to follow you. "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin." 1 Peter 4:1 You catch that? "done with sin"! Don't let sin get you down. Get up and re-up. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 14 23:21:30 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:21:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Christians Ignoring Christ Message-ID: I hate that the presidential primary races have started so early, but I can't help but follow them at a certain level. I'm not scouring the net for every piece of data like I'm sure I will be by this time next year. As I watch these groups of men and women debate and try to shake out the leaders, I get really disgusted at the phonies. I really have a strong distaste for those who firmly declare things that they just as firmly declared the opposite of a year or two ago. I cannot stand someone who is clearly running, not to make the country better, but to simply gain the power. I think the public generally dislikes phonies, too. When they finally see through the veneer, the hypocrite is tossed out on his or her ear. I also think the American public is hypocritical about hypocrites. They claim to have no room for them in public discourse, but I believe most of America is living hypocritically. I come to this conclusion by putting two facts together. First, something like 75 percent or more of the public declares that they are Christians. Secondly, I observe just a few minutes of what passes for popular culture which is only in style because it is consumed by a large majority of the American public. Why do so many claim to be Christians and yet ignore Christ? "What do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46 Jesus is making a deep point here. He demonstrates that you cannot claim to be a follower of Christ if you do not follow His commandments. They go hand in hand and are part of the package. Now, it's easy for me to point the finger at the rest of the country, but this verse hit me hard. There are still parts of my life that I'd prefer not to hand over to Him. How can I go to church on Sunday and Wednesday and carry my Bible proudly at work and yet not follow Him completely? I'm not saying we have to be perfect, but we sure should be making the attempt. I cannot hold back anything. I must give it all over to Him and call Him Lord of my life in all aspects. I have a lot of work to do. How about you? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 16 00:01:06 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:01:06 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Foothold Message-ID: I have a distinct memory from my young childhood of being in a pool with my kindergarten class. It was an indoor pool that had a sloping bottom that started at about three feet deep and ended up at thirteen or fourteen feet deep. I remember there being a large group of kids of various ages and we were all just having a good time. I couldn't swim at the time, so I was just splashing and walking around seeing how high I could let the water go. In retrospect, there didn't seem to be enough supervision, so I was probably tempting fate more than I should have. I remember walking slowly toward the deep end while in the middle of the pool and away from the edges. At one point, a couple of kids surged across the water behind me and created a wake that pushed me further out than I could stand. I began to frantically dog-paddle and tried to get back to the shallower end. For about twenty seconds, I wasn't sure if I could make it. I really didn't feel like I could keep from going under. I remember looking around and realizing that of the twenty or so other kids and the few adults that were in and around the pool, nobody noticed me flailing. I'm sure I had a terrified look on my face, but nobody came to my rescue. I did eventually make my way back and I stayed in the very shallow end for the rest of the day. I was reminded of this episode by this scripture: "Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me." Psalm 69:1-2 We all feel like life is okay as long as we know where the bottom of the pool is. As long as we can stand up and keep our head above water, we're feeling pretty good about ourselves. But, when we take one step in the wrong direction, we're suddenly in trouble. We are up to our necks in it and sinking and can't find our footing. Even if we get nudged into this situation, chances are we were walking too close to the edge anyway. And, as my experience reminded me, the world won't save you from your predicament. Only God can save you. Don't blame God for being up to your neck in it. Don't blame other people for being unable to find a foothold. Repent of the sin you committed and then cry out to God to save you. He always will. There are miry depths. There are deep waters. There are floods. They will engulf you and you may feel that you're going under. Just repeat the beginning of this scripture, "Save me, O God". Can't miss. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Jun 16 22:50:15 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 16 Jun 2007 22:50:15 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Answer the Question Message-ID: <3108B538-FF9A-44B0-999C-D12CE8B35208@clanwebb.com> Our childhood holds many aspects that are mere training for our relationship with God. The parent-child relationship while growing up is a plethora of examples. Do you remember those times when you were confronted with bad behavior and you could not look your parents in the eye? There was a repressive feeling that came over you when you just wanted your behavior to be forgotten and the world could go back to a time when you were outside playing and not in a spot that required an answer to confirm your guilt. The feeling was shame, and it is a function of a loving parent and a loving God to bring us back into a right relationship. As adults we have more power to react in a manner that causes us to dig the hole deeper, as it were, and really mess up our lives by staying in a state of denial over our shame. But, until we answer the question that confirms our guilt, we will never be free of the feeling. Thank God that there is shame, otherwise we would never own up. Thank God that He has put in place a way to rid ourselves of shame over and over as we grow closer to Him. It is only when we walk away from His protection that we expose ourselves to open ridicule instead of understanding. "Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you." Psalm 25:20 Guys, look in the mirror. Answer the question. Get right. Then, go back out and play. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 17 22:43:48 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:43:48 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Perfect Father Message-ID: <03D02B5D-8F13-4B98-B517-663E22C54B32@clanwebb.com> "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 I could do a nice reflection on fathers with this verse and the holiday about how we need to take our responsibilities seriously. We need to teach our children to be children of God and followers of Christ. But, something else struck me as I read this verse today. When I read "do not exasperate" I think of not making life intentionally hard for our children. Don't present them with no-win situations or expect them to do the impossible. Don't create a situation to which there is no correct answer. That's exasperating. So, if God is the perfect father, then He should never exasperate us, right? And, yet, His expectation for us is to follow His commands and do His will at all times. We know that's impossible. He even told us so: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 So, if God knows we can't be perfect and, yet, still holds us to that standard, is that not exasperating behavior? Isn't He setting us up for failure? How can He be the perfect father if He expects the impossible? Well, the truth is that it wasn't impossible at the beginning. Adam and Even blew it. Now, we are all born with a genetic defect. Wait, you say, so now it is genetically impossible to live up to His standard? That's right. It was impossible the moment you were conceived. Does that mean life isn't fair? No, but life is flawed, so it isn't fair anyway. But, that's beside the point. God came up with the solution, though. It's one where He doesn't need to compromise His standards and one where we can still get a ticket to Heaven. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 You see it now? He is the perfect Father. He gave up that which was most precious to Him to save us and shows that we are precious to Him as well. He is the perfect father. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 19 00:19:45 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:19:45 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Stirring the Pot Message-ID: One of the great victories of my childhood was the first time I beat my father at chess. He taught me to play and we played quite a bit before I finally was able to squeak out a win. That process taught me to be disciplined in my play and to think several steps ahead. It taught me some valuable lessons that I still use today. For example, while I was learning, I would often take a lazy approach to playing. Instead of planning several steps ahead to determine my best move, I would often just advance a piece dramatically to try to stir up trouble. I didn't consider whether it was doing any good or even if I was setting myself up for a loss. I just wanted to agitate a bit. It rarely worked because it ended up being a wasted move. There is no purpose in the move. There is no advancing toward a goal. This has taught me to consider the consequences seriously before making a move in life. There's no point in simply moving for the sake of stirring the pot. I know now to have a good reason behind the move. "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." Proverbs 17:14 Can you have a dramatic effect by breaching a dam? Dang right! That'll get the attention of quite a few folks. Can you predict the outcome? Not at all. So, before you dive in head first to a situation and start thrashing about, consider the possible outcomes. If your chances of a good outcome are slim to none, then don't bother. Don't let pride lead you into a no-win situation. As Christians we are strangers in a strange land. There is much for us to battle. But we don't need to draw our sword and rush headlong into every skirmish we see. If we're tied up with the skirmishes, we can't be used at the front. I am not suggesting we abide sin or shrug at disobedience. We simply need to choose our battles. Or, better yet, let God choose them for you. He'll make it clear where He wants you to go. Just make sure that when He calls you, you're not in the middle of stirring a hornet's nest. Be prepared to fight. Don't go looking for one. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 19 23:46:29 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 23:46:29 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Spiritual Sloth Message-ID: Going off to college meant I got to learn just how much my parents had been doing for me at home. I tried to make myself aware of my new responsibilities before I left and my parents tried to help me prepare as well. Still, you just don't know until you're on your own what it takes to live on your own. The first two weeks after I left home, I was training with the Navy so they kept me pretty busy. I didn't have time to think about much. After that, though, I woke up in a temporary dorm room and realized that it was up to me to go find something to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since we hadn't been issued meal cards, yet, this actually implied going shopping or visiting the student center and shelling out my own cash just for food! On top of that I actually had to manage my own schedule, pay my own bills, and otherwise do everything to keep my life moving. I think most young adults have that realization at some point that food doesn't magically materialize in the fridge. Someone has to put it there. Worse, money doesn't reproduce and grow in your bank account. At some point you have to earn something to deposit in there. The realization is that the bare necessities you need only come from earning the money with which to buy them. There's no such thing as a free lunch. "Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest." Proverbs 14:4 The point being that where there is muscle and effort, there will be abundance. There's a spiritual truth here, too. Where there is spiritual muscle and spiritual effort, there will be spiritual abundance. It's not that you've earned it or that you can make it happen yourself. It's about how bad you want it. We know it's silly for people to sit at home and wait for someone to bring them food or to give them money (although many do just that). It's just as silly for us to be spiritually lazy and expect to get the most out of our relationship with Christ. We have to exert the effort and dedicate the time to being spiritually strong so that God can bring us that abundance. C'mon. Stop being a spiritual couch potato. Grab your Bible. Get on your knees. Get into shape! Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Jun 20 21:58:20 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2007 21:58:20 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Examples Message-ID: I am one of those people that learn not by reading as much as I do by seeing. Instead of a long, drawn out explanation supported by mounds of evidence, just show me an example. My brain will bring into focus an example much better than just chatting about it. God has given us His Word that is chock full of examples if we will just lift our eyes and put the examples into practice. "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come." 1 Corinthians 10:11 "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 1 Corinthians 11:1 "In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness" Titus 2:7 "if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;" 2 Peter 2:6 Gentlemen, we should never say, "God, just show me what you want me to do." You have a choice to read about it or check out the examples. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 21 23:27:50 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 23:27:50 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Be Glad It's Unfair Message-ID: <039736B3-7B29-4811-8C20-8DDB0E602A7D@clanwebb.com> "Don't worry about it. They will get what they deserve." "What goes around comes around." When we are on the short end of things, we often find solace in phrases like these. In fact, we often use them to comfort the people we like that have been cheated or wronged. But, the fact is that in a fallen world it doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes, the cheaters make more money, have bigger houses, go on nicer vacations, and get the things we would like to have. We are told to count our blessings when, in fact, we really want more blessings because it just doesn't seem fair. Well, if God were fair, He would dish out what we deserve all the time. "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!" Jeremiah 4:18 "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Psalm 57:1 Like King David, we are in a cave with disaster closing in and, but for the protection of a loving God, there is no hope. What difference does it make what the other guy gets? Without God's protection, it is just not worth it. Let them cheat. Worry about your conduct, your humility, your obedience. Stuff is worthless unless given to you for stewardship by God. What is better: the ill-gotten yacht or enough God given lumber to build your own row boat? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 22 21:36:07 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:36:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Prepare to Answer Message-ID: If someone were to ask you the difference between a Sunni and a Shi'ite Muslim, would you know? It so happens that both are subgroups of Islam, but Sunnis elect their leader, while the Shi'ites believe their leader must be a direct descendant of Muhammad. Approximately eighty percent of Muslims are Sunni. As Christians, we should spend some time in a study of the Muslim because, from now until the end, we will be trying to share the good news with the same hearts and minds that they are after. Take some time and go through some comparisons of Christianity and Islam. There are several articles at John Ankerberg's site here: http://www.johnankerberg.com/Articles/archives-is.htm Specifically, there's a handy reference chart here: http://www.johnankerberg.com/Articles/_PDFArchives/islam/Christianity- vs-Islam.pdf "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15 Get ready to stand and speak. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 24 00:16:38 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 00:16:38 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Just Listen Message-ID: I don't know what it is about teenage brain chemistry that makes it so hard to discern good advice. I often thought nutty ideas from my friends sounded like more fun than the boring, safe input I got from my parents. If I would have stopped for five seconds to think, it would have been obvious. I'm on the other side of that discussion now. I have literally had discussions where I've very clearly pointed this out to my son to no avail. He'll begin to argue about something and will be slowly digging himself into a hole. I'll stop the discussion long enough to say, "Son, I'm going to point out to you that at this very moment you are standing at the edge. If you continue to push this issue, you will be stepping over the edge and there will be consequences you don't like. Please stop and think for a second before you continue. I'd much rather have a quiet evening than having to enforce consequences." The next words out of his mouth might as well have been "Geronimo!" as I watch him figuratively jump over the edge. Once he realizes his mistake, he'll try to backtrack, but it's too late. The consequences are inevitable. There's something innate in human nature that makes it very difficult to hear those kinds of direct, clear warnings. It's no different when you're an adult: "Hear, O my people, and I will warn you? if you would but listen to me, O Israel! [...] "If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!" Psalm 8:8,13-14 It's as if God has grabbed us by the shoulders, sat us down, and gave us a two hour audio-visual presentation about the line we were about to cross and then we left the room and crossed it. Then, we wonder what went wrong. God is saying it's as easy as listening. Which, of course, turns out to be very hard for those of us with a sin nature. It's not difficult to do, it's just incredibly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the warning is clear. The orange cones are out. The yellow tape is blocking the path. There are many signs posted in bright, flashing neon. Instead of contemplating what's over the edge, listen to God. Just listen. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Jun 24 22:47:11 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 22:47:11 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Sovereign Message-ID: <33627306-506D-4C49-80D5-554400EB25A8@clanwebb.com> It's funny how perfectly useful language can change over the years. The meanings change. The implied meanings change. Something that was perfectly clear becomes perfectly cloudy. As I watch current events and study world politics, the issue of national sovereignty comes up. It's a term that is misunderstood and often ignored despite it's deep importance. Saying we are a sovereign country means that we will not submit ourselves to the authority of any other country. We will only lead ourselves. This issue comes up when world bodies impose fines, try court cases, or order legal changes outside of our Constitutional system. It also comes up when our armed forces are commanded by external organizations. It's an important issue because if you give up your sovereignty you are effectively hitching your train to someone else's engine of which you have little or no control. A dangerous thing to be unsure about. When we describe God as sovereign, it seems even fuzzier. The principle is the same. God has complete and total authority over Himself and His creation. There is no group, no person, and no power that can force Him to do anything. He makes His own decisions and He creates His own path. Furthermore, since we are all His creation, He is the writer of our history and the creator of our future. He is sovereign because nothing challenges His ultimate authority. We can debate whether He has this authority all we want. The fact remains that He does. We cannot change who He is by anything we think, say, or do. David recognized this: "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?" 2 Samuel 7:18 "How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." 2 Samuel 7:22 The early church certainly knew this: "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them." Acts 4:24 Our entire faith starts from the idea that God is ultimately sovereign over all. This is more than just being powerful and in control. This means having authority over all people and things. This means being in unchallengeable control. What, then, is the purpose of trying to convince God that He's made a mistake? What exactly do we accomplish by resisting the direction He's taking us? Whether we agree or not, He's driving the train. Rather than arguing with Him and blaming Him for your misery, we should be thankful that He's a loving God. You can be sure that what He does, He does out of love. He really does know better than we do about what's good for us. Don't fight it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 26 00:12:31 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:12:31 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] See the Unseen Message-ID: The skeptic says, "Prove it!" He wants scientific proof of God. He wants a DNA sample of Jesus. He wants to witness a miracle with video cameras and infrared scanners recording. All this because the skeptic trusts his own eyes. He has placed his faith in his own faculties and abilities. It is impossible to comprehend God if you're convinced that you're at the top of the totem pole. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:18 Our eyes deceive us because they do not perceive all of reality. They only register the temporary, less important things of the universe. We must believe in the unseen or be forever limited by our faulty senses. I can almost hear God quoting Groucho Marx: "Who you gonna believe, Me or your lying eyes?" Although, He's not kidding. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Jun 26 23:42:07 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 23:42:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Avoid the Crowds Message-ID: <66419541-0967-4C01-B292-C5D81CB062BF@clanwebb.com> I have only ever made two bets on sporting events. I bet on the Eagles to beat the Raiders in Super Bowl XV in 1981 (Jim Plunkett and crew dominated the game for a Raiders upset). I bet on Georgetown against Villanova in the 1985 NCAA basketball tournament. Villanova pulled off one of the great all-time upsets and beat the Hoyas 66-64. In both cases, I placed the bet because all of the experts were so sure. The odds were heavily in favor of the teams I picked. I didn't do any research on my own, I simply went with the overwhelming majority opinion. I haven't bet on a sporting event since. Clearly, majority opinion doesn't mean much. I ended up looking just as foolish as the rest of them by buying into it. The guys I was betting against looked like geniuses. I read the story of Jesus raising the little girl from the dead and thought of the people who didn't believe. They reminded me of me and my experts in my two betting experiences. "He [Jesus] went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" )." Mark 5:39-41 Did you catch what happened to the mockers? There was a large crowd that laughed at Jesus because He seemed to suggest the impossible. He was proposing something that was very unlikely. The odds were heavily against His claims being true. They didn't believe. He sent them away. He took those who chose to believe and they witnessed the miracle. The others were put out of the house and had to hear about it later, much to their disbelief, I'm sure. I don't want to be part of the crowd that jeers Jesus just because the odds are against Him. I don't want to be put out of the house and miss His miracles. I want to witness His hand at work, not just hear about it from those I mocked earlier. Don't get caught up in the news, movies, music, or friends that make fun of Christ. Don't be trapped by doubting He has the power to do anything. Don't end up being sent away before the miracles happen. Be one of the few. Be a believer that doesn't need a crowd to believe. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 28 00:00:57 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Respect Message-ID: I know I've said this before, but the thing I love about reading Scripture is that there's always something new. I'm reading through the New Testament for the umpteenth time, but I still catch new truths and reinforcements of doctrine that I hadn't noticed before. Today's happened while reading through Mark about Jesus being disrespected in his hometown: "Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village." Mark 6:4-6 What struck me today was the part where it says, "He could not do any miracles there". This is Jesus we're discussing. Does Scripture really say that He was incapable of performing miracles just because he was being dissed by the folks from His old neighborhood? This seems to imply that His abilities were dependent on the faith of those around Him. I can imagine whole splinter churches building doctrine around this. But, before we go nuts, let's remember rule number one of interpreting the Bible. Compare Scripture to Scripture. There are many other places in the Word that tell us that Jesus is God and that God is all-powerful. So, interpreting this verse that way would be a contradiction. Therefore, it must have a different meaning. My interpretation is not that Jesus was limited, but that the people of His hometown were limited. Because they had no faith in Him, there was no reason to perform miracles for them. Their hearts were already hardened. How sad to be so skeptical and cynical as to miss out on knowing their Savior just because He had grown up there. That same skepticism and cynicism permeates American society today. Miracles wouldn't be enough to convert the average non-Christian American nowadays. They would all be explained away by talking heads within the first twenty- four hours. Don't be so jaded as to claim belief in Jesus, but ignore His work in your own backyard. By work, I mean both the work He is performing and the work He has prepared for you to do. Look for Him. Follow Him. Claim Him as your Lord. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Jun 28 22:11:42 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 22:11:42 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Not Forgotten Message-ID: <037CA59D-3CE8-4970-B74A-AE9200884AC1@clanwebb.com> I heard a story on the news last night about a couple that was having so much fun at Disney World that they accidentally left their toddler in a stroller outside the "Pirates of the Carribbean" ride as they got in line with the rest of their children. They came looking for her over an hour later after park officials had found her and given her water as she was showing signs of heat exhaustion. The parents said that they didn't realize she wasn't with them until after they got off the ride. I'm not going to say anything about the quality of parenting here that obviously needs an upgrade. I wanted to use this story to illustrate the feeling of being forgotten. Do you ever feel like you've missed out on some part of life? Do you feel your peers are passing you by and you are standing still? Do you feel like God has forgotten you? While it certainly may be the case that God is taking you through a desert time, He has not forgotten you. He is simply preparing you for the next step. Whenever you feel forgotten or unfinished, go back to the Word. "The Lord will fulfill his purposes for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever? do not abandon the works of your hands." Psalm 138:8 "[...]he that began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6b You are simply an unfinished work ? unfinished, but not forgotten. Fear not. He will complete you and fulfill the plan He has for you. Now just may be the time to learn patience and prayer. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Jun 29 22:32:33 2007 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2007 22:32:33 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Joy of Forgiveness Message-ID: <2124F6BE-D28A-464E-B722-46107C94C7E1@clanwebb.com> There are several things I miss about my childhood (and a few I don't). I do miss the great feelings of certainty that comes from being a child. Knowing when you were forgiven by your father or mother is one of the most satisfying feelings that can be experienced. Knowing for certain they love you because of the physical touch of forgiveness. Real tears you could see and taste when the consequences were put behind your and your relationship was restored. The few moments after the wave of relief were the best. I would give a lot to sleep the sleep of a forgiven child. As adults, we look too far forward and too far in the past and Satan constantly reminds us of our failures and places curtains of concern in front of our successes. I think kids are less vulnerable to the sly side of Satan. His innuendo doesn't work because they don't listen to him any more than they listen to their parents. Adults listen, absorb, and sometimes react to every negative tidbit our eyes and ears can tune into. Oh, to have the black and white sight of a child again and respond to my Lord like the Father He is to me. "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5 Allen