From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 1 00:31:00 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 1 00:31:39 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Paradigm Shift Message-ID: <66279D33-E693-4B47-8598-02E46B9FEE2C@clanwebb.com> Sometimes the ground shifts. In business, it's called a paradigm shift. In the real world, we call it being a fish out of water. Basically, what I'm talking about is when everything around you changes so fundamentally and so dramatically that you can't assume anything anymore. The proverbial fish mentioned above can't depend on water anymore. That means he can't breathe and can't move. That sure changes some basic assumptions about his environment! A fish is built to live in water. Without it he'll die. Guess what? We are fish out of water. Living on earth will eventually kill us unless we find a way back to the water. We were designed to live in water. Our spirits were built to have that water around us to breathe and grow. Now, of course, I'm not talking about H20. I'm talking about the living water that Christ offers. What we often forget is that we were designed to live in relationship with Him. We've fallen away and He's given us an opportunity to reconcile. If you haven't taken that opening, please do. If you don't, you will surely die. Even if you do, though, there's something else to be aware of. We have all developed methods of living in the world without Christ. Maybe it happened before you were saved. Maybe it comes from those things you haven't handed over to Him yet. Regardless, we all have developed some methods of trying to deal on our own. You need to forget them. If you're saved, you've experienced a paradigm shift. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11 You are no longer a citizen of the world. You are a citizen of Heaven. You're just here temporarily. You are a stranger to this world. You can't make the same assumptions you did before. You don't have to save yourself. Christ already did that. You need to recognize that things are different, so your actions need to be different, too. Let's be like the saints who've gone before. They recognized what they were: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." Hebrews 11:13 Hey, stranger. Just keep thinking about home. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 2 00:23:53 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 2 00:24:38 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Pattern Matching Message-ID: <4B9F4B1B-DD74-4BB7-BBD1-5ED5F4D31706@clanwebb.com> Computer scientists can only dream of making a machine that can think and calculate like the human brain. Most of what makes the brain so amazing is it's ability to find patterns. Pattern matching is a skill that we all have whether you know it or not. It's the ability to recognize that an animal you have never seen before is a dog because you've seen many dogs before and know the pattern. You can recognize the difference between and airplane and a gliding bird, because you've seen many of both and have a pattern in your brain to match against. Pattern matching is valuable when doing math, driving a car, or reading a book. When you have a conversation, you can recognize when the conversation is over based on the cadence of the other person's voice, their body language, and even their eye movement. You mentally match what's happening to a pattern in your brain so you know what to do next. Pattern matching often leads creating muscle memory, too. This is great for athletes and musicians. They instinctively know how to react to certain patterns they see. Pattern matching can also be dangerous. It can be a subconscious decision to react to a pattern you've seen without thinking about the consequences. This applies to things like reaching out to catch a hot object when it falls or standing on your brakes when you start to skid. When your reaction happens without thinking, you run the risk of not adjusting for differences in the pattern. Moses and Aaron got caught doing this during their wanderings in the desert. In Exodus, the Israelites begin to doubt God and start demanding water. God tells Moses that He will provide: "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel." Exodus 17:6 Later on, in Numbers a very similar situation arises again. This time God gives clear, but different, directions: "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." Numbers 20:8 Moses and Aaron heard that God would provide, but they allowed themselves to think, "Oh, right. We remember how to do this. We'll just do it the same way we did last time." "Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." " Numbers 20: 11-12 We need to beware of the same thing. It's great to go to God with all of your troubles. But, don't fall into the trap of thinking the solutions are always the same. If He fixed your money trouble by leading you to find a new job, don't decide to quit every time you have money trouble in the future. God has something new to show you every day. Each solution will open your eyes to something you didn't know. Don't try to match patterns and predict God's solutions. If it didn't work for Moses, it certainly won't work for us. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 2 23:54:43 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 2 23:58:03 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Check the References Message-ID: This whole idea of walking into a dark place, off a cliff, or into some other unknown place out of obedience is nothing new in some cultures. People that strap bombs on themselves today or the Japanese pilots during World War II that were never taught to land the plane sure knew what was in store. The thing to think about is: In whom are you placing your faith? What are the credentials of the one that is asking you to have faith? "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Not seen doesn't mean not known. It's the credentials that matter. Credentials are important. Can the one making the promises be trusted? Is that person the kind of person in whom you want to have faith? Jesus Christ is perfect. He didn't do one wrong thing while He was on earth. In fact, that is the biggest problem some have with Jesus. For some, He was literally too good to be true. Credentials are like references. Suppose you are interviewing people that say they require faith to provide for you. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 Jesus, I need some references. Well, here are a few: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel just to name a few. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He gave His life to save the sinners He loves. He would never ask you to give your life to take the lives of the innocent. Of all the gods, of all the cultures, who has better credentials? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 3 23:50:44 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 3 23:51:26 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Let Go of the Doorknob Message-ID: It's funny how snippets of pop culture stick in our brains. I remember the Saturday morning lineup of my favorite cartoons from my youth. I can remember the commercial that advertised the toy I spent months begging for. And, like most of us, I remember Looney Tunes cartoons quite well. I've seen them all hundreds of times. They are part of our American culture. One cartoon scene has stuck in my mind all these years as a picture lesson of life. For whatever reason, Daffy Duck is about to enter a house and grabs the doorknob. At that moment, the house collapses into dust leaving a pile of rubble and Daffy holding the shiny doorknob in midair. He freezes for comedic effect. This is the image that keeps coming back to me when I think of how we hold on to our old lives. When we accepted Christ, we became dead to sin. That old house collapsed. However, some folks continue to stand on the doorstep holding the doorknob. They keep hoping they can slide back in to that old life. They want that house to reappear so they can spend some time in it again. So, while we're standing there holding on to the last piece of that old life, what has Jesus done for us? "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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:2-3 So, how's that for comedic effect? We're standing there holding a doorknob and Jesus has prepared a whole new house for us. One that won't crumble and one that's much, much better than anything we've seen before. It's time to chuck that last piece on the pile and leave the rubble. There's nothing for you there anymore. You have a new life elsewhere. C'mon, drop the doorknob. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 5 00:23:36 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 5 00:24:19 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who? Me? Message-ID: <45BACBF9-3B54-41ED-AC10-E3C0A30C39A8@clanwebb.com> Thomas Wyatt the younger was the leader of what is traditionally called Wyatt's rebellion. In 1542, while in his early twenties, Wyatt's father died and he inherited Allington Castle and Boxley Abbey in Kent, England. Although he had been raised Catholic, he developed a deep animosity towards Spain after seeing the results of the Inquisition first hand. After a few years of bouncing around (some time in the Tower of London for breaking windows while drunk and some service fighting for the Habsburg emperor) he tried to settle down. He had a few moments of political involvement, but nothing serious. It got serious in 1554. Queen Mary was intending to marry Philip the prince of Spain. He joined with several conspirators to try to prevent the marriage. A general uprising all around the country was planned. As it turned out, the rest of the conspirators were clueless and ended up doing very little. Wyatt, having been in the military, gathered a small group and occupied Rochester. When the local sheriff showed up to put down the rebellion, most of his men joined Wyatt's cause. Later, when a Duke brought men from London, they too joined Wyatt's cause. At this point, he had over 4,000 men at his command. He was the only leader, which was entirely by accident. Do you ever have one of those mornings where you wake up, look in the mirror, and ask yourself, "How in the world did I get here?" I suspect old Thomas had a couple of those during this series of events. He just wanted to speak up a little bit. He wanted to rebel a little bit, but only if he could hide in a group. Before he knew it, he was the figurehead and thousands of men were cheering him on. At this point, he had to know that either he would succeed or he'd be dead inside of a year. That's probably not how he had planned it all. We have moments in life when we'll be asking ourselves how we got there. We have a decision to make at those moments. We can either believe in the cause of Christ, or back down. We can believe our own doubts and give up, or we can be obedient to the will of Christ. "But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." " Exodus 3:11-12 When you have doubts about being the man in front or the one everyone is looking at, just remember that God is with you. As long as you are fighting the battle He sent you to fight, He'll be with you. Moses wasn't prepared to lead. Moses didn't even want to lead. But, when God told Him to lead, Moses did it because God went with him. If God asks you to lead, do it. He'll be with you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 6 00:00:33 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Apr 6 00:02:49 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Careful with Your Plans Message-ID: This may be a stretch for some of you, but as I listened to this story, I saw a spiritual side. In 1959, Jimmy Driftwood won a Grammy for the song, "The Battle of New Orleans". Back in the early 1940s, he wrote this song as a way for his students to remember the historical facts about that particular part of history. The battle's two main protagonists were Andrew Jackson and the British General, Edward Pakenham. The upshot was that the British were not used to losing battles, but these rednecks won the battle and the song tells the tale. What the song doesn't tell, but Jimmy Driftwood does, is that Pakenham was wounded in the battle. After their defeat, the British took him from the field of battle and he later died from his wounds. Now, to do him honor, his officers decided that he needed to be sent back to England for burial. As Driftwood tells the story, they disemboweled the good general, placed him in a barrel of rum and put him on a ship to England. Now, all of us have experienced a foul up in shipping and delivery from time to time, but probably nothing like this. When the barrel reached England, it was mishandled and shipped back to the United States. As fortune would have it, the barrel ended up at a party in Tennessee. The folks at the party tapped the barrel and drank the rum. When the rum was gone, somebody noticed that the barrel was still heavy. So, they split it open and out popped Pakenham. "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 15:22 [ Uh, yeah. Sometimes. ] "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21 [ Always ] "But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deed he stands." Isaiah 32:8 [As men, we are always striving ] Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 7 00:18:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri Apr 7 00:19:19 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Consider The Alternative Message-ID: <025C0D14-BF9C-43C1-8499-CD7480C7A276@clanwebb.com> I have often observed how people will have dramatically different reactions to the same situation because the alternatives are different. I'm excited and nervous on my first day at a new job. On the other hand, I dream about skipping a day when I've been working there for years. It's still the act of getting up and going to the job, but in the first case the alternative was no job at all. In the second case, it was more sleep and kicking back. My father tells this joke that I have now begun to tell my son. Whenever I would come to Dad with a minor injury (scrape, bruise, or stubbed toe) he'd say, "I can fix it with a hammer. I'll pound your hand and you'll forget all about the toe." Just the act of cracking that joke can lighten the mood. It does remind me that instead of a scrape, it could have required stitches. Instead of a bruise, it could have been a broken bone. Those things only seem bad because I compared them to being uninjured. When I compared them to something worse, they didn't seem so bad at all. Whenever you see something in Scripture that seems contrary to common sense, you are probably thinking of the wrong alternative. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 Be happy about trials? That sounds nuts. Of course, we tend to compare a tough situation with the alternative of easy going. God is leading us through these trials so that we may become mature Christians. He wants us to be ready for the next things that are coming. The reality is that the alternative to working through a trial would be to hit a bigger trial later and be completely unprepared. When you consider that, the trial is the better choice. God loves us more than to leave us unprepared. You wouldn't send your son into an NFL game without some serious training first. God knows the big things are coming and we need to be prepared. That can mean some bumps and bruises, but it's better than the alternative. It's better than having someone pound your hand with a hammer because you weren't ready. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 8 00:15:56 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 8 00:16:39 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Waking Message-ID: <88AA5D9F-E21E-481E-8F85-77C80E15C63C@clanwebb.com> There are people that come into our lives from time to time that profess to be Christians by virtue of just saying it. "Of course I'm a Christian." Then, there are those that really know what it means, but they are just slowly getting around to acting like one. Now, to be sure, nobody is perfect, and there isn't a scale that measures your behavior such that when you hear the "ding" you can officially say in public that you are a Christian. When you become involved in your walk with Jesus Christ, the person for which it is most obvious is yourself. If you tell me you are a Christian, I'll take your word for it. However, sometimes it is apparent that you are in a struggle and asleep in your faith. I've been there. Here is a (possibly apocryphal) story to illustrate: In early English history, lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock people out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they deceased would wake up. Hence the custom of "holding a wake". I think that is what we need to do for a brother or sister that says they are a Christian, but they are in a personal struggle. Talking to them won't always do it. Pleading can drive them away. Scolding them just make them angry. Sometimes, we just have to be understanding and wait for them until they wake up. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3 There may be a day when you wake up and want to see a friend waiting for you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 9 00:28:27 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 9 00:29:07 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Cycle Message-ID: It's like clockwork. It's a predictable cycle. The conventional wisdom of the world goes through the same cycle with the same goals decade after decade. The goal, of course, is to discredit Jesus. The world wants to do anything possible to make Jesus less than He is. The cycle is pretty easy. The claims come in waves. Jesus didn't exist. Jesus did exist, but He was crazy. Jesus did exist and really believed He was the Messiah, and had some lucky coincidences. Jesus existed, but the Bible doesn't record it correctly. Jesus existed, the Bible records it, but we just don't know how to read it. As the world edges closer to having to admit Jesus was precisely who He said He was, they snap back to the beginning: Jesus didn't exist. The collective mind of the unsaved wants so badly for Jesus to be something other than what is claimed that they look for evidence wherever they can find it. They'll use any little thing to claim proof that He was something else. You see, if we can prove that He wasn't the Christ, then we can justify our sinful existence. We don't have to deal with the knowledge that He is the only way. It's a losing cause, but that doesn't prevent people from trying. The other night I saw the next in the wave. An archaeologist, who claims to be pro-Christian due to his desire to find "the real Jesus", makes the claim. He claims that Jesus had a human father. He claims that he wants "to discover who Jesus was. Not make him into a God." When the interviewer asked whether he believed in the virgin birth, the archaeologist replied, "I don't know how you make a human without two sets of chromosomes." It became clear through the show that this scientist was starting with an important assumption. He was assuming that miracles do not happen. If you start from there, then you will clearly discount the idea of the virgin birth. If you can discount that, then it's not a distant leap to making Jesus an average joe. He was just a charismatic guy who started a new church that's lasted a while. I shake my head when I see intelligent people working so hard when their starting point is flawed. Most of the time, they should know better. The fact is that you can't disprove God. You can use faulty logic to argue that you have, but there will always be a flaw. Here's the truth: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:3 "I and the Father are one." John 10:30 "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 Sun Apr 9 23:35:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 9 23:48:19 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Good Death Message-ID: There has been a lot of discussion recently about euthanasia. That word comes from the Greek and its original meaning is "the good death". To the Christian, the good death is the saved death. Once again, the world likes to try to get into God's head, redefine His creations, "modernize" His thought processes, and improve on His plan. "Passive euthanasia (also called negative euthanasia) refers to the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment when certain justifiable conditions exist, and allowing the patient to die." J.P. Moreland (Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Biola University) We want the legalization of the ability to starve a person to death and call it good. We can't understand how God can allow someone to suffer, so we think we know better and kill them. If you believe there is a hell and that person is not saved, then we have just condemned that person to eternal suffering. But, at least we don't have to be around them anymore. We can just put flowers on our handiwork a couple times a year. Out of sight, out of mind. "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,[...]" Genesis 1:26 (Everyone has worth. Quality doesn't enter into the argument.) "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7 (The creator is the source of life. We are the created. We have no authority to take innocent life.) "For the Lord is your life[...]" Deuteronomy 30:20 (Without Him, there is no life.) "I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand." Deuteronomy 32:39 (He is in charge.) "The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up." 1 Samuel 2:6 (He invented life and death.) "[...] he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else [...] For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:25,28 (We don't exist apart from Him.) The business of life and death belongs to the Creator, not the created. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 10 23:48:49 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 10 23:56:03 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Troubled Thoughts Message-ID: If you have ever played racquetball, you will understand the term "unpredictable" a lot more definitively. That little ball and four walls can produce quite a bit of unpredictability. My thought life is a lot like a highly energized ball in an enclosed space. We are told to control our thought life. The challenge is that perfect control of our thoughts would require us to simply remove the ball from the court. However, that would make going on the court a useless exercise. King David could find himself trying to get his thoughts back under control. A close look at Psalm 55 shows a man in thought distress. "Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught" Psalm 55:1-2 When the thoughts you have trouble you, that's a red flag. Circumstances can cause this, but to overcome circumstances you must first get your thoughts under control. "My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me." Psalm 55:4-5 Your thoughts can produce these feelings before the circumstances warrant. The answer is to return to the safe place before you face the circumstance. "But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. [...] Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:16, 22 When you think you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. And then pray that the cavalry is on its way. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 11 23:44:53 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Apr 11 23:46:15 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Peek Message-ID: Beware of your eyes, men. They will surely get you into trouble. Our eyes are amazing things. They can discern detail from hundreds of yards away. They can catch the smallest bit of motion at the edge of view. They can see things in broad daylight and adjust to see things in the dark. They react very quickly and can adjust and focus faster than any man-made camera. However, the eyes are an open pipeline to our minds and, when directed incorrectly, our minds can distract or even corrupt our hearts. The act of putting a destructive image in front of your eyes can make an imprint on your brain. That image will be there for days and weeks to be recalled whenever your brain wants to. Pretty soon, if you can't stop thinking about it, your heart's desire changes. It's corrupting. Just peeking is still dangerous. You can't focus on Jesus when there's something in the way. Job knew this: "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." Job 31:1 David knew this: "I will set before my eyes no vile thing. [...]" Psalm 101:3a They weren't just promising to not commit adultery or to not be involved with sin, they were promising to not even view it. They made the effort to keep those things out of sight. They understood the poisoning effect it had. Don't kid yourself into thinking that a quick glance or sideways look doesn't count. Two things are still true: God knows and you know. Guard your eyes. They are an amazingly useful part of your body, but it is especially easy to feed corruption to your mind and heart if you aren't careful. No peeking. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 12 23:00:26 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 12 23:26:34 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Organic Connections Message-ID: I have a theory about large software projects, but you have understand a little background first. When I create software by myself, the projects are often small and manageable by one person. When a bug is found, I can analyze it, isolate it, and fix it. As projects get bigger, the knowledge of how things work becomes spread around to multiple people and it takes more effort to figure out exactly the source of a problem. Some projects have multiple versions (think Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop) and, over the years, employees come and go. Now you have a situation where code that is actively running in the current version of your software was written by someone who doesn't work there anymore and may not have worked there for years. If a bug shows up in that area, it takes some serious work to figure out what's going on. My theory is that when software projects become sufficiently large they behave organically. By that I mean that any change to the code causes unpredictable results. Like the classic butterfly flapping it's wings in China causing a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. Everything is connected and it's impossible to predict the dependencies. I know when this has happened when I discover that the cause of a bug has nothing to do with where the bug appears to the user. For example, when changing your preferences causes the program to crash when you print. Or, saving your file three times in succession causes it to stop drawing windows on the screen. They are baffling until you dig underneath and find the unexpected connection. I stumbled on a connection like that during my Bible study this week. "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." 1 Peter 3:7 Did you catch that? While this verse has great advice for how to treat your wives, there was another hitch there at the end. Peter is telling us to treat our wives correctly so that nothing will hinder our prayers. That implies that if your prayers seem to be going unanswered, you might want to check on your relationship with your wife. I never would have connected the two, but right here in Scripture the two are clearly associated. How you manage your relationship with your wife will have a direct effect on your relationship with God. It may seem like two separate issue, but God has linked them. You can't have it any other way. Tough prayer life? Talk to your wife. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 13 23:36:47 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Apr 13 23:37:26 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Be Distracted Message-ID: I was watching my granddaughter crawl across the floor last evening. She is just discovering mobility and, thus, the world. She does a thing we call "scritching". When she encounters something new, she scratches at it as if it had an itch, thus "scritching". It seems to be a way she likes to get a feel for the new object and it delights her for a short while. Then she moves on to something different. She is a baby in a new world and easily distracted. New Christians are much like her. They are fascinated by the Word and all aspects of a new relationship with Jesus. They are also easily distracted by anything new. Every year, it seems, something new comes along for a new Christian to scritch. This year it seems to be "The Da Vinci Code" and the lost gospel of Judas (which wasn't really lost, but that's another story). The world would like nothing better than to discredit Jesus. They want to relegate him to average human, magician, or con-artist. The Bible is not some coded or mystical message that needs some lost key or old writing to clarify. It is just exactly what it says it is or it's pretty much worthless. "This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." 1 Corinthians 2:13 Christians have to get over the idea that it takes a human brain to decipher God's thoughts. "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16 There is no great conspiracy of some secret society with secret rituals in order to deceive the world. These guys were there. They saw what they saw and the wrote it down under the divine guidance of God. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." 1 John 1:1 In any situation - any situation - an eyewitness is the best source of information. Look at it this way: You rob a 7 Eleven and four guys see you do it. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all give cops an eyewitness account. They write it down and their stories are compared. Buddy, when they show up in court you are toast. "It's a conspiracy!" you cry. Right. A couple of fisherman, a doctor, and a tax collector all get together to make up a lie so they can convict you. If it isn't from God, it is not of God. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 15 00:41:30 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 15 00:42:17 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Fooling Message-ID: Have you ever spoken too soon? Has it ever been an embarrassing situation? Have you ever wanted to rewind and just take it all back? I did that one day some years ago when speaking to my manager. When I realized my mistake, I was convinced I had just killed any chance for job advancement. The situation was that I had just been given my annual review and a salary increase to go with it. When my next paycheck after the increase showed up, it appeared that my raise had been barely one percent. During my review, my manager had said it would be much more than that so I was a little despondent. So, instead of calling the payroll department to ask what was going on, I decided to go ask my manager about it. To make matters worse, I was so stressed about it that my desire to ask a neutral question about my raise turned into me basically saying, "What's going on here?" while waving my stub at him as if he had intentionally lied to me about my raise. Being a great manager, he calmly looked at my pay-stub and informed me that the raise took effect near the end of the last pay period. My next pay stub would reflect my raise for the entire period. That's all there was to it. I was mortified. Not only had I implied an accusation against my own boss, but he had corrected me with something I should have known anyway. At that moment, I was looking for a brick wall to go pound my head against repeatedly. I felt small, shallow, foolish, and I worried about how he would view me in the future. It was really a dumb move. "A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated [...] A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly." Proverbs 14:17,29 I'm a living testament to these verses. Being mortally embarrassed is an excellent motivator to being patient and finding all the information before you make any assumptions. I find my professional (and personal) life to be much better when I don't jump to conclusions and I don't let my temper get the best of me. You can't be an ambassador of Christ if you have a hair trigger and no patience. Others will not see Him in you. You will not be able to wait on Him to lead you where He needs you. Take a deep breath. Gather more information. Don't look like a fool. Then, be useful to Christ. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 16 00:42:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 16 00:46:48 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He Is Risen Message-ID: <2718FB94-E028-4DAA-A37D-C4B2F5C86EC5@clanwebb.com> Easter. This is it. This day, above all days, sets Jesus Christ apart from all others. The pretenders, the mythological, and the wannabes all fall by the roadside. Jesus Christ left this world by way of an earthly death and then He came back. Think about it. Contemplate it. Believe it. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, he is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see HIm; behold, I have told you." Matthew 28:6-7 "Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen." Mark 16:14 What a God we serve! Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 17 00:00:12 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 17 00:04:09 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Power Source Message-ID: It almost seems retro to see devices that plug in anymore. When I was a kid, my toys took D batteries, portable radios, flashlights, and some very expensive calculators ran on batteries, too. Seems like everything else had a wire. The phone, the TV, the record player, and our first VCR remote. That was strange. Our first VCR has a wired remote. This long, thin, black cable would snake across the floor to the couch so you could stop and start the videotape. There was something very cool about being about to manipulate what you saw on TV with a remote. Of course, to change the channel, Dad would tell me to get up and turn the knob. Can you imagine how painful that would be now? A knob with over 200 notches? I'd have broken a wrist or something. Either way, I could always tell how the device was getting power. It was through the wire. At any rate, things with batteries seemed very cool to me because they gave the illusion that they were powering themselves. I loved portable tape recorders, too, because they worked all by themselves and were full of great machinery. As I grew older, I began to love the search. I would figure out how these things worked. At the first sign of breaking down, I'd disassemble the device to see what made it tick (I had many boxes of the leftovers to prove it). In the end, I could always trace the power back to a source. Usually the cord to the wall or a battery. They came in all shapes and sizes, but you could always trace it back. People are that way, too. We all have a power source. Some are more reliable than others. When they get unplugged from their power source, people will shut down, just like taking batteries out of a radio. If that source is money, then they'll be empty without it. If that source is power, they'll be lost at the bottom of the ladder. If that source is knowledge, they'll have nowhere to turn when they can't explain something. However, if your power source is Jesus Christ, you have something different. You have a power source that cannot be unplugged. He is risen and alive. His power still flows and won't stop. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvtion of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 Not everyone is plugged into this power source, but they can be by making a decision. So, when God gets out his screwdriver, disassembles you, and traces your power lines back, what will He find? Where are you getting your power from? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 17 23:49:04 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon Apr 17 23:50:07 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Temptation Message-ID: <24119EED-549A-4006-BA43-39083CDFB3CF@clanwebb.com> As men, we spend an awful lot of time kidding ourselves. Christian men must come to many pertinent points in time about their nature. These are points where we put a period at the end of the sentence and say, "That's the way it is." Temptation is one such point. No man on the planet is immune and no man on the planet is so strong that he will not fall under the right circumstances. "A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in." C.S. Lewis "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 It is interesting that God may give you such trials that He will break you to get your attention, but He will not tempt you into falling. In fact, He will always provide a way out of temptation. I believe we can conclude that trials from God build character and temptations from Satan destroy character. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 19 00:04:07 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 19 00:04:51 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Written In Stone Message-ID: "That's written in stone." We throw around that idiom today to imply that something is set. It's not going to change. The idea, of course, is that once something is chiseled into a stone it's awfully hard to change. Much different than writing something on paper or even carving it into wood. Paper can be thrown away and cheaply replaced. Wood can be sanded and carved again. Stone is very difficult to shape so you wouldn't write anything in stone unless you're sure of what it should say. God once wrote something in stone. Literally: "The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction." " Exodus 24:12 (Actually, He had to write them twice. Interesting story...) That was actual stone writing, but the image of being written in stone was powerful. It meant they were unchanging and long lasting. God has written Scripture the same way. The Word is meant to be read as words written in stone. To paraphrase the US legal system: The Word is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Think about what that means. That means you can take it or leave it. There is no in-between. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Proverbs 30:5-6 The Word is pretty clear that it's a package deal. You don't get to pick and choose what you like, you don't get to write appendices, and you certainly don't get to "reinterpret" what things mean. The Word is written in stone. It is infinitely valuable and powerful as it is. Adding, changing, or removing will only decrease its power. Take it or leave it. You can't change it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 19 22:44:17 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 19 22:44:58 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Forever Message-ID: Sometimes you don't know how right you are. You know those moments when you exaggerate a little bit for effect and it turns out to be spot on? I had one of those happen today. I spoke at my high school graduation. The icebreaker I used went something like, "I have a theory that graduation speeches are like Christmas fruitcakes. There are really only a few in existence and they just keep getting passed around." It was good for a quick laugh and got me rolling as I spoke to a large audience. Today, my father sends me this news story: Waukesha, Wisconsin April 18, 2006: Lance Nesta did what many people do when receiving a fruitcake he set it aside, only to rediscover it more than 40 years later in his mother's attic. Nesta couldn't resist taking a peek at the cake, still in its original tin and wrapped in paper. "I was amazed that it hadn't changed at all," he said. Nesta's two aunts sent him the fruitcake in November 1962 while he was stationed in Alaska with the Army. "I opened it up and didn't know what to do with it," Nesta said. "I sure wasn't going to eat it, and I liked my fellow soldiers too much to share it with them." As best he can remember, he packed the cake with the rest of his belongings and shipped it home to Waukesha when he left the military a few years later. He recently rediscovered the boxed fruitcake in the attic of his mother's home in Waukesha. So, sure enough, fruitcakes last forever. As I chuckled along with the story, I was reminded of how amazing it is that our God lasts forever. People joke about being older than God. That's not an exaggeration about God, though. He is infinite. He is forever. I think it's easy to wave that off and not think too deeply about it. Ponder this for a while: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He is forever and He never changes. You can depend on His love. You can depend on His forgiveness. You can depend on His mercy. You can depend on His power. Even if you fall away for a time, you can still come back. When you open your Bible again years later, He'll still be the same Jesus. And, more powerful than a fruitcake. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 20 23:57:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Apr 20 23:59:22 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Perfect Love Message-ID: <5E2378A7-6A1D-4043-BB3F-680AFC4063AB@clanwebb.com> "There is a story of a certain college student in a poetry class who, when called upon to recite lines that he had written by assignment, refused. He was prepared to accept failure rather than the embarrassment of facing the class, inept as he felt he was in this field. The professor, it is reported, said to him, "Young man, it is important that you realize that you arc not a finished product. You are still in the process of creation." In fact, all of us are in the process of creation. "Progress," said Browning in "Paracelsus," "is the law of life. Man is not man as yet." But men do have a divine heritage and we are here for noble purposes. We have an infinitely important future potential if, if we learn. How is it going to happen? Will it be automatic? You who are married, did the ceremony create you or qualify you as properly equipped husbands and wives? Does the birth of a baby into the family qualify you as adequate parents? Does graduation signify that we are educated?" Marion Hanks We are all unfinished business. When we have a moment like this young student we want folks to think of us in this way. But, when we are disappointed by the behavior of someone we love or trust, our first thought may be for retribution for the way they embarrassed us. These feelings go to the very core of our relationship with God. We want to be good and we want those we love to be good. This desire is stamped on our souls, but we are unable to fulfill the desire in ourselves or others. To love a fellow human being unconditionally should be our goal, our desire, and our life's work. This is the true reflection of Jesus Christ. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:18-20 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 22 00:30:46 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 22 00:31:30 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Grab On Message-ID: <8F43FCBA-94FC-49A3-9403-A972D3BFC4A8@clanwebb.com> "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6 For someone who has doubts and whose faith falters at times, this is a convicting bit of scripture. It's a very human thing to want some kind of evidence. I believe in the scientific method of depending on physical laws because they can be reproduced and demonstrated. Many of us have faith in others with a philosphy similar to how Ronald Reagon dealt with the Soviet Union: "Trust, but verify." God doesn't work like that. I can't ask Him to jump through hoops to prove that He's dependable before I choose to depend on Him. Having faith in the unseen without any tangible evidence in my hand is difficult, but it's right. How can we please a God that we have doubts about? We need to seek that kind of faith. During a study of faith, recently, I noticed something that hadn't occurred to me before. I've often thought of faith as important, but I had never really thought of a lack of faith as dangerous. Then I came across this verse: "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:4 If we have faith in the promises of God, if we depend on them and participate in them, then we have taken advantage of an escape hatch. You can't just cruise through life on little faith and figure it'll be okay. Sure, you may not see the big miracles, but you'll survive. No, Peter is clear that if you don't have faith in the promises, if you don't grab on with both hands, then you'll be at risk of corruption. It's like the difference between climbing a rescue ladder from a helicopter while you're standing on solid ground or while sharks are nipping at your heels. We don't have the luxury of testing the ladder and taking our time. We need to grab on with both hands and believe that the ladder is our salvation. Our current situation is too dangerous to do it halfway. Grab on to God with both hands. Believe that He is your salvation. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 22 23:50:21 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat Apr 22 23:51:08 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Track Record Message-ID: When I was a kid, buying stuff mail order meant one of two things: either my parents were ordering school clothes from the JC Penney catalog or I had saved enough nickels to order x-ray specs or a footlocker of army men from the back of my comic book. For everything else, you drove there. Now, we order over the web for almost all of our Christmas shopping, some of our clothes shopping, and we've even tried some grocery shopping. Over the past few years, I've been ordering almost all of my home electronics and computers online because the prices are so much better. However, that does present a challenge. It's one thing to order a $20 shirt and something else altogether to order a $2000 computer at a distance. When more is at stake, I do more research on the retailers. I want to know how reliable they are. I read comments from other customers to see if they had a good buying experience. I need some confirmation that I won't be disappointed. I've even decided to spend more money to buy from a more reliable retailer. I just don't want to take a risk with the unknown. When making large life decisions, people want some evidence, too. That's why choosing to follow Christ can be hard for some. They claim there's no way to know that He's for real. They'll argue that they just can't place their trust without a track record. No track record? Go read Hebrews 11. It's a long list of the saints who placed their trust in God and were not disappointed. God has a perfect record. He will never disappoint. "Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses." 1 Kings 8:56 "I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered." Psalm 89:34 "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11 Even those of us who are saved can struggle with this. We will still choose to place our faith in the things around us rather than God. It's always a disappointment. Faith in God is well placed. You can't go wrong. Do the research. You'll find that anything or anyone else you place your faith in will fail you at some time or another. While you are researching, beware the offer to place faith in something that seems to allow you to live however you want. That's like the unscrupulous retailer. That's a faith that will go unfulfilled. He has a perfect record. He is the best choice of all. Place your faith in Him and stop depending on things of the world. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 23 21:57:03 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 23 21:57:46 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It Isn't Fair Message-ID: Snap out of it, Christian. I see so many people getting into a funk over this dopey movie and the gnostic gospel of Judas, it makes me want to spit. Big news, boys! National Geographic, for all its great pictures and scientific research, will never give Jesus an even break. Secular authors and filmmakers are just after the money and they will never give Jesus a fair hearing because they know that the way they themselves live isn't the way He would want them to live. When will you see in a movie or a TV special the following: All the great Greek philosophers, and I mean all of them, are never questioned for authenticity. Yet there are less than ten, count them, less then ten surviving manuscripts of these men ranging from 750 to 1600 years after the originals were written. Put that on one side of the evidence scale. Then put all of the scriptural texts on the other side ... all 24,000 of them with little or no variation ranging from 50 to 300 years after the originals were written. They are one-sided in their presentations because they don't like Jesus. With all of the scholars they slap a little makeup on and put in front of a TV camera, they never mention this fact. There is so much overwhelming evidence to the authenticity of the Bible writings that if the same evidence existed for any other writings under scrutiny, they would call it foolish to not accept them as authentic. "Professing to be wise, they became fools." Romans 1:22 The politics of scholarship is fraught with anything that will sell, not teach. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 25 00:17:13 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue Apr 25 00:17:57 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Miss Out Message-ID: <90713AB7-45E6-48FC-98D7-DC28252A9771@clanwebb.com> Don't you hate those guys who overachieve just because they can? I do. Although, I used to be one of those guys. I was the guy who scored 50 points on a 40 point quiz because I did the extra credit, too. I didn't feel like I was showing off, but I did blow the curve quite a few times. Then I got to college and I was the other guy. Suddenly, my classes were harder and the tests took longer. I was working as hard as I could to keep my head above a C. Now, those guys who were skating and acing the quizzes annoyed me. I quickly got into the mindset of "What's the bottom line? What's the minimum I need to do to pass?" I was more concerned about getting through than getting the highest scores. Of course, that meant I missed some interesting detours. There are specific classes I wish I would have had more time for because I know I missed some interesting material. I got the degree, but I may have missed some of the polish. I worry about those Christians who have taken this approach to their faith. They try to boil it down to the absolute minimum. They'll tell you that John 3:16 is all you need. Accept Him and you are saved. That's true, but then they don't want anything else. They'll argue that you don't need to give to be saved. They'll tell you that you don't need be in the Word to be saved. They will pray when it's appropriate, not continually. They'll even tell you that you don't need to go to church to be a Christian. Well, it is true that you can avoid all of these things and still go to Heaven. However, that's a little like going to Disneyland and just visiting the restroom. You can say you were in Disneyland, but you missed all the good stuff. He teaches us to give: "But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2 Corinthians 8:7-9 He teaches us to be in the Word daily: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:2 He teaches us to pray continually: "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 He teaches us to gather with other believers regularly: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 He hasn't commanded these things as burdens. He has taught us how to have a full life. If you skip all of these things (and many others), you're simply missing out. Don't miss out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 26 00:02:04 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 26 00:02:45 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] You're Not So Big Message-ID: "We're more popular than Jesus." John Lennon "I am the greatest." Muhammad Ali "Do you know who I am?" Countless celebrities and politicians God hates pride because pride is what drives you away from Him. Confidence is being convinced that something is dependable. You may have confidence in your ability to run or lift weights. You may have confidence in your ability to sell. You may have confidence in your ability to fix a car. Announcing that to the world to increase your image is pride. Pride means you'll take all of the credit when things go well. Pride never ends well. God can't use you this way. "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" Proverbs 11:2 "The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day." Isaiah 2:11 Pride blinds you to your true purpose. Pride leads you to set yourself above others and even God. Pride is poison. Besides, regardless of how you announced it, you really aren't that big of a deal anyway. Did you run a company? Win a championship? Save a life? Lead a nation? Yeah, big deal. "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Revelation 1:18 Beat that. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 26 23:39:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed Apr 26 23:40:39 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Where's Faith Placed? Message-ID: <17EE732A-E146-44F9-B1E4-AB8F134F960F@clanwebb.com> I apologize if this is a little long, but it contains a very important lesson about science and the scientist. From an article in the May 2006 issue of Smithsonian Magazine: A T-Rex was unearthed in 2003 in Montana and for the first time some of the tissue was destroyed in order to prepare it for examination under a microscope. Mary Schweitzer the research paleontologist doing the study found red blood cells, blood vessels, and enough other evidence to state that the animal was female and pregnant. To this point in time, no scientist could believe that any of this type of evidence could ever survive in an animal that lived 68 million years ago. Now a couple of things happened, first Creation scientists went "Wow, this goes a long way to prove that these animals are not millions of years old but thousands of years." "No," cried the secular scientist,"it just proves what we believed about decay is possibly wrong and that this material can survive for millions of years." Schweitzer, who is on the one hand a "complete and total Christian", is now stuck. She must now declare one way or the other, but her livelihood and possible fame is at risk. So, she makes a fatal error for anyone that claims to be a "Complete and total Christian". She tries to have it both ways and makes God fit her situation. Her statement: "After all," she says, "what God asks is faith, not evidence. If you have all this evidence and proof positive that God exists, you don't need faith. I think he kind of designed it so that we'd never be able to prove his existence. And I think that's really cool." In the same article they talk about confirmation with another bone from Argentina showing the same evidence. Thomas Holtz Jr. of the University of Maryland comments that her work is "showing us we really don't understand decay"' and "There's a lot of really basic stuff in nature that people just make assumptions about." Schweitzer concludes "I think that we're always wise to leave certain doors open," but it seems we must always walk by the Biblical doors no matter how wide they are open. Here is the lesson: at no time did any of these scientists ever give any thought to the fact that the faith they have in the billion year old earth might be in error. This faith that there's no way the Bible can be correct. With them, the answer will be found in science... even God will be explained away. One must ask the question, "Why are they so afraid?" Could it be that there is no fame, money, or research time in being a creation scientist? These guys get no tax money, no teaching positions, book contracts, or headlines. They guy with the most press isn't always right. God has revealed something special here, but only for those with eyes to see. "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. "You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let the salvation spring up, let the righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it." Isaiah 45:5-8 Where is her faith? Where is yours? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 27 23:46:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu Apr 27 23:47:38 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Trick Message-ID: I often find that unbelievers question my beliefs with a line like, "What's the trick to being a Christian?" In other words, they're asking what the gimmick to all the good stuff is. "Do you guys network?" The trouble is that many Christians think there needs to be a trick to being a Christian. "Bind the Devil" before you start to pray. Look to the north and stamp your feet, bless water, make the sign of the cross, kiss a medal, read only the King James version, look to the numbers in the Bible, count the spaces, don't count the spaces. Yipe! It's enough to make your head spin. Isn't the Word enough? Isn't God enough? Isn't the fact that Jesus died for us enough? Why do we run for the hocus pocus? "Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another." 1 Corinthians 4:6 There is no trick to a loving God that made it possible for sinning man to be reconciled to Him and spend eternity in paradise. Turn your life over to Christ. That's the trick. Now you see it. Now you don't... Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 30 01:08:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun Apr 30 01:17:09 2006 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Troubles in the Way Message-ID: How does that song go? "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen." My dad used to say, "Ninety percent of the people are glad you have the problems you have and the other ten percent don't give a rip." Everybody has problems. In fact, many people love their problems. "I haven't gotten over the pain of [fill in the blank]." Could be his parents' divorce, being molested, her race, his past, her fear. All of which has nothing to do with your ability to make something out of yourself. It is just harder for some people and if you are one of those people, just get on with it. Take a look at Joseph. He was beaten up, sold into slavery, separated from a father that loved him, accused of rape, thrown in prison, and forgotten. Then he was found and ended up effectively running Egypt. "Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." " Genesis 41:51 You can't change the past. There isn't some cosmic white knight that will ride up and write you a check to cover your ills, real or perceived. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 1 00:31:00 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 1 Apr 2006 00:31:00 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Paradigm Shift Message-ID: <66279D33-E693-4B47-8598-02E46B9FEE2C@clanwebb.com> Sometimes the ground shifts. In business, it's called a paradigm shift. In the real world, we call it being a fish out of water. Basically, what I'm talking about is when everything around you changes so fundamentally and so dramatically that you can't assume anything anymore. The proverbial fish mentioned above can't depend on water anymore. That means he can't breathe and can't move. That sure changes some basic assumptions about his environment! A fish is built to live in water. Without it he'll die. Guess what? We are fish out of water. Living on earth will eventually kill us unless we find a way back to the water. We were designed to live in water. Our spirits were built to have that water around us to breathe and grow. Now, of course, I'm not talking about H20. I'm talking about the living water that Christ offers. What we often forget is that we were designed to live in relationship with Him. We've fallen away and He's given us an opportunity to reconcile. If you haven't taken that opening, please do. If you don't, you will surely die. Even if you do, though, there's something else to be aware of. We have all developed methods of living in the world without Christ. Maybe it happened before you were saved. Maybe it comes from those things you haven't handed over to Him yet. Regardless, we all have developed some methods of trying to deal on our own. You need to forget them. If you're saved, you've experienced a paradigm shift. "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11 You are no longer a citizen of the world. You are a citizen of Heaven. You're just here temporarily. You are a stranger to this world. You can't make the same assumptions you did before. You don't have to save yourself. Christ already did that. You need to recognize that things are different, so your actions need to be different, too. Let's be like the saints who've gone before. They recognized what they were: "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." Hebrews 11:13 Hey, stranger. Just keep thinking about home. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 2 00:23:53 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 00:23:53 -0800 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Pattern Matching Message-ID: <4B9F4B1B-DD74-4BB7-BBD1-5ED5F4D31706@clanwebb.com> Computer scientists can only dream of making a machine that can think and calculate like the human brain. Most of what makes the brain so amazing is it's ability to find patterns. Pattern matching is a skill that we all have whether you know it or not. It's the ability to recognize that an animal you have never seen before is a dog because you've seen many dogs before and know the pattern. You can recognize the difference between and airplane and a gliding bird, because you've seen many of both and have a pattern in your brain to match against. Pattern matching is valuable when doing math, driving a car, or reading a book. When you have a conversation, you can recognize when the conversation is over based on the cadence of the other person's voice, their body language, and even their eye movement. You mentally match what's happening to a pattern in your brain so you know what to do next. Pattern matching often leads creating muscle memory, too. This is great for athletes and musicians. They instinctively know how to react to certain patterns they see. Pattern matching can also be dangerous. It can be a subconscious decision to react to a pattern you've seen without thinking about the consequences. This applies to things like reaching out to catch a hot object when it falls or standing on your brakes when you start to skid. When your reaction happens without thinking, you run the risk of not adjusting for differences in the pattern. Moses and Aaron got caught doing this during their wanderings in the desert. In Exodus, the Israelites begin to doubt God and start demanding water. God tells Moses that He will provide: "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel." Exodus 17:6 Later on, in Numbers a very similar situation arises again. This time God gives clear, but different, directions: "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink." Numbers 20:8 Moses and Aaron heard that God would provide, but they allowed themselves to think, "Oh, right. We remember how to do this. We'll just do it the same way we did last time." "Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them." " Numbers 20: 11-12 We need to beware of the same thing. It's great to go to God with all of your troubles. But, don't fall into the trap of thinking the solutions are always the same. If He fixed your money trouble by leading you to find a new job, don't decide to quit every time you have money trouble in the future. God has something new to show you every day. Each solution will open your eyes to something you didn't know. Don't try to match patterns and predict God's solutions. If it didn't work for Moses, it certainly won't work for us. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 2 23:54:43 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 23:54:43 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Check the References Message-ID: This whole idea of walking into a dark place, off a cliff, or into some other unknown place out of obedience is nothing new in some cultures. People that strap bombs on themselves today or the Japanese pilots during World War II that were never taught to land the plane sure knew what was in store. The thing to think about is: In whom are you placing your faith? What are the credentials of the one that is asking you to have faith? "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 Not seen doesn't mean not known. It's the credentials that matter. Credentials are important. Can the one making the promises be trusted? Is that person the kind of person in whom you want to have faith? Jesus Christ is perfect. He didn't do one wrong thing while He was on earth. In fact, that is the biggest problem some have with Jesus. For some, He was literally too good to be true. Credentials are like references. Suppose you are interviewing people that say they require faith to provide for you. "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6 Jesus, I need some references. Well, here are a few: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel just to name a few. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He gave His life to save the sinners He loves. He would never ask you to give your life to take the lives of the innocent. Of all the gods, of all the cultures, who has better credentials? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 3 23:50:44 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 23:50:44 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Let Go of the Doorknob Message-ID: It's funny how snippets of pop culture stick in our brains. I remember the Saturday morning lineup of my favorite cartoons from my youth. I can remember the commercial that advertised the toy I spent months begging for. And, like most of us, I remember Looney Tunes cartoons quite well. I've seen them all hundreds of times. They are part of our American culture. One cartoon scene has stuck in my mind all these years as a picture lesson of life. For whatever reason, Daffy Duck is about to enter a house and grabs the doorknob. At that moment, the house collapses into dust leaving a pile of rubble and Daffy holding the shiny doorknob in midair. He freezes for comedic effect. This is the image that keeps coming back to me when I think of how we hold on to our old lives. When we accepted Christ, we became dead to sin. That old house collapsed. However, some folks continue to stand on the doorstep holding the doorknob. They keep hoping they can slide back in to that old life. They want that house to reappear so they can spend some time in it again. So, while we're standing there holding on to the last piece of that old life, what has Jesus done for us? "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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:2-3 So, how's that for comedic effect? We're standing there holding a doorknob and Jesus has prepared a whole new house for us. One that won't crumble and one that's much, much better than anything we've seen before. It's time to chuck that last piece on the pile and leave the rubble. There's nothing for you there anymore. You have a new life elsewhere. C'mon, drop the doorknob. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 5 00:23:36 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 00:23:36 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Who? Me? Message-ID: <45BACBF9-3B54-41ED-AC10-E3C0A30C39A8@clanwebb.com> Thomas Wyatt the younger was the leader of what is traditionally called Wyatt's rebellion. In 1542, while in his early twenties, Wyatt's father died and he inherited Allington Castle and Boxley Abbey in Kent, England. Although he had been raised Catholic, he developed a deep animosity towards Spain after seeing the results of the Inquisition first hand. After a few years of bouncing around (some time in the Tower of London for breaking windows while drunk and some service fighting for the Habsburg emperor) he tried to settle down. He had a few moments of political involvement, but nothing serious. It got serious in 1554. Queen Mary was intending to marry Philip the prince of Spain. He joined with several conspirators to try to prevent the marriage. A general uprising all around the country was planned. As it turned out, the rest of the conspirators were clueless and ended up doing very little. Wyatt, having been in the military, gathered a small group and occupied Rochester. When the local sheriff showed up to put down the rebellion, most of his men joined Wyatt's cause. Later, when a Duke brought men from London, they too joined Wyatt's cause. At this point, he had over 4,000 men at his command. He was the only leader, which was entirely by accident. Do you ever have one of those mornings where you wake up, look in the mirror, and ask yourself, "How in the world did I get here?" I suspect old Thomas had a couple of those during this series of events. He just wanted to speak up a little bit. He wanted to rebel a little bit, but only if he could hide in a group. Before he knew it, he was the figurehead and thousands of men were cheering him on. At this point, he had to know that either he would succeed or he'd be dead inside of a year. That's probably not how he had planned it all. We have moments in life when we'll be asking ourselves how we got there. We have a decision to make at those moments. We can either believe in the cause of Christ, or back down. We can believe our own doubts and give up, or we can be obedient to the will of Christ. "But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain." " Exodus 3:11-12 When you have doubts about being the man in front or the one everyone is looking at, just remember that God is with you. As long as you are fighting the battle He sent you to fight, He'll be with you. Moses wasn't prepared to lead. Moses didn't even want to lead. But, when God told Him to lead, Moses did it because God went with him. If God asks you to lead, do it. He'll be with you. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 6 00:00:33 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 00:00:33 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Careful with Your Plans Message-ID: This may be a stretch for some of you, but as I listened to this story, I saw a spiritual side. In 1959, Jimmy Driftwood won a Grammy for the song, "The Battle of New Orleans". Back in the early 1940s, he wrote this song as a way for his students to remember the historical facts about that particular part of history. The battle's two main protagonists were Andrew Jackson and the British General, Edward Pakenham. The upshot was that the British were not used to losing battles, but these rednecks won the battle and the song tells the tale. What the song doesn't tell, but Jimmy Driftwood does, is that Pakenham was wounded in the battle. After their defeat, the British took him from the field of battle and he later died from his wounds. Now, to do him honor, his officers decided that he needed to be sent back to England for burial. As Driftwood tells the story, they disemboweled the good general, placed him in a barrel of rum and put him on a ship to England. Now, all of us have experienced a foul up in shipping and delivery from time to time, but probably nothing like this. When the barrel reached England, it was mishandled and shipped back to the United States. As fortune would have it, the barrel ended up at a party in Tennessee. The folks at the party tapped the barrel and drank the rum. When the rum was gone, somebody noticed that the barrel was still heavy. So, they split it open and out popped Pakenham. "Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed." Proverbs 15:22 [ Uh, yeah. Sometimes. ] "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21 [ Always ] "But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deed he stands." Isaiah 32:8 [As men, we are always striving ] Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Fri Apr 7 00:18:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Fri, 7 Apr 2006 00:18:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Consider The Alternative Message-ID: <025C0D14-BF9C-43C1-8499-CD7480C7A276@clanwebb.com> I have often observed how people will have dramatically different reactions to the same situation because the alternatives are different. I'm excited and nervous on my first day at a new job. On the other hand, I dream about skipping a day when I've been working there for years. It's still the act of getting up and going to the job, but in the first case the alternative was no job at all. In the second case, it was more sleep and kicking back. My father tells this joke that I have now begun to tell my son. Whenever I would come to Dad with a minor injury (scrape, bruise, or stubbed toe) he'd say, "I can fix it with a hammer. I'll pound your hand and you'll forget all about the toe." Just the act of cracking that joke can lighten the mood. It does remind me that instead of a scrape, it could have required stitches. Instead of a bruise, it could have been a broken bone. Those things only seem bad because I compared them to being uninjured. When I compared them to something worse, they didn't seem so bad at all. Whenever you see something in Scripture that seems contrary to common sense, you are probably thinking of the wrong alternative. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4 Be happy about trials? That sounds nuts. Of course, we tend to compare a tough situation with the alternative of easy going. God is leading us through these trials so that we may become mature Christians. He wants us to be ready for the next things that are coming. The reality is that the alternative to working through a trial would be to hit a bigger trial later and be completely unprepared. When you consider that, the trial is the better choice. God loves us more than to leave us unprepared. You wouldn't send your son into an NFL game without some serious training first. God knows the big things are coming and we need to be prepared. That can mean some bumps and bruises, but it's better than the alternative. It's better than having someone pound your hand with a hammer because you weren't ready. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 8 00:15:56 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 00:15:56 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Waking Message-ID: <88AA5D9F-E21E-481E-8F85-77C80E15C63C@clanwebb.com> There are people that come into our lives from time to time that profess to be Christians by virtue of just saying it. "Of course I'm a Christian." Then, there are those that really know what it means, but they are just slowly getting around to acting like one. Now, to be sure, nobody is perfect, and there isn't a scale that measures your behavior such that when you hear the "ding" you can officially say in public that you are a Christian. When you become involved in your walk with Jesus Christ, the person for which it is most obvious is yourself. If you tell me you are a Christian, I'll take your word for it. However, sometimes it is apparent that you are in a struggle and asleep in your faith. I've been there. Here is a (possibly apocryphal) story to illustrate: In early English history, lead cups were used to drink ale or whiskey. The combination would sometimes knock people out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they deceased would wake up. Hence the custom of "holding a wake". I think that is what we need to do for a brother or sister that says they are a Christian, but they are in a personal struggle. Talking to them won't always do it. Pleading can drive them away. Scolding them just make them angry. Sometimes, we just have to be understanding and wait for them until they wake up. "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:3 There may be a day when you wake up and want to see a friend waiting for you. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 9 00:28:27 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2006 00:28:27 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Cycle Message-ID: It's like clockwork. It's a predictable cycle. The conventional wisdom of the world goes through the same cycle with the same goals decade after decade. The goal, of course, is to discredit Jesus. The world wants to do anything possible to make Jesus less than He is. The cycle is pretty easy. The claims come in waves. Jesus didn't exist. Jesus did exist, but He was crazy. Jesus did exist and really believed He was the Messiah, and had some lucky coincidences. Jesus existed, but the Bible doesn't record it correctly. Jesus existed, the Bible records it, but we just don't know how to read it. As the world edges closer to having to admit Jesus was precisely who He said He was, they snap back to the beginning: Jesus didn't exist. The collective mind of the unsaved wants so badly for Jesus to be something other than what is claimed that they look for evidence wherever they can find it. They'll use any little thing to claim proof that He was something else. You see, if we can prove that He wasn't the Christ, then we can justify our sinful existence. We don't have to deal with the knowledge that He is the only way. It's a losing cause, but that doesn't prevent people from trying. The other night I saw the next in the wave. An archaeologist, who claims to be pro-Christian due to his desire to find "the real Jesus", makes the claim. He claims that Jesus had a human father. He claims that he wants "to discover who Jesus was. Not make him into a God." When the interviewer asked whether he believed in the virgin birth, the archaeologist replied, "I don't know how you make a human without two sets of chromosomes." It became clear through the show that this scientist was starting with an important assumption. He was assuming that miracles do not happen. If you start from there, then you will clearly discount the idea of the virgin birth. If you can discount that, then it's not a distant leap to making Jesus an average joe. He was just a charismatic guy who started a new church that's lasted a while. I shake my head when I see intelligent people working so hard when their starting point is flawed. Most of the time, they should know better. The fact is that you can't disprove God. You can use faulty logic to argue that you have, but there will always be a flaw. Here's the truth: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:3 "I and the Father are one." John 10:30 "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 Sun Apr 9 23:35:39 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2006 23:35:39 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Good Death Message-ID: There has been a lot of discussion recently about euthanasia. That word comes from the Greek and its original meaning is "the good death". To the Christian, the good death is the saved death. Once again, the world likes to try to get into God's head, redefine His creations, "modernize" His thought processes, and improve on His plan. "Passive euthanasia (also called negative euthanasia) refers to the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment when certain justifiable conditions exist, and allowing the patient to die." J.P. Moreland (Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Biola University) We want the legalization of the ability to starve a person to death and call it good. We can't understand how God can allow someone to suffer, so we think we know better and kill them. If you believe there is a hell and that person is not saved, then we have just condemned that person to eternal suffering. But, at least we don't have to be around them anymore. We can just put flowers on our handiwork a couple times a year. Out of sight, out of mind. "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,[...]" Genesis 1:26 (Everyone has worth. Quality doesn't enter into the argument.) "The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7 (The creator is the source of life. We are the created. We have no authority to take innocent life.) "For the Lord is your life[...]" Deuteronomy 30:20 (Without Him, there is no life.) "I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand." Deuteronomy 32:39 (He is in charge.) "The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up." 1 Samuel 2:6 (He invented life and death.) "[...] he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else [...] For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:25,28 (We don't exist apart from Him.) The business of life and death belongs to the Creator, not the created. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 10 23:48:49 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 23:48:49 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Troubled Thoughts Message-ID: If you have ever played racquetball, you will understand the term "unpredictable" a lot more definitively. That little ball and four walls can produce quite a bit of unpredictability. My thought life is a lot like a highly energized ball in an enclosed space. We are told to control our thought life. The challenge is that perfect control of our thoughts would require us to simply remove the ball from the court. However, that would make going on the court a useless exercise. King David could find himself trying to get his thoughts back under control. A close look at Psalm 55 shows a man in thought distress. "Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught" Psalm 55:1-2 When the thoughts you have trouble you, that's a red flag. Circumstances can cause this, but to overcome circumstances you must first get your thoughts under control. "My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me." Psalm 55:4-5 Your thoughts can produce these feelings before the circumstances warrant. The answer is to return to the safe place before you face the circumstance. "But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. [...] Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:16, 22 When you think you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. And then pray that the cavalry is on its way. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 11 23:44:53 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 23:44:53 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Peek Message-ID: Beware of your eyes, men. They will surely get you into trouble. Our eyes are amazing things. They can discern detail from hundreds of yards away. They can catch the smallest bit of motion at the edge of view. They can see things in broad daylight and adjust to see things in the dark. They react very quickly and can adjust and focus faster than any man-made camera. However, the eyes are an open pipeline to our minds and, when directed incorrectly, our minds can distract or even corrupt our hearts. The act of putting a destructive image in front of your eyes can make an imprint on your brain. That image will be there for days and weeks to be recalled whenever your brain wants to. Pretty soon, if you can't stop thinking about it, your heart's desire changes. It's corrupting. Just peeking is still dangerous. You can't focus on Jesus when there's something in the way. Job knew this: "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl." Job 31:1 David knew this: "I will set before my eyes no vile thing. [...]" Psalm 101:3a They weren't just promising to not commit adultery or to not be involved with sin, they were promising to not even view it. They made the effort to keep those things out of sight. They understood the poisoning effect it had. Don't kid yourself into thinking that a quick glance or sideways look doesn't count. Two things are still true: God knows and you know. Guard your eyes. They are an amazingly useful part of your body, but it is especially easy to feed corruption to your mind and heart if you aren't careful. No peeking. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 12 23:00:26 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 23:00:26 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Organic Connections Message-ID: I have a theory about large software projects, but you have understand a little background first. When I create software by myself, the projects are often small and manageable by one person. When a bug is found, I can analyze it, isolate it, and fix it. As projects get bigger, the knowledge of how things work becomes spread around to multiple people and it takes more effort to figure out exactly the source of a problem. Some projects have multiple versions (think Microsoft Word or Adobe Photoshop) and, over the years, employees come and go. Now you have a situation where code that is actively running in the current version of your software was written by someone who doesn't work there anymore and may not have worked there for years. If a bug shows up in that area, it takes some serious work to figure out what's going on. My theory is that when software projects become sufficiently large they behave organically. By that I mean that any change to the code causes unpredictable results. Like the classic butterfly flapping it's wings in China causing a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. Everything is connected and it's impossible to predict the dependencies. I know when this has happened when I discover that the cause of a bug has nothing to do with where the bug appears to the user. For example, when changing your preferences causes the program to crash when you print. Or, saving your file three times in succession causes it to stop drawing windows on the screen. They are baffling until you dig underneath and find the unexpected connection. I stumbled on a connection like that during my Bible study this week. "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." 1 Peter 3:7 Did you catch that? While this verse has great advice for how to treat your wives, there was another hitch there at the end. Peter is telling us to treat our wives correctly so that nothing will hinder our prayers. That implies that if your prayers seem to be going unanswered, you might want to check on your relationship with your wife. I never would have connected the two, but right here in Scripture the two are clearly associated. How you manage your relationship with your wife will have a direct effect on your relationship with God. It may seem like two separate issue, but God has linked them. You can't have it any other way. Tough prayer life? Talk to your wife. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 13 23:36:47 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 23:36:47 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Be Distracted Message-ID: I was watching my granddaughter crawl across the floor last evening. She is just discovering mobility and, thus, the world. She does a thing we call "scritching". When she encounters something new, she scratches at it as if it had an itch, thus "scritching". It seems to be a way she likes to get a feel for the new object and it delights her for a short while. Then she moves on to something different. She is a baby in a new world and easily distracted. New Christians are much like her. They are fascinated by the Word and all aspects of a new relationship with Jesus. They are also easily distracted by anything new. Every year, it seems, something new comes along for a new Christian to scritch. This year it seems to be "The Da Vinci Code" and the lost gospel of Judas (which wasn't really lost, but that's another story). The world would like nothing better than to discredit Jesus. They want to relegate him to average human, magician, or con-artist. The Bible is not some coded or mystical message that needs some lost key or old writing to clarify. It is just exactly what it says it is or it's pretty much worthless. "This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." 1 Corinthians 2:13 Christians have to get over the idea that it takes a human brain to decipher God's thoughts. "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16 There is no great conspiracy of some secret society with secret rituals in order to deceive the world. These guys were there. They saw what they saw and the wrote it down under the divine guidance of God. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched - this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." 1 John 1:1 In any situation - any situation - an eyewitness is the best source of information. Look at it this way: You rob a 7 Eleven and four guys see you do it. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all give cops an eyewitness account. They write it down and their stories are compared. Buddy, when they show up in court you are toast. "It's a conspiracy!" you cry. Right. A couple of fisherman, a doctor, and a tax collector all get together to make up a lie so they can convict you. If it isn't from God, it is not of God. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 15 00:41:30 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2006 00:41:30 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] No Fooling Message-ID: Have you ever spoken too soon? Has it ever been an embarrassing situation? Have you ever wanted to rewind and just take it all back? I did that one day some years ago when speaking to my manager. When I realized my mistake, I was convinced I had just killed any chance for job advancement. The situation was that I had just been given my annual review and a salary increase to go with it. When my next paycheck after the increase showed up, it appeared that my raise had been barely one percent. During my review, my manager had said it would be much more than that so I was a little despondent. So, instead of calling the payroll department to ask what was going on, I decided to go ask my manager about it. To make matters worse, I was so stressed about it that my desire to ask a neutral question about my raise turned into me basically saying, "What's going on here?" while waving my stub at him as if he had intentionally lied to me about my raise. Being a great manager, he calmly looked at my pay-stub and informed me that the raise took effect near the end of the last pay period. My next pay stub would reflect my raise for the entire period. That's all there was to it. I was mortified. Not only had I implied an accusation against my own boss, but he had corrected me with something I should have known anyway. At that moment, I was looking for a brick wall to go pound my head against repeatedly. I felt small, shallow, foolish, and I worried about how he would view me in the future. It was really a dumb move. "A quick-tempered man does foolish things, and a crafty man is hated [...] A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly." Proverbs 14:17,29 I'm a living testament to these verses. Being mortally embarrassed is an excellent motivator to being patient and finding all the information before you make any assumptions. I find my professional (and personal) life to be much better when I don't jump to conclusions and I don't let my temper get the best of me. You can't be an ambassador of Christ if you have a hair trigger and no patience. Others will not see Him in you. You will not be able to wait on Him to lead you where He needs you. Take a deep breath. Gather more information. Don't look like a fool. Then, be useful to Christ. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 16 00:42:42 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2006 00:42:42 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] He Is Risen Message-ID: <2718FB94-E028-4DAA-A37D-C4B2F5C86EC5@clanwebb.com> Easter. This is it. This day, above all days, sets Jesus Christ apart from all others. The pretenders, the mythological, and the wannabes all fall by the roadside. Jesus Christ left this world by way of an earthly death and then He came back. Think about it. Contemplate it. Believe it. "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, he is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see HIm; behold, I have told you." Matthew 28:6-7 "Afterward He appeared to the eleven as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen." Mark 16:14 What a God we serve! Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 17 00:00:12 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:00:12 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Power Source Message-ID: It almost seems retro to see devices that plug in anymore. When I was a kid, my toys took D batteries, portable radios, flashlights, and some very expensive calculators ran on batteries, too. Seems like everything else had a wire. The phone, the TV, the record player, and our first VCR remote. That was strange. Our first VCR has a wired remote. This long, thin, black cable would snake across the floor to the couch so you could stop and start the videotape. There was something very cool about being about to manipulate what you saw on TV with a remote. Of course, to change the channel, Dad would tell me to get up and turn the knob. Can you imagine how painful that would be now? A knob with over 200 notches? I'd have broken a wrist or something. Either way, I could always tell how the device was getting power. It was through the wire. At any rate, things with batteries seemed very cool to me because they gave the illusion that they were powering themselves. I loved portable tape recorders, too, because they worked all by themselves and were full of great machinery. As I grew older, I began to love the search. I would figure out how these things worked. At the first sign of breaking down, I'd disassemble the device to see what made it tick (I had many boxes of the leftovers to prove it). In the end, I could always trace the power back to a source. Usually the cord to the wall or a battery. They came in all shapes and sizes, but you could always trace it back. People are that way, too. We all have a power source. Some are more reliable than others. When they get unplugged from their power source, people will shut down, just like taking batteries out of a radio. If that source is money, then they'll be empty without it. If that source is power, they'll be lost at the bottom of the ladder. If that source is knowledge, they'll have nowhere to turn when they can't explain something. However, if your power source is Jesus Christ, you have something different. You have a power source that cannot be unplugged. He is risen and alive. His power still flows and won't stop. "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvtion of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 Not everyone is plugged into this power source, but they can be by making a decision. So, when God gets out his screwdriver, disassembles you, and traces your power lines back, what will He find? Where are you getting your power from? Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Mon Apr 17 23:49:04 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2006 23:49:04 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Temptation Message-ID: <24119EED-549A-4006-BA43-39083CDFB3CF@clanwebb.com> As men, we spend an awful lot of time kidding ourselves. Christian men must come to many pertinent points in time about their nature. These are points where we put a period at the end of the sentence and say, "That's the way it is." Temptation is one such point. No man on the planet is immune and no man on the planet is so strong that he will not fall under the right circumstances. "A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in." C.S. Lewis "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 It is interesting that God may give you such trials that He will break you to get your attention, but He will not tempt you into falling. In fact, He will always provide a way out of temptation. I believe we can conclude that trials from God build character and temptations from Satan destroy character. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 19 00:04:07 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:04:07 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Written In Stone Message-ID: "That's written in stone." We throw around that idiom today to imply that something is set. It's not going to change. The idea, of course, is that once something is chiseled into a stone it's awfully hard to change. Much different than writing something on paper or even carving it into wood. Paper can be thrown away and cheaply replaced. Wood can be sanded and carved again. Stone is very difficult to shape so you wouldn't write anything in stone unless you're sure of what it should say. God once wrote something in stone. Literally: "The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction." " Exodus 24:12 (Actually, He had to write them twice. Interesting story...) That was actual stone writing, but the image of being written in stone was powerful. It meant they were unchanging and long lasting. God has written Scripture the same way. The Word is meant to be read as words written in stone. To paraphrase the US legal system: The Word is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Think about what that means. That means you can take it or leave it. There is no in-between. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." Proverbs 30:5-6 The Word is pretty clear that it's a package deal. You don't get to pick and choose what you like, you don't get to write appendices, and you certainly don't get to "reinterpret" what things mean. The Word is written in stone. It is infinitely valuable and powerful as it is. Adding, changing, or removing will only decrease its power. Take it or leave it. You can't change it. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 19 22:44:17 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 22:44:17 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Forever Message-ID: Sometimes you don't know how right you are. You know those moments when you exaggerate a little bit for effect and it turns out to be spot on? I had one of those happen today. I spoke at my high school graduation. The icebreaker I used went something like, "I have a theory that graduation speeches are like Christmas fruitcakes. There are really only a few in existence and they just keep getting passed around." It was good for a quick laugh and got me rolling as I spoke to a large audience. Today, my father sends me this news story: Waukesha, Wisconsin April 18, 2006: Lance Nesta did what many people do when receiving a fruitcake he set it aside, only to rediscover it more than 40 years later in his mother's attic. Nesta couldn't resist taking a peek at the cake, still in its original tin and wrapped in paper. "I was amazed that it hadn't changed at all," he said. Nesta's two aunts sent him the fruitcake in November 1962 while he was stationed in Alaska with the Army. "I opened it up and didn't know what to do with it," Nesta said. "I sure wasn't going to eat it, and I liked my fellow soldiers too much to share it with them." As best he can remember, he packed the cake with the rest of his belongings and shipped it home to Waukesha when he left the military a few years later. He recently rediscovered the boxed fruitcake in the attic of his mother's home in Waukesha. So, sure enough, fruitcakes last forever. As I chuckled along with the story, I was reminded of how amazing it is that our God lasts forever. People joke about being older than God. That's not an exaggeration about God, though. He is infinite. He is forever. I think it's easy to wave that off and not think too deeply about it. Ponder this for a while: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 He is forever and He never changes. You can depend on His love. You can depend on His forgiveness. You can depend on His mercy. You can depend on His power. Even if you fall away for a time, you can still come back. When you open your Bible again years later, He'll still be the same Jesus. And, more powerful than a fruitcake. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 20 23:57:02 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2006 23:57:02 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Perfect Love Message-ID: <5E2378A7-6A1D-4043-BB3F-680AFC4063AB@clanwebb.com> "There is a story of a certain college student in a poetry class who, when called upon to recite lines that he had written by assignment, refused. He was prepared to accept failure rather than the embarrassment of facing the class, inept as he felt he was in this field. The professor, it is reported, said to him, "Young man, it is important that you realize that you arc not a finished product. You are still in the process of creation." In fact, all of us are in the process of creation. "Progress," said Browning in "Paracelsus," "is the law of life. Man is not man as yet." But men do have a divine heritage and we are here for noble purposes. We have an infinitely important future potential if, if we learn. How is it going to happen? Will it be automatic? You who are married, did the ceremony create you or qualify you as properly equipped husbands and wives? Does the birth of a baby into the family qualify you as adequate parents? Does graduation signify that we are educated?" Marion Hanks We are all unfinished business. When we have a moment like this young student we want folks to think of us in this way. But, when we are disappointed by the behavior of someone we love or trust, our first thought may be for retribution for the way they embarrassed us. These feelings go to the very core of our relationship with God. We want to be good and we want those we love to be good. This desire is stamped on our souls, but we are unable to fulfill the desire in ourselves or others. To love a fellow human being unconditionally should be our goal, our desire, and our life's work. This is the true reflection of Jesus Christ. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:18-20 Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 22 00:30:46 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:30:46 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Grab On Message-ID: <8F43FCBA-94FC-49A3-9403-A972D3BFC4A8@clanwebb.com> "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6 For someone who has doubts and whose faith falters at times, this is a convicting bit of scripture. It's a very human thing to want some kind of evidence. I believe in the scientific method of depending on physical laws because they can be reproduced and demonstrated. Many of us have faith in others with a philosphy similar to how Ronald Reagon dealt with the Soviet Union: "Trust, but verify." God doesn't work like that. I can't ask Him to jump through hoops to prove that He's dependable before I choose to depend on Him. Having faith in the unseen without any tangible evidence in my hand is difficult, but it's right. How can we please a God that we have doubts about? We need to seek that kind of faith. During a study of faith, recently, I noticed something that hadn't occurred to me before. I've often thought of faith as important, but I had never really thought of a lack of faith as dangerous. Then I came across this verse: "Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape corruption in the world caused by evil desires." 2 Peter 1:4 If we have faith in the promises of God, if we depend on them and participate in them, then we have taken advantage of an escape hatch. You can't just cruise through life on little faith and figure it'll be okay. Sure, you may not see the big miracles, but you'll survive. No, Peter is clear that if you don't have faith in the promises, if you don't grab on with both hands, then you'll be at risk of corruption. It's like the difference between climbing a rescue ladder from a helicopter while you're standing on solid ground or while sharks are nipping at your heels. We don't have the luxury of testing the ladder and taking our time. We need to grab on with both hands and believe that the ladder is our salvation. Our current situation is too dangerous to do it halfway. Grab on to God with both hands. Believe that He is your salvation. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sat Apr 22 23:50:21 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2006 23:50:21 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Track Record Message-ID: When I was a kid, buying stuff mail order meant one of two things: either my parents were ordering school clothes from the JC Penney catalog or I had saved enough nickels to order x-ray specs or a footlocker of army men from the back of my comic book. For everything else, you drove there. Now, we order over the web for almost all of our Christmas shopping, some of our clothes shopping, and we've even tried some grocery shopping. Over the past few years, I've been ordering almost all of my home electronics and computers online because the prices are so much better. However, that does present a challenge. It's one thing to order a $20 shirt and something else altogether to order a $2000 computer at a distance. When more is at stake, I do more research on the retailers. I want to know how reliable they are. I read comments from other customers to see if they had a good buying experience. I need some confirmation that I won't be disappointed. I've even decided to spend more money to buy from a more reliable retailer. I just don't want to take a risk with the unknown. When making large life decisions, people want some evidence, too. That's why choosing to follow Christ can be hard for some. They claim there's no way to know that He's for real. They'll argue that they just can't place their trust without a track record. No track record? Go read Hebrews 11. It's a long list of the saints who placed their trust in God and were not disappointed. God has a perfect record. He will never disappoint. "Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses." 1 Kings 8:56 "I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered." Psalm 89:34 "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11 Even those of us who are saved can struggle with this. We will still choose to place our faith in the things around us rather than God. It's always a disappointment. Faith in God is well placed. You can't go wrong. Do the research. You'll find that anything or anyone else you place your faith in will fail you at some time or another. While you are researching, beware the offer to place faith in something that seems to allow you to live however you want. That's like the unscrupulous retailer. That's a faith that will go unfulfilled. He has a perfect record. He is the best choice of all. Place your faith in Him and stop depending on things of the world. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 23 21:57:03 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 21:57:03 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] It Isn't Fair Message-ID: Snap out of it, Christian. I see so many people getting into a funk over this dopey movie and the gnostic gospel of Judas, it makes me want to spit. Big news, boys! National Geographic, for all its great pictures and scientific research, will never give Jesus an even break. Secular authors and filmmakers are just after the money and they will never give Jesus a fair hearing because they know that the way they themselves live isn't the way He would want them to live. When will you see in a movie or a TV special the following: All the great Greek philosophers, and I mean all of them, are never questioned for authenticity. Yet there are less than ten, count them, less then ten surviving manuscripts of these men ranging from 750 to 1600 years after the originals were written. Put that on one side of the evidence scale. Then put all of the scriptural texts on the other side ... all 24,000 of them with little or no variation ranging from 50 to 300 years after the originals were written. They are one-sided in their presentations because they don't like Jesus. With all of the scholars they slap a little makeup on and put in front of a TV camera, they never mention this fact. There is so much overwhelming evidence to the authenticity of the Bible writings that if the same evidence existed for any other writings under scrutiny, they would call it foolish to not accept them as authentic. "Professing to be wise, they became fools." Romans 1:22 The politics of scholarship is fraught with anything that will sell, not teach. Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Tue Apr 25 00:17:13 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2006 00:17:13 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Don't Miss Out Message-ID: <90713AB7-45E6-48FC-98D7-DC28252A9771@clanwebb.com> Don't you hate those guys who overachieve just because they can? I do. Although, I used to be one of those guys. I was the guy who scored 50 points on a 40 point quiz because I did the extra credit, too. I didn't feel like I was showing off, but I did blow the curve quite a few times. Then I got to college and I was the other guy. Suddenly, my classes were harder and the tests took longer. I was working as hard as I could to keep my head above a C. Now, those guys who were skating and acing the quizzes annoyed me. I quickly got into the mindset of "What's the bottom line? What's the minimum I need to do to pass?" I was more concerned about getting through than getting the highest scores. Of course, that meant I missed some interesting detours. There are specific classes I wish I would have had more time for because I know I missed some interesting material. I got the degree, but I may have missed some of the polish. I worry about those Christians who have taken this approach to their faith. They try to boil it down to the absolute minimum. They'll tell you that John 3:16 is all you need. Accept Him and you are saved. That's true, but then they don't want anything else. They'll argue that you don't need to give to be saved. They'll tell you that you don't need be in the Word to be saved. They will pray when it's appropriate, not continually. They'll even tell you that you don't need to go to church to be a Christian. Well, it is true that you can avoid all of these things and still go to Heaven. However, that's a little like going to Disneyland and just visiting the restroom. You can say you were in Disneyland, but you missed all the good stuff. He teaches us to give: "But just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2 Corinthians 8:7-9 He teaches us to be in the Word daily: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:2 He teaches us to pray continually: "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 He teaches us to gather with other believers regularly: "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 He hasn't commanded these things as burdens. He has taught us how to have a full life. If you skip all of these things (and many others), you're simply missing out. Don't miss out. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 26 00:02:04 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 00:02:04 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] You're Not So Big Message-ID: "We're more popular than Jesus." John Lennon "I am the greatest." Muhammad Ali "Do you know who I am?" Countless celebrities and politicians God hates pride because pride is what drives you away from Him. Confidence is being convinced that something is dependable. You may have confidence in your ability to run or lift weights. You may have confidence in your ability to sell. You may have confidence in your ability to fix a car. Announcing that to the world to increase your image is pride. Pride means you'll take all of the credit when things go well. Pride never ends well. God can't use you this way. "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" Proverbs 11:2 "The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day." Isaiah 2:11 Pride blinds you to your true purpose. Pride leads you to set yourself above others and even God. Pride is poison. Besides, regardless of how you announced it, you really aren't that big of a deal anyway. Did you run a company? Win a championship? Save a life? Lead a nation? Yeah, big deal. "I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades." Revelation 1:18 Beat that. Wyatt From wyatt at clanwebb.com Wed Apr 26 23:39:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:39:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Where's Faith Placed? Message-ID: <17EE732A-E146-44F9-B1E4-AB8F134F960F@clanwebb.com> I apologize if this is a little long, but it contains a very important lesson about science and the scientist. From an article in the May 2006 issue of Smithsonian Magazine: A T-Rex was unearthed in 2003 in Montana and for the first time some of the tissue was destroyed in order to prepare it for examination under a microscope. Mary Schweitzer the research paleontologist doing the study found red blood cells, blood vessels, and enough other evidence to state that the animal was female and pregnant. To this point in time, no scientist could believe that any of this type of evidence could ever survive in an animal that lived 68 million years ago. Now a couple of things happened, first Creation scientists went "Wow, this goes a long way to prove that these animals are not millions of years old but thousands of years." "No," cried the secular scientist,"it just proves what we believed about decay is possibly wrong and that this material can survive for millions of years." Schweitzer, who is on the one hand a "complete and total Christian", is now stuck. She must now declare one way or the other, but her livelihood and possible fame is at risk. So, she makes a fatal error for anyone that claims to be a "Complete and total Christian". She tries to have it both ways and makes God fit her situation. Her statement: "After all," she says, "what God asks is faith, not evidence. If you have all this evidence and proof positive that God exists, you don't need faith. I think he kind of designed it so that we'd never be able to prove his existence. And I think that's really cool." In the same article they talk about confirmation with another bone from Argentina showing the same evidence. Thomas Holtz Jr. of the University of Maryland comments that her work is "showing us we really don't understand decay"' and "There's a lot of really basic stuff in nature that people just make assumptions about." Schweitzer concludes "I think that we're always wise to leave certain doors open," but it seems we must always walk by the Biblical doors no matter how wide they are open. Here is the lesson: at no time did any of these scientists ever give any thought to the fact that the faith they have in the billion year old earth might be in error. This faith that there's no way the Bible can be correct. With them, the answer will be found in science... even God will be explained away. One must ask the question, "Why are they so afraid?" Could it be that there is no fame, money, or research time in being a creation scientist? These guys get no tax money, no teaching positions, book contracts, or headlines. They guy with the most press isn't always right. God has revealed something special here, but only for those with eyes to see. "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things. "You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let the salvation spring up, let the righteousness grow with it; I, the Lord, have created it." Isaiah 45:5-8 Where is her faith? Where is yours? Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Thu Apr 27 23:46:57 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 23:46:57 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] The Trick Message-ID: I often find that unbelievers question my beliefs with a line like, "What's the trick to being a Christian?" In other words, they're asking what the gimmick to all the good stuff is. "Do you guys network?" The trouble is that many Christians think there needs to be a trick to being a Christian. "Bind the Devil" before you start to pray. Look to the north and stamp your feet, bless water, make the sign of the cross, kiss a medal, read only the King James version, look to the numbers in the Bible, count the spaces, don't count the spaces. Yipe! It's enough to make your head spin. Isn't the Word enough? Isn't God enough? Isn't the fact that Jesus died for us enough? Why do we run for the hocus pocus? "Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another." 1 Corinthians 4:6 There is no trick to a loving God that made it possible for sinning man to be reconciled to Him and spend eternity in paradise. Turn your life over to Christ. That's the trick. Now you see it. Now you don't... Allen From wyatt at clanwebb.com Sun Apr 30 01:08:55 2006 From: wyatt at clanwebb.com (Wyatt Webb) Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2006 01:08:55 -0700 Subject: [Daily Push Up] Troubles in the Way Message-ID: How does that song go? "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen." My dad used to say, "Ninety percent of the people are glad you have the problems you have and the other ten percent don't give a rip." Everybody has problems. In fact, many people love their problems. "I haven't gotten over the pain of [fill in the blank]." Could be his parents' divorce, being molested, her race, his past, her fear. All of which has nothing to do with your ability to make something out of yourself. It is just harder for some people and if you are one of those people, just get on with it. Take a look at Joseph. He was beaten up, sold into slavery, separated from a father that loved him, accused of rape, thrown in prison, and forgotten. Then he was found and ended up effectively running Egypt. "Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." " Genesis 41:51 You can't change the past. There isn't some cosmic white knight that will ride up and write you a check to cover your ills, real or perceived. Allen